Chicago! — Patti Part Two

My kind of town! I lived her for 14 years before moving to Kansas City, and it’s always great to come back and see family and friends and enjoy all this great city has to offer. Especially in the summer when the weather is good and there’s so much to do. Now that Keeley and Matt have moved here I’ll have even more reasons to visit. Yesterday while driving in the south and west loop area I couldn’t get over how much it has changed - for the better! Those used to be areas rarely ventured into, and now they are thriving with restaurants, shops and housing.

I was invited by a friend to go to the Royals - White Sox game and gladly accepted. I hadn’t been to the “new” ballpark as it was built and opened right as I was leaving. It’s a great park and I must be the lucky charm since the Royals are having a terrible season, but managed to win 5 to 0. I didn’t get any pictures as it was a slightly delayed start due to rain. But it stopped and we got to see them play and win!

I love the unique architecture of Chicago. Keeley and Matt live in a nice apartment on the top floor of a three flat in Ukrainian Village on the west side of the city, and there are some very cute restaurants, bars and coffee shops in the neighborhood. They all look very vintage in decor but have been repurposed for modern use. I’m not sure how many Ukrainians are actually left. The population looks very diverse to me and quite a few millennials. It’s close to the city and one of the many great things about Chicago is it’s excellent public transportation system.

We had dinner on Friday night at a darling bakery/restaurant called Spinning J. Friday they do a special pizza night so we had to go for it. Salad, pizza and your choice of homemade soda - delicious!

The pastries, cookies and scones looked amazing! I must try one before I leave😊

After the baseball game I got to have one of my favorite meals in Chicago - Italian Beef from Portillo’s! I always order mine dry with sweet peppers. It’s messy enough with out getting in dipped in extra juice - but whatever suits your fancy. Italian Beef pairs well with a nice Sauvignon Blanc!

Rumor has it their salads are good too. I may never know!

Nothing says vacation to me like getting up and going to a coffee shop first thing in the morning. This one was amazing! CC Ferns is owned by the same company that owns The Donut Vault which apparently sells out of donuts early every day. So just come to CC Ferns and save yourself the disappointment. Keeley and Matt had donuts and they said they were great. I myself went with a delicious croissant - always a great choice in my opinion. Although I may need to go back and try a donut too.

Another treat was checking out the 606 for a great morning walk. The 606 is very similar to the Highline in NYC if you’ve ever been there. The official name is the Bloomingdale Trail and it’s an abandoned rail line that is 2.7 miles of elevated track for walkers, runners and bikers. It is landscaped and has some great artwork and murals plus water fountains. It gets you up off the street and out of the constant traffic. A great way to start the day!

A cool sculpture along the trail and signage is great.

This was a great wine and beer bar we went to for a drink at last night. Another one of my favorite things to do on vacation!

Lots more fun to be had in Chicago! Check back soon!