Chicago

Road Trip Days 7-8 (June 19-20): Chicago, IL

Flickr Pictures: Chicago pictures

Songs of the Day: The Fratelli's -- Chelsea Dagger (Go Hawks!); Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Devon Street!)

Day 7: After arriving in Oak Brook a little after 4 pm, I settled into the guest room at my Aunty Malini and Uncle Pankaj's home. Aunty Malini made me a refreshing and delicious cup of tea and some cookies and then we all got ready for dinner at Quay on Chicago's North Side, near Navy Pier and, of course, Lake Michigan. On the way, we picked up my cousin Sangeeta, a doctor at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. She chose Quay for dinner because not only does it boast bold and unique fare, but also features tables perfectly situated for us to enjoy the NHL's presentation of the Stanley Cup Finals Game 4 between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. Driving into Chicago, it was evident how excited this great sports city was for the game. (Art Museum Lions wearing Blackhawks helmets -->)

Down 2-1 in the series, the city was buzzing for this pivotal tilt in Beantown (Mass. was about 1,000 miles and 2 days ago for me). But before all that excitement, it was dinnertime and Quay was up to the challenge of standing out on my cross country trip. We started the meal off with four appetizers: Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Roasted Bone Marrow, Mussels with French Fries and Octopus, and Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese. Each was unique in its own way, but I was partial to the scallops which were wrapped in crispy, thick-cut bacon. Yum (-->) 

 Ok, now it was time for the main course, which for me, was a roasted brook trout. (-->)

 After our party of four shared two desserts (Butterscotch panna cotta with peanut butter tartine and Rum Syrup Soaked Baba with Vanilla Bean Semifreddo), we watched as the Blackhawks took a 3-1 lead. At Chicago's United Center, the Hawks have the unique tradition of playing the song Chelsea Dagger after each goal the Hawks score. This tradition was not lost on the crowd at Quay, which cheered loudly and even broke into a poorly-choreographed rendition of the song after the Hawks' third goal. After dinner (thanks Aunty Malini and Uncle Pankaj!), we went to Sangi's apartment to watch the remainder of the game. As the Bruins scored early in the third to tie the game at 4, ill-timed fireworks lit the serene Chicago sky over Lake Michigan, which, I was told, do so every Wednesday and Saturday night during the summer months. As the game headed into overtime, we battled through both nervousness and tiredness, each in our own way. Sangi sat on the edge of her seat, Uncle Pankaj paced back and forth and wondered aloud whether the Blackhawks even bother to practice their power play, Aunty Malini nervously wrapped herself in a blanket, and I tried to assure my father over the phone that the Hawks were actually playing quite well (well, besides Corey Crawford's glove). Finally, more than 10 minutes into overtime, the Hawks cashed in on a laser shot from the point by defenseman Keith Seabrook. Sweet relief! Not only because the Hawks had knotted up the series, but also because we could go home and go to sleep!

Day 8: Waking up to sunshine and 75 degree weather, Aunty Malini and I drove through the city and then along Lake Michigan to Evanston, IL, the home of Northwestern University's undergraduate campus. After touring the campus a bit, we arrived in Wilmette, IL, the home of the Baha'i Temple (-->) 

, an architectural marvel and only North American temple of the Baha'i faith, a "monotheistic religion emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind" (lifted from wikipedia). After learning a bit about the religion and admiring the beautiful gardens and fountains that surround the temple, Aunty Malini and I headed to a section of Devon Street (pronounced "Di-vahn") lined with Indian restaurants, clothing stores, and cafes. First, we went to Sukhadia's, which specializes in Indian sweets. We stocked up on kaju barfi and other sweets and then headed across the street to Patel's Cafe, where we shared a refreshing sugar cane juice with a little ginger and lemon. Finally, time for lunch at Ravi Kabab House, which despite its Yelp ratings, had the best lamb biryani I've ever had (-->) 

  After getting back to Oak Brook, we had one more cup of tea and then it was time for me to hit the road for Lincoln, Nebraska. Wow, what an eventful 24 hours in Chicago!

Chicago on Dwellable