Yes, please!
That's all she had to say.
I woke up Tuesday morning at 10:15 and sent her this text:
What do you think?
time to get up?
I am Crystal's coworker, sidekick, confidant, entertainment, soul mate, bartender, fashion project, mapquest, event planner, and therapist. But first, I am Crystal's daily alarm clock.
I immediately get up, waiting for her response, and prepare for the day ahead. I start brewing my coffee, blast "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles, write my daily blog, and begin to search the vast possibilities of Chicago activities for the perfect Adventure. By the time I am knee-deep in this process, she has just barely begun to wipe the sleep from her eyes. Crystal is always slower than I am (who isn't). But not in the "short bus" kinda way, in the "always stop and smell the roses kinda way." Which gives me the idea for the perfect Adventure:
Today, we go to the Garfield Park Conservatory.
75 degrees and sunny, the day is filled with springtime cheer- caroling robins boasting their happiness, vivid tulips blushing under the warm glow of sunshine, cherry blossoms blurting ostentatious joy.
Even the "L" greets me with a smile. Have a great adventure today, Shan, it squeals as the brakes scrape the metal tracks.
I meet Crystal at the Ashland bus stop. We have to take transportation that we have never used before to venture out of the main city into the west side, where this lush garden lies. The Ashland bus is wet with old people, So this is where they all go... and we are relieved to transfer to the unfamiliar green line train.
Finally we arrive at the Conservatory and are blown away by this piece of Eden we have found.
We tiptoe through the gardens afraid to disrupt the incredible beauty.
We wandered outside to and were struck with an overwhelming sense that this is the kind of day that we could do anything! Overinflated with power, Crystal decides that climbing a nearby tree is the perfect way to express this sense of super-human sprightliness!
Ok Shan, enough photos! Help me down! My white capris are getting filthy!
Then we relaxed on a patch of grass and drank in the greatness that we were priviledged enough experience. Crystal was so inspired she whipped out her sketchbook and began drawing the beauty that surrounded us.
Time for criteria #2. The part where we ask, what now? I say the first thing that pops out of my mouth (which is typically how I speak anyway :))
Let's go to the LOOP! Onto the "L" and next thing we knew, we transported from paradise to our very own "concrete conservatory."
We stumble onto a beautiful city cafe and decide to enjoy a little lunch and people watch from our patio table. Crystal evaluates the clothing and style of passersby and I ask probing questions. The conversation is filled with two silly girls trying to understand this "business world."
Who are these people? Where they are going? What is thinking wearing that oversize jacket? Why did that lady just risk her life crossing through that busy intersection, what is so important to her that she must rush into oncoming traffic? How amazing is that woman's hat?
Just then, a Chicago tour bus passes with a smiling tour guide pointing out landmarks to visitors to our incredible city. He notices us watching him on the patio and waves to us while describing the inspirational theater district and impossible architecture. He turns the mic off and yells HI to us followed by a clever wink. We greet him back gleefully. He brings the mic to his lips about to point the tourists in the direction of the two cute Chicago locals enjoying the afternoon sun.... We lean forward in anticipation. C'mon, dude, do it, we dare you. He laughs and stops himself from the inevitable embarrassment that would ensue and gives us a smile and a shrug.
We were this close (this is where "wild gestures" from criteria #5 would come into play) to being a sight to see on the Chicago double-decker bus tour! Now THAT'S an Adventure! (with a capital 'A')
I arrived carelessly late to work. I had a huge goofy grin on my face, a bunch of incredible pics, a really good story to relive, oh yea, and a souvenir. Crystal and I commemorated the day in the last impulsive minute before I walked into work. Some homeless man had set up a makeshift jewelry shop on the streets, hoping to lure passing fools into paying for his poorly made goods. We stopped and just knew. Together we picked out matching leather bracelets. Bracelets that don't symbolize fashion or status or wealth. They were our souvenirs to remind us to really LIVE LIFE.
Every day is a potential Adventure. You just gotta have an alarm clock to make it happen.
Let's go to the LOOP! Onto the "L" and next thing we knew, we transported from paradise to our very own "concrete conservatory."
We stumble onto a beautiful city cafe and decide to enjoy a little lunch and people watch from our patio table. Crystal evaluates the clothing and style of passersby and I ask probing questions. The conversation is filled with two silly girls trying to understand this "business world."
Who are these people? Where they are going? What is thinking wearing that oversize jacket? Why did that lady just risk her life crossing through that busy intersection, what is so important to her that she must rush into oncoming traffic? How amazing is that woman's hat?
Just then, a Chicago tour bus passes with a smiling tour guide pointing out landmarks to visitors to our incredible city. He notices us watching him on the patio and waves to us while describing the inspirational theater district and impossible architecture. He turns the mic off and yells HI to us followed by a clever wink. We greet him back gleefully. He brings the mic to his lips about to point the tourists in the direction of the two cute Chicago locals enjoying the afternoon sun.... We lean forward in anticipation. C'mon, dude, do it, we dare you. He laughs and stops himself from the inevitable embarrassment that would ensue and gives us a smile and a shrug.
We were this close (this is where "wild gestures" from criteria #5 would come into play) to being a sight to see on the Chicago double-decker bus tour! Now THAT'S an Adventure! (with a capital 'A')
I arrived carelessly late to work. I had a huge goofy grin on my face, a bunch of incredible pics, a really good story to relive, oh yea, and a souvenir. Crystal and I commemorated the day in the last impulsive minute before I walked into work. Some homeless man had set up a makeshift jewelry shop on the streets, hoping to lure passing fools into paying for his poorly made goods. We stopped and just knew. Together we picked out matching leather bracelets. Bracelets that don't symbolize fashion or status or wealth. They were our souvenirs to remind us to really LIVE LIFE.
Every day is a potential Adventure. You just gotta have an alarm clock to make it happen.
3 comments:
That's sounds like a great day. I can almost picture it in my head how ridiculous you two are. hahaha
Shannon, these are beautiful. i love the ones in the grass. Looks like a wonderful day :)
Man-- what a fun adventure!! Sounds like a blast! I'm gonna be in Chicago in less than two weeks-- hopefully I get a chance to do something random like this!
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