Oh, Chicago!

For no reason, we hadn't planned on visiting Chicago. But so many people said that we had to go. So we did. Gavin contacted his old colleague Mickie from Hong Kong TBWA days (around 2001).

She insisted on us coming to stay with her and her two daughters in Evanston just on the edge of Chicago proper but easily reachable via the "L" (it's new formal name to replace "elevated"). Gavin always wanted to ride on the "L" as it features in so many movies (including those one's where people have to stop a conversation in mid-sentence as the L goes by overhead).

Saturday was a breakfast at a diner (like in the movies) down the road; "no, only sunnyside up or over easy" was the answer when Karen asked if they had poached eggs. Then a walk to Lake MIchigan and the beach. And these are beautiful beaches. White, Expansive. Life guards in red speedos. Waves (small though).

Then down-town to get onto an architectural boat tour. Oh my. This was just fantastic. These are lead by architects and are informative, fun, surprising and just great. And the buildings themselves, from Mies van der Rohe's multiple modernist buildings to Jeanne Gang's wonderful Vista Tower, just great). Highly highly recommended.

Our luck, it was rainy and cold. And yellow plastic ponchos are not very effective in wind. Or keeping out the cold.

So when we got off. We literally ran into a ramen restaurant. Perfect to warm ourselves up with a hot spicy soup.

Sunday was taking in a baseball game at White Sox Stadium (now, unimaginatively called, "Guaranteed Rate Field"). For us non-baseball fans the idea of going to a baseball game seems like an odd idea; boring, slow, uncreative, non-strategic, etc. etc. All wrong.

If you haven't been to a baseball game, just go. If only once. It's fun, safe, very interesting (the minutiae of the rules — including the "ground rule double" — were explained to Gavin by a very kind, and exceptionally patient guy called Steve who was sitting in front of us). Steve and his wife Tammy could not contain themselves, when after 3 minutes of us clearly asking stupid newbie baseball rule questions, couldn't contain themselves, turned around and started telling us how the game worked).

The White Sox lost 4:6 in the overtime 10th innings to the Boston Red Sox (who coincidentally, I watched in Boston many years ago, with other TBWA friends).

After the game we headed for the Chicago Blues Festival. This is a massive free festival held at Chicago's Millennium Park which is also home to "the bean". The Bean is currently closed off but you can see the top of the curved surface reflecting the city's amazing downtown buildings.

The Blues Festival is just fantastic. Thousands of friends, families and blues enthusiasts sitting on the grass enjoying the weather and the music. And, what's more, the main stage being designed by Frank Gehry is pretty spectacular.

We caught the "L" back home, heated up some Chicago Deep Dish Pizza (not really to our taste but, hey, when in Chicago) and talk some more with Mickie. Then we headed back to Minneapolis on Monday morning.

Driving to and from Chicago, we discovered Culver's Grilled Reuben Melt sandwich and Frozen Custard. Not very healthy, but we loved it!

Great weekend. Chicago. Absolutely not be missed!