More Chicago!

Okay, so I think we left off at The Bean last time. Our next goal was to get to the Chicago Art Institute, which was right next to where we already were (funny how often that happens to me when I'm in a new place...). Admission was free because it was the opening day of the new modern wing, and there was a big shebang with a red carpet and free bottled water from Target. w00t! We even took the opportunity to pose on the red carpet :)

However, we got distracted when we saw Crown Fountain. We agreed that some splashing around was in order.

We kind of rock a little bit.

I bought this shirt in Vegas solely for picture-taking on this trip. It's from some reality show, like American Dance Crew or something, but I got it for "my" Greyscale crew!
After we had had enough of the fountain, we went into the art institute and looked around for a couple of hours. We really didn't take that many photos, and none that were incredibly exciting.

So. After we had been properly cultured (does that make me sound like yogurt? Ew), we split up for the evening. Ryan and most everyone else went to accomplish the whole reason for our Chicago trip - a shot of the city for the movie - and Fred and I went on a mini-mission of our own. We knew without a doubt what our first destination was.

Mmmm.
We shared our Espresso Escape sundae (espresso ice cream mixed with an espresso chocolate square, hot fudge, and of course whipped cream and a cherry for each of us) on the train up to Ethiopian Diamond restaurant. There we met my best friend Josey's family to eat in celebration of Summer, her sister who just graduated from Columbia College (congratulations, Summerla!). They gave us platters of all kinds of fillings that we grabbed with pieces of stuff that felt like ultra-absorbent tortillas. All right...they felt like skin. But the "absorbent tortilla" thing is much more appetizing.

We had more than a little fun with the "skin" things. But they were delicious. Honestly.

Here are Josey's parents. I heart them.
And here is the lovely grad with her friend Sanja!
Finally, here are some BFFs.

Our time with my second family was way too short before Fred and I had to be on our way. And that, my friends, is the beginning of a story that deserves another post of its own.