Chicago – Day 3

Erin left early for a 10-mile running race at Soldier Field while we slept in until 7:30-ish.  Once we were ready, we walked over to MillenniumPark to explore "the Bean", the Gehry amphitheater and preview the new Renzo Piano wing at the Art Institute, stopping first at Intelligentsia for coffee and cocoa.  The bean is pretty cool, especially underneath it where it warps you several times (see below).  The Gehry amphitheater would be a great place for an outdoor concert and I’m looking forward to getting inside the new wing at the museum.  (Hi this is Marlene guest blogging!  The landscape at the Millennium park is nicely detailed and the shrubs are just beginning to grow into their steel cages and the low brush and plants were all in bloom – lavenders and greens…)

From the park we headed to the Merch Mart to pick up my numbers for the Bike the Drive on Sunday and tried to find Erin.  We made plans to meet her up north in Andersonville, a little neighborhood she thought we’d enjoy – and she was right.  We were starving by the time we were all reunited, so we ducked into one of teh first spots we saw, Ann Sather, which is a Chicago Institution.  I got Swedish pancakes.  The others got various egg dishes which came with two sides – but these sides were enormous.  If you chose cinnamon roll, you got two hefty ones, same with biscuits.  it was nuts.  (I tried the Swedish Breakfast with a Swedish Pancake with Lingonberries, Swedish Meatballs and an egg with a side of potatoes – I felk like I was at IKEA – MC)  We then spent the next couple hours wandering in and out of home furnishing stores and bakeries for the most part.  (Including the Swedish Bakery which is home to many almond scented/flavored items…delish–MC) Once all the blocks were covered, we hopped a bus back to downtown.

After dropping our purchases off at the house, we walked down the street to Navy Pier to pick up our bikes for tomorrow.  We had called first to make sure we could get that at 5:00pm and they said yes, but once we got to teh booth it was quite the ordeal.  First they told us 6:00pm, then they couldn’t find our reservation.  The line behind us steadily grew as it took about 20 minutes to resolve.  Finally, it all came together and me & Sallie were ready to roll on our beach cruisers (Mar gota "comfort" bike – granted, she is going 60 miles with Erin, instead of just 30 like me & Sal – yeah but this bike better not screw up my knees!! – MC)).  Back home we squeezed these three new bikes into theapartment with the two bikes that permanently live there – quite full.

Mar & I then took off for the White Sox while Sallie walked to Avec for dinner and Erin decided to stay home and get some extra sleep.  We took the Red Line south, straight to the stadium, and then began the mutil-escalator hike up to the 500 (!!) level.  This is essentially equal to the 300 level at Safeco, but it sounds a little nuts to be on the 500 level.  AND, its especially sad when you want ot go look around but the signs posted say no one from 500 can go to other levels.  Lame! Despite being seven rows from the top, our seats were pretty good.  It’s weird watching a game where you don’t really know anyone though, and you have no vested interest in who wins.  We were, however, good luck charms for the sox as they went on to win 4-0 over the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The stadium is kind of boring (though the 100 level could have been exciting – we just couldn’t go there).  Not many food choices either – since we were in the midwest though, I already knew I was going Bratwurst, while Mar got the infamous Comiskey Dog (which had scary green relish on it.  Like food coloring green Green – essentially a Chicago dog with a pickle wedge, fresh tomatoes, diced onions, the aforementioned bright green relish and hot peppers – ketchup and mustard are a no-no, but I snuck some in….what was interesting to KMJ and I were the two adorable little girls in front of us.  One was a vocal fan of the game screaming “yes yes yes yes yes yes yes” after the white sox hit their first home run.  She had a pink white sox hat with a fairy princess on the front – that’s some branding!  Her friend had a tried a true tough black and white sox hat, except its hard core effect was a bit diminished by her “High School Musical” hoodie with the pink furry collar….they were adorably goofy and spazzed out after their hot dogs, peanuts, cotton candy, popcorn and slushies.  –MC)  After each homerun there fireworks, and as luck would have it, tonight there was also a Fireworks Spectacular after the game, which was actually really good!  (I am embarassed to admit that I keep forgetting it is Memorial Day weekend as we walked through the staging area for the Mem day parade earlier in the day and the Fireworks we realized were for Memorial Day as well – MC)

Post-game, we stumbled down the ramps with the masses over to the train station.  I thought it might take us awhile to get a train, but we got right on and it took off a couple minutes later.  It was full, but not stifling and we got home pretty quick.  We were hoping to make it back by 10:15pm at which point we could watch Frieworks show #2, happening at Navy Pier.  Luckily we had time to stop at the grocery too first to buy some breakfast, and then we snuck into the house as quietly as we could so as not to wake Erin.  We did wake her briefly though as we tried to bake some cookies with dough I bought at Fox & Obel.  They came out super gooey, so we ate them with a spoon.  It was like Pizzookie without the ice cream.  We heard fireworks show #2 start, but sadly we couldn’t see it as it was right behind a neighboring building.  So close!

Tomorrow we bike ride and have crazy big dinner!