For the past week, I’ve featured the glorious city of Chicago in a six-part series on my American Nomad travel blog, and if you have absolutely nothing better to do today – and have never been to the Windy City before – I encourage you to check it out. I fell in love with Chicago in the summer of 1993, when I went for a five-week Radio/TV/Film course on the campus of Northwestern University – and I’ve been in love ever since. Although I moved from Chicago in the fall of 2000 to kick-start this nomadic existence that my husband and I currently embrace, I have never forgotten the wonder of living in the Windy City – and Dan and I have returned whenever we can.
In the first post – “A Windy City Weekend: Getting Started” – I offer a few basic tips for traversing the vast tapestry of neighborhoods and suburbs known as Chicagoland.
In the second post – “A Windy City Weekend: Strolling Amid Masters” – I explore the eclectic art scene, from the masterful paintings at The Art Institute of Chicago to the contemporary sculpture of Millennium Park.
In the third post – “A Windy City Weekend: Stepping Back in Time” – I venture inside the tremendous Field Museum, one of my favorite natural history museums in the whole wide world.
In the fourth post – “A Windy City Weekend: Stuffing Face Chicago-style” – I describe my favorite Chicago treat: a stuffed spinach pizza from Giordano’s.
In the fifth post – “A Windy City Weekend: Catching a Ballgame” – I share my fond memories of watching Cubs baseball games at legendary Wrigley Field.
In the sixth post – “A Windy City Weekend: Exploring the Nightlife” – I encourage folks to experience the theater scene, listen to live music, and visit one of my favorite haunts, the romantic restaurant where Dan gave me a plush Eeyore on my twenty-third birthday and asked me to be his bride.Well, I hope you haven’t minded this shameless plug. I promise to return next week with more poetic, revealing, or embarrassing notions about my myriad travels. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this comprehensive tour through Chicago, which is second only to New Orleans as my favorite city in America.
18 comments:
I've never been to Chicago. It's never even been on my list of places I'd like to visit. Maybe it should be going there.
For sure this is a place everyone should visit. Chicago is my favorite place on Earth. I've been there several times, business and pleasure, and nothing compares to Shedd Aquarium! We have friends that live there now... *grin* so we visit as often as we can.
I'm with Martha - I LOVE Chicago. My sis and I go there at least two times a year for shopping and my hubby and I go at least once for the big reptile convention in October (he breeds snakes, did I ever tell you that?- http://www.boaswithballs.com/)
Anywhooo, Chicago is my all-time favorite big city. Something about the place feels kindred to my soul.
I love Eeyore too! DH drooled the other night when he saw that pizza on your Moon blog. Nothing wrong with the plug. It's your blog. You got to make money somehow! Of course Chicago is a family favorite, as DH is from there :-). It was my dad's favorite too (right along with N.O.).
Wow, you're a busy woman! I can barely keep up with one blog. American Nomad looks like a great site! I've never been to Chicago, one of my sons went there for a week once on a student exchange.
I agree with Strange. One blog is enough for me. I've only been to Chicago once, and I loved it. My daughter claims she's going to move there when she's older. She fell in love with the place.
Lori - What?! Never been to Chicago? Well, if you like good food, groovy music, awesome museums, sports, theater, or any of the above, you should definitely visit once! As everyone else has said here, it's truly an amazing town!
Martha - I'm glad you agree! I love the Windy City - so nice to find another Chicago lover. I really miss it - and I only wish that I were there more often! (You're right - Shedd is amazing.)
Steph D. - Oh, goody! Another Chicago lover! It IS a good place to go shopping - that's for sure - and I know exactly what you mean about it being kindred to your soul. That's how I feel about New Orleans AND Chicago.
Uh, nope, you so did not tell me that your hubby breeds snakes - that's so cool! I checked out his website, and now I want a boa. Though I'm not sure my kitty would approve.
How's winter there?
And who'd you follow - Cubs or Sox?
Becky - Yup, Eeyore's a pretty cool donkey. How can you not like a philosopher like him? And I'm glad the pizza shot got someone drooling 'cause it sure works on me. I LOVE Giordano's... even dream about it sometimes. I know, there's something wrong with me. Anyhoo, I'm glad you and the family appreciate Chicago, too... it sure is a heck of a town.
Deb - Yeah, a little too busy, I think. It's not easy running three blogs (and guest-blogging on two other sites - ugh), but I obviously love to blather on... Glad you like the American Nomad site - I'm pretty proud of it - it's the only one I get paid to do. But as for Chicago, you should definitely go someday. It really is a terrific city, and I'm glad your son got to see it!
Susan - Yeah, you and Deb are probably on to something. Three blogs might just be killing me. :-) I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to the Windy City - and I think it's great that your daughter wants to move there in the future. If it weren't for our wandering natures, Dan and I would probably be there still.
Howdy, Bane! Winters were pretty darn windy and chilly in Chicago - especially since Northwestern is right on the lake. Yikes! But then, I'm from New Orleans, so I have nothing to compare it to. It didn't snow that often while I was there (not like it can in northern Michigan), but the skies were often gray. If it weren't for the liveliness of the city, it could've gotten a little depressing.
Oh, and need you ask? There's a shot of Wrigley Field in my article - I'm a Cubby fan all the way!
Ah,ok -- didn't know if the pic was more a shot at the Cubs and their long string of failure or one of ivy-blinded adoration :)...
Oh, Bane, there's the curmudgeon I know and love... Ivy-blinded adoration all the way! (I'm what you'd call a very loyal sports fan - after all, I do come from the land of the jinxed but much-loved Saints.)
Three blogs??? Apparently I haven't being paying close enough attention!
Teehee, Deb. Yeah, I'm kinda nuts... would've thought you'd have figured that out by now!
Laura - when's your birthday? I know what I'm getting you =)
Hi, Steph! Welcome back to the blogosphere!
My birthday? Uh, I'm not sure I should answer that... just kidding, it's November 30th (same as Mark Twain's). When's yours?
Same as Mark Twains? That's pretty cool. Mine's April 27th. No famous writers or poets on my day, but that's okay. I don't always like to share =)
I don't mind sharing... and I've always thought it was, somehow, symbolic that Mark Twain (one of my favorite authors) and I share the same birthday. Like it was a prophecy, maybe? Then again, I also share a birthday with Clay Aiken, Ben Stiller, and Winston Churchill, and I have no desire to be a pop star, a funny man, or a British polician, so perhaps there IS no significance.
As for April 27th, I looked it up and Sheena Easton and Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s dad were born on your day... for what that's worth! But that's all right - maybe YOU'RE destined to be the famous author born on that day! :-)
Post a Comment