Karmina in Chicago

This weekend was so much fun!!

We left Friday at around 1:30pm to head to Chicago, and arrived at our hotel around 3:30pm.  We read online that the Super 8 was a mile from where the concert was, and since we literally were only sleeping there, we decided to stay there.  Well, that was a HUGE mistake!  We got up to our room and it REEKED of air freshener.  We started looking around, and when I walked into the bathroom I realized that the toilet looked like it was straight out of a gas station bathroom, and the shower was barely big enough for me and had no light in it.  We decided we had to change rooms.  We got the next room and it still reeked but at least there was a tub shower.  Ha!

After getting settled, and since I wanted to be at the hotel as little as possible, we decided to head to dinner at 4pm because we were starving.  We found a pub a couple minutes from where we were staying so we decided to try it out.  It was SO good!!  I got the fish sandwich, and although it wasn't the best fish sandwich I've ever had, it was really good and the tartar sauce was SO yummy!

After dinner we thought it would be fun to drive around and see if there was shopping or something to do.  Unfortunately, it was rush hour and it was snowing, so the roads were pretty dangerous.  We decided we would be safer in the creepy hotel.  Plus, we thought it would be a good idea to take a nap because we both had been up since 5am and the concert wasn't until10pm.

Around 9:30pm we headed out to "Uncommon Ground" which is the restaurant that the concert was at.  We made reservations for 9:45pm and got there right on time.  The restaurant is split into 3 sections, the bar is first, the regular restaurant, and the music room.  We walked into the music room, and there was Karmina, on stage doing soundcheck.  The music room had probably 30 people in it!  We got seated at second table closest to the stage!  It was amazing.  Karmina started their set right at 10pm.  Before we left for Chicago, I had written them on Facebook and requested two songs, and they did play one of the two.  They played some songs I knew, a few new ones, and a few covers.  It was so much fun!  I couldn't believe how amazing they sounded live.  They chatted in-between songs and were really funny and quirky.

After the concert, they were standing by their merchandise table to chat with people.  I got a chance to talk to Kamille, the brunette.  She was so sweet and asked my name and thanked me for coming.  I told her how much I love their music and that I would have flown out to LA to see them if they hadn't come to Chicago.  It was so awesome getting a chance to talk to her and she gave me a hug when we left.  Such an amazing experience!

Our weekend away...

We had a wonderful weekend! 

On Saturday we went to the fundraiser for WBTR!  The dogs and us had a blast hanging out with all of the crazy Boston Terrier lovers.  There was section for all of the dogs to run around and play.  Of course, Marley was picked on quite a bit by the Boston's but she has learned to stand up for herself, and if that doesn't work, she hides by her Momma.  We got there at about 2pm and hung out until 4:30pm so the girls were exhausted when we left.  Remi did really good walking around and checking out the other dogs, but more than anything she was found hiding under the table or being passed from person to person.  Everyone wanted to hold her!  It was so amazing to see how much love there was for her.  WBTR had a raffle, which unfortunately I didn't win anything, but Penny did!  And they also had a Halloween costume contest.  Although Marley and Stella looked adorable in their bee and ladybug costumes, they didn't win, but our little Remi won second place!!  She made the cutest little owl ever!

Remi as an owl

On Sunday, we took the grandma's to spend the night at Grandma Kris's and then we head to Chicago.  We checked into the hotel at about 2:30, and then we got ready to go out for the night.  We went to dinner at Dib.  I thoroughly enjoyed their sushi and Mark really liked their Pad Thai and egg rolls.  This place was pretty original because you could BYOB (bring your own booze)!  I had never heard of this, and unfortunately we didn't partake in this but other restaurant goers definitely did! 

Then, we went to look for parking, and apparently it is VERY hard to find parking by the Riviera Theater.  Mark may have gotten pulled over for an illegal turn on red.  Luckily, the cops let us off because they said our punishment would be when the Bears beat the Packers this coming weekend.  Whatever buddy, as long as we don't get a ticket!!

bored in line (wearing his new shades I got him for Sweetest Day)

Once we FINALLY found street parking, we headed for drinks before standing in line for an hour!  We got inside at about 6:30pm and scored SECOND ROW standing!!  The standing part is what definitely sucks but either way it was a good time!

the opener, Harper Blynn

no zoom!

Monday morning, we woke up around 7:30am and had a good continental breakfast.  I made good use of the fitness center (ran 1 mile and biked 2 miles) and then we both hung out in the pool (which had to be 100 degrees!).  It was such a great way to start the day.  Then we headed to Schaumberg to hit up some good shopping!

I didn't go crazy buying stuff because I honestly have no idea what I need for the new house yet.  Me and my mom will have to make a trip back once I have a better idea of what we actually need.  For now, it was so much fun to look around.  After some shopping, we had lunch at P.F. Changs.  Apparently we had a craving for Asian food this weekend!

Remi didn't seem too happy when we picked her up from Grandma's but she bounced back quickly.  Stella and Marley could have cared less that we came back for them.  Pretty sure if Stella could talk, she would ask to live with Grandma.  Haha!

Sara Bareilles concert

Since her first album came out I have been listening to Sara Bareilles non stop.  She is an amazing musician and I have been lucky enough to see her every time she has come in to town.  I love that she plays the piano (like me!) and that she recently started playing the guitar too.  She mesmerizes me with her stage performance.  Last week, she was in town and  Marky Mark and me got REALLY lucky and scores some tickets to her super intimate tour.  She chose to go out on a tour all alone!  This means she had no openers and no other musicians on stage with her.  Very #Brave!  She was amazing to see!  Her voice sounded better than ever, along with her piano and guitar playing.  Her best performance of the night had to be when she played the electric guitar to 'Come Around Soon'.  There were about 400 people in the audience so the tickets were extremely difficult to get.  So happy we were able to see her!  This was unlike any other concert I have ever been too!

Jammin' out to 'Come Around Soon'

She is so cute!

And so funny!

Not only did she do some amazing music that night, she is HILARIOUS!  I can't wait for her new album to come out this summer called 'The Blessed Unrest'.  She played a couple songs off of the new album and I fell in love with 'Manhattan'. I'm so happy I was able to find a video of it off of YouTube from the actual show in Milwaukee.  I will be watching this many times until July...