We Cheesed Up Chicago Part II

After a fun-filled, and calorie-filled day exploring Navy Pier, it was time to head back to the hotel and make dinner reservations.  We wanted to go somewhere nice.  We wanted nearby.  The Palmer House concierge service is terrific, and we ended up being directed to the Park Grill at Millennium Park.

This place was beautiful, friendly, and the food?  DELISH.  We of course had to start with wine and CHEESE.

By this time I'd had enough Pinot Grigio to turn myself into the long lost twin of Ramona Singer.  And I even Tweeted her about it. AND SHE REPLIED YOU GUYS.  We're kinda BFFs now.  It's not a big deal or anything.

After sampling some yummy cheese, the food came.  SO good.

We headed to the courtyard outside for a drink....

I love this city.  It was totally built on rock and roll.  And awesome sauce.

Outside is where I realized I'd left my Visa card in the restaurant.  OOPS.

And then we headed our buzzed, but fashionably dressed butts back to the hotel where a lovely yet mysterious staircase led us on a ghost hunt. Apparently after too much booze and food you become ghost busters.  If you're us.  And you're convinced you're suddenly in The Overlook hotel running from Jack Nicholson.

Haunted staircase.
It's totally not.

Haunted hallway.
Again, totally not haunted.

At one point we found ourselves in rooms and hallways we know we should not have been in.  So we became super secret ninja ghost hunters.  Shoes came off.  Hushed giggles became the norm.  We ran from custodial staff.....

This place is beautiful, no? In a totally non haunted way.....

At one point, I was holding an investigation in a dark conference room.  And by "investigation" I mean, I had my iPhone flashlight on and I was snooping.

I opened a closet-like door and saw this:

Kidding.

What I really saw was this:

I really had to pee.  The men's room was handy.  

I did NOT go in a urinal.  

Jack wouldn't have liked that....

Finally we found ourselves exhausted and went to bed.

Day three was our final day, which had us up and ready to have a good breakfast before Sarah had to catch the El to O'Hare for her flight back home.  Goodbyes are sad.  I'll skip that part.

Marianna had a super late flight, and since I drove, the two of us stored our luggage at the bell desk and did more exploring.  We took the super crowded, yet super friendly El to hit a beach.  Bonus on the subway that day?  Vomit on the doors and being so cram packed with people I got a free breast exam and spooned with some dude behind me.  And he didn't even ask for my number :(

Subway vomit.  YES I TOOK A PIC.

We walked a bunch, enjoyed the beach, shopped at Hershey's Chicago, had some yummy cupcakes at Sugar Bliss.... so many fun things to do in The Windy City!

All too soon it was time for me to get my car and head home.  This part makes me super duper sad so I won't give you details.  Just that there were hugs.  And tears.  And friendship joy.  (ok, and since it's me, there was about 30 miles of worrying I forgot a bag on the hotel sidewalk.  I didn't.)

Cheesy Chicago was a weekend I'll never forget.  I can not wait to meet up again.  Maybe make this a yearly deal?  A different city each time?  Who knows.  Join us next time, won't you?