Last week I traveled to Chicago for a long-weekend visit with my daughter and son-in-law. You can imagine that I was closely monitoring the weather forecasts for the cities I would be flying in and out of. Luckily, although it was verrrry cold in Chicago (the lowest temperature of the season was the -2 we experienced Friday morning), we only had a few light dustings of snow and the sun shone brightly most of the time. My flights were not full (giving me an empty seat next to mine on each) and departed and arrived on time — what more could you want? Of course, the best part of the trip wasn’t the travel but the time spent with family. The main purpose of this wintertime trip was to see daughter Sarah’s performance in a leading role in her community theater’s production of The Quick Change Room. In between performances, we managed to enjoy a few meals out and some retail therapy at the Oakbrook Center, a large, open-air, upscale shopping center. Sarah and Dan live in LaGrange Park, one of Chicago’s western suburbs. They are surrounded by all kinds of great eateries and watering holes. Friday night while Sarah performed, Dan and I enjoyed authentic barbecue at Q BBQ in LaGrange — a great way to warm up on a frigid night. We then met cast and crew for an aftershow drink at the charming York Tavern in Oakbrook. This tiny, popular place is housed in a historic 1840s-era farmhouse, and the company and conversation easily banished the outdoor chill. Saturday morning found us at one of my favorite restaurants in LaGrange: Prasino. Brunch was just as delicious as the dinner I’ve enjoyed in the past at this family-owned, “green” restaurant, and the service was as swift and warm as I remembered. Saturday night I glowed with pride in Sarah’s performance in the play: nothing warm’s a mother’s heart like seeing her children fly high doing something they love. Finally, on Monday Sarah and I enjoyed a late, filling lunch at Antico Posto, a charming Italian café and wine bar in the Oakbrook Center. I had the most hearty, creamy, savory risotto with pork medallions I’d ever tasted, and we finished the meal with perfectly portioned one-dollar dessert bites. Once again, Chicagoland provided me with wonderful food, friendly encounters with new folks, and delightful memories. Cold? What cold? — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor