It’s Daniel Time!

Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP,MACE

Readers of this blog know I try to spend a weekend each year alone with each of my sons Daniel and Brad.

I spent Memorial Day weekend with Daniel. Both my boys are great kids. Actually, they are not kids any more. Daniel is 46 and Brad is 49.

 I feel like a kid when we hang out together.

 Last weekend was “Its Daniel Time.” We met up in Chicago on Thursday afternoon and walked like crazy from Thursday afternoon until Sunday morning.

Each day was more than a 15,000 steps according to my FitBit. Each day I jumped when the buzzer went off at 10,000 steps.

We stayed at the Hotel Chicago, which is located in a great spot. It is right next to Marina City and the House of Blues.  

 My flight was late. I arrived at the hotel at 4.15 pm. There was no time for a nap.

 We hit the street and ended up at Joe's Steak and Seafood Grille without a reservation at 5.30 pm without a reservation.  It was packed. Who would think the first table was at 9.30 pm.  We were lucky and got a table at the bar.

We ate relatively light in anticipation of what lay ahead. We each ordered a main entrée. It was a mistake because it was too much food for each of us.

 The weather was perfect. It was 65 degrees and no wind. We decided to walk the two miles down Rush Street to North St, then to 1606 N Wells and Second City.

The Second City show was as good as it has ever been. The actors were as clever as I have seen. Laughter is therapy.

 Daniel and I experienced almost three hours of continuous laughter. We were so exhausted from laughing that we had to take a taxi back to the hotel. Next we had to find chocolate ice cream at 11:30 p.m. to complete the day.

 No one at the hotel or in the street knew of a nearby ice cream parlor. We had to settle for Smith and McCormick Steakhouse’s “Gigantic Chocolate Cake” and two scoops of chocolate ice cream.

 

Friday began at 7 a.m. with exercise. Daniel went to the gym and I stretched in the room with the rubber band.

We did not have breakfast on Friday, just coffee in the room. The next stop was the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise.

 I have taken the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s River Cruse.  Ride several times over the years during my visits to Chicago. It is great. It is a must for any reader has not done it.

 

In more than 40 years there have been many architectural changes on both sides of the Chicago River. The River Cruise gives you an understanding its evolution and it place in the history of urban planning in Chicago.

The last time I was in Chicago with Daniel on a father son trip it was at the end of March and the tour was not closed for the winter.

At that time we did one of the many architectural walking tours the Chicago Architectural Foundation does in the city. It, too, was great.    

You cannot beat a sunny 60 degree morning on the Chicago River cruise.

Next we walked to Millennium Park.

All this time Daniel and I are talking about life in general, family, politics and the future. These discussions are the most fun for me. It results in a one on one interaction and bonding with my son.

Millennium Park is a brilliant treasure in the middle of downtown Chicago. This time we concentrated on the Cloud Gate sculpture.

 

We took selfies and our distorted reflection. Who said you are only a kid once?

 

It was lunchtime and we were hungry. Twenty-five years ago I had pizza in a small restaurant called Giordano’s near the Watertower. I remembered the “Chicago Deep Dish Classic.”  They now has 16 restaurants in the Chicago area.

 

Only in America!

We met Don Loeb, V.P. of Development at TechStars who works with Daniel who is V.P. of Operations at TechStars. Our “Chicago Classic” was great. Our animated discussions about Repairing the Healthcare System was an added bonus.

After the pizza we had to have a chocolate ice cream fix.

 Dan,Stan,Don at Baskin/Robbins Chicago May 23,2015

We found a Baskin and Robbins two blocks away. Someone ought to tell Mayor Emanuel that downtown Chicago needs a fancy ice cream parlor. Ghirardelli Chocolate Co is the only one we could find on Michigan Avenue.

It was 3.30 pm. It was back to the hotel for naptime. I wanted to cover more territory but we both ran out of gas.

After a beautiful nap we were off to Big Mike’s, Mike Ditka’s Steak House. Daniel and I shared a steak, baked potato and broccoli. It was delicious.

 

We were so full. We could have Ghirardelli’s ice cream sundae just yet so we walked about a mile north on Michigan Avenue  and then turned back to Ghiradelli’s.

 

Decedent,Indeed. Oh hell, it’s a father son weekend.

 

After that we walked from the Water Tower back to Hotel Chicago for the end of the Cleveland Cav’s game and sleep.

Sunday morning was the Memorial Day parade. Before the parade we walked to The Merchandise Mart. We walked in the Mart for about an hour. Then we headed for the new Boeing Building to buy something in the store. It was closed.

 It was 11 am and the parade was to start at noon. We started back to get a good place to watch the parade. It was a nice Memorial Day parade. We only got a glimpse of the mayor because he and his people rushed by to start the parade. I was disappointed. It should have been a grand entry.

 

After the parade a light lunch a little more walking around. Daniel decided it was naptime.

Tonight we were going to see Rain and their tribute to the Beatles.

We walked to the theater and back. All we could find was another Baskin and Robbins for another hot fudge sundae to complete the day.

 

We had to get up early to get an early morning flight so we did not go into the House of Blues.

 

If you have not tried this kind of weekend with your kids, one kid at a time, I recommend it. It is a prescription for good health.

   The opinions expressed in the blog “Repairing The Healthcare System” are, mine and mine alone

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