This morning was a little rough! My voice is hoarse and I’m a little tired. You see Shannon is a night owl and this girl doesn’t know how to sleep in. I was up at 7:30 am. We took our time this morning. I did some blogging and checked up on the rest of the world. Our check out is noon, so after we packed up our things and did some tidying up we decided to go full circle and close out the weekend with another trip to the taqueria. We ordered take out and brought it back to the flat where we reminisced and giggled about the previous night. The Kingston Mines blues club was awesome! We both loved Claudette Miller.

The weekend has come to a close and other than my waistline and liver there has been little damage. This was to be expected and well-worth it.  I’m thrilled to have been able to experience Chicago with a fellow foodie.

Some observations:

1. Chicago is a beautiful city day with its towering buildings, a lovely waterfront and friendly people.
2. Latinos have surpassed other minorities in Chicago, including African Americans. This was quite evident when we stayed in West Town (considered a Ukrainian village). Not one pierogi, bakery or deli in site but the best darn tacos I’ve tasted.
3. Chicago like many large cities has it’s issues with the disadvantaged, but I would consider it similar to Toronto for getting around as well as the look and feel, minus a river.
4. The Architectural river tour is a terrific way to see the city from a different vantage point.
5. Whether single or a couple, visit the Signature Lounge for a cocktail in the John Hancock building. You won’t be disappointed.

Travelling with my cousin Shannon (Shanon) was a hoot. This was our first time traveling together. I love her spirit. Thanks for everything Shannon! We have so many stories we can still tell, and I’m sure they will come out eventually. It is now back to reality. I might need a few days to recover! I will need to get my body prepared for the next trip, Mexico!

Thanks to everyone for following along and sending us messages. It makes writing this blog worthwhile. I love you Chicago and hope I can return again. Cheers!