My kind of town

I'm just back from my first trip to Chicago, where I met up with two college friends and completed a 5K race in Illinois.
That brings my bucket list of running a race in each state to 11 completed.
More importantly, why had I never been to Chicago before? What a great city!
I flew in Friday to Midway and my friend Pat picked me up at the airport. She lives in Hyde Park, not far from President Barrack Obama's house. She showed me where it is on Sunday, although you can't drive down the road to see his home close up. All we could see was the wrought iron fence and a little bit of the house.
But back to Friday. After me and my college friend Susan were checked into our hotel, Pat and my Aunt Rose picked us up again and we had dinner in Chicago's Chinatown.

Me in front of Chinatown

Susan and me in Chinatown

 We didn't know which restaurant to pick, so we just kind of walked up and down the street before stepping into the May Flower. I think we may have been the only English-speaking patrons in the place. And the food was great. I love a find like that!
The only issue with the restaurant was that I asked for a glass of wine with dinner. Wine was clearly an option on the menu, but apparently the bartender/cashier was not in Friday night and the waitress said I couldn't have wine that night!
So Rose, Pat, Susan and I then began the hunt for a bottle of wine that Susan and I could take back to the hotel room.
We found a little grocer and got the ultimate bottle of wine for a girls weekend -- Bitch wine.

Bitch wine

Susan with Bitch wine

 

Saturday morning Susan and I met up with Patti, whom I lived with for four years at the University of Missouri. Susan lived across the hall in Gillette Hall for the two years Patti and I lived there.
The three of us and Patti's husband walked up to the Chicago River and took the Wendella Boat Tour on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River.

Susan, Patti and JD about to shove off

View of the skyline from Lake Michigan

Notice how overcast it was!

The John Hancock Building

The Sears tower

View down the Chicago River

 It was really great, except for the weather!
I mean it has been so cold here in Atlanta this spring, but it was super cold in Chicago this weekend. Highs of 55, if that! I had to bring a coat.
Our next stop was Giordano's for some famous deep dish pizza. Ours was Patti's favorite from college -- Canadian bacon and black olives. 

My first Chicago deep dish pizza slice.

 From there we just wandered back to our hotel, stopping first at Millennium Park.

Susan at Millennium Park

Me and Susan at Millennium Park, being silly

Silliness

I carried that umbrella all day so it wouldn't rain. The sun finally came out!

The skyline as seen in the bean 

That's us in the bean

Skyline in the bean

 We headed back to the hotel and after some snacks and another glass of Bitch wine, we took a walk in the evening and saw Buckingham Fountain lit up.

Buckingham Fountain 

 

The sun sets 

 

The fountain show

Going pink

 It's hard to see, but the Sears tower's spires are lit pink for the Komen walk the next day.
Susan, Patti and I were up early Sunday for the walk.

About to start the Komen Chicago 5K 

 

At the start 

 

Along the walk

At the fountain again

Lovely downtown views

 This walk was really nice in that we really saw a lot of downtown. At the end of the walk, I got to meet Yuri, whom I had never met in person, but knew through an online cancer survivor's network. I was so excited to finally meet her. We had gone through treatment during the same time, which was about seven years ago.

Me and Yuri

Me, Yuri, Patti and Susan

Aunt Rose and me

 

 It was nice that Aunt Rose and Pat came to the finish to lend their support as well.
The weekend went by too quickly, and I already know I want to go back to see and do more in Chicago.
It's my kind of town.