**Edited on January 5, 2017** I have no idea what happened to this blog post, but I recently noticed that it was blank! So because of that, you will only be seeing pictures from a hike I took last winter when the weather finally lit up. It was a gorgeous 40ºF after being below freezing for several days. Enjoy! 🙂
I posted about the Indiana Dunes State Park last week and decided I wanted to share just how I decided I wanted to explore this area. When I first moved to Chicago, I met someone who lived in Valparaiso, Indiana (which is about an hour and a half from Chicago). She told me she also moved here pretty recently, from Canada (about four months before me). Another person who just moved here from a different place? YAY! We can connect and talk about how much we miss where we used to live and hate on the Chicago winters! (These are the first thoughts I had when meeting her…lol) Well, she is from Canada so the whole winter thing doesn’t really bother her as much. Moving is something that I’ve done a lot and each time it’s not easier than the previous time. If anything, it gets harder. For some people, it isn’t the biggest deal in…
In my last post I was remembering the warmth. However, since I have no control over the weather, I embrace winter by drinking lots and lots of hot chocolate. And lucky for me, there are several places in Chicago dedicated to just that much like Mindy’s Hot Chocolate. One of my friend’s had been wanting to try this place after reading so many great reviews. So a couple of weeks ago we finally got the chance! It’s located in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood in the middle of shops and restaurants. As soon as I walked in, I loved the interior. And the very first thing that I noticed when I walked in was a beautiful brick wall that was painted white and embellished with wall planters made from glass bottles. So simple, yet so eye catching too. I was happy when they seated us right by it. We both ordered the Medium Hot Chocolate made…
I have this random obsession with conservatories (as you will notice while following along my blog). When my friend was visiting me last March, I wanted to find some things to do that were different than just going into the city. I was on Instagram and found some beautiful posts of the Garfield Park Conservatory and kept reading that it was FREE so that was a no-brainer. I think one of the reasons why I love going to them is because especially in the winter months when all you see are dead trees everywhere, all the colorful flowers and greenery is refreshing for the eyes. Plus it’s indoors so you won’t be freezing your butt off! The room with the umbrellas was my favorite. This was the spring installation from last year called “Sun Showers”. The art installations change seasonally and I’m pretty sure they have a new piece now which I am going…
One thing that I’ve liked about the Chicago suburbs is that they all have downtown areas that are unique. And Glen Ellyn is no exception. I really enjoy walking through it and going to all the small boutiques, restaurants and cafes. A place that I go to often is Blackberry Market. They make things fresh in house and try to get most of their ingredients locally. I come here and do my work, drink hot chocolate and occasionally have lunch. I love the colors used in the interior as well as the art all over the walls. I’ve tried three of their sandwiches (Grilled Cheese, Grilled Gouda and Caramelized Onions and Braised Beef Brisket). Everything has been delicious so far. There is a tomato chutney that is inside the grilled cheese which is phenomenal! In addition, you can find a variety of fresh salads that are changing throughout the year. My favorites are the Southwest Salad and the…
As sad as I was to move out here, I do have to say that Chicago ended up being a really awesome city. It’s clean, easy to get in and out of, there’s tons to eat and most of all so much amazing art and architecture everywhere. In particular, I immediately fell in love with the Lincoln Park neighborhood. And I make it a point to bring friends and family here whenever they are visiting. With winter break coming to an end, I took my nieces by the Lincoln Park Zoo and Nature Boardwalk this past weekend. They have an outdoor ice skating rink here during the winter months and thought they would enjoy it. In case you were wondering, its $5 for admission and $5 for skate rentals. It’s right outside of the zoo (which is free) and in between the barns. In this area, my favorite part is the…