Chicago, Chicago, that Toddlin’ Town (Part 2)

Sunday in Chicago began at church!!  Turns out Masstimes.com was NOT correct in directing me to Wisconsin for the closest Catholic church (!!!????!!!?!), but rather (thank you, Days Inn Concierge) to St. Clement’s parish, which was only a few blocks from where I was staying.   ALSO turns out that St. Clement’s is an official historical sight in Chicago.  A gorgeous church, about to celebrate its’ 100th anniversary, built in the Byzantine style (and actually modeled after the Hagia Sofia!!)

Lulu enjoyed Mass, too! 🙂

Later that morning, it was time to hook up again with Mary & Mike.  I’m sure that they were very proud of ol’ Lolo & Lulu for catching the same train that they were riding, so they could head towards Downtown together.

Once Downtown, we all made our way to Lake Michigan and the Navy Pier.  Mary likes to call it the “Times Square of Chicago”, and that seems roughly accurate.  Mike & Mary were terrific tour guides!

We had several stops to make at Navy Pier … the Ferris Wheel, the Stained Glass Museum, and lunch!!  (There’s the Ferris Wheel in the background … brand new, and just opened a year ago!)

Wow!  The view from up in the Ferris Wheel was pretty great!  That’s the John Hancock Tower (2nd tallest building in Chicago) behind Lulu’s head!

We then headed further down the pier, toward the location of the Stained Glass Museum, but ::sad trombone:: it is no longer there!  We were stopped & asked for our tickets near the end of of the pier … tickets for what??  … turns out the reason for so many people wearing madras plaid and J. Crew on Navy Pier that day was, it was the America’s Cup race on Lake Michigan!

::Ahem::  The America’s Cup, SPONSORED by LOUIS VUITTON, excuse me very much.  And, no, we did NOT stay for the race!! LOL

Our next stop was lunch … Many options on the Pier, and we settled for a nice sandwich.  While waiting for the food to come out, I spied this slice of cake, and snapped a photo, in honor and in memory of those poor souls we’d just heard about in Orlando that morning.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love.  And sometimes,  rainbow colored cake. 😉

The best news of the afternoon was hearing from Gerry, who called while we were having lunch, letting us know that his plane landed, and that he was en route to the hotel.  Granted, MOST OF THE TIME there aren’t travel delays in excess of a few hours, but I didn’t want THIS to be the day he’d experience some, and risk missing the show.

But, he made it!!

We were all SO EXCITED to see our daughter (and “sister”!) in her Second City Comedy debut!!!

  

Of COURSE, she was FABULOUS, FUNNY and WONDERFUL!!  Lulu especially loved the program art, and felt very close to the cupcake on the cover!!  Truly … Mary was outstanding!!!

Many, many attempt, but only a few SUCCEED in completing the Second City program.  We are SUCH proud parents of our girl!!!!

A wonderful end to a TERRIFIC day!