Chicago Oct/Nov 2015

Chicago

 Halloween 2015

Another smooth non stop flight from LAX to Midway. #LUVSWA. Always grateful for how Southwest operates with efficiency and courtesy. But this trip was special. T found us $86 fares. Roundtrip! Yup. Non-stop day time flight for under $90 there and back to Chicago. I cant repeat this enough. We watched a movie (Glen Cambell doc) and we were there. Hopped on the EL for the orange line ride to just south of the loop.

We booked a new to us hotel at the wonderful Marriott Renaissance Blackstone for a different vantage point of this beautiful city. We are usually River North or the Marriott on Whacker-also beautiful-see past posts for wonderful experiences there. #MarriottRocks. We checked into this smaller and historic hotel and we were treated to a room upgrade facing the lake over Grant Park. It was night when we checked in but before we finished our pre dinner cocktails with Elisabeth, fireworks erupted on Navy Pier. It was a great view of a great show for Halloween night. 

Dinner was in the hotel at the anticipated yet underwhelming Jose Garcas Mercat a la Planxa. It was tapas that left us wanting for Purple Pig. It was very good but the bar is high in Chicago.

Lis and I headed to a Scouts, a local watering hole, to take in the Halloween vibe and watched ND football and World Series at the bar. It was a blast and the costumes were everywhere.

Great vibe, great service.

Set the clock the next morning to see sunrise over Lake Michigan then took the train to Mass at St. Clements.


We walked through the beautiful Lincoln Park neighborhood checking out the spooky decorations on our way from the train to church. A beautiful and brisk Chicago morning, we are appreciating the 40 plus degree
weather.

Off to brunch lunch at Little Bad Wolf. This is a small fantastic place serving great eats and featuring inspired cocktails. What a great combo to share with Elisabeth pal Katie not far from the Hollywood Beach Palace. We would go here again, we wish we had a place like this near home. Our Sunday stroll continued spotting not one but two corgis!


It is an obsession and we probably have startled more than one dog owner with our star sighting reactions. Of course we meet and chat and photograph. Winston and Molly the cardigan were more than happy to say hello as we share corgi stories with
their owners.

Back to the Marriott for evening views and concierge snacks in our beautiful panoramic room. We watched the sunset light up soldier field while the Bears were trying their best. We headed to a bar to take in the world series and munched on wings for a light dinner. 

Monday morning was sparkling and we stuck to our plan to walk Grant and Millennium parks. The fall colors were in full glory and the skyline followed us along our path.

   A great way to start any morning with a walk in this amazing city. After getting cleaned up we met Lis at the train station to transfer to the green line out to Garfield Park Conservatory. It was like a paradise in the middle of a soon to be bleak winter. Flora and fauna were spread over an acre and we walked for a couple hours enjoying the sights and snapping cell phone pics at every turn. Like these.





I got a hankering for a Chicago dog and with a quick yelp search and an Uber tap we were off to Jimmys Red Hots for a stand in line and know your order dog that included fries in the bag. Maybe not the best dog we have had but it qualified and hit the spot only the way a true Chicago dog can.  Back to downtown for a some shopping and walking and shopping and more walking.

Looks like broccoli, tastes like amazing.

Evening was spent in paradise which is of course The Purple Pig. #PurplePigAmazes. This is a must try spot which will require an hour in line outside in the cold but they have added cocktail service while you wait and a tent outside adds some much needed table space. The food is out of this world and the tapas dishes and great brews are fun to share and fawn over and post and text.

The last day we spent wandering through Old Town and exploring another Chicago hood. We bought olive oil and fudge. Sounds like necessities to me.




A short walk from our hotel to the orange line for the goodbye view of the city back to Midway.

Another great outing to one of our favorite places. We'll be back.

Napa Sonoma Petaluma Etc.. July 2015

Wine Country California

T's Birthday Celebration

We figured out it has been over 2 years since we were in the gorgeous wine country.Last visit was to move the lad into his freshman year where were summarily dismissed (as expected) which helped achieve our day goal of wine glass in hand by Noon.

This trip was for T's birthday, 30 something I think. Right honey? Boarded our bus at Burbank on reliable comfortable #Southwest. Rented a car in Oakland at a not so customer centric Budget. Drove north about 90 minutes to a hard to find affordable room at our #Marriott, this time in Sebastapol. Clean, quiet and comfortable accommodations. Always on point Marriott. 

Our first night, a birthday surprise. I heard on an internet radio station, smoothjazz.com, that Mr. Kenny Loggins was performing at the Rodney Strong Winery.


Apparently they have been having summer concerts there for about 40 years. Who knew? Rodney Strong Pinot is one of our favorites and we had never visited their vineyard. A perfect combination. Having never seen Loggins in concert it was a treat of 80's hits and good stories told with energy and performed with heart.

It became apparent he wrote a song for every 80's movie ever. Imagine that mailbox money. We had a blast enjoying our included glass of wine and sitting in seats that were treated to shade early. The show rocked and was a musical treat from a real songwriting legend of our time.

Willi's Moroccan Lamb Chops or OMG for short

We headed for dinner after at a favorite place we had been to 2 years back. Willi's Wine Bar is a treat. A tapas style joint with an amazing wine list the food is incredible. Each dish was an experience that had us savoring every bite before moving on to the next delicious plate. Try the scallops or the fava toast or anything!


We sat at the bar to wait and decided to stay since there was no patio availability. Now with just the two of us the bar is a fun and entertaining option for supper. And the couple next to us were talking about Kenny Loggins songs-yes they had just landed there too and we all shared some wine and stories. The couple were locals and both worked at area wineries. There is the reason to sit at the bar, experience the people not just the cuisine. 

Sunday was our day already booked to attend the Hendry Winery member appreciation lunch. A little background.

Sunday morning Mass at St. John the Baptist, Napa

We discovered Hendry about 4 or 5 years ago touring the area. It was rated the #1 wine tour by TripAdvisor and we made our reservation. The tour was simple and conducted by Mr. George Hendry himself. This was not the all to familiar pretentious wine tasting. I don't think he once ever suggested "notes" of anything in the wine. It was all about 2 things.


How you as an individual taste wine and he conducted a test to separate us into 2 distinct groups that taste wine differently. And, what are you eating with the wine. Simple to the point and delicious. We cancelled all other wine tours that day. Others told us they have done the same.

The beautifully restored Hendry homestead

Back to the lunch...greeted with wine then served yummy passed apps with 3 stations serving 2 or more varieties each including some year old cellar bottles. Once seated we toasted our table of soon to be new friends from Chicago to LA to the Bay. The food was great and more bottles of Cabernet and Chardonnay that never seemed to empty. It was a blast and we will go back!

Dinner that night at another favorite, Rosso. We love their Piadina when the heirloom tomatoes are in season. A fresh local treat in a casual setting. Our Sonoma State senior son joined us for dinner and wine. One of the great moments of empty nest.

Our last day of this 3 day packed adventure we headed into downtown Sonoma for lunch. A great discovery of The Girl and the Fig made for a satisfying lunch that included sardines, something we had not shared together since traveling in Italy.

The End

Coffee Monday Morning, Sebastapol

A relaxing patio lunch with some of our favorite Roederer Champagne before driving the 90 or so minutes back to Oakland airport.