CHICAGO PART 2

Continuing to play catch up on this overdue Chicago post, here’s number 2/3 posts!  This covers the day we went to Millennial Park and did a few activities around there.

Like visit THE BEAN! So touristy but having seen on IG that Mark from Blink 182 was there, we thought we’d snoop around and grab a few silly pics while we were there.  Speaking of Blink, we are seeing them tonight! AH! The high schooler that lives on in me is SO PUMPED…well lets be honest, so is this 30 year old. New album, pretty dang good if I do say so. Dustin is up there with biggest fans, so tonight should be a real good time.

Back on subject..

My accessories can be found on Shopbop.

By the bean I spotted this really rad pink taxi. Couldn’t help but admire!  Had this been an option to drive up to our wedding in, I just may have picked it ~still love the blue Carrollton taxi we did use but that pink tho!

After walking around the park , stopping to admire the amphitheater and a few public art pieces and grabbing a juice from one of the food trucks nearby, we headed to the Art Institute for some browsing.

The Art Institute was packed with pieces I grew up studying.  Their offering of owned and borrowed collections were very impressive.

At first we weren’t into the idea of an audio tour but then started seeing people using them and it seemed fun.  Since I had never done one (thought it was for old folks..and maybe it is) said, why the heck not, didn’t regret even though it was one more thing to carry around.  They did a really great job with the background music and facts, the delivery of the message was enjoyable too. Learned things we wouldn’t have otherwise known about the art.

Artwork is impressive but I think one of the neatest aspects of museums are the artifacts.  Especially having a (small) background in Anthropology, I enjoy seeing things I studied back in college.

Exhibit I got the most into was the Native American display. Don’t know much about my heritage but what I do know is there’s some Cherokee, Chickasaw and Creek on my mom’s side of the family. My favorite photo of the exhibit was this squash blossom necklace but had the lighting been right on the traditional ceremony outfits, I would have shared one of those for sure. Animal bones whittled into beads and so many unique materials used to create beautiful clothing and head dresses, rad to see it so well preserved.

The above basket is in the same exhibit. The little bits flaring out are feathers, entire thing is covered in beads, those tiny details are so impressive.

Dustin’s favorite painter is Monet.  As it turns out the Institute had several of his series. Like the above and his stacks of wheat. Interesting to see how one image can be changed depending on the angle, season, mood of artist and colors used. The art itself is pretty but look at those frames! Takes them up a notch.

While the audio tour was fun, we didn’t realize how long it was taking us. We didn’t have an outlined schedule for the day but didn’t anticipate the museum being the WHOLE DAY, which was the case. We browsed and admired until they were closing up! I really could go on about the various exhibits that we spent time on but I won’t do that to you, you gotta see it for yourself!

Worked up quite the appetite looking at art so it was PIZZA TIME!

Feast your eyes on this beauty ~ STUFFED DEEP DISH ~ from Giordano’s. Now, I realize there are probably more underground, non-mainstream, pizza joints but you cannot deny the deliciousness of Giordano’s. Sorry not sorry to my foodie friends. Plus, we were so starving I could have eaten Sapporos and been happy. But for real, it was amazing.

Mushrooms, chicken sausage and spinach, A+++ layered pizza casserole perfection!

After chowing down and resting our feet it was time to burn off that bread so we made the trek to Navy Pier.

Holy moly tourists! Too much. Minus the view, I hated everything about it but then we walked to the end and found a beer garden that was setting up for a free concert. Stuck around and so glad we did, the band was energetic with great people watching. Befriended some German guys and hung around until we were freezing (IN JULY, so wild.)

Chicago’s sunsets were really impressive! Snapped this on my phone during an L train ride back to the apartment. The day was so exhausting on this old lady body I was trying to lay low after the pier but Dustin really wanted me to experience the Violet Hour, a speakeasy in Wicker Park. Thank goodness he dragged me out because, what an experience! We waited in a small line outside of a simple door until told we could go in. It was dark and smelled of delicoous orange peel and herbs.  We got a few snacks (hello best bacon wrapped dates, ev!) and drinks. The drink that impressed me most was the “Circles of Confession” an egg white sour with notes of “lavender, huckleberry, and a funky nose of grass and sun-drenched shale” Yep..

Museum + Navy Pier was a fun section of the trip! Come back at the end of the week for the final post!