Off to Chicago for Dinner

Yes, we flew to Chicago for dinner!! OK, now the story behind the headline....

Our Aussie friends were going to be in Chicago for a few days in March for business, and half jokingly sent us a note saying we should come and join them at a particular restaurant for dinner (Alinea - voted the #1 restaurant in the US and currently #6 in the world). Yeah right, like we will ever be able to get a seating on short notice, but what the heck I'll call and see, and if we do (pfff, right), sure, we'll come. Oh look, they have an opening that weekend. Crap - guess we are flying to Chicago for dinner!! :)

What an amazing experience though. Had a wonderful time all weekend wondering around downtown Chicago. Unfortunately all of us were feeling a little under the weather at some point of the trip, but we all thankfully managed to feel good the day of the "dinner".

Some highlights of our 4 1/2 hour 19 course meal: an icy sculture centrepiece which later became one of the courses; edible peppermint snow; hot chocolate as clear and thin as water but tasted as thick and creamy as ever (how the heck did they do that??); a piece of seaweed (named Oyster leaf) which tasted EXACTLY like eating an oyster (weird??); 9 forks and spoons placed strategically as a place setting, each containing a yummy mystery morsel; apple taffy helium balloon (yes, you ate the balloon); and the finale - a chocolate dessert painted on and eaten off of the table!! Truly amazing presentation of food!! Such a rare experience. Was great to share it with the Aussies.

And Connor had a good time with the babysitter at the hotel that night. She was fabulous. Left us a report card detailing everything they did, and how much of a joy he was to play with (of course he was!!).