Last spring we went to NYC for a few days. I love New York! Who doesn’t?
The view from the HighLine
Spring flowers on the HighLine
Buildings along the HighLine
A pretty door in the Meatpacking District
Chelsea Market
Eataly!
Schnippers, New York
Stairs, New York City
Delicious Pie from Four and Twenty Blackbirds in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn, NYC
Brooklyn, NYC
Brooklyn, NYC
In September my parents and my brother and sister-in-law came to visit. We did a lot of tourist stuff, since we were practically tourists ourselves back then. We ate a ton of good food and saw a lot of stuff, too.
They stayed at The Aqua. It’s new and really cool. There is a hotel, condos, and apartments. They rented a condo on the 40th floor.
The Aqua, Chicago.
The Aqua Building was designed to look like water.
The Aqua Building, Chicago.
The Aqua, Chicago.
Sunday we had lunch in our tiny apartment and dessert on the roof deck, then we walked from our apartment in Lincoln Park through the zoo and down into the Gold Coast and had dinner at Gibson’s Steakhouse, which was awesome.
The tigers at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
The fam in Lincoln Park.
Huge steaks, delicious cocktails, sides and wine at Gibsons in Chicago.
David and Sarah relaxing outside at The Aqua.
On Monday we took a tour with the Chicago Trolley and Double Decker Company. It was actually really fun and informative. Highly recommended.
Chicago Trolley Company's Signature Tour.
We sat on the top of the double decker and got some good pictures.
Since the tour is “hop on, hop off” and there are designated spots to do this, we opted to get off on Taylor St. and go to Rosebud for lunch.
We are serious about lunch.
Sarah and David like to share entrees. Good idea, I'll share, too!
My dad had the Penne Bolognese (it was delicious). We "shared" it.
Mike had the Spaghetti and meatballs (it was delicious).
I had this insane thing: Cavatelli Ala Rosebud. I still dream about this dish. It was one of the best things I've ever eaten. My dad and I were supposed to share it but I wound up scarfing most of it myself. It's basically a gnocchi-like pasta with grean beans, tomatoes, peppers, and a butter sauce. OMG.
After lunch we got back on the trolley and finished the tour. Later that night we went to the John Hancock Building’s Signature Room and had drinks and checked out the view from the 95th floor.
Fancy cocktails at The Signature Room.
Tuesday we started out at Big Star in Wicker Park. The service was sort of lame and we felt like they weren’t that thrilled to have us non-hipsters out on their patio for everyone to see, but the food was really good. The margarita was not great, though, and overall we like Taco Joint in Lincoln Park better.
Yummy tacos at Big Star in Wicker Park, Chicago.
The margarita was warm and didn't taste like anything special. Plus it was small.
Another delish taco and really good beans- which were attacked by the family before I even got a good picture.
Yet another tasty little taco and the blah margarita. No matter how many pictures I take of it, it isn't going to improve. You can see how everyone else devoured their food.
Then we got on the El to Wrigleyville and wandered around there for awhile.
Mom and dad on the El platform.
Instagram!
Chicago wore them out!
We thought about taking a tour of Wrigley Field but the tickets were $25. REALLY? Yeah. Then we had some cocktails at one of the many bars up there.
Wrigley Field Instagram.
After the drinks we got back on the El and went down to Fullerton in L.P. and had some hot dogs at Chicago’s Dog House.
The 'rents at Chicago's Dog House.
All the yummies at Chicago's Dog House.
Later that evening we took an architectural river cruise with the Chicago Architecture Foundation.
CAF Architectural Cruise
River cruise, CAF.
Some cool shots from the boat.
CAF does great river tours, very informative and fun.
The Wrigley Building a la Instagram.
After the river tour we had drinks and apps at Filini. I had another of my favorite foods ever there.
One of the best things I've ever eaten: the mushroom pizza from Filini, Chicago.
Wednesday was their last day in Chicago so we started out in The Loop at Do-Rite Donuts. Everyone else was food-ed out, but Mike and I enjoyed the donuts very much. Rookies!
Do-Rite Donuts, Chicago.
Then we just hung out in Millenium Park and had lunch at Mariano’s, the neat grocery store/cafe/restaurant by The Aqua.
Sarah and Dave at "The Bean".
Sarah and Dave at "The Bean".
These shots are irresistible.
These shots are irresistible.
Family shot!
LOL, silly.
"The Bean" is really called Cloud Gate.
Awwwww.
David and Dad.
Millenium Park, Chicago
Fun!
Filini: 221 N. Columbus Dr. Chicago, 60601
Filini is in the lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel, which is in the famed Aqua Building in Chicago.
Very modern, open, airy, and pretty, with excellent food and drinks and good service.
We went here and sat in the bar when my parents and my brother and sister-in-law came to visit from L.A. in September. They stayed in a condo in the Aqua, so we went to Filini a couple times while they were visiting. We drank a lot of wine! Then we had a lot of food! It was really fun and a great experience.
David and Sarah at Filini in Chicago
We started with a cheese plate. David had a beer and Sarah had some sort of sparkling wine, which is all the rage with the young people these days, I’ve noticed.
Cheese and breadsticks at Filini Chicago
Then we had the delicious creamy, cheesy artichoke and spinach dip with some flatbreads. Mom and I shared a bottle of Sicilian red wine.
Artichoke and spinach dip
Twinkly and modern ambience at Filini
We ordered a couple of pizzas including a margherita and a sausage, but this one rocked my world! It was sauteed exotic mushrooms, spinach, taleggio cheese, and truffle oil. It was the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. I might have to go get one right now.
Mushroom spinach pizza from Filini, Chicago
We finished the evening with some Italian cookies.
Italian cookies at Filini, Chicago
I love Filini and will go back soon!
Paravicini’s always wins all the prizes for the best Italian food in Colorado Springs. It’s delicious! I recently took the photos for their website and one of my best friends, Janel, works there. But I’m not biased, I’ve been going there forever as you can see by these camera phone pics!
Delicious house salad with fancy bread. And of course a glass of wine!
Fresh bruschetta at Paravicini's.
Penne pasta lunch special
Spaghetti lunch special
The best cannoli in town!
Special seasonal pumpkin tiramisu.
The bar at Paravicini's Colorado Springs
Chef Franco also conducts cooking classes at the restaurant.
Caprese salad, my fave!
Antipasto Plate
Tortellini Carbonara
Prettier picture of the delicious spaghetti and meatballs.
Calamari plate
Excellent tiramisu- everyone's favorite!
An art shot I took for the website
Let's end this post with a cappucino
So we went on over to the dying Academy core and had some Eyetalian food. Mike had an Italian beer and I had a nice glass of chianti.
Typical Old School Italian restaurant decor at Rocco's, Colorado Springs.
I had the homemade spaghetti and the not-homemade ravioli with marinara sauce and meatballs. It was decent but not amazing.
Homemade spaghetti and meatballs, Rocco's, Colorado Springs.
The homemade spaghetti is a little too thick and chewy for my taste.
Homemade spaghetti and meatballs at Rocco's in Colorado Springs.
We finished it off with a cannoli, which are hard to screw up. This one was really good.
Rocco's cannoli.
The service was really great. The food was decent, like I said. We will probably go back because we have another coupon. But maybe we won’t. I don’t know. If we didn’t have a coupon, I can say we pretty sure wouldn’t. It’s a little far from home, it’s in a crappy part of town, and it wasn’t super awesome. There’s other better Italian food in town.