Our Chicago Staycation

As you know, we’re still not really traveling. We have a road trip planned, but only because it looked like things were getting better and then as quickly as that came, it went back to being horrible again. So, yes, we will be going on that trip, but that’s probably it for the near future. For now, we’re continuing our Destination Date Night series. 

We’ve been wanting to visit Chicago for quite some time, and we’ve done a few virtual tours during the pandemic to help feel like we’re going somewhere and to support tour guides who are out of work for the time being. One was a haunted history of Lincoln Park and another was a cool haunted river tour. (Can you tell we like haunted stories?) So, while we’re waiting until we can really visit Chicago, this was the next best thing.

I chose a great evening view of the Chicago River, because I knew that would be a big part of our “trip”. I liked that we could see the skyline. I also chose a background with the Buckingham Fountain, a landmark of Millennium Park that isn’t The Bean (Cloud Gate) that is part of everyone’s photos. I thought this was a more interesting and unique view and didn’t make me think of Anish Kapoor and how he’s the jerk of the art world. If you don’t know this story, please take some time to read about it when you’re done here. 

A lot of my backdrop had a blue color, so I went full out and added a bight blue tablecloth to my table then added some Chicago mainstays: 

• Ferris wheel, first built in 1892, and now an iconic part of Navy Pier (a different wheel was built for this). This was America’s answer to the Eiffel Tower. 
• The Chicago flag. I didn’t actually know that cities within states had their own flags, but the Chicago flag is pretty good looking.
• The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. This was a fun one, since I love the Wienermobile and once looked into touring with it. Oscar Mayer moved from Germany to Detroit and then to Chicago where he started his famous deli brand. I figured I needed a mini version of the mobile, and all orders come with a Wienermobile whistle, which is what you see in the mums.

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