Macy's Schmacy's

So last week Ava and I decided to meet Dahdoo at work and take Ava over to see the windows at the former Marshall Field's, now Macy's on State. First of all, let me explain that I grew up with Marshall Field's. Both my mom and my nonna worked their for decades in the fur salon, and every year at christmas time for as long as I can remember we would go downtown and see the windows all transformed into a holiday theme. Each window display would have a little paragraph to read with music piping out, and you would go from window to window following the story. They USED TO BE the most elaborate and beautiful windows ever, each depicting a scene in the story.

After that we would go into Marshall Field's and head to the Walnut Room, where they would have their huge christmas tree displayed, with Santa there for pictures, the whole nine yards.
Not so much this year. We were excited to take Ava, and it really wasn't all that. The windows weren't nearly as nice as Marshall Field's used to do them, there seemed to only be one elevator working each time we waited for one, and the Walnut Room tree and decorations were eh, ok at best. Even Santa was missing. So Macy's, you are not all that. I wish you were still Marshall Field's.

Luckily, the day wasn't a complete bust. We went over to Millenium Park and watched the ice skaters skating at the outdoor rink, and had dinner at The Park Millenium overlooking the park and all the city skyscrapers. We got a seat next to the window so Ava really enjoyed hopping around and watching the skaters "ice skate ice skate" as she says. Here are a few pics of us at Macy's. Unfortunately I did not take any at the park or at dinner. It got too cold and at dinner I was too busy stuffing my face. :-)