Bro-ing Out

The week leading up to Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. My older brother, Brad, has an annual convention out here for work, and  so in true Chicago fashion, we eat, drink, and are merry until we've gotten sufficiently fat and hungover to warrant a year's recovery.

Saturday night started off with a trip to the Sears Tower. Despite living very close, it was my first time going up to the top. And I likely won't be back. $17 to go to the Skydeck, and you have to wind through a labyrinth of lines and multimedia displays that reminded me of a Disneyland attraction. When you finally make it to the top, you're rewarded with vertigo and motion sickness.

Stepping out on the Ledge was really freaky. You feel like you're going to plummet to your death and your equilibrium immediately gets thrown off. It also didn't help that it was incredibly windy and the building was swaying. Glad I can check it off my Chi-town Bucket List, but the next time I want a bird's eye view of the city, I'll head to Hancock. At least I can get a cocktail up there.

Just looking at this right now is making me dizzy.

We then went to dinner at Sushi Samba, which was the best meal I've had in years. We told our server what we like and don't like, and based on that, the chefs prepared a four course meal for us. The final course was  thinly sliced Kobe beef, which we cooked ourselves on a hot rock. It was pretty awesome, although any time I can eat Kobe beef and sushi in the same sitting, I'm a happy camper. How I ever thought I could be a vegan in college is beyond me.

Then we went out to a few different bars, the last of which was the Mid. I can't believe I subjected my 38 year old brother to that environment, but I thought it would be entertaining. And it was. Five minutes after we got in, his coworkers got kicked out and spent the rest of the evening singing Elton John to each other at a karaoke bar somewhere. But Meghan, Brad, and I stayed and danced. Brad even did his signature "crazy legs" move that only comes out on special occasions!

USD and Chicago friends at the Bears tailgate.

The Bears game was Sunday and the game was a good one -- and Cutler looked great! -- but by game's end we were nearly frozen and Jay had broken his hand. Not a particularly favorable closing, but we still had a good time and the Bears rocked it.

On the note of the Bears, I'm interested to see if they make an acquisition in the QB department. And I'm hoping so, because I'm still scarred by Hanie's performance in last year's playoff game against the Packers. I'm also hoping the Lions lose every single game for the rest of the season, so we can coast into the playoffs.

Hope you all had a great weekend. And cheers to a three day work week!