The charm of a Chicago summer

 We met friends in Wicker Park for the Division Street Fest on Saturday. It was hot and over 90 degrees!

In the middle of the afternoon, a storm suddenly rolled in, and it started to pour! Most people were caught in the torrential rain, but we ducked into a jewelry tent for a little while....

 After browsing and purchasing a few things, we decided to brave the rain to a bar a few blocks away....

 The five of us got totally soaked, and only one of us was prepared with a rain jacket. (HINT: It was not me!) Fortunately it was warm rain and we had a blast hiding under covered doorsteps until it let up a little. 

 Today, we met up with our friends to check out another street fest. 

 We went to the Eastside Millennium Park Art Festival!

 I enjoyed all the photography. 

 We all enjoyed walking around alot, 

 especially since today was cooler and at noon it was only in the 70s.

 For lunch, we dined on mediocre gyros from a street vendor. (Unfortunately, they smelled WAY better than they tasted.)

 We later wandered through the Cancer Survivors Garden, across the BP bridge, 

and stopped to dip our hot feet in the water at the Lurie Garden. 

The Lurie Garden was spectactular today. It was filled with native Illinois flora. We saw gorgeous purple bee balm, white indigo and many more amazing flowers. 

 We walked up to the Art Institute of Chicago and viewed the Pae White exhibition on the terrace, outside the museum. 

It has a great view of Millennium Park too! 

We extended our walk along Lake Shore Drive and found some hidden gems along the Chicago Riverwalk. After a second lunch (hobbit style), Mr. F and I said adieu to our good friends and walked home across the river. 

This weekend was fun and sun filled. I'm excited to replicate this weekend again and find more Chicago street fairs this summer. Chicago is really starting to feel like home!