Welcome Spring

We needed no better excuse than to welcome the arrival of spring to grab a quick dinner (and wine, of course) before heading off for a night of Italian opera selections at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

To keep it simple we opted for rather last-minute reservations at Cindy's Rooftop, which was full of other like-minded diners and post-work revelers welcoming the new season with a stellar view of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. The meal was simple; a shared Kale Caesar Salad, Rigatoni Alla Vodka and Mushroom Risotto.

We enjoyed the Licia Albarino with the salad, and moved onto a Château de Parenchère Bordeaux and Bodegas Emilio Moro 'Finca Resaldo' Tempranillo. All were respectable choices for wines by the glass, but nothing special.

Cindy's is just a short walk to Symphony Center, so leaving with 20 minutes to spare was plenty of time to get to our seats. There were those that were not on time, and 15 minutes into the concert drew the ire of the conductor who, understandably, stopped the concert to share some choice words with those moving around. Otherwise a wonderful night with the CSO, chorus and soloists moving through some of the best of Verdi, Puccini, Giordano and Catalani. No trip to Chicago is complete without a CSO concert.