Fall, to Fly

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006

My journey to Chicago started off like all my other trips there... The Amtrak train that comes at 8am. Supposed to reach at 8am, I mean... cos apparently, -surprise- its seldom on time! Which is fine, really, becos I cannot imagine something better than being stuck in a freaking hut, waiting for the train, and then stuck on the train, unable to proceed due to equally annoying freight trains... oh the joy! ... I do hope you can sense my sarcasm, cos if you come n ask me 'really so fun meh?', I swear I will shoot you first, and then myself.

This is the 70s looking Amtrak station in East Lansing. Bad thing is its really old and you feel like you're some illegal immigrant waiting to get ur fake passport stamped when you're in the waiting area, which really feels like a holding area. Good thing is its right off campus, so its pretty near.

And so a 4 hr train ride turned into a 6 hr train ride, due to FREIGHT trains. I will burst if I hear that word again.

But oh well, somehow I did manage to get to Chicago's downtown Union station. NOTE THE DIFFERENCE between East Lansing's station and Chicago's la... Until this day, I still cannot get over the fact that a world so different exists just 3 hours (without freight trains) away! Anyway, the great hall of the Union Station is pretty famous, just like the Grand Central Station in NYC. You may recall 'My Best Friend's Wedding', where the then unfamous Cameron Diaz locked herself up in a toilet there.

And then, after dropping off my stuff at Peishan's office, which thankfully was within walking distance from the station, I trooped to the Mag Mile/Loop, wadeva u call that... to the very popular CheeseCake Factory. By the time I got there, it was already 3:30pm Michigan time, 2:30 Chicago time (they are one hour behind), and there were still crowds waiting. So I sat at the bar area since I was alone, and started scarfing down the Shrimp bistro pasta that was oh-so-good. I witnessed something very disturbing when I was having my lunch though. The man sitting next to me at the bar area ordered a pizza as an appetizer, and then a chicken marsala pasta for an entre. AND he finished them both faster than I had my dish. I NEARLY THREW UP when I saw him inhaling his food. Oh well, to each his own.

And then Peishan and I went for dinner at Chinatown, and some vietnamese fer was in order. SHIOK!

Sat morning, even before I opened my eyes, I said 'LIHONG"S CONCERT START LIAO...', to a Peishan who thought I was sleep talking. wahhahahaa.. No, I was totally clear headed.
We picked Ruoxi and Rosie up at the airport, and started our eating-shopping tour in Chicago.

First stop: the famous popcorn place called.... I cannot remmeber. But it was REALLY GOOD!!

2nd stop, the soon-to-be-defunct Marshalls Fields which is now replaced by a very arrogant and overbearing MACYS.
So we walked past the fumes of SJP, bought some famous Marshall Fields Frango Mints, and some sweaters. Then we had lunch at Russian TeaTime, which, obviously was Russian Food. And then we walked to Millennium Park, where we mingled with tourists...

This funny thing is really quite cute. WE were trying to find ourselves in it. Wahahha. Chicago is a much cleaner and bigger city than New York. Its just different. You kinda need a car in Chicago, while you don't need one in New York. OH, and THERE ARE ACTUALLY TREES IN CHICAGO!

And then we spotted this act-cute girl who is really quite cute and didn't really have to act cute but still acted cute anyways.

Dinner was spanish food at this cosy joint. And then we went to Tru for dessert. Tru's like one of the best restaurants in the city, and so Ruoxi die die also wanted to have dessert there. Highlight of the night was we got chauffered back in their Towncar! 5 star restaurant jiu shi 5 star restaurant, plus they gave us a slice of banana walnut cake! OK, now thats totally worth it.

Sunday morning, we got up at 830am (again!) and took a train to Belmont for brunch. WAH, OK WORTH IT! I'm in love with brunches! We had huge portions of EVERYTHING, and it was cheap too! And then we walked around the Belmont area and I found my boots and gloves!! yay!

Our last stop was this asian-run-store that was similar to many of the NYC Soho shops, and Peishan bought us a winter hat each!

This is my fav picture of the whole trip...if only my eyes were slightly bigger. Oh, its not my favorite cos we look so happy and smilely... its my fav cos ITS THE FIRST TIME i LOOK NICE IN A HAT! Sha-la-la.

And then we had to go back to Peishan's apt cos my train was leaving at 3pm. Did I say 3pm? OH I'M SORRY I meant 4pm, when really we were supposed to leave at 3pm, COS THERE WERE PROBLEMS AGAIN LOR! So I got back at 9:30pm when I was really supposed to get back at 8pm. OH WELL, nevermind. Chicago was totally worth it. NYC in 3 weeks, BRING IT ON!

For our foodie trips, hop to my sister's food blog OrderInNY

I can't write abt food for nuts, I'm solely abt the eating.

K, meeting in 20mins. TATA!