A Chicago Evening: Bliss and Fresh Air Dining

Greetings from Chicago!

Today has been exactly what I needed after yesterday’s rough afternoon. I went home last night and relaxed with Meg and Bo, enjoying a home cooked meal and a glass of wine with a side of Sex and the City. This morning I craved a workout in a big way. I wanted an intense sweat session. Luckily for me, Akin William’s Cardio Kickboxing class was on the schedule at my Equinox which meant that Meg and I punched out our feelings for 45 minutes while dripping sweat. WHAT A WORKOUT! It was a great way to loosen up my body after yesterday’s kettle bell personal training session and Monday’s run.

My manager and I were both upgraded on our flight to Chicago thanks in part to the flight’s lack of business travelers and all our travel this year. It was complete bliss to enjoy a meal and comfortable seats on our quick flight. I was thoroughly impressed with the chicken salad and level of service. If only I could always fly first. *sigh*

When we landed our team had some much needed downtime to catch up on emails, rest our feet, and prepare for the next few days. Thanks to a discount and a stress knot deep in my shoulders, I indulged on a 30 minute massage at Bliss Spa. While it was definitely an indulgence, I stood up from the table feeling light and refreshed. This Bliss Spa was so much nicer than the ones I’ve visited in New York City. It felt like a luxurious experience, from the service to the overall spa. I wish I could have lounged around for longer but I literally only had 30 minutes before our meeting.

Check out the gorgeous views from their lounge area. I can’t wait to run by the lake tomorrow morning and enjoy the cool morning temperatures and scenery! I really do love running in new cities. It is the perfect way to wake up after a long day of travel, it leaves me energized, allows me to see things I wouldn’t normally have time to see on a quick business trip, and gives me that dose of Vitamin D my body craves!

The rest of my evening was spent enjoying dinner with my team and our local colleague. Our wish to dine outside was granted by Rosebud Steakhouse which led to a relaxed dinner under the evening dusk. Fresh air dining is one of my favorite aspects of summer. Now if only we had a lovely porch and grill in New York City. 

Knowing that tomorrow night’s dinner is at another local steakhouse, I opted for a seafood based meal. The waiter highly recommended their fresh, never frozen, tuna as soon as I asked for his advice. I took it to heart and went with tuna for both my appetizer and entrée. My co-worker and I shared the tuna and avocado appetizer, which was the perfect portion to share while not being too rich. It seemed like a perfect summer appetizer.

My entrée, which wasn’t quite as delicious as the appetizer, was a Japanese inspired tuna dish, served rare and accompanied by seaweed salad and ginger. But, when dining at a steakhouse in Chicago, one can’t be too picky about the tuna I suppose. Was it perfectly rare? Nope. Was it filling, a healthier option than most things on the steakhouse menu and left me satiated? You bet!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to chill out with some gentle yoga stretches compliment of the DVD I brought with me on the trip and my delicious NEST candle which I bought on sale at Bliss this afternoon.

For those of you who enjoyed yesterday’s travel post, next week will include another installation which features my favorite hotel room necessities when traveling.