A cloudy start for a chilly Fall day. I was hoping for some sunrise color to splash all over those clouds… but alas, not much color. Just clouds. With a bit of a chill & clouds to start the day, it looks like it might be a good day for the Chicago Marathon runners. They’ve put in the work training, now put in the marathon miles & smiles!!!

Yep, good thing I rode my bike this morning!!! As it was a fun day full of sweet treats! Including a wonderful cheesecake at lunch with brownies, caramel & hot fudge. Not to be out-done with some late-night ice cream from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams… with a trio of “unique” Fall flavors!!!

A fun evening of musical theater tonight… going “INTO THE WOODS” at The Chopin Theater. It’s a fun show with a lot of words & and lot of rhyming by Stephen Sondheim!!!

The theater is very small… with just two pianos in the middle of the room, surrounded by sofas & upholstered chairs… and padded “ledges” to perch on? yeah, ouch! … while you’re watching this musical in the basement with large posts all around???? No real stage per se… just space around the pianos for the actors to move. Very small. Very close-up. It’s just starting its run at this theater… so grab a seat… or a “ledge” … and you’ll enjoy this small & intimate version of “INTO THE WOODS.”

Yummy & fun pizza dinner tonight with friends at Parlor Pizza…
only made better with a great “pizza mural” on the side of the building!!!

Another beautiful morning… with colorful wispy clouds.
A little warmer today for a gentle morning ride along the lakefront.
The best way to start my special day!!!

But then I thought…

Who needs to zip over to the lakefront?
Who needs The Northern Lights?!

This magical light show is happening on the condo building right behind me every night this spooky-holiday season!!! All night! Every night!! No rush!!! And I can see it with my own eyes!!! No iPhone Camera hoo-doo voodoo thing needed?!

Last night was kind of AMAZING!!!

I got a late night text from my friend Tiffany asking if I was “outside.” I had just gotten home from the studio, changed clothes & settled in to enjoy a night of SURVIVOR. She said you can see The Northern Lights over Lake Michigan… and even sent me a photo to “prove” it!!! So I immediately hopped in my car, zoomed over to the lake, parked, got out… and saw nothing but black sky?! Wait… what?! Did I miss it??? Nope!!! Apparently you can only see it through your phone’s camera??? Weird. So what else is my phone seeing that I can’t?!!!

Anyway, I got there in time for about 15 minutes of The Northern Lights sky show!!! It was pretty cool… but I was a little underwhelmed just cause I only saw black skies myself?! But I guess it’s “real”?… ‘cuz my phone told me so??? And I’ll take it!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!

Not a lot of clouds. Not a lot of drama.
Just ONE stunning sunrise!!!

Gotta love a good Fall Farmers Market… when they have big bags of crunchy-sweet apples! And you also gotta love having a big pottery bowl to put them in!!!

With all that is happening with Hurricane Milton down in Florida tonight, it was oddly quiet & serene along the Lake Michigan lakefront this morning. Crazy-cool splashy crashing waves for the past couple days… and today just somewhat serene with some gently rolling waves. While we enjoy beautiful Fall weather this week in Chicago… we’re also sending out good luck vibes to those in the path of Milton tonight. Hang in there & stay safe!