Guest Post | Emily Fleming

Next up we have Emily, the hilarious doctor living in Texas with her handsome doctor husband. She tells you a bit about herself below, so no more spoilers from me.  But, seriously, visit her blog and you'll keep coming back and back for a little peek into her life!

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hi!

i'm Emily from Em=Me

and even though the above picture was taken in San Antonio, TX

(where I now live)

i'm here to tell you about Chicago

(where i moved from)

i lived in Chicago while i was in med school

which is where I met this handsome guy

emily+nick=4evah

and promptly married him

then we graduated from med school

and moved to San Antonio

to practice being doctors

he's a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation resident at UTHSCSA

i'm an Emergency Medicine resident at San Antonio Military Medical Center

yes. military.

i'm also in the Air Force.

blam.

us in a nutshell.

 so Chicago.

it's often cold there

Lakeshore Drive during "Snowpocalypse 2011"

Lake Michican. there's a lake under there somewhere.

and to be honest,
the cold scared this native Florida girl a little

my first time using a snowscraper. circa 2007.

okay a lot.

but the fall is lovely.

yellow leaves are my fave.

but enough about the weather.

i'm here to talk about what to DO.

chicago is a fantastic city.

great culture

great music

aMAZing food

so here. in no particular order... 

visit the beach

skyline from Fullerton Beach

go to Lincoln Park Zoo Lights

(at Christmastime...obviously) 

me, Nick, and my sibbies

 visit the Hancock building

(amazing view from the 95th floor...and there's a bar with floor-to-ceiling windows

...great spot to catch your breath after shopping on Michigan Ave)

it's pretty tall

go for Afternoon Tea on Sundays at the Drake Hotel

Nick looks beyond thrilled. but he DID have fun. i swear.

or if your man is as great as mine,

you can stay at the Drake

and this will be your view from your room

just like in My Best Friend's Wedding (:

if you're into blues,

there's a spot called Kingston Mines that canNOT be missed

you should also go shopping on State Street

(a Nordstrom Rack, H&M, Loehman's, F21, and Anthropologie all right across the street from each other. heaven.)

or on Rush Street

or on Armitage Ave

or on Milwaukee

(i did a little shopping. sometimes.)

but let's be honest.

Chicago is all about the food.

the cutest lil goat. the best food. evah.

 here's my picks:

girl & the goat (West Loop)

Top Chef winner's restaurant. amazing food. don't miss it. but make a res. waits can be long

toro sushi (Lincoln Park)

tiny, but best rolls in Chicago. it's byob, so grab a bottle or a six pack on your way

the bourgeois pig (Lincoln Park)

coffee shop with sandwiches named after great works of literature. studied here all thru med school

piece pizza (Wicker Park)

also a brewery with great beer. the pizza isn't Chicago-style though...no deep dish. just good

GT fish & oyster (River North)

right downtown. phenomenal seafood. great wines. swanky vibe.

ricardo's trattoria (Lincoln Park)

our favorite Italian spot. intimate. excellent food. walking distance to the park.

hema's kitchen (Lincoln Park)

somewhat austere, but the indian food is the best. it's byob too

the purple pig (Mag Mile)

it's a wine bar, specialized in pork dishes...hence the name. milk-braised pork belly. do it.

yolk (River North or South Loop)

a ridiculously huge brunch menu. seriously. it's impressive.

it's by no means an exhaustive list

but it should get you through

(i've listed the neighborhoods they're in to help you plan your trip. prepare to eat. a lot.)

in all seriousness,

Chicago holds a very dear place in our hearts

it's where we fell in love

(:

happy.

 here's wishing you safe travels and happy trails,

Amanda and Taras!

and if anyone wants more of the scoop on Chicago

hit me up. 

i'm happy to help.

or reference this guest post i once did for a friend

(and you'll recognize some of the photos. they're vintage.)

xoxo,

em

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Thank you so much Em!!  I'm already hungry just thinking about getting to Chicago!