Family Vacation 2013: Chicago Land, Pt. 3

Here's a fact you may (or may not) find interesting: aside from How the Grinch Stole Christmas on tv, every year, I didn't grow up with Dr. Seuss. Not to throw anyone under the bus (cough, cough), but my mom isn't a fan. My ex-husband, on the other hand, grew up with Dr. Seuss and loves him, so I think my kids have every Dr. Seuss book known to man. I'd left right many of them behind when I moved out, but a year ago or three, my ex-husband came over with a box of books so big and heavy he could barely carry it.

"Cade's outgrown these," he said, trying to catch his breath. "I want his sisters to have them."

So Dr. Seuss is well known and loved in this house, and I wanted to take the kids to see some of his characters while we were near Naperville.

 

The Cat in the Hat statue is in the gorgeous, downtown part of the city. I look at my photos and feel happy all over again thinking what a beautiful evening we had together on the Riverwalk. Even Cade exclaimed over and over again how cool he thought it was: how he'd like to live there.

 

Charleigh was completely enamored with this statue and told us she was going to stay with her.

 

The nine of us enjoyed frozen yogurt at Red Mango, and then--after our families parted ways--I asked Jim to take me to Superdawg in Chicago. "What the heck," he said. "We're on vacation." And so it was that--of the five restaurant meals (counting the one at McDonald's) we ate in eight days--two were in the same, second half of the same day.

We each went for a classic Superdawg: a "pure beef hot dog (no pork, no veal, no cereal, no filler), formally dressed with all the trimmings, escorted by [...] often imitated, but never equaled, Superfries™. Served with all the trimmings - golden mustard, tangy piccalilli, kosher dill pickle, chopped Spanish onions and a memorable hot pepper."

And it was pretty good, but--while I'm not necessarily a connoisseur of hotdogs--I think I'd just as soon have a Skeeter-dog, myself.

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Do tell: where do you get your favorite hot dog? And while you're talking to me, which is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?