Chicago Day 1 – Getting Settled

Hi! As you know, I attended the Healthy Living Summit this past weekend. This was an event for healthy living bloggers and readers who gathered to meet one another, listen to panels on various healthy living topics, and play!

I arrived in Chicago on Friday morning, but there weren't any scheduled events until 6pm...which meant I had the day to explore the city! First things first, I checked into the hotel. The Summit was held at the Congress Plaza Hotel which was conveniently located downtown.

The hotel was....interesting. It was old and everyone kept talking about they thought it was haunted. It's a good think I'm not superstitious because not only did I fly in on Friday the 13th, but I was assigned room 1313!!

The room wasn't the nicest I've seen, but it wasn't dirty or scary so it was ok in my book. There were a few things that added to its 'charm.'

A fire escape...I LOVE fire escapes.

A glass doorknob on the bathroom door.

And a giant king-sized bed all to myself!

After getting settled, I set off to look around and find some lunch. I was headed to a highly-recommended vegan restaurant called Karyn's on Green, which was a little over a mile from the hotel.

After getting good and sweaty (it was hot out!), I arrived at this calm and cool oasis.

I was having a hard time deciding what to order, so I asked the waiter for suggestions. I wanted to get something that I couldn't get at home. He said the pizzas are always a big hit, so I decided to go with the 'Sausage' (keep in mind, everything on the menu in vegan.) The white bean puree sounded intriguing.

And, oh my word, this pizza was amazing. Just incredible. The crust was crispy, the toppings were filling and flavorful, and it was surprisingly spicy (in a good way) from the hot pepper flakes.

Everything else that I saw come out of the kitchen looked great. And the restaurant itself is so beautiful, open, and calming. I would highly recommend Karyn's on Green if you're in Chicago!

On my way back to the hotel, I stumbled upon a cupcake truck. Um, yes please!!

I got a coconut one, which I devoured once I got back to my room.

Look at all that coconutty goodness!

I really don't mind exploring new places by myself. I have a good sense of direction, and I don't have any issues with walking or public transportation (after all, I did live in New York for 5 years.) In fact, I'm a girl that needs lots of alone time. When I'm by myself, I don't feel the need to please anyone else and can really just enjoy my time however I want to. All in all, I had a lovely afternoon in the city!