The Jay Pritzker Pavillion

Since I switched jobs and I'm no longer across the street from Nordstrom (a tear) I've had to find some new lunch and hangout spots. The good news is, I'm right across the street from Millennium Park. I'm obsessed with the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. it's my favorite spot to eat lunch and soak up the sun. I've been taking a lot of pictures to share...

The top is made of brushed stainless steel. The whole structure was designed by architect Frank Gehry and was dedicated in the Summer of 2004. The sound system is unbelievable, whether you are in the seats or on the lawn you can have a great experience thanks to the state-of-the-art sound system -- the first of its kind in the country. Plus the speakers just look cool.

My absolute favorite time is when no one is around and I have a seat for one...

Little shout out to Grand Rapids, all 4,000 of the seats are American Seating -- proudly made in Grand Rapids, MI!

I was curious about who exactly Jay Pritzker was, turns out he was a Chicago native and started the Hyatt Hotels, among many other business ventures. His family donated $15 million to help build the pavilion. What a gift to the city and everyone who can enjoy this free venue!

If you're visiting Chicago you might want to take some time to walk around the park and stop in for an outdoor concert at the pavilion.

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Millenium Park

201 East Randolph St.

Chicago, IL 60601

All photographs property of A Little Ditty.

Words for Wednesday

So true. Even though I haven't lived with my family in Michigan for a long time, that will always be home. I feel the most at home when I'm surrounded by my family and close friends. Can't wait to head back home this weekend for a week of vacation on Lake Michigan. Lots of good family, sun, beach and cocktail time :)

And how cute is this print? You can get the free print here!

Words for Wednesday

Isn't that the truth! Happy Wednesday everyone!

Blooms: Tuberous Begonia

I was potting all my flowers a few weeks ago and was struck by how beautiful this begonia looked. These have always been a favorite of mine for my shady patio. They are just so darn pretty!

This is a variety of Tuberous Begonias, perfect for shade gardening. One thing to note, they need good drainage and like to dry out in between waterings. They are susceptible to rot, so you have to be careful not to over water or you will end up with limp, dead-ish plants (I learned the hard way a few years ago!)

Words for Wednesday

Amen to that. I'm having a few girls over for a wine and cheese fest tomorrow night and I am oh, so excited to crack open a bottle of L. Mawby Michigan bubbly!

The Weekender

I love my Summer Fridays at work, but I'm thinking we need to add Summer Monday's as well... Anyone agree?! I had a really fun weekend with my Dad. He drove back from AZ to Michigan this weekend and stopped in Chicago for a few nights. Seems like it would be a lot easier for him to just fly home for the Summer, but he insists on doing a road trip. I admit, I do enjoy getting to be a pit stop on the trip!

After a weird cold and rainy spell Thursday & Friday, Saturday turned out to be a sunny and gorgeous day. Perfect for a walk on the Lakeshore path. The view never gets old.

Enjoyed our tea outside on my new patio furniture!

And hit the first roofdeck of the season. One of my old standbys, The Terrace at The Conrad.

Hope everyone had a good weekend too. And the countdown to this weekend starts...NOW. Here's hoping for a fast work week...