I am really excited for today because my lovely sister, Annika, is here to talk about her time in Chicago this weekend. You’ll get to see her perspective on The Windy City and some great photos she snapped while visiting. Enjoy!
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Hello beautiful people! I had a blast this week on the family trip to Chicago to visit Dayna! Growing up, we’ve always been extremely close, so this summer being without my favorite person/best friend/role model/partner-in-crime has been difficult for sure. Some good family time was just what the Reyna family needed!
This trip was my second visit to Chicago, and was much more enjoyable than the first time I visited in March, when freezing snow covered everything. Chi-Town is beautiful in every way…the people, the weather (which if I may point out, is a far more pleasant than the Texas heat I’m back in), the architecture, and of course THE FOOD.
Eataly is basically one of the most amazing places I have ever been. We have traveled quite a bit, yet I have never seen a restaurant quite like this. Their slogan is the Italian phrase “alti cibi,” which means “high food.” As soon as you walk in, you find a market full of fresh produce and dessert bars galore. You can then take an escalator to the second floor, or what should be known as Heaven on earth. Every form of Italian deliciousness is spread out into different mini restaurant areas – thankfully there are pictures to guide us non-Italian speaking folks. Homemade bread and noodles, fresh seafood, pasta, cheeses, and wines, oh my! I probably would’ve been ok with just staying there instead of the hotel for the week.
Exploring the lake was another one of the coolest things we did during our visit. The warm breeze and sunshine made the perfect setting for a good run. I couldn’t help but pause to get a picture with this breath taking view of the city! After cleaning up, my parents and I went back to sit along the water and enjoy a picnic in the shade.
We entertained ourselves throughout the day with lots of good shopping down Magnificent Mile while we waited for Dayna to finish up work. It was so nice to have her with us all day on the weekend! She took us biking, to the farmer’s market (read more about that here), the beach, and her favorite restaurants around town.
She was by far the best tour guide and saying goodbye to her this time was not terribly difficult because I knew it would only be for a few weeks! I can’t wait to visit this incredible city again. Chicago has definitely scored high on the list of my favorite places. If you have the chance to visit, I hope you can take advantage of all it has to offer. You know what they say, “When in Rome…” – well, I guess I should say “When in Chicago!”
Hope everyone is having a good week!
With love,
Annika Reyna
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Isn’t she the cutest?
Go Nik go!