Kestrachern

It was nearly non-stop from boarding the plane in Tampa on Friday 2:00PM till stepping back off the plane Sunday at just before midnight.

Arriving at O’Hare was fun and the ride on the CTA gave a chance to sink into Chicago in getting ready for the weekend.  Stepping off the CTA at the Red Line Grand Avenue station was a brisk introduction to the Chicago weather, with a light breeze and temperatures around 45 degrees.  After checking into The James it was time to get ready for dinner at Alinea.  Alinea was a truly amazing experience.  As midnight approached Calamity and I retuned back to The James in preparation for a day of shopping.  

Saturday began with a little bit of sleeping in, then off to find a Starbucks for a little wake me up.  After some exploring of the downtown area and Millennium Park  Nordstrom’s was first on the list and did not disappoint.  The real find was to come at our next stop, Bloomingdales.  Calamity found some really good outfits and several pairs of shoes.  Girl knows how to dress!  Lunch was at the Elephant & Castle, a pub serving British Fare. We ambled back to The James and had some snacks from the Trader Joes across the street.     Looking to explore the nightlife we heard Hernan Cattaneo was coming to The Crobar and made that our evening’s destination.   We arrived at the Crobar thanks to the cab driver who’s function was to pump breaks, mash the gas, and twist the steering wheel back and forth.  He managed all this without the aid of knowing where he was going.  He did however stop and get directions.   Calamity and I jumped out of the cab a little shy of our destination, but figured it was the smart move, as encouraging the driver down the appropriate streets might have been quite the challenge.   For those of you not having  been to the Crobar I can best describe it as the layout of DNA Lounge but with a decor in the direction of Ruby Skye without the opulence.  After a day of catered-to shopping it was a bit disjointed to come to a club and be told “You can’t sit here”  with out the additional information of where one can sit without having purchased “Bottle Service.”  Tired from a day of shopping and not appreciating the attitudes on display at the club Calamity opted to make it an early night, retiring before midnight.   I pressed on till about 2:00 AM but never really found my groove.  The opening DJ was “meh” but the following one started to show promise, however when Hernan took the stage I found his set that night a little less than inspiring.  Not going to worry about catching him at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami next weekend.     Another disappointment was the lack of sophistication in the club patrons.   Leaving the Crobar I pointed my feet down Clybourn St toward Division then across Division to Rush and back to The James.  The 2.5 miles took less than an hour to traverse at a steady mosey. 

Sunday morning breakfast was at West Egg, I had Feta Egg Crepe like thing and Calamity had Polish sausage with melted Swiss cheese.  Next were massages and a trip to H&M and Kenneth Cole.  Lunch was at the Billy Goat Tavern then a taxi trip back to O’Hare.   The flight was delayed about 90 minutes as American scurried to find a replacement aircraft.  We arrived back in Tampa Airport at just about midnight but did not get to bed for another two hours due to unpacking and rebonding with Siouxsie, Biscuit, and Angus.

It was a great trip!   Weather was fantastic and sunny.  While waiting for Calamity to come back from her massage I chatted a little with Abby who worked at bar at The James.  She lived in East Bay while going to school (about 6 yrs ago) When I asked about rents she said her large studio with kitchen and fire escape located on Dearborn was about 1k/month. Comparitive Chicago high rise apartments go for 1200-1500 a month.  She suggested coming back in the summer when all the summer and music happens.   She missed being able to indulge her foodiness that developed while in California.  She also said that having a car in Chicago is comparable to the experiences of owning one in San Francisco.