Our Fair City: G&O

Recently, after spending most of my Sunday working my marketing job, our friends invited us out for some afternoon beers and a snack. I got quite a lot done, and with our vacation coming up, I still have a lot more to do, but I decided an afternoon off was deserved having made my deadlines. We headed to G&O, named after it's intersection, Grand and Ogden. The weather was lovely enough to sit outside, and this weekend has also taken a warm turn. A few days after the rain, we had really cold mornings and nights; cold enough to bring out my boots and wool coat! But here we are, back to open windows and long walks. 

Taking advantage of the warm sun, cool breeze, and turning leaves, we sat outside on the patio. It looks like this space used to be an old car garage. The garage doors were pulled up and the wind blew the fallen leaves into the restaurant. There weren't many people there, which is a rare find for a beautiful Chicago day. There are so many trendy restaurants and bars that we truly love, but so does the rest of Chicago. Sometimes, you just want to visit a place that is relaxed, and not so busy in order to enjoy a quiet autumn afternoon. 

Burgers, fries, and beers turned into a search for doughnuts. We hopped into an Uber to a place downtown. It's odd how close we are to downtown (about 3 miles), and yet our neighborhood feels so much quieter, our buildings are smaller, and it feels more like a little town rather than a city. Steven doesn't go downtown much, since he works in a neighborhood north east of our house. I drive through downtown to get to work, and sometimes take the train to work, so I get to walk through the tall downtown buildings. It felt odd being downtown on a weekend afternoon, but it was nice to look up at the buildings with Steven. We're still discovering so much of this city. I love the feeling of realizing I'm on a street that I've never been on before.

This weekend, the weather has been treating us well again. I've seen so many people walking around outside in costumes, with strollers and little ones, and sitting outside at restaurants. I always miss being able to dine al fresco come winter. I never took advantage of it in Florida, no one does. Although I love the feeling of walking in a warm bar and looking out into the cold and snowy streets, there's something about people dining outside that makes the city, and me, feel alive. In Florida, it never felt the same. Here, people know that summer is short-lived, so they take advantage of each lovely day.

This weekend the city has also felt alive because the Cubs are playing in the World Series! I'm not a sports fan. Every few years I watch the Olympics, but that's as sporty as I get. However, with the Cubs making it this far, the city is more than alive. I love seeing the pride that people have here. And I love that this is history in the making, being that the Cubs haven't been to the World Series in decades. While I'm still not actually watching the games, this is the first time that I have ever found myself searching online to see what the score is! Fly the W!