Hi blog friends– Our daughter Laurel works for the photo website, Photojojo. About once a year, the employees pack up and relocate to an exotic location (Thailand, India, Costa Rica…) and spend a couple weeks on a “work-cation.” They work some days and tourist around in between. It’s a whole company of people who know how to have fun (and take great photos while their at it)…
So when I visited my Laurel this past week we had a little work-cation of our own– She’s just moved into a sweet old apartment in Chicago, so we spent our days tracking down furniture and all she needs to kit out a kitchen–and did our share of eating and touristing as well. What could be more fun than that?!
So here’s the super seven of a fab week with Laurel:
#1. Let me just jump in right from the start– some fabulous eating! Laurel does know how to find the best places! (I’ll do a whole ‘nother post on all that yummcious food.)
Here Laurel takes her expert food pics. And a incredible charcuterie lunch at Eataly.
#2. We spent an afternoon trekking through down town Chicago– joined the summer tourist crowds snapping pictures of the bean. Why is that thing so intriguing? And we explored the Chicago Cultural Center top to bottom, ending up under this glass dome.
#3. And, of course, we shopped–thrift stores, good old Homegoods and 5 productive hours in Ikea!! Gathered up all we needed to make a home sweet home for Laurel. Then
we went to work. If you need help, putting together any Ikea furniture together, give us a call. We’re experts! (even constructed a sofa. Yikes!)
#4. On Saturday, we hit the road for Milwaukee with Laurel’s friend John at the wheel. It was great–from a community Farmer’s Market, to the most incredible Milwaukee Art Museum on Lake Michigan, on to the river walk and, of course, a Wisconsin brat lunch.
#5. I have to say my very favorite moments were working mornings with Laurel. We’d locate a comfortable table in a cozy coffee shop and and breakfast, while Laurel worked and I wrote on blog posts and read away the hours.
#6. We spent an afternoon wandering through Eataly, Mario Batali’s food emporium, two floors of Italian groceries and several tempting spots to sit and enjoy a leisurely lunch. We couldn’t resist the charcuterie and a glass of wine. It was a food wonderland!
#7. As a California girl, I love the old style architecture of Chicago. Laurel’s neighborhood is a collection of leafy streets lined with solid brick homes and beautiful old churches.
. So here’s Laurel in front of her new home sweet home. Thanks dear girl for all the furniture shopping, nonstop talking, salad making, apartment planning, sight seeing fun. It was the best!!
The Thankful Heart 
I love Chicago, it’s one of my favorite cities in the US, what fun you both had love the pics.
Thanks Suzanne– I love Chicago too. It seems so friendly and welcoming for a big city– and I love the “eastern” city feel– so many pretty buildings/homes…
Oh Rhonda! It sounds absolutely wonderful! LOVE the pictures! Can’t wait to hear more!
Hi Ruthie– I did have a wonderful time with that girl– we need to catch up.
Great pictures! Sounds like she has a bit of a dream job there! x
Hi MM! thanks– she does work with a fun, super creative team.
Wow, I feel like I just had a lovely vacation through your blog! Thank you for all you share!
Hey Flora– so great to hear from you… Hope all’s well with your family…
Fun photos, Rhonda! Sounds like you had a great time. We lived in outside of Chicago many years ago and it was fun going around to the different places… I even liked the snow! The wind… well, that’s another story! Good thing you went during summer 🙂
Yep, I really like Chicago– and Laurel went to college in Wheaton. Were you near there? the neighborhoods are so pretty there– and people so friendly — and you’re right, I do go when there’s no snow!
My husband was getting his Masters Degree from Wheaton Grad School… We had two little kids, ages 6 and 4, we all lived in a studio apartment which was really someone’s attic, we didn’t have a car, . . . But oh, what fun we had! Living in that area and going to the school was wonderful… We have so many fond memories from our time there. While we were there, I ran across Jim Elliot’s journals, edited by Elisabeth Elliot. I had read, Through Gates of Splendor, as a teenager; but reading his journals was an experience I’ve never forgotten. I guess I tie all those experience and memories to that time we lived in that area. Though it wasn’t an easy time by any means, our little family was so close… so we look at it through the filter of sweet times together.
Wow Daisy– so interesting to read your story… I loved Through the Gates of Splendor too when I read it years ago. And I heard Elizabeth Elliot at Urbana back in the 70’s. Thanks for sharing your memories from those days. Loved reading them.
Come back anytime!
Well, you know I will!!