Who's afraid of a little cold??

Jen came to visit this weekend! I have really missed her, and we have had the best time. I had a 4 day weekend thanks to an institute day as well as MLK Day. So, being the insane people we are we decided to hang out in Chicago. It was only 3 degrees below zero with a windchill of -20 or so!

So we bundled up, hopped on the train and spent a good four hours traipsing around the frigid city on Friday having a blast. All told we walked 4 1/2 miles and spent about four hours in places like Millennium Park, Pioneer Court and Navy Pier.

Of course, crazy people that we are, that was not enough. Oh no. On Sunday we talked Kim into driving us back downtown and spent several more hours running around Belmont Harbor, North Avenue Beach, the Museum Campus and Northerly Island. And we rewarded ourselves with lunch and drinks at Uncommon Ground near Wrigley Field.

Yes, we Chicagoans are made of hearty/hardy stock. And Jen? She is just a misplanted Texan. :)

Washington Street - does the bluish cast make it look cold?

Chicago is sooooooooo proud of Barack Obama!!


Cloudscape aka "the Bean"

Kelsey and Jen under "the Bean."

J. Steward Johnson's "God Bless America" at Pioneer Court.
Last time we saw this Jen and I were in Key West.
Slight difference in temperature!

I think the moose was at home in the cold!

Taken from the upper terrace at the north end of Navy Pier.

Stained Glass Museum at Navy Pier. Great way to warm up!

We were outside for 4 hours or so......except for coffee at Starbucks to warm up!

Kim and Jen at Belmont Harbor on Sunday.

Looking south from Belmont Harbor.

Karen's drink: Frida Kahlo: YUMMY!(vanilla bean vodka, omanhene fair trade chocolate, kahlua,spicy cinnamon-cayenne)
Jen's Drink: Tree-Tini: (organic ginger infused rain vodka, liquor 43, tart apple syrup
& apple cider)
BEST OF ALL? For every Tree-Tini ordered, Uncommon Ground plants a tree! Who knew a cocktail could help save the earth?

Kelsey's Drink. It was YUMMY! !
Haute Chocolat
(orange liqueur, omanhene chocolate, vanilla steamed milk,
topped with whipped cream, orange zest & nutmeg)

Hanging out at North Avenue Beach..... :)

Jen and Kelsey at North Avenue Beach.

Looking south from North Avenue Beach.

It was a gorgeous day!

While we were at Northerly Island the clouds started rolling in...

Jen at the Adler Planetarium.