Pics from my Chicago Trip!

I've been back from Chicago for a while now (I think a bit more than a month?) and so much has happened since then, but I haven't had the chance to post any pics to my blog.  So I thought now was the perfect opportunity, since I'm in between working on some stuff for berrysprite, finishing up my fellowship, and gearing up to go to Maui and then Japan (I'm soooo excited about Japan, but totally not ready yet... too much stuff to do!).  Anyway, Chicago was really excellent... very fun!  I stayed in the Loop, which gave me great access to a lot of cool stuff, which is lucky because I didn't have a car :)  I would go again!

 I got lost on the loop the first day... I got oriented pretty quickly after that!

 View of the city and my first view of Lake Michigan from the Willis/Sears tower at sunset!

So many huge buildings!!!! I'm used to seeing mountains and ocean in Hawaii, and I was amazed at how much like an ocean Lake Michigan seemed!

The famous Chicago Theater!  The Oriental was playing "The Book of Mormon" and I was very tempted to ditch preparing for my conference presentation to catch a show!

 

The Hilton Palmer:  It was suuuuuper nice!  I'm glad my work was paying though, because usually I stay in YMCA's and hostels!

 

Outside the Art Institute of Chicago... I wish I had had more time there! 

At least I got to see Georges Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon, I felt like Ferris Beuller and it was my day off!

  

 

The Bean!  It was sooo shiny!

  

 

You guys can probably tell from my travel posts that I always try to go to museums.  I spent a good half-day at the Field Museum... and I got to see Sue!

 

 My favorite room at the Field Museum!

 

Shedd Aquarium... you guys know I love aquariums too :)

 Peaceful.

They had belugas!  I saw a baby one too, but they were swimming and swimming so it was hard to get a picture on my phone!  Fun fact that I learned at the aquarium:  baby belugas are gray to match their mom's shadow.  When they get bigger/ older they turn white!

On the way back from the Museum and Aquarium I got caught in a rainstorm... Luckily it wasn't too cold; it did make Chicago deserted though!  I was all by myself for about 20 minutes!

 

 You can't go to Chicago without eating the food!  This is a personal pizza from Giordano's (I carried it sideways, so it smooshed). I also ate one from Lou Malnati's... both were fantastic and oh soooo cheeeeeesy!

 

A Chicago dog!  I wish I had known that Max's was right behind my hotel; this dog, fries and a drink only cost me $6.  I would have eaten hot dogs the entire time, because it was cheap and DELICIOUS!

I didn't do much shopping, but I consider what I got to be the best souvenir ever!  This machine makes you a plastic toy... they had one at the Willis/ Sear's Tower that made an Abraham Lincoln, but I was too embarrassed to get one (plus, what would I do with a mini Abe Lincoln?).  But then at the Field Museum you could make DINOSAUR-shaped ones for just $2.00...

 

BEST SOUVENIR EVER!!!!!!!