Memorial Day weekend, I went to my first Cards/Cubs game in Chicago. I’ve been to a Cards/Cubs game in STL, but never at Wrigley. Come to think of it, I’ve never been to a MLB game outside Busch Stadium (other than spring training).
Whether it’s a road trip, a trip of international proportions, or somewhere in between…I love to travel. Read: I like going on trips, not planning them. I don’t like the planning because -well- I have self-diagnosed ADD and there are SO many things to choose from…and quite frankly…I’m easily entertained so the whole planning process is quite daunting and there is rarely anything that I don't want to do. But, since I did the inviting, I had to bite the bullet and take charge of a few details. So, if you’re reading this, and I’ve ever traveled with you on a vacation that required planning (Mom,Dad, Ryanne, Kathy, James Plett…) thanks for taking time to the research and work out details!
Alright, first, I’m just going to say it was a really fun, great, and busy weekend…but what made the weekend REALLY great is the people. Let’s be honest. Traveling with 6 adults can be tricky, especially if it’s the first time traveling together. I believe two signs of a good “group trip” are 1.everyone sticks together (vs. breaking into smaller groups that go in different directions) and 2. Each person has equal time talking to everyone in the group. Those aren’t things you can plan for, and both happened on this trip. Therefore, in the eyes of Miss Holley Maher…this trip was a success! I don’t think any of us could’ve asked for a better mix of personalities.
At 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, everyone packed into Dana’s parents pimped-out mini van. The drive to Chicago was a breeze. Hardly any traffic. The perfect number of bathroom breaks. Good car snacks. Lots of conversations. And even the movie Avatar was only somewhat watched because the conversations were more exciting...sorry James Cameron!
We arrived at the hotel (which was right by Navy Pier) around 8:30 p.m. and pretty much headed straight to dinner. Unfortunately, there was an hour wait at the restaurant we planned to go to but fortunately, there was a Mexican restaurant just down the street with outdoor seating and no wait! AND, had we not gone to that Mexican restaurant, then I would’ve missed out on trying cactus for the first time! It’s amazing how everything works out huh? :)
The next morning we left the hotel around 10:30 and began making our way to Wrigley. The game was at 3:00; it was a beautiful sunny day and made all the sense in the world to spend the afternoon walking to Wrigley (a little over 5 miles). Why? So much to see of course. We walked along the lake shore, through a farmers market, peeked in some of the shops in the Lincoln Park area, and on mustn’t forget stopping at a CVS Pharmacy for some water and gum. A great way to get some exercise and see the city. Before we knew it, it was 1:00, we were within a block of Wrigley, and it was time for lunch.
After lunch, we met my friend Libby outside Wrigley for the game and headed to our seats. Our seats were pretty high; however, they were just to the left of home plate, so had the Cardinals won…we would’ve had a great view of the guys running into home. BUT, I think we lost 1-4(?). Oh well, I was just happy to be at a ball game in a different stadium. Actually, I’m maybe the worst sports fan ever. I’m such a lemming. I rarely pay attention to the game, so I just clap when everyone else cheers. That generally works pretty well…when I’m at Busch Stadium and everyone around me is a Cards fan. Despite the fact I sported my Cardinals red, I'm confident I spent more time clapping for the Cubs. The way I look at it is, “I support talent. So whether someone plays for the Cardinals, the Cubs, or whatever…those guys are just trying to make an honest living, and put food on the table, maybe send a few kids through college. So, good for anyone who hits a home run or catches a fly ball…”
After the game, we grabbed a drink and a few appetizers at a nearby bar with an outdoor patio and shortly thereafter headed to the Sheffield Music Festival. Despite the bands being on a long break, we all agreed the karaokeers (is that a word?) picked some really fun music. One guy did a really great rendition of some Killers song, rather impressive. Everyone was starting to get a little tired at this point, but we pushed through, hopped on the “L” and headed to Navy Pier for some ice cream and the 10:30 fireworks display. All in all, it was a fun day, and we were very sleepy ladies by the time the clock struck 11 p.m.. I honestly think we walked close to 10 miles that afternoon.
The next morning, I got up and went for a short run along the lake and a few hours later, we left the hotel for Millennium Park and a 1:00 rooftop game. Had I not met my new friend Travis a few months ago, I don’t think I would’ve known about the rooftop experience. If you don’t know, a handful of brownstones surround the Wrigley outfield. The top ¼ of the buildings are for baseball fans. The very top is an open patio for rooftop seating. Just below that is an open bar/buffet. Below the bar area are residences. I’m not 100% certain whether or not I’ll go back to the rooftop we went to this weekend, the view wasn’t amazing but the reason I would go back is because one of the owners was really personable. Luckily, the Cardinals won on Sunday…9-1. While watching the game from the rooftop, I told Karen it would be fun to start an annual tradition of coming up to Chicago for one Rooftop game each year. Not only is the rooftop all-inclusive, but it’s great because the bathrooms are clean and not crowded. No huge crowds of sweaty people. It’s easy to meet people, we had some fellow Cardinal fans sitting behind us….and we even befriended a Cubs fan.
After the rooftop game, we hung out in the Wrigley area for some people watching. This one guy had this crazy floating cigarette trick. We have no idea how he did it but this cigarette somehow floated, turned, and hovered in mid air. It was weird. My sister found a link to him online. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hom8XTYSQys
A little later, we met up with Ryanne (she didn’t come to the rooftop game because she spent the afternoon with some college friends living in Chicago). We merged groups for a drink/dinner then took the L back into the downtown area so we could go to the top of the Hancock building. Despite the fact that the Hancock experience wasn’t quite what we expected (lots of standing in line…) I’m glad to say we went to the top and saw a really great view of the city…even if it was from the women’s restroom. I think it was the first time for all of us (except Karen).
The next morning, Ryanne and I got up for a short run/walk that highlighted some of the higher-profile sites in Chicago, down the river walk, along the lake, through Millennium Park, and down Michigan Ave. It was a great way to wrap up the trip!
That was pretty much it. We all met up in the hotel lobby around 9:30 and were on our way to St. Louis by 9:45. Thanks to Dana for driving, and to her parents for giving up their minivan for a weekend! Thanks to Katie M. for being our tour guide. And thanks to everyone for making it such a fun weekend filled with new things, lots of walking, good conversations, and lots of laughs! I really am blessed to have such quality gals in my life!
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