This weekend, I went to Chicago with Alec and my best friend, Allison. Alec needed to go for some umpiring meetings and Allison and I just tagged along. Allison and I spent most of Saturday walking around Chicago. We started at our hotel, which was on Lake Shore Drive! :) We walked around Navy Pier, where there was a snow-sculpting contest. Most of the artists were VERY talented...there were even some high schools that got involved too! Then we walked to a nearby Starbucks to warm up, have a warm drink, and use the wireless internet to decide where we wanted to go next and how to get there. While we were at Starbucks (which was attached to a "pharmacy" which was really just like a grocery store) I found some Fannie May candies for sale...I bought a Trinidad for me and a Mint Meltaway for Allison...YUMMM! On our way to see The Bean at Millennium Park, we stopped at Walgreen's and bought gloves and matching hats...we weren't very smart when we packed for the weekend and forgot that Chicago is famous for being "The Windy City" which means it's going to be a LOT colder that usual. Who knew a jellybean-shaped mirror in the middle of Chicago could be so much fun?? Then we began our journey to find some lunch. We knew we wanted to get to Hard Rock Cafe and we knew the general direction. We had recently seen it on a map, but since there is no wireless internet in downtown Chicago, we had to guess. Fortunately, Allison and I make a great team - I remembered that it was near a McDonald's and Allison remembered it was on Ontario Drive. We were right!! :) But we stopped at another Starbucks along the way just to make sure. Our lunch at Hard Rock Cafe was semi-bittersweet. My aunt, Margie, worked at the Hard Rock Cafe when she lived in Chicago many years ago, so it was really special to finally eat there. But it also made me miss her a lot! :( Then we walked to Sprinkles, which is a small shop that makes really great cupcakes and everyone in Chicago knew it! We waited in a line that stretched out the door and across the sidewalk...good thing the cupcakes were really good! On our way back to our hotel, we stopped at the Disney Store. Allison and I felt like little kids again. I was looking at the Toy Story items for something for Alec when one of the store clerks came up to me and commented about Toy Story, I mentioned that Alec has an obsession with Toy Story and apparently it's not uncommon for grown men to still love Toy Story, because the clerk's husband (who is 42) loves Toy Story too...I guess you're never too old for a good Disney classic! I even got a small, free holographic Toy Story poster from the clerk...she was so nice! We finally got back to the hotel and rested, so we would have enough energy to party in Wrigleyville. Alec finished with his meetings early, so he and his friend, Taylor, came to our hotel room and hung out for a while. Then they went to the Chicago Bulls game with Taylor's dad and some other guys from the umpiring meetings. Allison rested some more and I watched House and iCarly! Then we got ready and took the subway to Wrigleyville. I was really excited to finally take a subway in the USA...I've only every used the subway in London and Paris...how much harder could it be when everything is written in American English?? I am really glad I had prior experience with subways, because it made the experience even better! It was very weird to see Wrigley Field without the lights, flags, and Cubs fans...it almost looked like it was deserted. We met back up with Alec and Taylor and went into Slugger's Bar and upstairs to see Dueling Pianos...those guys were so much fun! :) Allison requested "any Journey song" to be played and it escalated into an epic battle between the fans of the White Sox and the Cubs. I had so much fun this weekend with my best friend, Allison. I can't believe we've been best friends since 6th grade!! :)
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