I can't compete with Emily's swiftness and thoroughness. If you want another perspective of Chicago 2013 v. Katy and Joel check E to the 4th Power.
Quite the weekend! I was lucky enough to have a few days packaged together to scoot to Chicago with Katy for the weekend.
It was an awesome weekend at that! I find that I really do like traveling but I dislike the planning and preparation and the pre-requisites of getting time off and the money to travel.
A 6am flight on Spirit got us to Chicago by 7:30am and we were off and running, right after a scavenger hunt organized by the one and only Ella. We took off to Glazed and Infused. I paired a pumpkin chocolate chip with a peanut butter and jelly donut with my grande dark roast coffee.
Before we knew it the adventures continued on Damen Avenue where Katy and I were dropped off at the new Gant Rugger store. We wandered through Gant, got an awesome sweater, and stopped through a number of other stores in the Bucktown Neighborhood. After getting through Bucktown we landed at Northern Grade a nice coincidence to stop in Chicago on a weekend where we saw tons of awesome American made goods. We talked with Mac and Katy let me buy a tie! It's a pretty standard thing to pick up one whenever we see Mac and Kat and their Pierrepont Hicks ties.
Saturday night was filled with tons of sushi, mochi and green tea creme brulee!
Sunday morning was a nice crisp cool morning but I think it was ideal to run in late October. It seemed like it was warmer than Minneapolis for the Twin Cities Marathon and 10 Mile. I was able to watch Em and Eric run by once while hanging with Ella and Edie and Katy. Then at about 8:33 with 12 minutes till the 10k I ran about a half mile and was off and running in the 10k. I did what I could, stayed consistent, running between 6:10 and 6:31 miles for all six while taking 8th I guess under some woman's name who gave up her bib to Emily for me.
Post race took us to a great brunch place enjoying coffee, company of E4 and relaxing. The afternoon then extended into one of the best days of watching football ever. I'm pretty sure Eric and I watched that greater portion of three NFL games. Quite the day. I tweeted "Ran a race. Ate. Watched football. Ate. Watched more football. What a day!"
Monday morning Katy and I made a little breakfast and took a walk to the bus stop, caught the Green Line to downtown and walked through Michigan Avenue, Oak Street before making our way back to say good bye.
Quite a fun and quick weekend; thanks for hosting Emily, Eric, Ella and Edie!
