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  • Outdoors
  • Flagstaff
  • Travel
    • Travel
    • India (Yoga Teacher Training)
    • Peace Corps Ukraine
  • Lifestyle
    • Forestry + wildfire (my day job)
    • Yoga (my night job)
    • Our huskies
    • Recipes (cooking + baking)
    • Sustainability
    • Books + movies + music
    • Skincare + haircare + physical self-care
    • DIY + decor
    • Chicago (I used to live here)
    • Odds and Ends
  • Stuff I like
  • About
    • About Randi
    • Contact
    • Professional ish (AKA: portfolio)
    • Disclosure and privacy policy

What a Magnificent Mile

February 1, 2015 March 17, 2024 Randi6 comments1346 views

My Chicago trip could not have gone by any quicker!

Earlier this week I mentioned I was in dire need of a trip to Indiana to visit my really good college friend Emily. We had originally intended to take a trip to Chicago last weekend, but some car problems had us push that trip back to this weekend. I’m also a little bummed that this weekend’s huge Midwest blizzard caused me to leave Indiana on Saturday night rather than Sunday afternoon, meaning I missed an extra few hours gossiping with Emily and Amanda over brunch and chick flicks. Bummer. Small price to pay for personal safety, I suppose.

Every Chicago trip Emily and I plan somehow ends up centering itself around shopping. I’m not complaining!

IMG_7053
Amanda, Emily and I on Michigan Ave. Typical tourist shots.

We had a series of mishaps Saturday morning including, but not limited to, a car refusing to start and a handbag breaking. We ended up missing our train by two minutes. It was actually like something out of a movie. We were running. Arms outstretched. Train pulling out of the station as we watched, mouths agape. Screenplay coming soon.

Luckily there was a second train scheduled for only an hour and a half later, so we had a chance to grab coffee and muffins inside the airplane terminal our train was departing from. We made the second train with no problem and after two hours and one time zone, we hopped off at Millennium Station and started our shopping spree – up Michigan Avenue on one side of the street and back down it on the other.

We grabbed lunch at Water Tower Place and ended the day by watching the ice skaters at Millennium Park before having a drink on the rooftop of Tavern at the Park. The short duration of our trip (thanks blizzard) meant there wasn’t time for much beside shopping, but I’m not complaining.

I picked up this new blouse to wear with my interview suit and some new earrings from Topshop. The actual pair I got isn’t available online, but these are a similar style, with a stud in the front and detailing in the back. I also picked up some caramel popcorn to give my boyfriend’s dad for his birthday – it’s his favorite, I’m told. Emily found a dress to wear to a work banquet and Amanda got a new pair of sneakers.IMG_7040

IMG_7055
Shopping fuel. (Lip color)
It's so weird to be casually browsing Macy's and forget where you're at, and then bam. You get this view.
It’s so weird to be casually browsing Macy’s and forget where you’re at, and then bam. You get this view.
IMG_7064
If you go to Chicago and don’t take touristy Bean photos, did you even go?
Bean selfies.
Bean selfies.

IMG_7066

IMG_7087
The view we had while sipping our rooftop drinks.

I left my DSLR at home since I knew I’d be on foot all day, and didn’t want to carry it along, so all photos were taken with my (practically antique) iPhone. Sorry about the quality!

Every time I visit Chicago, I always find myself questioning why I haven’t just moved there yet.

Any particular places you love stopping while in the Windy City? Let me know in the comments!

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6 Comments

  1. Rafaela says:
    February 3, 2015 at 6:53 am

    Great photos dear!!!

    http://fashionwalkinbrussels.blogspot.com/

    Reply
    1. RandiMShaffer says:
      February 5, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  2. Texas Jak says:
    February 3, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    I enjoyed my visit to Chicago during my brief visit, but dang was it cold. I’ve been told to come back during the summer, so we shall see. The restaurant we visited was called the Purple Pig. Apparently it’s the place to be. All I can remember was the interesting security detail. He was a detective by day. I’ll just stick to ‘interesting’.
    Texas Jak
    http://www.novermyhead.com

    Reply
    1. RandiMShaffer says:
      February 3, 2015 at 5:10 pm

      It’s marvelous during the summer, but way busier! And I’ve never heard of the Purple Pig, so I’ll have to check it out!

      Reply
  3. Naomi says:
    February 4, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    Ooooh I love Chicago! One of the prettiest cities I’ve ever been to. And the photos you took look so so great!

    xo naomi

    Reply
    1. RandiMShaffer says:
      February 5, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      Thank you! I love Chicago as well, it’s such a lovely combination of old and new architecture and I never run out of building details (or people) to look at!

      Reply

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Randi with an i

Randi M. Shaffer

Hi! I'm Randi. I spend my days working in forestry and wildfire, my nights instructing yoga and my weekends exploring northern Arizona (and beyond). I'm a former journalist, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and a Midwest native. Welcome!

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