Hi Jane~ what a fun day with hubby, albiet VERY cold! I was in Chicago about 22 years ago and I am sure a lot has changed, except for the cold. That lake wind goes right through you! Anyway, thanks for stopping by and saying "Hi"...it was really nice to hear from you! Have a bessed day... xxxooo Ruth
Hi, Blondie, thank you for stopping by, it's so nice to meet you & enjoyed all my Christmas posts so far. You can tell I love to decorate & I'm always up to something fun over there, so please do come back often!
I used to do some work travel to Chicago and miss it now that I'm not travelling there a few times a year. I still have friends there, and have been wanting to get back. Maybe after the winter, though (brrr!).
This sounds like so much fun. It's a part of the country that I've visited for work, but didn't have the chance to really explore... I cannot wait to visit again sometime in the next year or two!
we seem to have an awful lot in common, we i was married to my oldest daughter father, we lived in kalamazoo, and he worked so much in south haven, i spent many a summer months there, i have fond memories of that little town, before my daughter was born, who now lives and works in chicago. kate
Oh Jane, This was priceless, I have been on almost that same shopping trip only with Mr B in tow! I wish I had known about Michagan Avenue that one time I visited Chicago with the Quimper Club(sans Mr B). It would have opened up a whole new world of retail therapy for me. I always enjoy your visits to Normandy, have a great week. Maggie
I've never been to Chicago, but I heard fabulous things about it by my fave uncle, who lived in Wisconsin for some time. I'd love to visit sooner or later! Maybe during the summer months ;)) Thanks for your sweet compliments to Sophie ;) Monicax.
November 8, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Anonymous said...
Hi Jane! What a fun story!! Glad you had the parka to keep you warm! I hope that cigar hubby smoked was worth it!!!lol I just read your previous post and love your bed headboard and I think your beach look is working just fine! I dream of living at a lake! Just wanted to mention the Country Living book was enjoyable but I wouldn't tell you to run and get it!lol TJ Maxx shopping is fairly new to me and I too am buying more than I need!lol Glad you stopped by and hope you have a great week - Sincerely, Jeannette
I am glad you reposted this, Janie, cause I missed it the first time. This is just too funny, LOL! I am still on a lookout for the Country Living magazine. I promise to look closer tomorrow cause today I was focused more on clothing and shoes. I came by to respond to your questions about my boots (bought another pair here in London, lol)/Istanbul post. I do wear boots occasionally in the fall too but mostly in the winter. I use them mostly for dress ups, to match an outfit when weather is cooler, not necessarily for snow.
About rug prices, I have checked prices of good Turkish rugs in US and there is no way I would buy one in those prices. I was told Turkish are the most expensive oriental rugs as compared to Persian, Chinese, Indians, etc. I have seen prices all the way from $14,000 to $40,000 for a big one. So at less than $4000, I think I got a good deal and that included the shipping and I can return and replace for another one anytime because it is supposed to get better with age. I hope you are having a good week!..Christine
Ahhhh....hubbies...aren't they a joy? I'm glad you finally found yours...but sorry he didn't find his credit card...hopefully at some point it did finally show up. Scary stuff.
Jane--Do they EVER do anything wrong or lose anything? Honestly my husband cannot keep up with his brain, but he says it is my fault, because I have been his "locater" for the past 30 years :) Hope the trip was still fun! I am DYING to visit Chicago!
Ohhh my gosh, Girlfriend...what a day that must have been! I'm sorry but I giggled while reading about it! I'm sorry about the lost credit card...that's a bit scary! When I read about your honey...I must admit I was thinking "typical male"! Hehe! All in all...spending a weekend in Chicago...fabulous!!! Ohh yea, I bet you had a great day shopping in some of those grand shops!!!
Darlin', I'm so glad that you joined in with the fun of Sunday Favorites...I'm just elated to have you! Sorry that you had problems in posting but glad that you had your daughter to help you out! I was just coming by to check on you because after getting your email, I thought you were going to participate in SF but then I never seen your link on Mr.Linky. I went ahead and added it...I'm thinking that you just forgot?
What a great post to share with us for Sunday Favorites...I really enjoyed it!!! It was just too darn cute!!! Thank you for joining in with us today!
Well my friend, I have missed a few of your posts...so I'm going snooping...uh...I mean visiting! Hehe! I'm up late and can't sleep...
OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE South Haven!!!! My hubby goes there once a month for business. We go there every summer to stay!!! Isnt it fabulous? Just so beautiful!!!
November 9, 2009 at 8:45 AM
Anonymous said...
HI Jane, I think Chicago is a fabulous place to shop. I was so fortunate to introduce my grand-daughter to Santa Claus at Macy's a couple of years ago. What fun! I loved reading your story. Was that before the days of cellphones? xo
We are toasty out here in California...however, I did wear a sweater this morning! I LOVE your picture, by the way. Always wanted to be a blonde but I guess the closest I will ever get is this old gray head! :) Good enough! Chicago and New York ARE Christmas! My dream is to one day go Christmas shopping in one or the other...though I may never make it. I loved this post!!! Hugs, Mona
P.S. 10 degree's??? I know I should feel bad for you in all that cold...but..it is such a call to the holidays I cannot feel sorry! About the card..well...it has happened to me and it put me in a panic. Didn't I read that he had given it to you? Ok..back I go for a reread. :) Chicago...just looking at that street you were on made me happy!!
Your post made me chuckle! Ah, those man moments! :)
I really need to get to my Christmas shopping,too. Tomorrow is the first day I can finally venture out of the house after surviving the dreaded H1N1 virus! I can't wait!
Jane, What a fun post. Men do follow a different drummer, don't they? My husband loves Chicago. I have never been, but I know that I would love it there. Is it colder there than NYC in the winter? I have heard about the wind and snow though. Karen
Oh my, you had quite an adventure. Thanks for stopping by my red door and leaving me a note of encouragement. Seven pound in one week?! I'm so jealous. I think it will take me a year to lose that much, even with exercising and dieting. You go girl!
OMGoodness...guess it's things like this that make most men stay away from shopping. What a funny story..glad all ended well....cashews fix anything!! :O)
Great idea on having a month of vignettes, Blondie. I am excited..this would be so fun. Think about it and maybe do it in Jan....that would be a great time, as you suggested. Have a great day... xo bj
Hello, Miss Blondie, I did not see you in Sunday reruns. I'd better go back and check. I must have closed it out too soon! Any way. I enjoyed your account of the shopping trip to Chicago. It made me cold just to think about it!
Similar thing happened to me in a gigantic London dept. store last year! I was 'abandoned' by DH in the lingerie dept. while he went to the Mens' Dept. to look around, and then lost him for about an hour while riding up and down escalators. I must admit I suffered my first panic attack ever as there were so many people and we didn't have cell phones. When we reconnected I was crying and desperately had to get out of that store so I could breathe again!
I really like to shop ALONE so I can do what I want!!!!
November 10, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Today I am particiapting in Sunday Favorites with Chari at Happy to Design . This was one of the first posts I ever did. After you have left a comment, visit Chari to see the other partcipants today. Enjoy!!
In my last post I spoke of going up to our Lake house to check on the progress of our renovations and then drive up to South Haven, Michigan and stay overnite at the Old Harbor Inn. South Haven is a quaint little town with lots of antique and gift shops, an excellent kitchen store where I bought my first pasta roller (you had to see the long strands of pasta draped over the dining room chairs drying. Wish I had a camera for that!). Anyway, Saturday morning I awoke at 6:30 a.m. to the above. Yep, that's my car covered in snow. I was too busy Friday night eating popcorn and watching holiday movies to put it away. We called our resident carpenter (and I mean resident-he lives in the lake house while he does said renovations. He is currently putting in hardwood floors throughout the house with the exception of the kitchen, and that is the reason we were going to stay in South Haven, no floor.)and he said the snow was worse there. The husband and I threw a few logs on the fire and sipped our coffee while contemplating our alternatives now that we were fired up to get away. Hence, the following pic.
Downtown Chicago. Yeah, Christmas shopping!! We booked ourselves in the Whitehall Hotel which is quite a historic building in it's own right, but I was just thrilled to be a block from the Magnificent Mile, better known as Michigan Avenue. The Fifth Avenue of Chicago. The rival of Rodeo Drive. One of the GREATEST PLACES TO SHOP!! I was in Heaven. Until The Husband lost his credit card in Macy's which was having it's biggest SATURDAY SALE IN HISTORY. Granted, we have other credit cards, perhaps too many, which some of you can identify with. C'mon, admit it. The problem was, The Husband insisted on searching for said card in Macy's, all 11 floors. After being accused of losing said card (he supposedly handed it to me in a very uncommon moment of shyness) in the lingerie department. I was instructed not to leave, not to move from my spot in the lingerie department. So I did what any normal blonde would do, I purused the bras and sexy undies and (gasp) thongs (ouch). Apparently while I was purchasing a sensible pair of flannel jammies, he came looking for me and as a typical male, probably made a quick sweep through the place and left. After smoking a cigar out on the street he traced my imaginary steps back to said historic hotel. Not finding me in the room of course, he made full use of the facilities, read the paper and smoked another cigar. Upon returning to Macy's he finally found me riding the escalators, hot and mad as all get out. Two hours in the lingerie department with no desire to ever see a thong again in my life. No credit card was found, but The Husband did manage to find the bag of expensive candy we bought and his gloves. I'm glad I was wearing the parka I purchased earlier or he would have lost that too. So much for our big shopping trip, It was 6:00 p.m. it was 10 degrees and the wind had picked up off the lake. As I hunkered down in my new parka I managed to see some yummy shops: Jimmy Choo, Juicy Couture, Bebe, Cartier. Oh sigh of sighs. We went back to the historic hotel and ate cashews. I wish you all warm weather, good shopping days and please avoid the lingerie departments as a favor to me. Lots of love, Jane
posted by Blondie's Journal at 8:09 PM on Nov 8, 2009
"Should Have Gone To South Haven"
29 Comments -
Hi Jane~
what a fun day with hubby, albiet VERY cold! I was in Chicago about 22 years ago and I am sure a lot has changed, except for the cold. That lake wind goes right through you! Anyway, thanks for stopping by and saying "Hi"...it was really nice to hear from you!
Have a bessed day...
xxxooo Ruth
December 10, 2008 at 7:11 AM
Hi, Blondie, thank you for stopping by, it's so nice to meet you & enjoyed all my Christmas posts so far. You can tell I love to decorate & I'm always up to something fun over there, so please do come back often!
December 10, 2008 at 7:27 AM
I have never been to Chicago. It is on my list though. Thank you for sharing a bit of snow.
December 10, 2008 at 9:15 AM
Oh, Miss Blondie! Sorry about the credit card...
I used to do some work travel to Chicago and miss it now that I'm not travelling there a few times a year. I still have friends there, and have been wanting to get back. Maybe after the winter, though (brrr!).
:-) Laura
December 10, 2008 at 6:17 PM
This sounds like so much fun. It's a part of the country that I've visited for work, but didn't have the chance to really explore... I cannot wait to visit again sometime in the next year or two!
December 16, 2008 at 10:05 AM
we seem to have an awful lot in common, we i was married to my oldest daughter father, we lived in kalamazoo, and he worked so much in south haven, i spent many a summer months there, i have fond memories of that little town, before my daughter was born, who now lives and works in chicago.
kate
December 31, 2008 at 8:35 AM
Oh Jane,
This was priceless, I have been on almost that same shopping trip only with Mr B in tow!
I wish I had known about Michagan Avenue that one time I visited Chicago with the Quimper Club(sans Mr B). It would have opened up a whole new world of retail therapy for me.
I always enjoy your visits to Normandy, have a great week.
Maggie
November 8, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Awwww...1 kú :-)
November 8, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Haha, cute post. I avoid the lingerie department altogether, too much temptation!
November 8, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Wow! What an adventure. So did you have to call the credit card company to cancel the card?
Chicago looks like a great place to get into the Christmas mood!
Hugs,
Penny
November 8, 2009 at 2:32 PM
I've never been to Chicago, but I heard fabulous things about it by my fave uncle, who lived in Wisconsin for some time. I'd love to visit sooner or later! Maybe during the summer months ;))
Thanks for your sweet compliments to Sophie ;)
Monicax.
November 8, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Hi Jane! What a fun story!! Glad you had the parka to keep you warm! I hope that cigar hubby smoked was worth it!!!lol I just read your previous post and love your bed headboard and I think your beach look is working just fine! I dream of living at a lake! Just wanted to mention the Country Living book was enjoyable but I wouldn't tell you to run and get it!lol TJ Maxx shopping is fairly new to me and I too am buying more than I need!lol Glad you stopped by and hope you have a great week - Sincerely, Jeannette
November 8, 2009 at 4:15 PM
I am glad you reposted this, Janie, cause I missed it the first time. This is just too funny, LOL! I am still on a lookout for the Country Living magazine. I promise to look closer tomorrow cause today I was focused more on clothing and shoes. I came by to respond to your questions about my boots (bought another pair here in London, lol)/Istanbul post. I do wear boots occasionally in the fall too but mostly in the winter. I use them mostly for dress ups, to match an outfit when weather is cooler, not necessarily for snow.
About rug prices, I have checked prices of good Turkish rugs in US and there is no way I would buy one in those prices. I was told Turkish are the most expensive oriental rugs as compared to Persian, Chinese, Indians, etc. I have seen prices all the way from $14,000 to $40,000 for a big one. So at less than $4000, I think I got a good deal and that included the shipping and I can return and replace for another one anytime because it is supposed to get better with age. I hope you are having a good week!..Christine
November 8, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Ahhhh....hubbies...aren't they a joy? I'm glad you finally found yours...but sorry he didn't find his credit card...hopefully at some point it did finally show up. Scary stuff.
Have a wonderful Sunday.
Warm blessings,
Spencer
November 8, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Jane--Do they EVER do anything wrong or lose anything? Honestly my husband cannot keep up with his brain, but he says it is my fault, because I have been his "locater" for the past 30 years :) Hope the trip was still fun! I am DYING to visit Chicago!
November 8, 2009 at 6:21 PM
ps--just realized that was a repost! Still hope it was fun!
November 8, 2009 at 6:23 PM
I am from a generation that considers thongs as footwear and will remain thinking that is what you mean. :)
November 8, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Hi Jane...
Ohhh my gosh, Girlfriend...what a day that must have been! I'm sorry but I giggled while reading about it! I'm sorry about the lost credit card...that's a bit scary! When I read about your honey...I must admit I was thinking "typical male"! Hehe! All in all...spending a weekend in Chicago...fabulous!!! Ohh yea, I bet you had a great day shopping in some of those grand shops!!!
Darlin', I'm so glad that you joined in with the fun of Sunday Favorites...I'm just elated to have you! Sorry that you had problems in posting but glad that you had your daughter to help you out! I was just coming by to check on you because after getting your email, I thought you were going to participate in SF but then I never seen your link on Mr.Linky. I went ahead and added it...I'm thinking that you just forgot?
What a great post to share with us for Sunday Favorites...I really enjoyed it!!! It was just too darn cute!!! Thank you for joining in with us today!
Well my friend, I have missed a few of your posts...so I'm going snooping...uh...I mean visiting! Hehe! I'm up late and can't sleep...
Warmest wishes,
Chari
November 9, 2009 at 1:34 AM
OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE South Haven!!!! My hubby goes there once a month for business. We go there every summer to stay!!! Isnt it fabulous? Just so beautiful!!!
November 9, 2009 at 8:45 AM
HI Jane, I think Chicago is a fabulous place to shop. I was so fortunate to introduce my grand-daughter to Santa Claus at Macy's a couple of years ago. What fun! I loved reading your story. Was that before the days of cellphones? xo
November 9, 2009 at 10:24 AM
We are toasty out here in California...however, I did wear a sweater this morning! I LOVE your picture, by the way. Always wanted to be a blonde but I guess the closest I will ever get is this old gray head! :) Good enough!
Chicago and New York ARE Christmas!
My dream is to one day go Christmas shopping in one or the other...though I may never make it. I loved this post!!!
Hugs,
Mona
November 9, 2009 at 3:09 PM
P.S. 10 degree's??? I know I should feel bad for you in all that cold...but..it is such a call to the holidays I cannot feel sorry!
About the card..well...it has happened to me and it put me in a panic. Didn't I read that he had given it to you? Ok..back I go for a reread. :) Chicago...just looking at that street you were on made me happy!!
November 9, 2009 at 3:15 PM
Your post made me chuckle! Ah, those man moments! :)
I really need to get to my Christmas shopping,too. Tomorrow is the first day I can finally venture out of the house after surviving the dreaded H1N1 virus! I can't wait!
xoxo
The Brunette Jane :)
November 9, 2009 at 8:13 PM
Jane,
What a fun post. Men do follow a different drummer, don't they? My husband loves Chicago. I have never been, but I know that I would love it there. Is it colder there than NYC in the winter? I have heard about the wind and snow though.
Karen
November 9, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Oh my, you had quite an adventure. Thanks for stopping by my red door and leaving me a note of encouragement. Seven pound in one week?! I'm so jealous. I think it will take me a year to lose that much, even with exercising and dieting. You go girl!
November 10, 2009 at 12:22 AM
OMGoodness...guess it's things like this that make most men stay away from shopping. What a funny story..glad all ended well....cashews fix anything!! :O)
Great idea on having a month of vignettes, Blondie. I am excited..this would be so fun. Think about it and maybe do it in Jan....that would be a great time, as you suggested.
Have a great day...
xo bj
November 10, 2009 at 5:00 AM
How funny!! But I bet it was fun! I havenever been to Chicago but I want to go!!
My birthday is the 21st of February! We should have a "party month" together to celebrate. It will probably take that to get me through it! YUCK!!
Lou Cinda :)
November 10, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Hello, Miss Blondie,
I did not see you in Sunday reruns. I'd better go back and check. I must have closed it out too soon!
Any way. I enjoyed your account of the shopping trip to Chicago. It made me cold just to think about it!
November 10, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Similar thing happened to me in a gigantic London dept. store last year! I was 'abandoned' by DH in the lingerie dept. while he went to the Mens' Dept. to look around, and then lost him for about an hour while riding up and down escalators. I must admit I suffered my first panic attack ever as there were so many people and we didn't have cell phones. When we reconnected I was crying and desperately had to get out of that store so I could breathe again!
I really like to shop ALONE so I can do what I want!!!!
November 10, 2009 at 5:53 PM