Travel & Hotspots
CHICAGO DIARY
Kiki was there for 48 hours and now wants to live there
Yesterday I took you here on an extensive journey through my Iceland adventure with Icelandair, today it's time for the second part of my trip: Chicago. Holy moly what a city... I could totally live there. After six hours of flying (and a huge bag of salty popcorn, salad, five chewing gums, and three bad movies later) we arrive at the colossal airport of Chicago. Where the control is always super strict, I get palpitations from the stern little men and the drug dog that suddenly seems to linger just a bit too long by MY suitcase. I can only think: GET LOST beast, which the four-legged creature seems to understand. Praise the lord.
“A tip from my side: always say that the trip is for pleasure”
Just a little tip for aspiring journos who are going on a press trip to The Land of Hamburgers, there is one rule at customs: if they ask why you think you can step onto the holy ground of America, you always say that your trip is for ‘pleasure’. Rather than, uh, business, even if it's a press trip. If you don't do this, the looks become more suspicious, the questions more complicated by the second, and you could just end up spending a night in jail and be sent back home on the next flight. With kind regards from Chicago. This has happened to people in my network, yes really. Just so you know.
Anyway, customs survived completely. Once we arrive at the posh boutique hotel Allegro in the middle of downtown, I'm surprised with a very cute birthday message. Next to the bed is a chalkboard with a drawing of a purring cat and the text ‘Happy Purrthday Kiki! Enjoy your stay and your kitty cat friend!’ And as if they know me double, there are also two cupcakes. HOW. CUTE. IS. THAT. This is how you start this trip off really nicely.
“In the evening we eat soft buffalo mozzarella and calamari and for the first time on this trip I suddenly feel very much like the party animal’
It's already quite dark when we arrive, but I can't help but take a little stroll around the city and play the tourist. What buildings. What light. If you told me I was in New York, I would believe it too. In the evening, glasses clink at restaurant 312 Chicago, we eat soft buffalo mozzarella and calamari and for the first time on this trip I suddenly feel very much like the party animal. With five people who were strangers to me just a day ago, that's how life can change in less than 24 hours while traveling. Just like the kitty cat on my nightstand, I roll into bed purring. Only to wake up at one o'clock. Three o'clock. Half past five. Flying back in time does weird things to you.
The next day there is a tighter than tight schedule planned, I mean it guys, Beyoncé's agenda is nothing compared to this. From one eatery we end up in another (I will bundle all the cool hotspots later in a post) and the portions are so gigantic that I can't stop laughing. And eating. Then crying. My blueberry pancakes are so oversized that I wonder if I ordered a family menu. As you know, I prefer ‘fat girl’ over ‘fit girl’, but this really takes the cake. Fat girls ‘rule’ the city here and it doesn't look too good. To digest, we take a walk around Millennium Park east of the famous Michigan Avenue. If you ever find yourself in Chicago, you really have to check out this highlight. Even if it's just to take silly selfies at the Cloud Gate, a large reflective artwork about ten meters in the shape of a kind of kidney bean.
‘Those crazy Americans. Just pulling a cupcake out of the ‘pin machine’…’
And as it goes with press trips: time flies by so ridiculously fast. On the last day in Chicago, I leave the group to do something I've wanted to do for a long time; meet up with my friend Isabelle, whom I also met on a press trip in Capri. Anyway, the dear sweetheart has been living in America for about eight months now, so when the trip was booked, I immediately sent her a message. ‘IES, I'M COMING TO YOU!!!’ If she could show me all the cool things with just four hours left before I had to head back to the airport. And so we went shopping. At department stores Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, having a glass of white wine at the rooftop bar Rock Bottom with a bizár beautiful view. The most beautiful Dunkin’ Donuts wrapped up for the return trip (was not a good idea by the way, more on that later today). Taking ugly selfies on every little bridge we could find. Visiting the biggest candy store ever. Getting cupcakes at Sprinkles, you know, those pink pin machines you always see on Instagram where you pull your cupcakes out of the vending machine (check this out).
Then off to the beach to eat the sweets and gape at the bright blue sea and the exposed male torsos that are vigorously moving back and forth watching beach volleyball. Taking a bite of the red velvet cupcake in the sun. Life is good. America is good. I conclude with what I started with: I could live here, seriously. And to prevent this post from also taking on hefty American portions, you will definitely still get all the cool hotspots to visit from me.
P.S.: also flying to Chicago via Iceland?
This is brilliant. From this month on, Icelandair flies every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday to Chicago via Iceland, if you want. You can choose to have a stopover on the island (of up to seven days), after which you Chicago depart without your ticket becoming more expensive. How do you mean, flying a hundred in one go? Unbelievable, I'm sold. You can already book a round trip with Icelandair from €425.
