Chicago- Day 5

Tuesday September 9, 2014

Curtis and Scott had to work again today, so Megan and I headed over to the Willis Tower by ourselves. I feel bad because we had initially planned to go on a day when Curtis and Scott could go too, but since it rained all day Friday we figured the views wouldn't be too awesome that day.  

I get super motion sick from elevators, so the multiple elevators it took to get up to the 103rd floor about killed me, but it was worth it.  The view of the city from the top was awesome!

 I am also terrified of heights, so it took me quite a bit of gumption to talk myself into going into the Sky Deck, the clear glass box that overlooks the whole city.  It was terrifying, but cool at the same time! I was shaking like a leaf when I was done, but I'm glad I did it.  Everything at the bottom looks so tiny, like the cars. Eek!

Probably one of the coolest things about our time at the Willis Tower was that I ran into some Hungarian teenagers. I overheard them talking in Hungarian and couldn't believe my ears! I can count on one hand the number of times that I've ever run into a Hungarian outside of Hungary since my mission. I don't know which I was more nervous for- to talk in Hungarian, or go out on the Sky Deck.  (Since I don't use Hungarian on a regular basis b/c I have no one to speak to in it,  I'm pretty rusty. I can still understand well, but I'm slow to reply because I have to think hard to remember vocabulary words.)  Anyway, they were astonished to hear another person speaking Hungarian, especially since I'm not from Hungary. They honestly couldn't wrap their heads around why I knew their language.  They were nice and they told me I still spoke well, even though I know I don't speak as well as I used to. It was really nostalgic for me to get to use a language I so love.  I wish I would've gotten a picture with them, but didn't want to weird them out. Ha ha!

 Poor Ella was so tired that she slept through almost our entire time up there. Not that she'd remember the trip anyway, so I guess it doesn't really matter. 

Chicago Day 4

Monday September 8, 2014

Curtis and Scott had to go to a work training today. (Hence the whole reason we were in Chicago in the first place- a business trip, mixed with a little fun.)  We had breakfast together at Lou Mitchell's (since Scott and Megan weren't with us on Sunday and wanted to try it).  Can I just say the difference between Sunday and Monday breakfast was staggering? We got right in on Monday, no line, no wait, there was hardly anyone there. It was quiet and calm.  Completely opposite of our experience the day before.  I guess the work week will do that to you. No one has time to eat out since they're all rushing to get to work.  I just have to laugh that I only ordered a single blueberry pancake and small glass of juice and it was $18 before tip, for just my breakfast! (Curtis' was paid for by Zions.) See what I mean that it's a bit of a tourist trap? Ha ha. 

While the menfolk headed off to work, we kind of just hung out for the majority of the morning. Poor Ella hadn't been sleeping much the last few days in just a baby carrier or stroller and she was super sleep deprived so Megan put her down for a regular nap at the hotel and I just hung out in my room and read and relaxed. It was nice. I love to read and rarely get a lot of time to, so that was a true vacation to me- sleeping in, not having to clean anything and just getting some quiet "me" time. So lovely.

Megan, Ella and I headed off for a girls' day of shopping that afternoon! We hit the "Miracle Mile" which consists of Michigan Avenue and a few other intersecting streets where all the best shops are.  We spent a lot of time in Nordstrom Rack and H&M and Megan's favorite, TJ Maxx.  I love H&M. It is my favorite.   Before it arrived in Utah I used to plan an H&M trip into all of my out of state trips, because I love it that much. 

That night we met up with Curtis and Scott and did the Chicago Architecture tour. So many people recommended it and I honestly think it was one of my favorite things that we did. It was so enjoyable and interesting. Chicago is such a lovely city with a lot of history.  The city became a big architectural hub after the great Chicago fire burned more than 1/3 of the original city. It's set right on the shores of Lake Michigan and there's a river that runs through the city and divides it into thirds. 

Trump Tower

 The Corn Cob towers- they were the first round skyscraper apartments in the world. Tenants are not allowed to park their own cars since they back them up right to the edge (see the lower part of the building- scary!)

The view from below of the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower).  103 stories tall- It used to be the tallest building in the world until they built the building in Dubai that is 1000 feet taller than this. Ridiculous to imagine anything could be taller than this.

Willis Tower far away

The Chicago cityscape

I think this was one of my favorite buildings with the clock tower and gothic architecture on the top.

I think Ella enjoyed the tour too! Such a cutie!

Chicago-Day 3

Sunday September 7, 2014

We ate breakfast at Lou Mitchell's. It is the start of Route 66 and has had a few movies filmed there. We heard from everyone that the breakfast there was the best breakfast in Chicago. The line to get in was out the door and down the block. Unreal! We waited for what felt like forever, but we got homemade donut holes and Milk Duds upon entering. (Random combo)  Every single seat in that place was full, it was loud, crazy and totally chaotic. It was really good food, but definitely an overpriced tourist trap. Oh well. The true Chicago experience, right? 

We had kind of a lazy morning, hung out for a little while, went to sacrament meeting nearby (which was interesting since they hold it in an elementary school auditorium), then we headed over to Millennial Park to see the sights and explore the city in that area.

I love this "L" (subway) stop name- it's a nice hybrid of Curtis' grandpa- Clyde Fairbourn. :)

  Flowers at Millennial Park

 Buckingham Fountain- stunning! It was one of my favorite things we saw while we were exploring the park and the city.

                                      

 This was so cool, but such a strange idea at the same time. It's a giant fountain/sculpture that water pours down both sides and then projects faces onto the other side. The faces keep changing and smiling at you, laughing, talking, etc… until all of a sudden, the eyes close, the mouth opens and the person starts spewing water on the people below. 

Modern art is so strange sometimes. I don't get the point of this "sculpture," but the kids sure seemed to love it every time it changed to the bottom face and spit water.

  The "Bean." This sculpture is famous because it's huge, but all seamless, as far as the metal was put together. It's pretty amazing that something that large you wouldn't see any lines where one piece of metal starts and one piece of metal ends.

                                                 The city view from the Bean's perspective

The funniest part of the Bean was that everyone was using it to take these hilarious selfies with pouty lips and what not. Curtis and I decided to do a really ugly picture or two, just to see what everyone around us would do. The ladies behind us were really confused, then tried not to laugh, but couldn't help it.

We watched them film part of the Chicago 10 o' clock news on our way back to the hotel. This weatherman was very excited/happy about the upcoming forecast.

Chicago- Day 2

Saturday September 6, 2014

 We heard from EVERYONE that we must go to the Museum of Science and Industry. It was soooo cool! I loved it. They had a full-sized German U-Boat from WWII and a huge exhibit on how they captured it during the war and used it to get code and other secrets. It was super interesting. I must have spaced actually getting a picture of the U-Boat though. It was that interesting I forgot about my camera…which is rare.

Creepy clowns. Why must they waste exhibit space for the circus? Eek.

 This was a giant model of the city of Chicago with a train running all around and through it. Pretty impressive whoever designed/built this thing! And oh yeah, there's a giant airplane hanging from the ceiling above us too. No big deal. 

There was this game in the human bodies exhibit called "Mindball." You put on the headbands and it supposedly measured your stress levels. The more calm you could be, the more easily you could move the ball your opponent's direction, and into their goal. Curtis and I played it and I lost INSTANTLY 3 times in a row.  I must be stressed out.

 I figured it must be a fluke, so then I had Curtis play Scott and they both were so calm that the ball was practically in the center the whole time. They were there for so long that a huge crowd gathered around to watch since no one else had been able to go that long.  Curtis won in the end. He's just really low key I guess. Good thing a stress ball like me married a normal, calm person. :)

 We explored the University of Chicago's campus after the museum, since it was nearby. It was super pretty! I loved all the big trees and cool, old buildings. It made me kind of miss college. But only the walking around campus part. 

 

Even the lamps at this campus are pretty

Scott, Megan and Ella Murff

 Yours truly

Sweet baby Ella. Don't you just want to squish her cheeks? She's so cute!

 Curtis actually admitted that holding Ella made him a little baby hungry. Hooray!

 We ate at an awesome Greek restaurant near the campus and then headed over to the Navy Pier to watch the Venetian festival.  They had boats decked out with different broadway shows circling around the Pier. We missed about half of it, but it was still cool. I forgot my tripod, so disregard the fact that all the night pictures are a bit fuzzy. Low lighting. It happens.

 We got the BEST churros at Navy Pier that were filled with a vanilla pudding-like substance. Ridiculously overpriced, but super tasty!

 The view from the Pier- stunning at night! This picture does Chicago no justice at all.