Chicago:: Day 1

Mike and I are home from our weekend anniversary trip to Chicago. In fact, today is officially our 14th wedding anniversary! Congrats to us! We wanted to get away, just the two of us. We had a few criteria for the trip. 1. Go somewhere new and 2. Go somewhere that is a direct flight from OKC.

As far as #1 goes, Mike went to Chicago for a work conference about ten years ago and only stayed two days, but really loved the city. I've never been there. And #2, there are not many direct flights from Oklahoma City, but Chicago is one of them. We wanted to get on a plane in Oklahoma and get get off at our destination-- no layovers. We left Friday morning, after dropping our kids off with our good friends, and after an uneventful flight we arrived in Chicago at 3:00 in the afternoon. Can I just say how easy traveling without kids is? I think we set a record for going through security. We were super fast with no strollers to break down and kids' shoes to untie/take off. 

 Here's Mike in our hotel living room. That's right, we had a living room. 

 Our bedroom. I post these photos to look back on this picture later in the summer and remember the peacefulness of this place. Just the two of us. Sooooo nice.

 Friday evening, we took a train into downtown Chicago and indulged in some heavenly deep dish pizza. Afterwards, we meandered the streets and found a funky art gallery, so we went in to look around.  After talking with the eccentric and kind artist named Dorian, she offered us a cup of tea. She was so upset when she learned that we were from Oklahoma City (with all the recent tornado drama-- including five tornadoes that touched down that very evening) that she said we had to sit down for awhile. We obliged and chatted with her for awhile. Her pet pig, Wilbur, was roaming free around the store and we got to feed him strawberries and pet him. I wanted to sneak him into my bag and take him home. 

 Little Wilbur

Turns out, the gallery was owned by Jon and Joan Cusack, who were both out of the country at the moment. Dorian said they are normally around the shop too. Bummer! Seeing them would have been the icing on that surreal experience. I loved every minute of it!

 After our gallery/tea/pig experience, we took a stroll over to the John Hancock Building and took the elevator up to the 96th floor for a 360 degree look around.

 Lake Michigan

 Me basking in the glow of the sunset (or really just looking shiny and sweaty after walking around).

 My sweetheart and me

 Sunset over Chicago 

We had a great first day!

 And bonus! I found a new profession! :)