Weekend Recap: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

This past weekend I was excited to welcome my parents to my new humble abode.

They flew in late afternoon/ early evening Friday from Atlanta. I had just enough time for a tottie hors d'oeuvres before our 6:15pm reservation at my new favorite restaurant Seasons52.

We called it an early evening because we intended to get up fairly early to make it down town for the Air & Water Show.
We woke up to kind of crummy weather, so we threw and audible and decided to make our way to the Museum of Science & Industry. This is especially neat, as neither my dad nor I had been. But really because it's one of the last surviving buildings of the Chicago World's Fair. (PS. do they still have World's Fairs? They just sound so neat!). Fun Fact: They first exhibited a Ferris Wheel and the Egyptian Belly dance as we know it at this particular World's Fair. If you're interested in really cool stories from History, I HIGHLY recommend the book (or Audiobook in my case) of 'The Devil in the White City'. It's not a 'pretty' tale, but it just seems so suited for a city with Chicago's History of crime.

They had a huge train exhibit... I'm a Boilermaker... but the two together:

Chicago landscape... at the train exhibit.

More Trains... they just went on for ever.

I apologize, based on the pictures I took, you'd think I had a one track mind (Football in t-minus 2 weeks...). But seriously, it was super fun and reminded me of when I was growing up going through Atlanta's SciTrek (sadly closed in 2004 due to lack of federal funding), where you could play with different 'scientific' things (mostly optical illusions and water/sand stations). We saw the baby chicks hatching, lightening made (both indoors and out), and a coal mine!
After spending the morning exploring our scientific natures, we made our way back (also via public transit... Dad was apt to say they were doing the Planes, Trains, and Buses trip). It just so happened to drop us right in front of Billy Goat Tavern... so we just HAD to go in (plus Dad had been doing the SNL skit all morning, I think he was trying to hint something).

Mom and I getting our Billy Goat on!

And wouldn't you know, just as we were emerging from Lunch, the Sun broke through for a spectacular Chicago summer day!
Mom insisted we walk down Michigan Ave. We popped into the Trib Building, and a couple stores (just to peak). We finally made it to the Hancock Building. One of Chicago's tallest buildings, Mom was almost insistent that we all pay for a tour. BF however had the skinny... the 95 & 96 floor is a restaurant and bar and we made our way up for the view!

View of the Pier from the Ladies Bathroom: some say this is the best view in the city!

Another view, but from where we were having a cocktail watching the Fighter jets make there way to North Ave. Beach for the Show!

After so much adventure, Mom, Dad, & I made our way back out to the Burbs. BF & his parents were coming over for dinner!
Dad was super helpful playing grill master and teaching me all the ways to prepare veggies via the grill. Mom made the peach (& Blue berry) cobbler (recipe compliments of Paula Deen... SUPER EASY!)
We greatly enjoyed a night of great company and conversation.
Sunday, I had planned to go to brunch over at Wildberry, but having so much food in the apartment (which I'm never apt to do), it just felt like a waste. We snacked a bit and took our time waiting on the stores to open. Mom and I walked to get Dad a paper from a 7eleven up the street. After some dallying at Barnes &\ Noble, we finally went on the greatest adventure of the weekend: Sofa Shopping.
Long story short, I have my parents old pull-out sofa. It's probably like 25-30 years old and is dying... a slow and agonizing death (made that much more apparent after my recent move).
Nana, having prepared for this day, sent her Macy's Money & Associate card with Mom so we could get the best possible pricing. Needless to say we were not look at the Lilly Pulitzer line :(.... way WAY out of the price range.

I loved this one by Sherrill Furniture... but it was just too insanely priced, also not a pull out.

This beautiful olive one was also by Sherrill Furniture, out of my price range, only a love- seat, and not a pull-out

 After mucho debating, I believe I'll be going this week to get myself a new sofa! It's a neutral color queen pull-out.
Mom tried her darndest to get me to get this chair too:

I love it! But it's just not in the budget right now. I'm hoping it'll go on sale in January and then ... MAYBE. But I want to do it all myself.
I've been very very fortunate as I've never had to purchase furniture before. When I moved to my first apartment after college, my mom literally had everything in the garage waiting for me... write down to the pots & pans and silver wear. I'll let y'all know once the receipt is signed whether I have any buyers remorse, but I'm a pretty decisive person... I mean I bought a brand new car 2 years ago and had zero remorse... other than when wildlife attack me....
Have you ever made any big purchases like this? Has it made you want to have an unlimited budget to design a whole house too?
Check out these other finds I liked (and trust me when I say 'you don't want to know the price'):

Only in HJ's & My's Scarlett O'Hara Dreams...