Last weekend with Firstborn Son and Daughter-In-Law was amazing. We spent a fun-filled day together on Sunday, starting with brunch at a brand new place. The place I wanted to take them was in my neighborhood, about an hour from where they were staying, by train. We decided to save time and go to somewhere in-between. My son and I were anxious to see each other and she was still waking up. So I high-tailed it to them and saw the beautiful bed and breakfast they were staying at on the southside. Now I didn't know Chicago had any bed and breakfasts, and we don't have many, but the one they stayed at, called Welcome Inn Manor Bed & Breakfast, was full of the neighborhoods history of civil rights and jazz. (unfortunately I just read this article where it says the owner is selling because of the neighborhood. Sad.https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170906/bronzeville/welcome-inn-manor-bed-breakfast-closing-for-sale-chicago-crime-fears ) Trust me, they do it up right there. They have a free breakfast every morning. Sit down in the formal dining room not a stale donut and hotel room coffee. Safe places to park your car and a free shuttle, which the owner took us in to try to eat breakfast at Wildberry's. But by the time we got there it was a two hour wait so we decided to try and walk a short distance to the next cafe or breakfast joint we found and we found a gem. Toni's Patisserie & Cafe. Just two blocks from Wildberry, they get a lot of their overflow business and weren't surprised to see us switch it up with them. I may have to take First Daughter there on her trip here. It's a bit more expensive then my favorite place for brunch, but what the hell. It was a special occasion.
After breakfast their friend, we'll call him Philly that flew in from PA to see them and experience the Final Fantasy escape room with another local friend, (who shall remain nicknameless as he stood them up twice, bad form), joined us at the Shedd Aquarium https://www.sheddaquarium.org/. I have always wanted to see Chicago's aquarium but never found anyone to accompany me, and knowing it was on my kids hit list I waited for them to visit to see it. And I'm glad I did. It was beautiful. And not overwhelmingly large like a lot of museums in Chicago tend to feel. It felt almost intimate, and was so relaxing to see all they types of marine life our planet has. I even petted a stingray, which I'd never had the guts to do before, but my Daughter-In-Laws excitement to do it brought out the curiosity in me. They feel like fine course sandpaper.
After the Aquarium we were all feeling the pull of solitude. Too many people for us, so we decided to head back to my neighborhood so they could see how quaint Lincoln Square is and my studio. Unfortunately for us Applefest was going on in the square and too many people was still in our hearts. We wanted to be alone together or close to that, so we checked out my studio, which they loved and then went to my favorite neighborhood pub, The Red Lion Inn https://www.theredlionlincolnsquare.com/. And of course had some legit English munchies of fish and chips and bangers and mash to accompany our great ciders and beer. I'm a wine and beer drinker, well actually I'll drink just about anything that isn't gin. But I don't like cider. And I LOVE their ciders. Never had a bad one yet, but I stick to my chocolate organic stout and sample everyone else's choices.
We stayed at the Red Lion Inn after eating, for a long time just chatting. It's that kind of pub. Where you feel like your in your best friends living-room rather than a business. And it's so full of everything British that it reminds me of my fandom full studio. I also highly recommend checking it out for lunch or Friday night all you can eat fish and chips. Which I like to do when I need people around me.
We made plans to see each other for brunch on Tuesday before they left town, but unfortunately Flower Girl got stomach flu and I had to come in early since she couldn't go to school. But it's ok. They had fun and I'm sure they will visit again, and I will be with them for two weeks at Christmas/New Years this year. And I'm sure they'll be sick of me by then. Here's hoping you get to spend so much time with your loved ones that they can't wait to see you again too.
Cheers
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