arrivals

My visit to Chicago entailed a few simple objectives. The timing was dictated by Will’s concert, the first night upon my arrival. Aside from that, the main point of the visit was to redo the bathroom and to find someone to rent the condo in Evanston for the next year. Without anybody to help me, or to keep me company, for that matter, it was a struggle to stay on-task. I have a serious affinity for procrastination, and Chicago is full of tempting tastes and sights.

After getting situated in Evanston, I headed downtown for the concert. The tickets put us in the fourth row, the best seats I’ve ever really had for a big show. The band was absolutely amazing—I can't say enough good things about the show, so I’ll leave it at that. After spending a few minutes backstage, we were off for a drink before I headed back home. All in all, a fantastic way to start the week.

The next day I showed the apartment a couple of times, and on just the second try, found a young man who fit the bill perfectly. I celebrated with dinner at my favorite local place that prides itself on local/seasonal/sustainable/organic products. Keeping with the trend of my week, my experience at Campagnola was perfect. I sat at the bar and greeted the other customer dining beside me. After ordering three small courses, the bartender (turned out to be the manager/partner) offered me a taste of tequila somebody had dropped off that day. When I accepted with the snobby condition that it be white tequila, the evening really took off running. My de facto dining companion lit up, impressed by my ordering what he ate, and our similar taste in tequila. They asked if I was in the food business, and so I explained my involvement, and eventually got into the story of the past months. The manager arranged for an extra course and, together with the portions I ordered, my stomach nearly ruptured by the end of the meal (much to the amusement of my new buddies). The food was great, as always, but this experience was particularly special. My week in the Midwest would remain highlighted.