Caroline and I got back yesterday from our Chicago road trip as our “cheap summer vacation.” We drove to Chicago and back, stopping in Cleveland for the night in both directions. I let Caroline drive!! She hasn’t driven in 2 or more years!! Granted, she only drove 125 miles of the trip in the middle of nowhere in Indiana and Ohio on route 80, but it was still kinda scary. My RSX is modified so it’s so smooth and stable, especially when going fast. I wasn’t paying attention, and noticed she was in excess of 90 mph. Granted its completely flat land in the middle of nowhere, but still. She brought it down to 70, and just as we hit 70, speed trap ahead. WHEW!

On the way there, we stayed with Caroline’s cousin and wife, who just recently moved to Cleveland from Flushing for their residency (they’re doctors). What a change… talk about culture shock. We watched part of the 6 PM news on which they reported that a father and his child went into an appliance store to steal a knob on washer/dryer and how the father is being charged with assisting a minor with stealing. I can’t believe such a petty and stupid incident made it to the news. They must really have nothing to report about.

Our trip to Chicago was nice and relaxing. We visited relatives (both mine and hers) and did some light sightseeing: Chinatown Square, which her grandfather designed and developed, John Hancock Tower, Millenium Park, Garrett Popcorn Shop, Mandie’s Candies, pizza at Lou Milnati, Lake Shore Drive, Caroline’s Grandpa’s noodle factory, Water Tower Place, Signature Bar, and Magnificent Mile. Pictures to come later.

We came home with 2 cases of noodles!!! I have no idea how we’re going to finish it all. We’re giving one case to her brother, but that still leaves us with 30 lbs of noodles (that’s what it literally says on the box!). It will be enough for the next year if I eat it every single day.

The 96th floor of the John Hancock Center from a place called Signature Lounge. It’s not a very interesting view in my opinion. If you look out of a tall NYC building, you usually see different types of architecture, maybe some bridges and water, but in Chicago, you just see flat land with street lights that go on to infiniti, making it look sort of like an airport landing strip. Millenium Park had an interesting sculture that looks like a bean but more like a UFO.

On the way back, we stayed in Cleveland at a Sheraton Starwood resort. We got put up at a penthouse overlooking Cuyahoga Falls all for free, using my points, and the penthouse upgrade from my Gold member status.