Chicago Part 1

I have finally sorted through my travel photos and have been dying to share my adventures in the USA with you. So here it goes.

We landed at JFK earlier than expected (nicely done SAA - the direct flight from Jhb is a winner. No more 7 hour lay overs in Dubai/Heathrow/wherever) so we managed to grab an earlier connecting flight to Chicago, giving us almost the whole day there, as opposed to only arriving in the evening like we'd originally planned.
Once we arrived in Chi-town, and stepped out of the cab, we were greeted by clouds, thick mist and an icy breeze straight off of Lake Michigan. This was also when we realised we had under-packed for this kind of weather. Poor Dave didn't even have closed shoes in his suitcase. *Note to self: all future Chicago trips must be in July.

Undeterred, we layered up as best we could and went exploring. Our hotel was right off Magnificent Mile so we simply had to choose between left or right, and go walking. Being somewhat over-excited and maybe a little jet lagged, we decided to walk all the way down to see the famous Cloud Gate, more famously known as "The Bean". Of course, we went weaving in and out of shops and a Starbucks or two on the way. (I even managed to find a Rebecca Minkhoff handbag on sale at Nordstrom Rack - within hours of touchdown, so I was incredibly chuffed with myself. I'll show you some of the goodies I picked up on my travels in a another post, promise.)

"The Bean" as far as must-see landmarks go, is fantastic. It is huge, and while completely unexpected, it fits in with its surroundings seamlessly. From one side you have the incredible cityscape as a backdrop, and from the other side, the lush Millennium Park. The entire area was crawling with tourists, but we managed a few decent snaps of the famous oversized sweet. Nothing climbing on a table with a selfie stick can't manage ;)

After we'd taken in enough of the park, we decided to brave the icy breeze and walk back toward our hotel along the river. This made us turn almost blue with cold, but it was worth it, just to take in some of the unforgettable architecture that Chicago is so famous for. Each skyscraper is more impressive than the last, until you reach Trump Tower, one of the tallest of the bunch. We couldn't see the top tier through the dense mist, but what from what we could see, we loved. And we crossed fingers and toes the weather would clear up so that we could see it, in all it's glory, on a clear day.

Considering that we'd obviously burnt a million calories walking so much in the chilly weather, we figured that we'd earned our dinner, so we went straight for the deep dish! Conveniently situated right next door to our hotel, we had a quick shower and change to warm up, and then skipped over to Gino's East. There are a few famous deep dish pizza spots to try in Chicago, but we settled for proximity and convenience. 

We went for the cheese and pepperoni medium size, to share. Well. We managed a slice and a bit each. Maybe it was being so tired from the long haul flight, or we are giant wusses, but we didn't stand a chance. To be honest, I prefer NYC style - the whole extra-thick pie crust and masses of marinara sauce aren't really my thing. And it really is just too much food. But I'll let the photos tell you the rest.

*Photos are all with my iPhone. It was far to cold to take out my camera.

Splurge vs Steal

Image: Source, Source, Source

Almost every single international style blogger has been rocking a variation of the Chloé Drew handbag and isn't gorgeous? While I was in New York last month, I thought I'd pop my head into good 'ol Bergdorff Goodman and peruse the designer handbags. It felt oh-so-good being the presence of Chanel, Balenciaga, Prada and Chloé  to name a few. And I made a list of 'investment' pieces that I'd love to own - but to be honest, the Chloé didn't make my list. At around $1450 (roughly R17 000), it is pricey for a trendy and rather impractical bag. It is tiny, so your standard wallet, smartphone and sunnies are going to have a hard time squeezing in - and thats before makeup, keys and whatever else us girls travel with on the daily.

So while it is incredibly beautiful, its really not a day-to-day bag and you'd only really use it for a night out or event. So instead of R17 000, I spent R299. Oh yes, under 2% of the designer price! This Riley bag from Superbalist caught my eye the other day, shortly after I landed, and I couldn't help but notice how similar it was to the Drew. So wisely, I snapped it up for myself. I think you should too.

Who to follow on Instagram | Travel

For fuelling my wanderlust, these are the Instagram accounts I follow for inspiration. They also induce extreme jealousy. You have been warned.

Parisinfourmonths – Everything Paris. The streets and cafes and architecture, all beautifully photographed. As if I don't spend enough time dreaming about Paris, this IG account makes me want to rush off and buy the first ticket out.

Triangleswimwear – Inbetween bikini shots, they post images of THE most beautiful beach destinations that have me dreaming of sand between my toes and salt in my hair.

Travelpanties – I met this amazing chicken while she was touring SA. She is based in NYC and I love seeing her pics of her life out and about in NYC, or all over the world as a luxury travel blogger. Tough job.

Tailsofamermaid – local travel blogger with beautiful pictures and a witty and wonderful way of storytelling.

The Londoner – If there is one blogger whose life I would steal any day, its Rosie Thomas. She flits all over the world to stay in the most luxurious hotels, or cracks a nod to the most glamorous events. If not travelling, she is sampling food from the London restaurant scene – her burger shots are drool inducing. While Rosie says she is a lifestyle blogger not a fashion blogger, girlfriend has amazing taste and I love seeing what she’s wearing.