I wonder if the Chicago office is hiring?

I headed up to the lovely Zion, Illinois for work last week...we had a workshop up there for the surrounding cities, and it was located right on Lake Michigan. I had to keep telling myself it wasn't the ocean because I'm not used to seeing lakes that large! The first night we were there we even got to enjoy a lightning storm out over the expansive darkness.

Where is Zion, you ask? Look REAL close and you can see Chicago in this picture...no joke.

Since I was in the neighborhood, I worked in Chicago on Friday and stayed Friday night and most of Saturday to enjoy the city. I really love Chicago...and just to save yourself the breath needed to ask the question...No, I haven't been there in the winter.

On Friday night I met up with my friend Casey (we went to high school together). We had drinks at a Holiday Inn on top of the Chicago Sun-Times building overlooking the river...and then went out in Boys Town...including what is supposedly the largest gay bar in the world. Not gonna lie, gay bars are quite lovely and we had a great time!

Casey and I and the random "Nanny Goat" outside an apartment building in Lakeview.

On Saturday, I had a Dunkin Donuts picnic in front of the "bean," also known as Cloud Gate. I wandered around the park a bit, and it just so happened they were opening the Modern Wing of the Art Institute and thanks to Target, it was free! They had this really cool bridge you could take to enter the museum. I headed up to the Lincoln Park and River North neighborhoods and wandered my way back down to the hotel...along the way I stumbled upon an exhibit featuring some of the amazing artwork inspired by Obama. This is why I wander people, because you discover some amazing treasures! I ate Cosi, shopped at H&M...my own version of heaven!

The tulips were amazing! The dark purple ones were almost black!

Cool pic of the bean.

Casey said people he meets often ask why he'd leave Colorado/Wyoming...they have mountains! Casey's amazing response while pointing to the Chicago skyline? "These are my mountains!" Couldn't have said it better myself!

[All the pics here]