A Girl's Guide to Chicago

by Kelly Russell

  We are all meeting at RPM Italian around seven. I’m super excited to go to RPM, because I’m a huge fan of Giuliana and Bill Rancic. They co-own the restaurant and maybe they would be there? On social media, I’ve often seen that they ate there.

  I take my time getting ready and get in a cab about fifteen minutes before seven. I arrive at the restaurant right after seven. I tell the host I’m meeting some friends. She tells me to feel free to look around. We have plans to have some drinks and appetizers at the bar.

  As I walk around the bar at RPM Italian, I notice it’s very modern and chic. I spot my group sitting at the corner of the bar.

  “Hey, Kelly! I don’t think you have met my boyfriend, Brett, and this is his brother Brian.”

  “Hi! Nice to meet you guys.”

  Amy moves over so I can sit next to Brian. Everyone looks over at me and smiles.

  “So, how’s it going? Did your brother move out today?”

  “Yeah, he did. I’m going to call my landlord on Tuesday and see what my options are.”

  “That sounds like a good place to start. I really hope you can figure things out.”

  “Me too. But tonight, I don’t want to think about all that. I need a drink.” I look at the menu and order a glass of prosecco. It's Giuliana’s prosecco so, of course, I want to try it.

  I’m having such a good time hanging out with everyone. I’m feeling more relaxed now, and it’s so nice to be out. Amy asks everyone if we’re ready for another round of drinks and if we want to order some food. I look up to find the bartender, and I instantly see that familiar face.

  Vin is standing across the room at the other side of the bar with Vince whom I met at Leg Room. They are ordering drinks. I watch as they pick up their drinks from the bar and head in our direction.

  “Hey, guys. Why is Vin here?”

  Natalie looks over at me and waves him over. “Oh, I invited him. I text him earlier to see what he was doing, and he said he didn’t really have plans, so I told him we would all be here.”

  I instantly feel so awkward. I’m not doing anything wrong, just having drinks with friends. But, I feel like Vin is going to be so different with me because I’m sitting here with another guy.

  Vin and Vince approach our corner at the bar, and Natalie gets up right away and gives Vin a hug. “Hi! I’m so glad you came!”

  Vin gives her a slight hug back and says hello to the rest of us. He locks eyes with me, gives me a brief smile, and looks away. I know he feels awkward. He totally thinks I’m on a date. It looks like I’m on a date.

  Natalie is at the end of our group, so Vin and Vince stand next to her. I try to make eye contact with Vin again, but it’s hard to look down the bar toward him, and Natalie is giving him all her attention. She is flipping her hair and leaning into him. I take a sip of my prosecco and look up at the ceiling.

  I don’t want to date Vin. But I didn't want him to date Natalie either. I also don’t want him to think I’m interested in in this guy, Brian. I know I'm selfish not wanting anything to change between us. All I wanted to do is have fun tonight, and now I just feel annoyed. I try a few more times to get Vin’s attention, but it’s impossible with Natalie next to him.

  Our appetizers arrive, and we get another round of drinks. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, the Giuliana's Italian salad, focaccia, and the meatballs. The meatballs are famous, and they are really delicious.

  We finish our drinks and food, and the group decides to go somewhere else. We have been taking up the bar for a while. I get up to use the restroom. I’m not sure I want to go somewhere else and watch Natalie and Vin together. I head back out of the bathroom and Vin is standing outside.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  “Are you going to come out with us. I think we are going to head to Leg Room.”

  “Umm, I’m not sure. It’s been a long day, and so I think I’m ready to head out.”

  “Oh. Okay. How’s your date going?”

  “My date? No. He’s not my date. That’s Amy’s boyfriend’s brother. He’s just in town for the weekend.”

  “Oh.”

  “Well, you seem to be having a lot of fun with Natalie.” Oh geez, that sounded really bratty.

  “She’s okay. I told you before, she’s fun and nice.”

  “Yeah, she is.” We stand in silence for a few seconds.

  “Oh. So, I think I’m going to take your advice and call my landlord. She what my options are. If I can get out of my lease, maybe you can go with me to see a few places?”

  “Sure, I said I would go with you.”

  “Okay, well, have fun at Legroom.” I leave him standing there and head back to the bar.

  “You guys. I think I'm going to head out. It’s been a long day for me.” I pay my portion of the bill and give each one of the girls a hug.

  “Are you sure you want to leave?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. I’m just feeling tired. Thank you so much for including me. It’s been a fun night. Brian, it was so nice to meet and chat with you. Hope to see you again next time you are in town.”

  “You too, Kelly.” I grab my purse and my leather jacket and head out of the restaurant.

  I’m sitting at home on Tuesday evening, and I’m very nervous. I go over and over in my head what to say. I know I have to make this call. Once I know what my options are, I can decide what to do. I take a deep breath and call my landlord. A man finally answers after about seven rings and mumbles “hello”.

  “Hi. This is Kelly from the 2F apartment on George Street.” I wait for a response. The man mumbles “yep”. So, I continue.

  “I’m really sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few moments about my lease. I can no longer afford the rent by myself, and I’m finding it very difficult to find a roommate because the second bedroom doesn’t have a closet. I have read that in order to rent the second bedroom as bedroom, it must have a closet.”

  My landlord makes a groaning sound. “If you want to break your lease, I will just keep your deposit. Does that sound okay?”

  “Yes! Umm. Yes, that would be fine. Thank you.”

  The second bedroom not really being a second bedroom has worked! Not getting my deposit back is better than having to fully break my lease.

  “If you don’t mind, could I please get that in writing?”

  He mumbles that the receptionist would email me in the morning and tells me I have to be out by June 30th.

  “No problem and thank you.”

  Oh my gosh! I did it! I got out of my lease. I wasn’t going to get my deposit back to put on another apartment, but I would figure that out. I feel so relieved! Now, it’s time to start looking for a new home. This also meant I could stay in the city! I send a text to Vin.

  I did it! I got out of my lease! The 2nd bedroom thing worked! Thank you so much for the advice!

  No problem. Let’s find you an apartment.

  Nineteen

  I had forgotten how frustrating it is to search for an apartment, especially again with a limited budget. This time, I’m really not wanting to pay more than a thousand per month for my rent. This is the very most I can afford on my own. I have gone to see a few places with and without Vin after work.

  So far, I have seen a place on LaSalle Street that is under my budget, but the studio was really, really tiny, and it wasn’t updated at all. I had gone with Vin to the Belden Stratford to look at their apartments. The building used to be a hotel, and I love it and all the amazing historical décor, however, the studio that was available was very dark and still felt very much like a hotel room. I also went to see a new apartment building that is gorgeous and, of course, it’s totally out of my price range. But I wanted to see what I could get if I could eventually afford more than a thousand per month.

  I’m driving with Vin, and we are heading to a few appointments. I’m getting a little nervous that I won’t find a place. I only have two weeks left in my apartment. That morning, I fo
und a few more places on craigslist that look promising, and I asked him if he wouldn’t mind taking me since it would be faster for him to drive me than to take public transport all over the city.

  My first appointment is to look at two units in the same building on Clark Street in Lincoln Park at ten forty-five and eleven-fifteen, and the other apartment is downtown at noon on Delaware Place. I looked up the building on Delaware Place and saw that it’s behind the John Hancock Building and really close to Michigan Avenue. Being a block from Michigan Avenue is an absolute dream of mine. The downside is it’s another boutique hotel converted into all studios. Hopefully, these units won’t still look like hotel rooms.

  The two units on Clark Street are really nice. They are in a good location and within my budget. The manager of the building tells me I should act quickly. June is a popular month, and these two could be rented by the end of the day. I tell him I just have to see one more place, and I will get back to him as soon as possible. Since I would love to be downtown, something's telling me, I must see the one downtown on Delaware before I make my decision.

  I’m feeling positive. Vin and I head downtown, park over by the Gold Coast and walk over to Michigan Avenue and Delaware Place. Delaware is a very quiet street especially for being so close to Michigan Avenue. As we walk toward the address, I start to feel really excited. I absolutely love all these vintage buildings. Each building has its own character with beautiful flowers and bushes perfectly manicured along the front.

  We walk into the building. A young man is sitting at the front desk. The lobby looks just like a vintage boutique hotel. They have maintained all the character of the hotel, and you can tell it has been updated with fresh decor, paint, and wallpaper.

  “Hello. I’m here to see one of your studios.”

  “Oh yes. Your name please?”

  “Kelly.”

  “Okay, Kelly. Please wait one moment, and I will be right back.”

  He returns a few minutes later with a clipboard, walks around the lobby desk, and pushes the button to the elevator.

  “Okay, come up with me.” A small elevator door opens, and he pushes the button for ten. We slowly head up to the floor.

  “This building was built in 1927 and used to be a hotel, and now every unit is an updated apartment. The building right next door is a boutique hotel. They have a very popular rooftop bar called Drumbar and an excellent restaurant which is very convenient. This building is a sixteen story, studio-only building. The building has a rooftop deck and a fitness center on the top floor. Full laundry is on the basement floor.” We reach the tenth floor, and the door slowly opens.

  “I apologize for the elevator. It’s original with the building, and it’s consider to be a lift.” We walk out into the hallway, and he uses a key card to open the door right across from the elevator.

  “This is one of our biggest studios. Each resident gets two key cards for their apartment, and it also works on the front entrance door. Since this used to be a hotel, the developer just thought we could still use the key card system instead of replacing all the locks.”

  “That’s really cool.”

  The young guy opens the door, and the three of us walk in. “Now, this unit has just been freshly painted and cleaned and is ready to rent now.”

  I look around the studio. I can smell the fresh paint, and everything looks brand new. To the left of a door is a tiny little kitchenette. It’s brand new and updated, and it even has a dishwasher. Something I don’t have now. The living and bedroom area is a large square, and it’s a nice size. The windows face Delaware, which I like, and there’s lots of natural light. I walk through a doorway, and there’s a large walk-in open closet. To the left is a door to the bathroom. I walk back out grinning from ear to ear. This place is absolutely perfect.

  “How much is the rent?”

  “Well, all our units include cable, internet, and all utilities except for electric. The total per month for this unit is $1030.”

  “Wow, all of that is included?”

  “Yep, except for electric.” I look at Vin, and he nods back.

  “Okay, where do I sign?”

  We leave my new apartment building, and I don’t think I can be happier. Everything is working out okay. I’m now going to be in an even better apartment than before, and it’s in my dream location. The management of most apartment buildings are now asking for a move-in-fee instead of a deposit. That works out so much better for me since I’m losing my deposit on my other apartment. I just had to pay my move-in-fee today and in a few days my rent for July.

  “We should celebrate. Let’s go somewhere for a drink in your new neighborhood.”

  “Really? You want to?”

  “Yeah, of course, let’s do it. Anywhere you have been wanting to go.”

  “Well, there’s somewhere I’ve really been wanting to go. Are you sure anywhere?”

  “Yep. Let’s go.”

  A few minutes later we walk into The Drake Hotel. I’ve been dying to look inside this hotel as it’s a famous landmark hotel. My mum told me it’s where Princess Diana stayed when she visited Chicago. I remember watching it all on TV. The lobby is just as I imagined. It’s gorgeous. I’m not sure where we can get a drink. So, we head up the stairs to the restaurant and ask one of the servers. He tells us we can either have a drink here in the Palm Court or at the bar downstairs. That sounds fun. We thank him and take the stairs all the way back to the ground level.

  Around the corner, we walk down the ground level hallway, and into a bar called Coq d'Or. The bar is dark and very old. The bartender tells us to take a seat wherever we like, and he will be right with us. There is only another couple in the bar. It’s early in the afternoon, so I’m not surprised. The bartender comes over a few minutes later with some waters, and we ask him about the bar. He tells us it’s a speakeasy and one of the oldest bars in the city. Vin orders a whiskey, and I order a lemon drop martini. It was a little early in the day, but that’s okay, I like my martini’s, and it’s time to celebrate.

  The next Saturday, James and Vin and I move my bed, a few pieces of furniture, my clothes, and a few boxes out of my old apartment. It’s an easy move, but I’m so grateful for their help. My parents told me I could keep or sell whatever furniture won’t fit in my studio. So, I ended up selling a few pieces and used the money to pay for my move-in fee and to buy a smaller couch that has already been delivered to my new studio. As the guys are moving things over, I clean my old apartment.

  I text them when I’m done. I leave my keys on the counter and take one last look at my first city apartment. So much has happened in the last six months. I walk out of this apartment for the last time and get into Vin’s car. At my studio, we order pizza, and I get a six-pack of beer for James and Vin. I want to do something nice for them helping me.

  After they leave, I spend the rest of the evening setting up my new home. It’s late when I finish, but as I sit on my couch, ready to watch TV, I’m happy and already feel at home. I absolutely love my studio. Everything turned out perfect. I still can’t believe I’m now living one block away from Michigan Avenue. I’m actually living my entire dream. I choose the next episode of The Office, and I remember it’s Jim and Pam’s wedding episode. This is going to be a good one to watch!

  Twenty

  It’s true what people say: Summertime in Chicago is everything. The city is beautiful and buzzing. The lake is now a turquoise blue and the skyline sparkles in the sunshine. People are out early every morning to capture the best of the day. Most days, as soon as my alarm goes off, I’m up and getting ready to go. I can now walk to work, and I find my morning walks are a pretty way to start my day.

  I love people-watching: the waitstaff at restaurants outside preparing the patio cafés, opening the table umbrellas and adjusting the chairs for the eleven-to-one lunch rush. The early-rising tourists, coffee in hand, saunters the city to take in the sites, peer through shop windows, and gaze up at the tall buildings. The fancy ladies
from the Gold Coast promenade the sidewalk with their little dogs, who by the way, are already dressed to the nines with full makeup and hair done. Then, there are people like me who enjoy a stroll to work and absorb the fresh early morning air. It gives me such a happy rush every morning. This is living life in the city.

  Things are back on track for me. I’m back to blogging, and I’ve started talking to a group of people on social media who all live in the city. It’s so cool because there is such a mix of people ranging from young girls like me just starting out in the city to more established girls, and guys as well, who work in a variety of fields. Since moving into my new apartment, I have gone to a few social meet-ups, and I have met a few new friends from social media.

  I met one of the girls who I chat with regularly, and she is planning a girls’ night after work. She’s a little older than me and has lived in the city most of her life. I really like her. She has seen and done so much in the city. I love listening to all her stories. She has invited me and a few other girls, who I haven't met yet, to join her for drinks at The Peninsula Hotel. It is probably one of the nicest hotels in Chicago, and since I’m obsessed with hotels, I’m excited to meet her there for drinks.

  It’s four-thirty on Thursday, and tonight is the girls’ night at The Peninsula. I’m wrapping up for the day so I can leave right at five, and my instant messenger pops up. It’s Vin with his usual, Yo.

  Sigh. I get up from my desk to head to his office.

  “Can you shut the door.” Every time he says something like this I can never tell what our conversation is going to be like.

  “What’s up?”

  “I just want to talk to you about your position and all the things you have been doing over the last few months. You’ve taken on a lot more tasks and responsibilities since you started here. It’s not fair that you are still only making an entry-level wage. So, I’m going to change your title from Receptionist to Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator. You’ve done so much since you’ve been here, and you work really hard. Starting next paycheck, I’m going to raise your salary by five thousand dollars.”