Spring Break in Chicago

I saw snow fall for the first time and it was the most magical thing ever. Don't get me wrong, I've seen snow on the ground before, in Big Bear and New York, but being a Socal native, I've never seen a snowfall. Every year my husband and I travel out of state. The last two years we traveled to warmer climates, this year we went to Chicago and had a fantastic time. 

Happy at the beginning

I lost these glasses and I loved them so much!!

I love the big city. I love the shopping, the art, the food and the nightlife. I love the ease of getting around. Chicago was one of the last "big cities" for me to travel to and it didn't disappoint. Be prepared, public restrooms rarely have seat covers, there are only hand driers (these spread germs and spray feces on your face) and charge for bags.   

The views from our room at the Wyndham Grand Riverfront were amazing. I love staying in the timeshare. I feel like I'm at home. Of course you have to deal with the constant sales calls. My hubs and I just ignore them. 

Chicago is known for it's stuffed deep dish pizza. I'm not a fan of deep dish myself, but when in Rome. Our first stop was Bella Bacinos Italian Restaurant. The pizza was good and I enjoyed it. We also had deep dish at Giordano's. This is supposed to be a popular tourist destination. By the end of the trip, I was tired of pizza. 

The first thing we did was brave the freezing temperature to go on a sightseeing tour of Chicago's architecture on Wendella's boat tours. I enjoyed learning about the city's history. The tickets were a bit pricey, but the 75 minute ride was well worth it.

Tax in the city is ridiculously high, be forewarned. It's 10% in the city. I didn't shop a lot. I didn't have room in my suitcases anyway. I had to bring heavy winter coats. You see, because I live in California, it takes my body a few days to adjust to the cold weather, and oh boy was it cold. I thought it was colder than my trip to Massachusetts in November. I don't think that temps reached higher than 34 degrees. 

We spent a lot of time going to the museums. It was a cultural trip. We first went to The Museum of Contemporary Art. I wasn't a fan. Looking back, I wish we would have gone to the Art Institute of Chicago. It holds one of my favorite van Gogh's. 

We also visited one of the public libraries in the city. We went to the Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium. Adler and Shedd were both located near each other. If you have the time, it's easier to kill two birds with one stone. Since we didn't leave our room before noon any day that we were there, we had to make two trips to the area. Take the 146 bus, not Uber.  I also suggest getting a city pass. It gets you to the head of the line in most places. You get tickets to The Field Museum, The Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Willis Tower, and either the Adler Planetarium or The Art Institute of Chicago, but not both.

Public transportation makes getting around the city a travelers dream. We took the Metro to Wrigley Field. We couldn't go on a tour of the stadium, but we had a good time walking around the Wrigley area. I suggest getting a metro pass for the week. They aren't that expensive and can be used on bus fare too. Parking in the city is ridiculously expensive too, that's why we didn't rent a car, parking would have cost us $66 a night. 

One night we went on a "Gangsters and Ghosts"  tour of the city. It was ok. I think I would have preferred to also go on just a gangster tour and had drinks at a former speakeasy.  I didn't find that there was much of either gangster or ghost on the tour, so we were slightly disappointed. I had a good time nonetheless, looking at the beautiful historical sites. Our tour guide showed us the beginning of Route 66. Now I can say I've been to the beginning and end of famous Route 66. 

Did you know that Sears Tower is no longer called Sears Tower? It's called Willis Tower now. It's super sad, because the last Sears store in the city is closing down this year. I think I would have liked to visit the Hancock building and "Tilt". The day we went, it was closed for a private party and a visibility of zero.  From the Willis Tower, you can see three states on a clear day; Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. 

Navy Pier was another tourist trap. We had a lovely dinner at a seafood restaurant called Riva's on the pier, but the pier itself is geared more towards kids. They have a children's museum, and arcade. There was a lot of remodeling going on, and it probably wasn't the best season to visit the pier. It did snow the night we were there. 

The shopping is of course amazing. I feel like if I can get it back home, I shouldn't be buying it on vacation. Michigan Ave. has Magnificent Mile. A mile of upscale shops on both sides of the street. We visited two Macy stores and two Sephoras. I just loved to window shop. 

I love movie While You Were Sleeping. To be able to watch that film and identify the locations is really cool. Of course we heard about Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which ironically was also filmed in Long Beach. I was wishing that there was some sort of John Hugh's tour, but sadly, there wasn't. 

The city views were amazing. There was so much to do, I don't feel that we even scratched a portion of the surface. Oh well, it looks like I'll have to travel back to this gorgeous city!!

My favorite picture

One of my dreams has always been to work in the media. It was a privilege to see the Tribune building. 

My sad face having to leave this magical city!

Overall, we had an amazing, cold adventure in the city. I was sad to have it come to an end, but life isn't a vacation. now, we can't wait to start planning our next destination. 

I Spend TOO Much Money on Stuff.

Looking back on my 2017, I've realized that I spend way too much money on "stuff" (a word I tell my students never to use in an essay). I'm not talking about the essentials like groceries, gas, car payment and utilities, I'm talking about all of the other things. Do I think that I'm a compulsive shopper? Maybe, that's why I'm trying to set some goals for myself. I have to STOP shopping. 

I was unemployed for 2 years and didn't shop at all. I wore clothes with holes and spent all the money that I had saved. Don't get me wrong, I have a savings now, but It doesn't have quite the amount that I would like or that I once had prior to my unfortunate circumstance (unemployment).  I learned at that time, that I didn't need "stuff" just because I wanted it. I really have to go back to that way of thinking. Just because I want something doesn't mean I need it.

Listed below are the things I spend my money on. I use my gift cards, but often times I go over the amount and have to spend some of my own money. 

1.  Makeup:  I'm obsessed with it. Days that I go without, my husband tells me I look beautiful. I know I don't wear it for him. I wear it for me. Putting on a face of makeup is very relaxing to me. It's like an art project, where you're painting a picture, in this case the picture is your face. 

2. Clothes: What girl doesn't like clothes? (and weights fluctuate, unfortunately).

3.  Shoes: See the comment from above.

4. Jewelry: Same sentiment as point #2

5. Purses: Same as above, BUT!!!! Once a year my husband go to Vegas. There is an outlet mall that we go to and  I usually hit up the Coach outlet store. I have one not to far from me. For some reason we never shop there.  In 2016, my husband and I went to Orlando and also went to the outlet mall there. I bought a bag, so when we traveled to Vegas in 2016, I didn't buy a thing. When we went to Vegas for the new year, I bought two.

6.  Books:  I love to read, but I have a backlog of books that would keep me entertained for the next five years. Many of my books (except those purchased at Barnes and Nobel with a gift card) are bought at used book stores or library book sales. 

7.  Movies: My husband and I got to the movies often. I love movies because I don't have to give them the long term commitment I would a television show. Don't get me wrong, I have a few shows I watch on regular T.V., I just prefer film. We know how expensive movies can be. 

8.  Coffee: I get Starbucks for free, It's a Grind I have to pay for. 

9.  Travel:  From this list, this is probably my favorite thing to do. An airplane ticket is very pricey, let alone two.

10: Entertainment other than movies: My husband and I like to do new things. This means tickets to Cirque de Soleil, concerts, musicals, plays, art exhibits, etc. These things cost money, but they're also giving us AMAZING experiences. This isn't considered "stuff", therefore these are the things that I will continue to spend my money on. 

For the month of January I implemented a "no buy zone", meaning that I am not buying anything other than food for the household. I will be shopping from my own stash. And as I write this, I realized that I did buy some shower gel and a blush from Flower Beauty. I also needed cotton balls, so I'm not sure if that counts. 

Moral of this lesson, I hated being unemployed, I really did, but I liked having a more simple life. 

Spring Break in Texas

I have been a California girl my entire life, born and raised, but I love to travel. I love history and I'vealways wanted to visit San Antonio. I remember watching Miss Congeniality and seeing Riverwalk and wanting to be like "Sally Freebush" (what a horrible alias, I know the intended implication). Last year when Tim and I traveled to Florida, we had a layover in Texas. That's when I decided that Spring 2017 we were going to the Alamo!

This trip was very different than the trip we took the year before to Orlando. I felt like we were on the go every day in Orlando. In San Antonio, we moved at our own pace. We could relax and have fun.

First off, my husband wasn't to keen on the idea and when asked whose idea was it to go to Texas, he quickly responded with "It was Jonelle's idea."  Whenever we told people our travel plans, we were met with the following replies, "Oh.....Texas?" "Ugh, why Texas?" "Who goes to Texas?" "What's there to do in Texas?"

I was starting to have some doubts



Day 1: Saturday, April 15th. Our flight from John Wayne to Phoenix was a disaster. I LOVE my husband, but traveling with him is always a disaster. He moved in the X-ray, (extremely dangerous radiation) security machine. Because of his movements, he had to have a cavity search (just kidding, but he was padded down extensively). In the meantime, I had collected his belongings. When I gave everything to him, he was missing his boarding pass. An argument ensued, I left  him to his own devices to grab lunch. Of course we made up by the time we boarded the plane and he was able to get a new boarding pass from the counter.

Our landing in Phoenix was bumpy and I thought I was going to get sick. The Phoenix airport is the worst airport. I really do hate it. It's too crowded and the walk from one gate to another is ridiculous.

Our arrival in San Antonio was 1000 X's better!! We got to San Antonio at a reasonable hour, grabbed our car rental and drove the short distance to the Wyndham La Cascada. We were treated so well by everyone at the hotel!! The view was spectacular. We were right on the Riverwalk. Because it was late and we hadn't eaten, we decided to walk a few blocks to a local "tourist trap" called Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery.  The decor was similar to Buca di Beppo. It was loud and bright, but completely fun. The food was good, not great, but extremely satisfying. After dinner we walked around the city then went back to our condo for the night.

Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery

Wyndham La Cascada

Day 2: Sunday, April 16th. We woke up late. Tim went to the cathedral for Easter Sunday mass. When he got back we got our car and explored the city. Stop 1 Whataburger. Definitely not In n' Out. I know this is the big burger chain in Texas, but In n' Out is so much better. We then went to Trader Joe's to pick up some basic groceries for the week. We had a kitchen in our condo, so why not save a few bucks and eat a couple of meals at home. That night we strolled Riverwalk, took a boat tour and again walked around the city. Riverwalk is beautiful, but lacks really good shopping. You have the Riverwalk Center Mall, where we bought Spurs T-Shirts, go Gasol!!, and La Villita Arts Village. I wasn't impressed with the mall or the stores. There was nothing spectacular and this trip, I didn't get to go outlet shopping.

Day 3: Monday, April 17th. Another day of a lot of walking. We walked to the mall, grabbed some ice cream, and some coffee. We went up to the pool on the roof of our building. We didn't go swimming, just looked at the city view. That night, I went to my very first basketball game. Since Gasol is a former Lakers player, I didn't feel bad about rooting for the Spurs in their playoff game. After the game we listened to music at Rock n Brews. We have one right by our house, but it was fun anyway.  We watched a local cover band and got to listen to some rock music.

Day 4: Tuesday, April 18th. The Alamo. We spent this day at The Alamo.  I love history, so this was one of my favorite days. The actual museum is very small. It only takes a few hours to go through the grounds and read all the plaques. We rented the audio guides for $7, not worth it. I loved the Alamo. After The Alamo we ate sandwiches at Potbelly Sandwich Shop. From there, we walked back to the condo and got ready for our fancy martini bar, called SoHo Wine and Martini Bar. It looked like a 1920's speakeasy. I loved it in there. I tried their coconut creme brulee and s'mores martinis. They were yummy and almost too pretty to drink. The bar had late hours, but since it was a Tuesday, things started to die down by around 11.  We Uber(ed) it to the bar, but since it was really close to the condo (something we realized after taking Uber) we just walked back home. We met some really cool people and had a really great night.



SoHo Wine and Martini Bar




Day 5 Wednesday, April 19th. This day was another favorite. We drove a few miles out of the city to the San Antonio Botanical Garden. It was just lovely. I picked up a few souvenirs for family and then we spent the rest of the day enjoying the beautiful gardens. In the middle of this garden there's a little lake with a cabin. It was so peaceful and beautiful, but very hot!! After the garden, we went home to get ready for our "anniversary dinner"  at the Chart House in the Tower of the Americas. Our concierge said that if we told them we were celebrating an anniversary, they would give us a free dessert. Well, they didn't. We did get a custom paper menu wishing us a happy 9th anniversary. Our anniversary isn't until June. I have to say I wasn't impressed with The Chart House. We have one in Orange County, so it really wasn't special. What was special was the rotating restaurant during sunset. The ambiance was so romantic. The drinks were yummy. I loved my lobster mac and cheese. My husband wasn't impressed with his dinner, so we shared the mac and cheese. Again we Uber(ed) that night, but when dinner was over we walked through this beautiful park, back to our condo. We didn't realize how close the Tower was until we got to the restaurant and could see our condo.



San Antonio Botanical Garden

Tower of the Americas




Day 6 Thursday, April 20th. The start of Fiesta. We got to hit up the beginning of Fiesta, San Antonio's annual celebration, which is similar to Mardi Gras, but according the residents bigger than Mardi Gras. This was the day that I tried to purchase something from an aroma wax shop and my ATM card was declined. Someone had cloned my card and spent over $500. My bank was amazing and they took care of things immediately. So back to fiesta, people collect these pins, like Disney pin collectors. You can earn them for free or purchase them. I donated money to an animal rescue, so I got a cute pink dog pin. That night we ate at a really cool hipster restaurant outside of King William Historic District called La Tuna Grill. The food was very good and healthy. My husband got the Country Chicken Fried Steak and I ordered the Garden Bean Veggie Burger. Again, I loved the ambiance. The night was warm, not too hot, but being outside under the stars was nice.

La Tuna Grill

Fiesta San Antonio

Day 7 Friday, April 21st. Our last full day!! At this point in my trip (during any trip) I start getting depressed. Having to leave makes me sad. The day started with a walk up the river to the King William Historic District. I felt like I was back in New Orleans. We walked all around the beautiful houses then had coffee, and soup and sandwiches at the Mad Hatter's Tea House. I loved it there. It obviously is decorated like Alice in Wonderland at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. From there, we walked to the Menger Hotel to await our very exciting dinner and ghost walking tour!! Our guide was featured on Ghost Adventures, the Myrtle Plantation episode. We went with the Sister's Grimm Dinner Tour, just FYI. They have a few different tours to choose from. What I like about these, and I've been on many,  is that you get a historical tour of the city, with some ghost stories added in. Who doesn't love a great ghost story? This was the day we walked the most and the furthest. I won't go into details about the ghost tour, except that we started with dinner at the Menger hotel and then went from there. This was another one of my favorite days. Our tour ended pretty late. We stopped off for coffee at Starbucks after,  and hit up Whataburger one last time. This was the first weekend of Fiesta, so the city was out of control crowded. Police were everywhere. Yes, it was a Friday night, but the Saturday before was completely dead.


Mad Hatter's Tea

Sister's Grimm Ghost Tour

King William Historical District

Day 8 Saturday, April 22nd.  Our last day. Our flight left San Antonio at six in the evening. That day, we went out for breakfast at a German restaurant called Schilo's. Our waitress was great!! After that we went back to the Riverwalk Mall to watch Gifted (me) and The Fast and the Furious movie (Tim).  Once our movies were done, we drove to the car rental and jumped on the tram to catch our flight. We had a layover in Phoenix once again. This is probably one of the worst airports I've ever flown into.



Things I've learned.....
I didn't need a rental car for the $24 a day we had to pay to park. We only used it twice during our trip.
Don't fly into Phoenix for a layover. That airport is way too crowded. We had a problem the year before, I should have known better.
I love San Antonio and would really like to visit again.
Oh yes, I forgot, we did eat BBQ one day, at a place called Augie's Alamo City BBQ. They drink a special drink, I forgot the name.
Next up Chicago!!!  I can't wait!!!!