The List...#3

#3.  Celebrate my birthday with a girls' weekend!

Okay, I know these first 3 things on my list are about my birthday.  But I really wanted to ring in my new decade with the people I love the most.  And every girl needs her posse of girlfriends.  I don't know where I'd be without mine!

So a year ago, I had a conversation with my good friend, Jolinda, about going to Cabo for my 40th birthday.  She was all on-board!  And I even have a friend who has a condo in Cabo, and she was willing to let me use it.  Unfortunately, as the time got closer, it didn't work out that we could go.  Boo!  Maybe another year...

Since I couldn't go to Mexico and enjoy the warm weather there, God blessed me with a gorgeous weekend in Chicago!  On Friday, January 11th, we checked into the Palmer House in downtown Chicago.  But first, we visited my friend, Amy, who just recently moved to the city.  Her apartment was AH-MAZING!  She was so kind to let us park our car in her parking garage, and this saved us a lot of money! 

After our tour of her beautiful apartment and apartment building, she graciously drove us to the Palmer House.  We were able to get an early check-in - another praise!  Our bedroom was divine, and definitely girly - yay!  We had our spa appointments later that afternoon, so we had time to go get some lunch.  Thanks to Amy's suggestion, we walked to Pizano's, which is a pizza place owned by the Malnati Family (as in Lou Malnati...yum!).  Can I just say that it was so nice to be able to order my own favorite kind of pizza!?  Rather than the usual just cheese, or wanting to order something different only to be met with whining and pouting!

The Palmer House

 

Our room!
 

My bed 

 

The elevator waiting area on our floor

 

Pizano's Pizza

 

After lunch, we walked back to the hotel and got ready for our afternoon of pampering at the spa!  If you read my previous blog post, you know that I already had an amazing spa day the Friday before in Lake Geneva.  So, I'm feeling extra special and super excited that I get to do it again!  I had a 50-minute massage, which almost put me to sleep, followed by a spa pedicure.  I know, who gets a pedicure in the winter time, right?  But I love it!  The last time I had a pedicure was when Becca was born, and it was at the hospital (here's my shout out to Good Shepherd...the most awesome place to have a baby...and yes, they give you a mani/pedi after you deliver, AND a prime rib dinner!).  After the pedicure, we were ushered in to the "relaxation room".  It was a room with comfy couches, tea/coffee station, magazines to read, a place to just hang out until your nails are done or when you're done relaxing...whichever comes first!

Jolinda and I getting our pedicures!

 

View from where I was sitting

 

My cute, painted toes!

 

We had a couple of hours after our spa before we had dinner.  We made reservations at Flat Top Grill.  I've never been there before, and it's kind of like Stir Crazy.  Again, we walked there (yeah, we're cheap...we didn't want to have to drive anywhere and have to pay for parking!).  We had a great time eating and talking.  Remember how I mentioned that God's gift to me was a great weekend in Chicago?  Keep in mind we're talking January.  It's usually bitterly cold or snowing.  After dinner that night, we were able to go for a walk!  It was a ridiculously gorgeous night out!  We walked to Macy's to look at the windows, we walked along State Street and looked at the lights.  And what do girls love to do the most?  (well, at least my girls do)  We love to get coffee and sit and chat for hours.  You'd think we'd be able to find a Starbucks in downtown Chicago, cos there's literally one at every corner.  But they weird thing is, all the Starbucks' were closed! 

Me and my BFFs, Jen & Jolinda, walking around State Street

 

Coffee in the lobby

(I have another picture that I wanted to post.  Both Jen and Jolinda were my bridesmaids, and I wanted to include a picture of the 3 of us 10 years ago at my wedding.  But, I can't find my wedding pictures!!)

So we headed back to the hotel and had our $6 coffee in the lobby.  I think we paid for the ambiance, which was great!  We ended our day in typical girl fashion - we watched a chick flick in bed...uh, just to clarify, we were in separate beds!

We slept in Saturday morning - hooray!  That's 2 Saturdays in a row!  We took a leisurely walk along Michigan Avenue, and were trying to find Hannah Bretzel's, a place that we'd been to when we went on the Chicago Chocolate Tour a couple of years ago.  But we couldn't find it, and ended up at The Water Tower Place.  We had our brunch there, and walked around for a little bit.

I love Chicago!

Near the Tribune Building

I wanted to go to the Disney Store, just for fun.  So, on our way back, that's what we did.  Didn't buy anything - I just like to pretend that I'm back at Disney!  Then, we walked back to the hotel and got ready for the next exciting event of the weekend - Afternoon Tea!!

My good friends, Ruth and Amy, joined us for tea (I was so bummed that my friend, Leslie, couldn't join us!).  Our server took us to the second floor and our table was right by the balcony, and we could look down into the lobby area.  It was pretty neat!  Again, the ambiance was great, and the food was delectable!  We were also able to witness two separate weddings that were taking place.  It was beautiful - one of the weddings was like out of the movies.  Gorgeous outfits, amazing traditions with lots of fanfare.

Amy, Jolinda, Ruth, and me

Our yummy Afternoon treats



The lobby of the Palmer House

The entrance to the ballroom

 

This was one of the weddings we saw...it was a Jewish man marrying an Indian woman.  Lovely procession and traditions!

We spent 2 hours talking and having "tea".  I have to say that this whole weekend, I just felt so blessed to be surrounded by women who know me, have been with me through the different stages of my life, and have been my constant encouragement and support through the years.  These women have known me even before I was married, before kids, and before the unfolding of God's plan in my life over the last 10 years or so.  Good and bad, they've stuck by me, prayed with me, cried with me, and lifted me with words of love, affirmation, and prayer.  They see me - the me without the façade; the me without any labels.  And as true friends always do...they love me, warts and all.

MY GIRLS!

To these amazing women, I'm eternally grateful for the role you've played in my life.  You are blessings from God, and you're my sisters, both this side of heaven and the next.  I love you all!

"A friend loves at all times." (Proverbs 17:17)