Mamma Mia!

Christkindlmarket, Daley Center, The Loop, Chicago
Christkindlmarket, Daley Center, The Loop, Chicago

Christkindlmarket, Block 37, The Loop, Chicago
Christkindlmarket, Block 37, The Loop, Chicago

Macroons at Petterino's, Theater District, Chicago
Macroons at Petterino’s, Theater District, Chicago

Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago
Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago

Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago
Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago

Mom & Rachelle :: Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago
Mom & Rachelle :: Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago

Mama Mia :: Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago
Mamma Mia :: Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, Theater District, Chicago

For my mom’s birthday in November I got her tickets for Mamma Mia! at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre. Yesterday she came down and we did some shopping on Michigan Avenue, which was all lit up and festive. Then we went up to my office quick for a view of the city. We then strolled over the Chicago River to The Loop and walked through the Christkindlmarket on Block 37 and the Daley Center (the Picasso looks out of place!).

Dinner was at Petterino’s. We shared a bottle of Shiraz, grilled mahi mahi with arugula and lentils, and Cape Cod scallops with an apricot sauce and rice pilaf. That was all very good, but what I’ll remember is the dessert. We had chocolate macaroons with both a caramel and a chocolate sauce for dipping. So moist and good.

After dinner we had some time to kill so we walked around Marshall Field’s to look at the holiday windows (I’ll post more on this later). Then off to the theater for Mamma Mia!. I didn’t think I knew many Abba songs, but there were quite a few I recognized. Even if you didn’t know ANY Abba songs, I think Mamma Mia! would still be a fun time. Lot’s of comedy, lots of songs. At the end, after the encore the cast just had fun and played some Abba songs. Everyone in the theater was standing up and clapping and singing and dancing in the aisles.

ยป Dancing Queen Finale (.mov, 372k)