Portillo’s

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2026 Getaway–Day Seven

Last Monday we had to get all of our stuff packed in the car so we could head home…but first, Chickadee and I had one last Red Bull toast:

It was hard to say goodbye to the place we had called home for almost a week!

I had one short detour planned for our trip home…we stopped by the Umbrella Sky Project in Elmhurst. It was the first time we all got to see the umbrellas in the open position, and the first time any of us had seen the installation in sunlight instead of clouds and rain!

Just like we did on the way up, we stopped at Wally’s on the way back:

And of course we had Portillo’s for lunch:

We even stopped at a Jewel in Normal…it’s funny to me to see one so far outside Chicagoland!

The rest of the trip was quiet, and soon we found ourselves back home, with our memories of Combo Breaker 2026 fresh in our minds!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2026 Getaway–Day Four

Last Friday was a long and busy day for all of us. Ryan was busy directing things, Turkey was doing production with 10/0, Bunny, Moose, and Ladybug were working registration and/or the info desk, and Chickadee and I helped staff the Crew Lounge, starting with the very important task of getting the coffee going before 6 a.m.

We also helped serve all three meals for the staff and volunteers, including sandwiches from a local deli for lunch, and everyone’s favorite dinner of the event, Portillo’s Italian beef!

The two of us were so busy that we only managed a quick walk through the event before we returned to our room, exhausted!

Up next…another early morning, more meals served, and a visit to the Combo Breaker arcade!

Chicago-Style Pizza and Portillo’s Cake for 3/12

Happy 312 Day, a day to celebrate the great city of Chicago based on the city’s (and my) original telephone area code. I made our favorite Chicago-style pizza for dinner, and Bunny made a Portillo’s-inspired chocolate cake for dessert…it was a most delicious day!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2025 Getaway–Day Seven

We took our time getting ready to leave for home last Monday morning, but at last it was time to say goodbye to the Renaissance and Combo Breaker 2025. We drove through Chicago on the way out so we could see the city one last time:

And then stopped at Rainbow Cone, as has become a tradition.

We took a break at Wally’s again:

And stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at Portillo’s…bet you thought I was sick of Italian beef after serving so many sandwiches at the event, but no, I was not!

And then it was on to home, with memories of Combo Breaker 2025 fresh in our minds and an eye toward Combo Breaker 2026!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2025 Getaway–Day Four

Last Friday was the first day of Combo Breaker competition. The theme was “10 Years of Dedication” celebrating the 10th anniversary of the event, and if I did the math right, we’ve been there for all but one!

Chickadee and I stopped by the main hall before breakfast to see the complete setup before it got crazy:

Chickadee faithfully kept the water and snacks for the volunteers stocked all weekend…and helped us with the meal service, too!

We did get a chance to take a break from the staff lounge to check out the action…it was crazy busy all weekend!

The most-anticipated meal of the event is always Portillo’s Italian beef on Friday night…we served hundreds of sandwiches to all kinds of staff and volunteers, and we didn’t even run out!

The clean-up from that meal is an absolute beast, and I think we were all relieved when it was time to go back to our rooms for the night!

Up next…day two of Combo Breaker!

A Brief Getaway to the North–Day Four

Even though we chose a wildly different route home (through Wisconsin and Illinois), we didn’t have much planned for the drive from the Twin Cities, but we did stop to see the Gaming Gen store in Eau Claire, WI, on the way…but we left so early, we were there hours before they opened!

We did stop in Madison, WI, and walked around their Capitol Building, which is in the lovely Beaux Arts style:

And since we were coming home through Illinois, we stopped at our favorite Portillo’s, where I had my favorite Italian beef!

And that marks the end of our trip north. I wish we could have stayed longer, because it was a beautiful place to visit, and I really enjoyed the cooler temperatures, but I’m glad we had the chance to see someplace new!

Chickadee Thursday

I’ll be doing a day-by-day recap of our recent trip to the Twin Cities starting today, but first, here’s a look at it through Chickadee’s eyes.

On the way north, we stopped in Riverside, IA, to see the future birthplace of Captain Kirk.

We went to the Mall of America:

And the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden:

We toured the Cathedral of St. Paul:

On the way home, we stopped in Madison, WI, and walked around their beautiful capitol building:

And had a meal at Portillo’s!

It was a great trip…stay tuned for the full details!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2024 Getaway—-Day Seven

Combo Breaker might have been over on the last day of our trip, but we still had a lot of things planned, starting with our first-ever trip to the Chicago History Museum (even I had never been there!). The short film was really good (it made me cry a little when the things I remembered from my childhood were mentioned), and there was one exhibit in particular that I really enjoyed.

After that, we went to Rainbow Cone. I broke with tradition, and tried one of their new sliced creations (the first addition of those since they opened in 1926!), the “Cosmic Birthday” which included Superman ice cream just like I remember from my childhood. Between all of us, we also had a traditional Rainbow Cone, and two of the other three new additions, “Minty City” and “Chocolate Obsession.”

Then we went to the Pullman National Historic Park, a place I’ve wanted to visit for a long time. We had a nice walk around…it’s a really cool place to get a glimpse of history!

The trip home always involves a stop at Wally’s:

And as usual, we went to Portillo’s for dinner, but this time we stopped at a different location, in Springfield, IL. I love how no two of their restaurants look the same!

After that, it was only about 90 minutes to home…we arrived later than we usually do when returning from Chicago, but we had a full, fun day along the way!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2023 Getaway—-Day Five

Our weekend in Chicago ended on Memorial Day. We stopped at Wally’s (again):

And went to lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Portillo’s.

After that, there was just the boring drive through Southern Illinois before we finally made it home.

Stay tuned for more of our summer adventures!