Wednesday, February 4, 2009

It's 60 Degrees Outside Today!!

What the heck!?!


(It's good to be home!)

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Football, Art & Comedy

The next day was Super Bowl Sunday, so not really much to brag about here. We got up and went to church, loafed around a bit, then went to a Super Bowl party at this tiny bar converted to a sport's bar for the day. (Talk about the definition of a "hole-in-the-wall" bar...) It was actually pretty fun. We ate pulled-pork sandwiches, chips & guacamole, and of course, chex-mix. We watched the game on a huge projector screen and even though the Hawks weren't in this one, I cheered against the stupid Steelers with all my might. My heart really does go out to the Cardinals. I know just how they feel.

Monday was my first day to kick around town on my own. I was excited to wander a bit on my own...but was slightly thwarted by the cold. It's not so much the temperature outside that gets ya, it's the dang wind! It feels like it's trying to rip your face off (and not in a good way).

Nevertheless, I made my way (via public transit - yay!) downtown. First stop: The Chicago Art Institute. (Not only is this a super cool museum, but it's also where the gang goes in FBDO.) I got to see the famed Nighthawks (one of my personal favs), as well as countless Van Goghs, Monets, and Georgia O'Keffes. Unfortunately, American Gothic was on loan somewhere else (boooooo!) and I wasn't able to find the photography room or any Picassos (which was disappointing). But the place was HUGE and as all museums are, a little confusing. But I did find that huge pointalism painting that Cameron stares at forever. Good times. After almost two hours, even though I hadn't seen it all, I was exhausted. Thoroughly.

So much so that instead of heading to the Conservatory (a huge greenhouse, essentially) I just made my way home. The cold still had its hooks on me, and with that scary wind I mentioned, I was no match for the elements. Besides, it was nearly dinner time.

Once Micall got home from work, we headed back out toward a comedy club called The Second City. After a yummy mexican dinner next door, we caught an evening of sketch and improv comedy - and it was pretty good! We opted not to stay for the free improv after the show and made our way home, but not without stopping to browse at the pics of now-famous past performers. Guess who used to be a regular? None other than Michael Scarn (Steve Carrell). I bet he actually was pretty good at improv....

In any case, it was a fun way to wrap up my time here in Chicago. Technically I'm still here (at this particular moment), but I'm just biding my time until I head for the airport.

All in all, my "east coast tour" been a good trip and I'm glad I made the effort (despite the cold and, well, despite the cold). Now I just have to figure out, do I want to live in any of these places? Hmm...

Abe Froman - Sausage King of Chicago

After another half day's rest and an easy travel day to Chicago, I was finally starting to feel like myself again. Since I hadn't seen my friend Micall since Italy (and I was semi-pooped) we decided to stay in and catch up on my first night. Not particularly riveting for you the reader, so I will skip ahead to my first full day.

After a quick breakfast, we headed out in search of a local farmer's market. Unfortunately, once we got there, we discovered it was next week and not this week. Booo! So we did a little bit of a driving tour and I caught my first glimpse of "the lake," (which is gi-normus, by the way; it looks like a frickin' ocean!) as well as of the Chicago sky-line. But due to our disappointment re: the farmer's market, we decided to console ourselves with hot dogs. Weird? Apparently Chicago has a thing for gourmet hot dogs. They have not just one, but several places to get such items. Who am I to judge? Hot dogs it is!!

So we made our way to a place called (are you ready for it?) Hot Doug's. Yes, Doug indeed owns the establishment. And apparently the dang things are so good people will wait in line OUTSIDE in this freakishly cold place for said hot dogs. So that's exactly what we did.

(Sidenote: As we approached the end of the line, I was on a phone call with my dad. As I was finishing the call and putting the phone away, I noticed the couple in front of us kept looking back at me (I would guess their age as "young grandparents"). So I made eye-contact and gave them the opportunity to say whatever it was they so obviously had to say to me, and the gentleman said, "You sound like a very good daughter." Obviously this immediately warmed my heart and made me want to cry a little bit, but I kept it under control.)

So while we waited, we chatted with this couple about what makes Chicago great, what should I be sure to do while I'm here, and lastly, international travel (I had shared my story with them a bit). Good times!! Once we made it inside, we had a similar conversation with Doug himself (who was taking orders) which culminated in free drinks for us, woo hoo!

The dogs were certainly gormet, and like nothing else I've had. Two thumbs up. (I also learned that dogs at Wrigley Field are magical due to the celery salt and that when ordered they are either "with" or "without" and this refers to onions. Good to know.)

From here Micall and I did a mini driving tour of the city and decided to tour the Sears Tower. Despite living here for a few years, she had never been. So we figured, why not? We got to see a little video about the making of the building as well as have our picture taken in front of a green screen. Neat, huh?

Actually the views were pretty neat. And as soon as I realized this was one of the places where Ferris Bueller goes on his day o' fun, I decided I too must go everywhere Ferris went. After a little research via the iphone, we learned that Wrigley was not doing tours (the closest I could come to attending a game) and thus, I would have to settle for a drive by. (Which I did.)

Last on our agenda for the day (though a minor detour from Ferris' day) was to see a show at the local venue Schubas Tavern. It's a bar/tiny standing-room-only show venue. Apparently Chicago has all kinds of local music/show venues, but several people I talked to over the duration of the weekend said that this was one of their favorites. Works for me. Tonight Lenka was topping the playbill. I'd never heard of her, but by the end of the night, I loved her. At least one of her songs is on a nationally syndicated commercial and I'm confident you would recognize it. But I'll post more on her later. For now, that wraps up day one in Chicago.

Boston

I'm sad to report I wasn't feeling a whole lot better that next morning in Boston. I didn't feel like death (as I had the previous day), but I wasn't back to normal either*. However, this was my one and only chance to see Boston, so I was going to take it.

Fortunately my host here in Boston did a much better job showing me the city than his counterpart in NY. He was kind enough to pick me up out in the boon docks (that's what I get for not mapping the hostel I booked, I guess). Normally I would be a little disappointed that I was missing the opportunity to use my transit pass, but I was already so beat, I was extremely thankful to be carted around the city via car.

We drove into the city and had lunch at a local restaurant that serves menu items from popular places around town. That way you get a cross-section of Boston cuisine from one locale. Neat, huh? After enjoying our meal (and doing my best not to cough through the whole thing), we did a little bit of walking to check out a few cool buildings (one of which had an exterior of all mirrors), but essentially made our way back to the car.

We then toured the city via car. Other than Fenway, I can't tell you the name of a single thing I saw (blame it on the cold meds). After seeing pretty much the whole kit-and-caboodle, we pulled over for a beer at Durty Nelly's (yes, that's really how you spell it). From there he dropped me off back at my hostel and I was only too happy to be back under the covers and dozing off to Law & Order.

I realize that Boston is seriously getting jipped in my little east coast tour, but really, even if I had been fresh on my feet, how does a small, New England city that can only be described as "quaint" really expect to compete with New York? Don't get me wrong, even in my drug-induced-feverish stupor, I could see it was a cool city with plenty of charm. However, when it's only a $15, four hour bus ride from the Big Apple, it's always going to be wanting (at least a little bit).

Final judgment: lots of young people, lots of charm - I like it, but I don't LOVE it.

P.S. In my four hours there, I saw many, many cute boys. I had to continuously wipe the drool and doe-eyed stare off my face. This fact will not be overlooked in my consideration for a new city.

*Note, my level of crappiness was such that I couldn't even be bothered to take a single picture while in Boston. Pathetic, I know.