quickly packed up our place in Naples and set out to get 
settled in Chi-town. We stopped first in PSL to see Brandon's family and of course drop off and exchange some stuff. We woke the next morning and headed straight for Nashville, Tennessee. After finding our hotel we headed out for some cafeteria style BBQ with mac and cheese, baked apples and sweet tea for me. We walked around the downtown area. Brandon had been there before on a college road trip and since he is also not a fan of country music there was little to interest him. We did walk by the Country Music Hall of Fame and drove out to the Grand Ole Opry. The most interesting thing there was the 24 mph speed limit. It seemed pretty random.We left the next morning, Kankakee bound. I'm sure when the Conways bought a second home in IL to be close to their daughter and her family they never imagined how much use I would get out of it. I stayed in their place two years ago when I worked in Bourbonais, IL to be close to Brandon who was working in Chicago for the summer. We stayed there last year for our annual reunion with my Ithaca College PT friends and now once again this year while we searched for our new home in the city. Brandon once again worked his Craigslist magic and organized about 5 potential apartments to see. After doing the Goldilocks bit of too small space, too big rent we
narrowed it down to 2 that could be just right. We sat down at Pizzeria Due to hash it out over some deep dish. Apartment one had floor to ceiling windows and an amazing view from the 47th floor but less amenities and in the downtown area. Apartment two didn't have the amazing views although from the 27th floor we'd have a glimpse of the lake and the John Hancock and NBC buildings. It does have a great pool and sun deck with BBQs and plenty of seating, an office with fax and copier and gym overlooking the deck and River North part of the city. It's also in between the Mag Mile and River North so it has more of a neighborhood feel and is convenient to most places we'd want to go. So apartment 2 wins out. Decision was made Thursday night. Friday we drove about 40 minutes north of Kankakee to find a Bank of America to get a certified check for rent and deposit. Our new landlord met us at the bank and we signed the lease in the back of his minivan. Shady at best, I know, but after the tour of our place with our guide speaking well of our new lessor, I was only partially concerned about handing over three months rent to a stranger. I was completely relieved on Saturday when the keys he gave us fit the apartment and we were able to move right in.On Sunday we met with our new boss for "orientation" where she just handed us some forms and our schedule for the next day. She also gave us each a piece of chocolate and Brandon handed his right over to me knowing I'd need more than that to get through our first week.
It was a rough first week. Nothing seemed organized. The office would call asking if we could see patients here and there, but being new to the area had no idea where here and there were. We were at the mercy of our GPS units. We were driving over 50 miles between patients some days and then sitting in 2 hours of traffic to get back home. Brandon who had been worried about driving his car in the city ended up in a fender bender by day 4 and had to get a rental while his baby got some body work done.
This came just after hearing the worse news of the week, the passing of Brandon's good friend Freddy, as mentioned in a prior post.With week one done we were happy to start the weekend and to get back to exploring the city we love. Spring was still in the air and tulips were in bloom all over the city. The Art Institute of Chicago was celebrating the opening of their new modern wing with free admission. You can now enter the museum via a walkway that goes up through Millennium Park. I enjoyed the exhibits and could easily spend a whole day at the Art Institute. Brandon on the other hand, well, let's just say he got his money's worth.
The second weekend in June brought a visit to the Oriental Theatre to see Topol in Fiddler on the Roof. We enjoyed the show and were happy to see Topol in one of his last performances of the role he made famous. Also going on that weekend was the famed Blues Festival in Grant Park. We spent the afternoon moving from stage to stage taking in the music in the city that helped make it famous. Here's Eddie Taylor Jr with Harmonica Hinds:
The following week we went to two shows of the TBS sponsored Just For Laughs comedy event. On Thursday we went to the Best of the Fest show at the Lakeshore Theatre. The show was hosted by Ben Bailey of Cash Cab fame. Most of his stand up consisted of him complaining about
being recognized as the "Cash Cab Guy." After listening to his performance however, I don't think he should be so quick to distance himself from his "cash cow." Andy Dick performed a few little diddies. Danny Bhoy made me laugh but I was easily charmed by his brogue. Jim Jefferies was laugh out loud funny but definitely not for the politically correct with sensitive ears. It was obvious that Paul Provenza was on something, but it certainly was not performance enhancing. Patrice O'Neal, Sebastian, and Whitney Cummings rounded out the rest of the questionable "Best of the Fest." The true best show was the following night at the historic Chicago Theatre where Russell Peters hosted an All-Star Comedy Show. Unfortunately we had to sit through a repeat performance of Ben Bailey and Whitney Cummings, but enjoyed the rest of the performers Jeremy Hotz and Owen Benjamin, and especially Maz Jobrani, host Russell Peters and the hilarious John Pinette.We concluded the weekend back in Kankakee for the annual bike race in my friends Jen and Bill
Yohnka's neighborhood. The annual Cobb Park Criterium, hosted by the South Chicago Wheelmen brings the neighbors together for food, fun, drink, music and hours of watching heat after heat race around Cobb Park.Back to work Sunday to so we can head out of town Wednesday night to get to the Outer Banks for Alicia and Brian's Wedding.
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