Friday, October 9, 2009

We Bring You ..A Special 48 Hours Report.....

48 Hours in Chicago...
A Mother, a Daughter, one small bear, and a lot of friendly Chicagoans..uh..people of Chicago..Illinoisians??

We're at the gate...we're on the plane...we're enjoying the plane cookies and the view...do you see Chicago in the distance, Bear?

Cool! We're here! And did you notice Mayer Daley left a sign to welcome us? Yay! We get to ride in a cab!! Hey, does he have a license??

OK, so take us to the Hotel Allegro...in the theater district..and make it snappy..


Long day, Huh Bear? Great room..why doncha take a wee nap...
Great older hotel with a whole new look...
Look at this cave...great for hibernating :-)

Get off the furniture..you are so not funny...


OK, time to go exploring! Tall buildings, huh Bear?! Oh, and that's the "el" - the elevated train..I remember riding on one with my Mother when I was about 5 years old...it was as exciting now as it was back then..

Let's go to the Sears Tower! Wait, what? It's not called the Sears Tower anymore?

OK, so it's the Willis Tower...It's still a ...Big...tall...huge...scary building..

This is what happens when they try to shove a lot of people in one elevator..with a mirrored ceiling...someone has to stand facing the crowd...and if it's me...well, I just have to take a picture of the smiling faces..."Say Willis Tower?"


"I'm Bear-King of the world!"

...ew, wait, I think I may be afraid of heights...
Oh hell no...you're not getting ME out on a 4 foot ledge, made of glass, OVER the city..103 stories straight UP!!

Oh...HellNo..
I think I fainted..I'm not sure...but Mom and April, even though they were terrified, went out and had these photos to prove it...


Next it was going on a Double-Decker tour bus to see the city ..

Look at that great architecture!
And Millennium Park? Soooo fun!

Mom and I came across this wonderful little sanctuary right on Michigan Avenue..the Fourth Presbyterian Church...{ makes you wonder what One, Two and Three looked like..}

Once in the courtyard, it seemed to go silent...but just a few feet away was all the hustle and noise of one of the world's best shopping avenues...Michigan Avenue..The Magnificent Mile...although I was told it wasn't quite a mile long..somehow "the magnificent three-quarter mile just doesn't "roll" right..)

Chicago has some of the best smiles anywhere..just look..

Bear was very pepular with the poople...I mean, popular with the people..


Bear got a little mischievous...sliding down banisters, almost falling into the fountain..what a ham...er..bear

The weather changed and the bright blue skies are now a thing of the past...a soft,
fog- enshrouded rain fell...showing another side of this beautiful city..

Ah, the Night Life...

.Bear stayed home..so we could go to Kitty O'Sheas..took the el..wow. F.A.S.T. !!

..so now I can order my very first Guiness..and get my very first Guinness mustache..the beer was pretty stout...and I can't imagine why they got all huffy when I asked for Sweet-n-Low??!

Listened to Irish music, and they even sang Happy Birthday to me :-)

Well, they said "to you"..not "Happy Birthday to me" ..that'd be silly..unless their birthday was that same day..then it would totally make sense!

Time to go..just one more stop to play a set with the Blues Brothers..then it's off to Utah..

See you in another 60 years, Chicago!

Have a great Saturday..I had a wonderful Birthday and that you all for the good wishes and happy messages..

I love you all :-)
-me

11 comments:

diane b said...

You sure know how to party, girl. Thanks for taking me on a trip around Chicago. Looks a great city.It is a lot of fun seeing bear go with you on your trips. he's a well travelled bear. Birthday bear is jealous of all those trips.You are such good fun.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Your pictures are fantastic. I was born and raised there. I should have been back there last weekend for a class reunion but didn't go!
I still have family there too! Thank you for the memories and great pictures. I've only been in California for 20 years and I do miss so many of the foods.

Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...

Wow...Chicago. I have never been there. What a great tour of the city and the sights. Glad you had
a great birthday!

Stay Cozy, Carrier

Charmingdesigns said...

Your mosaics are fantastic. Shows you had a great time!!

white o'morn cottage said...

Ahhhh, Colleen, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
That Guinness mustache SO becomes you .....but admit it. Guiness tastes yughhh...right? I knew it!

I can't stand it myself. In years gone by in maternity hospitals they used to give it to nursing mothers! It was seen as a tonic. (See, I knew it tasted like medicine)
You are having way too good a time there. Come home immediately!...love Pam

wendy said...

Really nice pictures! Looks like you had a great time!! Makes me want to go to chicago. Happy Birthday!

Vicki/Jake said...

Thanks for taking us with you! Love all the fun things you did and I think Bear probably had more fun than you did...

Anonymous said...

You look beautiful!!!! Happy Happy belated birthday to my favorite C! Hope to see you soon!!! s

La Dolce Vita with LeAnn said...

Wow...thanks for sharing Chicago with us....I almost felt like you had packed me in your suitcase! Happy Belated Birthday to you my friend. Once again thanks for the smiles and now memories of a new/old city!

Heather said...

what an awesome trip! my mom was just in Chicago for work and went out in the glass box in the Willis Tower and took pics. there's no way i'd do it! lol. Happy Belated Birthday too!

June said...

WHAT an adventure for Bear! Oh, and you two too. If there's anything sweeter than a mother-daughter trip, I can't imagine it. Happy birthday belatedly from Maine...love and hugs!

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