Saturday, 19 Nov 2016

This week we’re in Chicago – our first time back as a family since we moved away in 2004. (It’s Josie’s first time ever.)

We had some airline miles to burn and nothing planned for Thanksgiving, so we thought it would be fun to find a condo downtown and be good Chicago tourists.

We’re staying in a highrise one block off of Michigan Avenue, 11th floor. Everything you could need is a short walk outside the front door.

We got in this afternoon and had just enough time to get unpacked, get some groceries and then head out at night for Chicago’s annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and parade.

By the time we got to the parade route, the streets were packed with people and the route was lined with crowds 6 people deep. The kids couldn’t see much of the parade so we didn’t spend too much time out in the 32 degree weather.

After missing most of the parade, the kids consoled themselves with hot chocolates. This little shop is called Leonidas Chocolate Cafe and is right around the corner from our apartment.  They are a Chicago business and only have 3 locations — all in the greater Chicago area.  (The other two are in Evanston and Northbrook.)

Sunday, 20 Nov 2016

Today we visited the Field Museum – Chicago’s natural history and science center.

Holden checking his phone inside a simulated pre-Jurassic jungle.

Checking out the viscosity of the La Brea tar.

This afternoon we walked down Michigan Avenue, did some shopping and sightseeing and bought more groceries for a night in.

It’s COLD here.

This restaurant, right across the street from our apartment, specializes in soup.  This place was a big hit with the kids.  Holden:  “The older I get, the more I appreciate a really good soup.”

Trump tower, off to the right.  That bridge below it was full of protesters.

Monday, 21 Nov 2016

Today we headed out to walk around the city and see what we ran into.

Inside the Hershey’s store.  They want a lot of money for their goodies here. We didn’t buy anything.

At the Daley Plaza Christkindlmarket… reminded us a lot of the booths and fun we had last year in Vienna.  Holden got a bratwurst.

Looking over the wide variety of Christmas tree ornaments.

They even had souvenir mugs of hot spiced wine.

City shots.

Dylan’s Candy Bar, another very high-priced candy store.  We didn’t buy anything here, either.

Approaching Navy Pier

Tuesday, 22 Nov 2016

At the Art Institute – Isabella listening in on a college lecture about Seurat.  

Josie getting her own excellent training (below).

From the Art Institute of Chicago’s website:  “Van Gogh painted his first Bedroom just after moving into his beloved “Yellow House” in Arles, France, in 1888. He was so enamored with the work, now in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, that after water damage threatened its stability, he became determined to preserve the composition by painting a second version while at an asylum in Saint-Rémy in 1889. Identical in scale and yet distinct from the original, that second work is now one of the icons of the Art Institute’s permanent collection. Van Gogh created a smaller third version, now at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, as a gift for his mother and sister a few weeks after making the second. While the three paintings at first appear almost identical, when examined closely, each reveals distinct and unique details.”

Me telling Josie everything I could remember about Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.  He was one messed up dude.

Holden and Josie studying Monet’s hay stacks.

Family self portrait at the Cloud Gate

They have ice skating … we plan to head over for our own turn at skating tomorrow if the weather is decent.

Free piano performance at the old Chicago Library (now the Chicago Cultural Center) – sitting under the largest Tiffany glass artwork (a dome) in the world.  Isabella wanted to sit here for awhile and listen to the pianist.

The panes are modeled on fish scales and the center contains all the signs of the zodiac.

All of the light fixtures are also by Tiffany.

It’s cold out — even the pigeons are all fluffed up and conserving energy.

Sampling Chicago deep dish and meatball subs at Giordano’s.

We had such a wonderful time in Chicago!  It was just a short visit, but it’s got us all excited about New York for Christmas break.  Only three more weeks!