The Best-Laid Plans And The Best Pizza

Continued from yesterday:
    On Friday morning while waiting for Claire and Miguel to swing by we hung out in the cheerful day room of our hostel, the IHSP Chicago.

     The day room was crowded and busy with hostelers, most of them friendly young  foreigners, enjoying the hostel's free make-your-own pancake breakfast and planning their day in Chicago.

    As for Tom, Tommy and I, we already had some great plans laid out for our last day in Chicago.  
    We were planning on starting off the day with brunch with Miguel and Claire at a hip little Bucktown breakfast /brunch/lunch place called Toast that would be out-the-door crowded at brunch time on the weekend, but wouldn't be too bad on a Friday late-morning.  After brunch we figured we'd then walk back to Miguel and Claire's house in Logan Square and  spend the rest of the day helping them with several around-the-house projects, fixing a closet door, hanging some pictures, etc.
      Then when all the chores were done we planned to take the Metro downtown to look at the Christmas lights along Michigan Avenue,  walk around the Christkindls Market and have dinner at Pizano's, everybody's - not just ours, but everybody's  - ​favorite pizzaria in Chicago.  Maybe in the whole world. 
     When Claire and Miguel arrived to pick us up we stopped by the hostel reception desk to say good-bye and wish a nice day to the busy, helpful hostel hosts on duty.

     Then we walked about a mile across Wicker Park to Bucktown,

...and to our destination, which Claire suggested might have been named Toast because the dining room was sort of shaped like a toaster, or so she thought.

    Though there was some discussion amongst us on that point,

...we were all in agreement on the yumminess of the food:

     After brunch we moved on to the next phase of our day-plan, working on Claire and Miguel's house.  But first we had to walk the couple of miles from Bucktown back to Logan Square via the 606, the old elevated train line recently rehabbed into an elevated walking/bike path.

​     Ascending and walking the the 606.

    By the time we arrived at Claire and Miguel's we were all freezing cold and a little tired from the long walk, so Claire made a fire and put on some tea and we  decided to take a few minutes to warm up and rest up and maybe just take a quick look at our emails.

    Two hours later we were almost ready to get to work,

...and decided we would after a little snack of Miguel's home-made salsa and chips,

...which turned out to be a too-deliciously addictive - and strangely relaxing - combo.

    We decided to take just one more little break before jumping into the work projects.

    And several hours later just when we were ready to get started we realized that it was time to  go downtown to see the Christmas lights and sights and have Pizano's pizza.
   
     Another hour later,

....Claire threw out the suggestion that mayhaps we should consider skipping downtown and grabbing some pizza at the closer Pizano's in Wicker Park.
    We all agreed enthusiastically.

    We eventually managed to haul ourselves up from our warm, cozy digs and head out on foot towards Wicker Park via the 606,

...from where Tommy was able to capture with his phone camera the shot that I with my little old-school camera couldn't, the Chicago buildings that were lit up with blue, white and red lights as a stand of solidarity with France,

...which got me to thinking that maybe I need to start looking into a camera with more pixel-power.      After walking a few blocks on the 606 we descended to the sidewalk and hopped on a bus packed with the usual Friday night crowd.  A younger gentleman stood up and gave me his seat, which warmed my heart that courtesy and kindness to the elderly is still alive among the younger generation, even though it bummed me to be reminded that I was now the elderly.
    Oh well, old happens, right?
    Anyway, we arrived at Pizano's, which was beautifully lit up  and gave the place a warm, happy holiday feel,

...especially when we caught sight of the snow falling outside the window.

   And then there was the pizza: a Chicago deep-dish pie with a unique crust that is closer to a thick pie crust than a doughy pizza crust,

...and toppings that make your taste buds jump and stand to attention.

    My slice of cheese and tomato sauce pizza.

                    Truly Pizano's has to be the best pizza on the planet,

...though Miguel swears there is another Chicago establishment that makes an even better pie.  That pie I must try before I die.

      After our sublime and transcendently satisfying pizza Claire and Miguel walked us back through the gently falling snow several blocks to our hostel.  We said our good-byes then they headed home, as we would the next day.
     And Tommy snapped one last great shot.