My Highly Hilarious Count of What Really Happened in Chicago This Past Weekend.

And How Fast It Turned Into Such a Blah Weekend.


So, the big weekend came. I was so excited about going to Chicago again. For having driven there by myself for the first time over the summer, I realized it wasn't that much of a drive from home and it was awesome. So awesome. And my cousin Molly was coming with me this time. This was going to be the farthest out of Michigan she had ever been and the biggest city she had ever visited. It was going to be so much fun. We had been squealing over it all week since we found out that she could go.


11/11/11 hit. The luckiest day of the year. It was pretty much the opposite for me though. I remembered it was a holiday, but I didn't think about the fact that my direct deposit from work wasn't going to get there until I got up that morning. I freaked. I was depending on that check to pay for and get me to and from Chicago, pay for my stuff while there and let me live. I was livid. Everyone I talked to said that it should have been put in a day early. Was it? No, of course not. So I waited for Mindu to get to lunch who loaned me the money for the trip. Then I was off.


I drove faster than I probably ever have all the way to Lansing to pick up thee Molly. I was excited. She was excited. I was going to Chicago. I was going to see my cousin Rose and Mike. It was going to be a blast. So we're driving along, Molly's taking a million pictures with my camera, we're having an awesome time.

Driving!!!

She was having fun with my camera

And she gave me a slinky beard

The claw came out and attacked a truck haha

That's when we get to Gary, IN. We hit our first bout of major traffic. I was fine with it, I knew it was going to happen as we were driving into the city at rush hour.  It was stop and go, some construction. But we're chilling, taking in the sunset, laughing, singing at the top of our lungs.

Sunset!!!

I did enjoy this picture

Molly had a thing for photographing the graffiti.

when BAM! The dude behind us thought it was awesome to take his foot off the brake when we were STOPPED...in TRAFFIC...while he was checking his radio and hit my car. At first I was even more livid then I  had been that morning. This guy hit my car. I was pissed. But I decided right then that I wasn't pulling off the highway unless my car started driving funny or something. I could see him in my rearview mirror checking out the back end of my car to see if it was all all right. Molly was coming up with plans of running out of my car and checking it while shaking a fist, at him. We decided that wouldn't be worth it. 

The car behind us, the one in front of the semi, is the jackass that rear-ended us.

So we kept driving on. When the sign that said, "Welcome to Chicago," came up, we yelled with happiness. But I didn't even believe that craziest part of the whole process was going to happen next. I realized we were driving into Chicago...at 5 PM...on a Friday night. And when my directions took me onto the loop, I about had a panic attack. For the life of me, I had never been on a highway so large. There were just cars everywhere and people were crazy and I was freaking out. Yes, Flint driving is NOTHING compared to Chicago driving. Detroit driving isn't even comparable, it's like driving through the country in comparison to Chicago driving. When I got off the loop and onto Lake Shore Drive, I calmed myself and looked around at the city. There we were, in the evening, in the city. Everything was lit up, I was happy once again.

The Skyway

This was taken right after I safely got us on and off the Loop at rush hour.

THE CITY!!!

Navy Pier

We made it to Rose and Mike's lovely home at about 6ish, settled in and took some time visiting. It was nice to see them since I hadn't talked to them in a while. It was also wonderful as we talked about so much stuff. It was awesome. 


Later in the evening, we went into Andersonville, a part of Chicago which, according to Rose, is up and coming as a hang out spot for those who live "in" Chicago. It's not a touristy place where people go, but where the locals hang. We dined at a restaurant called Hamburger Mary's. Other than having amazing food (Those deep-fried PB&J's were amazing) the atmosphere was awesome the all the wait staff were men (but some of them would surprise you!). After that, we walked around the neighborhood and went to go wait in line for the play that they planned to take us to. Now this play was interesting. It was actually 30 plays in 60 minutes. You read that right. Each play were short in length, the audience yelled out the order as you go and most were hilarious, some were interesting and a couple were rather though provoking. All-in-all, we saw 28 of the plays before the 60 minute time limit was up and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

This was over the bar in Hamburger Mary's. I thought it was awesome.

11/12/11


Saturday morning was a little slow starting. I was spent some time drinking some coffee and just waking up before getting ready for the event that I was coming to Chicago for...my roommate Mindu's bridal shower and bachlorette party. After getting all our stuff packed and bidding Rose and Mike farewell, we were on our way our of the city to the North. We were running late, but I wasn't too worried. 


The shower was beautiful. I guess I should say that the dress of everyone involved was beautiful. The Indian women have some of the most beautiful clothing I have ever seen. I love colors and that's what it all was. I just adored all their clothing, ate some amazing Indian food, watched some dancing and enjoyed myself. 

The Michigan group (except Molly who was in the bathroom when it was taken)

Molly and I at the shower.

Mindu and some of the little ones

Afterwards was where it all went downhill. I had gotten over the fact that that asshole hit my car. Gotten over it. But I was sent to my hotel room with no idea what was happening. We didn't know how long we were going to be in there. Could we get undressed (as we were in semi-formal clothing), when were we going into the city, how was I going to pay for dinner and whatever else. It was just a boring and stressful time. 


Finally Nicole, a friend from UM who was there, came across the hall and told us that we were just going to go into the city and they would get back to us. So I donned my evening clothing and we crammed into her little car and were headed back in Chicago. About half-way into the city, Mindu called and told us to go put our group down at the Grand Lux Cafe. No one had done that yet. Awesome. So we keep following the GPS and get into the city, when the GPS loses us. We have no idea where we are at, a group of Michiganders in the big city, and we are freaking out. Finally we find Michigan Ave, find some parking and get out in our expedition to now find the Grand Lux. After walking around several blocks out of our way, we find it and find out that there is a 2 hour wait. It was already 7:30 and we had a comedy show to go to at 10:30. Do you see the problem? By the time we would be seated, it would be 9:30 and well...we would miss the show when they are serving a group of 13. 

Our group waiting in the Grand Lux Cafe.

So we ended up waiting. Half the group went to a Mexican restaurant down the street to wait in line and we decided whichever seated us first we would go to. So we waited. Here I am, getting annoyed, being hungry, in a freaking awesome city, and I am sitting in the lobby of a restaurant waiting for 2 hours of my life. I could have stopped by a McDonald's for all I care and walked around the city before the show with Molly. No problem. But no, we sat/stood there and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Finally getting our seats, we had to hurry. Su Casa makes some really good Mexican food (if you're wondering where we went) but the way they split the bill is what barked up Molly's tree next. She had bought something rather cheap to save money, and ended up paying $20 because they split the bill evenly. So some people didn't pay their whole bill while others (like Molly who paid $13 more than she owed) paid more than they should have. It was not okay. She almost flipped in the restaurant.


So we walked angrily back to the car with her complaining all the way, get out of the horridly small parking garage (how in the HELL do they think that is a 2-way driving in those buildings?) and turned the GPS on to get us to the next place. But it was still messing up. We ended up turning the wrong way, then the wrong way again, and then ended up in one of those streets under the other streets. You know, the kind in Batman that are scary as fuck and you feel like you're going to die. Yeah, one of those. And we couldn't find out way out. Somehow, we came out right by Navy Pier and once we got on Lake Shore Dr. the GPS was like, "HEY, I see you now!" So we made it to the comedy show in Irving Park. It was utterly enjoyable. There was 3 sets of improv groups who were hilarious. The last group had me laughing so hard I was almost crying.


Making it back from this frustrating night, Molly and I fell into bed where I slept until morning. We had plans on driving back into the city to see Rose and Mike one last time and take a drive around the city...but I scrapped those plans. I just wanted to go home. I was done with this weekend. The fact that I stressed about money the whole time and making sure everything was all right (the Libra in me) just tired me out. So the 6 hours home took forever. When I got home, I had one of the most satisfying naps in my life. Seriously.

A last look at the skyline

I saw this sign and I KNEW we weren't lost.

Molly's intense face.

Home sweet Michigan.

Songs From This Trip
1. How to Save a Life- The Fray
2. Moves Like Jagger- Maroon 5
3. Empire State of Mind (part II)- Alicia Keys
4. Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)- Beyonce
5. White Wedding- Billy Idol
6. Crazy Train- Black Sabbath
7. Hillbilly Bone- Blake Shelton
8. Against the Wind- Bob Seger
9. Iris- Boyce Avenue
10. Heroheroine- Boyslikegirls
11. Deranged- Coheed and Cambria
12. Paradise- Coldplay
13. Over You- Daughtry
14. We Shall Be Free- Garth Brooks
15. Beaches of Cheyenne- Garth Brooks
16. Poker Face- Lady Gaga
17. What I've Done- Linkin Park
18. Sexy and I Know It- LMFAO
19. Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynyrd
20. Passionate Kisses- Mary Chapin Carpenter