Pizza Crawl with an Illinois License

Thanks to my best friend of over 14 years now, I have been notified that I have already broken my new year's resolution by not blogging last week.  AND my grandparents pointed it out as well.  It lasted ALMOST a month.  That's not too bad, right?

As most of you know, I turned the big 2-5 this past weekend.  But the bigger news this weekend: I surrendered my Virginia license for an Illinois one.  After almost 10 years with a Virginia one, I have no more actual identification from the state in which I was born and raised.  It was a bittersweet moment.  Especially when Carlene, behind the DMV counter, told me she was taking my Virginia license from me and not giving it back.  I mean, I get that they don't want other people using it.  But let's be honest.  I am 25 years old.  I am not hanging around too many 17 year olds.  Really, not even many people under 21.  I am the baby in my group of friends here.  I'm just saying - I really wanted to keep my Virginia license just to keep.  Even if the picture was in black and white and looked like it a mug shot.  It was MY mug shot from my home state.

I also discovered why people in Chicago cannot drive.  There are actually multiple reasons.  The first of which has to do with the physical look of the written test you have to take.  Clearly, these people do not care at all about this test and its immediately obvious when you sit down with it.  First of all, its three pages (with text only on the front) and the pages are stapled together in the MIDDLE of the top of the page.  I have never in my life seen that.  It was just weird.  It also looked like it had been typed up on a typewriter.  Like an actual typewriter - not just the font courier new on a computer.  Then, I actually started taking the test and could have slapped myself for even studying for it.  I was literally studying every night for about 4 nights in a row because I was panicking that I would fail the drivers test.  I kept telling myself that even if I fail, I can still get an ID card.  But how the heck would I explain that one to people?

Then I started reading the questions.  Sample question number 1:

If you see an animal on the side of the road, what do you do:
a. Lean on the horn until it runs away
b. Swerve into the other lane to avoid it
c. Slow down

Sample question number 2:  While driving through a construction zone, you should:
a. Speed up to get through the construction zone as soon as possible
b. Honk your horn at the construction workers
c. Slow down

Yikes.  I don't feel that great anymore for getting all the answers correct.  All that means is that I should never be pulled over with a Virginia license plate.  Clearly I am automatically a better driver just for having taken the Virginia drivers test.

But, at the end of the test, I got to sit on the other side of a camera and was allowed to smile for my picture!  That's right my friends - I no longer have a mug shot for my license!  I was so excited that I even asked the guy taking my picture if  I was seriously allowed to smile.  No question he thought I was 16 years-old getting my first driver's license.

Overall though, the DMV trip was not nearly as painful as expected.  I was in and out of there in less than an hour, treated myself to some Dunkin Donuts and still made it back to the office by 9:00 AM.  And that was just the beginning of my birthday weekend. 

Friday night, Matt and I celebrated at a famous steakhouse in Chicago called Gibson's.  The staff from the team goes to the restaurant after every home game.  Since I not a wife, I never get to go.  This is actually perfectly fine with me considering most of those dinners do not start until almost 10:00 PM.  As expected, the food was amazing and we had a great time.  Just like at the Mastro's restaurant, we were the youngest people in there by about 10 years.  But, Matt knows all the waiters and staff because they are there so often so that was kind of fun.  This basketball world is an entirely different world than most normal people live in...

Saturday I actually had to work in the morning, but then had plans with a girlfriend of mine.  We went to THE best Italian restaurant that I have been to since moving to Chicago.  And it is a 5 minute walk from my apartment.  I have been dying to go there and Lizzie decided Saturday would be the day that I finally went.  Those of you who are able to come visit me up here, we will absolutely be going to Rose Angelis. 

For my actual birthday on Sunday, I treated myself to a massage.  And by treated I mean used a gift card that Matt gave me for Christmas.   After my massage, I hit the gym because Sunday night was dedicated to a pizza crawl.  Tracy had the brilliant idea of doing this instead of a bar crawl since she knows I have a love affair with pizza.  She mapped out 5 different pizza places throughout Lincoln Park and Lakeview, all of which served pizza by the slice.  The weather was actually pretty mild, so we were able to walk every where.  Somewhat took away the guilt of eating 5 pieces a pizza.  Who am I kidding?  There was no guilt eating that pizza.  Every single piece was delicious and the perfect ending to my birthday weekend.

I will admit it was very strange being away from home for the first time for a birthday.  But thank you to everyone who called, emailed, texted, sent cards, etc.  You all added to my weekend! 

But, reality hit hard after Sunday.  The past two days at work have been 12 hour days.  A little bit of a change from the weekend.  But, I just have to make it through April and things will slow down.  Then, Matt and I will be heading somewhere for vacation in May!  Details still to come.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and I will be back on next week.