Exploring Chicago
Trip reflections.
First things first.. AMAZING FOOD. I could not eat enough this trip, we literally ate like hobbits - first breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, and so on! Favorite restaurant: The Purple Pig. Has amazing pasta dishes, and my favorite dessert ever: Bread Pudding (so random I know lol). Favorite breakfast/brunch spot was Yolk. Huge portions, amazing food, need I say more? I got an amazing chicken and waffles with a fried egg on top, Jordan got a hash-brown bowl with red velvet french toast on the side. Honorable mentions: Osteria del Pastaio, super good Italian spot, loved my duck pasta. If you’re by Navy Pier, I also recommend Offshore. It’s this super cute indoor/rooftop restaurant, but really liked the vibe.
Chicago is very windy. We went late April, I think the weather wasn’t too cold, but with the crazy winds, I would definitely recommend bringing some layers. When we visited Navy Pier, I found this cute lighthouse to paint. Jordan ended up having to hold my watercolor palette for me the entire time, because the wind was so strong!
I loved seeing the Bean, aka Cloud Gate, in person! We actually visited the bean twice, once at night and once during the day. At night, it was superrr crowded, but for good reason - all of the city lights reflected into the bean, making the view extra beautiful. We went again during the day at around 9am, and it was a little less crowded. We were able to take more photos during the day, and actually walk under it! But super cool experience, I’m glad I got to finally see it.
The views were amazing. I actually didn’t know that Chicago is known for their architecture, but I can definitely see why. The city is so big and tall, it was easy to feel very lost lol! After visiting Navy Pier, we stumbled into a small park with a nice view of the city. I decided it was a good time to practice drawing the buildings. Here’s a photo of how it turned out!
My favorite part of trip was visiting the Art Institute of Chicago. First of all, the Art Institute is so big. We got there as soon as they opened, and stayed for most of the day, and it still wasn’t enough time! My favorite gallery was definitely the Impressionism works. There is a full room, dedicated to Claude Monet’s work. It was just absolutely amazing to see in person.
That’s all! Definitely looking forward to a return visit. Also, really glad I got to do some art during this trip. Jordan is very patient with me, and let’s me pull out my sketchbook whenever!
