So, I wrote this book, a Chicago-area travel guide for families with tweens and teens. Have you heard? Yesterday, I got the best email from my publisher. The subject line said “It is done!” (I mean seriously, I bet even YOU were beginning to wonder if this book would ever be done. Am I right?) What that means is, the final edits have been made on the typesetter’s end, and the book has been uploaded to the printer. By the beginning of next week, I should have an actual sample copy in my hands. Once that happens, I will look at the book, make sure the cover isn’t on upside-down…
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Hey! ANOTHER New Book About Chicago That Will Rock Your World!
As humans, we naturally seek out people who have things in common with us. Though differences make things interesting and I definitely wouldn’t want to spend much time with someone who is identical to me in every way, I enjoy discovering qualities in others that align with mine. Egotistical? Maybe. But you do it too, so don’t judge. (You DO, right?) It’s a warm and fuzzy thing to find that someone else shares my love of, say, the British royals. Or someone who understands my need to make to-do lists because they also make them. Or someone who also gets annoyed at parents who are afraid to say “no” to…
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The Day Burt Reynolds Kissed Me
Okay, so it was an air kiss, but I was right next to him at the time and not only was it meant just for me, but there was full eye contact. Let me tell you about it. There are two theaters in my area (one in my town, and one in my sister’s town, right next door to mine!) that are the kind where you sit in comfy chairs and order from menus (real food, if you want, like burgers and pizza and chicken, but they also–of course–serve popcorn and other movie treats), and servers bring stuff to you. These theaters also host events at least one or two…
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Green River
St. Patrick’s Day is huge in Chicago. The Irish bars are full to overflowing (more than bars in general are usually full) for a couple of weeks before the holiday, and it seems like half of civilization makes the pilgrimage to the city–that is, if they don’t already live there–on the Saturday before March 17, for the big parade. OH, and the ritual of turning the Chicago River green. What’s that? You thought the Chicago River was already on the green side? Well, yes, sort of. Here’s how the river usually looks: The shade of green it has displayed for more than forty years in honor of St. Patty’s Day…
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Party Like A Rock Star
Jim and I headed to the city yesterday for an overnighter. We had few concrete plans except to stand next to the Chicago River this morning at 10:00 and watch the annual “Dyeing of the Chicago River” for St. Patrick’s Day. (more on that in the next post). The two of us had all Friday evening to paint the town red, raise the roof, and cause a general ruckus. We were very, very excited to let loose in the city and looked forward to a wild night. Here’s our actual timeline: 5:42 p.m. Arrived in Chicago at Union Station. Hailed a cab for transport to hotel. 5:55 p.m. Still in…