Plant geek: urban garden at O'Hare

 We accidentally learned that the Chicago O'Hare airport has an urban garden.  Located in terminal G, it is tucked away on a second floor balcony.

On our flight into Chicago, I noticed the sign and made a mental note to check it out when we returned to the airport for our flight home.  We luckily had a few extra minutes to spare and I was able to take a closer look.

Even if you are not a plant geek, you should venture to this area if you are in terminal G.  The seating in this area seems to be the most comfortable and convenient (i.e. access to tables and outlets).  There were few people using the area when I visited and it seemed like the perfect spot to knock out some work while you wait for your flight.

And, even if you are not a card carrying plant geek, you still might get a little jazzed to see this set up.  The growing towers that hold the plants appear to be made of PVC pipe and there is a sophisticated system to provide light, water and nutrients to the plants.  It is really fascinating to see all of the different plants that fit into the relatively small foot print of the growing area.

 The panels that provide information about the garden explain that some of the airport restaurants use the herbs, greens, edible flowers, and tomatoes grown here.

 The growing towers remind me of an exhibit I saw at Disney Epcot several years ago - futuristic and high tech!

 Remember terminal G at O'Hare...check it out during your next flight through Chicago.

Plant geek: garden frames

 We found something really interesting in the landscaping along Michigan Avenue during our trip to Chicago.  One block featured these repurposed frames, painted in awesome vibrant colors, providing accents among the plants.

We walked by them several times and I finally had to take some pictures to be sure to remember how much I liked this idea.

We sometimes run across castoff frames and with a little paint and some help from my husband to install some stakes, I think we could try this in some sections of the yard.

What do you think?  Could this work in a Kansas garden?

Chicago food recommendations

 I have been working on this post in my mind since we returned from Chicago.  One of our favorite aspects of the city is deciding where to eat...there are so many great choices!  During our last visit, we ate some great food at a combination of new and tried and true places.

My top two new finds:

1.  Firecakes is a donut shop in the River North area of Chicago.  We stumbled on it after we enjoyed some great BBQ at a place just around the corner.  (See number two.)  I had a maple glazed pineapple and bacon cute little donut.  My husband tried the giant vanilla iced donut.  Both of us loved our choices.

 Plus, their shop was in this cute little building that I loved - very simple...just what you need for a little donut shop.  Everything was just so little and cute, except that giant vanilla donut that put my husband in sugar shock.

2.  Bub City was a spontaneous lunch selection that was so good, we went back again for lunch the next day!  We enjoyed great BBQ, some good beer, and loved the atmosphere.  We also learned that they were one of the sponsors and vendors at the Windy City Smokeout.  We tried desperately to buy a couple of the t-shirts because we loved the pig and guitar sign, but they wouldn't sell until the festival was over and we were leaving town. 

Plus, who doesn't love a place that parks a giant classic car out front with cattle horns on the hood?

Our tried and true favorites

1.  Quartino is always at the top of our list.  We may or may not order most of the menu when we visit.  The food is amazing - regional Italian, affordable wines.  We love so much of the menu!  I am also a big fan of the decor - vintage, old school everywhere.  They bring the food as it is ready and encourage sharing.  You also have to use the bathrooms here; they are super cool.  Eat outside if you can.  I love to eat outside in the city to people watch and to take in the traffic and the noise.  My husband is game, but only if the temperatures are right.  If it is too hot, he prefers an indoor seat.  Quartino's sidewalk seating and their new balcony are just right for dining outdoors.

2.  Flaco's Tacos now has three locations - Water Tower, Printers Row and Wrigleyville.  We ate at two of the three locations during this trip.  We love their wonderful food (always delicious) and their great prices.  Again, we may or may not have ordered everything on the menu at some point or another.  We love it all.

3.  Portillo's Hot Dogs is the place where we check one of our classic Chicago foods off of the list - the Chicago Dog.  This stop is usually a quick and inexpensive lunch.

During other visits, we definitely make sure we enjoy some deep dish pizza and an Italian beef sandwich.  We just didn't work these into our plan this time around.

When we visit the city, we do a lot of walking.  We take the train into the city from the airport and walk everywhere with a few exceptions when we think a cab may be safer or when we are near complete exhaustion.  All of the walking helps balance out all of the eating!

Chicago

 We are just back from Chicago and as usual, we loved every second of our trip.  We combined some work travel for me with a little mini getaway.  The timing was just right - we needed a change of scenery and luckily, the temperatures were really mild and that made our walks around the city enjoyable.

When we had some free time, we took off for adventuring.  One of our first stops was the Laurie Gardens on our way to the Taste of Chicago, a food festival in Grant Park. 

I love the Laurie Gardens because you feel like you get away from the city and have the contrast of beautiful flowers and plants with the backdrop of the dramatic buildings.  We make it a tradition to cruise through the gardens either to or from The Bean sculpture.

This was our second time that we took in the Taste of Chicago and we loved trying some different foods from area restaurants.  We debated whether we should skip the festival since we went last year.  In the end, we thought since it only happens once a year, we should definitely go.

 Our favorite memory might be scoring GIANT free pieces of cheesecake from Eli's cheesecake.  They had a birthday celebration cake and by giant, I mean over three feet tall and over three feet wide. No tickets needed for delicious cheesecake, my husband's favorite.

 I find it really amazing how the restaurants can set up a kitchen in the tents and serve so many people over the course of the festival.  Have you ever seen so much corn on the cob?!

 One of our Chicago traditions - seeing The Bean.

 We took in a show at the Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier.  Our show was a hip hop version of Othello called, Othello: The Remix.  A few years ago, we saw a hip hop version of Much Ado About Nothing and loved it.  We thought it would be a great night at the theater and a ton of fun.  The entire show is done in hip hop style rap with Shakespeare language.  I have told everyone that one of the best views of the Chicago skyline is from the bathroom at this theater.  The photo above is from my bathroom stall.  Weird, I know, but I had to prove that this view is amazing.

 This photo was from near the sinks.  In my defense, I wasn't the only tourist taking photos in the bathroom of the skyline.

 After we left the show, we got this great view.  It wasn't from the bathroom, but from one of the lobbies.  And, the orbs in the photo are not UFOs, but a reflection from the light fixtures.  I know, weird.

Something new for this trip was taking a water taxi for transportation from Chinatown, where we went to see some dragon boat races.  We took a car taxi to Chinatown and by chance noticed a water taxi stop near the park where the boat races were held.  The views from the boat were awesome!  I would highly recommend using the water taxi as a way to get around the city.

When something speaks to you...

 When something speaks to you, you act.

I was in Chicago for work a couple of weeks ago and we were lucky enough to work it out so Jeremy could travel along.  We went to one of our favorite stores, P.O.S.H.  Actually, one or both of us went there every day we were in the city. One more visit and I think they might have been worried that we were stalking them.

On our last day, we visited again and I spent time going through the vintage postcards.  I found this one and it really spoke to me.  Jeremy even said, "It spoke to you.  You have to get it."

Here is what it said:

Dear Earl,

Everything here is going to 

be just fine, I think.  I've 

bitten off a big bite, and it 

reminds me of this little poem.

Plan for more than you can do, 

Then do it.

Bite off more than you can chew, 

Then chew it.

Hitch your wagon to a star,

Stick in your seat,

and there you are.

Love, Lucia

The stamp was a 1 cent stamp, postmark of Chicago, and postmark date of May 14, 194?.

Since finding this little card, I keep remembering the first line.  Everything here is going to be just fine, I think.  I needed that message.

We found some other cool stuff that I will save for later posts.

Plant geek: winter containers in Chicago

Our trip to Chicago helped get me in the holiday spirit.  We have had warmer temperatures and no snow to speak of in Kansas.  There is something about cold weather and snow that triggers my psyche that it is time for Christmas.

I tend to feel like my internal clock for holiday prep is off and I like to blame the retail stores for pushing the holiday decorations, gift sets and commercials as close to Halloween as possible.  Of course, every year we get busier and busier which makes it hard to even think about the holidays until they are almost upon us.

We took off for a quick 36 hour trip to Chicago at the end of November.  It was just cold enough to have that lovely brisk feeling, but not so cold that we were uncomfortable.  The city was dressed up beautifully with lights and decorations in so many places.  I found inspiration in the touches of the season - greenery, lights, decorations, and other seasonal items that made it feel like Christmas.  This was just what I needed. 

 The plant geek in me was in love with the containers.  I had to take some pictures to try to remember some of the combinations.  I am a huge fan of the flowering cabbage and the dried grasses featured in the planters in front of the Art Institute.  Last summer, I took a picture of these same planters with this same grass.  You can see the summer version here.

 I had a short list of things I wanted to do while in Chicago and one of them was to see the wreathes on the lions in front of the Art Institute.  Nerdy, I know.  We actually met a really nice couple who agreed to take our photo with one of the lions.  He was wearing a K-State sweatshirt, so we hit it off right away.

 In Millennium Park, there were several different neat arrangements.  I really loved the combination of twigs and branches and the evergreens. 

 I found this arrangement to be just right - elegant and stately.  I wanted to show you the scale with this shot...

 ...and the detail with this shot.

 Love the color and variety in this arrangement.

 It takes a special husband to see a streetscape and ask if it includes the same bark that I had been talking about after visiting Minneapolis.  Yes, it sure is!  Here is where I blogged about the awesome fall containers from that trip.

 This is my favorite!  I really like the topiary and the combination of foliage and accents at the base.  It also has nice drape.  (I can hear my husband laughing at me now..."Nice drape.")

 This is my second runner up.  This arrangement has good height with the sticks.  The pine cones and the red eucalyptus are really striking.

See what I mean?

I am adding to my 2013 goals that I actually install containers for the fall and winter seasons next year.  I usually cover spring and summer and give up after the heat zaps my summer version.  With all of these ideas, I am sure to make it happen.

Chicago adventures: Toni Patisserie and Cafe

 We are of the belief that there is no shortage of exceptional places to eat in Chicago.  When we visit our favorite city, we try to balance our intense desire to go back to tried and true places that we love and to adventure out and discover new places.

On our most recent trip, we had a quick 36 hours to fit in a concert, some shopping, taking in a few seasonal sights, and eating amazing food.  We did pretty well on all accounts, including finding a new culinary treasure for our favorites list.

On Saturday morning, we wanted to find a breakfast spot - something local and unusual.  We took off in The Loop with our sights set on seeing the wreaths on the lions at The Art Institute and finding breakfast along the way.

We are early risers, so we found a lot of places that were still closed.  We looked down a side street and saw this promising looking bakery - Toni Patisserie and Cafe.  It was open, had a nice crowd, and the window display was impressive.  We decided to give it a try.

The place was simply charming.  The menu featured a good selection of breakfast items and the cafe lunch menu looked equally as good.  The bakery items were out of this world - really beautiful and elegant!

I loved the bistro tables and the giant menu chalk boards above the counter. This is a place where I could bring a book and spend all day.

The building itself has character, including a vintage revolving door and beautiful display windows.  In the first photo in this post, you might notice a cool seasonal decorating idea.  The display had medium sized pine cones on candle sticks mixed in with the display of baked goods... I loved this look and want to incorporate in on a holiday table.

Along the wall near our table, there was a photo collage that was very well done.  I loved how the top of the frames in the top row were at the same height, as was the bottom of the bottom row of frames.  I kept wondering how they got everything to line up so well and imagined us trying to get the same results at home.  Mixed in with the framed photos were vintage hand mirrors - a beautiful change of pace from the linear frames. 

And, take a look at that display cake!

 I really loved our table marker - the French alphabet card was cute, casual and classy.

We will certainly add this to our list of stops for our next trip!

Chicago

 Ahhh, Chicago!  We love Chicago and we were so fortunate to be able to extended a work trip for a little extra time in the city last week.


Of course, we took in some of our favorite things and tried out a few new things.  

After my conference wrapped up, we walked to Millennium Park and saw one of my favorite landmarks - Cloud Gate or "The Bean."  The buildings as the backdrop of this popular sculpture always make for a dramatic view.

 We kept moving toward our destination.  And, along the way, we got inspired by some planters in front of The Art Institute of Chicago.  I am filing these ideas away for next year's container gardening.

 We spent our lunch time at The Taste of Chicago - a huge multi-day food festival.  We got to sample offerings from several different Chicago restaurants.  It was fun, but something I wouldn't rush to do again.  The crowds and the heat made it difficult to really enjoy the whole experience.

 On the way back toward our hotel, we walked through the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park.  I am always fascinated by the wildflowers with the cityscape in the background.


We left the park and decided to stop at Starbucks because they had a free drink special that afternoon to showcase a couple of their seasonal drinks.  In full disclosure, we actually stopped at three different Starbucks for free drinks that day.  It was super easy because there was a Starbucks at just about every two blocks.  Thank you, Starbucks, for the Very Berry and Lime Refreshers!

We spent some time in a gift shop and then, the sky cracked open with this huge thunderstorm.  What to do?  Do we wait it out or make a run for it?  Or, do we catch a cab back to the hotel?  We decided to make a run for it.  We got drenched!  Our hotel staff had towels waiting at the door for the guests, thus earning them  high marks for customer service from this self-proclaimed customer service snob.

 We also went to our favorite restaurant - Flaco's Tacos.  We love, love, love this place!  The portions are great and the price is right, and I could go on and on about the flavors.  Chicken quesadillas, veggie torta, chips and guacamole, a frozen margarita, and sangria.  (Plus, a burrito because my husband couldn't resist ordering something else.)

 On our last night, we went on an evening brew cruise.  The price was pretty good for all of the beer you could drink and great skyline views from the lake.  We had a really good time.

Bye, Chicago!  Until next time!

Things we love about Chicago

 I have had two great conversations about Chicago in the past week and I can't help but get excited about this awesome city!  With both friends, we talked about our mutual love for all of the great things you can experience when you visit the city.  The people are friendly, the art and entertainment options are amazing, and the food...don't even get me started!

This post is dedicated to some of our favorite things that we enjoy when we go to the city.  And, when we say that we are going to "the city," we mean Chicago - always and forever.

1.  The cityscape and all the surprises.  Near Millenium Park there is a space dedicated to prairie and this beautiful little area has native plants and the gorgeous skyline behind.  I love to walk through the little trails and enjoy the plants.

Chicago is super easy to navigate and thus, we spend a lot of time walking.  There are art installations around every turn and it is fun to have great things to see while we go from place to place.

2.  Art.  There are so many great art museums and some have free admission days or hours of certain days when admission is free.  On my first trip to Chicago, I had to see the American Gothic painting at The Art Institute of Chicago.  It was a life long dream realized.  The gift shops of art museums are always great to browse through.  Some of the museums also have great food or entertainment options.

Last year, we enjoyed the Museum of Contemporary Art.  One of the installations was call Adhocism.  I took this picture and my husband nudged me and told me I was inappropriate.  "What was intriguing about alcoholism?"  I told him to read it again.

I really liked the idea of Adhocism in creating and also in problem solving in life in general.  It was a great installation.

The Museum of Contemporary Art had a free jazz concert on the lawn behind the building last summer.  We loved the chance to get out and enjoy low cost entertainment. 

3. Wrigley Field.  We loved taking in a Cubs game.  Wrigley is a great historic ballpark and the people watching was fantastic.  Last time we went to a game, the economy was just starting to tank and we were amazed at how much people were still spending on beer.  The crowds that filled the rooftops and balconies around the stadium were really amazing.

4.  Farmer's Markets.  If we happen to be around on a Saturday morning, we find all the Farmer's Markets in walking distance and take off for a great time of browsing.  We love, love, love seeing all of the produce.  One of our favorite markets, Green City Market, always has a variety of vendors and visiting chefs that provide demonstrations (and free recipes)!  

The flowers at the Farmer's Markets are amazing!  I would go broke if I lived in the city and had access to awesome flowers every Saturday morning.  A Kansas girl loves her sunflowers.

I actually had this picture printed onto canvas.

  

5.  The food.  We love the amazing food options.  At the top of our list is Flaco's Tacos.  This is the best value - great food and good portion sizes.  We loved it so much that we went back twice in the same trip - Homemade Mexican food in Chicago.  We love this place!

Quartino has great, simple, and tasty Italian.  I love to eat on the patio here and when we have eaten inside, it has a fun, casual atmosphere.  They have great pizza and affordable wines.  This is a must stop every time we are in the city.  I also love that Quartino is located near a Trader Joe's and we always stock up on snacks and water to get us through our trip.

When we go to Chicago, we have to sample the big three food items - a Chicago-style hot dog, deep dish Chicago-style pizza, and an Italian beef sandwich.  For the Chicago-style dog, Portillo's.  For the deep dish pizza, Giordano's.  However, you have to be prepared for a long wait.  My advice is to go at an off-peak mealtime or to get take out.  For the Italian beef sandwich, Mr. Beef on Orleans.  We walked forever in the heat to get there and it was just how we like our restaurants - local, a little dive-y, full of character, and with delicious food.  We also love a Rick Bayless restaurant called XOCO.  The concept is Mexican street food and we loved the atmosphere and the food was great.  For a quick lunch, Potbelly Sandwich Shop is another favorite.

6.  Theater.  Ok, and I know the picture is from Navy Pier, but we saw one of the best shows we have ever seen at Navy Pier in the Shakespeare Theater.  The show was a hip hop version of Much Ado About Nothing.  My husband found it while exploring one afternoon while I was at a conference and he surprised me with tickets for that night's outing.

You should also know that there is a beautiful view of the city with the lights reflecting off the water from the women's restroom at the theater.  Best view in the city. 

7.  Free stuff.  We love to travel as inexpensively as possible.  We enjoyed some great fireworks - a free show - on our first night in the city last summer.  There is a whole website dedicated to free activities in Chicago.

 8.  Comedy.  We have seen some great improv and Vegas-style shows in Chicago.  We loved The Second City and had great seats.  I could see a comedy show on every trip and I know it is something my husband will enjoy, too.

 9.  Shopping.  The Magnificent Mile has all of the retail options you could ever want.  We love to browse and have found some great deals at some of our favorite stores.  I learned my lesson last summer - save some room in your suitcase for your purchases!  I could spend hours in the Crate and Barrel store alone.