So this year, the Main Distractor and I went to Chicago to see Lollapalooza. We should have gone last year, when Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails were playing, but it didn’t pan out. So this year, we went to see Depeche Mode and Tool and Lou Reed and whatnot.
There’s also a Gibson board friend who lives there, and it turned out that a Radiohead friend from LA would be there too! so that was good.
We had a fairly easy trip there, in spite of really not very much sleep the night before…we scored exit row so had lots of room. We got to our hotel, and although lots of people on Trip Advisor had said good things about it, lots of people had had puppy freak-outs due to supposed small room size and various other imaginary problems. We found everything quite satisfactory, in spite of having all of our clothes, lots of crap and electronics, and the portable drugstore I somehow seem to travel with even though I don’t wear that much makeup or use a lot of product on my hair. It just adds up. Anyway, I can recommend Hotel Felix, if you don’t need tons of room and minibars and that kind of thing. Room service may be online soon, too. We had a great rate and were very happy with it, cause we could walk almost everywhere we wanted to go.
So we went to Frontera for Cochinita Pibil (I like mine better, but his was good). We had deep dish. We managed NOT to get a Chicago dog, dammit! and I also neglected to get a meatball sandwich while I was in the land of meatballs. But anyway. An “Italian pork” sandwich and a hot roast beef, snacks at Trader Vic’s, and one night eating from Whole Foods’ ready-made stuff…decent enough dining 
I had an anxiety meltdown or something at Lolla the first day (it was pouring rain, and hadn’t any gear with me. I had to get a rain jacket and I got some substantial flip flops to wear in the mud). I was in the Crystal Castles crowd and there were too many people, and I just couldn’t be there, could not. Too many people pushing past me, couldn’t manage it. So I went home, lamely, but I was nonfunctional, crying although not sad or upset, just tears going down my face like that. That was the night I ate Whole Foods supper :p The MD stayed and saw Depeche Mode, and the set list was really great! I’m sorry I couldn’t stick it out. He said he ended up 6 people back, though, and there’s no way I could manage that at the best of times. Also, my feet were destroyed by the flipflops! I was v disappointed by this. And they’re still rather painful, I have an abrasion on both feet and few of my shoes don’t rub that spot to a greater or lesser extent.
Anyway so Saturday, I had a bunch of bands I wanted to see, but the MD texted me that the crowds were even worse than the day before, so didn’t go. I started the day with a massage in the hotel spa (v nice) and then had a nap. Rather than go get freaked out at Lolla again, I took it easy and then met up with tristero and her family, who were visiting. Had a great time hanging out with them and then the MD met us for dinner at Pizano’s after Tool.
Sunday, we lounged about the homestead I think? and then headed over to see Lou Reed. Happily there was a perfectly uncrowded area where we could hear him just fine and see the video screens. I feel like it wasn’t a total waste of a $200 ticket or whatever it was, because there really aren’t a lot of chances to see Lou Reed. We also heard a few songs from the Band of Horses set as we made our way to the exit. Their sound mix was abysmal but they still sounded pretty OK.
Then we went up to Trader Vic’s and had two very strong cocktails each and some snacks, and then we went to the Irish pub near the hotel, and got stuck into the bourbon and possibly the whiskey as well. Memories are v cloudy indeed, and the next morning was not pretty. We had resolved to exercise more caution in these matters next time.
So Monday we packed up, woozily went to breakfast at Portillo’s around the corner, and then walked over to the Lake and then went to Navy Pier and rode the big Ferris Wheel, which was expensive but fun.
Some pics.
lake shore
Ferris Wheel
Art Institute
Art Institute
fire escapes
highrises
at Gino's East
River Walk
view
