My favorite things...

I feel like I'm always talking about what I don't like about the city, so today I decided to be positive.  It is actually a beautiful, fun place to live most of the time.  Here are some things that I love about Chicago:

1)  Michigan Ave Bridge over Chicago River- Not that I like Michigan Ave (most of the time I steer clear) but this is my favorite place near the river and I always love to walk this stretch.  I love looking up and seeing the magnificent Tribune building and the sculptures on the bridge.  It is absolutely beautiful when the sun is shining.

green river for St. Patty's Day

2)  Walking to the beach with Gracie and getting to swim and sunbathe whenever we want!  We have a very nice stretch of beach, we just have to walk due east.

3)  Being able to eat all kinds of different foods and try new things!  Ethiopian, Mexican, Peruvian, Italian, German, American, Thai, Chinese, Pub food, you name it, we eat it!!

4)  Being more active here and using the car less.  I actually enjoy walking home after a hard day at work.  Listening to some good music also helps.

5)  Concerts and musicians actually come to us... we don't have to travel and stay in hotels to see them anymore!

6)  Trader Joe's- who is helping us eat better quality food- more natural, less preservatives!

7)  Buckingham Fountain

8)  Always having something fun to do (if and when we have the time to do it)- theater, movies, museums, zoo, aquarium.  Groupon and HotTix are also much appreciated to help us fund these outings.

9)  Being able to get off work and run to a Cubs game that Nathan's work foots the bill for.  (Hopefully that will happen again this year!)

10)  Pauline's Restaurant for Sunday brunch- they have amazing specials sometimes (cheesecake stuffed waffles, plum french toast, pumpkin pancakes, oh my!)

11)  Hamburger Mary's- micro brew beer and the best burgers (homemade guacamole + burger = yum)

12)  A bazillion pet stores for me to explore and spoil Gracie with

13)  Andy's Frozen custard (yay, just like home!)  in Evanston, right across from a used book store (that is an afternoon well spent)

14)  The Sears Tower (which I will never call Willis Tower) - Not only is it an architectural feat of a building, but it really is beautiful.  Not sure what it is about it, but if it were missing from the skyline, Chicago would not feel like Chicago.  Sears Tower= Home Sweet Chicago to me.

I can not take credit for this gorgeous photo, I borrowed it from Wikipedia.

 14)  I love that it is a big fancy city sometimes (with super expensive work parties) but also has small town treasures as well (such as an old fashioned mini-golf course complete with an arcade full of pinball machines).