Yesterday: We checked out of the hotel on Brompton Street and Dave took us to their apartment in Logan Square, where we are staying until tomorrow when we will drive to Michigan. After dropping off my stuff, I took the el back downtown and met up with Claire on Michigan Ave to do some shoppin.

My goal was to find some sessy black pants, and I kind of did, but they are at Nordstrom so I figured why take up more room in my suitcase? They are bootylicious. I can get them later. I also bought some very pink Pumas; the result of poor packing on my part. I managed to bring open toed sandals and large clunky boots with me to Chicago, but no sneakers.

Claire had to go back to work, so I was on my own. I walked along the Mile and stopped on a bench at the Old Water Tower to rest my feet and watch people passing by.

That night I made a large pot of my homemade pasta sauce and we had garlic bread and red wine with our hosts Dave, Ryan, and Mark. After that we played Trivial Pursuit and I was disappointed with my not winning. I get a bit competitive with those things though.

Went to bed very late, and I lay there listening to the wind screaming all night and banging objects around outside. I kind of liked it in a weird way. The rain followed in the morning, and when I got up, it was very grey and cold outside.

We puttered around with Dave for awhile, and then finally bundled up as much as we could and walked down Lincoln to this French bistro to eat lunch. I had a croque monsieur which was exceptional, and a cup of coffee. Dave and Brian decided that our waiter “didn’t like us,” but I thought he seemed alright. He was tall and very lanky and blonde and pale and sort of dopey looking, so as Dave and Brian made fun of him and I called him “Sven,” I was also secretly casting him as the lead in my “book.” Well not really, but the resemblance was a little spooky.

Outside it was shockingly cold to this west coast girl, especially given that I walked around in a t-shirt most of yesterday, and this morning felt my cheeks chapping as soon as we stepped outside. The only thing that bothered me about it was that I wasn’t better prepared.

That’s the thing about weather; as long as you’re prepared, it’s not such a big deal.

Tonight we are going to dinner with Allison and Jesse in Boystown, and after that I’m sure we’ll just improvise.

Dave just brought me a bowl of popcorn. What a pal.