Thursday, June 21, 2012

Vacation in Chicago.

Last weekend we went on a road trip to Chicago and it was so fabulous. Definitely worth the nine hour drive from home. We drove on this trip so we could take advantage of a little cross border shopping.




Chicago. I love you. Why did it take so long for us to come for a visit?  Chicago is the city that created the skyscraper. Today it's a wonderful combination of old and new.



 Definitely a vertical city.


We stayed in the Millennium Park neighborhood, so we were in walking distance of the usual tourist destinations. The 'Bean' and Buckingham Fountain, The Loop, and of course the famed Magnificent Mile.




The Fairmont Hotel did not disappoint. Impeccable service and a very comfortable room with a great view.



The Aqua building was right outside our window. Designed by Jeanne Gang, this 81 story building won the International Emporis Skyscraper Award in 2009. Inspired by water, the rippling effect is created by it's undulating balconies of which no two are alike.


Our first night in Chicago was Conan O 'Brien's last night of taping his show . A short walk to dinner and we ended up right in the middle of Conan mayhem.


Conan and his crew had taken over the iconic Chicago Theater for the week. You may remember from this post that we are big fans of Conan's and saw him live in Toronto.


The crowd was huge and took over the sidewalk for blocks. It was also very hot and humid. The street was steamy.


I'll be back soon with more photos of our trip. Chicago is really beautiful and very people friendly. I was quite impressed with all the public spaces and public art. Usually I'm very happy with Toronto but it seems very tiny and insignificant now.