Chicago maiden voyage wrap-up in bullets

• landed in Chicago around 8pm on Thursday
• surprised by cold but not unbearable temps – I’d guess in the low thirties
• ordered beers + apps for dinner at Pints on North Ave
• bought my very first fancy growed-up cold-weather coat, thanks to JCrew’s 30% off online sale (I got an insane deal)
• took a short ride on the L up to Lincoln Park for some wandering in our future stomping ground/neighborhood
• checked out Weiner Circle for my first-ever Chicago dog
  

• met all of Rob’s new coworkers at their holiday dinner in the Willis Tower/Metropolitan Club (murder mystery + decent food + honkin’ glasses of wine + really friendly coworkers + great views + accidental seats at the head table…eeek)

• inhaled my first Dunkin Donut at 1am
• woke up to SNOW
  

chowed on a massive breakfast of huevos rancheros + melt-your-teeth-strong coffee at Milk & Honey

headed downtown on Saturday afternoon for some touristy time

visited The Bean in Millenium Park + watched the ice skaters

ate some more, this time: Potbelly for lunch (their pizza samwich > hangover)

snagged the last two pairs of Loft skinnies in my size in the whole wide world, which is really convenient because they’re the best ever and the only ones that fit

met up with my Mid-West native friend Amy to check out the Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo (she mocked me for wearing my hat + a hood and for the tights I wore under my jeans. I've obviously got some 'cold calluses' to develop...)

split (and finished!) a large sausage-tomato-basil Pequods Chicago-style pizza + local Half Acre beers

enjoyed an egg nog & brandy nightcap + the best episode of Saturday Night Live I’ve seen in a long time

slept in + lazily watched football + slowly packed for home

endured an uneventful flight (the best kind!)

exited the terminal back home to find a huge hoard of people with giant American flags, posters, balloons, the works. apparently the last soldiers left Iraq yesterday (!) and a whole flight of them was due to arrive shortly after my flight…SO COOL

arrived home to not one, but THREE, packages of awesomeness I ordered as Christmas gifts