Chicago

Day One - Janurary 5, 2010


After battling with the bitter cold New York yesterday morning, we made our flight to Chicago. Flying first class for $40.00 was pretty much the coolest thing that could have happened (thanks to flying standby!) Johnny picked us up from the airport and made us a delicious breakfast. He's a really great friend.

Highlights of last night:

• Drinking card games in Johnny's family's apartment by candlelight while listening to soothing piano music.
• Johnny busting out a glass prayer bowl capable of making vibrations turn into a REALLY loud ringing noise that drowns out basically everything around you.
  
• Going to Connie's new apartment a few blocks away.
• Branching out and dining at The Chicago Diner - Meat Free Since '83. The Chili Fandango, Sweet Potato Quesadilla, and the Black Bean Burger were all quite tasty.
  
• Visiting downtown Chicago - the Chicago Tribune building has random artifacts of random buildings cemented into the outside of the building, way cool.
• Playing hilarious games like Pterodactyl, One Frog and Celebrity Name Game back at Connie's apartment.

Brian

Day 2 - Jan 6th


- Avatar was quite possibly the best movie I have ever seen.  We laughed.  I cried.  We stopped breathing.  I highly recommend it in 3-D and IMAX (of course).

After recovering from the Avatar experience, the evening celebrations began at a premiere gay bar in “boys town”, Roscoe’s.  $10 pitchers of Miller Lite, Karaoke, and good company added to the day’s perfection.  Karaoke in a predominately gay bar outshines karaoke in most ‘straight’ bars.  If you’re ever in town, I hope you hear Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love” sung by Ricky, a short flamboyant Hispanic man.  Though initially nervous, 6 pitchers later, Brian and I were ready to share a moment in the spotlight.  Gwenyth Paltrow’s “Cruisin" seemed like the right duet & according to Connie and Johnny, we were successful. (Goal: to perfect “Cruisin” and sing it in Karaoke bars in Sydney, Auckland and Wellington)

Post Roscoe’s, the night moved to a dance club a few doors down.  We entered a dimly lit bar with an enormous dance floor and pounding techno beats.  I channeled Melissa that night:  made "friends" with numerous strangers and danced my heart out.

Day 3 - Jan 7th


14 rolls, 2 miso soup, 1 order of gyoza and 1 order of shumai... the only way to do lunch on a brisk day. We'd like to introduce you to sushi buffet for $18.00  (if only Vassar's Tokyo Express had this option). Once the rice expanded, our only option was to lay on the couch for hours-- which we gladly did (minus the piano sing along session held by Johnny and I-- Brian opted out)!
Later that evening, Sheila performed a ceremony for all of us asking for safe travels, positive adventures and open minded experiences :) it was wonderful.




THANK YOU -- Johnny, Connie, May Lin, Shelia