My Kind of Town...Chicago

Sorry, no What I'm Loving Wednesday post this week (but thank you to those who always participate). I thought I would start my Chicago recap today!

I had A BLAST in Chicago. I had only been to Chicago one time before this last trip, but I was only there five hours (seriously, a friend and I drove to Chicago -from Indiana- in 2014 for a White Sox game and then left after the game). 

This time I was able to spend a few more days. I flew in late that Tuesday night and my awesome friend Harrie picked me up at the airport (she was also my hostess for the week). 

Flying in to Chicago at night

We started my first full day in town bright and early the next morning. We ate a quick breakfast at this cute cafe next door to her apartment. 

I had taken a bite of bacon just before she took this picture, hence the weird look on my face. Lol. And yes, I represent the Rangers wherever I go. Lol.

My first stop as a tourist in Chicago was an Architecture Boat Tour of the city. If you are ever in Chicago, I highly recommend this tour. It's a great way to see the city and learn about the history of the buildings and skyscrapers. I took probably 150 pictures (at least) on this tour. Lucky for y'all, I'm not posting ALL of them here. :) 

On the bottom right you will see what looks like a map on the side of the building. It is a map of the river and the red dot (about halfway up) is marking "you are here". I thought that was cool. Oh, that is my awesome friend Harrie in the Cubs cap!

After the boat tour (which was complete with cookies and lemonade), we made a quick stop at the Centennial Plaza and Fountain.

Of course no trip to Chicago is complete without stopping by "The Bean" (which is officially called Cloud Gate-I had no idea). Lol. It was pretty cool, I liked it!

We didn't have time for a tour of the Chicago Theater (I've already made a list of everything I have to do NEXT time I visit), but we did stop so I could take a picture by the famous marquee. 

If you know me at all, you know I always take pictures by statues (it's my thing).

The best thing about staying with Harrie (besides hanging out with her, of course), is that not only did she know how to get around Chicago, but she knew some of the best kept secrets in town. We made a quick stop at the Chicago Cultural Center which is home to the world's largest Tiffany stained-glass dome. I had NO IDEA. There was a classical piano concert going on when we visited, so our picture taking was limited (but we heard an awesome concert). There is also Tiffany glass all around the building. 

Of course we rode the L train...

I'm such a tourist. Lol.

On Wednesday afternoon Harrie and I had a "proper" British tea time at her apartment. She is originally from England (she has lived in Chicago about four years) and I told her I wanted to have a British tea with her. She went all out- we even had biscuits (which are cookies) and tea cakes.

The most exciting part of Wednesday's adventures for me was going to the Art Institute of Chicago. I was an art minor in college and have always wanted to go there (it's been at the top of my museum list for as long as I can remember). And for the record, I was an adult before I ever saw Ferris Bueller's Day Off, so I wasn't copying the movie (everyone seems to think that when you talk about going places in Chicago). 

I took so many pictures there, but again, I'll spare you and only share a small portion.

Van Gogh, Monet, and Renoir are some of my favorite painters, so this was probably my favorite part of the museum

These are part of the Thorn Miniature Rooms exhibit. All of these are miniatures. In the picture on the middle right you can see a mirror above the fireplace. If you look closely (maybe you can zoom in), you can see mine and Harrie's reflection. You can check out more of the exhiibit at this link.The smallest details were amazing!!

American Gothic. Despite my expression, I was super excited to see this in person (Harrie told me you can't smile when you stand next to this painting). Lol.

I actually saw this painting, Paris Street: Rainy Day when it was on tour in Fort Worth back in February. Since it was a special exhibit, we couldn't take a picture with the real one. I was allowed to take a picture this time! :)

Another statue, another picture

Such a fun time! I could spend a whole day at this museum (I had to pick and choose which exhibits I wanted to see this time)

For dinner that night I had authentic Chicago pizza! I must say, it was pretty good!!

I don't want to overwhelm y'all, so I'm dividing my trip up into several posts. I'll post the remainder of my Chicago pictures (which includes a tour of Wrigley Field, a Cubs game, and the Chicago History Museum) later this week. I am also going to devote an entire post to our road trip to Danville, Illinois (which is the hometown of Dick Van Dyke). :)

XOXO!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I know I stopped doing the link up (because being in charge of a link up is hard, lol), but I'm still gonna use this idea. MAYBE I'll start the link up again if I have people ask about it. :)

I'm loving...

The Gustave Caillebotte exhibit on display at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. Some friends and I went last weekend to see it. I'm a big fan of Impressionism. I knew of his painting Paris Street; Rainy Day (because it was in so many of my art history books) but I really wasn't familiar with the rest of his work. I absolutely loved this exhibit. If you live in DFW, the exhibit is here until February 14, I highly recommend checking it out!

The Kimbell had a replica of Paris Street; Rainy Day that you could pose in front of (they even had props) 

I'm loving...

Dallas Stars hockey games. I went to two games last week with some friends. It was a lot of fun, especially the night that the Stars actually won! :)

With my hockey-loving peeps!

I'm loving...
This sweet picture with my best friend's kiddos, Miss E and Mr. A. I saw them last month when I was in Austin.

I'm loving...
These amazing, tasty treats. My friend Alan bought some for me. I love them!

Why yes, I do have the complete sets of Diagnosis Murder AND The Waltons on DVD

I'm loving (kinda)...

That I've had to put this on every form of social media since so many random people kept asking if I was a fan of Steven Avery from the documentary Making A Murderer (if you know me, I KNOW you know my Averyfan obsession is from Steve Avery, the former baseball player). :)

I'm loving...

That after having it planned for five months (no lie, I wrote about this in September) my best friend Mandy and I are FINALLY going to the Supernatural Convention in Houston next weekend. We've known each other for 27 years and neither one of us can remember taking a road trip by ourselves together. This is LONG overdo! :) We may or may not need bail money by the time the weekend is over with- stay tuned. :)

I'm loving...

That my first "midnight showing" in the theater was for the new Stars Wars movie (yes I know, that was almost two months ago, I'm way behind on updating my blog). :) 

I love this shirt!

I'm loving...

My sweet nephews C and E. I spent a lot of time with them over Christmas. I can't wait to see them next month! 

On Christmas morning C wanted to get a picture with me. I told him I didn't have any make up on and I didn't look good. He hugged me and told me I always looked good (THIS KID!! Love him.)

After my carjacking in December 2012, I spent a week with my family on the beach in Galveston. E and I took a picture while collecting shells (L). We went back to Galveston after Christmas this past year and took another picture (R). Again, we were collecting shells. If you hear of a shell shortage on the beaches of Galveston, it's because my nephews picked up most of them. :) I can tell how tall he's getting by comparing these pictures!

What are YOU loving today??

XOXO!

Ridiculously giddy

Happy Friday sweet friends! I know I mentioned yesterday about the Rangers getting a new owner. I can't even begin to describe how happy it makes my "baseball heart". I'll spare you all the details most of you probably don't care about (just Google Chuck Greenberg or Nolan Ryan and look at news articles from the past week, it will catch you up). It's been a long process getting the ownership of the team transferred to Chuck and Nolan (since I'm friends with Chuck Greenberg on Facebook, I feel I can call him by his first name. And Nolan Ryan is just Nolan to everyone around here. That's how we do things in Texas). :) I emailed my friend Nathan yesterday telling him that I was "ridiculously giddy" about the new ownership and the possibility of great things to come for the Rangers. He said he was too. Like I've mentioned before, being a Rangers fan is sometimes like being in an "unhealthy relationship". They get your hopes up, just to break your heart. So far this season they are exceeding all my expectations. I refuse to jinx them and say anything more, but right now, my baseball heart is happy! Again, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, in rain and in 100+ degree temperatures, in wins and in losses, I'm a Rangers fan for life!

I do have a point to this rambling. I was just setting up the pictures I'm about to post. My sweet great-nephews "C" and "E" got professional pictures taken a while back wearing adorable Rangers outfits (three guesses which favorite aunt bought them). ;)

"C" says "Put me in coach!"

"E" is ready to throw the ball

 

"C" loves playing baseball!

Okay, so they changed his outfit for this picture. But, it was too cute not to share!

It's Friday and if you are a regular follower of my blog, you know it's Five Question Friday time! Welcome all new visitors!! Feel free to put your feet up and stay for a while!

1. Are you a neat sleeper or a messy sleeper? 

I think that I'm a neat sleeper. Now Mordecai, on the other hand, is the messy sleeper. The sheets are always tangled on his side (please click here to see who Mordecai is). ;)

2. Fill in the blank. I wish I was more _____. 

I wish I was more Christ-like. I'll admit it. I have days where I'm not this nice, sweet person I make myself out to be (I know, you are all shocked). We aren't even going to discuss the things I said and thought about Mark Cuban when he was trying to steal the Rangers out from under Chuck and Nolan (again, Google for more info on that). Yes, okay, I was possibly praying about the ownership of a baseball team. Are you really surprised?? I have no doubt that God was up in heaven, head in his hands going, "What am I going to do with this girl?" But in all seriousness, I do wish that my attitude was more of a reflection of Him, than myself. 

3. What is something that you wish you had been warned about?

The evilness of credit cards. As an innocent, naïve, 18 year old in college, I signed up for a credit card (hey, they were giving away free T-shirts with each application). When you are young, you don't think about having to pay back everything you put on the card- you think of it as "free money". And then it adds up (and adds up, and adds up...you get the idea). Oh, to be able to go back in time....but alas, I cannot.

4. What was the best thing you have ever found at a garage sale/flea market?

I don't go to a lot of garage sales or flea markets (nothing against them, I just don't go). I guess eBay is sort of the 21st century's version of a worldwide garage sale. For a while, I bought some sports memorabilia and art history books off of eBay, so I guess I'll go with that. I have been "eBay free" for almost 10 years now. I realized it was becoming an addiction and I was buying stuff I really didn't need (I know, shocker!)

5. If you could have any meal brought to you right now, what would it be?

Um...I'm not that hungry right now, so I really don't know. I'm a big fan of steak, and I rarely turn down a free steak meal, so I'll go with that (it's a joke amongst my friends and family that I get more free steak than anyone else they know). So, I would like a sirloin steak (no pink but not burnt), a baked potato with cheese (no sour cream) and a Caesar salad. Now that I think about it, I'm starting to get hungry. So, if anyone is near the "big pink building" (as I call my office), feel free to bring that to me for lunch today!! :)

Happy Friday!! I hope you all have a great weekend!! This time next week I'll be getting ready to board a plane for my trip to Atlanta. I'm so excited!!

I leave you with two more pictures from the "C" and "E" photo shoot! You can't tell that I'm a proud aunt AT ALL, can you?? : )