The five of us drove up to Chicago and rented an apartment downtown to ring in the New Year.  It was cold, with only a little sprinkling of snow.

Our apartment was in a fantastic location (our front door: right between the sushi place and the ramen place, below) within walking distance of almost everything neat about downtown Chicago. We were on the first floor, the bay window immediately on top of the Friends Ramen restaurant.

While the location was perfect and the apartment was very clean and nice inside, they were having problems with their heating system.  It is an old building with lots of architectural charm, but the radiator heat is controlled somewhere in the bowels of the building and not from the individual apartments.  The boiler failed and our place was freezing cold.  The owner/super (not sure who?) managed to get it fixed by the middle of the second day, but our first night and the following morning were so cold we had to wear our coats and boots inside the house.  When you’re on vacation it’s easy to start fantasizing about leaving life in the ‘burbs for a little apartment in one of the world’s great cities. This was a good reminder that apartment living in a big city has some downsides and isn’t all fun and magical romance.

The other reminder:  the kitchen window looked out over an alley where dozens of garbage bins were located.  We saw enormous rats scurrying around down there … they looked cat-sized.  (HUGE bodies, at least a foot long not including the tail?) They could jump from a sitting position on the ground to the top of an 8 ft. fence like they were teleporting.  It was actually rather impressive.  But watching rats dumpster-dive while you’re preparing food in your kitchen isn’t the most appetizing view.

Wandering up and down Michigan Avenue – the Miracle Mile.

Hot chocolates at our favorite shop – Leonidas Chocolate Cafe. We always return to this store when we’re in town.

I tried their Mexican hot chocolate: Extreme dark hot chocolate with added cinnamon and a hint of chili powder.  It was fantastic. I liked that it wasn’t quite as sweet as the regular hot chocolate the kids ordered.

Dark and short days, foggy with light snow sprinkles.

Dinner tonight was at RAMEN-SAN.  They served the best ramen we’ve had outside of Japan.  Unfortunately we didn’t get any photos, but this place is well worth visiting.

We went to the Garfield Park Conservatory – built in 1907 and has more than 2 acres of plants inside WARM glass buildings. A great place to get out of the weather. (Also, admission is FREE.)

The Palm House (below). From their website: “At 65 ft high and 90 ft wide, this is the largest room in the Conservatory. It is designed as an idealized tropical landscape, featuring more than 70 graceful palms, as well as other plants from warm habitats all around the world.”

Brenda imagining what she wants her own backyard to look like (below.)  This is the Fern Room. “Jens Jensen, who designed the Conservatory in 1906, wanted to give visitors a glimpse of what Illinois might have looked like millions of years ago. Lush ferns, rocky outcroppings and an indoor lagoon evoke the swampy landscape of prehistoric Chicago.”

Our next stop was lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. Here is Holden rushing to catch up with us as we were leaving.  It takes him a long time to get his hat and gloves on.

Shots of Chicago on the first days of 2019.

Navy Pier Winter Wonderland – all indoors; this wasn’t as great as we had hoped – it was geared more toward little kids. Still, our jaded teenagers managed to find some fun.

Our kids are just left of center frame:  you can see Isabella’s orange jacket.  Holden is the one with his arms out; Josie is next to him in her green sweatshirt.

Inner tube slide, the indoor version of sledding.

Back outside – on our way to ride the Centennial Ferris Wheel after a stop for lunch at Bubba Gump’s.

View of the city from the top.

A little shopping at Forever 21’s after-Christmas blowout sale.

This was a quick 3-day trip, just to get out of the house a bit and be together as a family while we still have all three kids willing to go.  Now that we’re into the college years, these opportunities will come less and less frequently as “real life” consumes our kids.  I am grateful for every moment we get!