Of Mice and Men meets the Windy City

Back in July Matt called me into his office to show me an itinerary. I read things like horseback riding and boat tours and spa treatments, as well as dining. He said it was an invite from one of his customers, Capital Distributing. They were having a retreat in McCall Idaho and they were inviting Matt and a guest to come. It was for the weekend following our sixteenth wedding anniversary at the end of August. Matt asked me, “Does it interest you?” Have we met? “Of course it interests me!” I told him to RSVP-ASAP! In the weeks that followed I would ask him to go through the schedule again for me. I loved having something on the horizon to look forward to. Donna had agreed to come and stay with the kids so everything was set. In asking Matt to tell me about the retreat again and again, I started to sound a little like Lennie in Of Mice and Men wanting to hear about how he’d be tending the rabbits. Finally if I wanted to hear about the trip I’d just ask Matt, “Tell me how I’m gonna tend the rabbits.”

Well, just a week before we were going to leave we were on our way down the canyon when Matt told me how he had sent an email in to work to let them know where he would be the following week. The gal said he should contact HR-ASAP. In doing so he found out that it would be a breach of customer relations to accept such an invitation. I asked, “So what does this mean?” He said matter of factly, but not panicky, "We can’t go.” And then in almost the same breath he spilled, “So I booked a trip to Chicago.” What? He had used all his frequent flyer miles to purchase two airline tickets and rental car, and Marriot points to get a hotel. I couldn’t believe how sweet that was! It meant a lot to me that he was looking forward to spending some time with me as much as I was looking forward to spending time with him. He concluded, “So you’ll still be tending the rabbits, just not in McCall, you’ll be tending the rabbits in Chicago.”

And that is how Matt and I ended up on our way to the windy city. The morning of August 28th the alarm woke me up to The Eye of the Tiger, ‘Rising up…” It was a good start. We were pretty well packed so we got out the door rather quickly for our 10 am flight out of SL. I never tire of how incredible it looks to be above the clouds and I loved looking at neatly laid out farm after farm as we neared the east.

This was actually Matt’s third trip to Chicago. He has been for work meetings but two of the times he didn’t ever leave the hotel at the airport. The other time he stayed downtown but they only let them out of the hotel for a short 20 minute walk to the bowling alley. He saw enough though to know he’d like to come back. We waited outside the terminal for the rental car shuttle to come pick us up. I noticed the guy in the florescent vest waving cars on. If one would stop he’d tell them, “This is only for buses,” before waving them on. Group after group walked up with the same questions and he’d repeat, “This is the pick up for the rental car shuttles.” I thought how monotonies that job must get saying the same thing over and over again day in and day out. We waited for the correct shuttle to take us to the Alamo rental area. As the driver was helping us off with our bags Matt asked, “This is Avis right?” The driver was immediately flustered, “No, this is Alamo!” Matt said, “Just kidding” and got the guy chuckling. I think Matt’s point was, “Let’s all just take it down a notch people. Just one notch.” Even though the rental car was covered with Matt’s Delta points we still had to pay $8 per day for tax. Tax is up to 11% in Chicago we learned. We were given car keys to pick any car out of the lot. We went to a red one that was closest to us. There was a Brittish couple walking away from it and they told us, “The batrie’s flat.” That’s how they said it, Batrie not Battery. Matt and I chose the snazzy yellow one instead but got laughing, rather uncontrollably I might add, about the batrie being flat. What does that even mean?? Matt wondered, “A tire can be flat, and a battery can be dead, but a battery can’t be flat.” Hahahahahahhah. The rest of the day we could NOT stop saying in the British accent, “The batrie’s flat.”

The GPS told us that the city was a mere 15 minute drive to our hotel. Those fifteen minutes turned into two hours with traffic. We looked at the “L” train whizzing by the freeway and wondered if we shouldn’t just be on that. The city was more colorful than I expected. I just pictured gray buildings but it was happening man! As we wound through the streets I realized Chicago is lot like New York City.

The street our Hotel was on. Dearborne Street.

The parking structure at the Marriot Spring Hill Suites was $38 to park there. That is $38 dollars PER DAY. After getting a little settled our suite we needed to get some food! Only having eaten yogurt that morning and airplane snacks left my stomach growling so we asked the concierge for a good Chicago pizza place. He rambled off an Italian name and gave directions and was off. Wishing we had a pen or a tape recorder, we headed down the elevator. More and more people kept getting on. There was a wedding going on nearby we gathered. The invitation must have read, “Plunging necklines required.” A couple of somewhat boisterous ladies got on and were commenting on how they’ve been in elevators much more crowded than this. The door opened on the next floor and the people waiting declined to get on. When the doors closed again the boisterous woman said, “We wouldn’t have let them on anyway.” Matt didn’t hesitate, “That’s what we said about you.”

As we walked through the streets we tried to remember the street we were to turn on. We remembered it was the name of one of the great lakes so when we got to Superior we knew we were going in the right direction. We agreed that between the two of us we figure things out just fine. But we also agreed that it does take the two of us. Matt concluded we'd be a good match for the Amazing Race. He said we'd be the couple who took a long time to figure things out but we'd be nice to eachother and get there eventually. We ended up at Giordaon’s Pizza. It smelled so heavenly that we decided to stick out the 45 min-1 hour wait. Because it was so crowded Matt decided to not give his name Matt for the waiting list because there might be others with the same name and Bocanegra is a bit confusing, so he told them Cook, his mom’s maiden name. He’s done this since we were dating. We were given a menu and told to wait 20 minutes and then to place our order at the counter because the pizza’s take 35 minutes to make. Well this is different than home already! When it was time to place our order the gal asked for the name and Matt told her Cook. She looked totally confused but typed into the computer and took our order. When we were seated I could see why she was confused. The receipt said, “Kuck.”

I ordered my standby of Caprese and Matt got a Caesar salad while we waited but they didn’t bring any bread. This was a good thing because the pizza was huge and they “didn’t want us filling up on bread.” The pizza: I could go on and on using fancy adjectives for that pizza and still not do it justice. I did sum up my experience of eating at Giordano’s as this, “I guess I’ve never had pizza before.” Yes. It was that good. I’ll also say that I’ve never had a dish take me back to a taste and smell from when I was little. You know that part on Ratatouille where the critic goes back in time in his mind after tasting ratatouille. It was kinda like that.

As we were waiting for our table I noticed someone with and H&M bag. Matt’s not savvy to H&M since I discovered it on my NY trips after he and I went, but my sisters know it’s a fabo clothing store that does NOT offer online shopping, so if you can come across one, go inside! Outside the restaurant we asked a taxi driver where H&M is, he looked stumped but the girl in the back seat wasn’t. She poked her head out and gave detailed directions! We looked around a bit in H&M and I found some tights and a black vest-just what I needed. Back outside the sun had set and the store windows were ablaze. We kept walking up Michigan Avenue. I noted that this was very similar to 5th Avenue in NY. It had a Tiffany’s and an American Girl Place in addition to other big names, and of course, a Trump Tower.

At the end of the walk we came to the Chicago canal that runs right through the city. Only then did we realize we had just walked the Magnificent Mile. The boats below were lit up and gliding along the water. The air temperature was perfect and what can I say it was lovely. I told Matt, “Come stand under this street light, I’m gonna smooch ya.”

We kept walking till we were back at the hotel. It was in the nine o’clock hour but we weren’t ready to call it a night. Well I should clarify; I wasn’t ready to call it a night. We looked online and saw that Blue Man Group had a 10 pm show. We again asked the concierge the best way to get there. He said parking would be difficult so he recommended taking a cab. We hailed one easily enough and boy did that guy step on it. The sidewalks were crowded with people and he just barreled past them. If someone would have stepped so much as toe off the sidewalk they would have lost it. He nearly ran over a colorful group in a crosswalk and in return they had some colorful language for him. He shouted back just as colorful, and I wanted to call out, “We aren’t these kinds of people!” He was on his cell phone the entire time. The sign in the back seat told us that as passengers we were entitled to a driver who was NOT talking on his cell phone. I pointed to it quietly as we rode along. But he did get us to the Briar Theatre in one piece.

Just as we didn’t know what to expect in Chicago we also didn’t know what to expect at Blue Man. Like in The Three Amigo’s when the guys walk into the bar for directions and they clarify, “We aren’t Mexican,” well Matt kept clarifying, ‘We aren’t blue men.”

I won’t spoil the show for those of you who haven’t gone and may in the future. But it’s a good time. They picked a volunteer out of the audience at one point. She was sitting right in front of me and had a SARS mask on. I thought that to be an interesting choice. But like I mentioned, we aren’t blue men.

The next day we enjoyed the breakfast provided at the Marriott. It was hard to decide between hot cereal or cold cereal, yogurt or juice, muffins or Danish, sausage or egg. I decided to just have all of it. We got in the snazzy yellow car and drove to Navy Pier. We had rented it for Pete’s sake, we needed to use it! The parking garage at Navy Pier was full. We wouldn’t have parked there any way because it was $24. We drove the car back to the hotel to park it and we started on foot to the Pier. The day was a hot one and the humidity made it feel even hotter. The temperature seemed to rise with every step. It was almost unbearable. We were passing a movie theatre and we both agreed with a nod to go inside. Inception wasn’t starting for an hour and a half so we enjoyed relaxing in the sports lounge. Matt watched the three different events being shown on the mumbo jumbo flat screens and I devoured the brochures from the lobby. So that we weren’t free loaders Matt ordered a soda and I got a Shirley Temple, I had to clarify, "Without".

We seriously considered taking the car back to Alamo. It just wasn’t worth paying $38 for it to sit in the garage. But then we calculated the two hours it would take to get back to the air port and we’d still have to pay to get back into town. We decided we were stuck with the car. Later in the day we walked around Navy Pier. It was wall to wall people all trying to relax, but that heat! The view of Lake Michigan makes you feel like you are at the ocean. It is even lined with sand beaches. There were boats going out on the water but we decided we were more interested in going down the canal through the city. This was called the Architecture Cruise.

We had time to grab a bite to eat before it was to set sail and we decided on Harry Carry’s. The late sport’s announcer has a whole chain of restaurants out there.

Shaken it with Harry Carry himself.

The river cruise was very educational. So much so that I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

• The Sears tower (tallest building in the Western Hemisphere) is now called the Willis tower. I agree with the tour guide, “Do you think that’s ever going to stick?”

• Chicago is called the windy city not because of the breezes but because of some smooth talking politicians trying to get the worlds fair in their town in the 1800’s.

• The Wrigley building that is there has a big clock on it. If you look closely the numbers aren’t Roman numerals but W’s squished together.

The cruise ended with a firework show across the river. It was a relief to be able to put my head straight. Our necks were literally stiff from looking at those tall buildings. Especially the Sears, I mean Willis tower.

Yes Matt actually took this picture. He chose it for his screensaver.

These cool condos are right on the canal so the people that live there can park their boat at home.

Sears Tower says: "What you talken 'bout Willis?"

We ended the evening before walking back to the hotel with a ride on the Ferris wheel. Here it was my idea but once we got to the top I was having regrets. Seems the older I get, the more vertigo sets in.

We didn’t purchase the photo they took of us before getting on the big wheel so we took our own. If I’d known I was going to look like the lead singer of Kiss I might have dug deeper in my pockets.

   

Next day we took the car for a spin to check out other areas like Old Town and Lincoln Park. We had plans to go to a Chicago Cubs game that night so we drove to Wrigley Feild. We saw that parking at the stadium would be $50. We then knew wouldn’t be driving to the game that night. We had some time till the game so we headed back to Michigan Avenue and that Magnificent Mile! I was thankful for the Border’s next to H&M to keep Matt occupied while I browsed clothing some more. I told him his timing was perfect to come get me as I was at the register when he came in the store. He asked, “Cause you’re all done?” I told him, “No, in case my card was declined.” Things were much more expensive in that city than we had planned.

The Water Tower Mall had floor after floor after floor after floor...

Inside the Hershey’s store we relaxed for a bit with some delightful cupcakes. They weren’t Magnolia cupcakes, but they hit the spot just fine. In the ladies room I slipped into an H&M top. I had sorely under packed for this trip, not because I hadn’t brought enough clothes, I just packed odd things. I don’t know what I was thinking.

 This amazing structure had a little art gallery inside.

The best way to get to the Cubs game that night was by subway or the “L.” It was like walking into the jaws of hell going down two to three staircases below ground and listening to the steam from the trains. It was even hotter down there. It was standing room only on the train and we couldn’t get out of there fast enough at the stadium. We hadn’t bought our tickers yet since we were flying by the seat of our pants on this trip but we found an entire sidewalk of scalpers to help a brother out.

This was my first professional B-ball game. To make the most of it we got peanuts and hotdogs and sang, “Take me Out to the Ballgame!”

These seats are called "Wrigley Rooftops" because they are literally on the roofs of the apt buildings...across the street!

I couldn’t believe all the alcohol that was consumed. The beer guy came around every 10 seconds selling a can for $6.75. If someone bought one then they bought four more later. On our way through the stadium I noted that most seats had empty beer cups. I’m sure the profits on that would blow my mind. We were in the upper part of the stadium for most the game but towards the end we moved down closer to the field. That’s what you can do when you have your sneaky pants on. The cubs won like 14-2 to the Pirates. The victory song at the end was very catchy and had us wishing we knew every word. For a second Matt thought I did when he saw me singing along, “You know this song?” Then he saw the jumbo screen with the words. It’s real catchy. You should let your hair down and check it out.


The train ride back was even more crowded but his time with lots of those beer guzzling fools from the game riding with us. And we thought we were anxious to get off before! The walk back to the hotel did not cool us down. Even at 11 0’clock at night it was boiling hot and super muggy. The air conditioned lobby hit us like a brick wall and I could just hug the plush sofa. Instead we helped ourselves to the sucker basket at the counter each time we passed. The last morning we were there we didn’t have the gumption to get up for the complimentary breakfast. Our room had a fridge and a microwave if we wanted to get some food. It came in real handy the day we wanted to reheat our GIORDANO'S.

The Chicago Temple was our last tourist stop of this trip. I love to go to the Temple in any new city we are in. It literally is like having a home away from home. And guess what else, FREE PARKING!!!!!!!!!!!! We did sealing’s and of course the workers all wanted to play the name game once they heard we live in Utah. Everyone knows somebody in Utah don’t they? One worker came up to Matt and me and said the sweetest things. It’s a beautiful temple; very different.

  

On the shuttle to the airport there was the cutest family. The husband and wife were both very blonde and so were the son and daughter. It sounded like they were speaking German. Another family who looked mid-eastern was on the river cruise speaking in their language to their little boy. I loved seeing the family unit represented. I said to Matt as we were driving down Michigan Avenue one day, “I haven’t seen a lot of gays here.” Then I looked out my window. I had spoken too soon.
We arrived back at the airport in plenty of time to return the car, which turned out to be our biggest expense of the trip. I thought for a moment and decided it was all worth it. Because if we hadn’t rented the car we wouldn’t have, “The batries flat.” A $138 joke.

The funnies didn’t stop there though. The stewardess saw Matt’s picture on his phone, “Is that your daughter” “One of them.” “How many kids do you have?” “Six.” She knew we were on our way to Salt Lake, “Are you Mormon?” “Yes,” Matt answered, “my other wife has five kids.”

  

These toilets at the O'Hare airport were sumthin else. A new toilet set cover spun around without me having to touch a thing.

Back in SL we were hungry for dinner when we landed. Matt drove downtown so we could go to the Garden Restaurant at the Joseph Smith building. He found parking right on the street with a reasonable meter. There were no crowds. The grounds at Temple Square were immaculate and the air was light and cool. We said in unison, “It’s like the difference between heaven and hell.” It’s always fun to get away especially to a new city, but…there is no place like home. Now, where’re my babies!

This guy treats me good. I like this guy.

Thank you Grandma Donna!

Donna didn't hesitate to come and stay with the kids so Matt and I could have a weekend getaway around our Anniversary. He got a message from his dad a few weeks before stating that flowers would be arriving for her while she was here. We both thought, "That's nice." It wasn't till the next day that I realized why, she would be at our house for THEIR anniversary~! I called Matt and told him "We work at the jerk store."

The kids ADORED having grandma here and having her all to themselves. Kei and other cousins came to visit while were were gone. Kei sent a picture of Callie covered in chocolate with the caption, "Hi dad, Kei gave me cake." We got the picture as we were walking along the peir. We both moaned and groaned with how cute it was. It was nice to know the kids were in good hands. We said, "See, they don't want us there...and we dont' want to be there!" So it all worked out you see.

Thank you Donna!

Back to School 8/26/10

Gone are the lazy days of summer. Spending an afternoon at the library during a fantastic thunderstorm. Gone are the days of having a SIX hour SkipBo match with Mallerie.

First to leave at 7:06 is Mallerie.She takes the bus to Rocky Mountain Middle school where she's in 7th.

Next to leave is Katrina at 7:20 am. She rode my bike to Wasatch HIGH School where she is in 9th on the first day of school but decided she didn't want to do that again. She scared up a mysterious bus route that first goes to the middle school but eventually gets her to where she needs to be.

Last to leave is GrAva at 8:15 am to JR Smith Elementary where they are in the 2nd and 3rd grade. They are on bikes (weather permitting). Least they have eachother for company.

Matt says that the first day of school is like Christmas mornign for he and I. He was out of town the night before so as the kids were getttin ready for bed I kept calling out, "Hurry and get in bed, Santa's coming!"

The next day after they were gone my day was made even more enjoable when this bunch of roses came to

my door compliments of Matt for our Anniversary.

.

I further celebrated by going to Maverik for a Snickers Bar and Soda. On my way up the street some ward gals were out visiting and so I pulled over. I ended up unloading the kids and visiting for about an hour. Slowly others who were on walks or driving by joined us and the group snowballed into seven of us and bunch of kids. When I was telling Katrina abou this she said, "I bet you wanted to get home to eat your Snickers." I admitted, "I kinda did."

Since it was a school night and Katrina and Mallerie had a Youth Social that evening we stayed home and I made some Creme Brule.

Sweet Sixteen.