Chicago Taught Me a Few Things

Last week I went to Chicago for work. There are several of these trips each year, either to DC or Chicago. On this most recent trip to Chicago I learned a couple of things.

1. There are signs like this all over the place.

They are various colors, usually outside of hotels presumably to protect passersby from, well, falling ice. Really? I can't imagine living in a city where there is potential for a frozen dagger to fall from the sky. Next time I go in the winter I'll bring my hard hat. A pink one.

2. Fried pickles aren't nearly as good in Chicago as they are here. One should not order fried pickles north of the Mason-Dixon.

3. The Water Tower Place Sephora is a fun place to shop. Where else can the staff break into dance in the middle of the store when the latest Britney song comes over the radio.

4. To shop at Filene's Basement, you have to ride an escalator up.

5. Revolving doors. I'm not sure what I thought the purpose of a revolving door was prior to this trip. Maybe just a more efficient way to get people in and out of buildings? An expensive toy for kids to play in? But it was during this trip, with temps barely reaching 0 degrees, and where every store and hotel window had a sign asking patrons to use the revolving door, that it hit me...it's to keep all the cold air out each time someone comes in! Duh!! You don't learn these things in the south. Or maybe you do, and I was just having a blonde moment.

I'm sure there are more things that I learned, but a portion of my brain is still trying to thaw from the frozen tundra that was Michigan Ave. At least I got some fun lip gloss!