AppsScraps

1) just outside Millennium Park

Chicago remains such a great city, and, even though I had a whirlwind tour last week, it was fun and educational. I stayed at W-Lakeshore which I must admit I don’t like half as much as W-City Center where G and I stayed previously. The Lakeshore W is busy as sin, has oodles more kids (not that there’s anything wrong with kids) and no vibe or charm.

Granted, my hotel was all of a 1 minute walk to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago where the conference was happening so that was a real bonus. On Wednesday night I met up with my archeological dig buddy, Karen (aka Mal) for dinner. Karen and I go waaaaay back to our school days toiling with Harvard University at the Tel Beth-Shemesh archeological site, just outside Jerusalem in 1993 (that amazing story is here).

L
2) W-Lakeshore entrance; 3) my wonderful room

4 & 5) the view from the hotel daytime and nighttime … that’s Navy Pier

6) Whiskey Sky Bar on the 33rd floor of the hotel

7) boy, it was tempting! … champagne for breakfast!; 8) I love both the fantasy and fondue for two options in the room service menu

9) the funky bathroom in the room; 10) W hallways

For dinner, Karen took me to Bin 36, a great resto-wine-cheese bar downtown in the Loop. I loved this place and enjoyed both my flight of Shiraz wines and the Spanish cheese selection we opted for. Afterwards, we wandered down to W-City Center and enjoyed drinks in the bar.

11) the cheese bar at Bin 36; 12) our selection of Spanish cheese

13) the River; 14) Wednesday night’s concert at Millennium Park

15) the Bean!

On Thursday night the Conference group hosted a wonderful cocktail party at the Chicago Cultural Centre. We had the place to ourselves to explore the galleries, the newly refurbished Tiffany glass dome, and ate and drank up on the 5th floor with a floor-to-ceiling window view of Millennium Park. It was uber wonderful!

16) Tiffany dome – all 30,000 individual glass pieces; 17) more of the Dome