Chicago Weekend

 Somehow, I just wrapped up my LAST trip to Chicago as an engaged woman. The next time I go back home, it will be for my wedding. This trip home was a lot more relaxing than the last few. I got to spend quality time at home with my parents and just relax at home.

For the first time since I moved away, I was able to find time to leave my parent's house in the suburbs and head downtown to the city.

Hannah and I spent Friday shopping in the freezing cold temperatures - you know, on May 9th - and I was able to stop in to my old office and visit all of my co-workers. I hadn't seen them since last February so that was one of the highlights of my trip. So much has changed in all of our lives in a year - it was almost eerie.

Afterwards, I met up with Claire and Amanda and we all had a bottle of Champagne at Paris Club on Hubbard St. to start the evening right.


For dinner, we went to my old, favorite sushi place by our old house Ukai. Joel and I used to have sushi there every single week, and had made friends with the entire staff. I didn't think they would remember me, but when I walked in they were all so shocked to see me and treated us like queens for the entire dinner.

It was so good to be home.

Saturday during the day we just walked around our favorite placed in the city.  I ran into a friend in a bagel shop on Armitage Saturday morning, and Joel saw an old co-worker running in Lakeview, and we popped into our old favorite wine store to pick up a few bottles.

 

We got to spend time with our families, and it really, really made us miss Chicago. Los Angeles is a great "for now" place, but Chicago is home, and always has been and always will be, and now, we need to figure out a way to get back there as soon as we can.

We of course had to visit our old apartment, where this whole thing started and took a picture for our little bambino back in L.A.

Saturday night we had an engagement party (all those pictures are coming tomorrow) which was one for the books. And then, Sunday morning, after a few cups of coffee with my mom to celebrate - we headed to spend Mother's Day with Joel's family at his niece's baptism.

We were so exhausted by the time we got on the plane back to L.A., but thankfully we were upgraded to Main Cabin Select and sat by this cute little bambino that flirted with me for the entire 3 hour flight.

Now, it's back to reality - we've got 39 days til GO time!