Back in Chicago

Downtown Chicago
So after two years, I finally was able to visit Chicago again (or the Chi-Town, lol.) I was very excited to be back. The city life excites me. I went with my mom and this time around we got a chance to ride around Chicago. It was so interesting to see the diversity and changes from street to street. You could tell when you were in a mostly Hispanic or Italian neighborhood. The names of the restaurants and markets would let you know what ethnicity populated in the particular areas. This was one of the more interesting things I noticed this time. I’m sharing my pictures, places I went, and tips in this post. So sit back, enjoy the read and photos.

EATTING IN CHICAGO

Chicago Eats This time we stuck to what we knew and decided we definitely needed to go back to Portillos. They have the best hot dog I've ever had. It was the "regular" hot dog: hot dog with mustard, relish, onions, sliced tomatoes, a kosher pickle and sport peppers on a poppy seed bun. Yum, yum, and more yum. Even better, we were there during Hot Dog Week. 2 for $5. I had to forget my gluten-free diet back in Louisville for it (lol.) Also we went a restaurant called Cooper Hawks. I tried their Asian Pork Belly Tostados and they were yummy. There was avocado on the top of them, and that was different (I’m not big on avocado.)

Glitter Coffee

During my blog shoot, we went to a super cute coffee shop, suggested by Hannah (the photographer.) I had to the glitter laced hot chocolate so I'm officially a blogger *puts on my stunna shades*. It was one of those "Omg I've seen that on the internet before" things. My mom enjoyed her coffee also, so I believe it’s a definite go-to if you visit.

DOWNTOWN CHICAGO AND SHOPPING

Burberry Chicago Shopping here, shopping there. High rises, sky scrappers  and 3 Whole Foods. I love downtown Chicago. This time around we made sure we tackled theand more shopping of course. We went to a store called Eloquii. It is a fashion brand for plus sizes and I've been begging my mom to go.  First off, the store was very  appealing. The walls included artwork, and pretty soft colors. The ladies that worked there were so helpful and sweet . All of these things made the overall experience a 10/10. I was happy my mom found some things she liked and we got champagne while she tried on clothes (cheers to that.)

Eloquii store

THE HAPPY PLACE

Interactive museum So, probably what you're here for. The Happy Place is an interactive museum. Interactive museums have become a big thing for social media goers, especially Instagrammers. I'd seen them on Instagram and I was like, "Oh they found a cute place to take a picture." In actuality these places are set-up for you to take cute pictures. The Happy Place was bright, colorful, and ultimately happy. My mom and I turned into big kids and I learned my mom has quite a photogenic side. She had the poses down packed and helped me a-lot. Goes to show there’s a little millennial in all of us.

The Happy Place In Chicago

TIPS ON VISITING CHICAGO

Alright, so since this is my second time to Chicago, I have to tips to share (yay.) and I hope it helps someone who is visiting.

1. Stay downtown. Just do it. You may save money by staying 5-20 miles out but time is money. You will spend more time in traffic trying to get downtown and also to park (not to even mention the rates.) So be stress free and stay downtown.

2. If you want to try the main attractions, like the 360 Chicago or Skydeck, museums, and the aquarium, try the CityPASS. Even if you only want to try 3 or 4 of the things you'll save money by buying it. It also includes coupons!

3. Dont be afraid to try the public transportation. The city does offer bus tours and trolleys. Be mindful of the times they do run and stop. It may/may not work for your plans. But if anything does go wrong or you want to try cheaper; the bus is awesome! It was clean and they run often in the downtown area.

4. Do not be afraid to go outside of downtown. Lots of culture exists and obviously more shopping. With traveling always be safe, and do not allow the "Chicago is so dangerous" myth get to you.

My trip overall was great. Next time if I visit for leisure, I'd love to make it to the beach, and also learn more history about Chicago. We often visit places and forget to learn the history. Big cities are so rich in history, so I definitely want to do that next time. Have you visited Chicago before or do you have any big cities you love to visit?

Read about my last visit to Chicago here: "See You Again Chi-Town"