birthday in chicago
kelly | 29 June 2006 - 9:17pm
My 26th birthday was one of the best birthdays I've had, which may be surprising once you hear that I spent almost the entire day alone. Rob was at the conference the whole day. When he woke up, he snuggled up to me and told me happy birthday. Then he left and I went back to sleep and didn't see him again until late that night.
But I had a great day. First, I ordered room service for a birthday breakfast in bed.
(Note the bacon. A birthday is not a proper birthday without bacon.)
Then I headed into downtown Chicago where I spent the afternoon shopping my way down Michigan Avenue. I had late afternoon tea at the historic Drake Hotel. There was a harpist and it was quite lovely. And then I spent the evening at the Chicago Art Institute, where I took two really interesting tour/talks and then roamed about among my favorite collections: Impressionism, Japanese, and Photography.
This Monet painting gave me pause, and not just because it's one of my favorites. I've actually been there - to Giverny, to Monet's waterlily garden. And as I stood looking at this painting and thinking about the actual place, I realized that I had been there exactly a decade ago. I celebrated my 16th birthday in Madrid, on a high school trip, and just a handful of days later we went to see Giverny. Gazing at Monet's Japanese bridge, which 10 years ago I stood upon, I felt I'd come full circle in a way.
Birthday girl
I guess we do look at history, and especially our own personal histories, almost as paintings. Moments are captured and frozen and yet still contain precise detail and vivid color. The mind becomes a museum of memories, each wing representing a different era of life. And we're adding to the collections all the time.
Eventually I left the art gallery and wandered around the city taking photographs. I swear I could do that all day long. I love to observe and I think there is such beauty in the way a city is a living being. I hung around downtown until the sun set and all the lights began to glow, and then I hopped on the train to head back to the hotel.
I had told Rob I'd be back by 9:00, but I'd happily lost track of time in the art museum. Rob called my cell at 10:00, when he returned after his last session to an empty hotel room.
"Hey," I said.
"Kelly? Oh, thank god. I was worried."
The relief in his voice was palpable. And it's hard to explain why, but I found this touching. It's nice to be reminded that I mean the world to someone. And the hint of fear, and the subsequent relief, in Rob's voice said that better than any Hallmark card could.
Finally I arrived back to our hotel room. We snacked on wine and cheese and told each other all about the day. And then we went to bed.
Rob's conference ended on Sunday and that evening we finally got to celebrate my birthday together. We had dinner in The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the Hancock Center. It was a fantastic meal with a stunning view overlooking the city. And then we took a sunset cruise on Lake Michigan.
All in all, a fabulous start to my 27th year on this planet.
- 510 reads
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wow. how wonderful. happy birthday to you. (and your sentence, "and then we went to bed." just came across as the sweetest, most simplistically touching and matter-of-fact thing i've heard in a while.)
Sounds like a perfectly perfect day!
And...you've stood on the bridge!! I have to say that before now, it did not even occur to me that, if the bridge had even once been a real bridge, it even still existed to stand on. Touching history, even art history, like that gives me chills :)
Oh, and? Cute haircut with highlights!
And for good measure...John Stamos John Stamos John Stamos John Stamos John Stamos John Stamos...
Without being a major buzz-kill I believe it would be the start of your 27th year on this planet. After all your first year starts when you are born, your second year when you turn 1, and so on. So Happy 27th year and please don't hate me :(
Thank you, Rz. :)
Andrea, I think when the garden was restored the bridge had to be rebuilt. So I suppose rather than being the actual bridge of Monet's days, it's the reconstructed version. But yeah, still hella cool. Being in that garden was amazing.
Hate you, JLD? Dude, it's your smarts that got me through chemistry. I think I've made a similar mistake before - it's a difficult concept! Or, you know, maybe I suck at math. Anyway, thank you and I've made the correction. :) (Also, I would like to say that thinking of it this way I now feel much older. Gah.)
Sounds like it was a really great day.
I really enjoyed the entire paragraph about the painting and also hadn't occurred to me that the bridge was an actual bridge.
And last, but not least: Aww, don't you look cute!
The caption under the first photo...words to live by.
Exquisite post, my dear. I love your words. This is the end to your birthday week---so for the last time, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!"
lyme
Ooh that bed is just so inviting. I have to admit that at first it didn't occur to me that you took that first picture. I thought you may have ripped it from the hotel website.
Happy birthday, dear.
beautiful post, kalki, and beautiful birthday! i am in awe of the fact that i did every single thing you did while i was in chicago, and i was also by myself for 3 days as my mom was in a conference! and we took the architectural boat tour through the city instead of the romantic susnset cruise. and i wasn't struck by monet's painting because i've never been to giverny, but other than that, i had a day JUST LIKE THIS a year ago. i think WE should be the stars of that new sandra bullock/ keanu reeves movie!!!
kalki~ i'm confused by the whole art museum thing anyway because in your "26 things about me" post, didn't you say "i hate museums"?
i feel i may have exposed quite a juicy secret here. you really do like museums deep down, don't you kalki? :)
oh, and how dare HLD imply that you are a year older than you really are! that is NOT a nice birthday gift. you are 26, baby, a hot & sexy & fabulous 26. don't let anyone cloud your mind with math.
Is it your birthday again already? It seems like only last week I was ... hey, wait a damn minute! It WAS just last week! God, how long do you intend to ride this damn pony?
Anyway, when I asked you to send me pictures of the most exciting part of being in a king-sized bed in a luxury hotel in Chicago, I guess I should have been more specific.
It's nice to be reminded that I mean the world to someone. And the hint of fear, and the subsequent relief, in Rob's voice said that better than any Hallmark card could.
::standing ovation::
You are so pretty! And what an evocative memoir. And look how pretty you are! And I am so happy for you, with the bacon and the Monet and the sweet lovin'... And seriously, you are freaking pretty. Gorgeous, even!
Inside and out.
Kelly,
your looks....Stunning.
Hi Bente! And thank you. :)
Bacon is how I celebrate pretty much everything, William. And perhaps now I'll add flutternut sandwiches as well. But definitely not Brussels sprouts. ;)
Doreen, I love that you were there with me at Giverny. And that you threw me a birthday party in our hotel room in Madrid. You're the bestest. lyme.
It was a very inviting bed, ieatcrayonz. Not quite Heavenly, but close.
That was a fabulous comment, nicole. And I just knew someone was going to notice the whole museum discrepancy. I really am not a fan of museums, and typically art galleries fall into this category as well. I mean, I like art museums better than other types of museums, but I'm still not terribly fond of them. But this art museum was perfect for my tastes. I loved it, and would go back again and again if I lived there. Also, I love that we did all the same stuff - how cute are we?!
The people wanted to know, Nilbo! They specifically asked how I spent my birthday! And I always give the people what they want! Which means that, you know, there'll be some photos coming your way.
Aww, cat, you made my day. Thank you.
Thank you, William. You re-made my day.
I had wondered if while you were in Chicago you'd end up at the Art Institute. I love that museum. It is still one of my favorites. They got an incredible permanent exhibit of Impressionism (which is my favorite style/era).
The photo of the hotel is fabulous. Very professional looking.
And you look great in the one of you. Such a nice big smile. :-D
Well you are a darling, gorgeous girl. I love the bridge part. And the breaky in bed part. And the whole everything. Great post.
Sounds fantabulous! I really do miss working in Chicago but I cannot say that I miss a THING about the suburban-sprawl-traffic-nightmare. The good news is that you were there before the Taste of Chicago madness which makes the AI a nice, relaxing place to chill without a the possibility of dealing with a bunch of drunk morons running around with their gianormous turkey legs.
That sounds just dreamy.
And hon, you are SO beautiful. Seriously. Inside and out.
Happy happy happy birthday. Happy happy bithday. Happy happy birthday to you, to you, to you, ole! (if you ever went to chi chi's in the 80s then you know the tune to this song)
I really enjoyed the Impressionism exhibit, Danielle. And, for my personal tastes, this art institute is the best I've been to. And thank you.
Thank you, Amy. You make me smile.
Yeah, Grant Park had already been overtaken with Taste of Chicago preparations, TKW. And I'm very jealous that you've gotten to live in Chicago and Austin. (I've yet to get to Austin, but it's high on my list.)
Right back at ya, LadyBug babe.
Love the song, anna. Ole!