Chicago and Lis and Bruce
The Springsteen tour was headed for Chicago in the final US leg. I had seen him 4 times already this tour but now was the chance to take my eldest to her very first Springsteen show, i.e. first relevant live musical performance ever.
So I flew in solo and met her and her new roommate for dinner. Sweet girl. Reservations had been made at a Chinese restaurant that carves Peking duck table side. Another friend was invited and we enjoyed dinner and the show. Duck followed by duck soup followed by duck rice. All from the same duck. There was little problem eating this delicious food in the packed busy authentic joint. Plans were made then to bring Mom back here asap. Spoiler alert, we did.
The next morning was concert day. We met for coffee and headed out to explore neigborhoods that are old and upcoming. Some great places like Au Cheval and hipster pricey bar Aviary. Owned by Alinea.
We walked a street festival and smelled the goodness and the camel. I guess anything can happen in Chicago and a camel did. We found Corgi shopping bags while looking for a light jacket for the place. I forgot mine and froze on the way to Chi.
We didn't know that when we approached an unmarked door continued to look for an actual door then spoke to the suit in front. He spoke into his mic...in his sleeve...We have a party of two here is there any room?...looking at us as if maybe we didn't know the password. He escorted us in and we were greeted and walked into a large booth filled empty room. We sat and smiled and sneezed douche a couple times before deciding not to walk out and go ahead and try their $25 cocktails. Not a typo, I checked. It was a show and the pretense did not lead to the waiter inside. He was gracious and made it interesting. The drinks are over the top and you get a show watching what everyone else orders and the cocktail reveal and circus act that is involved in many orders. Time for dinner and we asked for a check right as someone walked by saying they were headed for Bruce tonight. We said hey and smiled to them with visual high fives both ways.
Off to dinner at the Little Goat. This is the casual diner little sister of The Girl and the Goat, one of Chicago's hottest restaurants. We were seated at the bar in what were the last 2 seats in the restaurant. It was a warm day and the kitchen bar was warm too but we ordered beers and laughed with the waitress and ordered goat sloppy joes. Perfect pre show food. We chatted and ate and enjoyed the buzz around us. When it was time we asked for the check stating our concert destination when teh couple next to us said...Us too!...And so it went. 
As we walked outside an entire family in Bruce shirts getting into the car headed for the revival. We walked a few blocks and arrived ready to treat my oldest to what had ailed her for so long in her youth. Not again Dad!
Tickets were in the prime very back row of the United Center. It didn't and doesn't matter. The show will reach. As we marched to the top we were greeted by a group of women immediately grilling us...are you fun?!...I stopped and looked and said well this is around show #30 so I hope its gonna be fun. They all then welcomed us as family. I let them know of E's first show and they had one with them too. Mom and daughter had seen him together 7 times, 20 for Mom.
And off we went, nearly four hours of jumping singing dancing and screaming song titles to see who could be first. We were exhausted and decided to walk a ways to get out of the crowd to split an Uber home.
Monday she had gotten us Cub tickets. My very first game at Wrigley!! We started the morning with a walk around the "bean" at our favorite go to walk around and love Chicago place, Millenium Park. We walked and enjoyed the bright summer day with many photo opps along the way. Down to the world class Chicago Museum of Art to drink in the outstanding collection. 
Now it was lunch and our chance to eat at the Purple Pig. A favorite in town we try to hit every time as much as we don't like to repeat too much the Pig always has something we never had and something we love to have. So we go. Alot.
We headed for the iconic Murphys bar for a beer before the game. We explored and I awed and watched the EL pass nearly overhead. Into the game early to see every inch of this park we can ahead of time. Decent seats that gave way to better seats in an after midnight barn burning overtime thriller. The place exploded and sang the Cubs win song the way they would the coming October as they clinched the World Series in a game 7 roller coaster showdown. 
What a great night! We walked back to the Addison CTA station and boarded in opposite directions home. The train was packed and even at 12:45am a sense of giddiness on the prospects for a history making season. Back to the very nice Residence Inn River North. 
Next morning was back to..oh, SAN DIEGO!
