The weather is getting chilly, the holidays are creeping around the corner, and that made me remember to dig this video out of the archives! We had a quick overnight “staycation” in Chicago, around this time LAST YEAR, when Joe was about to turn the big 4-0! He’s a Christmas baby, so his birthday usually ends up being swept to the side…but not this time! We wanted to make this one memorable and special. So we packed our overnight bags, secured a baby sitter, and ventured into the city, like two excited teenagers.
At this point, Lincoln was 8 months old, and this was our FIRST TIME alone together since we became parents, so I’d say a date was long overdue! It felt freeing, weird, a little sad, and exhilarating at the same time. Everything was fun, even walking down the street without a stroller, and sitting down to a hot meal!
Thanks to a gift card from my sister, we were able to wine and dine at RPM Italian, Bill and Giuliana Rancic’s restaurant, and fulfill my reality show junky dreams. My favorite dish there was Mama DePandi’s Bucatini. They talk about it a lot on the show, so I expected it to be overrated. But I was so surprised at just how GOOD it really was. It’s a simple dish, but a definite must try! Watch our video to see the rest of our mini-restaurant review.
Then we dropped some major coin to watch Hamilton! This was something Joe had been wanting to do for a while, so we knew it was time. It was so different than what I expected from a Broadway Show, but it was a fantastic experience. Too bad I was half-distracted thinking about Lincoln, wondering how he was doing, whilst simultaneously battling a sudden sore throat. I think as we walked around that chilly night, my body broke down because I was finally so relaxed!
The next morning, we woke up to explore the city, in a somewhat less touristy fashion. We decided to aimlessly walk around without a plan, pick up donuts, and stop by some stores that Joe would enjoy. Our last hot meal of the trip landed us in Evanston, IL for some salt and pepper squid and beef cubes at Joy Yee. But this is when we bust out the heart-to-heart and interview with Joe. I wanted him to reflect back on his 40 years of life, and share his feelings about it. So for those of you wanting to see more of Joe, here’s your chance!
Besides watching a show, this trip was quite ordinary, and yet so much fun. It took us a minute to remember how to vlog again, after our long hiatus, and also how to enjoy each other’s company, to remember life together, before we had a baby. Thanks for coming along with us on our quick trip to the city. By the time we post this, Joe will be actually closer to 41, but we thought it was still worth documenting and sharing, to remember this important landmark in his life.
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