chi-chi-chicago

Since I never ended up writing about my trip to NY (and probably never will because it'd be more effort than it's worth at this point), I decided to update about Chicago.

I'm up here for the Pitchfork Music Festival and to hang out with Erin. This is really the first time I've had to write, since we've been going the entire time we've been here. Ravi and I flew in on Thursday morning and we came to Erin's and had lunch at a strange little place called Chipmunks. Afterwards, Ravi and I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo and I finally got to meet my friends, Elis and Adam. I've been friends with Elis online for about...10 years and Adam (her husband) for about 8 years. We've tried to make arrangements to meet in the past and things have always fallen through, so I was pretty much beyond excited that this came through. It's a bit surreal to meet someone in person that you've known for such a long time, because I think there's a certain sense of expectation in the whole deal--how to act, what to say, etc. etc. We had a lot of fun though, touring the zoo and then walking around by Lake Michigan in this miserable heatwave that has hit Chicago. I was pretty unpleasantly surprised to step out of Midway and feel like I was back in Baton Rouge.

We only got a few hours with Elis and Adam, because everyone's schedules were tight but I'm really hoping I can come visit with them again. Or vice versa. Eventually they dropped us off (by this time, we'd also met up with Ravi's friend, Jeremy) at The Chicago Diner. I met back up with Erin and we had a drink at a local pub, before coming home to pass out.

Yesterday was The Art Institute (where I got some great postcards to frame), Exchequer Pub for deep dish pizza and then onto the festival for Broken Social Scene and Modest Mouse. I've never had a chance to see BSS live. It was a pretty great show, though I think I'd rather see them at a club if I ever got to do it again. But they played "Superconnected," "7/4 (Shoreline)," and "Fire Eye'd Boy" so I was happy. Modest Mouse kind of sucked, except when they played "Dashboard." I've never been a huge MM fan anyway and their disjointed, drunken-sounding set didn't do much to improve that opinion.

After the show, we went to Monk's Pub and met up with Erin. Monk's had a decent beer selection, but half the beers we wanted weren't actually available and I'm pretty sure the bartender was drunk. She charged all of our tabs incorrectly, checked on us maybe twice for the 2 hours we were there and fucked up Erin's beer when she poured it (note: holding the bottle above the glass and turning the bottle upside down is not how one pours a beer). But, I had some good beer (Urthel Hop-It and Goose Island Matilda) and got a good buzz.

I didn't buy tickets for the festival today, because I wanted to hang out with Erin. We had breakfast at Red Hen Bread, then walked to the farmer's market, stopping along the way at a thrift store to buy a shirt (me) and some jeans and dresses (Erin). We picked up some blueberries, walked home, siesta'd, then went to Threadless (I bought this), Reckless Records (where I got Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over the Sea, The Pixies Surfer Rosa, 2 Simon and Garfunkel albums and a Temptations' Greatest Hits compilation), and Binny's for beer and liquor that I can't get in BR. Later tonight, we're going see The Kids Are All Right at an indie theater, eat some Moroccan food and probably drink some beer. And possibly bemoan the amount of money spent and calories consumed since I've been here, but probably not because it's been worth it to me to have a good time and get some things that make me happy (and, in the case of the art, clothing and records, things that will continue to make me happy). Plus, we've done a lot of walking.

Tomorrow is more festival, with Pavement, Big Boi, St. Vincent and a few other groups that I may end up seeing. Also, brunch with another friend from BR. We fly out Monday evening, then it's back to the moving/working/searching for a job/breaking up/oh my god when will Tulane give me some funding?!/saying hello/goodbye grind. Which is also kind of fun.

Oh! This week's word is: Peregrinate- verb (archaic)- travel or wander around from place to place.