Images from Chicago

Chicago, Chicago that toddling town

Chicago, Chicago I'll show you around - I love it

Bet your bottom dollar youll lose the blues in Chicago

... as soon as we could get out of town Sunday afternoon, Kates and I were crusing to Chicago to celebrate our anniversary/Columbus Day/freedom from at least one day of the real world. All of the reservations were made weeks ago and couldn't seem to come fast enough ...

... The weather was picture perfect, and as usual, so was the city ...

... we checked into our hotel on Michigan Avenue, dropped our bags and promptly took to the streets ... strolling along Michigan Avenue ... We took in the views from atop the Hancock Center, and then fulfilled our 5:30 reservation at the Signature Room. Our window-side table offered a breath-taking view of Navy Pier and Lake Michigan. Kates had the pork chop. I had the salmon ...
From there, we hailed a cab -- with a classic taxi driver who mused about George Bush, the Iraq war and led us to believe he had it all figured out -- and were off to Second City ... for not the most memorable Second City show we've seen. It was a Sunday night double-header that, as far as we could tell, starred the "B" cast or perhaps the comedians in training. ... the first show was a one-man act. Something with a guy portraying multiple characters (an eccentric cooking instructor, a zealous financial planner ...) at a community center. But instead of falling out of our seats from laughing, we were squirming and trying to keep from leaving ... The second show featured a cast of two gals and two guys doing a varity of quick sketches. Although it was a slight improvement, the awful standup acts in between the sketches didn't help the mood ...

... we had more fun back at our hotel, watching "Cast Away" ... great movie. It's a shame Tom Hanks didn't win an Oscar for it ...

Monday arrived. Another picture perfect day. Summer-like temperatures.

... We ran across the street from our hotel for a quick breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. Some tasty cofee cake and we were walking the streets again. We strolled the plaza outside the Tribune Tower and NBC studios. We did Millennium Park. Paid homage to The Bean. Navigated the gardens. Basked by the fountains ...

Some Chicago-style pan pizza for lunch ...

... and we let the iPod carry us back home ...