Chicago

Friday night dinner and drinks at The Hubbard Inn

Sunrise on Saturday morning. 

Matching on our way to get coffee Saturday morning. 

Matching on our run on Lake Michigan. 

Loved meeting Jack!

He loves books and rested his head on me while I was reading to him. So sweet! 

This weekend I went Chicago to visit my dear friend Kate. I met Kate in the fall of 2005. I had recently graduated from college, lost my dad and was starting my life of adulthood....ha! I took a job selling television advertising at KATV. This job couldn't have been less my personality, but I met some life long friends in the 4 months I worked there. Kate was the main news anchor at the tv station and happened to be my across the street neighbor. We lived on the most idyllic street in Hillcrest. 

We became fast friends and I will never forget her telling me "you remind me of me and that's a compliment." 

That January her father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. That Spring Kate was hired as the morning news anchor in NYC. She did the local morning news. By some chance my mom received the feed, so we would tape her broadcast and send them to her dad so he could see her. After a hard fight with cancer, he died the following January. I will never forget going to visit her the following month and sitting on her couch in our pjs crying. Our fathers had died in different circumstances, but the pain is the same. I knew the hard times Kate had ahead of her, but in true Kate fashion she took them like a champ. 

In the 4 years Kate lived in NYC, I went and visited her many times and we had some wild and crazy nights. I was in my mid-twenties and still acted like I was in college most of the time....ha! She is always up for anything. She is a great hostess because she puts a lot into planning your visit and taking you to do fun things and eat at amazing places. 

About 5 years ago, she accepted the main news anchor position in Chicago. Yay, another fun city to go visit. I had gone to see her in October after she moved. Once again, we had a great time! 

The following March, St, Patty's Day happened to fall over my Spring Break. I decided to go celebrate in Chicago. Kate said that it's a blast! They dye the river green and it is a marathon day of drinking and celebrating. Side note....growing up I always said St. Patrick's Day was my fave holdiday...so random! What kid says that?! 

Back to the story...

We partied most of the day and then went to have drinks. We met a guy I used to date,who happened to be in town, and a friend of his. After they left, we decided to eat dinner there. I went to the bathroom and when I came back there was a guy at our table talking to Kate. Between Kate going to Notre Dame and knowing a lot of people in Chicago, I didn't think anything of it. The next week, we were talking on the phone and she told me she was going on a date with him. Fast forward to now and they are married and have baby Jack!!!

Kate is one of my dearest friends. I look up to her for so many reasons...she is smart, she is kind, she is always trying to make herself a better person, she loves to travel, is a great cook and has a great laugh! 

This weekend, I got there on Friday night and we went to dinner at The Hubbard Inn. We had fun catching up, talking about personality profiles and enjoying yummy cocktails. The restaurant had a saxophonist who decided to only play next to our table; which was comical. We went back to her apartment and chatted and went to bed. 

Saturday morning, I couldn't sleep and she was up with Jack. We watched a beautiful sunrise and then walked to Starbucks to get coffee. We love to buy matching things on trips and I brought us matching hats that we wore. We got some looks, but it was funny! Then, we went for a run on Lake Michigan. It was a gorgeous day!!! Sunny and in the 40s. I definitely lucked out. We shopped ALL day the rest of the day. I was loosing steam toward the end and we just went home and chilled for a bit. We went to dinner and drinks at this cute restaurant called Beatrix. We had fun chatting and talking about the characteristics she didn't know she wanted in her husband, but the many things she is so grateful for. 

We went back to her place and were chatting with her husband and starting talking about the Netflix series "Making of a Murderer." I hadn't seen it yet and they suggested we watch one episode. Well 5 hours later it was 2 a.m. and I contemplated pulling an all nighter...ha! 

Sunday, we went to the most challenging yoga class I have ever gone to, went to Whole Foods to grab lunch, chilled at home, got pedicures and then went back and chilled, watched some more of that show and went to bed. Kate made an entirely vegetarian dinner. Her and Mike were both a little confused how sustain that way of eating all the time....ha! 

As I was packing last night, I had packed all these clothes for going out to dinner and we didn't dress up, once. It wasn't the Kate and Effie trips of old, but it was a lot of quality time spent together. Maybe after all these years, we are finally growing up...ha!  She is a forever friend and we always seem to pick up right where we left off.  It was a fun way to start my 33rd year of life.  

I have to say God has blessed me with some of the most amazing friendships!!!

It snowed over 2 feet while I was gone.  I was a bit bummed to miss out on all that amazing powder, but I think I had a better weekend and there will always be more snow.

Happy Monday!

XOXO-

EEE