Ann Taylor Monday Promotion

  This morning at the Ann Taylor on Michigan Avenue, there was a large sign in the window reading "Today Only 40% Off Entire Purchase".  This looks like a very good post-Thanksgiving sale and I'm assuming other Ann Taylors in the area are offering similar discounts.

Tree Lighting Ceremony in Daley Plaza Tonight

  Another fun holiday activity is the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Daley Plaza (Washington and Dearborn Streets).  Musical performances being at 4:30pm with the tree being lit at 5pm tonight. 
  In past years, the Daley tree has been made up of multiple trees to form one giant tree.  This year, like last year, due to budget cuts the tree will be one 50-foot tree which was donated to the city.  Santa will also be in his workshop tonight from 6-8pm to listen to gift requests. 

Chicago's Thanksgiving Day Parade

  Chicago loves celebrating the fall and winter holidays.  This past Saturday Chicago kicked off the holiday season with the Lights Festival and Parade.  Thanksgiving Day the festivities continue with the Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The Parade is from 8:30am-11am and runs along State Street from Congress to Randolph.  The parade features marching bands, floats, drill teams, and enormous character balloons.  Santa Claus and Ronald McDonald will also be in the mix to give holiday cheer.
  Chicago's Parade was born during the Depression years in an effort to lift the spirits of Chicagoans during these tough times.  The parade originally was more of a Christmas parade and officially became a Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1999. 
  Enjoy all the festivities the city has to provide and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Weather Report

  The temperature in Chicago today is suppose to reach close to record highs.  Mother nature is giving us a last little taste of warmth before the winter.  As we're trying to enjoy this last mild day of the year (minus the rain), those in Fargo, North Dakota currently have 10 degrees as a high and snow.  Just a preview of what will be in store for Chicago. 

Chicago's People

  One of my favorite things to do in Chicago while walking is people watch.  The great thing about Chicago is that there are so many different types of people, different ages, different ethnicities, different everything.  Some people walking to work are wearing full business suits, while others are more casual in khakis.  Some lucky people even get to wear jeans to work.  Most people wear gym shoes for the walking, even women wearing skirts and dresses.  In the morning, sometimes I'll see joggers, dressed in skimpy clothes, even when it's only 30 degrees out.  I wonder what time they have to go to work, or if they do work.  A treat to see is the dog walkers.  Just like people, I see so many different kinds of dogs.  Big dogs, little dogs, young dogs, old dogs, dogs dressed in clothes.  One time I saw a Doberman Pinscher being trained as a guide dog.  That sparked my interest because most guide dogs I've seen are Labs or Golden Retrievers. 
  Sometimes during rush hour, the sidewalks are so crowded that we have to walk closer together then normal.  I take this opportunity to really study some people.  Not in a creepy way, but in a way where I try to imagine what they do for work, where they live or what made them get to this point in their lives.  Yesterday I saw a man in a full suit with a big purple scarf tied tightly around his neck.  Besides the obvious question, I also wondered if he knew how much attention he would be getting by tying the scarf around his neck.
  One of the best things about people watching in Chicago is that there never seems to be a shortage of interesting people to watch.

Magnificent Mile Lights Festival This Saturday

  This Saturday, Novemeber 20, starting at 11am, Chicago is kicking off the holiday season with its annual Lights Festival.  There are concerts throughout the day.  The Lights Procession is from 5:45pm -7pm, followed by fireworks over the Chicago River.  Seeing Michigan Avenue all lit up at night is incredibly enchanting. 

Seen on Wacker Drive early this morning...

...a cigar smoking, middle aged man, in a sporty convertible with the top down.  Some people might think this is a perfect example of a mid-life crisis.  For me, standing there in my coat, hat, and mittens, it actually brightened my day and took my thoughts away from the inevitable cold winter Chicago will be having soon.

Veterans Day

  Thank you to all the people that have served our country in the past and are currently serving it now.  Thank you for your sacrifice and for fighting for our freedom!

  Chicago is honoring Veterans Day with a ceremony at Soldier Field today.  It begins at 11am and features guest speakers and music by the U.S. Navy Band Great Lakes.

You know you're in Chicago when...

...you wear pants and a fleece in the morning and shorts and a t-shirt in the afternoon.

Bank Alert

  This is an interesting new type of bank robber...how about the Swine Flu Bandit?  There have been reports that this bandit has been hitting up, or I should say holding up, banks in Chicago and a couple of suburbs.  He has entered the banks wearing a surgical mask and has told concerned bank employees that he has swine flu.  Recently, he's apparently switched from wearing his swine flu mask to wearing a scarf.  They're saying he is getting more and more dangerous with every robbery.  Do they mean dangerous or contagious?

The Christmas Season...

...has begun, according to many store windows.  It seems like almost overnight, store windows changed over to Christmas trees and lights and big signs that read "Christmas".  On the radio, they were saying that it's fine to start decorating for Christmas anytime after Halloween.  Apparently the stores were listening to the same radio station I was.

Free Samples in Chicago

  Over the years, I've collected a variety of free samples from all different types of companies.  Union Station is usually a hot spot for free samples but I've also be given some on Michigan Avenue and in the State Street area.  This morning I was surprised with some nice Nescafe coffee packet samples, but other products have included boxes of frozen fries, sports drinks, vitamin water, energy drinks, soda, milk chugs, Ben & Jerry's ice cream cones, chocolate, and small boxes of cereal.  There was also like a whole week where I got coupons from McDonalds for free iced coffees.  As the economy began to tank, I saw less and less freebies being given out.  In fact, there were less products for people but actually more products for pets!  For a while, there were days upon days where free boxes of dog and cat food were being given out, both at Union and Ogilvie Stations and on Michigan Avenue.  Hmmm, could there be a correlation between the state of the economy and the types of free samples being given out?  Do dogs and cats benefit more as the economy is in a recession? 
  A few weeks ago I was given a free sample of a business magazine.  Maybe they're trying to tell us that when the economy is bad to eat less, feed our pets more, and read business magazines so we can get ourselves financially back on track.
  .....or they just can't afford to be showering us Chicagoans with free goodies.

Interesting

  It has come to my attention that today is not only Election Day but it is also a Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.  Interesting how they both fall on the same day this year.  For some people I guess electing politicians is like a Day of the Dead.  Others hopefully feel that today will be a new awakening for America.  Only time will tell and hopefully the Day of the Dead will not foreshadow America's future.

Election Day

  Election Day.  On the news they're saying that today's election is a historical moment in election history.  They're pointing out which types of voters are picking which party and how the economy is having a great impact on voters' decisions.
  On the Chicago news, they said there were suppose to be candidates meeting and greeting people at the train stations this morning.  I didn't see any by the Madison Street entrance for Union Station but across the street by Ogilvie Station, I did hear a woman's voice yelling "Have a great day!".
  Yesterday morning at my suburban train station, I was surprised with a donut from the Tea Party.  They had a nice information packet for me to look over while I was waiting for my late train (late because a person in Bartlett jumped in front of an earlier train).  The packet had different questions and showed a chart of how different candidates answered those questions.  I'm glad it wasn't a packet that solely bashed other candidates because those turn me off.  I already voted bright and early this morning.  I'll be monitoring candidate progress throughout the day but unfortunately will be in bed before we find out the results.

Metra Milwaukee District West Line Alert

  This morning, it's very unfortunate to hear that a pedestrian was hit and killed by a Metra train in Bartlett.  As of right now I have no further information as to what happened.  I do know that the most recent morning trains into Union Station were only running about 10-15 minutes late. 
  I cannot stress enough about being careful around trains and train tracks.