Days in the City {in Words}

It's time to get a Metra Pass, or a hybrid, because this week we've already logged three trips to the Windy City.

Sunday
We spent a very rainy day in Chicago which was fully redeemed by the fact we met up with old friends and the point of our visit was to catch up {so we didn't even mind that we had to dodge rain drops and eat at a mediocre chain restaurant, as long as it meant we could swap stories of our last months and marvel at how much each other's kiddos had grown!}

Wednesday

The girls had an hour and 10 minutes of school, collected report cards, and then were done! {Cue Alice Cooper's 'School's Out for the Summer'.} We invited our neighbor girl to join us for lunch in China town and a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago {which happens to be free the first and second Wednesday of every month http://www.artic.edu/aic/visitor_info/geninfo.html#hours}.

Thursday

Mr Johnson took the day off today, and we all loaded back into the family wagon and hit I-55 again. This time our destination was The Museum of Science and Industry {which was free Wednesday and Thursday of this week and Monday through Thursday of next week, along with attractions at the main museum campus by Soldier Field.}

I remember the MoS&I as being kind of a snoozer as a kid. {Maybe it was the whole 'science and industry' in the title that was off-putting.} But today we found it kind of enthralling ... EHJ loved the embryology of a chick {which she had just studied in her third grade classroom}, the coal mine was another well done exhibit -- one of the hallmarks of the institution, and worth the 45 minute time investment. The full Boeing 727 that was flown into Chicago's Meig's Field in the early 90s, transported by boat to the 57th St Beach, and driven into the Museum parking lot, where it was painstakingly taken a part and then reassembled in the balcony level of the museum is pretty impressive {make sure if you go to watch the short film that explains the process}.

Another perk about the MoS&I is it's location in the tidy, trendy Hyde Park neighborhood {which is a full seven miles south of the Loop}. Being 'out of the loop' was great! We took the underpass under Lake Shore Drive, spent some time chilling at the 57th Street Beach before heading into the streets near the University of Chicago campus. We got a coffee at a French inspired cafe and had a great Korean meal before heading back to our underground parking spot at the museum. {The museum closes at 5:30, but the $18/day parking is good until 7 pm}.

We're planning to head back into Chi-towne next week for the other free days, and maybe will make our way to Millennium Park if the weather holds!