Chicago Day Three - Rest and Relaxation
Today was a more relaxed affair than our previous expeditions into ‘the windy city’, as Jordan finally succumbed to jet lag. Instead, we opted to do some essential chores like clothes washing and shoe shopping; although not glamorous or exciting, still very important.
We slept in until mid-morning before packing our washing and setting out to Pete’s Fresh Market, the grocery store with a good selection of fresh produce at pretty reasonable prices; This was a far cry to what Seth had experienced in Kansas City where fresh produce was difficult to find in the city and must have been squirrelled away into the far-flung peripheries of suburbia. As with every other morning, it began with the search for coffee, we decided to opt for some of the cold options from the supermarket and settled on a cold brew and a chilled mocha cappuccino. The cold brew was nice enough as a pick-me-up, the ‘Boathouse Farms Mocha Cappuccino’ however was sickly sweet. Being marketed as a ‘coffee beverage’ should have given it away. It contains almost 60g of sugar as well as some agave sweetener (for reference, a can of coke contains 39g) and is currently stashed in the fridge ready to be toned down with milk tomorrow. With a faint sign of alertness in our eyes, we headed for the laundromat.
Jordan on high alert waiting for the dryer to finish
The laundromat was exactly what you’d imagine after seeing Hollywood movies. Large industrial looking washing machines and dryers filled the store, they looked as though would survive anything the residents of Chicago could throw at them. After wrestling with the change machine and jostling with the laundry powder dispenser, we were in business. Once done, we headed back with our freshly laundered clothes ready for the stinking hot week to come. A rough night’s sleep meant Jordan was unable to summon the strength for anything else other than some relaxing, so Seth ventured out into the city for something to eat and something a bit more enduring to wear.
Waiting patiently for the taco train to arrive
Today’s lunch pick was La Lagartija Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant with pretty respectable reviews and not too far from where we are staying. I a couple of portobello tacos, a modesta quesadilla and queso fundido with poblano chilli and corn. The tacos were delicious and fresh. The quesadilla was filled with delicious salty and slightly tangy chihuahua cheese and queso fundido with a nice warm hint of poblano chilli.
La Lagartija Taqueria delivered
Waiting for the non-taco train to arrive
The final stop was for some shoes. Taking the train into the city centre, I headed for a shoe store called DSW and picked up some new walking shoes which should help with navigating the uneven and battered pavements of Chicago. As with a lot of infrastructure in Chicago, the footpaths (or sidewalks) are pretty uneven and cracked, reminiscent of Christchurch post-quake. It’s not uncommon to see all manner of flora and fauna erupting from the cracks between the pavement tiles or to find loose aggregate under your feet instead of solid ground.
We haven’t checked out the Greektown festival yet but there’s still time.