Tammy had read about Soloway Coffee, a Ukrainian owned coffee shop in Chicago, and we rented some bikes and rode to the Lincoln Park neighborhood to try it out. They had Kyiv Cake, which I had never had, and it was great. They had Napolean Cake but the person in front of us bought he last slice!

Busy interior of Soloway Coffee in Chicago with customers waiting at a white tile counter and a menu board on the wall. Small round Kyiv Cake with hazelnut-studded chocolate cream piped on top, coated in ground nuts, on a blue-rimmed white plate

While making our way to a coffee shop in Lincoln Park we ran across Oz Park in Chicago. It was a fun discovery. We didn’t have time to find the Lion though.

Shiny metal Tin Man statue on a concrete pedestal in Oz Park Chicago with a plaque from the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce 1995 Bronze Scarecrow statue on a stone pedestal in Oz Park Chicago, with a plaque reading The Scarecrow, surrounded by green trees Bronze statue of Dorothy and Toto from Wizard of Oz, with red shoes and basket, on a stone pedestal in Oz Park Chicago

We visited the Art Institute of Chicago specifically to see one of the original Great Wave pieces that they have there. The Great Wave is one of Tyler’s favorite pieces of art. We also checked out the contemporary and modern galleries.

Auto-generated description: A framed artwork depicting Hokusai's famous The Great Wave is displayed on a wall with descriptive text explaining its significance and origins. Auto-generated description: A large, framed pointillist painting depicting people relaxing in a park is displayed in a gallery, with two women observing it. Auto-generated description: A cubist painting depicts a reclining nude figure with abstract geometric shapes and muted colors.

While walking from Buckingham Fountain to the Art Institute of Chicago we took in the Abraham Lincoln: The Head of State in Grant Park.

Bronze seated statue of Abraham Lincoln on a granite pedestal in Grant Park Chicago surrounded by trees

Buckingham Fountain in the early part of the major display.

Buckingham Fountain shooting a tall central jet of water with Chicago skyscrapers visible behind it under a clear blue sky.

“The Bean”

Auto-generated description: A large, reflective bean-shaped sculpture is surrounded by people and set against a backdrop of tall buildings in an urban park.

Breakfast at Wildberry is a tradition for us in Chicago.

Auto-generated description: People are lined up in front of a popular restaurant called Wildberry waiting to get inside, with skyscrapers in the background. Auto-generated description: A plate of pancakes topped with syrup and powdered sugar sits on a wooden table, with two cups of sauce in the background.

Our evening plans were a bit in flux and we decided at the last minute, very last minute, to go to the Wayfarer theatre and see White Bird. Very good movie with a gripping story.

Auto-generated description: A couple stands in a sunlit forest clearing holding hands, with film credits and the title White Bird prominently displayed.

Prairie Grass Cafe had “Chicago Magazine’s #1 Sirloin Burger” on the menu and Tyler and I couldn’t pass up an award winning burger. It delivered — so good!

Auto-generated description: A burger topped with bacon is served on a plate with fries.

Browsing the Ebisu Life store at Gurnee Mall. All Japanese products.

Auto-generated description: A supermarket shelf displays a variety of packaged snacks in colorful bags.