What do fancy cars, chandeliers, lounge singers, and Kid Rock all have in common? That’s right, The Four Seasons hotel. Brian and I just had the most luxurious (and expensive! Thanks Brian’s family!) weekend away in Chicago savoring succulent lamb and pork tenderloin dinners, partaking in the mini-bar, and enjoying 24/7 service, all the while having that song in my head (you know the one).

We spent two nights in a deluxe room - two nights that would normally get us 2 MONTHS in our apartment - if only we could have been there for 2 months. *sigh* But, there’s a reason I don’t stay in places like that all the time (besides the money). If we had that experience all the time, it wouldn’t be as special as it was this weekend. I was thankful for every piece of the adventure… every taste… every smell.

On that note, let’s start with the tastes of a weekend in Chicago:

Our fabulous dinner Friday night consisted of, for me, steak, mashed potatoes, red wine sauce, swiss chard, a glass of merlot, and crème brulee for dessert. Brian had the lamb, wild mushrooms, swiss chard, mint lamb sauce, a glass of merlot, and assorted sorbet for dessert.
Our breakfast on Saturday consisted of, for me, lemon ricotta pancakes with sour cherries and lemon spread, and a nice cup of coffee. Brian had the Irish oatmeal with brown sugar and green raisins, washed down with some coffee.

Our delicious dinner on Saturday consisted of, for both Brian and I, pork tenderloin, spinach, mashed potatoes, wheat mustard sauce, and chocolate mouse crepes for dessert.
Sunday morning, we had breakfast delivered to the room. We both had the eggs, hashbrowns, applewood smoked bacon, sausage, bread, jam, coffee, and juice.

Need I say more?

The smells:
The complimentary shampoo/soaps they provided were absolutely amazing. Brian and I both thought we smelled awesome, all day, after washing with their products. And, the shampoo made my hair so soft! We had to snag the leftovers to take home with us!

The textures:
Besides the awesome feel of the paper, disposable swim trunks that Brian used one evening, we both really enjoyed the luscious terry cloth robes waiting for us in the bathroom. I honestly spent most of my room time in my robe and slippers (as did Brian). Paradise.

Brian taking a pic of both of us in our robes.

The sights and sounds:
This one is easy. I was blown away by The Blue Man group on Saturday evening. It was an amazing show that definitely tackled these two senses.

Overall, it was a stimulating weekend for all five senses, and one that I probably won’t get to have again for many years to come. The buildings, the lights, the cars… and that song playing my head. Yes, it’s true. I got to ‘’set up shop at the top of Four Seasons!”

Ok, ok, so it was like 2 floors down from the top, but don’t you dare try and take that away from me.

Eleven appears to be the magic number today (sorry number 3). Let me explain why 11 is so special:

• I have been working at my job now for about 11 months.
• I have 11 more months of working at my job before the trip.
• We have 11 months before the trip.
• Money goal for the end of February (for me) is $11,000.
• This is my 11th post in the funding section.

Wouldn’t it have been cooler if I had 11 reasons? Wouldn’t it also have been cooler if I had a part-time job to make some extra money? Either way, it is hard to believe the trip is only 11 months away! The distant is not so distant anymore, and that in itself is worth 11 reasons to be excited.