Just Finish The Freaking Vacation Recap Already...

Sorry. I'll just post a few pictures, say a few words, and then move on. I'm sure the few people who maybe cared at first have officially stopped caring by this point.

So...Chicago pizza. According to the Lonely Planet guide book (which, by the way, I will never purchase another Lonely Planet guide EVER AGAIN. I hated that freaking book. I hate the way they organize the chapters. There will be a section--let's say "The Magnificent Mile"--and it will list all of the attractions in the Magnificent Mile, but if you want to find someplace to eat nearby, you have to go to the "Eating" section, and then look up "Magnificent Mile" all over again. Just put all my Magnificent Mile needs: eating, drinking, sleeping, sight-seeing, etc. all in the same damn section. I am already looking like a total chump, standing on the streets of Chicago with a camera around my neck and a brightly-colored oh-so-discreet guide book in my hand--don't make me flip any more pages than I have to, Lonely Planet! Oh, and Lonely Planet, your index sucks.)

Where was I? Oh, right. Pizza.

So the Lonely Planet (ptooey!) people told us that there were 2 must-visit pizza joints: Giordano's and Gino's. (Already went to Pizzeria Uno's in Boston. Didn't feel the need to refresh my memory in Chicago.) Here's Gino's:



And here's Giordano's:



The showdown breakdown goes something like this:

Crust: Giordano's. Gino's crust bore too close a resemblance to cornbread for my liking.

Filling: Gino's. The sauce was great, and there was lots of it. I like my pizzas nice and saucy. Plus, Giordano's pizza had, and I can't believe I'm about to say this, too much cheese.

Atmosphere: Giordano's. At Gino's, you are allowed to write on the walls, doors, booths...it makes for a very unsettling dining experience. It just made the place feel dirty, like I was eating inside a public bathroom at some creepy rest stop.

Souvenir t-shirt: Way better at Gino's, but they didn't have any cool ones in my size, so...Congratulations, Giordano's! You win!

Those of you who watched Top Chef Masters will recognize the name Rick Bayless, owner of Frontera Grill and its upscale sister restaurant, Topolobampo. I was pumped about visiting his restaurant, 'cuz I love Mexican food, and I also love celebrity. (If any of you are wondering what to get me for Christmas this year, how about a subscription to People magazine?)

Anyway, we went there not once, not twice, but THREE times trying to get in. The first two times there was about a 3 hour wait. We got lucky with the hour and a half wait the last time we went...or so we thought. We ordered guacamole and sopes for starters. Ho-hum. I think Carrie makes a better guacamole. Then I ordered tacos al pastor, which were OK--nothing better than I get at our favorite little dive restaurant, Chihuahua's, in Auburn, WA. CNash got corn with crema and something else. Shanon got ceviche. Carrie got the mole, which is supposedly his signature dish. It was bitter and disgusting, which makes me think he has gone the way of all celebrity chefs: no more cooking, just a lot of TV appearances and cookbook signings, making millions off his good name--which is being tarnished right under his nose! Look out, Rick!



And then there's the Chicago Dog, which is an absolute abomination. I tried to have an open mind, but Chicagoans have completely missed the mark on this one.



Look at all that crap they put on top! Yuck. You couldn't even taste the dog.

We also ate at a place called Avec--this was the restaurant my boss had given us a gift certificate for. AMAZING! I don't have any pictures of the food, because I felt a little self-conscious whipping out my camera in that kind of establishment. Anyway, it was incredible, and Carrie just about lost her mind over the bacon-wrapped date/chorizo balls. She says that rather than stopping by Avec if you're ever in Chicago, you should book a trip to Chicago just to go to Avec for that one dish. It's true. Those were some damn fine balls.

Moving on...

We saw lots of famous art:







And some art that Shanon didn't particularly care for:



Saw the world's most complete T. Rex skeleton:



Enjoyed several minutes watching this fat kid playing in a fountain in Millenium Park:



Scratched the old Dunkin' Donuts hot chocolate itch, even though it was August:



Took some pictures at The Bean:





Saw the first Playboy Mansion:



Stood watch while Carrie brazenly peeked in the windows of all the old mansions on Astor St:




Saw the theater in front of which the elusive bank robber John Dillinger was shot:



Saw an old lionness with an abscessed tooth in the Lincoln Park Zoo that Carrie (and a Facebook quiz) claimed was Carrie's "Spirit Animal":



Came to realize that Tiffany windows are a dime a dozen in Chicago. Everybody's got at least one:



Went to the aquarium:



Got lost and wound up here:



That last one actually deserves a post of its own. I'll let Carrie guest-blog the tale.

Toured Lincoln's home in Springfield, IL:



And his tomb:



Ate lunch at a place on Route 66 that claims to be the birthplace of the corn dog:



Had lots of gastro-intestinal distress:



Took an awesome architechtural boat cruise:



Went to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field:




Endured this view:



Felt sorry for all the schmucks who have to endure this view:



That seat has to be free, right?

Anyway, it was a super trip and I am so glad I got to spend it with these three kids: