Chicago Lake Street Bridge

My advice is often requested by visitors and tourists for what to do and see in Chicago. As a born and bred Chicagoan,  I’m pretty persnickety about what passes for essential Chicago sights. You’ll never hear me telling people to head to the Magnificent Mile or to check out Navy Pier.  Yes, both  of these spots are popular Windy City attractions but neither of these glitzy destinations truly define Chicago.  If you only had a  day to grab a sense of Chicago history and attitude, these are the five things I’d suggest for your itinerary: Read More »

The Dr. AJ Chandler Park in Downtown Chandler, directly across from the San Marcos Resort.

I’ve been living in Chandler Arizona for about sixteen years. Most of the time when my husband and I are looking for a romantic weekend, we venture outside of our home town. However, there are some great lodging, dining, and entertainment options within just a few miles of our house that, when combined with an overnight stay, make for a romantic weekend without traveling all that far.

The Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort is located in historic downtown Chandler. The hotel was built in 1912, is on the National Register of Historic places, and recently underwent a $4 million dollar renovation. The resort itself features an 18-hole golf course, tennis, and swimming. AJ’s Cafe features award-winning dining and the resort’s famous buffet – folks come from miles around for the Prime Rib buffet on Saturday nights. Or you can stroll along the sidewalks of the downtown area and partake of several options from casual to fine dining, then window shop among the stores and galleries. Downtown Chandler is enjoying a boom in economic development, and the San Marcos is an anchor for the town square. Events regularly held in the downtown area include classic car shows, farmers markets, movie nights, art shows, and food festivals.

Read More »

C-House Restaurant

Sauveur Magazine may have recently named Chicago as America’s  new culinary star but anybody who’s ever visited the Windy City knows that’s it’s always been all about the food.  Yes, we do phenomenal pizza, steaks, brats and any other fatty, heavy , Midwestern cliche dish you can imagine.  But Chicago also boasts a dizzying array of world class cuisine from Italian to Thai, it’s all covered.  As a casual foodie, I always look forward to  the annual Chicago Restaurant Week to sample some of the eateries that I haven’t had the chance to try. This year’s event runs February 18-27 and my reservations are already in place. Read More »

Learning the ropes.

I can relate to this picture on many levels. Except I’m hairier. True story.

This is family fun at its finest. You and your little primates can stop in and watch the good times fly (also, poop) at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida.

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays

Photo by Kthypryn via Flickr