It had been quite a week as my friend Lisa and I started in
Indianapolis and then went on to Cedar Falls. We had discovered a new spa (
Evan Todd), a new fruit (pawpaws)
and a new beer (
Rockmill Brewery),
but nothing quite prepared us for what we would see when we arrived in Chicago.
We had another great breakfast (homemade quiche and
blueberry muffins) at the
Inn at Cedar Falls before saying goodbye to Hocking
Hills and hitting the road. It was a long drive to Chicago, but there was
something quite exciting waiting on the other end. I had snagged an exclusive
invitation to the Grand Opening of
Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse at the
Intercontinental Hotel on Michigan Avenue.
I have been to celebrity events before and although this one was a bit more
sports oriented in its attendees, it felt more celebratory than any I had seen.
As the valet opened the door to my Santa Fe, the cameras started snapping us
walking down the red carpet as if we were the stars of the evening! The truth
is, it was one of those events where you felt like everyone could be a star and not
even the paparazzi wanted to take a chance and miss getting a picture of someone.
It has never been clearer to me just how much of a hero
Michael Jordan is to Chicago than at the opening to his restaurant. He is the
man who helped the Bulls earn six NBA titles, and even played for the
Chicago White Sox minor league baseball team for awhile. Most of all, he is the man
everyone wants to see and MJ obliged, putting himself in the middle of the
party action. He and Scottie Pippin shook hands, posed for photos and greeted
all the guests as if they were still on the basketball court.
Lisa and I mingled through the group of celebrity athletes and even spent some
time talking with Jamie Blythe, a former
Bachelorette.
It was all a bit surreal and so different from the woodsy location we had
left in Ohio, where we didn’t even have televisions or phone service in our
cabin. Some people don’t understand when I say I liked both experiences
equally, but I do. A quiet evening with a friend and a bottle of wine is just
as fun as a red carpet event. Variety is the spice of life!
As for the restaurant itself, it’s beautiful, decorated in
red and black, just like the Chicago Bulls. The cozy bar on the first floor is
inviting. We had some tender lamb chops, but didn’t really sample enough food
for me to give a full opinion on the menu of Chef James O’Donnell. I’m hoping
to actually have a dinner there in the future.
We spent the night at the
Palmer House Hilton before my
Midwest adventure with Lisa was over (though I predict we will have more
outings in the future) and it was time to head home. After all, I only had a
few days before I was heading off to
Colorado.
Photos courtesy of
Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse
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