Fourth of July in the Windy City

It's Sunday morning and I'm at Dose on Murphy Road, my favorite spot for coffee.  JP left before I did to go to the park for a long run with Samuel.  It's going to be tough on JP when Samuel and Mitchell leave for college (Kansas University and Centre College) at the end of the summer.  I have no doubt he will stay in contact with them and, at some point in the future, I could see him visiting one or both of them at school, but it won't be the same as running with them almost every morning.

We arrived home from Chicago yesterday afternoon.  Very quickly, I was reminded how much more humid it is in Nashville than in Chicago.  My three mile run (Blair and back) late yesterday afternoon in 90+ degree temperatures was entirely different than my three miles runs the two days prior along the Riverwalk and Lakefront Trail in Chicago.  C'est la vie.

Our trip, albeit abbreviated at four nights, was a good one.  We stayed in a downtown penthouse condominium on the 53rd floor of a building - with a doorman! - at the corner of State and Grand.  Staying downtown in a big city was a new experience for the boys and for me, too.  So was riding the train and subway into downtown from Chicago Midway Airport.  Struggling to roll our luggage up the aisle of a relatively crowded subway surrounded by, shall we say, a diverse group of people, was an eye opening experience for Joe.  I want him to have those type of experiences, though, to gain an understanding that he lives in a little bit of a bubble.

After checking into our place, we had a great dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant, Siena Tavern.  While Jude and JP went for a walk after dinner, Joe and I ducked into Harry Carey's Steakhouse and spent some time looking at the many photographs of celebrities own the walls and the sports memorabilia.  As many do when the visit the restaurant, Joe posed for a photo with the bust of Harry Carey.  That one was a keeper.

The next morning, Wednesday, we took at Uber over to Northwestern University in Evanston for an informal college visit for JP.  He was disappointed, as was I, to learn that Northwestern doesn't have a men's cross country or track team.  Still, we enjoyed walking around campus on a self-guided tour, stopping in an art exhibit, walking through the athletic facilities for students, and perusing in the bookstore.  At this point, I want JP to get the feel of different colleges, to develop a frame of reference, and begin to form an idea of what kind of college he would like to attend.  Large, small, liberal arts, etc.

Later that night, Jude went kayaking on Lake Michigan with a few of her college friends - Terry, Blake, and Jeff.  The boys and I ate dinner across the street from our place at Weber's Grill Restaurant (who knew?).  When Jude returned home with Blake and Jeff, we were watching the Beekeeper with Jason Statham, much to her chagrin.  After they left, Blake and Jeff missed the last train, which was typical and rather comical, although Blake wasn't amused.

On July 4th, Jude and I took the boys to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs play.  It was their first visit to Wrigley Field and one they will remember, I think.  The holiday crowd was amped and there were a lot of Phillies fans in attendance.  The Phillies are having a great season, so their fans at Wrigley were a bit shellshocked when the Cubs roared back from a 2-0 deficit to thrash the Phillies, 10-2, behind a pair of homers - one from each side of the plate - by Ian Happ.  On the day, Happ was 4-4 with 6 RBI's.  Quite a performance.  

We took the train to Margaret Walker's house after the game and spent a few minutes with she and her husband, Angel, and their young girls, who are adorable and full of energy.

After the game, we met Jude's college friends - Terry, Blake, Jeff, Jim, and Colleen - for dinner at Italian Village.  Great meal.  

On July 5, JP and I went for a morning run on the Riverwalk and the Lakefront Trail.  Jude cooked breakfast at home while I got coffee.  Later, we went the Cubs-Angels game - another Cubs' win - and saw the Cubs' pitcher, Justin Steele, throw a rare complete game.  We stayed for the finish and the boys enjoyed celebrating with the Cubs' fans waving the "W" flags and singing along to "Go Cubs Go!"  Very fun afternoon.

That evening, Jude had dinner with her college friends at a Greek restaurant and the boys while the boys and I ate pizza at Giordano's, near our place.  Later, we finished watching the Beekeeper, with Jason Statham.  Certainly, that was one of Joe's highlights of the trip, since he shares my affinity for action movies.  

On Saturday morning, July 6, JP and I shared another run on the Riverwalk and the Lakefront Trail, then sat and talked while he ate a quick breakfast.  Then, back to pack, to the airport, and a quick flight home.

Nice, quick trip to Chicago.  We were on the go a lot, so it wasn't overly relaxing but still, it was good to get away.  I'm glad Jude got to see her college friends.  She needs that every so often and it's a good group.