The Chicago Life: August-Style
Thankful for a reprieve from the summer heat and humidity of July, we fully welcomed and embraced August. Summertime in Chicago is AMAZING. I definitely was able to enjoy many-a-morning of coffee and weekend breakfasts on the patio, loving our skyline and meditative peace the Adirondack chairs bring me.
I was very excited about the first day of the month, as it had me crossing paths with one of my really good friends from college, Matthew, whom I lost touch with, and not seen since our college graduation. I was able to meet up with him after work, show him a bit of the Loop, to include drinks at Cindy’s and dinner at Lou Malnatti’s. It was the most perfect evening of catching up, but reconnecting like no time had passed at all. How time passes so quickly, I have no quite wrapped my head around.
This month was also filled with many wonderful “date days” and “date nights” with my handsome husband. From exploring the local Thai favorite, (Opart Thai), a charitable evening out supporting pediatric cancer (Shining Stars Foundation), to Indiana to further explore Three Floyds Brewery and Windmill Brewing.
I am a HUGE fan of the Shining Stars Foundation, though they are based out of Colorado, because they take many of my Oncology kiddos (and a medical team) on an annual ski trip to Aspen WITHOUT their parents. The event is organized by a pair of local parents who lost their children to cancer, to support other kids going through it, to bring some light during their treatment course. It is also a week where the kids can get away from the heaviness of their parents worries and constant vigilance (understandable of course, but always so much), and socialize with other kids their age going through the exact same thing. No skiing experience needed, as everyone gets their own instructors, and any device support that is needed, so wheelchairs and amputations be damned! And the kids come back somewhat lighter and a bit more resilient; it is incredible to see.
Opart Thai
Opart Thai
View from the Shining Stars Foundation evening out
3 Floyds Brewery
3 Floyds Brewery
Windmill Brewing
Windmill Brewing friendship!
Happy hour out with my work crew!
One of the things that I love most about our condo, is its central location to EVERYTHING. The benefited us for the recent air show, as we got to enjoy some of it from the peace and solitude of our own place!
While August was overall a wonderful month, it ends on a bit of a sad note as one of my best friends, Allison, closed out her life here in Chicago to move on to bigger-and-better opportunities in San Francisco. So, I tried to absorb as much time as I could with her.
And this lovely month gets to close out with my very first vacation since starting work in October 2018! So stay tuned for California and Mexico posts to come!
