24 hours in the Windy City

A very brief weekend in Chicago. 
- Incubus & Linkin Park concert
- CorePower Yoga Sculpt
- Walking around the downtown Farmers Market
- Breakfast at Yolk
- Shopping at Macy's, Whole Foods, Athleta, and Sports Authority
- New pink Asics!

DPP 12 & 12.5

Yolk might be giving First Watch a run for its Ultimate Breakfast Place money......I would have eaten every meal both days there if I had known!

December Photo Project! #11 &11.5 : Cold and Windy City

I'll have a proper Chicago post this week hopefully, but for now, you'll get a sneak peak DPP style.....
DPP #11: Chicago!!!!

DPP #11.5: Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Gluttony at its best. Even for those who didn't have a single ounce of meat!

Throwback Thursday: Birthday Brother!!

Moving away from the bruises of the last post...and into the long overdue Throwback Thursday picture!!

Today is this little boy's 21st birthday!!!
Oh Christopher. May your birthday weekend in Chicago be glorious.

PS: He's kinda rockin the Harry Potter glasses ahead of his time....

Tray tables in upright and locked position!

24 hours later…

Thanks for the full day layover Chicago! And by that I really just mean Rick Bayless’ Mexican. God that was good.

Here’s hoping we get to London now.

Getting to Nairobi without further incident would take a Cubs Series win….

Blurp!

Uncle Sam stole my money. Lots of it. So did my dentist, but I feel like he actually earned that money, or most of it. Argh.

I feel like my bank account is steadily growing smaller, and we haven't even left yet. Last weekend, in Chicago, my lovely adorable awesome parents bought us two trail packs and a smaller pack for our trip. I love them. The trail packs are gorgeous, and the smaller one is BRIGHT orange. A few years ago, I would never have picked it, and now I wish I could carry it everywhere!

Tim and I also splurged at REI and bought ourselves waterproof hiking shoes. Mine are hideous. Why buy hideous shoes you ask? Because they were more comfortable than the cute ones. But hobbits really can't be judging MY feet, right? ;)

PS. During my training session this morning, she had me flapping like a bird in the hallway. Nope, not humiliating at all....

The Wind Caused Delay?

Wow, long overdue post. The week before Christmas (I know, it seems like AGES ago) the Nordyke fam with Tim and I in tow, made the trek to Chicago, with the main reason of seeing Cirque Du Soleil's new show, Banana Shpeel. We left Saturday morning (basketball game the night before), and journeyed through the cold snow to be met by the most glorious, meat in tube shaped meal EVER. My personal favorite, Portillos Hot Dogs. Checked into our hotel downtown, snapped a pic with my brother (best bro/sis pic ever) and we went to see the show.

Let me make myself clear, I adore Cirque shows. I have seen more than I can count on one hand. Some more than once. Everytime I see one, its beautiful and entertaining, and its well worth the traveling to see them. So believe me when I say, that this was the WORST show ever. Even if it wasn't part of Cirque I would have thought so. Wasn't funny, there was no talent, there were no tricks, the cast sucked, it was just bad. I would have walked out at intermission, but Dad was determined that it might get better (it didn't, but there was a pretty Russian pole dancer dude!). That's that story.

We dined on a great meal at McCormick and Schmicks, but the highlight was when mom ordered a "Chocolate Box" dessert, and this GINORMOUS hunk of chocolate filled with mousse was served. No joke, the chocolate alone had to weigh several pounds.

Next day, the Chicago German Christmas Market, oh Olliebollen, I love you.....

A less than quick stop at the giant Gap store downtown, Macys, and a Portillos lunch later, we were on the road!

Stopped in Galena on the way back, Tim had never been, and it had been years since I had been. Visited the Cannery and had a MILLION and a half samples. Hit up a few other shops, wishing we had a kitchen three times the size of our current one, and finally arrived back home. A quick jaunt, but everyone knows its just nice to get out of town sometimes....

(Above) Portillos Glory, Mom and Dad outside the theatre, the view from our hotel room!

(Below) Infamous Chocolate Box, Chris&Dad at Christmas Market, Sampling Haven!

DPP 20: Wrong State/Sampler's Heaven

Again, a late night, back from Chicago. More tomorrow I swear. Including how we came back to a nine pack of toilet paper having been shredded by the feline children...but here was a bit of today:

Um, do Chicago-ians not know that Grant Wood is from Iowa....and not Chicago? Either way, the farmer and his wife are larger than life!
We stopped in Galena on the way home...and found a sampler's heaven. The Galena Cannery had probably over 50 samples. This was one of the smaller setups. I can't wait for my fig preserves in my stocking!

DPP #19: Classy Chocoholic/Chicago Cirque

More on this Chicago weekend to come....but heres a glimpse so far.....

The worst Cirque show ever....no really, it shouldn't even be called a Cirque show. A.W.F.U.L.
Sometimes, especially when the chocolate is as big as, and in the shape of a brick....you just have to go for it!

Birthday Bears Bonanza!

We gave my dad his birthday present this weekend. His birthday isn't for over a month, but it was too awesome to contain anymore. As a Chicago-ian, he has an insane love of all Chicago sports. This includes the less than talented Chicago Bears. And for as many sporting events that he has gone to, he has only been to a handful of Bears games in his life. Now, after the weekend after Thanksgiving, he will have been to a handful PLUS ONE.

The kitties helped in the presentation of the tickets. :) Alas, they will still not be allowed to go. Despite Nessa's claim to NEED a stadium hot dog...

Mouthwatering Moto

I REAAALLLYY want to eat here!

Moto Restaurant looks ridiculously amazing.

Who cares if its $115 a person per meal? Ok, I do, but I still want to eat there.