See It All! Chicago, Illinois – 3/17/2015 – http://fulltimetimeshare.com/blog

March 17, 2015 (Tuesday)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Michael and I got up, had breakfast, and got out of our home by 8:45 AM. We were hoping to get into Chicago early to get the discount on parking they offer at most of the parking lots in the area (mostly around $15.00 if you park before 10:00 AM). Because of traffic, and other things, we didn’t get into Chicago until after 10:15 AM and ended up paying $30.00 for a parking spot near the Doubletree Hotel on Ohio Avenue at Michigan. When we got out of the car – oh boy was it cold! We decided to get out our “winter” clothes (hats, gloves, big jackets). We also realized why they call it the “Windy City.”

We both went into the lobby of the Doubletree to ask where our tour would be picking us up. When then got to talking to a nice employee who told us we should go see Millennium Park. He told us how to get to the park, about a mile or so away. We walked and enjoyed all Chicago had to offer along the way. We went up to another level and continued our walk. A lady along the way to the park explained that Chicago is built on two levels. Millennium Park is a fun park that has a clam shell type canopy for musical entertainment during the summer months. There are statues, some very unique, and a “bean” that is polished metal and fun to walk under. Oh, and we got to see the “green” river (in honor of St. Patrick’s Day).

Edie loved this store and their merchandise.

She wanted this lamp. Only $1,200. Then threatened to divorce me if I bought it.

Will Athens never leave us? Looks like a basket from Corinth, Corinthian.

They must have made every architect go to the Acropolis for training.

St. Patrick's Day green. Everyone says it doesn't take much to get it a little greener for today. — St. Patrick’s Day green. Everyone says it doesn’t take much to get it a little greener for today.

McCormick had his reporters steal memento's from around the world and then stuck them on the outside walls of the building. I touched a stone from the Antarctic. — McCormick had his reporters steal memento’s from around the world and then stuck them on the outside walls of the building. I touched a stone from the Antarctic.

It was neat, I took an individual picture of each one, Edie insist I spare you.

Center left,with the two white antennas, The Sears tower, now called the Willis Tower.

A must see. Once a parking garage, Mayer Daily's administration created it. — A must see. Once a parking garage, Mayor Daily’s administration created it.

Great metal work. — Great metal work, Cloud Gate, aka the bean.

That's us. I'm getting to where I can aim the camera without using the viewfinder. — That’s us. I’m getting to where I can aim the camera without using the viewfinder.

We left the park and started walking back to the Doubletree for our 12:30 PM pickup for the “See It All! Chicago” tour (Groupon – $39.00 for both of us). It was about 11:45 AM and we decided to stop at a nearby Panera Bread Restaurant and get lunch. Michael got a chicken panini and a salad. I got a steak and white cheddar sandwich and a salad. Excellent. I don’t know if we were just hungry and it was extra good, or that it was just extra good. We decided we could now continue on and not starve or faint from hunger.

Saved our life, No picture of mine, I ate it too fast. Saved my life. — Saved our life, No picture of mine, I ate it too fast.

Looked for the new toothpaste here, no luck. I think it is only available on line. Livionex, a game changer.

We got back to the Doubletree and waited for the van, which was right on time. The van driver was funny and knew a lot of Chicago history. He took us around what he called “the loop.” We saw Millennium Park, again, the new library, the old library, the Art Institute, Federal building, Chicago Tribune building (again, which he explained the reporters went out in the field and would bring back an article from that region – such as a piece of a pyramid in Egypt, a piece of the Berlin Wall in Germany, a piece from Pompeii, etc.), Sears tower (now called Willis Tower), Wrigley building, the original Playboy Mansion, (sign on the door bell read, “If you don’t swing, don’t ring), Lincoln Park, where some of the old time gangsters were shot (Valentine’s Day Massacre and movie house where John Dillinger was shot on the front sidewalk). We saw so many other things. Great tour that lasted about two hours.

It is St Pat's day. — It is St Pat’s day.

International college of surgeons with a museum. We kind of want to tour it one day. Statue is a little scary. — International College of Surgeons with a museum. We kind of want to tour it one day. Statue is a little scary.

We stopped several times to get the skyline from different directions.

Looked like gold leaf on some of the ornamentation at the top.

I don't know, but looks fun, especially at night. — I don’t know, but looks fun, especially at night.

So sad the fountain isn't going. It is the one on the opening of "Modern Family" — So sad the fountain isn’t going. It is the one on the opening of “Modern Family”

The Adler Planetarium with a statue of Nick Copernicus.

"Nicolaus Copernicus....By Reforming Astronomy he initiated modern science." — “Nicolaus Copernicus….By Reforming Astronomy he initiated modern science.”

A temporary exhibit of the heads of the Chinese Zodiac.

The tall building on the right is where Oprah lived when she did her show. She just auctioned everything off for charity. — The tall building on the right is where Oprah lived when she did her show. She just recently auctioned everything off for charity.

Lower Wacker Rd, a GPS killer every time, and kind of creepy.

Tour guide says he is not sure but thinks possibly this is the Trump building. — Tour guide said he was not sure but thinks possibly this is the Trump building.

Wriggly building from the side. — Wrigley building from the side.

Wriggly building from the front, showing two, two, yes two buildings in one. — Wrigley building from the front, showing two, two, yes two buildings in one.

One of the few, non-wood structures to survive the 1871 fire. A water pump house.

Cast Iron facade, now a Target. They were not allowed to put their sign on the outside.

He told us that the name Chicago comes from the Native Americans who lived in the Chicago area and it translates into something like “stinky onion” because of the marsh smells in the area at the time. (Parts of Chicago still smell like a stinky onion we found out from walking around.)

After the tour the driver said he had two stops, the Doubletree and another hotel. We decided to get off at the other hotel and walk back to the car. He said it was about 6-8 blocks, and described how to get back. We walked about a block or two and looked down into a pit type thing and I got really excited and told Michael to look. He looked and just smiled and knew – I had found a “Cheesecake Factory” restaurant to mark off the list. We went inside and split a Reese’s pieces cake. So very good. This “Cheesecake Factory” was different than most of the ones I’ve seen as it looked more like an Alice in Wonderland place. Loved it and loved the cake we ordered.

The church where "My Best Friend's Wedding" was filmed. — The church where “My Best Friend’s Wedding” was filmed.

Handsome stairway to the Cheesecake Factory.

Edie's eagle eyes found this one. — Edie’s eagle eyes found this one.

A light tunnel inside the Cheesecake Factory.

Reeses chocolate cheese cake. We split. It was dinner.

We walked back to our car and left (around 3:30 PM), hoping to beat the 5:00 PM traffic. No such luck. Traffic all along the way and we didn’t get home (due to traffic and an accident) until around 6:00 PM.

I don't know him, but I like him. — I don’t know him, but I like him.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!