Life in Chicago Revisited Thirty Years Later

Doug and I took a road trip to see Cal in Chicago today.  Traffic was heavier than we expected, but we still made it to his apartment before lunch time.  We were pleased to find parking on the street right outside Cal's building.  He had a day pass for us to use which was very helpful as street parking was only available for those with permits.  As soon as we were situated, Cal gave us a tour of his and Jayce's apartment.  It was very nice with stainless steel appliances, wood floors and a courtyard right outside their back door.  They had a nice living space with room for a dining room table and two couches.  Cal's bedroom was about the size of the smallest one in our home and had a large closet attached to it.  I was impressed with how clean it was and how close it was to shopping and dining options.  

Our next stop was Wrigley Field which was only two blocks from Cal's home.  We walked around the stadium enjoying the statues of famous Cub players and the engraved names in the bricks on the sidewalks below our feet.  Some of our favorite baseball players were among those honored.  We asked Cal about traffic in his area during the games.  He said that it hadn't been bad so far, but the stadium wasn't at full capacity yet.  That should happen in late June.  He did tell us that parking gets really strict on game day with a lot of tickets given out.  The plus side of home games was that they close the streets to traffic for two hours after the games so everyone can enjoy the restaurants and bars nearby.  

We ate lunch at Old Crow Smokehouse across the street from Wrigley Field.  It was one of Cal's favorites and we really enjoyed it.  They had plenty of outdoor seating and the food was delicious.  I found a smoked chicken that worked well with Weight Watchers while Doug had macaroni and cheese with brisket and Cal had brisket sliders.  We dropped off the leftovers at Cal's and enjoyed some of the air conditioning before taking another walk, this time north of Cal's apartment.  He showed us a few more places that he liked to eat at and the Jewel that he goes to for groceries.  There was even a CVS across the street.  

As we were walking and talking, Doug shared some of his memories with Cal about the time he lived in Chicago thirty years ago while he was an intern with Amoco.  Much like Cal's experience, Doug loved all that there was to do in the city and I remembered visiting him several times.  With all of the talk we decided to drive down to Lincoln Park and tour that area as well.  Doug showed Cal where he lived and I found a few of the same cleaners that were still there after three decades.  We stopped at RJ Grunts which was our favorite bar in the area for a drink after our walking tour.  It was in the same place, right across from Lincoln Park and had added outdoor seating.  It was a nice treat as we hadn't been there in quite some time.  

We dropped Cal back at his apartment after Lincoln Park and said goodbye.  It had been such a wonderful day and we made plans to visit him again soon.  It was amazing to think how life really does come full circle.  We couldn't have been more proud of Cal for etching out a life in the Windy City, enjoying all that it had to offer.  Doug and I decided long ago that nothing feels better than seeing our children happy and successful in their adult life.