Weekending in Chicago

This past weekend was a much needed relaxing one. 

After finding out I would need to be in Chicago for work meetings, Nick and I decided to book a trip - just the two of us - on the tail of end it. It was such a great decision...if I do say so myself.

{THURSDAY}

The weekend officially started on Thursday around 4:30pm when I finished the second of two presentations I had been working on the past few months. It was such a great relief and I was happy to have this little getaway as a way to celebrate finally being done. I'm sure Nick was celebrating finally getting his wife - and some help with Cruzer - back since I'd been relatively MIA. 

Immediately after checking in at the Warwick Allerton Hotel downtown, we grabbed a couple of glasses of champagne and headed to the room to get ready for dinner and a night out on the town. I booked the hotel using Jetsetter. It was in a gorgeous old building, right off Michigan Avenue and had a great lobby bar but I have to say if we were to do it again, we probably wouldn't have picked this hotel. We upgraded to a suite - of course we didn't realize it was the handicap suite - and the room was nice, just would've preferred a little nicer. And one of our favorite thing about staying in a hotel is the plush, comfortable bed. This one was not and that was a big let down...don't worry it didn't stop us from sleeping in most mornings.

We headed out to our reservations at Epic - a restaurant Nick's trainer recommended - and it had potential by the looks of the lively bar downstairs, until they led us upstairs and it was super quiet and not quite our scene, so we politely said thanks but no thanks and headed down Hubbard to find somewhere more our speed. We settled on Hub 51 and it was perfect. Great food, great scene and great cocktails. After dinner we basically stopped in every single bar on Hubbard trying them out before calling it a night. We had been up since 3:30am to catch our flight earlier that morning and were both exhausted.

{FRIDAY}

On Friday, we woke up - to no alarm, might I add - around 9am. Yes, we slept in until 9am and it was so amazing. I don't think I've slept that late since our Mexico vacation earlier this year (read all about that trip here & here). Then we got ready and headed in search of a delicious place for brunch and landed at an aptly named spot called Brunch.  The Brunch nachos and chicken & waffle bites were delish.

We then headed to Up Comedy Club for a 1:30pm show - Second City's Holidazed & Confused - and we were so glad we did. Nick and I both love comedy and when it's rated R, it's even better in our book. And this was hilarious.

The best part? Nick got called up on stage during their improv about a sweater problem...they brought him in as chief of sweaters and asked him what material he thought they should make sweaters out of to make them safer...and Nick? He said "yoga pant material." Yep. Only my husband. =)

The day didn't end there, after the show we headed to the United Center for the Bulls / Trailblazers game. Initially we were stoked because one of our fave player's (Doug McDermott) from one of our fave teams (Creighton Bluejays in Omaha) plays for the Bulls. Unfortunately, he wasn't suiting up, but it was still a fun game.

The only reason I took this pic of the cheerleader was so I didn't look like a stalker trying to get a pic of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant - to her left. Any old Bulls fans out there? I know I sure was. Now I'm just a weirdo taking pictures of cheerleaders. Great plan, Kate.

{SATURDAY}

On Saturday, we slept in again - sensing a theme here? - and then decided on a morning movie. We haven't been to a movie in forever and used to love going. When I was prego, we literally went to a movie every Monday. And let me tell you, it wasn't because there were so many great movies and maybe had more to do with the nachos and buttery popcorn.

We saw Gone Girl. I had read the book and overall thought the movie was good. Slow at parts and to be honest I preferred the book, but I also love seeing how movies play out and putting faces to the characters.

After the movie it was all about the shopping.

We were deciding between heading to dinner at Mastro's - one of my favorite restaurants & because Nick has never been OR heading back to the room for a deep dish pizza and an in-room movie. I'm sure you can guess the latter won us over. We hit up Trader Joe's for some wine, ordered in Gino's East and watched the Equalizer while eating pizza and drinking red wine in bed. Perfection.

And that was it - as quickly as it came, it was gone. But it was such a wonderful little trip away...

And now back to reality and trying to bust my butt to get our Christmas shopping done before next week. How is it possible that Christmas is already NEXT WEEK??

{Shop This Post}

Dinner Out: BB Dakota Jacket // Express Jeans

Bulls Game: Takara Jacket (not available - similar here) // Athleta Gleam tights

Saturday Shopping: Lucy Jacket // Athleta Chaturanga tight

Happy Monday and hope you all have a great week!

Linking up with my gal Biana.