Chicago is My Kind of Town

I love Chicago. Lived there when I was a kid. There's no other city like the City of Big Shoulders, the Windy City, yep, my kind of town. Drove down from Madison to Chicago Friday night and stayed with an old acquaintance from the 70's Madison art scene, Michael Bonesteel. Michael is a Chicago based art critic, writer and teacher. And the the occupant of a very cool pad on Chicago's northside. I slid into town a little later than planned on and caught Michael as he was heading out, drum under arm, to meet up with his men's drumming group. So what do you do for six hours at a men's drumming group anyway? Wouldn't be surprised if part of the goings on included smoking fine cigars, one of Michael's (and his girlfriend's) little pleasures.

I headed out to explore my and my assistant's old neighborhoods after Michael left. My assistant, Jen, mostly plays bass in my band Kronic Jones, but I thought it would be worthwhile to bring her along to help with equipment on this very special wedding in Chicago. So the two us cruised Chi-town, looking at the old neighborhoods. Jen seemed surprised and a little saddened by all the changes that had come about since she and her friend Russell Thorne had left Chicago for Madison to be near the Buddhist temple in Deer Park. Russell is a jazz alumnus of the downtown Chicago music scene, and one of those spiritual seeker types you find hanging out in esoteric book stores and antiquity shops. Anyway, yes, things sure have changed. My old neighborhood was near Clark and Wells, now Old Towne. Neighborhood used to be just run down old town.
After cruising for awhile Jen decided we should get something to eat, and she knew where; Sultans Market in Wicker Park. Jen thought it was on the southside. So we're cruising the 2000 block of N. Clark St and Jen call's her friend and co-musicial conspirator Madison jazz icon Joanne Powers for directions and Joanne tells her it's located on N. Clark. A magical moment! The restaurant is right across the street from us on the left just as Joanne tells us it's location. Would have been more magical if it was still open for business after 10pm on a Friday night. But we managed to each get a closing time falafel. Very nice. But the spinach cheese pie, unattainable as it was, called to me. Like eat me, yum yum.


Later got to have a nice visit with Michael back at his place before we crashed for the night. And the next day it was off to the 4th Presbytarian Church off of Michigan Avenue. Beautiful ol world church in the heart of the city. The big wedding day arrived at 11:00 pm for the photographer, his assistant, and the wedding party. And what a wedding day it was. Beautiful blue skies and a drop dead gorgeous bride and groom; Lindsey Voitlander and Dr. Brian Stubitsch. Yep, she's a nurse and they met on the job. Brian's from Chicago, and Lindsey is a die hard Bears fan, so the Windy City was the had to be location for their wedding day.
After the ceremony we spent several hours driving around getting snaps in front of Soldiers Field, down by Lake Michigan, on a bridge, etc. Lot's of great cityscape backgrounds everywhere you turned.

Reception was at the Holiday Inn Marc Plaza, right down town, on the 15th floor with a terrific view of the city all around. The usual fun was had by all, but Lindsey threw in a special twist. Her garter bore the Chicago Bears logo. Touch down!