Chicago Day 2: Eating and Seeing the City

Last week I was able to share day 1 of our Chicago trip and I've just now found time to finally share day 2...

Friday morning it was hard to get up and out from our infamously comfortable Hilton bed, but eventually we did... for pancakes. A friend recommended that we should go to the Bongo Room for breakfast, and since there was one so close to our hotel, that we did.


We had a white chocolate and caramel covered pretzel pancake, a pumpkin spice and chocolate chunk cheesecake pancake, a banana and bacon pancake, and a side of sausage. While it was all delicious enough to make us wish we could have finished it, our full stomachs and sugar rushes sent us spinning out the door. By that time my friend Caitlin had met up with us and we ventured off to explore the Millennium Park area. 
 

We had a photo session with interesting leg statues. 



We stopped by the water's edge of Lake Michigan to take in the beautiful day.




We scoped out the faces at Crown Fountain.


We had another photo session at The Bean.


We saw the Pritzker Pavilion.



We caught a great view of the city.


And then we decided to go up to the Sears Tower (aka Willis Tower) observatory deck...



... but then we decided we didn't really want to wait an hour in line so instead we just checked out to Lego version of the Sears Tower.

The Sears Tower, or lack of, pretty much wrapped up our miles-long escapade through the Loop area so it was time for our next venture: food, food and more food. 

After Jeff and I bought our 3-Day CTA passes (which I highly recommend for visitors who plan on exploring and traveling the city) we caught the Blue Line (conveniently located next to our hotel) to Hot Doug's for gourmet hot dogs and sausage. Fortunately for us we made it to the restaurant just in the nick of time, as they cut off the line for the day right after us.


Arriving at the end of the day didn't keep us from still having to wait in line for 45 minutes, but that's ok because those 45 minutes ended with this:


Oh yes, every single bite was oh-so-delicious. For me though the portabello mushroom and swiss cheese pork sausage dog by far took the cake... for everything I ate the entire weekend.

 
After retiring from the sausage mecca we decided to stick around the area to try out our next food destination: Kuma's Corner.




This time it was burger heaven, and we all know how much Jeff and I love burgers.




Sadly I don't think my stomach had enough time to deflate from Hot Doug's before I inhaled a perfectly cooked burger, but that's ok because there was no way I was going to leave the city without trying the Travel Channel recommended food place.
 
By this time Jeff, Caitlin and I were barely able to make it back to the subway because we were so full, but we did... because we needed to make one more recommended stop: Violet Hour.


Yup, this is it, a cocktail bar masked by a grafitti wall that changes face every season. After waiting in line for the gazillionth time that day, we spent enough time in the lounge to gulp down one refreshing cocktail (The Juliet and Romeo for me).


But then we were OUT.

Believe it or not, challenging yourself to a food tour + walking for miles through the city + waiting in one too many lines is more than exhausting. Back to the comfy Hilton bed it was for Jeff and I for a good night's pre-Saint Patty's day rest.

To be continued...

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