After trips to the Big Apple and our nation's capital, the City of the Big Shoulders seemed like a logical choice. The impetus for this trip came from the fact that Wicked, which my sisters have been anticipating since hearing a sample on our wedding CD, is playing there. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the city also hosts Wrigley Field, Millennium Park, and a number of other really cool attractions. We arrived late on the night of Wednesday, July 9th, and checked into Hotel Monaco, a great hotel right by the river.
On Thursday morning we got on the train and headed for Wrigley Field. I was very excited for Brandi to see a game in a really big baseball town, even if that town doesn't happen to be St. Louis. Wrigley was everything I could have hoped for---we took pictures at the Harry Caray statue and the big red Wrigley Field sign, and during batting practice we got to take a really good look at the stadium. The ivy looks especially nice in person.
The Cubs fell to an all-time record of 0-4 in games I have attended, falling to the Reds by a count of 12-7. It was so much fun seeing a lot of offense at Wrigley---the Reds had seven homers, including one by Ken Griffey, Jr. (his swing, like the ivy, looks even better in person) and a Sheffield Avenue shot by Adam Dunn. The seats were a little further under the overhang than I had expected, but it ended up perfect as a light rain fell throughout the final five innings.
After the game we ate at Gino's East, Chicago's original deep dish pizza place, where we feasted on a giant sausage pizza and a really good spinach and mushroom pizza.
On Friday morning Brandi and I went out for a run through Chicago's beautiful Millennium Park, and later the whole family went on an architectural boat tour on the Chicago River. I had never realized all the differing architectural styles Chicago is home to, nor did I realize that it is such a leader in architecture. From the Tribune building to the new Trump tower to the Marina City Buildings (which I recognized from Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album), we saw numerous amazing buildings and were treated to some great weather.
Friday night was our Wicked excursion. For the uninformed, Wicked is a retelling of the Wizard of Oz, presenting the origin stories of both the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the, uh, Far West. The songs are very catchy and well performed, and the story is interesting in the way it makes you rethink about the Wizard of Oz. I, for one, thought they went a little too far in making every plot element dovetail with the events of the original, but I was emphatically outvoted.
Saturday brought with it a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. The museum contains all sorts of interesting exhibits like glass blowing, baby chicks, and old-timey vehicles, but its most impressive feature is an honest-to-goodness U-Boat from World War II. The exhibit followed the rise of the German naval fleet, the effort to disable and capture U-Boats, and the return of this particular U-Boat back to the States.
For dinner we ate at McCormick & Schmick's after deciding not to endure a 90-minute wait at Harry Caray's. The food was great, and the waiter was extremely entertaining.
On Sunday, Brandi and I ran out to the Navy Pier, another fantastic destination that figures prominently in the city's bid for the 2016 Olympics. We all attended Mass at St. Peter's in the Loop, were treated to a refreshing but challenging sermon, and had lunch at an Italian restaurant that claims to be Chicago's oldest. I thought that the atmosphere was good but the food was pretty poor---the only underwhelming meal of the trip.
The Chicago trip was like a breath of fresh air. We weren't overscheduled, so we got to spend much of our time just enjoying a beautiful city. Next up is Italy!!!
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