A Tuesday in February
Welp, I missed my first deadline. I was going to travel to a midwest locale once a month and write about it. Then whoosh! There went January. Winter trips are a little more complicated because life is more complicated. Snowstorms, car trouble, power outages, and general malaise can get in the way.
Our first destination is Naperville, Illinois!
If your first thought was an incredulous, “Vacation in Naperville?” to that, I say, “Heck ya!” It is a destination in itself. There are many hotel choices if you have a work-from-home day or are up for playing hookey.
Embassy Suites, Naperville is a solid choice. That second room is such a great way to separate work from fun, and then there is the vast and delicious complimentary breakfast. Add a pool, and you have everything you need for a quick getaway.
However, I want to take advantage of the Riverwalk. For that, there is only one answer. Hotel Indigo. I have done a few recognizance missions. (aka day trips). A walk near the river, shopping, and eating! Many friends from the area have said they never explored the area. If you are one of those people, you are in for a treat.
Booking Your Hotel
New travel sites pop up all the time. It’s worth it to look around as there can be great deals. However, make sure you look closely! Hotel booking sites love to add on things that don’t show up until you are about to put in your credit card number. I always check the hotel directly first, then a few of my favorite booking sites.
There is nothing like that first walk into your two-night home away from home. Looking around admiring your view and admiring yourself for getting it. Then an inventory, cool shower? check. Coffee? check. Close up of igneous rock feature wallpaper? Check.
If you are going to do it, get the river view room. It was not much more, and for goodness sakes, how often will you do this?
The trick is to set the GPS to the hotel or remember Washington to Water Street. I parked in the 15-minute parking out front then took the elevator to the lobby on the second floor. If you are lucky, you will get James to check you in. James gave me my parking pass and the intel for finding the slightly tricky parking lot.
James said to go past the hotel and make a right on Main Street. Watch for what looks like a parking lot but is an alley. Go down the alley, and at the end is the parking garage. When you get in, you will see the signs for the Hotel Indigo. Drive up to the second floor and go into the lobby from there. No dragging bags through the snow and ice! Woo hoo!
I would call the guest room design style suburban cyberpunk—open antique-looking lightbulbs and tufted headboard along with copper round desk lamps.
The river view room also got me the fancy Keurig coffee maker. The website said refrigerators were available on request. However, since I was only here for two days, I made a giant ice cube at home and brought a cooler. Which still was probably dumb since this town is food heaven! I mean heaven, just looking out my window past the river to the downtown, I gained 5 pounds. But hey. Live and learn.
Everyone has their vacation goals; mine are to write and eat! Dinner one was at Vasili’s. Staff is short these days, so when you order the wine, get the 8 oz. It comes with a small carafe along with your glass, so you don’t have to bug the server when you run out. We had the saganaki, of course, served tableside and on fire. OPA! Then we shared the Village Salad, vine-ripe tomatoes, cucumber, cubanelle peppers, kalamata olives, red onion, Dodoni feta. When they say feta, they mean feta! Two huge hunks. Finally, we split a dinner, Yiayia Penny’s Pastitsio terrine of baked pasta, aromatic meat sauce, kefalograviera cheese, bechamel. I don’t know who Gramma Penny is, but I love her! I could not do dessert. But I would love to go back to try the Olive Oil Gelato. Just because it sounds so bad, it’s probably great.
On my second night, I tried to go to Le Bisto du Bouchard and Le Chocolat du Bouchard next door. They have a restaurant, chocolate shop, bakery, and an Etsy shop. Or so they say on the website; however, after much ado, I ran over there only to find no chef on duty!
Instead, I went for the taco sampler at Seoul Taco. If it’s fusion, I am in. The worker noticing the confused look on my face recommended the taco sampler. It was delicious! Only 12 bucks for dinner, and I had a steak, chicken, and spicy pork taco. Korean and Mexican influences make for one great meal.
Before you go, one more thing! I want to introduce you to the Send Me Somewhere contest!
Pick a place you would like me to go to and write about it. If the team chooses your destination, I will do my thing and bring you back a t-shirt.