A Trip to Chi-Town

Two years ago I got to visit Denver for a Board of Ministry Training and this year's was in Chicago. I first visited Chicago as a kid with my parents and grandparents. When we lived in Kentucky, Daryl and I made two great trips to Chi-Town, but it's been 15 years since the last time we were there. 

After the soccer game in Orlando, the "mans" dropped me off at the hotel airport, since my flight left early on Monday morning. The boys loved the view from my room watching planes take off and land. 

Arriving in Chicago at O'Hare, I met up with my covenant sister Christy and we made our way over to the hotel and grabbed some lunch at The Capital Grille. This place was an incredible treat and we had a  wonderful meal and service. 

My room had a view of the park across the street and the city in the distance. 

The training began with worship on Monday afternoon and then dinner for everyone and another night session. 

After Tuesday's meetings the whole group of 11 from the Florida Conference went out to dinner for some Chicago pizza at Giordano's. It was delicious!!!

A few people had never been to Chicago before!! So we needed to do something touristy. Most of us took the El into downtown and went to see the Second City comedy group at UP Comedy Club. This is the troupe than has many many Saturday Night Live alumni. It was excellent and well worth the trip! 

Because of the approaching Hurricane Matthew in Florida we all ended up changing our flights home. The conference didn't end until Thursday at noon but many of our folks lived in areas along the east coast and needed to get out before the airports closed. So only four of us were there on Wednesday for the meetings. We headed out the meetings for dinner again - this time at a restaurant recommended to us by our lay leader at church, Mike Hanna. It looks like a little hole in the wall, but it has won award after award for years for its food. It was probably the best BBQ I have ever had!!

Then we took the El and headed down to see Navy Pier. That have really dressed that area up with fancy shopping and restaurants. It was impressive and the view of the city skyline was impressive too. 

Thursday morning I was up at 3:30am and sitting all checked in at my gate at O'Hare to fly home by 5am, Starbucks in hand. I had to change airlines to Delta and fly through Detroit to Tampa, but I beat the storm home.