During these cold months it is still important to get out and have some fun! Especially since it gets you moving around. Many people get depressed since they spend so much time at home watching TV. Living in Chicago offers plenty of opportunities to get off the couch and enjoy life! I don’t let the cold stop me and neither should you.
The Museum of Science and Industry is one of my favorite in the city. It is located south of downtown in Hyde Park. The building was built for World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, which many fans of the Devil in the White City will remember. The museum is famous for housing a German submarine, the U-505, which the Allied forces captured during WW II. My favorite part is Yesterday’s Mainstreet, which is replicated to look like Chicago in the early 20th century with a nickelodeon movie theater (it runs silent films all day), an ice cream parlor (you can order and eat there), and other Chicago based businesses (i.e. Walgreens). This museum has a special place in my heart since I used to walk there as a child and sit in the theater, wishing I lived on Mainstreet. I am an old soul, I know.
I also recommend Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle. Colleen was a silent film star that later on got into investing in the stock market and did well (she even wrote a book about it). Moore had enough money to have this amazing castle made. Colleen hired people she worked with in Hollywood to make it look as real as possible. It is estimated to be worth millions. It is magical and will bring a smile to your face. It is another favorite exhibit of mine.
I brought my sister to see the Christmas Around the World Exhibit, which started in 1942 with one tree. Now there are fifty Christmas trees representing different nationalities from all over the world. I have been visiting this exhibit since I was a child. I found a picture taken in 1990 of me next to the Croatian Christmas tree. This museum has so many exhibits that you cannot see them in on trip, so it will give you an excuse to return. If you are visiting Chicago, and enjoy museums, I recommend a trip to the MSI.
For my birthday each year, I visit the Walnut Room which is a restaurant on the seventh floor of Macy’s on State Street. The Walnut Room has been open since 1905, and still retains that retro feel with the old wood paneling. The best part is the huge Christmas tree in the middle of the restaurant. There are also fairies that circulate, and will sprinkle some fairy dust on you to make your wishes come true. The staff was super nice when I went on my birthday. I think it helps that I went after Christmas. I sat in the bar area so I did not have to wait. I also got a free birthday drink and dessert, which was very sweet of the staff. The holiday drinks were delicious. There was one with eggnog, an iced coffee drink, and my favorite had champagne and cranberry juice. The place just feels magical, and is a yearly Christmas tradition for many Chicagoans.
Tis the season for hot chocolate! Katherine Anne Confections in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago specializes in hot chocolate; the rich drinking chocolate stuff. You can also eat there, get coffee or tea, and they make amazing truffles. The waiter was super nice, and let the Wayfaring Gals try a couple samples…delicious! I had the Mexican hot chocolate, which was heavy on the cayenne pepper, just the way I like it. I love spicy food, and chocolate and rich spices go so well together. My sister got bourbon hazelnut salted caramel, which was so decadent. This hot chocolate is decadent since it is drinking chocolate, so the small is plenty. I also skipped a meal since it was so filling. You can also try a flight since there are so many amazing flavors. This place is the perfect place to cheat on your New Year’s resolution! I know I shouldn’t encourage people to do this…
Serenitea Café and Boutique in Oak Park held a Steampunk Tea Tasting, hosted by the Chicago Steampunk Meetup group. Thankfully, they let the Wayfaring Gals come along even though we are not part of the organization. The event also inspired me to get a Steampunk costume since I do not have one. The people in the group had the most amazing outfits! It felt like a trip back in time to (neo) Victorian England. I swear I’ll be better prepared for the next event!
At the tasting, we were served five different kinds of tea (green, black, oolong, rooibos, and pu erh). I can drink pots and pots of tea without a problem so I was in heaven. We were also served appetizers like sandwiches, salami, cheese, crackers, scones, chocolate, cake, and the most delicious lavender tea cookies (the place is famous for these). The baked goods were amazing since they were all made there. The owner was super sweet since she explained the history of tea, and even made informative flyers for us. She also did trivia and handed out prizes (I won sencha tea!). I think the group was a little larger than what the tea house was used to so the event got off to a late start, but it ended up going on longer to compensate. I think any tea lover would have had a great time drinking tea, chatting about tea history, and eating delicious food, while surrounded by people in costume. People that were walking by even took pics. If you are in Oak Park make sure you stop by this amazing tea shop. If you are into Steampunk, the group hosts many fun events!
Butterfly Yoga at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is an event I have been wanting to try for a while. Usually yoga events are early in the morning and this was no exception. I was up bright and early on a Saturday to practice my yoga in the Butterfly Haven at the Nature Museum. It was cold so we quickly warmed up when we started our flow. I thought the yoga was good for different skill levels. I think I’m in the intermediate level so I found it challenging enough. It was a sunny morning, and the butterflies were really active. Even Ms. Gryla, the turtle, came out to watch us practice. It felt so rejuvenating to practice yoga with sunshine and butterflies fluttering amongst the beautiful greenery. I recommend this event for anyone interested in practicing yoga in a beautiful space in the city.
Hope you will enjoy some of these activities as much as I did. As always, feel free to message me with anything fun you suggest. The Wayfaring Gals will be heading to Southeast Asia at the end of February so make sure you like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wayfaringgals/) or follow along on Instagram (Wayfaring Gal) so you can read all about our adventures. Thank you for reading!
