Live in Chicago!

Greetings from the not-so-windy city! I'm in Chicago and am having an even better time than I expected. No roving packs of street thugs, gang-wars, serial killers, Terminators, or even an attack from the Cloverfield monster! I'm surprised by how (for the most part) I've felt safe and comfortable in this MASSIVE city. Seriously -- this place is like 10 other cities all glued together. At times I've been struck by the realization that human beings built all this! Imagine landing on a new planet with no cities of any kind and someone hands you the blueprints to the city of Chicago and says "Okay, this is what we're going to build." Of course, if you haven't seen Chicago that idea won't have the same impact...but for those of you who live here...yeah...imagine that.

I'm currently gazing out the window as the sun settles in the west (just over the 3rd base upperdeck of Wrigley Field) and enjoying a couple of tasty Newcastle Summer Ales (I had no idea they even made those!!!! For those of you who know me personally, you know that Newcastle has always been one of my favorite beers. And now they make a summer ale!!!!).

Some random thoughts:

1. We went to Giordano's for pizza in Greektown last night. Out of this world! We are not big fans of deep dish (I'll probably get a knock on the door shortly from the local authorities just for typing that), and went with the "thin" crust which was absolutely phenomenal! It was so good I had leftovers for breakfast. It's the kind of pizza that even when you're stuffed (and I mean STUFFED) you still want to keep eating it because it tastes/smells SO good! As we left I kept smelling my hands and salivating. The box of leftovers was several times heavier than most full pizzas.

2. Lower Wacker Drive will now forever be associated with the movie The Dark Knight in my mind. Too bad I left my Joker t-shirt (and voice) at home....

3. The condos on the Lake Shore (Lake Shore East) are really really sweet! But being 33 stories up and looking down from a little glass section of a living room that juts out from the building with floor to ceiling glass makes me break out in instantaneous cold sweat.

4. The food. Everything is awesome. I know - that's a lame description, but imagine yourself having just eaten something fantastic...now add in some sleepiness and maybe a few drinks...now try to form a complete sentence...yeah...not so easy, is it?

5. Wrigley Field. The atmosphere and neighborhood surrounding Wrigley is certainly something to be experienced. We picked up tickets for tomorrow night's game against the Dodgers (consequently, the last time I went to a major league game was several years ago in St. Louis when the Cardinals also played the Dodgers...and that year the Cardinals won the World Series. Wait it gets better. The time before that that I attended a major league game was in Miami for the Marlins vs Cubs....and that year the Marlins won the World Series....see the pattern Cubs' fans? Ya gotta believe...). We also conducted a search of every apparel shop and stand for a certain red-billed blue Cubs hat that I became enamored with. However, there were only mediums and smalls to be found except for at one shop. Unfortunately the "large" there was too tight and the XL was too loose. If anyone reading this happens to know their Cubs' apparel - it's a weathered looking blue cap with a red "C" with a bear inside and a red bill. I must have one. Or several hats of equal or greater cool-ness.

6. DePaul...I've been to a lot of college campuses...and attended quite a few of them...while hanging out at DePaul last evening I was struck by how, though the times, fashions, and faces change - the college kids stay the same. So young and lacking in experience...ah, how they think they know everything about the world....makes me appreciate who I am now...

7. Parking/driving in this city is nuts. I don't know how you Chicagoans do it. Nuts. That's the best word. Nuts.


Alrighty, dear readers, I hope you have enjoyed this little posting and if I find the time, I'll tell you more about my adventures up here. mmm...pizza...