{Travel} Toronto

It's been almost two months since we were in Canada, but Toronto is too spectacular to not post about. I'll go ahead and tell you now that this trip was so short that we were barely in the city for 24 hours. {18 hours is my best guess.}

So, it was a brief spectacular.

{Travel} Chicago 2013, Part 2

Instead of studying for my Six Sigma quiz for Monday, I'm going to talk to you readers about Chicago. Yes, again. However, this will be the last post for this year's Chitown trip - I've run out of photos to upload. It's true.

Day Three

We started our last full day in Chicago with a coffee and a stroll through the Loop's parks. {This seems to be a trend.} One thing I didn't pick up on last time we were there in September was that Chicago certainly loves their planters. Truly. There are pops of gorgeous color all over the city, this time to welcome the warmer months. 

Case in point:

Not a planter but a tree, ok.

 What a glorious way to celebrate the change in the seasons. Unbearable cold, wintriness to bright sunny days with flora perfume in the air.

{Travel} Chicago: Architecture, Art and Steak

We're back!
Chicago was the beautiful, bustling city we remember from our third wedding anniversary {Read Part one, two, three & four}. We fell in love all over again...with Chicago. It's certainly on the 'short list' of places we'd like to end up.

Today I write this post on my day off {flex scheduling is great, y'all}, while the rain pours outside. Sipping on a hot chocolate, too.  However, even with those lovely things, I am still missing my time in Chicago.
We started our vacation the night before, by having dinner at The Porch at Schenley. We shared the fig, arugula and goat cheese pizza {along with calamari and a salad}. Wonderful as usual, especially sitting out on THE PORCH itself, looking out to the garden and carousel. You can read my previous review here and be sure to hone in on those crispy potatoes.

Day One
Husband and I decided to road trip out to Illinois, rather than dealing with the lameness that is Pittsburgh International Airport. It was a great decision, and we saw parts of Ohio and Indiana we'd never seen. We stopped in South Bend for lunch, and took a brief self-guided tour of Notre Dame.

Immediately when we got into Chicago after our 7-hour drive, we stopped at Target to get a few things before going to the hotel. Somehow we can't escape missing putting a crucial item in the luggage.  We were greeted in Target with a nice selection of spirits and wine, which was a breath of fresh air from Pittsburgh grocery stores.
We sailed down State with our loot, and took a few car photos of the buildings. You just can't ignore Chicago's architecture.

Weekend Surprises

Husband is the best. Let's just start with that.
Late this last week, he told me not to make plans for Saturday - a surprise was coming. As most of my long-time readers/friends know, he's not too good at keeping a secret. Usually, I know within hours of him making preparations. That being said, Saturday was very much a surprise.

Camping Near Morraine State Park

I'm finally getting around to posting about our adventures in camping...from last weekend! We had a great time camping near Morraine State Park {not inside the park because of rules} at Rose Point Park, which is just a 10-minute dive away from the state park {And one of the few places open for camping in April*}.

Near the entrance to Rose Point is a close bridge, made of metal and concrete. We stopped to look at the architecture of it and take photos of it's gorgeous rust.

Check out more photos after the jump!

Chicago! Part 2

Day two started with a bit of a setback. I had arranged for a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's home, studio and surrounding homes in Oak Park for what I thought was 8:30am. Turns out, the tour was actually for 10:30am. So, we woke up early, grabbed coffee and rode the L (train) out to Oak Park/Harlem. We were 3 stops away before realizing this. We ended up riding the train for an hour. But it was nice to chat over coffee and see the sights of the green line.

Once we got back, we walked past Millennium Park, and explored Grant Park and the Buckingham Fountain. Now, I'm not one for fountains, but this one was spectacular.

Statue outside of the Art Institute of Chicago

Southern-most point of Grant Park

Husband and I in front of Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham Fountain

After spending the morning by the fountain, we rode the L back to Oak Park. We viewed the surrounding neighborhood homes Frank Lloyd Wright designed first, then finished with a tour of his home and octagonal studio. This is a must-do in Chicago!

Home designed by Wright

Frank Thomas House (My favorite home on the tour)

Gorgeous art glass

 We headed back into the city after the tours were over, and shopped for a while on North Michigan Avenue, or the Magnificent Mile. Coming from Dallas, which could be considered one of the best shopping destinations in the South, it was somewhat of a letdown. We didn't encounter any stores that we didn't' have here at home. Not that I need a dress from Escada.

As we walked, I noticed a building that really stood out to me. And in an architectural city like Chicago, that's something. I stopped to read the plaque.

Plaque on the Carbide and Carbon Building

 Evidently, this 'champagne bottle' of a building was built by one of the main characters in the book I was reading at the time. How timely! :)

Carbide and Carbon Building

Carbine and Carbon Building

 For dinner we took it easy and had a burger and a Chicago area beer. Then we went on a City Lights cruise of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. What a windy trip!

The architecture was highlighted by (no pun intended) the lights. Gorgeous!

View from Lake Michigan on the City Lights cruise