Official A2K Gathering in Chicago, May 7th, 2006!

Eva wrote-



Eeoooeow owe hoh 'ow frightfully originaal.

I'll make this the last group.

This is the third floor hallway of the Field.


Typical sculpture found in the hallway.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/imposter222/Chicago5406xD2121.jpg

The bridge was up during our boat tour.


The Ferris Wheel I wished I had the chance to ride at the Navy Pier.


And finally, Michigan Avenue beginning to light up.


Hope you enjoyed the tour.

Yes, I certainly have, cicerone, and this last picture is just breathtaking
beautiful.

I just wanted to add my thanks for posting the great pics and great comments....posts by cjhsa, notwithstanding.

Looking forward to more.

It took quite some time to read through everything, but it was worth the read. :-)

Wow!

What a great time everyone had. I'm so jealous I could sit down and die.

Thanks to everyone for posting all the wonderful photos. I agree with CJane that the last one ci posted is amazing.

I went to college in Chicago and right now I find myself missing it very much. A lot of these photos were taken around my "beat". I went to school at SAIC (Art Institute) and to Columbia just down the street.

I lived right by the Museum of Science and Industry/ University of Chicago (51st and Harper???) and near Wrigley Field (Clark and Arlington).

Oh man. To have seen it again with such a great group would have been just too much fun.

I've got discs to add to photobucket, and some black and white photos (holding breath, long story) that I should get back next Tuesday.

Have loved everyone's photos so far. Except of course now I know I need to pluck my nasal cilia... (kidding, even I liked the one of me laughing).
That pizza, by the way, was lobster and fava bean and arugula and sweet red pepper and onion, when Walter and Thomas and CI and I ate at the Millenium Grill, or whatever the name is).

I thought it looked seafoody!

How'd it taste?

osso, I think that was the Park Grill.

Yes, CI, that's right. I thought I saw it listed as Millenium Park Grill sometime earlier in the thread. Anyway, it tasted like an interesting salad plopped on to some pizza dough - nothing quite bound the bits together, as cheese would with more usual ingredients, but the ingredients tasted good together.

I have this odd philosophy of eating out.. I order things I'd never or rarely if ever cook at home. Thus my tripe soup at an earlier small a2k meeting...

I had an interesting experience at Wrigley Field one time. It is in incident that I had completely forgotten about, and something that was buried in the deep recesses of my mind, which this thread has dislodged and brought to the surface once again.

I will have to discuss that incident on another thread.

Wow, thanks all of you. For the stories (about Cedarburg especially) and the pictures and the lovely words. I've laughed and cried - all on this one thread. You're a lovely group. When can we do it again?

Is there a thread about the Spanish Gathering yet?

Woohoo - great to see everyone!

The pictures and stories have been absolutely fantastic... It's always so much fun to put the faces with the names, and of course, to hear the tales of the adventures...


(Bibles, dammit...I said bibles, not imbibables.)

Had to post one more picture for you jazz fans, but especially those that appreciate Louis Armstrong. This picture shows where Louis Armstrong played, now converted to a Ace Hardware store.

In 1922, Oliver invited Armstrong to Chicago to play second cornet in his Creole Jazz Band. As a member of Oliver's band, Armstrong began his lifetime of touring and recording. In 1924, he moved on to New York City to play with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra at the Roseland Ballroom. Armstrong continued his touring and recording activities with Henderson's group and also made recordings with Sidney Bechet, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith. In 1925, Armstrong returned to Chicago and made his first recordings as a band leader with his Hot Five (and later his Hot Seven). From 1925 to 1928 he continued a rigorous schedule of performing and recording, which included Heebie Jeebies, the tune that introduced scat singing to a wide audience and West End Blues, one of the most famous recordings in early jazz. During this period, his playing steadily improved, and his traveling and recording activities introduced his music to more and more people.

Three reasons I why I didn't go:

One of the things I love about the internet is the anonymity of it (notice the name "aperson" ) - I could be anyone in the world.

I like to keep the names as simply names, not people.

Besides which I live half-way around the world anyway.

Brilliant photos, and what an action packed weekend you made of it! Would love to have been there. How come you are going to Spain next when I've just done Spain for 3 months? Avoiding me or something??

Clary, If I can go to London twice for a a2k gathering, you can certainly do Spain much cheaper and faster.

OK, Spain it is! Don't like Barcelona much, but it IS cheap to fly to. Valencia or one of the northern cities are more beautiful, safer and less touristy, IMHO.

Clary, For first-timers to Spain, Barcelona offers the most to new-comers - IMHO. The museums, Gothic area, Las Ramblas, Gaudi, and the rest makes for an interesting venue. I've now been to Barcelona (only) twice, and wouldn't mind another visit.

Not before I've met you!


Speaking of food, you may be interested to know that Bill's restaurant has ossobuco on its menu. I didn't eat you though. I opted for the turkey dinner because we don't have thanksgiving in Germany, and don't eat turkey on Christmas. It was delicious. If anyone of you comes anywhere near Bill's restaurant, by all means check it out. It's a gorgeous place, and the food is just mouth-watering.