Chicago Day 1 – OpenSky Cocktail Party

The first of the Healthy Living Summit events was a cocktail party hosted by OpenSky at LaSalle Power Co (which is a bar/club, not an actual power company.)

The 3rd floor was reserved for the Summit guests, and it was just the right size. Small enough where we felt 'together', but not too crowded. There were booths and tables if you wanted to sit, and an open dance floor that we used for mingling. We had our own bar/bartenders, and they set up a photo booth on the stage so you could get pics with your friends!

There were some appetizers, but I didn't end up eating much. Everything I tasted was pretty blah, so I pitched my plate instead of mindlessly snacking. Besides, I knew I had leftover pizza from lunch waiting at the hotel for me.

We were given a drink ticket, but I was bummed to find out it didn't cover wine (only beer and well drinks.) I was craving a Chardonnay, so I shelled out $8 for a small glass. After that, I used my ticket on a new-to-me cocktail: vodka and soda water with a splash of pineapple juice (I got mine light on the vodka - I'm a super lightweight.) This was recommended by another guest, and I really liked it! The pineapple juice gave it flavor without being overly sweet. It was pretty much like a spritzer. I also downed several glasses of water. It was hot in there!

The party was a great way to break the ice and meet a few new people. Since I came to the conference alone, it was nice knowing I'd have some people to look for in the sessions the next day.

I found an Operation Beautiful note in the bathroom. (Caitlin, the creator of Operation Beautiful, was part of the planning committee.) Actually, now that I think about, I'm kind of surprised that was the only note I saw all weekend!

By the time we were ready to head back to the hotel, it had begun to rain. Luckily we were all heading to the same place so it was easy to split a cab!

It was a fun night out in Chicago!