Last weekend I spent a couple of days in one of my favorite cities, Chicago. My boyfriend Chris and I took the 5 hour drive up Thursday and came back on Saturday. Though many people think going to Chicago in the winter is crazy, I have to admit I kind of like it. The snow wasn't too bad, it actually added a little excitement to the trip. If you wear lots of layers walking around downtown is a lot of fun

We got a great deal at our favotrite hotel right in the middle of downtown. We explored all of our favorite neighborhoods and stores and discovered some new ones we will visit again. The main reason for the trip was to see comedians Joe Rogan and Ari Shaffir at the beautiful Chicago Theatre. The show was awesome. We literally laughed for 2 hours straight.

I wanted to see Lake Michigan so bad, so we made a quick stop before we left. I had been there in the summer, but only to Navy Pier. This time we went to a private part of the lake and soaked in how beautiful it was before we left. It was breathtaking!

Here is a list to some of our favorite places to visit if you ever make the trip to the windy city.

The Acme Hotel We have stayed here 3 times. It's a hip boutique hotel right on Ohio St. downtown. The staff is very friendly and helpful. There is a nice bar and bakery onsite. The rooms are a little small, but you shouldn't be in your room anyway. Parking is very affordable, and you can come and go as you please. In the winter we drive to neighborhoods outside the city rather than taking the train.

Hash House A Go Go is a must visit! The best Sage Chicken and Waffles I have ever had. Get ready to have your mind blown when you see how monsterious the portions are. Plenty to share! We also tried Weber Grill and it was also outstanding. Tempo is a 24 hour diner that is a must visit, their breakfast scramblers are so good. They have a nice patio in the summer.

If you like vintage shopping, live music, good food, and art Wicker Park and Andersonville are neighborhoods you should visit. Here are a few of my favorite stores Record Stores: Permanent Records and Reckless Records Vintage Shopping: The Brown Elephant, The Garage, The Woolly Mammoth is a very cool oddoties store. This place has everything. Taxidermy, skulls, strange art, rare records, weird home decor, their stock always changes.

Here are some of my iPhone pictures from the trip.