#44 Go on the Chicago Architectural Cruise

When my parents were here over the weekend they took Zach and I on the Chicago Architectural Cruise. It was definitely as good as everyone says it is.

I will now look at the city with much more admiration and understanding. Before I thought there were only about five outstanding buildings and the rest were pretty plain, but if I’d looked up I would’ve seen how wrong I was. Even the “box” buildings are rich in history. I highly recommend the cruise for any Chicagoan who hasn't had the chance to go on it yet.

It was just a beautiful day on the Chicago River. Notice in the pictures how there isn’t a cloud in the sky.

"My first day in Chicago, September 4, 1983. I set foot in this city, and just walking down the street, it was like roots, like the motherland. I knew I belonged here." - Oprah Winfrey 

#28 Tour a Winery

When we were in Door County last week, I checked one more off my life list. We visited the Orchard Country Winery and took a short tour. It was raining, so we didn’t get to walk amongst the vines like I’d hoped, but it was still a enjoyable experience.

“Wine is constant proof that God loves us and wants to see us happy.” - Benjamin Franklin

30 Things Accomplished...

…with a little help from my family and friends.

They may not have been exactly the things I set out to do, but it doesn’t matter because I accomplished 30 things in one day.

1. Coffee at Starbucks. One tall skinny caramel latte to start the day off right.

2. Breakfast at West Egg Café. Yum. I love trying new places.

3. Chicago Water Works Visitor Center. Picked up some good info for future adventures. I was also excited to see one of my favorite TV shows represented.

4. Take a picture next to a "30." Who knew we would find a speed limit sign downtown.

5. Picture at the gazebo across from the Drake Hotel. I like to call this my "senior picture."







6. Sprinkles Cupcakes. I got a boring old vanilla and Zach got a cinnamon and sugar.

7. Buy a lottery ticket. Unfortunately not a winner.

8. Anthropologie. Didn't buy anything...boo.

Now this is when things get a little sticky. We were supposed to go to the City Gallery at the Water Tower, but found this when we got there:

Then, we ran into what Zach named "the Scooter pigeon." Look he is black and white and prancing just like Scooter. 

Anyway, that was a no go, so we moved on to...

9. The Hershey's Store. I'm in the picture, I'm just tiiiny.

10. The Aveda Store. They seriously have the best tea I've ever had in my life. Delicious, but fifteen dollars a box, no thank you. Got some hair products instead.

Then, we were supposed to go to The Oprah Store at Water Tower Place, but discovered it was not a store, but in fact a kiosk which was recently changed to a Disney Store kiosk. Oops. Here I am with Jonas Brothers mechandise:

We substitued...

11. The Lego Store. It worked out because I got my brother a Lego Sears (Willis) Tower for his birthday and I got to take this awesome picture with Woody.

12. The Coach Store. Of course I didn't buy anything. I guess I'm more of a Coach Outlet kind of girl.

13. Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA). Free on Tuesdays. My mom would've loved the textile exhibit.

We were then supposed to eat lunch at Foodlife, but were so stuffed from breakfast and giant cupcakes that we decided to go up to Lincoln Square early. We were down one thing, but when we got off the train we remembered that there is a farmer's market in the square on Tuesdays. Check. 

14. Lincoln Square Farmer's Market.

15. Soggy Paws 2 to buy Scooter a present. He got some buffalo sticks. Lucky dog. 

16. Lunch at Costello's. We met Kirstin and Gunnar for lunch. This one will have to be a video because Zach accidentally took a video first and then I accidentally deleted the picture.

17. Ravenswood Used Books. This store is crazy. It's a claustrophobic person’s personal nightmare, but it's cool how the books are stacked everywhere.

18. Merz Apothecary. Zach found some licorice root tea here, so hopefully it tastes like the Aveda tea. For some reason in this picture I look like I really have to pee. 

19. Eclecticity. I had a groupon for this gift store, but wasn't in love with anything so I decided to save it.

20. Enjoy: An Urban General Store. Didn't find anything here either, but really "enjoyed" looking around.

21. Make a wish in the Lincoln Square fountain using a 1981 penny. Can’t tell you what I wished for or it won’t come true. 

22. Marbles: The Brain Store. Not on the original list, but Zach wanted to go here and I was okay skipping the other bookstore on the list.

23. Timeless Toys. Gunnar was getting a little tired, but hanging in there like a trooper!

24. Cold Stone Creamery to get Cake Batter Ice Cream...with sprinkles of course.

25. Watch an episode of 30 Rock while spending time with Scooter. Get it 30 Rock, because I turned 30. When we picked Scooter up from doggie day care we were ahead of schedule, so I actually watched three episodes of 30 Rock and Zach took a nap.

Meg, Dave, and Cherie came over and brought me a wonderful gift (thanks to Anna, too) and then we went out to meet John, Kirstin, and Gunnar.

26. Half Acre. Before dinner John and I hopped over to Half Acre to have some samples and buy my dad a father's day present. It's in the mail dad. 

27. Wild Goose for dinner. So fun with everyone there. We were supposed to watch the Twins vs. Sox game, but it was rained out in Minneapolis.

28. Latitude. Fun with friends.

29. Ricochets. More fun with friends. 

30. Huettenbar to play music on the jukebox. It was so nice sitting by the big open window. Zach played me three great songs:

Hook by Blues Traveler

Mine by Taylor Swift

Steal My Kisses by Ben Harper

We did it. Scooter was such a good boy and let me sleep in until ten the next morning. Poor Zach had to go to work. 

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional" - Chili Davis

30 Things to Do on My 30th Birthday

*Note since publication: This has been by far my most popular blog post and I believe this is due to 29-year-olds looking for 30 cool ideas for their own 30th birthdays. If you fit this description please don't be disappointed. Instead of landing on 30 cool ideas you've landed on 1 awesome idea. I encourage you to do what I did and choose 30 things to do in your city and then do them all in 1 day. It was truly a unique and memorable experience.*

The big day is fast approaching. Tuesday June 14th. My 30th birthday. Also known as Flag Day.

I wanted to plan something special for this milestone birthday and since I love to make lists I thought it would be fun to think of thirty things to do in Chicago. After many drafts I realized this was a very lofty goal, so I limited my list to things that are very close together. It might not seem all that exciting, but the excitement comes in trying to accomplish it all in one day. The list is subject to change if I think of something (or someone suggests something) better to do.

Everyone is invited. This is the official invitation, so join me for all, none, or part of the day. The only person obligated to come along is Zach (I know it's a work day), but I would love to see everyone as I officially turn old.

Here's the list:

Gold Coast
1. Coffee at Starbucks
2. Breakfast at West Egg Café
3. Take a picture in the gazebo across from the Drake Hotel
4. Birthday cupcake at Sprinkles Cupcakes
5. Aveda Store (apparently they give free hand and neck massages)
6. Browse the Chicago Visitor Center
7. City Gallery at the Historic Water Tower
8. Hershey’s Chicago
9. Loyola University Museum of Art (free on that day)
10. Coach (just to look)
11. The Oprah Store
12. Lunch at Food Life
13. Anthropologie

Shopping in Lincoln Square
14. Ravenswood Used Book Store
15. Make a Birthday Wish in the Lincoln Square Fountain with a 1981 Penny (Thanks Jen!)
16. Timeless Toys
17. The Book Cellar
18. Enjoy: An Urban General Store
19. Electicity (to spend my Groupon!)
20. Merz Apothecary
21. Cold Stone Creamery for Birthday Cake Flavored Ice Cream
22. Buy a present for Scooter at Soggy Paws 2

Short Break (to pick up Scooter from doggie day care)
23. Watch an episode of 30Rock while spending time with Scooter

Back to Lincoln Square…
24. Free samples at Half Acre
25. Dinner at Jury’s
26. Watch some of the Twins vs. Sox game at 42 Degrees North Latitude
27. Watch some of the Twins vs. Sox game at Ricochets
28. Huettenbar to play songs on the jukebox

Sometime
29. Buy a lottery ticket
30. Take a picture next to a “30”

Here’s a picture of the t-shirt I had made for the occasion…I can’t wait to wear it! Yes, if you know me you know I LOVE my birthday!

“The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.” - Pope Paul IV

#9 Join a Book Club

Last night was our first book club meeting and hopefully there will be many more.

A couple of months ago Kirstin had this great idea to start a book club, which just so happened to be on my life list so of course I said YES. I asked Meg and Cherie to join too.This time only Meg came, but Cherie will be there next time, right Cher?

We met at Kirstin’s and she’d prepared a delicious spread.

Our first book was The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which I loved and can’t wait to see the movie in August. If you haven’t read it I highly recommend it, but don’t watch the movie trailer because it gives too much away.

It was so fun to meet new people and have such a meaningful conversation with intelligent women

“Wasn’t that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I’d thought.” - Kathryn Stockett, The Help

#43 Visit the Adler Planetarium

Yesterday, Meg, Dave, and I went to the planetarium. I met Meg and Dave at their place and we walked from there. Unfortunately, it was like a monsoon by the lake and when we got to the Adler we were freezing and soaking wet. But the fun that ensued was well worth it. 

We wandered around the exhibits and learned about science.

With a Genuine Moon Rock

Too Close to the Sun

So, when you buy admission to the museum you also get into two “sky shows.” Apparently we did not choose wisely because “3D Vision” and “Night Sky Live” left a little to be desired. Meg and I did look pretty good in our 3D glasses over regular glasses though.

After the shows Meg wanted to go in the “sphere.” There was no explanation to what this “sphere” was and what we would see when we got in it, but Meg had to go in the “sphere.” Luckily, the line was short, but I told Meg she only had “one sphere” and if we didn’t get on the next one there would be “no sphere.” Basically we said “sphere” a lot.

Turns out the Atwood Sphere is Chicago's earliest planetarium and there are holes poked in it to look like the constellations when the light shines through. I had higher expectations after such a build-up, but it was probably the coolest thing we did.

Check another one off my list.

“To go places and do things that have never been done before - that’s what living is all about.”- Michael Collins, flew on Gemini 10 and Apollo 11

#10 Go to a Book Signing

On Saturday I checked another item off my life list.

Meg, Zach, and I went to a reading by my favorite poet, Nikki Giovanni, at the downtown library. She spoke for about an hour and then signed her books. She was interesting, funny, and smart. She talked about art, politics, race, history, family, and friendships. Intermittently she read about five poems, some new, some old. She was perfect and delightful. 

Meg had to leave right after (before she left I asked, “don’t you want to see me make a fool out of myself in front of my poetic idol?”), so I decided to get in line by myself to meet her. I figured I might never have this opportunity again and it would be an ideal way to check something off my list.

As I got closer and closer I got so nervous. My heart started beating out of my chest and I felt like if I opened my mouth to talk to her I would cry. I don’t know why I reacted that way, maybe just because her poetry has meant so much to me. When it was my turn she commented on my very old edition of her book My House and signed it. I got a picture with her and before I left I said, “thank you for the inspiration” and it came out completely laughable. Oh well, I am glad I said it, because I meant it.

My signed book. I love how she wrote “For Kerry…” instead of “To Kerry,” because one of my favorite poems by her is called “A Poem For Carol (May She Always Wear Red Ribbons)”

i shall save a special poem
for you to say
you always made me smile
and even though I cried sometimes
you said I will never let you
down

- “You Are There,” Nikki Giovanni