Ok so the traffic in the windy city blows. It took us almost 5 hours to make the 164 mile trip from Madison to the Days Inn Gold Coast in Chicago. It’s called the Days Inn Gold Coast, but it’s more Old Town/Lincoln Park, right near the Lincoln Park Zoo. I’m pretty proud of myself for finding such a reasonably priced hotel in such a perfect part of town. High fives to me.
Still, negative high fives for my stress levels as we got in. The traffic filled me with rage. I was to have dinner with my parents, and see Cara, and it was all crashing down around me. But guess what - shocker - it all worked out.
While my parents made it into the city, I downed a vodka tonic at the Bar Louie downstairs and then walked the 10 blocks up the street to have dinner at the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Factory. WALKING to a restaurant felt awesome. I never want to own a car again! The CPOGF was SO GOOD, after that miserable drive, which I learned was due to George W. Jackass being in town. Their salad is awesome. Their flatbread is awesome. The “upside pizza” that isn’t really pizza but rather a cheesy saucy cumshot in a bread bowl was so awesome that I could barely take a break to drink my glass of Chianti. Interesting factoid: the CPOGF is located across the street from the site of the Valentine’s Day Massacre.
You have no idea how happy that food made me! Almost as happy as I was to see Cara at the Grafton near Lincoln Park. It was a shame I was so tired from driving and mass food and wine consumption. But it was fun to catch up and drink Blue Moon with my dormmate turned compatriate. Cara seems really happy. Yay!!! I need to stay in better touch with her. She’s a reightous babe and one of the coolest people I’ve ever met.
Friday was a beautiful day. We were able to walk from our hotel to Lake Michigan and go for a run down the lake shore, from Oak Street beach to Navy Pier and back. Running is a great (and often better) way to see a city when there isn’t much time for cheesy tourism. Afterwards, we had breakfast at Clarke’s, a 24-hour diner on Lincoln Ave. near De Paul. The place was filled with swelling frat boys. The breakfast was so-so. It’s hard to go wrong with eggs and toast.
Internet withdrawl! Okay, so maybe Austin kicks Chi’s ass in the wifi department. DePaul U. must have some free-wifi happy coffee shops. Sure enough, we found a place that, for some reason, featured a pitbull who was intent on dragging its ass along the ground. Hmm. Here’s what I don’t get: a coffee shop with no bathroom. So I peed in a Chipotle w/o buying anything - do you think McDonalds got my point? I didn’t stay long enough to find out - I was worried I’d get diabetes just by spending time in the place.
We walked back to our Hotel via Oz park. Surrender Dorothy!
It was necessary to have some Italian food while I was in town. We found a place in Old Town called Topo Gigio. Damn this place was good. Their eggplant parmesan was the best I’ve ever had. Some of the staff wore t-shirts decorated with a cartoon mouse. I later learned that Topo Gigio was a mouse puppet that often appeared on the “Ed Sullivan Show”. Topo Gigio is also on TV in Italy.
We could have stayed at TG all night had we not planned on having a happy out at the Gingerman Tavern. After hanging out for some time with Tim and my parents reading Trivial Pursuit cards, some people showed up and we had a good time. Although I was drinking Stella Atois at a very slow place, I suddenly became extremely inebriated and had to go pass out! Jigga wha?!
Sunday morning - should I have been surprised to not be in the mood for running? I felt better than I should have, but I didn’t push my luck. We headed around the corner for breakfast at Nookie’s - great place! And yet, it didn’t change my dislike for going out for breakfast. Despite the tasty zucchini egg-white omelette and tasty toast, it’s all too much. Maybe it’s because restaurants don’t have the New & Improved Boca Breakfast Links (the ones in the red package). But I think it mostly has to do with my hatred for stuffing myself full of potatoes and eggs early in the morning.
Monica’s favorite breakfast:
1 Omelette made with 5 egg whites, sauted onion, mushroom, and bell pepper, a sprinkle of colby-jack cheese, salt and pepper.
2 Boca sausages
1 glass of ice water
Maybe if I’m really hungry I’ll have a slice of dry wheat toast or a banana. But I can’t deal with the massive plate of hash browns and greasy eggs and butter-soaked toast that’s so common at breakfast joints. Who wants to start the day bloated and nasty?
Anyway, back to my day. We headed downtown for the recently revealed Millennium Park. Part of it was closed for a benefit, but we saw most of the cool stuff: the family portrait of the world, the wicked spitting fountain, and the backside of the reflective metallic giant bean.
We didn’t have much time for strolling, but for good reason: my parent’s were throwing a going-away party for Tim and I ate my Dad’s house - an Indian feast! Most of the food was from my family’s favorite Indian restaurant, Shera Punjab, with the exception of a delicious chickpea dish that my mom made from scratch. I was pretty elated that my whole family showed up, even my Ohio cousins, Andy and Emily, who I haven’t seen in over four years. My former roommate, Mike and our mutual friend, Joe, even stopped by. How touching!
After the party, the trip ended too quickly, too soon. The next day we had time for a run on the north lakefront trai, and a quick stroll through the Lincoln Park Zoo to see the gorillas and their friends. I love the zoo! Then it was off to the burbs for one last lunch with my parents at the Lemont Street Cafe. We said our final goodbyes and some tears were shed, but I like to think they were tears of joy. After all, what better excuse for my family to visit London? And besides, I have a return ticket for February… I’ve spent more time away from them while I’ve been in Austin!
No time for tears, it’s off to Champaign - UIUC, Altgeld Hall, and my beloved friends.
Link to my photos in Chicago.
Link to Sandy’s photos of the Indian Feast.
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