Last week I caught the earliest flight ever for a quick trip to Chicago. I was meeting with my company for a strategy meeting and our holiday party.

In true ‘Jade visits Chicago’ fashion, it was super cold and snowing, which for this California girl, is always fun. (Can’t it be warm just one time I visit Chicago!!?) But, if it’s going to be cold, it might as well be snowing!

The day before I had to meet up with the Travel Mindset crew, my old friend from college, Jenny, picked me up from my hotel and we wandered around the city. Hitting up a great hotdog spot (of course), a German Christmas market, The night of lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo and even a photo op with Santa. The great thing about old friends, you can do everything or nothing and still have the best time. Here’s a few photos of Christmas time in Chicago and a funny looking Santa.

Our first stop after the Dana Hotel, Franks ‘n’ Dawgs. I ordered ‘The Southerner” (duh), with Slagel Farms pork loin & caramelized onions sausage, corn bread, cherry bourbon BBQ sauce & scallions. Yes, you read that right- cherry bourbon BBQ sauce and corn bread as a topping! It was delicious. 

Quick photo outside by the car! 

Next stop was the Christkindlmarket- where we ordered spiced hot wine and got cute little souvenir cups. It was freezing. Like not just a little cold- like my fingers in the wool gloves were about to break off. Seconds after we ordered the hot wine, it was cold. We lasted a good 20 minutes and then found shelter in an Anthropologie store- darn. 🙂

After we had warmed up a bit and did a little holiday shopping for ourselves, we cabbed it over to the Lincoln Park Zoo for their Night of Lights attraction. The super cool thing about the zoo- it’s free! And even though it was only 9 degrees while we were outside, there were tons of indoor attractions that we could go to in between being outside. With our third cup of coffee/ hot chocolate of the day, two added layers, and excitement to see the lights, we actually didn’t mind being outside. (By this point I had two pairs of tights, leggings and my jeans on my legs, one tank top, long sleeve shirt, long sleeve sweater, big sweatshirt and my jacket.)

And, finally, some pretty photos of snow around the city.