Two Weeks, Two Cities and Two Happy Gals

23+ years

282 months

8,592 days

and so many moments in between since my aunt and I had the opportunity to spend quality time together.

Let me give you a little bit of background to our relationship before I begin my long tale of events.  My aunt Martina was married to my mom’s youngest brother Johny who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly four years ago.   Even though she is a little bit over a decade older than me, from the moment I could fully participate and enjoy a mature conversation, my aunt became my best friend.  

There were many times when I was in High School and College when I would go to my aunt’s and uncle’s home to talk.  My uncle would usually say hello, give me a hug and a kiss and excuse himself and say “I’d leave you two alone so you can talk!” and boy, oh boy could we talk.  We’d listen to each other’s stories, ask each other for advice, pondered about the mysteries of life and the how’s, when’s and who’s, laugh, cry and drink lots and lots of coffee!

I always admired the way my aunt cared not only for her family, but also for her home.  I admired my aunt’s and uncle’s marriage and home life so much that when Stan and I were making plans to get married, we chose them as our wedding witnesses.  In Mexico it is customary to have two women, usually the Bride’s best friends put the lazo (lazo is a pretty rope that is placed around the bride and groom's shoulders (groom's shoulder's first) in the form of an "8" (the infinity symbol) - after they have exchanged their vows - to symbolize their everlasting union over the new couple’s shoulders, symbolizing wellness, hope, goodwill and love) and it was important to me that they would be the ones passing on to us those values and love they practiced in their marriage.  A married life with ups and downs as we all experience it, but a married life of love, loyalty, devotion and friendship. 

Many times during those teen and young adult years of mine, instead of going out with friends on a weekend night, I would go to my aunt’s house to talk and I would even bring my friends with sometimes who also loved my aunt.  Martina recently shared with me that my uncle would say to her “I don’t know why they find it so attractive coming here to talk to you on a weekend instead of going out and having  fun with friends!” Ok, in our defense, we also went out a lot and had our own fun, but that was also fun for us and sometimes it was therapy! Talking with her, drinking coffee and laughing together.  

 Ok, enough of that melancholic background, let’s get to the fun stuff!

 After months of planning (more like years it seems), my aunt Martina arrived in Chicago on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 6:30 p.m.  I drove straight from work to the airport and the excitement can be felt in the picture below!  We were so, so, so thrilled to see each other in MY hometown, 2,000 miles from the land that birthed me and where our story began. 

DAY 1

Saturday, October 12, 2019

On her first day in Chicago we did a very Chicago thing, because it’s almost the only way to start a Chicago tour in my opinion.  We went to Portillo’s so she could try one of their menu masterpieces.  She loves pasta so she decided to try one of their Barnelli’s pasta, which she loved by the way.  We ate, we talked, we talked and we talked!  We were the last customers to walk out that night before they closed for the day, for real. We went home from there and I showed her our home, the bedroom where she would be staying for the next two weeks and then we made coffee (or course!) and we talked some more.  We went to bed LATE that night and I had a full day of work the next day.  It was already planned that way, my vacation time wasn’t supposed to start until Monday. 

DAY 2

Sunday, October 13, 2019

I left for work on Sunday morning and my aunt was still in the loving arms of Morpheos, lucky her! 😉 When I returned home for lunch she had just woken up and it felt like a dream to see her at home, it was all true, I wasn’t dreaming after all.  My aunt works very long hours back in my birth town and this was a great opportunity for her relax, sit back and enjoy having carefree days.

I worked until 5 p.m. that day and as soon as I got home we made plans to go out to dinner again, SO much fun!!!  I wanted to introduce her to a local Polish restaurant and European cuisine which she had never tried before.  Well, it was a complete success story and you can tell on her big smile.  She had tea presented in a fancy kettle and we shared Golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls) in a creamy mushroom sauce and also Hungerian pancakes, which are my weakness!  Everything was so delicious and she loved all the new foods she tried.  Oh, I can’t forget the delicious and complimentary bacon spread they give you with fresh bread as soon as they sit you, so much yum!!!

After dinner and talking some more we headed out to Sonny Acres to visit their Fall Fest.  We walked around, took in the moment, took a few pictures and then we left.  I offered to get a couple of apple cider donuts which are delicious, but she looked at me as saying “you are kidding right, we just ate a whole restaurant 15 minutes ago!” At that point, I didn’t know how our food chemistry would work for the rest of the trip, ha!

By the time we got home it was almost 10 p.m. and I was so tired from a full week of work, but fueled by the amazing energy and joy my aunt and I were sharing and to celebrate… we made more coffee AND we had dessert with it!  Ok, now we are talking, I think this chemistry can work.

 In all honesty, I don’t even remember ALL the things we talked about.  It was everything and nothing about the same time.  We had so much catching up to do and so much to share about each other’s lives that the day didn’t have enough hours to cover it all.  We just talked and talked and laughed and cried all day long, every day.

 After another few cups of coffee and more conversation, we kissed goodnight and went to bed.

DAY 3

Monday, October 14, 2019

Monday was supposed to be my last day of work before my two week vacation and I was so looking forward to that!

I worked all day and got home around 6 p.m., I knew I didn’t want to make dinner and since I was tired from endless days of work and it was late into the day, we decided to explore the mall which my aunt hadn’t seen.  It ended up being the best decision, something simple, close by and fun to see especially for her. 

I am not a shopper at all, in fact I run away from malls and department stores like the plague, but since this was a dinner run, rather than shopping, I was more open to it.  We ended up having dinner at Blaze pizza (I love that pizza!), walked around the mall for a little, visited a few stores, I actually bought myself a sweater, not even sure how that happened, and then went home to… well, talk some more, make coffee and have dessert.  I had many pastries from the pumpkin farm and we savored every morsel.  That night we went to bed at 11:30 p.m. with MANY plans we had penciled on a notepad, such excitement!

 Tuesday, we are ready for you!!!

DAY 4 

Tuesday, October 15, 2019 

I woke up bright and early that day!  When you are happy and excited about things you forget about how tired you were the day before.  I went downstairs to the kitchen way before my aunt greeted the morning sun!  I wanted to surprise her with a homemade breakfast and made her my favorite roasted sweet potatoes with poached eggs, toast and segmented grapefruit, of course with coffee on the side.  I can still feel the joy in the air when she came downstairs and greeted me, we were both so, so happy to start our “real” adventure and explore the city.

After breakfast we headed to the South side of Chicago to visit the National Shrine of St. Jude, my aunt’s favorite saint.  She had actually researched it and when she found out that it was in Chicago, it was like winning the lottery to her.  She almost couldn’t contain her excitement, she was as giddy as a young child with a new toy and she kept looking at me smiling and saying “I just can’t believe I’m here!” That’s my aunt!

The Shrine of St. Jude is quite special since it’s the only place in the world that has that many relics of the Saint.  We visited the Shrine, said a few prayers, walked around and then left with our hearts full of joy and love.

As soon as we left we were craving coffee again (I told you we’ve always been a good match my aunt and I), so I decided to drive through a local McDonald’s and pick up a couple of coffees for the road. 

 NEXT STOP: National Shrine of St. Therese in Darien, Illinois

I have been to this Shrine before, twice actually.  Once on a retreat and the second time with a church tour, but they have recently renovated it and it’s just breathtaking.  The stained glass throughout the new chapels and building is just beautiful.  Here we mainly visited the grounds, their beautiful gardens with statues of saints and holy people and the museum which also has a few relics of St. Therese and a place where you can place your prayer intentions so the Carmelite nuns can pray over them.  I believe I wrote a novel in about five seconds, my prayer list is always long, very long. 😉

We were pretty much the last ones in the building and as soon as they closed it started to rain, my aunt rejoiced in that as well and LOVED how the seasons would come in and out and gift us with sun and rain and warmth and cold, I love her spirit.

As soon as we left Darien we headed out to O’Hare airport to pick up my cousin who surprised us with her visit.  Her flight arrived just on time and the timing for her to pick her up could not have been more perfect.  When we pulled up at the airport she was already waiting for us at the vestibule and as soon as she got in, the air hugs, and kisses and dynamic conversations began.

 Well guess what folks, it was time to eat again and since Portillo’s is the place to visit when someone comes into town, that’s where we went and it was delicious!!!

I urged my aunt to order a cheeseburger or beef sandwich instead of a pasta this time so she could fully understand why people love Portillo’s so much.  It didn’t take long, we had her at the first bite, yum!

After dinner we went home and sat at the kitchen table (if that table could talk) and talked and talked until the late hours of the night. 

Good night everyone, tomorrow we explore Downtown Chicago!!!

Day 5

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

 My aunt, cousin Claudia and I decided to visit the city that day.  We dropped off my car at the Metra station and took the train downtown.  My aunt loved the train, first time riding it and she was observing and taking it all in.

Oh my goodness, we walked SO much that day I am laughing as I write this.  We walked, and walked, and walked and walked.  At one point I looked at the time and realized we had been walking for SIX hours straight!  We were so lucky with the weather that day, although it was a little crisp, it was a perfect Fall day and the sun was shinning in all it’s glory.

We were lucky to have been there on a Wednesday when the bridges move.  Chicago is known for having more movables bridges than any other city in the world, how cool is that?!  Of course I took a picture of my aunt in front of a moving bridge, I love those bridges.

We also went to see The Bean because that’s what you do in Chicago when you are a tourist, or not, it’s still beautiful for anyone.  Then we took a walk to a pier nearby and I nicely invited my aunt to sit on a post by the pier for a picture, ha, I think we are still laughing about it.  It was a little more complicated than we imagined, but my aunt is just so cool and went for it, glad she did because now we have that memory to captured forever.

After The Bean and the pier, we headed to The Hancock building and I was HIGHLY considering not going up with them since I’m quite scared of heights.  I decided to face my fears after all and go for it… floor 96 here we come, omg what have I done???

The views from that floor are just magnificent!  I just love Chicago, there is just so much beauty about this city.  We spent some time there and then took an elevator down to continue the fun and by fun I mean, dinner! 😊

We decided to have dinner at Giordano’s pizza downtown.  We were so tired from all the walking and the pizza tasted even better because of it.  Oh, we also came across the statue of African Caribbean Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, Chicago’s founder, that was a nice surprise!

The day was starting to turn into night and we arrived at Navy Pier just on time to watch the sunset.  These pictures don’t make justice to the beauty of the sky.

We took the 8:40 p.m. train back home and sadly enough we were in such a hurry that we didn’t have time to buy a snack and most importantly coffee at the station before getting on the train, boo!!!  But, we laughed about it too because I mimicked the sweet motion of coffee drinking the whole way home and savored it just as much, ha!  You have to have a little fun every once in a while. 😉

By the time we got to the train station we were, oh so tired and we quickly walked out of the train into the parking lot and towards my car and SURPRISE I had a flat tire, yes, ALL the way to the floor, like completely flat.  It was 10 p.m. by then and poor Stan was getting ready for bed since the next day was a regular work day for him.  We decided to call an Uber and figure the car situation out at home.

After waiting and waiting and waiting for roadside assistance to assist us, and watching the clock advance, Stan decided to take matters into his own hands and head out to the train station and deal with it himself, brave man my husband! 😊

He successfully changed the tired, came back to pick me up so we could go back to pick up my car and then by the time we got home it was at least midnight I’m sure, what a commotion, but now we’ll have this experience to remember also.

Moving on…

 Day 6

Thursday, October 17, 2019

My aunt, cousin Claudia and I went to breakfast to The Southern Café, a new local restaurant that is quite tasty and has the biggest homemade biscuits I’ve ever seen.  After enjoying a delicious breakfast and more conversations and coffee we headed to Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm, the first ever Fall festival my aunt would visit, it was pure bliss.

She loved everything about the place and she even rode a camel, I don’t even know how I convinced her to do that!  Ok, I think it was a compromise, I took the elevator the 96th floor of the Hancock building and she would ride the camel, that’s ride… it worked!

After the pumpkin farm and fully enjoying ourselves there and eating more treats, we went home to say goodbye to my cousin who was going back to the sunny land of Cali to her family.  My aunt and I finished packing for our trip to New York the same night leaving from Union Station.  We took an Uber to the train station to go downtown to get on Amtrak. 

If you know me you know my love for Amtrak, I just love traveling by train, it’s so enjoyable and relaxing.

Our train was scheduled to depart at 9:40 p.m. and thankfully it left on time.  Once we got all comfy, we talked for a little bit and I believe we fell asleep quite quickly, we were so tired.

 The next morning we walk up in the middle of somewhere.  I wish I could have bottled up my aunt’s joy on the train because the pictures only tell ¼ of the story.  We headed to the observation car right away for breakfast and to get some coffee, we were desperate for some coffee by then.  Amtrak also has some of the most delicious coffee I’ve ever tasted, perhaps it’s the scenery.

Day 7

Friday, October 18, 2019

We sat in the observation car at a table, just the two of us, looking out the window, drinking coffee and talking for six hours, you heard that right, SIX hours!!!  They were some of the best hours we spend together on this trip because it gave us the opportunity to talk about many things we hadn’t talked about, to explore subjects and emotions from our lives that we hadn’t had the chance to share before and to fully be present to each other.  We laughed, we cried a little, we remembered anecdotes from the past and by the time we realized, it was time for lunch, how perfect is that?  See, that’s why I love the train so much, it gives you an opportunity to really relax before you arrive at your destination.

We ate Jimmy John sandwiches for lunch, with yummy chips, and a bottle of ginger ale which my aunt now loves!  After lunch we decided to head back to our seats and chat and relax a little there before our arrival in New York.

Before arriving in New York, New York, Amtrak makes a 30 minute stop in Albany, NY which has a wonderful station fully equipped with places to eat, and things to do.  We, of course we got some coffee at the Daily Grind which has very good tasting and freshly brewed coffee. 

From Albany, NY to New York City is only a 2.5 hour ride the most and luckily the train was perfectly on time!  As soon as we arrived we dropped off our suitcases at the hotel and headed out.  It was already 8:30 p.m. by the time we left the hotel building but who cares about the time when you are in New York, the night was just starting.

We walked to Times Square from the hotel which was just about 5-6 blocks away.  Times Squares is one of those places that you really need to be there to really capture the craziness of this place.  HUGE billboards, people coming and going, music, food, entertainers, a little bit of everything.  Somewhere, a nice young man talked us into buying a city tour but I’m glad we did because we really took advantage of it.  Actually, I think I’ll do that every time from now on when I visit a new city, it was pretty great.

After walking around Times Squares and getting to know the area we were finally, oh so tired and we decided to grab something quick to eat before heading back to the hotel.  We stopped at a pizza place by Times Square and had a slice and baked spaghetti, charged my phone which was misbehaving and then left for the hotel.  We got to the hotel around midnight and almost immediately went to bed.

Day 8

Saturday, October 19, 2019

After breakfast at the hotel we hoped on our city tour that took us to our first stop of the day, “Trinity Church”, where Alexander Hamilton is buried.  There we visited the church first, lit a candle and then explored the cemetery.  It was very interesting to see where Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of United States is buried.  Not too far from his grave, his oldest son Philip is buried and also his wife Eliza who outlived him for fifty years.  A sacred place indeed.

From Trinity Church we walked to the World Trade Center.  The weather was so great that day, not too cold, not too hot, just a perfect combination of both. 

Wall Street was next, an eight block long street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan and even after many visits to New York City, I had never been there and I found it more than captivating. 

 After visiting the Financial District, we walked to the 9/11 Memorial, a very solemn place where no words are needed, just your presence and prayers.

Then it was time to see Michelle!!!  We were so excited for this reunion!  I wanted to see where she lived, her apartment, the neighborhood, everything.  She looked great, but most importantly she radiated joy.

Although Michelle’s apartment is small (NYC small), it’s in a beautiful location.  She lives on the fourth floor and just a few floors above, it’s the exit to the rooftop which is breathtaking.  The views are just glorious.  After exploring her neighborhood, we took a Lyft to the Italian Village to try my FAVORITE pizza of all times, Lombardi’s which is supposed to be the very first pizza place in America and it’s just delicious!

Oh side fact here:  My aunt’s favorite pizza was New York style pizza, not Chicago, I might have to agree with her, oops!

After pizza, we took the subway (another mode of transportation for my aunt) that would take us back to the hotel.  We stopped at a Starbuck’s before going to the hotel to pick up coffee and hot chocolate for Michelle so she could eat it with the sugar cookie that I had brought her from the pumpkin farm in Chicago.  We visited in the hotel room for a little and then she headed out to go back to her apartment.

It was so hard and so freeing seeing her be so grown up in such a big city.  I walked her to the front door of the hotel and waited until I saw her get into the Lyft car, and then disappear into the street.  She didn’t know I stood there the whole time, but that’s what mom’s do, right?

Day 9

Sunday, October 20, 2019

We made all the right choices this day, starting with the fact that we made sure to make the ferry that would take us to see the Statue of Liberty early in the morning, rather than waiting until the afternoon or evening since the weather was supposed to get cloudy and rainy.

By the time we got on the ferry it was misty but the sky was still open and it wasn’t raining heavy at all.  As soon as the ferry started heading towards the Statue of Liberty the rain stopped and we were able to go on the deck to take in the beauty of the river, the buildings and the magnificence of Lady Liberty.

After that tour we could’ve had the option of getting off at a location that would take us back to Times Square but we had had enough of that place, ha, so we decided to head back to the same pier which meant, since we had already seen the river, the buildings and Liberty, and it was starting to rain, we could sit inside the ferry BY the big windows, looking out and right next to the café bar where we decided to have a little snack in the form of hot dogs and chips while we rode the ferry, that was fun and smart!

When we got back to the port the rain was now pretty steady and we decided to call an Uber that would take us to a coffee shop near Michelle’s apartment instead of getting on the city tour bus. 

 We met Michelle at this super cute and delicious coffee shop called “Matto Espresso” where everything is $2!  The pastries were out of this world and I couldn’t believe the prices.

After our coffee date we headed out to meet two of Michelle’s school friends for dinner.  We ate at another (of course) pizza restaurant, a fancy one this time 😉 and had some delicious pizza, an amazing kale salad, some wine for the girls and water for myself.  After dinner, Michelle’s friend Paulina walked Martina and I half way to the hotel on her way to her apartment and Michelle and Ciara went to a coffee shop to visit a little longer.  Ah, to be young!  It was way past our bedtime by now! 😉

Day 10

Monday, October 21, 2019

Sunday was the day to explore beautiful, breathtaking and unforgettable Central Park!!!  We, smart ladies that we are, decided to do a bicycle tour of the Central Park since it’s huge (2.5 miles) and we had a long list to do for the day.  It was another smart choice, well worth it for sure!

Our tour guide was great and he made many stops around the park, took our pictures, told stories about the park and kept us warm with a fussy blanket on our laps, perfection!

After Central Park we paid a visit to the very famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral, it was almost a must for us.  We didn’t know if we would end up having time to make this stop, but thankfully we did.  The architecture of this place is breathtaking, and you can feel a sense of peace when visiting even with all the ins and outs of tourists.

Taxi!!!  Next stop: Bryant Park, my second FAVORITE park in New York City, I just love, love, love this park.  The park was in construction for their Winter festival so the whole beauty of the park couldn’t really be appreciated but nonetheless it was beautiful and I felt super happy being there.  And if you go to Bryant Park you must have one of New York’s famous “Wafels & Dinges”, they are simple A.M.A.Z.I.N.G., if not, ask my friend Alba! 😉

Michelle met us at Bryant Park for a super quick visit on her way to school and she had not only one Belgian waffle but two, yum!  Then it was time to say our goodbyes to my big girl and head to the hotel to pick up our suitcases and go to Penn Station to get on the train back home.  Instead of going out to eat somewhere BY the station, we decided to eat AT the station, more relaxed and certain that we wouldn’t be rushing to make the train on time had we gone anywhere else.  We had had our fun already.  We ate at a cute little restaurant in Penn Station and had burgers and onion soup which my aunt had never tried and she had been craving a soup.  She loved it!

When it was time to board the train I decided to go all fancy (look at us) and request pre-boarding which means… you pre-board before anybody else.  That was SO fun and so perfect.  We got on the train at least 20 minutes before the rest of the passengers with no rush at all.  By the time everyone started boarding, we were safely and happily tucked in our spots.  I would love to say that we stayed up a long time and talked but that would be a big lie.  Pretty much as soon as the train started moving our conversations were history and we were in the sweet loving arms of Morpheus, we were exhausted!

Day 11

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

We didn’t wake up until the next day around 8 a.m., just on time for coffee and a snack and before we knew it, we were arriving at Union Station in Chicago.

We got home, showered almost immediately and got ready to attend Bella’s Orchestra concert at her High School.  I was so happy that my aunt could be here for that special moment.

Day 12

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

A day for the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe and the Bahai Temple in Wilmette. 

The Chicago Botanic Garden holds a special place in my heart for many reasons and I was so thankful that I could bring my aunt to this ever changing beauty and living museum.  Every corner of this place is magical, every where you look.  My favorite gardens at the Botanic Garden are The Rose Garden, The English Walled Garden and the Japanese Garden.  All so uniquely beautiful.

After a long walk at the Botanic Garden and many deep conversations inspired by the beauty of nature, we left this magical place to go visit another place filled with charm and divine mystery, the Bahai Temple or House of Worship where all religions and faiths are welcomed.  The history of how this magnificent structure was built is fascinated and it took fifty years to build it from start to finish.

Once recharged and filled with incredible positive energy from these two visits, we were hungry again, surprise, surprise haha, it’s amazing how much a person eats, isn’t it, but in our defense, we were walking and moving a log, so there.

I really wanted my aunt to try a soup from Panera since she loves soups so much.  I found a Panera in Wilmette and headed that way right after our visit to the Bahai Temple.  We sat at Panera for a couple of hours savoring every bite and every spoonful of soup and our coffee of course.

And as if ALL those things we did that day hadn’t been enough, we decided to volunteer our time at Feed My Starving Children and pack meals for children dying of hunger in other parts of the world.  The meals we packed that day were shipped to Malawi and Uganda, it felt good to end such an amazing day doing a good deed.

Day 13

Thursday, October 24, 2019

On Thursday we woke up a little later than usual, showered, ate a hearty breakfast and then visited the local Spring Valley and Heritage Farm.  It was such a fun experience for both of us and the Autumn leaves were just beautiful.  We also made a stop by the Prairie Center for the Arts and our Municipality so my aunt could see and appreciate some of the beauty of our town.  Oh, we also made a quick stop to Volkening Lake which is more beautiful in the Summer months because you can take long walks there and go boating or kayaking, but this short visit was also really fun.

We were determined to find an authentic Jewish Deli to try matzo soup and pastrami sandwiches and we found one!  We wanted to try one in New York City but we just didn’t have time, so Chicago had to give us that experience.

As if that much eating wasn’t enough, we had to say goodbye to all our adventures with a homemade meal Maria style that night.  I made roasted chicken and many different roasted vegetables, we toasted with sangria and then had treats from Panera for dessert with freshly brewed coffee of course.  By the time we left the kitchen table it was already 10 p.m. and my aunt was leaving the next day in the morning.

Day 14

Friday, October 25, 2019

Seeing suitcases packed after all that fun when someone we love is leaving is never fun, but I was incredibly thankful for the gift of our time together.

We left for the airport at 6:40 a.m. so we could get there with plenty of time without having to rush.  I don’t like rushing when I travel.

I had this genius idea of requesting a gate pass so I could walk my aunt to her terminal and be with her until the very last minute.  The time we spent at the gate waiting for her to board was just as meaningful as the days prior.  We had coffee, we talked so more, made plans and then said our goodbyes. 

I’ve never liked goodbyes, but sometimes they are necessary. 

BEYOND thankful for this incredible journey that we will carry in our hearts forever and maybe one day our grandkids and great grandkids can read this summary and say “wow, they really did love each other and knew how to have fun!”