Last week I had a freak-out moment when I realized that Ben goes back to teaching in seven days. Oh summer, why do you always go by so fast? I've been letting the daily grind distract me from our summer bucket list, so I decided to take an impromptu day off work and we spent a long weekend hanging out and having some adventures in our city! The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and it felt amazing to leave the to-do list and work behind and pretend we were tourists.
Here are the steps to having the perfect staycation in Chicago:
Staycation Eve: Kick off the weekend with a trip to Forever Yogurt for some froyo! (Truth: this is on my weekly bucket list....)
Day 1: Head downtown for an architectural boat tour to learn about the history of the gorgeous skyscrapers that call Chicago home.
You'll feel like you are instantly transported into a PBS commercial. Pure class.
When your boat re-docks, head over to the Tribune building and grab a pitcher of hibiscus-rita's on the patio at Howell's and Hood!
Explore downtown until you are exhausted by sun and 'ritas, then take the Red Line back home to your quiet neighborhood and grab some Chipotle and a Redbox movie for a low-key dinner on the couch.
Day 2: Fuel up for the day with a healthy breakfast of mango, peach, and almond butter oatmeal!
Make your way down to Wicker Park for tacos and hipster watching at Big Star.
NOM SOME TACOS!
Then head back home and crash with another Redbox movie, because you're still catching up with last winter's blockbusters.
Day Three: Start your day with a healthy and energizing smoothie. You have to balance out all those margaritas!
Make a morning trip to Lincoln Park's Green City Market and stock up on colorful fruits and veggies. Keep an eye out for my all time favorite Sunflower Spelt bread from Crumb!
Head back to your brunch-centric neighborhood for a delicious late breakfast at Orange. Get a delicious omelette or a seasonal pancake flight!
Spend the rest of the day slowly re-acclimating to reality, and feel lucky and blessed to live in such a beautiful and delicious city.