Stand Up, ChiTown, Stand Up!

I spent President's Day Weekend in....CHICAGO! My first time visiting since I was four. It was all very spontaneous for a not-so-spontaneous person, but I figured with a new career on the horizon, I'd better sneak in one more I-love-discovering-American-cities trip before I get swept off to who knows where. So I went to visit Brian, my awesome-friend-from-college-who-goes-to-UChi-Law-School. Luckily, my local Chicagoan guide was not so spontaneous -- he planned out a fantastic weekend, I can't believe how much of ChiTown I saw.

The first thing we did was head to some of Brian's friends' apartment, where there was a Battlestar Galactica party going on. Awesome food, crazy episode (tough one to jump in on if you've never seen it before), and his friends even made me a "welcome/congrats on the FS" sign! Made me feel right at home.

Other highlights of the weekend:

• Went out for tapas. We ordered a suckling pig. The waiter came by and grunted* one word: "Pig." He then tossed the pig down on the corner of the table and left. *(no pun intended)
• On the way up the Hancock Tower elevator (the second tallest building in Chicago), the recording said "You are now going up to the top of the Hancock Tower, THE MOST recognizable building in the world." Um, can anyone think of a building more recognizable? Without qualification, THE MOST recognizable? How about the Pyramids? Eiffel Tower? Sydney Opera House? Empire State Building? THE SEARS TOWER!?
• I guess Chicagoans have a habit of exagerating the facts about their buildings, because in a comedy skit we went to, Mayor Daley mentioned how the Sears Tower is the tallest building in the world. It was a joke, but after visiting the Hancock Tower, it was even funnier. More funny. The skit was about why Chicago should host the 2016 Olympics. One of the major draws is that they won't have to build a swimming pool -- Daley pointed out that Chicago already has Lake Michigan.
• The aquarium had poison arrow frogs. So cool.
• I rode the El!
• Food was a definite highlight -- we ate at Medici's in Hyde Park (Obama eats there! At least, that's what all the waiters' shirts said), we had the deepest-deep dish pizza I've ever seen, we had cupcakes on the north side of town (no, sprinkles aren't vegan, the guy in front of us asked), tapas at a Spanish place, Indian (awesome!), frozen yogurt with Capn' Crunch on top (at a place like pinkberry...but not), french toast skewers and eggs benedict on the north side, then bubble tea and a bubble milkshake in Chinatown. Mmmm.
• I can't think of anything to top the food, so we'll move on to the pictures next.

We visited the University of Chicago campus, and I even got to go to a law school class! I sat in on Evidence with Brian and his friends. It was fascinating, but I'm not sure I could do it every day for three years. We learned about hearsay and what is or isn't admissable or relevant. Wow!

Then we found a snow sculpture festival. This is Brian with O'Leary's cow and the Chicago fire.

Here I am with Max and a Wild Thing!

And OH MY GOODNESS, WE FOUND THE MYSTERY MACHINE! Yes, I started singing the Scooby-Doo theme song.

No weekend in Chicago would be complete without visiting the Art Institute. We saw (in true Ferris Bueller style) Sunday Afternoon on the Grande Jette. We also saw a FANTASTIC Edward Munch exhibit that juxtaposed his painting with paintings by artists who inspired him. Very, very interesting.

This is Cloud Gate (aka the Bean). Need I say more?

And of course I had to stop by Wrigley Field for my mother, the ultimate Cubs fan.

I would tell you how freezing it was, but I've conveniently blocked that part of the trip from my memory (still not sure if it's due to lost brain cells or denial).

Awesome weekend! Stand up, ChiTown!