I left my money in Chicago

There are so many things to do in Chicago without doing the same one twice. We love the city and its surroundings for the variety that it offers. On this trip I will take you through my shopping excursions, malls and outlets, two trips to the spa, a visit to historic Oak Park, a few rides on the train, Sears Tower, Navy Pier, and a beautiful architectural boat tour of the Windy City. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did!

Quick Tips:

Wear comfortable shoes since there is lots of walking. Try taking a train, both mainline and subway (the El), just to see the difference between the two. If you have a long train ride, take a book or your iPod; it makes the time go quicker. Be smart. Like in any major metropolitan city, you don't want to seem careless, flashy, or too out-of-place. Take lots of pictures and enjoy yourself!

Best Way To Get Around:

Having a car is handy when travelling in the suburbs of Chicago. Once there, you can park your car for a cheap fee of at a train station so that you can get into downtown. Once you land in Ogilvie Station, you can take a Wendella water taxi for and it will drop you right in the heart of Chi-town on Michigan Avenue, next to the Wrigley building. Walking is always a must to get to most places up and down Michigan Avenue, but if that’s not your thing, there are buses, trolleys, and of course, expensive taxis to get you where you need to go. During the summer, they have a free trolley program that has specific routes. You can find the schedule and routes by looking up the Metra system.

LaQuinta, while billing itself as "Inn and Suites", should just stick to "inn" to save us all the trouble of thinking they are more than they are. Having gotten that out of the way, if you are looking for a moderate place to stay, This works for a short stay of three nights or less.

They have a swimming pool, weather permitting, cable and Internet in each room. The rooms are fair, not huge. The bathroom was a good size, though, with ample counter space. One of our biggest complaints was the lack of space to put your clothes in the room. The closet was tiny--perfect if you were only staying a night or two, but what happened to the "Inn and Suites" for longer stays? We were there for 8 nights. The dresser was ridiculous. It is a faux six-drawer dresser that only has four drawers that are real and workable. This was beyond my comprehension since the dresser itself was using the same floor space for 4 drawers as it would for six.

There was a refrigerator with a microwave that sat right on top of it. Next to that was dead floor space for you to use for dry goods, since there was no counter, cupboard, or cabinet, or you could sit your luggage there, since there wasn't room in the closet or under the bed.

The "free" continental breakfast was okay. Nothing to write home about. Most days were fat- and carb-filled, with a couple days that offered yogurt or hard-bolied eggs. It wasn't consistent, which made it hard to plan whether to eat breakfast in or go elsewhere.

The cleaning service was good. The front desk was hit-or-miss, with some staff who were extremely helpful and some who couldn't give you directions to the nearest highway. They were all friendly, though.

Would I stay here again? Probably not on purpose, if given other choices. Was it horrible--no, not at all. It just lacked what I would expect for someplace that called itself "Inn and Suites". It's really just a moderate- to low-cost hotel.

By the way, from what I understand they allow pets, but I'm not sure of the full cost or policy.

Okay, so you think you're gonna stop on in to have a small bite to eat and rush right on to the million cheesecake flavors they have to choose from and find out that they have this incredible dinner menu. I will make sure you all know this, since no one told my husband and I. The meals are HUGE, so you can share them. Two to three people can eat one entrée. It is insane the amount of food they give you. My husband ordered a chicken dish that was on the special of the day list and I got the roast pork loins. Both of these meals were served with a mound of garlic potato and vegetables. My husbands dish came with three large breasts of chicken. We had leftovers to say the least, and we did order cheesecake to-go. We then proceeded to eat this meal for a day and half afterwards. Oh my! It was a wonderful experience: the atmosphere is very rich, the service was pretty darn good, and the place was packed for dinner on a weekday at 8pm.

I do highly recommend The Cheesecake Factory. It was yummy all the way, and I can't wait to go back again.

If you have ever had fondue, you will love this place. If you have never tried it, now is the perfect time. Most people relate fondue with chocolate, and while that holds true for the dessert portion of the meal, there is so much more. Be prepared if you get all courses: it will be a little costly and you will be definitely very full. There is a lot of food, even though it may seem like there isn't. Appearances are deceiving.

Back to the meal. Starting with the cheese fondue appetizer, which is very yummy, you get a few different choices. Since I do not prefer Swiss, we usually go for a cheddar variety. You'll get bread and apples to dip into the steamy, hot gooey cheese, and it all tastes wonderful. They will then bring you a salad between your appetizer and main course. For the main course, we ordered a combo of fish, chicken, and beef and shared it between the two of us. We chose a broth-type base to boil in, as oil tends to be very heavy on the stomach and messy at the table. The wait staff is quite helpful and will explain all the sauces that come with your fondue and how to cook your meats. Cook times are very important so that you don't undercook anything. Once that filling course is complete, you get to decide on which kind of chocolate fondue you want for dessert. There are like eight different kinds, and they all look sooooo good. With the chocolate, they bring a plate of cut fruits, cakes, and marshmallows for dipping. Pure heaven. If you aren't that hungry and want fondue, you can skip the main course and go for a nice glass of wine, cheese, and chocolate only... it's just as much fun.

When planning a night out to the Melting Pot, give yourself a good amount of time. We usually allot at least 3 hours. This is a leisurely meal, not one to be rushed through. Besides, who wants to hurry when you are having so much fun?

If you have ever fancied Frank Lloyd Wright and liked his architecture or furniture, this is a must-see spot!

Entry tickets cost $12 per person and include a guided tour through the home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. Stories are told of how and when Frank bought the home, built the furniture, or modified the rooms to his liking. You learn about when he built the studio and how he used to travel to work from home to studio. There are pictures you can view of his family and children in an upstairs room, but you are not allowed to take photos inside the house or studio at all.

There is a large locker when you check in for your tour to put your belongings. They ask that you don’t carry bags and totes through the home as not to bump into anything or possibly damage any furniture.

The tour lasts about 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the size of your group and how many questions are asked. Once your tour is complete, you are welcome to take pictures of the outside of the home and surroundings.

Make sure you stop in the gift shop. Even if you don't buy anything, it’s neat to look around. Be sure to ask for the map of the neighborhood, which shows you all of the addresses and houses that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. There are four or five on the same street and then others throughout Oak Park.

I managed to steal my husband away for a few hours of his training program so that we could take a walk on Navy Pier. I hadn't realized how many things were going on down there. There are numerous tour boats and dinner cruises that launch from the pier as well as a small amusement park that holds the ever famous Ferris Wheel as well as a Wave spinner, carousel and mini golf. We took a ride on the Ferris Wheel and the view is Wonderful. You can see for miles and it gives a great perspective of the city. The wheel goes slow enough to take pictures without to much trouble. And the speed almost makes you feel like you barely moving at all. They do take a picture of you before you get on that they will try to sell you after the ride. You have no obligation to do so, so dont feel pressured.

We walked all the way to the lake. There are some plaques that give some history of the pier. We enjoyed the dancing they had going on in the Beer Garden. A band was playing and it didn't seem to matter what kind of music it was because everyone was dancing like crazy. There are lots of side vendors to buy treats and small souviners as well as an indoor type mall with many more vendors with specialty goods.

Parking was a bit obnoxious at a $20 flat rate per car, They certainly could use to lower that cost a hair or two. Or at least have a range of prices to accomidate if you are there only 2 hours compared to 8.

I know that there is a kids museum, maze, resteraunts and Imax theatre which we didn't get to see or do. I guess we'll have to plan that for the next trip. If you get the chance it's worth the trip. A little history and a lot of fun to be had by all.

We could not have picked a more beautiful day. It had been raining on and off the whole week, but we lucked out with partly cloudy.

The Chicago River Architecture tour runs about 1 hour and costs $19 per person for adults, $17 for seniors, and $10 for children. There is a daily schedule on their website so you can plan your trip. See http://www.wendellaboats.com.

Whether you like the river, boats, or history of the buildings, this tour has something for everyone. You will find out about architects, their style, and the challenge they were faced with to build better, higher, faster, and grander. You will learn how they devised a structure and why. Did you know that the Boeing building actually is hanging in its frame and not mounted from the ground up? How about the story about the city of Chicago trying to reverse the flow of the river? My favorite was how the term "in the limelight" was coined. This tour was entertaining as well as informative, and our tour guide was happy to answer questions. If you are in the Windy City, make the time to add this tour to your schedule. You'll love it!

I assumed that Oakbrook Center would be like most malls I have been to… ya know, stores lined up together, the halls filled with kiosks of smaller, lesser-known items and trinkets to buy, but what a surprise to find out that this is an outdoor mall. Yes, I was totally surprised that in a state, and city for that matter, that gets snow, they have an outdoor/indoor mall. I was quite pleased and impressed.

The best way to get in the middle of it all is to broach one of the anchor stores. I chose Eddie Bauer. One reason was that their home store was closing and everything was 75% off - yippee, but the other is that once I left through its interior mall doors, I was right across from Burberry, next to JCrew and Brighton, some of my favorite stores. Once you get walking, you will find that this mall seems to be never-ending. It winds around past Lord & Taylor, Coach, and Marshall Fields. There is a build-a-bear shop for the kids and a Bose store for the men to play with while the women are in Victoria's Secret or Bath & Body Works. There are plenty of name brands, like Kenneth Cole, Nordstrom, and Chico's just to name a few. They do have a few kiosks in the middle with gourmet items, as well as one of the smallest Starbucks I have ever seen. I think it is only slightly bigger than the old Fotomat box, but the coffee is still just as tasty! The mall has a number of restaurants on its outer banks. If you need a nibble, you can stop in at the Cheesecake Factory, Maggianos, or Corner Bakery. I spent a couple days wondering around and enjoyed this mall completely.

Hint to the out-of-town shoppers: If you don’t need an item you bought immediately, ask about shipping, as sometimes that is cheaper than the sales tax in the state of Illinois. I had a few things shipped and saved about $10 because shipping was cheaper than the tax.

My friend and I decided to have a "spa" day, so we scheduled massage appointments at Mario Tricoci Hair Salon and Day Spa. We chose the OakBrook location as it fit with our schedule. We tried to book pedicure appointments as well but they were way booked and we couldn't get the schedule we needed. So I booked my pedicure for another day. (You will find that review seperate from this one.)

Let me first tell you that calling their 800 number to book the appointments was completely easy. Their call center staff were wonderful, informative and helpful. They did everything humanly possible to try to work out a schedule that would work for both myself and my friend.

I chose the signature massage for 1 hour. The building is located in OakBrook Mall next to Nordstrom. There is a parking structure next to it but we chose to walk thru Eddie Bauer to get into the center of this outdoors mall. Once you get through the perimeter using any outside store you end up within the walking part of the mall.

When you walk into Mario Tricoci there is a large reception desk where you check in. Once the formalities are done they usher you upstairs to another small reception who then escorts you into a very dimly lit and relaxing waiting room. We were offered beverages and asked to wait for few minutes for our Massage therapist to come and get us. I think I waited a whole 3 minutes before she appeared.

I was led back to the therapy room wich was dimly lit, comfortably warm and had soft music playing in the background. I was asked a few questions regarding allergies, health in general and if I had ever had a massage before. After that, I was left to undress and hop up on the table under the warm blankets. The full massage took the hour, and it was relaxing and wonderful to destress from a long day of walking and shopping on Michigan Ave.

One of my favorite parts was the foot massage and hot towels that they wrap your feet in. Personal preference--I know everybody may not like, but that was awesome to me.

The massage therapist was great. Didn't talk too much and tried to encourage you to do the same. She wanted me to be relaxed and comfortable at all times. After the massage was over, I was offered water or juice to rehydrate me. After I dressed, I was shown to the ladies restroom and locker room-type area. Here I could freshen up, comb my hair, and/or reapply makeup if needed.

The experience was wonderful and I'd go again in a heartbeat. Part of me is quite sad that Mario doesnt have a spa in my hometown.

http://www.tricoci.com/

While I couldn't arrange to have my pedicure the same day as my massage, I opted to schedule it for another day. I was quite intrigued by the fact that they offered so many different types of pedicures certainly a far cry from the usual spa pedicure offered in the nail salons in the local strip mall.

I chose the Olive Oil pedicure over the Peppermint foot treatment or the Pumpkin one. They have a MT signature that has the hand and foot massage included, and even a 2-in-1 where you have a mani and pedi at the same time. The list goes on.

In any case, I showed up for my appointment a few minutes behind. I apologized and they greeted me with all smiles. I was shown back to the pedi area where they have their spa chairs.

I was offered a beverage, which I declined, as I brought my iced coffee with me, but there were several women around drinking anything from water and juice to champagne.

My pedicure was great. The tech and I tried to find a pink, and when I couldn’t find what I was looking for, she asked me to describe it and made it from two other colors. It was fabulous.

The Olive Oil treatment was very soothing, and as an added bonus to me, there was a mini foot massage and the hot towel wrap that I love (and mentioned in the other Mario review). It took a full hour, and when I was finished, I was told to sit and relax, and she went on to her next client elsewhere.

As a side note: My tech was prepared and ready for me when I arrived, so I didn't get to see what she did before I got there. I did, however, see the tech next to me prepping for her next client. All of their tools have disposable pieces that get replaced for each new client. So the file that is used on your foot is for you only, as well as the white tissue they use between your toes. It isn't the foam ones the other salons reuse over and over again. I was very impressed with the service and attitude of everyone I came in contact with at Mario Tricoci, the front desk/reception as well as all the techs. I was ready to try another service as soon as I was done. It is so much fun to be pampered!!

See http://www.tricoci.com/.