Honeymoon in Santa Barbara

We have made our honeymoon plans. On Tuesday, following the wedding we will depart early in the morning for Santa Barbara. For four nights, the Canary Hotel will be our home. It is located within walking distance of the beach and has a casually elegant decor that seems very California --- and romantic.

Neither of us have spent much time in Southern California and welcome any suggestions for the area.

Planes and Trains

If you are flying into Chicago, both Midway Airport and O'Hare International will serve you well. Each airport offers taxi service to downtown Chicago for approximately $35.00.

Chicago trains can shuttle you downtown for $2.25 per person. If you choose, below is information about your train ride from either airport.

From O'Hare, take the Blue Line toward the Loop. Exit downtown at the Clark/Lake Station. Take the stairs to get back above ground and hail a taxi or walk to your hotel.

The Orange Line services Midway. Two downtown Orange Line stations near Hotel 71 are Randolph/Wabash and State/Lake. From any Orange Line station take the stairs to street level (this is an elevated track) and hail a taxi or walk to your destination.

After - Party

We hope you will join us after the wedding reception for a night cap at Crimson Lounge. Just a short walk from Hotel 71, Crimson is setting aside a private room for our guests and waiving cover at the door. There will be drinks served, lounge seating, and dancing. Doors open at 11 PM.

Crimson is located at 333 N. Dearborn Street.

Find Crimson Lounge online at http://www.crimsonchicago.com/

Just a note, the wedding reception at Columbus Park will officially conclude at 10:00 PM. But let's not think about that yet!

Hotel 71 and Batman

Please join us and our families on the wedding weekend and stay at Hotel 71. We arranged for discounted room rates and will be hosting a light brunch at the hotel on Sunday morning. On Saturday, the wedding party will be getting ready in a suite overlooking the Chicago River and Trump Tower. In fact every room has panoramic views of Chicago!

The rooms are around $150/night and there is valet parking at about $40/night.

Follow this link to make your reservations at the group rate. There is a lot happening in Chicago the weekend of August 7th, including Lollapalooza, so rooms will book fast.

https://reservations.ihotelier.com/crs/g_reservation.cfm?groupID=427111&hotelID=5734

Oh, and about Batman. The ballroom of Hotel 71 was the set of Batman's bedroom in the movie Batman Begins with Christian Bale. Floor to ceiling windows with the best views in Gotham City.

Columbus Park Refectory: Location!

The Columbus Park Refectory is located at the intersection of W Jackson Boulevard and S Golf Drive. The best way to get there is to take the Central Ave exit off of I-290. Here's a view of the vicinity:



And, here's a view of the park in relation to the rest of Chicagoland:



Hope to see you there!

Spanish Revival

Columbus Park Refectory was built in 1922 and sits on landscaped grounds dotted with lagoons. Jens Jensen designed the landscape, as he did for many Chicago Parks in the early 20th Century. Inside, chandeliers and murals, beams, archways, and marble floors create an atmosphere reminiscent of a vintage Spanish estate.

The Columbus Park Refectory's website can be found here.

J+T IN BC

John and I have traveled a lot together, Miami, Maine, Vancouver Island, Greece. We keep the same pace on vacation, we enjoy the same adventures, whether they be found sunbathing or spelunking.