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celebrating the holidays chicago style – part #2
This content uses referral links and contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. I’m amazed every year just how quickly the holidays ascend upon us. Wasn’t it just Halloween? Sure it was snowing and it felt like winter but temperatures have stabilized (thank you Mother Nature!) and December is halfway over. All the cookie baking, holiday lunches & many parties have kept me quite busy. Here are some suggestions when you need to stop, take a breath & actually try to enjoy the season. Yes, it’s extra crowded & annoying but if you let that…
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chicago winter survival guide
This content uses referral links and contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. So you find yourself living in Chicago in the winter? I’m so sorry, but here’s the good news. You have automatically earned the right to hibernate. That’s right. How do you think we make it through a busy, action-packed summer? Ha! Because we have conserved our energy by hibernating all winter. Here is your Chicago winter survival guide with tips from a Chicago native if you are new to this long, sometimes unbearable & brutal season. And if you are a local,…
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Summer in Chicago – my must go/see/do list
It’s still summer in Chicago, but not for very long. Here’s my Summer in Chicago must go/see/do list to help you figure out what to do. I’ll let you in on a secret, us locals hibernate most of the winter and save up our energy to go non-stop in the summer! What are you waiting for? Get out there & explore this big, beautiful city! Go on an Architectural River Cruise. There are many options to choose from however, this link may help narrow it down. Walk through Millennium Park which includes Cloudgate (aka the Bean), the Lurie Gardens and Crown Fountain. And don’t forget kid-focused Maggie Daley Park right…
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wndr museum
Recently a friend and I went to check out the wndr museum located in the West Loop in Chicago. We went to Chapter One of this new experiential museum which had a variety of exhibits and I must say, very different from the typical museum I’ve ever encountered. It was truly an amazing experience that engaged all of your senses. For example, as we entered, we gave a poet a word and they created a poem for us to pick up on our way out. And I just loved the ginormous chalkboard with interesting pictures & clever quotes. Another favorite was a room where you walk amongst the clouds. There…
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amplified: Chicago blues at CHM & Mavis Staples at ‘OUT OF SPACE’
Last summer in late July, my sister & I went to see Mavis Staples in concert. She played the Canal Shores Golf Course in celebration of SPACE’s Tenth Anniversary (OUT OF SPACE) in Evanston. If you haven’t seen a show at SPACE yet, I highly recommend it. It’s an intimate venue in Evanston that showcases really great, musical talent. Make it an evening by grabbing some dinner & drinks before the show at Union Pizzeria. To get us in the mood, we first went to check out the exhibit Amplified: Chicago Blues at the Chicago History Museum (CHM) in Old Town. We took the cta brown line to Sedgwick stop…
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Chicago – city of bridges
This content uses referral links and contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. There’s nothing more spectacular than standing somewhere along the Chicago River on a beautiful day while the bridges are raised to let the boats with tall masts pass by. Well, except if you are driving, walking, or on the ‘L’ train & late for an appointment maybe. Good thing there is a schedule that you can keep in mind. Usually, it’s Spring & Fall on Wednesdays & Saturdays. Not sure about the current state of things, but I believe that even if one…
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the monadnock – cac tour
This content uses referral links and contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. The majestic Monadnock (Jackson & Dearborn) is one of my favorite buildings in the Chicago Loop. The Loop refers to the central business district. The elevated train (the “L”) follows around the loop and is over a hundred years old. This first line ran to Jackson Park and was a people mover bringing them to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition aka The White City. A very important event that I’ll write about another time. Read Devil in the White City by Erik Larson…