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my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti – day 4, Mo’orea
This post is the fourth in a series of 10 (one for each day) of my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti, where I’m reliving this amazing adventure and sharing it with you. Ever since travel has come to a grinding halt (like everything else) I’m very grateful to have had this experience and look forward to future adventures. Here is day 4 of my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti. We were really looking forward to today because we are heading to the turtle rehabilitation sanctuary and clinic then getting a lesson on coral restoration. After a typical breakfast of bread, butter, jam, fruit & coffee, we jumped in…
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my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti – day 3, Mo’orea
This post is the third in a series of 10 (one for each day) where I’m reliving this amazing adventure. Ever since travel has come to a grinding halt (like everything else) I’m very grateful to have had this experience and look forward to future adventures. Ahh, another day in paradise. I could get used to this. Here is day 3 of my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti. It took us a while to get back to sleep after lasts night’s incident. If you are wondering what I’m talking about, click here to get caught up and read day 2 of my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti. To…
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the historic auditorium theatre tour in chicago
On a frigid day in January, earlier this year (pre-COVID), I had a bad case of cabin fever, so I booked the Historic Auditorium Theatre tour in Chicago. Our most historic theatre, built in 1889, located in the South Loop at State Street and Ida B. Wells Drive (formerly Congress Parkway) celebrated its 130th-anniversary last year. Although I enjoy giving them, I like to switch things up and take a tour occasionally. It’s a nice break and a great way to learn something new. For a while, I gave tours at the Chicago Theatre, the first movie palace theatre of brothers Balaban & Katz on State Street in downtown Chicago.…
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welcome to my blog – adventures of city girl
Hello! Thank you for checking out my blog. I am a native Chicagoan still living in the city. I am an explorer and a city girl at heart. Always have been. My role as a tour guide leading walking tours covering the amazing history, art & architecture for the last ten years as a part-time independent contractor, has inspired my blog. I share the random & not-so-random adventures I’ve had in this big, beautiful city I call home. Covering (mostly) uniquely Chicago things to do, from the Blues to bridges, I hope to enlighten visitors and locals alike of interesting things to do. From must-see landmarks to historic, hidden neighborhood…
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windy city coop & eco-yards tour – 10th year
Yep, you read the headline correctly, coop as in chickens. This post will introduce you to some fabulous urban chickens, the eco-yards they call home & their owners. If I had the space, I would consider getting some. The photo above is from the first time I went on the Annual Windy City Coop & Eco-Yards Tour a few years ago when one of my friends told me about it. I was hooked. Who knew that raising chickens in the city was a thing? Well, it is a thing and has been since the founding days of the country. Even the Lincoln family had a pet turkey at the White…
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my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti – day 2, Papeete & Mo’orea
This post is the second in a series of 10 (one for each day) of my adventure & volunteer trip to Tahiti, where I’m reliving this amazing adventure from last year and sharing it with you. Ever since travel has come to a grinding halt (like everything else) I’m very grateful to have had this experience and look forward to future adventures. welcome dinner Last night, our guide Arii presented us with traditional flower crowns before our welcome dinner. We dined at the La Royal restaurant which is a short walk from the Royal Tahitien Hotel and offers a beautiful panoramic view of the black volcanic sand beach. During a…
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secret gardens of chicago – part 2 – garden of the phoenix
This post is the second in a series revealing the Secret Gardens of Chicago – Part 2 – Garden of the Phoenix. If you missed Secret Gardens of Chicago – Part 1 – Alfred Caldwell Lily Pond you can read it here. Some content in this posts 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. Full disclosure, it took me a couple of times to find this garden. Seriously, it was not easy to find even for this native Chicagoan. Currently it is closed because of erosion but I encourage you to put…
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blt (boulevard lakefront tour) bike tour in chicago
This content has affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Since living in this new reality and currently in Phase 4 ‘Gradually Resuming’ here in Chicago (July 2020), I have been riding my bike quite a bit. Mostly by myself, but sometimes meeting friends for socially distanced picnics or other outside activities. I don’t own a car (by choice) and not quite ready to get on public transportation yet so it is my main form of transportation. Here’s some good news, at least bike sales have skyrocketed since the pandemic hit. Less cars & more bikes, always a good…
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small business everyday series – CHINELAS shoes for adventurous soles
We’ve heard it before and we’ll hear it again, small businesses make up the fabric of this great nation. Um, right now, not so much. Since the federal government is not stepping up, it’s up to us to set the example. As consumers our power is where we choose to spend our money. Lately, I find myself wondering how I can become that change I want to see so I’m starting small. I’m a small business (tour guide & blogger). I have many friends who are small business owners as well. Small businesses deserve more than one Saturday during the holidays so I propose starting a SMALL BUSINESS EVERYDAY campaign.…
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secret gardens of chicago – part 1 – alfred caldwell lily pool
This is the first in a series of posts about the secret gardens in Chicago and is in honor of my Mom and Mother’s Day. She has the unique ability to identify so many flowers & plants. A trait that I, sadly, did not inherit. Love you, little Momma! alfred caldwell lily pool One of my favorite escapes from the hectic, urban jungle is the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool (aka Lincoln Park Lily Pool). It is a serene outdoor oasis located in the south section of the Lincoln Park Zoo (Cannon & Fullerton). Originally part of a Victorian Garden built in 1889, it fell out of popularity and into disrepair…
