A Weekend in Chicago: Picnicking and Pizza

Slowly but surely, things are beginning to turn back to normal. It is so crazy that just last week I ate inside a restaurant for the first time in over a year. With that being said, weekends in Chicago are back! Here is a look into my past weekend and some great takeaways for you to plan for yours. They‘re easy, affordable, and a whole ton of fun 😊

FRIDAY

With the weather being perfect and a load of taco Thursday leftovers, I just had to go on a picnic. This was my first “try hard“ picnic. As much as I enjoy eating out, it was nice to not have to worry about expensive tabs. My boyfriend and I decided to bike down the lake front trail to the museum campus. The views are absolutely stunning and it’s never too crowded. For dinner, I decided to make us mini taco bowls which were a smash. What made it even better were the bento box containers called “Bentgos”. They really helped with divvying up all the sides and even come with these cute mini utensils. We also got boxes of wine which are super convenient and cheap. But be warned, one will get you a bit tipsy. After our picnic we watched the sunset and biked around grant park.

The city lights are so beautiful at night. I highly recommend incorporating an evening picnic and bike ride into your next weekend plans. Whether you plan it with your boo or a group of friends, it will definitely be a great time!

SATURDAY

With the weather being amazing, again, I wanted to keep the outdoor theme. After a nice night of rest, we headed over to a farmers market in Lincoln Park called “Green City Market”. This was recommended by one of my family members, and she said it was a must to go to. It runs from 7 AM to 1 PM. Piece of advice, get there as early as you can. When we showed up it was very packed and hard to find a parking spot. We eventually settled for some street parking about a mile away. Unfortunately, we arrived pretty close to when stands were closing. One of the stands we were going to go to had this delicious looking cheese sandwich, but it ran out of supplies just as we were about to order. Instead, we settled for a grilled cheese which I can definitely attest to it being the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had.

Overall, I really loved the market. We didn’t get to buy anything else really as most of the good stuff was sold out. But there were stands for all sorts of goodies including succulents, homemade pasta, smoothies, veggies, and pies. Definitely would go again. As we drove home to get ready for a double date, we were told by our other attendees that they would have to cancel. Thankfully, we were able to reschedule for Tuesday and secure a reservation at duck duck goat. Which I highly recommend! Amazing food and even better atmosphere. Continuing on, as we (or should I say I as my bf just wanted to go to Raising Cane‘s 😂) frantically tried to see if any Fulton Market restaurant had availability (which they did not), we called for an audible. We decided to head up north to grab a bite to eat. I also highly recommend traveling outside the city and exploring the beaches up north.

It’s very quiet and quaint with many good restaurant options. Overall, it was nice to escape the crowds of the city. Was a night full of seafood and great vibes.

SUNDAY

Last but not least it was time for Sunday. To be honest, I don’t always feel the most social on these days. Laying in bed catching up on Breaking Bad is more my style. However, I really wanted to have a nice brunch and more importantly a tomato juice smoothie (only the real ones would know) with friends. After endlessly searching for the best BM's in Chicago, I came across PB&J. This West Loop hangout looked like a great place to kick back and enjoy some good brunch. Their brunch menu is small but had these tasty breakfast pizzas. They were so yummy! As for the drink I was so excited about, let's just say it looked a bit different than the insta posts...

It was still an experience though, but not sure if it was worth $16. They also have these really cute breakfast shots as well. We all decided to go with a pitcher of Sangria instead. I would definitely go back one day. I liked the juke box vibe and pet friendly atmosphere.

As a recap, here’s my quick itinerary:

1. Evening picnic and bike ride at museum campus.

2. Farmers market and double date in West Loop. If your friends cancel, call an audible to head up north for a sunset on the beach followed by dinner.

3. Brunch with friends including good food and fun drinks.