What is that Nicole up to?

I have done lots of fun stuff this summer that I haven't had a chance to blog about (because I am having too much fun to blog), but I have to say that one of the highlights of this summer was my trip home to Chicago to hang out with my Mom and Dad.

I got in friday night and Mom and Dad swooped me up from the airport and we went out for a lovely dinner outside, where it was a comfortable 80 degrees or so. This, as I would soon find out, is the optimal time to spend outdoors in Chicago during August.  We got home from din pretty late, which meant a nice lie-in bed the next morning to catch up on sleep and enjoy my big, huge, large, gargantuan bedroom (which is larger than my whole studio in Santa Cruz!). Upon waking, we made coffee and hung out in the backyard just continuing our chats and catching up on life. Our neighbor Norm swung by for a wee chat about the goings on in the town where my parents live, since he is on the city council/board.  I found out that Mom is on the hot list for being a bit "heavy footed" on the gas pedal. It is good to know that nothing has changed.  Then Mom and Dad whipped us up an amazing breakfast. Dad served up his homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers slathered on some bagels, and Mom accompanied this with eggs, fruit, and yogurt yuminess.  (Dad even packed up some of those beautiful tomatoes for me to take home with me, but most of them didnt make it to Santa Cruz, as I count resist eating them on the flight home!) Since it was now 1pm, we figured we might as well get out of our jammies and head to the city for some fun!

We headed out to Navy Pier, where we based ourselves and then walked through the city. It was a hot day - but "cooler" than usual - which I struggled with now that my California-induced comfort zone only varies by a few degrees from 68F. But once we found our way to the Trump Tower  for some cool Mojitos, I was doing JUST fine. The views from the 16th floor deck were amazing as it felt like we could almost touch the Sun Times and Wrigley buildings, and stare down hundreds of feet to the Chicago River below. Great fun!  After a bit more strolling around, looking at the architecture and art displayed outside, as well as a bit of shopping, our tummies started to grumble again, so we went to Riva's where we had another incredible meal and got to look out across the lake and lit up city. What a wonderful late dinner!  Just as I thought it couldnt get any better, we stepped outside and realized it was almost time for the fireworks.  Chicago puts on a fireworks show every Saturday in the summer. And they are not piddly or lame. It was on par with a 10-15 minute Grande Finale. I have some footage of it here if you want to get a taste of what it was like. Of course, nothing beats actually being there, so I highly recommend it should you find yourself in Chicago on a Saturday night.

Navy Pier at Night

So just as I thought we were heading home, Mom asked us if we would go on the Ferris (Bueller) Wheel with her.  Dad wasn't interested, but it didnt take much arm twisting for me to go, as I have never been on this particular Ferris Wheel. Turns out that it doesnt stop and keeps rotating, and it goes VERY high as you can see in this video of Mom, very bravely, introducing us to the Ferris Wheel (ignore her attempt at mathematics, this was likely influenced after too many mojitos and glasses of wine!):



However, her reaction was a different story once we hopped in the continually rotating Ferris Wheel
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Another late night home and another late morning lie-in, another fun morning just hanging out, chatting, eating more of Dad's yum garden goodness, and then Mom and I dashed off on a shopping mission to find a dress to wear to my friend(s) wedding(s)!  Within a few hours we had found both shoes and dress (and a few other awesome goodies!). What can I say?  My mom is a professional shopper and this mission could not have been accomplished without her.

That night we squeezed in another fabulous dining experience and a late night flick, Inception.  Just as well we didn't have too many glasses of wine at dinner or none of us would have been able to decipher the level/dream we were watching. Then again, maybe another glass of wine would have helped?!

It was a short but sweet trip, and I had such a wonderful time with Mom and Dad. However, next time I will be sure to (A) visit at any other time than mid-summer (can I get away without a visit mid-winter? probably not!) and (B) make sure I stay a bit longer, so that I have more time with Mom and Dad, as well as my brother, Karen, Evan and Owen.