Chicago Part Two


This trip I did mostly things that I could do or better enjoy without kids. Although, I did miss those little sweet hearts so much! Seriously the moment I got into the city I missed them like crazy. Their sweet little hands and cute squishy faces. I was going to kiss them and hug them until they couldn't take it when I got home. But since this was a trip where I was sans kids I wanted to do things that would be easier without them. I curled my hair everyday, whether or not it looked good I don't care because I got to curl my hair! I don't want to sound like everything was better because I was without my kids, because it was not, but it was nice to relax and not have to vigilant all the time. There were things that I wish they had been there for, but luckily New York is not lacking anything that Chicago has so we can do similar things back in our city. 
We took a walk down the Magnificent Mile and saw all the magnificent Christmas lights. 
The greatest friends.
So many beautiful Christmas trees.

The Tribune Tower has pieces of different buildings in it. We found a piece of the Salt Lake Temple! A few other cool ones were from the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris, Corregidor which was used as a military base in WWII off the coast of Manila in Philippines. We tried to go there while we were there. I thought this was the coolest idea for a building.

Their Macy's had magnificent window displays too.
Chicago art. It's everywhere.
We spent an afternoon at Chicago's Art Institute. The Lions outside are pretty iconic.
Saw some pretty great art. It is a really impressive collection for the size of the museum. 

Picasso's  The Old Guitarist.
Chagall's American Window are beautiful. We set there for a while admiring them.
Edward Hooper, Nighthawks.
George Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte. I was especially excited to see this one because it inspired me as a child. I went through a pointillism phase. 
Monet's Haystacks.
American Gothic. Apparently it is a dad and daughter, not husband and wife. Incredible to see this iconic piece of American art.
We went to the south side of the city and took a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House. It is the culmination of his prairie style. Wright wanted to create a American style architecture because up until this point American architects were borrowing styles from the old world. Obviously he got the idea for the prairie style from midwestern landscape and he used it to create his houses to feel like the long and expansive like the prairie. The windows were my favorite. There were so many and the light just flooded in. 

Wright did keep a bit of the old world style but in his own style. There windows represent that. 
My favorite part of the trip was going to see the Joffrey Ballet perform The Nutcracker. It is my favorite ballet! The dancing, the costumes, the music is incredible and never gets old. I am now convincing Cosette that she wants to be the sugar plum fairy for Halloween next year. And it is working! I love love love this ballet.

My trip was just long enough and I could not wait to get back to these cuties. Next time we go to Chicago together!

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