The Big City goes all farmy like!
Chicago …. the big city! From the beginning it was all about the food. John from Chicago met the Matriarch and I at the railway station, poured us into his little super duper car and roared us through the streets from market to market. I am sure he felt like he had a wind up toy come to visit. All he had to do was turn me and point me in the right direction and off I warbled, clattering about, thrilled to bits, tasting cheeses and cured meats, pastas and pastries, spices and divine fat fresh vegetables. People are so friendly up here in the city. We shopped Italian, we shopped Asian, we shopped Indian but we did not get time to visit the Greeks.
then we had Thai for lunch. 
The city is the city. Big and shiny.
Tall and reflective. I grew up on a beach in Napier, New Zealand, as you know. But I love cities. All of them. If you put me in a suburb I would probably wilt to death like an overwatered pot plant. But the big city, the sea and the wide open spaces of the plains are where I most love to be. Eclectic? Maybe just easy to please. 
Chicago is fascinating. 
Big city christmas lights are for every night of the year.
But country girls get tired, and it was way past my bedtime when we eventually called it a night. 
We stayed in a lovely little low tech boarding house in De Witt Place. Right by the lake.
The Matriarch and I stayed out way too late last night so words are few now. And look at that it is 7.30 am! City hours!
It is time to get back to farm life. But I will be back. John from Chicago and I are working on a plan to meet with others of our blog community up here, so watch this space. Life is a glorious place to be!
See you all tomorrow. Have a lovely, lovely day.
celi
49 Comments on “The Big City goes all farmy like!”
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How exciting! I felt quite swept away by the whirlwind of it all. I can’t wait to see what you get up to next.
Love it! Your city photos just VIBRATE with the beat of Urban Life….
(I’m good for a few days in the Big Cities, but not much more…not seeing the stars at night starts to wear on me…)
Safe journey home!
Hooray! The first thing I thought when I saw Chicago was, I hope she met Chicago John. Great photos. Oh the food shopping….
I love Chicago! We haven’t been there in a few years and would love to get back. A blog meetup? COOL!
Very jealous that you met up with the man in Chi-town. 🙂 One of these days Liz and I will get back out there as well…always love visiting the midwest.
I love the city too. Living here in Salem is the best of all worlds, 15 miles outside of the city, next to the woods and on the ocean. It’s kind of amazing. I’ve been to a lot of cities, but not Chicago… one of these days I’ll get there.
I’m a country girl but i still love the pics..and what a great time you had
Sounds exciting. I can imagine food shopping with John would be a very good experience.
Ha-ha! That one shot with Route 64? If you’d turned right and kept going to the first suburb you’d find me–wilting away for 40 years–one of the myriad mistakes of my life.
well i do look forward to meeting you in the windy city (but wasn’t it a fantastic day today!) very soon, or maybe we should just pop you on the train and drag you out to the country for a day instead. Get you put of the suburbs for the weekend!
I’m with everyone else on this one, very jealous that you met up with our Italian expert! The markets sound wonderful and I know our dear blogging companion showed you both a glorious time in the Windy City. I usually have a huge soft spot for this city because our dear friends reside very close by, but now I have an incredible desire to visit again.
Perhaps you can let me know so we could time a visit around it!
Wow! How great to be able to meet John and other friends from the blogosphere… The photographs are beautiful, I can see that your talent goes beyond the farm… 😉
good morning CELI bet you had a blast, glad your back home safe
SAINTS
“like a wind-up toy” what a perfect description. Sounds like a whirl wind trip. Glad the weather was good.
Excellent – I bet you had an amazing time 😉
Oh that Chicago were closer Celi. Have a wonderful week-end and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. V.
Your photos do such a good job of punctuating your delightful time, Celi. John is such a wonderful blogging friend, I am positive this was a lovely day and a very exciting culinary tour. Each time I’ve met someone from the warm and friendly blogging community I have come away feeling enriched. You gave me a big smile this morning. 🙂
Cities are so full of energy that I sometimes get very over-whelmed.
Linda
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I’m so excited for you all…I was so looking forward to reading about how you got on and it looks liek you had a ball. Very happy for you!
Lovely photos Cinders! I can only imagine what a wonderful time you had! Chg. John seems like just the perfect person to explore the city with! I was hoping you had a server take a photo of the 3 of you at dinner with big lovely smiles, enjoying a wonderful dinner and each other! 🙂
I am so please you both had a good time! I love how blogging connects us to others we otherwise never would have known. Great photos in this post too.
I love big shiny cities, and I can certainly attest to the over-watered pot syndrome.
I’m with you. If I live in the city, I want to be right in it…by the sea, as close as possible and the same with the mountains. I have, in fact, organised my life just this way.
Life is a glorious place to be! – it certainly is when there is a Celie to point us in the right direction and show us all the goodies! I hope you’re not too tired from all your gadding. Enjoy the weekend,
love,
ViVx
Sounds like a FABULOUS time was had by all Celi!!!! I just knew you three would be ‘kicking up your heels and having a ball’!!! Everyone meeting in Chicago sounds like such fun!!!! Who knows, right??? Such wonderful things happen on a daily basis, don’t they??? xo
if you ever go back, check out the Baha’i House of Worship on the north shore – it is open to all –
How wonderful! I love the photos and have gotten equally hooked on Chicago John’s site!!
What a contrast! Love your Chicago photos. Thanks for sharing Celia.
And a good time was had by all!!!
The City and I are waiting for your return …
Oooh yummy! I loved Chicago but didn’t see a tenth as much as you did! 🙂
What a glorious day in the city
A fantastic day, and great city photos too, Celi! Looking forward to the great blog meet!
Oh how nice, two of my favourite people, meeting up! I’m so glad you both had a wonderful time! xx
You certainly saw the sights. Surprising the contrasts you like. Personally a small dose of city (any city) goes a long way!
I was just thinking that it seemed like you and John and maybe some other folks were going to meet up and do this, and I’m so glad it happened! I know y’all had a blast, how could you not? I’ve still never been to Chicago, and I can’t imagine anyone better to show you the city and the food than John. You’re pictures are awesome.
Sounds and looks so much fun – so cool you guys met up in the city!
It sounds like the first of many happy meetings: hope we will be invited along! You did a lot of tasting – hope you did some buying also: would love to know what most tempted in the big city??? Oh, lovely and inviting photos: haven’t been to the Windy City for too long . . .
OMG! The Greek Isles is literally two blocks from my office, and your hotel is on the other side of the block from my apartment! And all of your Michigan Avenue photos are all within my neighborhood!
Then you must join us for a cup of tea next time I come up.. I may have even passed you on the street!!.. That is fantastic.. c
You make the city sound so exciting that maybe even I would like it. Love those night shots.
How FUN! I tend to steer clear of cities . . . most of the time. But in small doses, they can be intoxicating. And my favorite place to roam . . . food markets!
Thanks for the brief tour. It is a lovely city.
Can’t help but be envious–great city, great friends, great food–but more than that I’m beyond delighted for you!!! Have all of the fun you can possibly imagine! xoxo K
Yay, what a fantastic trip and your photos are exquisite! I love lights in trees so you can bet I would love Chicago! How fabulous to have met John too! I really do dream of the day that I can come and meet you both too!
🙂 Mandy xo
C’mon now, Miss C. We want to know what you bought. Glad you had a good time.
What an exciting trip to Chicago!! Lovely pics!!!
Home sweet home! I hope you had a grand time – it certainly sounds like you did. I love the city. It’s fortunate I get to go down there a few times a week. And we get the kids down there at least once a month. Otherwise, like you I would wilt in the burbs. If we don’t get out of here on a regular basis I think I would! I have no doubt John took you to some fabulous places. Glad you enjoyed!!! 🙂
What a lovely day.
So glad you took us along on your trip….I love the energy of Chicago….sounds like you did a lot of the activities I would have chosen to do!