Chicago

For the final leg of my Christmas vay-cay I headed back West to Chi-town for two and a half days! I just travel between the Midwest time-zone and the Eastern time-zone. It's my thing.

Sometimes I miss living in Chicago.

Then, when I remember why I moved, I don't miss it as much. You see, I love what the city has to offer: diversity, classes, excitement, theatre, art, museums, parks, events, Lake Michigan, public transportation (don't get me started on how much I love public transportation, no really), restaurants, lights....but, I think I might have a little too much of the small-town girl in me. I like trees and grass and people who know my name, or even just my face. I like making friends and knowing that if I run into the grocery store and forget my wallet in my car it will be in my car and the cashier will be pleasant while I run out to get it (usually). I like driving 20 minutes and being in the country. I like clean air.

Weird, right?

So, when I go to Chicago I see all the people I love who live there: Michelle, Meagan, Marissa (fantastic old friends) and new-ish friends: Jody, James, Blaine, David, Crystal, Stephanie, Nathan. I like these people.

I pretend like I'm a tourist and see and do as much good stuff as possible while toting my camera with me.

Like eat: Delicious coffee and pastries. Sometimes we go out to dinner at a fancy-pants restaurant, but this time we didn't. Or I should say, I didn't. Michelle had prior dinner plans (sans Amy, I know, who doesn't want to eat with me?) so I stayed home and mourned my alone-ness with Giordano's pineapple pizza. I love you Giordano, whoever you are.

Feta and spinach croissant? Yes please. Is there Spinach in my teeth? (My hair is straight for weather-related purposes. I understand that I look a little...well, strange.)

It was so cold your hair would stand on end.

BRRRRRRRRRR. My chin almost fell off. I may have a tendency to over-exaggerate, but it could have happened.

You know you look at yourself in the reflections in the windows. Don't we all check ourselves out? I mean, I do. Sometimes I think, "Oops, over/under-did the hair product." and other times "Gee, I'm cute. Where are all the single men?" Then nothing happens because they're just thoughts in my head. And now, you may have had a glimpse of me that was a little too close. So let's back away again...

ART!!!

When art is out in the open, you can do naughty things like look up the skirt of the wife in the sculpture based on the painting, American Gothic.

After saying goodbye to the windy cit-tay, I flew back to North Carolina. (All my flights were on time!) I closed the shutter because the sun was streaming in on my face and I wanted to sleep in my row of 3 seats to myself. It was delightful. Then I opened the window to this:

Yes, I took pictures out of an airplane window. BUT, DID YOU SEE THOSE MOUNTAINS??? Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. I want to go to the mountains in western North Carolina. Anyone want to go with me?