Moving to Chicago, the final coda

Friday, Sept 14 - Day II.91 (456)
Chicago Files

Today, while still waiting for the movers to remotely arrive in a timely fashion and deliver my belongings (now that we are officially on the far side of my delivery window), I rode my bike farther down the lake shore. This time I went all the way to Navy Pier, past North Avenue Beach.

Saturday, Sept 15 - Day II.92 (457)
Chicago Files
I had to stay around my neighborhood today because of the movers delivering my mess. 
So I went for a run up to Evanston, where Northwestern is - it's about 2.9 miles, and I can run up the lake the whole way. 

 I also walked over to my fave coffee shop and got a coffee. Rogers Park has a mystery crafter, who just leaves these little guys all over. I love it!

Now that my stuff is here, I'll take off Sunday on my road trip down to New Mexico to visit my grandmother and attend Shane & Jesse's wedding (with a hot date on my arm! I'm such a lucky girl!).  So I'll post my gratitude from the road, and when I return to Chicago on the 25th, I am officially and for the foreseeable future a Chicagoan!

Day 449 - 453: Baby steps in a new town

Day II.84 (449) - Friday, September 7
Chicago Files
I am definitely starting my Chicago Bucket list. I have at least seven restaurants on here already.
On the list:
Frontera Grill
The Girl & The Goat
Belly Shack
Koval Distillery
Goose Island Brewery
North Shore Distillery
How grateful I am to live in a place with so much to explore!

Day II.85 (450) - Saturday, September 8
Chicago Files

 When in Andersonville, check out the Brown Elephant thrift shop. It's quite the experience, housed in an old theater.

You come across some serious finds. Clearly.
Side note for gratitude: how grateful I am for this man, who makes me laugh. I'm so glad to spend time with him every chance I get, and we have a great time no matter what we do!

Day II.86 (451) - Sunday, September 9
Chicago Files
Today I learned two things about my new city:
1). Bears fans are for real. Everything you heard about them is true.
2). There is some seriously covet-worthy real estate in this town. Like this place!
(Of course the nerd in me would love to live in a conservation project)

Day II.87 (452) - Monday, September 10
Chicago Files
Chicago is a bike town. At least right now! We'll see how the two-wheelers hold up in the snow. I rode my bike from my apartment down the lakefront.
There's a golf course on the lake, and a cafe called the Clock Tower.

Day II.88 (453) - Tuesday, September 11
Chicago Files
Today I swam for the first time at Northwestern's pool. It's great - nice & big, with windows overlooking Lake Michigan.

I also visited the Roger's Park Fruit Market, at the corner of Clark and Rogers Ave. I highly recommend it: it reminds me of Three Guys in Brooklyn, my favorite place to shop for groceries in NYC. Perhaps it was the weird Jamaican spices and odd mix of immigrant foods (Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic) and delicious fresh produce, but whatever it is, it's my new go-to place in the neighborhood.