Distractions, reflections

Although we had driven from Toronto to Madison, WI in a single day, there’s a one-time-zone disadvantage on the way back. Our timing made Chicago a good option for dinner. Adam has never experienced deep dish Chicago stuffed pizza, and there were multiple Giordano’s locations on our route home. We stopped by the Belmont location on the north side.

Allenna and Adam ordered the medium size pizza — with leftovers for later. In the time since I lived in Chicago — over 25 years ago — I’ve given up dairy products, so I had to experience the pizza from memory.

Rather than going back onto the Dan Ryan Expressway, I suggested that we take the shorter and more scenic route down Lake Shore Drive. I somehow managed to miss the entrance to the Indiana Toll Road, so we pulled over to switch me to the navigator’s seat. We were near the point where the west shore of Lake Michigan would end, and we would turn east.  Read more... (306 words, 6 images, estimated 1:13 mins reading time)

With an estimated 13 hour drive from Toronto to Madison Wisconsin, I might have flown to the ISSS 2008 meeting. However, with Adam and Allenna to share in the driving, we decided to take the minivan. I drove the first leg to Sarnia, and we stopped for lunch in Port Huron. I slept through most of Michigan, and we took a break for driving with a time-boxed stop for shopping at the Lighthouse Place Outlet in Michigan City, Indiana.

Although the cyclone tower elicits visions of nuclear power, the Michigan City Generating Station is coal-powered. The three of us split up so that we each had time to visit two or three stores, and then we were back on the road.

There were traffic diversions so we didn’t immediately find our way back onto the Indiana Toll Road. We wanted to get the most amount of mileage before the sun set, and Allenna and Adam were indecisive about what to do for dinner. As I drove was driving northbound through Chicago on the Dan Ryan Expressway, I saw a sign for Koreatown on Lawrence Avenue. I immediately headed for the exit, driving east. It’s been years since I’ve been in the neighbourhood. It’s not just Korean, it’s multi-ethnic, and there were lots of interesting choices for restaurants.

We decided to stay on the Korean theme, and picked Chicago Kalbi Restaurant. The booths on both sides of the restaurant have grills and vents, and were full.  Read more... (371 words, 7 images, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)