Filed under: Chicago
Uncharacteristically, I bought tickets to The Magnetic Fields show in Chicago last July. I never do that – so much to go wrong and in the end I did miss one important work meeting back in St Paul but I don’t feel too bad about. The show was worth it. Katie and I went to night one of a two-night series where they played their double album, 69 Love Songs. The collection has a song for every conceivable breakup and a couple with happy endings. Next time we’re going to both nights!
Dad (aka grandpa) drove down too – for the eating and the driving and he met up with friends. We arrived early Wednesday afternoon. Katie and I took the train to downtown Chicago and walked around until we went for an amazing dinner at Pilsen Yards. (Hot ti: pina colada ceviche.) Then we walked up to Thalia Hall. There was already a line – but we’re pros so we caught a beer in the bar downstairs. We didn’t get front row seats but, we didn’t wait in lines either. The sound in Thalia is awesome anywhere and honestly the sightlines are better upstairs. The show was so much fun and I think I cried twice from laughing so hard.
Thursday we mostly chilled. Not enough time to truck downtown with all the road construction. Every time we went out for a walk it started to rain. But we did make it to consignment shops in Evanston, where I got a dress that’s too fancy, except I can wear it when I host an actual rock show on an actual venue stage. (Mama Hellcats at the Hook & Ladder on May 16!)
Thursday night, we ate at our favorite French restaurant, D&J’s Bistro in Lake Zurich. Dinner includes pate, carpaccio, scallops, lobster, mussels, dark chocolate ganache and family: dad, Katie, Dan, Betsy and me. My niece Betsy just successfully completed a tons of tests in her year-5 of her 6 year quest to become a physical therapist. So, it was a celebration. After that dad and I headed to Janesville for the night and now we’re passing the Ho Chunk Casino on the way back to the Cities.
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