The Windy City: Day One

In case you didn't know, Chris signed up for a conference in Chicago this week through work, so we decided that I would use airline miles to fly out with him a little early to enjoy the city, somewhere I've never been and to which Chris hasn't returned since 1997.

Sunday morning (after driving home late Saturday night from Houston), we got up for a super-early flight to O'Hare. Jamie's cousin Art, who lives in Chicago, picked us up and took us to his partner's apartment to relax and have a big brunch, cooked by Art. We also met two of his friends, Steven (from Ireland, living in Chicago and working on a PhD) and Shelly (visiting from London). Steven and Art took us to Millennium Park to see the "bean" sculpture and the weird face fountains, among other things. Later, we returned back to Mark's place for a late lunch and then Art kindly drove us to our hotel for that night in downtown Chicago. We ate a light sushi dinner downtown and went to bed early to the beautiful cacophony of sirens, horns and squealing taxi brakes.

Art and Chris on the back porch

Odd Marilyn Monroe Statue

Steven, Chris and Art by the "bean" (Cloud Gate sculpture)

Crown Fountain in Millennium Park

View from ground level of Macy's (formerly Marshall Field's)

More days' events and pictures to come soon, but here's a preview:

Album of Chicago