We’re only a few days away from reaching two full months as Chicago residents, and it still feels surreal. Sometimes I forget I live in Illinois — I’ll spot the corner of my driver’s license in my wallet while waiting in line and do a double take. The time change has thrown me off more than once; I once scheduled a work call for EST before remembering Chicago is in Central Time.
Gardens at The Art Institute
These past eight weeks have flown by. Part of me feels like we’ve lived here a long time; the other part still expects we’ll return to DC in a few months. Yet it’s real: we will be living in Chicago for the next five years. Our apartment is settled, we’ve explored much of the city, and a steady routine has taken root. It hasn’t been perfect — about a week into the move I had a small identity crisis. Being away from close friends and family, combined with the whirlwind of the past year — residency match anticipation, planning a wedding, an adventurous honeymoon, and then packing and moving — left me feeling a bit unmoored. There were no big events on the horizon to distract me, and that felt strange.
June didn’t help; it was reportedly the wettest June in almost a century for Chicago, and the persistent rain and cloudy days made the adjustment harder. Thankfully, life has settled, and I finally feel like I can focus again. That’s a welcome relief.
Our new neighborhood in the West Loop
Our West Loop neighborhood has been a huge help with the transition. We’re surrounded by outstanding restaurants, coffee shops, farmer’s markets, grocery stores — even a local fish market — and we can walk to most places. It’s inspiring, tempting, and wonderful. Without wanting to disparage my hometown, Chicago’s food scene easily tops DC’s. I haven’t had a disappointing meal yet, and new spots seem to open constantly.
Caprese Burrata Salad at Soho House
Connor’s schedule was lighter during his first weeks here, so we walked a lot. Our apartment is just over a mile from Millennium Park, and we’ve walked down to the lake many times. We even braved Fourth of July crowds to watch fireworks by the harbor (I’m not a fan of crowds, and I still prefer DC’s fireworks), but the lake and river are quickly becoming favorites. We’ve been to North Avenue Beach, enjoyed the Riverwalk, and walked parts of the Lakeshore Trail. Kayaking on the river is on our list.
North Avenue Beach
Summer in Chicago has been incredible so far — far less humid and generally more pleasant than DC summers. People take advantage of every sunny day: patios are full, festivals pop up around the city almost every weekend, and there’s a lively outdoor culture that makes the season feel endless. It sometimes seems like everyone spends summer dining and socializing outdoors — do people even work during summer in Chicago?
Cubs Game in Wrigleyville
We’ve eaten our way through many restaurants since moving — though we’ve tried to limit dining out to about once a week so we can save some meals for family visits coming up. Our new kitchen is a joy to cook in compared with our last place, and our building even has outdoor gas grills, which helps with at-home meals.
The Loop
One of the pleasant surprises has been how quickly we made friends. We knew almost no one here when we decided to move, and working from home makes meeting people harder. Blogging has been an unexpected blessing: fellow Chicago food bloggers reached out before we even moved, offering tips and support that smoothed our transition. A small group of us now get together regularly for dinners across the city, and if you follow Instagram you’ve likely seen photos from those outings.
Birthday Bubbles at City Winery’s River Walk Location
Kristin kindly spent my birthday with me while Connor was working; we went to City Winery’s River Walk location, enjoyed drinks and charcuterie for hours, and swapped stories about culinary school, careers, and the looming Chicago winters. Another night we met at Le Colonial in the Gold Coast for Vietnamese food and a lot of laughter (and food photos). The people we’ve met have been warm and welcoming — Chicagoans are genuinely friendly.
Vietnamese Feast at Le Colonial in Gold Coast
I plan to share more Chicago-focused posts — life updates, photography, restaurant recommendations, and recipes inspired by local meals. If there’s anything specific you’d like me to cover, let me know. I’ve also created a Chicago page on the blog where all city-related posts will be collected, making it easy to find restaurant tips and neighborhood guides. If you’re visiting Chicago and want suggestions on where to eat or what to do, I’m happy to help — just reach out.
Rose Garden in Grant Park
