Chicago Weekend

My niece, Jennifer lives and works in Chicago.  Recently I was looking at a blog that talked about the Randolph Street Fleamarket in Chicago.  It is the last week of each month during the summer.  So I wrote my niece to tell her about it.  I'm not sure if she invited me or I asked to come for a visit but we decided on this weekend. First I borrowed a GPS which I love, love, love.  No keeping track of maps and ramp numbers, just let the little voices when to get over to the right or left and then a little dinging sound that tells you that you did good.  I've got to get me one of these.

I got to Chicago quite quickly, 4 hours, but I didn't know that Jennifer had to work until 7:30, so that gave me about 4 hours.  So she called and told me how to get to the salon where she works.  So I walked there and got to see quite a bit of the neighborhood where she lives and works, Andersonville/Ravenswood.  After dropping in to say hi, she gave me the keys to her apartment, but told me that the shops in the neighborhood were worth checking out.  So here are a few of the shops.

Brimfield was a great shop that has antiques and specialized upholstery with wool blankets and other interesting fabrics.

Foursided was a cool shop.  Framing, art work and paper ephemera like old classroom charts and maps.

Andersonville Galleria had a lot of wonderful artistic items.

So after grabbing a little lunch I walked back to the apartment to wait for Jennifer to get home.

I love her building as it reminds me a lot of my last apartment in downtown Lansing with hardwood floors, glass doorknobs, terrazo floors in the bathroom.

Saturday morning Jennifer had go to into work for a couple of hours.   When she got home we went to the flea market.  There were vendors outside and then in the Plumbers has in the auditorium there were more higher end vendors set up.  Although not as big as I hoped, it was lots of fun.  And we both got a little sunburnt.

When we got back from the flea market Jennifer asked me to show her some of the features on the sewing maching that I have picked up at an estate sale for her.  She wanted to try her hand at sewing curtains for in their new apartment. So we had fun going through all the features and helping her figure them out.

Saturday night I treated to dinner at a restaurant of Jennifer and Lief's choice.  Jennifer chose a mexican restaurant.  We were surprised when we got there that they take reservations but they did have 1 table for walk-ins so we were lucky.  Jennifer had scallops, Lief  mahy mahy and I had pulled pork with black beans.  All the meals were wonderful, service outstanding.  Definitely on the top of the list.

 Sunday morning after breakfast I showed her how to straighten up her fabric and how to start by finishing the edges of her fabric.  Her boyfriend became an uncle this morning at 6 am so he was anxious to head off to Michigan to see his new nephew so  we started out by noon.

Traffic was pretty slow coming home but since it was earlier than I had thought of leaving it was easy to be patient and just enjoy the sights.

So tomorrow it's back to work, with the start of the 2nd week of classes.  Well, I think a good time was had by all.  Thanks for the good time Jennifer and Lief.