Don’t rock the boat

Usually, if you’re on a trip and you have to make your way back to the hotel in the middle of the day for a second shower, it’s not a particularly good day, but we are having a great day, and we’ve stopped for a little mid-day soap and water.  When we got moving this morning, the plan was to rent kayaks.  We got ready particularly slowly, monitoring the weather apps on our phones, as they gave us thunderstorm warnings and great green blob shapes floating across the radar screen over where we are.  We saw a break in the weather, then made our way to the front door of the hotel, only to see that the rain had resumed by the time we got down there.  Our backup plan was a museum, and we were debating that, but we ultimately decided that we had planned for water, anyhow.  

We were going kayaking.  So, we headed for the riverfront location of Urban Kayaks, who say they open at 9 am.  Well, they had been watching the weather, too, and their plan was to open at noon.  We were about 40 minutes early.  So, we went for a walk, sat on a bench, booked online to pre-pay so the process would be quick when noon hit, then made our way back.  We were the first two kayaks in the water today, and we had a great time.  We paddled past lots of the same beautiful buildings we had seen on the architecture tour, and we also heard other tours going by.  I didn’t pick up any new information, though.  We didn’t paddle at the speed of a large tourist boat.  

The weather was perfect, we had adequate sunscreen with us, and the kayaking was very fun.  After that, we stopped at a restaurant with outdoor seating and plenty of shade.  Both were necessary, as we probably smelled a little like we’d been rowing kayaks on a river for an hour and a half.  We split a pair of sandwiches and had a glass of sangria each, then headed back to the hotel for a very necessary shower.  Our next move is to head back to the river later on in the evening.  I found a local band who is playing at a riverside venue tonight, and there is no reason not to check it out.  Following that, we’ve got tickets to the Skydeck, which is at the former Sears Tower (Now, it’s called the Willis Tower.)  I suspect Sears had to sell it off when they went belly up, but nevertheless, the Skydeck is still there, and we pretty much have to go up and look down.  More on all of that later- for now, we’re drying off and getting ready for the next thing.  

Please enjoy several photos Cas took through a Ziploc bag: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sYnZaQSheDb6sfJ6

If you see Tom, buy him a Heineken

Today, we started out with tickets to go on a Wrigley Field tour at 10 am.  We got out of the hotel a lot earlier than that, thanks in part to our very smart decision to pick up some bananas and granola bars last night on the way back to the hotel.  If your hotel doesn’t have a continental breakfast, and if you’re not staying in a city renowned for its great breakfast foods, I recommend keeping a few pieces of sustenance on hand.  It really saves valuable morning time.  

So, Cas and I set out for the Wrigley Field area, which, in fact, is called Wrigleyville.  We got there pretty early, so we found a cute coffee shop and sat, looking out the window, watching the pedestrian traffic go by the ballpark.  When the time came for the tour, we crossed the street just before Tom arrived.  He was an older fellow, mustachioed and clad in Cubs attire, and speaking with the voice of a lifelong fan.  He lives close to the ballpark, and talks about it with the reverence of a cherished church or an ancestral family estate.  Heck, he sounds like he was born at the ballpark.  I recorded his voice for a moment, and in spite of the lawnmowers in the background, I think you ought to click here and listen to Tom.  (If that file won’t play, I’m sorry.  I will convert the M4A to an MP3 when I get home- I have limited technology with me at the moment.). 

Either way, Tom was pretty great.  I did have to ask him about his rather large piece of jewelry.  He had a World Series ring on his right hand.  Apparently, lots of Chicago Cubs employees got rings when the team won the Series in 2016.  He explained that the players got substantially fancier rings than the upper-echelon office staff, who, in turn, got fancier rings than he did.  Nevertheless, Tom had a World Series ring.  Pretty cool, right?  He wears it when giving tours, but he doesn’t wear it around to do pedestrian things like run to the grocery store.  I asked.  You could tell that Tom was proud of the ring.  It was almost as big as his hand, but hey, I don’t have one- do you?  

So, after nearly two hours, Cas and I walked out of the ballpark, past Tom.  When I asked if he accepted tips, he said he did, and he poured them right back into the local economy at a place right behind center field called Murphy’s.  We handed him a few dollars, and we took his suggestion.  I mean, if that isn’t a ringing endorsement, I don’t know what is.  I guess what I am trying to tell you is that Cas and I headed over to Murphy’s after the tour to split a hamburger and have a few beers.  We also decided when we were there to see if Tom was on the level.  When we asked the bartenders on duty if they knew Tom who gave tours of Wrigley, they said they did.  We asked what he drank, and they said Heineken.  So, we decided to leave a few bucks for Tom’s first after-work Heineken.  It seemed like the least we could do for a really nice man who gave us such a splash of local color.  

After Wrigley, after Murphy’s, we boarded a city bus with our three day passes and headed over to Lincoln Park.  When we got there, we rented some Divvy Bikes, which are apparently offered in a partnership with Lyft.  No matter, they are exactly as adequate as you’d expect a rent-by-the-hour bike to be.  Mine made noises every time my left foot pedaled down, and the brakes sounded like the audio clip you’d use in a slasher movie murder scene,  Hey, what did I expect.  It was a rental bike I picked up in one spot and deposited in another, and it was, like I said, adequate.  We rode around Lincoln Park for a while, then headed over to a bike docking station when the sky started to look ominous.  We docked the bikes and ducked under an awning just about three seconds before the rain started in earnest.  We stood there, phones in hand, evaluating our options, when a bus arrived,  What the heck, right? We got into the warm, dry bus, because, three day passes, and we plotted when to get out.  

Cas picked the perfect spot.  There was a bar called The River Shannon, whose street-facing signage explained that it opened in 1946.  Seemed pretty recent, given that we had just been at a ballpark that opened its doors in 1914.  Nevertheless, it was a pretty great neighborhood bar.  The bartender was friendly to us and greeted several of the regulars by name as they arrived.  It was the perfect spot to wait out the rain.  

When the rain finally let up, we went to the bean.  I know, I know- the bean is called Cloud Gate, but seriously, does anyone actually call it that?  I mean, I guess I would call it Cloud Gate if I called Cas Caswell Joseph.  Both perfectly lovely names, but that is the bean, and my guy is Cas.  We don’t stand on ceremony.  

We had a pretty good time taking tourist photos of the bean, then we took photos of the tourists taking photos of the bean- it was a lot of photos.  Really, this all got us to about diner time.  Cas had a spot all picked out for proper Chicago style deep dish pizza.  Giordano’s.  We ordered the smallest pizza they had, and it was still too much.  It was pretty great, though.  What else could you want, really?  There was amazing pizza, reasonably priced wine and friendly servers with plenty of hustle.  It was a great way to wrap up a very full day.  

We’re back in the hotel, now, having stopped off for a few more bananas to make tomorrow morning go smoothly.  I suspect Tom is back home, too, having enjoyed at least one Heineken at Murphy’s.  

In honor of that, here’s a photo of me and Cas, out on the patio at Murphy’s, having a beer just as the L goes by.  It’s so Chicago, isn’t it?  

And, here for your enjoyment. are the rest of the photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sYnZaQSheDb6sfJ6

Edifice Rex

Early this afternoon, we landed at O’Hare airport.  Our flight was on time, then it was running about 45 minutes late, then it was all slated to be back on time again, and in the end, we landed ten minutes early.  Either way, we got here just about when we expected we would, so it’s all good.  When we hit the ground, we headed for a shuttle between terminals so we could get to terminal two, which is where the CTA blue line starts out.  Our ticket into the city center was on that train, and in anticipation of plenty of train rides, we each bought a three-day pass.  Certainly, we’ll be back on “The L” tomorrow.  

When we got off of the train, we were just around the corner from our hotel, which is right next door to the Nederlander Theater.  I swear, that wouldn’t have even registered on my radar, but that was the surname of Martin Short’s character on the Three Amigos.  There was Steve Martin playing Lucky Day, Chevy Chase playing Dusty Bottoms and Martin Short playing Ned Nederlander.  See- that’s the kind of information I manage to keep while completely forgetting things like my third grade teacher or half of my friends from junior high.  I guess I only hang on to the important stuff… Nevertheless, we checked in, made time for quick wardrobe change, and headed back out.  

At this point, we were hungry.  We had a decent breakfast in Dallas, but it was after three, and oatmeal will only take you so far.  Cas found an inexpensive dumpling place, and we each had a few of those, along with pot stickers and hibiscus lemonade.  That was just right to get us back on track, and on track we were.  Next stop, the Riverwalk. We went down from the street level to the restaurants and shops that lined the river, and it reminded me of San Antonio.  We found out later that it was, in fact, inspired by a former mayor’s trip to San Antonio, so I suppose there’s a reason for that.  We wandered a little, then stopped at a spot with a good river view and some shaded outdoor tables for a glass of wine and a snack.  Like I said, we had a really late lunch, and it was not huge.  After we sat there and watched the water and the people flow by for a little while, we made our way to the first thing we had booked: the architecture tour.  It was through a company called Chicago’s First Lady Cruises, and the narrator for our adventure was a volunteer named Larry who seemed to know something about every single building near the river.  He also gave us a little river history, some Chicago history, and some basics about  architecture in general.  Larry was very good, and the cruise was fantastic.  It was also the source for today’s best photo:

After that was done, honestly, it was about time for a little wandering, a light dinner and an early night.  We’re both a little wiped out from just getting to this point, and we have a day that starts at Wrigley Field tomorrow.  Can’t be late for that.  

In case you want to admire some architecturally significant buildings or check out any other photos, here’s the photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sYnZaQSheDb6sfJ6

Coming to America!

Tomorrow, we board a Southwest flight bound for Chicago, and with that, our summer adventure begins.  There are five stops on the journey, taking about two and a half weeks.  We start in Chicago, head to my childhood hometown of Red Wing, Minnesota, go from there to Boston, then to Cas' college town of Hanover, New Hampshire and wrap it up, finally, in New York City.  

We're ready, too.  I loved our spring break road trip, and the New Orleans visit for my dad's birthday was a blast, but this represents a return to our extended, Heather-and-Cas, because-we're-teachers summer trip.  Last summer, was by necessity, spent close to home, but this summer?  This summer, we're off.  Leavin' on a jet plane.  On the road again.  Gone to look for America.  King of the road.  Pick the song- if it's about vacation, I bet we'll sing it loud and off key.  What I'm saying is, we're so ready.  

We'll leave tomorrow, and we'll keep moving until we're Homeward bound.  

Here we go.  

In case you need to see Neil Diamond sing "Coming to America" in a sparkly shirt, here's a link.  You're welcome.

The difference between a gallery and a balcony

There is a difference between a gallery and a balcony.  A balcony does not have pillars or beams that come up from the ground to support it. Typically, balconies are narrower.  Galleries are usually wider- often, the width of the sidewalk below- and they have posts to hold them up from the ground level.  I said before arriving in New Orleans that one of my wishes was to sit on a balcony and have a drink, overlooking the street.  It turns out that you are far more likely to be able to do that on a gallery, not a balcony.  I only make the distinction because this is a gallery: 

Anyhow, check the last item off the list- we had a drink on a gallery overlooking Bourbon Street, of all streets.  Our last day in town started with the five of us heading to breakfast.  Jane’s airport shuttle was coming just before lunch time, so we all had one last meal together at The Ruby Slipper, a spot that was recommended to us, but way too busy the first day we were in town.  Dad, Danny and Cas all actually ordered the same thing: the smoked salmon omelet.  Sounds pretty strange to me, but all three of them seemed happy.  I was also happy with my more traditional breakfast.  It was good to be all together one more time.  Our mission was to pick up some pralines after that, so off we went, on a candy run.  Praline shops- the ones that make the treats in-house- are the best smelling places in all of New Orleans.  We walked past a few, sniffing around in the doorways on the way to a specific one Cas wanted us to find: Aunt Sally’s.  Somewhere on the way, we got to a pretty fantastic courtyard whose entry was adorned with a national parks sign.  Through the door and down the passage, a park ranger answered questions about the nature preserves, parks and generally pretty, wild places in the bayou area.  After the diversion to chat with a park ranger and the mission to find pralines, it was time to get Jane back to the hotel so she could meet up with the airport shuttle.  

After we saw Jane off, we were four.  We walked over to the Hotel Monteleone to sit at the Carousel bar when it opened at noon- except it opened at 4 pm today.  Apparently, their hours are different on weekdays and such.  Dang.  So we headed back to the national park courtyard, as there was supposed to be a film about the Mississippi River that we didn’t have time to watch earlier in the day.  When we finished the movie, we decided to head back or one last hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s.  Sounds smart, right?  So, their temporary hours were taped to the door.  No Pat-O on Tuesdays for the time being.  We were really batting a thousand, there, until we looked at the place across the street and saw people sitting at tables on the gallery.  I wonder... Do you think?  I’ll go ask.  The man at the door said to go in head to the stairs, take a right at the top and let them know we wanted to sit outside.  I’m telling you, even with the rattling groaning street sounds and the consistent construction noises, I think Dallas patios will forever pale in comparison to the Gallery at Coronet.  In Dallas, you’re lucky if your patio table at a bar or restaurant looks out onto a decent looking parking lot instead of a really ugly one...  

It was the perfect thing to do.  We stayed there for a few beers- probably the last of our day-drinking for a while- and listened to some live music starting up at a bar below.  It was good music, too.  I don’t think any of the four of us had a single bit of desire to go exploring at that point.  It was perfect just to sit on a gallery, drink a beer and listen to music filter up from the street level until it was time to head back.  When we did, we picked up our luggage from the Hampton (again, we were very pleased with them and their service), called a cab and got to the airport with time to spare.  

All in all, this was a great trip.  I was glad Dad wanted to do it for his birthday, and I was really happy with each addition to the group.  I mean, I knew Cas was in, and I was really happy Danny was on board, but when Jane texted that she had booked a flight, I was over the moon- it was going to be fantastic.  When Jeff, Reema and Jack signed on, I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.  This trip was my favorite present I have ever given a person, and I can’t think of anyone who would appreciate it more than my dad.  

Happy Birthday, Dad.  Hope you keep on Chooglin’ 

Photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/chay3CBSmG5aSwXr6

Narrated by Tom Hanks

Today, the five of us who remained in town had tickets to the World War II Museum.  It’s billed as the top attraction in New Orleans, and I see why.  At an impressive five ehxibit halls, it has buildings that take up a huge amount of space, cross city streets with sky bridges, and house large, military aircraft on their ceilings.  We got there at 10 am and walked through about a zillion exhibits.  We honestly didn’t have time to walk through about half of the stuff.  I was told prior to leaving for this trip that, to properly view the museum, you’d need to plan to spend at least two days.  We had one day, and we cut it short, at that.  There really is a threshold that most people have for war museums, and each of the five of us hit that wall at different times.  I think Jane and I were first, ready to tap out like a tag team wrestler after only a few, short hours.  Danny and Dad were characteristically inscrutable, giving no indication that they needed to wrap it up, but when it was tine to go, they certainly didn’t argue.  Cas was the last one out of the museum, and that makes me happy,  I am glad he is both interesting and interested in things, bit I am more glad that he has enough of a comfort level with my family that he believes us when we say, “I’m going to hang out near the end of this exhibit, but please, take all the time you need and enjoy!” 

One of the things we did in the museum was watch what they’re calling a 4D movie.  I was unclear what that meant prior to entry, but it was pretty cool.  Objects rose up out of the stage in front of the curved, panoramic movie screen or dropped down from the ceiling to enhance the experience.  Lights and sounds came from strategic spots inside the theater- over our heads, behind our backs- to make us feel like we were in the middle of things.  Our chairs shook and rumbled when the filmmaker was trying to indicate that we were on a bumpy tank ride or something like that.  It was a very cool, very immersive moviegoing experience- and certainly one I would think twice about if I were with someone who had actually served in a war.  I suspect anyone with actual memories of anything similar may not want to be that up-close and personal with that kind of thing.  It was excellent, but I suspect, for some, it would be too much.  Oh, and Tom Hanks narrated it.  I mean, how cool is that? 

Also- fun fact- any time you go into a place where a motorcycle exists with my dad, he will tell you all about that bike.  I didn’t need to read the placard in front of this bike before he told me all about the company (Simplex Motorcycle) and how the founder of the brand made money off a kickstand patent.  Dad can narrate a motorcycle exhibit so much better than any actor could.  

After the museum, Cas directed us to a restaurant that promised a very good muffuletta.  I have honestly never had a bad muffuletta.  This one was, as usual, excellent.  I suspect it’s just a really good sandwich every time.  

From there, we took a long walk through some more industrial (less rich and touristy) neighborhoods to the Urban South Brewery.  When in doubt, take my dad to a brewery.  Their beers were pretty good, and they also had some non-beer options.  

After that, we took the streetcar again, because the walk would not have been quick or short, and a taxi would have cost more than $1.25 per person.  We wrapped up our evening at Dad’s new favorite New Orleans watering hole.  The music at Jimani is good, the bar food is exactly what you’d expect, and the beers are reasonably priced.  All in all, a good spot to sit with our group and sort of recap the past few days.  Of course, because Jane suggested it and Dad would never say no to ice cream, we stopped for cones and scoops on the way back to the hotel.  The place we went was crowded, and the cashier appeared to be just about to quit her job, but we managed to get out the door with treats.  

From there, it was back to the hotel and to bed.  Today, we have breakfast together before Jane takes a mid-day shuttle to the airport.  Dad, Danny and I head there later in the day.  Only a few more adventures left in this trip, but seriously, this has been a good one.  If only we could get a sweeping film score and some Tom Hanks narration to punctuate this trip- maybe next time.  

Photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/chay3CBSmG5aSwXr6

Useful legislation

In June of 2008, the Louisiana House of Representatives decided in a 62-33 vote that Sazerac was the official cocktail of New Orleans.  Finally, a useful action to come from a legislative body!  Honestly, I am not sure who the 33 were or what their big problem was with whiskey, bitters, and a little splash of some kind of absinthe or absinthe-substitute.  It’s pretty darn good, and it certainly has history.  

After we were all reasonably dried off from our gator-seeking adventure, we regrouped and made our way to the Sazerac House for the free tour.  Cas booked it ahead of time, as there are limited time slots, and we were as close to on time as we were likely to get.  What you do is start the tour on the third floor, learning all about Peychaud’s Bitters, then on to a quick lesson in the fate of original absinthe and the development of its replacement. All capped off with a small sample of a Sazerac cocktail.  The second floor got us some info about different cocktails and a sample of a rum drink, and the first floor handed us some straight Sazerac rye.  It was pretty great, all in all, and certainly a place we could have deposited Jeff and returned hours later, only to find him asking follow up questions and comparing cocktail notes.  

He really wants a wall like this one in his home.  Maybe, someday...

From there, we went to Redfish grill for an amazing meal.  Just in time, too, because the majority of us missed lunch in favor of figuring out how to get dry.  That was our last moment as a big group together, so I made the poor waitress take a photo.  Ah, good times!  

We said goodbye to Jeff, Reema and Jack on a street corner.  They were headed back to their car so they could get to bed early and make it back to Dallas tomorrow in time for Reema’s work event that evening.  We are now back down to Jane, Danny, Cas, me and Dad.  Still a fantastic group.  The five of us went to Crescent City Brewery to sit still for a moment and have a beer or two, and we got back to the hotel kind of early.  It’s for the best- we’ve been moving pretty much nonstop for the past few days, and a little early-to-bed wouldn’t kill us.  

The plan tomorrow is to hit up our new faviorite breakfast spot, a place called Two Chicks, and head over to the World War II Museum with our 10 am tickets in hand.  After that, we shall see.  It’s supposed to be the number one attraction in all of New Orleans, and we’re ready to see it.  Today is the 77th anniversary of D-Day, so I can’t think of a better moment to check the place out.  More on that tomorrow.  Until then, good night from New Orleans.  

Photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/chay3CBSmG5aSwXr6