A few weeks ago when my mother-in-law was in Chicago for a visit, we decided to run a few errands (during the few moments that we weren't eating). We had to stop by Walgreens and Macy's. Simple enough, right? Simple except that this is the Chicago Loop. The Walgreens and Macy's stores we visited are anything but simple.
The Macy's we popped into is on State Street. It's a flagship store housed in the old Marshal Fields building. This 12 story granite beauty is a National historic landmark. Built around the turn of the century, my local Macy's is one of the largest in the world encompassing an entire city block. Quite simply, it is breathtaking. Filled to the brim with columns topped by ornate cornices, there are moments during one's visit that the structure is more engaging than Macy's product. (Sorry, Macy's buyers and merchandisers.)
Let's face it, until I visited this one, I had never been to Macy's with a Tiffany ceiling.
And the windows? I promise they aren't only spectacular during the holiday season. To kick off spring, there is plenty of window art to marvel over. I anticipate more of the same throughout the year.
The biggest surprise of the day's errands came at Walgreens, however. Yes, I said Walgreens. Right across Randolph from that spectacular Macy's store is the drugstore chain's newest gem. First let me say, there is a Walgreens on nearly every corner of Chicago. They're all right next to a Starbucks and a Bank of America. Walgreens was founded here and its headquarters is out in the 'burbs so there is no shortage of store fronts around town. But let me tell you, the flagship store at State and Randolph is no ordinary drugstore. Having just had its grand opening in January, this 27,000 + square foot phenomenon is unlike any Walgreens that I've ever visited.
When you walk through its front doors your are greeted by a sushi chef. Yes. I said Sushi. It has a liquor department that is quite literally larger than our apartment and houses a bottle of cognac retailing at $2000. There is even a full service salon and the enticing Look Boutique upstairs. (I may have bought a purse there. Yes, at Walgreens.) But what impressed me were the details: the illuminated shelves, the marble floors, the computer displays that allow a shopper to virtually sample any make-up/beauty item they choose. There is a buzz that isn't typical of a Walgreens' shopping experience.
That's what I'm learning about Chicago. There is a buzz about this whole city that isn't typical. Here a simple trip to the drugstore for some tissues can be a memorable experience. Here the ordinary is made extraordinary.
I have never hidden my love for hot dogs. I am a fanatic. {It's something I have in common with my sweet friend Lexi} And when it comes to hot dogs, for my $3.50, a Chicago dog is always the clear winner. To illustrate my obsession, I'll go ahead and admit that 2 of my last five meals in Chattanooga were Chicago Dogs from one of my favorite Chattanooga restaurants Good Dog. In fact, it was at Good Dog where I had my first ever Chicago dog. A trip to the Windy city a few months later provided my first "street" version of the tasty concoction. From that point on, my love affair has never wavered. I am hooked.
So, please understand the joy it brings me to tell you that within walking distance of our place, Kim & Carlo's Hot Dog Stand makes its home. Nestled in the heart of Museum plaza this provider of deliciousness is one of my favorite haunts. We've visited on cold and cloudy days; we've been there when the sun is shining. And no matter the weather, the Chicago dogs are always on point.
For those wondering, let me break down for you the anatomy of a Chicago dog. It is a steam simmered all beef (though Kim & Carlo offer a vegan alternative too) dog on a steamed poppy seed bun. The dog is then dressed with yellow mustard, white onion, crazy neon green pickle relish, tomato slices, pickled sport peppers for some spice, a dill pickle spear and a sprinkle of celery salt. My mouth is watering right now. Sounds like a lot to put on a bun, right? And it is. Here's the thing, all those toppings require that the dog be eaten very quickly as to avoid a soggified bun. I'm proud to admit that I have no problem accomplishing that task.
But, you want to know something that makes Kim & Carlo's dogs more special than your average Chicago dog? Check out the view.
The stand is currently parked right in front of the Shedd Aquarium. Surrounded by two beautiful museums, looking over Lake Michigan and Navy Pier and backing up to the Chicago skyline, from every direction the view is glorious.
{obligatory shot of the other Chicago Dog in my life}
While some may argue that a dirty water dog surpasses the Chicago variety (I'm talking to you, Cait), I have to respectfully disagree. While I would never, ever, ever turn down a street dog in New York, I have to give my endorsement to the Chicago dog. Its plethora of "we almost look healthy" toppings is undeniably more exciting. Every bite is an adventure. And the in-your-face spice of those pickled sports peppers makes my mouth happy.
Three cheers for Kim & Carlo's hot dog stand and three cheers for the Chicago dog in general. I excitedly anticipate many, many more shared moments of deliciousness in the future.
What are the first words that come to your mind when I say February in Chicago? Probably not, "a day at the beach." Maybe it was the magic of leap day? Perhaps it was a special gift from God. But regardless, yesterday it was sixty degrees and sunny in Chicago. Not wanting to miss the momentous occasion, we grabbed the puppster and headed out into the wild blue yonder.
18th Street Metra Station and a view that'll make you swoon
Soldier Field
{I appreciated the wind cooperating so that the flags would fly just right for this shot.}
12th Street Beach
Uncertain about Lake Michigan
Spike was not at all sure about the whole beach experience. As we tried to walk toward the water, he planted his butt in the grass and refused to go any further. I'm not sure if it was the sand or the sound of the waves, but suddenly he was having no part of the adventure. In deference to his serious issues cautious pause, we decided to sit on a rocky wall and view the lake from a distance. Apparently, the beach is not his thing.
Hard to believe this was taken in February
Today, temperatures were back in the 30s and the skies were a moody grey. But these pictures are an itty bitty hint at what's in store for the summertime. An easy mile and a half walk to the water might be just what it takes to turn me into a beach bunny.
When we were trying to decide in what part of Chicago we wanted to plant our roots, we were a bit overwhelmed. With so many neighborhoods each with such different personalities and price points it seemed our options were endless. Knowing where the hubby would be working helped to narrow our focus. And in the end, we landed in the South Loop.
Here's our building!!
The South Loop is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in Chicago. I'm learning that it has really taken off in the past fifteen years. Prior to that, it was known to some as the "No Neighborhood." It was a collection of gorgeous but vacant buildings and acres of blacktop covered, undeveloped tracts of urban emptiness. It wasn't always that way though. In the late 1800s, this area was home to some of Chicago's wealthiest businessmen. Huge homes were built and it was quite the swankified place to live. Around that same time the area was home to the city's capital of vice, the Levee. (Think brothels and saloons and more brothels.)
The Wheeler Mansion built in 1870 - now a B&B around the corner from us
After World War II there was a migration to the North-side of Chicago. This left the South Loop chiefly abandoned and anxiously awaiting it's rebirth at the turn of the 21st century. In 1993 Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley moved to a townhouse on South Prairie Ave (just a few blocks from where we live...). His move opened many Chicagoan's eyes to this gem. The growth seems to have been non-stop ever since.
What we've fallen hard for in our short time here is the neighborhood's atmosphere. You have all the amenities of living in the loop but it's so. much. quieter. The streets are less congested and there is a comfortably residential feel. It's easily walk-able and feels safe. There's a terrific mix of old and new architecture, a handful of great restaurants and views of Lake Michigan. We're within walking distance of the Museum Campus (Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Adler Planetarium) and Soldier Field. The hubby has easy freeway access to get to work and public transportation is a snap if we're looking to get anywhere else.
Though we're new to the area, it's quickly becoming home.
"Being alive, it seems, means learning to bear the weight of the passing of all things. It means finding a way to lightly hold all the places we've loved and left anyway, all the moments and days and years that have already been lived and lost to memory, even as we live on in the here and now, knowing full well that this moment, too, has already gone. It means, always, allowing for the hard truth of endings. It means, too, keeping faith in beginnings."
This weekend marked the close of the River Rocks festival in Chattanooga. River Rocks is a ten day, outdoor festival, "that celebrates the Tennessee Valley’s incomparable natural resources, the health benefits of an active, outdoor lifestyle and Chattanooga’s commitment to environmental stewardship and land conservation."
I'm not going to lie and tell you that I participated in any of those outdoorsy events. Because, let's be honest, there are bugs outside. Eww.
But, we did enjoy the closing night party in our most favorite spot in Chattanooga, Coolidge Park.
We started off the perfectly weathered evening by watching a hot air balloon being inflated. (I promise it's more magical and exciting than it sounds.)
Since the owners of the balloon were offering 10 minute tethered rides in the balloon for super cheap, we considered hopping aboard.
But ultimately, we decided to enjoy the view from below instead.
Next up was a free concert in the park by the "very big" band, The Jayhawks. In the preceding weeks I was told several times how "big" of a band The Jayhawks are. My general rule of thumb is if you have to tell me that a band is really big, they probably aren't really big. However, I realized that I was familiar with the band when they played this song...
Familiarity is HUGE with me when it comes to music. I'm definitely not hip and trendy enough to discover new bands. I'm a concert go-er that likes to sing along. So when they played a song I knew, I instantly enjoyed the show that much more. "Big" or not, for my money, The Jayhawks put on a great show.
We met some friends at the park. We shared some cupcakes - obviously - and reveled in what just might be the last outdoor concert of the season. By the way, if you haven't already, meet my friend Liz. Liz, this is everybody. Everybody, this is Liz. Liz has a blog called Motoring Forthand I bet she wouldn't mind if you stopped by to say, "Hello!"
The night came to a beautiful and dramatic close with a sculpture burn. A local artist, Andrew Nigh, spent several days constructing the piece and then in the company of dancing fire eaters and a healthy dose of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire, he burned that sucker to the ground.
It was quite a spectacle.
As the sculpture burned, I could hear a conversation between two local women in the crowd. One woman was in her forties and the other in her twenties. Both had been born and raised in Chattanooga and explained that during the early years of their respective lives it had been a really depressing place to live.
{Liz, if you're reading this, DO NOT look at the next picture... it contains children up WAAAAAAAAAY past their bedtimes!}
As the women cheered for the burning of the sculpture they celebrated the manner in which the city was, "growing up." They spoke with pride, affection and excitement in their voices. I'm not gonna lie, it was some of the most perfectly delightful eavesdropping I've ever done.
I haven't been witness to the monumental changes those women must have experienced having only lived here a short time. But, their conversation made me stop and recognize just how much the city has "grown up" in the five years we've been here. There have been countless developments and improvements (and not just in my attitude). Standing there, watching the burn, I had a moment of pure gratitude and uncharacteristic humility. It's no secret that I've not always been Chattanooga's biggest fan. But, what a privilege it is to be living here during such a transformative time in her history.
Can you tell that I'm totally enjoying learning to use the still new-ish camera?
I had plans to turn over a new leaf this week. I had plans to return to my regularly scheduled blogging. I had plans to talk about how my attitude toward blog visit statistics has changed. I planned to tell you all about my adventures on Pinterest. I had plans to try foods that might make you gag. But all that changed Wednesday morning around 9 in the morning.
For the first time since we moved to Chattanooga five years ago, we took cover to avoid a tornado. When the four of us came out of the bathroom (of course we grabbed Spike and Vance) we discovered this just around our corner.
And we and much of our neighborhood can count ourselves among the fortunate ones. There are many, many trees down and power has not been restored to our block but what we've "suffered" is nothing compared to the devastation in much of the Southeastern U.S.
As of 6:30 this morning there were still 57,000 without power in Hamilton County (that's the Chattanooga area). There have been 76 reported deaths in the area and parts of our city and surrounding areas look like war zones. It's craziness.
And you know it's craziness when things like this have been unattended for more than 48 hours.
That can't be safe, can it?
The handsome hubby and I count ourselves pretty happy that all this has amounted to little more than a bit of spoiled milk and a reminder of how much we lurrrrrve electricity. We're thankful for nearby friends, the resources that allow us to eat out and get Internet access (thank you, Panera), and the hope that sooner than later our power will be restored and we can go back to life "as usual." Sure we've both had some moments where it's been a bit frustrating (Can you please tell me WHY it is soooo difficult to figure out that when a traffic light is out you treat it as a four way stop sign. A FRICKIN' FOUR WAY STOP SIGN, PEOPLE!!! WAIT YOUR TURN!!! GRRRRR) But, in the grand scheme of things, we're doing just fine.
We're pretty sure that this is the culprit behind our lack of electricity.
And with just seven houses affected by that little bugger, we worry that it might be a few more days before we are taking warm showers in our own bathroom or watching Ally McBeal. (Hey, maybe this storm was God's way of telling me to lay off! No? Just a hypothesis.)
So until then, it's book lights, windows wide open for a breeze, eating out and candle light discussions after dark. Not so bad when I look at it that way.
This morning on the local news a reporter was at a nearby truck stop interviewing a semi driver.
The interview went something like this:
Reporter: How long have you been stranded at this rest area?
Driver: Oh, I'm not stuck. I just stopped here to let my dog run around and go to the bathroom. See that's my truck right there with the blue cab and the dog in front of it.
Reporter: So how do you feel about traveling in these treacherous conditions?
Driver: Well, {awkward pause} being from up North, I'm not really all that bothered by it.
Reporter: Hmmm. Tell me about this land you call "Up North" where 6 inches of snowfall doesn't shut entire cities down.
Driver: Listen, I'm not really sure why it is you're interviewing me here. Isn't there anything else going on in this town? It's just some snow, lady.
Okay, so maybe nothing in italics was really said out loud on the air. But, it seemed to be the unspoken dialogue that was going on in each participants head. Awwwwwkward.
In case you didn't guess yesterday was a beautiful, amazing, fantastic snow day here in Chattanooga. We got six and a half inches in the valley, so there was probably even more on the mountains. Everything shut down and the handsome hubby and I were released of all of our duties so we got play in the snow {with our favorite neighbors}, read, eat, watch movies and spend the day together! Yay.
There are a handful of benes to living in Chattanooga {two handfuls if you ask me on a good day}. Without a doubt, one of my favorite things is the way the entire city goes snow crazy and threatens to shut down at the mere mention of snow. Now, you add an actual storm with genuine accumulation like we've had in the last 36 hours and we get a full fledged vacation. EVERYTHING including the airport was closed yesterday. And so far our roads haven't even been touched. NOT. EVEN. TOUCHED. So today is snow day partdeux.
Last night we returned to our neighborhood small group after summer break.There was a chill in the air, so after dinner we gathered around a fire pit as the sun went down.
Chilly Autumn Night + Fire Pit + S’mores + Friends = Perfect Way to End the Weekend
It was one of those evenings where you look around and think to yourself, "Life is Good."
Did your weekend include any "change of season" fun?
