Chicago

Good gawd...where do I begin?

They say a picture's worth a thousand words. And I've got so much to say.

The drive was great. The company was even better. We only missed one exit and managed to get turned back around on LSD without causing a horrific traffic pileup. heh

The weather was pretty uncooperative...it was cold and windy...then it rained...then it snowed...heavily. We still managed to have a fantastic time.

Our first glimpse of the skyline.






Even though I'm no fan, Soldier Field was pretty impressive.




Click the "Read more" to...well...read more. heh

LSD is really a gorgeous drive.


We stayed at the

Westin Chicago River North

The service was exceptional, the rooms were upscale and plush, the beds sucked but the view from our 11th floor room...well it couldn't be beat.






Our very first stop was right across the street at the

House of Blues

. We were there early in the afternoon, so there wasn't much goin on, but the lobby alone, is worth a look-see.

HOB from the 11th floor of the Westin.


Our next stop was again, right across and up the street a bit, the bar at

Harry Caray's

. The huge plates of free, homemade chips were a big hit with us...as was the Blue Moon on tap. heh


Our cohorts in crime, Jack and Karen.


I dunno who these people are, but I think they were drunk. heh


Onward and upward...uh...downward to

Dick's Last Resort

, which is also just across the street from the Westin. A very cool bar/restaurant with a decidedly tropical, easy vibe and an excellent view of the Chicago River.




Da Zigster...about to say something profound, no doubt.


"Tropical" drinks are really cool. Especially in the middle of Chicago...in the middle of winter. heh


The bartender at Dick's was...kind?...enough to make the Birthday Girl a party hat. It read, "I'm so old, I lost my cherry to George Washington." She's not really that old.


It all started to deteriorate...really badly...after we got a few appetizers...like "Crabby Balls" and deep-fried green beans.


Deciding we really ought to try to see something...other than the inside of a bar...we grabbed a taxi and headed down to the

Navy Pier

Unfortunately, I don't remember much about it. It looked like a ginormous mall. Ho hum. By this time, the appetizers had worn off, so we hit the first place that looked good,

Bubba Gump's

Ziggy's fish sammich looked pretty tasty.


I had stuffed shrimp...something. Can't remember what it was called, but I do remember it being delicimous.

Bellies full, tired and drunk as skunks, we braved the cold rain just long enough to grab another taxi back to the hotel. We tried to be good. We really did. But I'm not sure the Westin will ever let us back in again. Trying to appear as...ah...respectable as we could...under the circumstances...we navigated through the lobby ok. The trouble started when we got on the elevator. Well, actually, it started when the elevator doors opened on the wrong floor...a fact that Karen pointed out by saying, "Ooops...wrong floor."

Now, that part wasn't so bad. But when Ziggy's partial plate...for whatever reason...came flying outa his mouth and landed on the floor of the elevator...and he promptly replied, "Ooops! Wrong teeth!"...well, we all sorta lost it.

We lost it bad. In fact, I just lost it again, typin it. It was just one a those things. Ya hadda be there.

I could picture the headlines...

Three Killed in Freak Elevator Accident! Fourth Dies Laughing.

Sunday was every bit as much fun, albeit without the alcohol.

We headed down to

Chinatown

under the excellent guidance of

Leslie

, whom is every bit as lovely in person as I had imagined. She truly made our day by taking us under her wing and showin us around.

DO go read her take on the day...it's far better than I could have described.

I'll do my Chinatown photos in a post to follow...because this is gettin waaaay too long.