snowy chicago weekend

it's snowing in chicago and i'm still going!

despite unseasonably warm weather in the northeast, i'm taking off for chicago for work (and a little fun, too!)

i'm staying across from the historic water tower 

and, as luck would have it, 

across from the polo store and the new nordstrom rack! 

(yay!)

i always try to fill up my schedule so that 

i'll have plenty to do on my downtime...

this time i've got

fireworks and ice skating at navy pier

cappucinno at the four seasons

dinner at la colonial

it's a wonderful life stage production

bloomingdales

american girl place 

now, if only i could get last minute tickets 

to see michael buble!

any other festive suggestions you have?!?

windy-city whirlwind

what a fabulous trip, but i always say that when i go to chicago!

i stayed in my old neighborhood in the gold coast, so everything was within walking distance, which was a plus becuase the weather was gorgeous.

i started out by seeing a friend from college who was overseeing the guilianna rancik swimsuit event at bloomingdale's.... did a bit of shopping at the 900 north mall

and then settled in for a bit of work back at the hotel....

then a little more shopping down michigan avenue....

when i returned from shopping, i checked in with the front desk to see if a package i had been expecting had been delivered, it had not, but i was told there was a gentelman waiting for me at the bar (the famed Pump Room where Frank Sinatrawas known to frequent) i had no idea what to expect, but there, across the room sat my great friend from college, looking handsome as ever in a pin-stripe suit, sipping a martini.

after i picked my jaw from the floor, i told him to give me 30 minutes and i would join him....we spent the next few hours catching up...he's the most interesting person i know, having spent a year in africa traveling, working all over the country as a photojournalist for the AP and now, an attorney!

he joined me for the fabulous show

where we schmoozed with the actors afterwards
(the one in the purple used to play Raul on the Young & the Restless)

and dinner at the fabulous tapas restaurant

sunday, i met one of my agents, who i deal with for work, for a wonderful brunch

then, i gave up shopping (shocker) and headed for oak street beach.

it was H-O-T and i even got into the water a bit

back to the hotel for a little more work and then dinner at

a french-vietnameese fusion restaurant (so delish!)

and a leisurely stroll back to the hotel and a little work prep

breakfast at the neighborhood coffee shop i used to frequent years ago

then off to work

back into boston by 8 pm to tuck muffy into bed 
and to cheer on the celtics with mr prep

lots of fun. lots of old memories. chicago will forever hold a special place in my heart.

i'll be back in september, for work, if not sooner.

hello chicago!

as i depart for my favorite city, let me take you on a bit of a tour of where i'll be and what i'll be doing.... for fun that is. 

(i'm really going for work!) 

 lunch at frankie's on the 5th floor of the bloomingdale's building

the best chopped salad and tomato soup!

and did i mention it's in the bloomie's buidling?
(i was a bloomie's girl for a short time...my first real job in chicago, and my motivation for moving there...a job AND a discount!)

a friend is hosting this event, so i thought it'd be fun to stop by for a little celeb schmoozing!

followed by a little shopping down michigan ave!

have to bring muffy home a little presie!

 seeing the broadway musical and tony-nominated show

dinner at spiaggia --- ahhhhhhh

the best breakfast in town at the west egg cafe, hidden away on a little side street

a trip to oak street beach if it's nice...book and magazines are ready!

or the architectural boat tour down the chicago river

dinner at the famed italian rosebud

chicago is definitely my kind of town!

i'll be back on tuesday...have a fabulous weekend!

way-back wednesday...chicago, mid-90s

as i prepare to leave for chicago this weekend 

(little business, little fun!)

i started to reminisce about my years there in the mid-90s.

i have always loved chicago, and had the opportunity to intern for a magazine there during my senior year of college, then returned a few months after graduation to work for three years.

my biggest issue at the time was where to live...

where would be a safe place for a 20 year old girl, in a nice neighborhood, near all the city sites?

i found my home at the three arts club located on north dearborn parkway in the heart of the gold coast neighborhood -- just steps from michigan avenue and lake shore drive.

founded as a home for girls/women in the arts, in 1912, there was a screening process with letters of recommendation and everything to be considered for residnece! most of the residents were students studying the arts, recent graduates and even some women who were artists in residence. 

it was a fabulous old building, with a door-woman and buzzer system (very safe!), no boys were permitted after 11 pm and they were only allowed into one's room if they left their ID at the front desk.

we all ate together in a common dining room, and with our rent payment, came a substantial breakfast and dinner and were encouraged to talk about our arts and share our talents. in the summer we ate in the courtyard around this fabulous fountain!

our rooms were simple, with a twin bed, closet and sink and community bathroom down the hall with showers. some larger rooms had claw-foot tubs and bathrooms (oh, how I loved my claw-foot tub after a cold walk home from my internship during a very snowy december)

this was before cell phones, so if i was to receive a phone call, my room would be buzzed, i would run down the hall to a common hallway phone, pick up the receiver and the operator would transfer my call! how old fashioned that sounds now!

i met so many friends there, and went on to live with a modern dancer and ballerina that i had met when i was a resident.

the building was sold a few years ago, and is no longer a residence, but still remains today as a museum.