Cities Visited: Chicago 

Cool Things we Saw:

Chicago has a different vibe, could definitely spend a lot of time here. 

First Up- 

9:00 am- Chicago’s First Lady Riverboat Architecture tour- Loved it! The tour guide was excellent and we learned so much about Chicago’s history through its buildings.Every person who visited Chicago that we talked to recommended this and they were all right. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12:00ish- Lunch at Rosebud’s Italian restaurant near Millennium Park, This was an accidental find but very nice, especially after the walk up SO MANY stairs from the riverwalk to Millennium Park.

THE BEAN-It’s worth the hype. It’s as if a space ship dropped a souvenir in the middle of Chicago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1:30pm Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum- great small museum at The University of Chicago. It had several really amazing pieces, including two colossal statues. 

3-6 Rest at Home and order in Chicago Deep Dish, because when in Rome…

7:30 pm- Date night at the Nederlander (Which is so freaking cool, the most funky and amazing theatre I have ever been in.) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIX- worth ALL THE HYPE. So very, very good. 

Miles Traveled- Does all over Chicago count?

 

 

Findlay, Ohio 

Why were we in Findlay? For the Mazza Museum of course. A little gem of a museum dedicated to picture book illustration. I have seen other illustrators posting about it and when the hubs asked me if I wanted to see anything in particular in Ohio, I knew just the place. 

We took it easy at the hotel after breakfast because the museum didn’t open until noon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11am- headed to The Jolly Dipper for pre museum brain fuel and a pup cup for Cosmo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12:30 – At the Mazza!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My awesome friend and fellow author/illustrator Katie met us at The Mazza along with her lovely daughter. We introduced ourselves to the staff and met Ben. Little did I know that Ben was about to give me one of the most fun connections of my career. While we were walking around and admiring all of the amazing art (and hidden magic room) I spotted a piece of art that I share in every school presentation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me under Monster Mama (and other amazing art) by Stephen Gammel 

When I was a wee university student in the Studio Art program, my watercolor professor brought in this picture book as an example of possible careers, From that moment on, I was hooked. I have been a huge fan of Stephen’s from his Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark illustrations to all of his picture books. To say I was excited to stumble upon this exhibit in an understatement. Ben heard my excitement and called Stephen! I got to speak to Stephen Gammel for a good 15 minutes where I giggled and gushed and told him how much his work meant to me. It was just so unbelievable and amazing and just WOW.

After I calmed down a bit and bought some great merch from the adorable book/gift shop, Ben asked Katie and I to sign the wall. THE WALL! It’s where so many talented illustrators have left doodles and declared their love for The Mazza. To be asked to do that was definitely a thrill. (For anyone who is curious, I drew Maya from Maya was Grumpy since she started my career.) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then went to lunch with Katie and her daughter and then…got on the road again. 

3:30 pm on the road- Destination- Chicago 

7:30 – Arrive in Chicago 

9:00 pm- Hubs and kids go to TILT, where they are literally tilted out of a building over the Chicago skyline. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miles traveled: 261

Start to Bed: 3pm- 10:00 pm with fun things in between

 

 

Epic Road Trip 

From Virginia to California and back 

A few months ago, we were invited to a family celebration in Utah. As a family of five- three kids, two parents and one dog, we discussed all the options. Flying and boarding the dog, Flying in for a few more days and then flying to California to see other family and boarding the dog for even longer. Or..”What if we drive?”

And so it begins…

Day One: From VA to Ohio 

I’m  skipping all the prep that we did for a family of five plus dog that included lots of medications, maps and mayhem. It can be summed up as I over packed and still things were forgotten except for four library books that we were supposed to drop off on our way out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Cosmo says “What the heck?”)

We left Northern VA @ 9:30 am.

Cities visited:

Morgantown, West Virginia

Columbus, Ohio

Findlay, Ohio 

Cool things we saw:

So much! Northern Maryland and West Virginia are incredibly beautiful. If you’re on Hwy 76,  stop at Sideling Hill Rest Area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2pm: Pit Stop for lunch in Morgantown VA at Tropics, a funky, dog friendly Hawaiian themed restaurant with covered outdoor seating. 

We arrived in Ohio around 6pm and  Columbus is such a beautiful and art filled city. We stopped at two locations to stretch our legs, (And where one child literally jumped into dog poop- Not Cosmo’s) 

The Topiary Garden is a recreation of George Seurat’s 1884 painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A deer statue contemplating the bridge and downtown Columbus:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another fun stop was The giant Slingshot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drive to Findlay had the most amazing sunsets and was the perfect way to wind down the drive. 

Miles traveled:

511

Start to bed:

12 hours including, food, pit stops and a few wrong turns.