Chicago MMXII

DWH, I have close to 4 of 5 days' worth of misadventures scheduled, it may be hard to make it to more than one comedy show.

"iO is current day SNL"! wasn't nearly that bad when I went 5 years ago.

Yeah, I wouldn't go see a troupe named after a "current Golden Age of TV" producer.

It was an admittedly strained and facile metaphor. iO is largely quality with a few rough patches. I mean, I studied there, so the maintenance of some incredulity is advisable.

Also, the day you stop seeing improv groups with stupid names is the day you stop seeing improv groups.

If you're planning to see TJ & Dave, it may be worth calling ahead to make sure they'll both be there (and I definitely recommend getting tickets ahead of time, as it often sells out). They occasionally have replacement players, and the replacement is often Tracy Letts. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright or no, the dude couldn't improv his way out of an imaginary paper bag. A must to avoid.

OK! I wonder how Letts' adap of Three Sisters will turn out.

http://steppenwolf.org/Plays-Events/productions/index.aspx?id=531

Well, I would be seeing TJ & Dave on July 4. Surely Mr Letts will still be monitoring his Chekhov play.

I've been to the Annoyance a few times, but I think they were all R. Buscemi-related shows. I've been meaning to check out Messing with a Friend for the longest time.

FYI of no particular importance - if anyone wants to join me, I plan to bike to the repulsive Wicker Park fest to see Dinosaur Jr (again?! again!) on Saturday night.

also dr aj how come you didn't tell us that you played el acordeón?

http://new.assets.thequietus.com/images/articles/9117/ondatropica_1340207805_crop_550x488.jpg

i don't see dino jr. on the wicker park fest site? wouldn't mind seeing screaming females though

also wicker park fest is in late july so we must be talking about different events

it is the green music fest that is this weekend with dino jr.

sorry whatever this shit is
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/green-music-fest-dinosaur-raveonettes-apteka-bailiff/Content?oid=6719568

fest is gonna be awful no matter what it's called -- i just wanna see dino jr
again

and also take a bike ride and also not sit at home alone while d is at ala conf

I guess Annoyance Theatre show has title of the year: Fuck You, I Love You, Bye: The Rahm Emanuel Story

I should be there for Dino jr. K8's fiancé plus some others might be there too.

yay, call me or if i get impatient i will call you!

Okey dokey

That accordion guy actually kind of looks like me! though he more looks like an exact cross between me and my oldest friend, which is weird.

I think Saturday night is the Colin Stetson show at Schubas which I think I'm still going to, but a Prairie Home Companion is earlier that day at Ravinia so lord knows if I'll be too tired or whatever.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-panera-adds-paywhatyoucan-cafe-in-chicago-20120620,0,4523902.story

That's pretty cool, and I will probably eat at this store to support this effort.

That's the one the next block over from my place. How about that.

Oh - That might explain why they've been remodeling and setting up a stand outside w/ coffee and pastries every morning. Cool.

I think Saturday night is the Colin Stetson show at Schubas which I think I'm still going to

That's what's going on June 23! For the last couple of weeks I've been wondering why I thought I was doing something on that day. At the moment I'm undecided, but keep me posted if you go, Eric. (Same to you, Amanda.)

(Oh wait, you just said you were going to something else that night.)

Late to this,but TJ and Dave is essential Chicago basement theater. And if it's Letts doing it, that's a story you can dine out on for years.

This museum show on gangs looks interesting (also, Daley gang deets):

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-0622-20120622,0,5856763.column

It's the weekend, motherfuckers.

Also, there's now a barcade in Chicago:
http://emporiumchicago.com/

did i already talk about logan hardware on here? it's a great record store, and if you spend like $20 there you get day-long access to their arcade game museum, with free plays on 20 vintage arcade machines

they even have the arcade games in a totally dark room in the back, it's great

A coworker of mine spends a lot of time there, I think. I've been meaning to check it out.

I totally want to go the barcade. 10-year-old me, meet 35-year-old drunk me.

In other news, the Fountainhead finally opened their roof deck this week and it's very nice. Though we went there when it was a hundred million degrees out. Different food menu too, which looks good.

Nice. We went to City Provisions last night -- they have summer hours until 9 now -- and finally tried their beers (all of which are collaborations with local breweries).

Do they have beer on draft now? I tend not to go to city provisions bcz cleetus and other employees are overbearingly friendly and it is a small store. plus I am vaguely convinced that cleetus is not his real name and is just an affectation.

They do have beer on draft. I got a flight of three -- a malted milk stout, a blood-orange wit, and a honey dunkel weiss. They were all pretty good, though I think I liked the wit the best -- it had some welcome spicy notes. However, the last one has the best name: Cleetus' Slackjawed Dunkel.

Interesting. Actually we have vague plans to head over there tomorrow to pick up stuff for Ravinia.

Incidentally, I'm fairly certain that I'm definitely going to the colin stetson show tomorrow, if you're still going jaymc? Sara may or may not go.

Are you going to Philip Glass tomorrow night, aj? I'll be there on the lawn with a group of 8 or so (you-all are welcome to join).

no, we're actually going to the Prairie Home Companion earlier in the evening. But thanks!

Missing PHC this year. :(

shocking!

still might go see serengeti in logan square tomorrow night for people who are looking for yet another activity possibility

Incidentally, I'm fairly certain that I'm definitely going to the colin stetson show tomorrow, if you're still going jaymc?

I probably won't actually commit until tomorrow night, unfortunately. Kr and I are having dinner with friends in Evanston, so it's mostly a matter of whether I'm still up for staying out afterwards. (I can't imagine the show will sell out.)

Everyone is going to see things.

I hope to.

It's really nice out, btw. I just went across the street and sat on a bench in the shade for about 45 minutes while reading some stuff for work (i.e., I am going to count it as on-the-clock).

I got free Jimmy Johns for lunch today from some sales dude. It was awesome.

i'd like to see people. maybe we could do pub quiz next week or something?

sounds good! consider me tentatively in.

I just took a 2.5 hour nap. I'm discombobulated.

I am actually going to a Global Affairs Pub Quiz on Tuesday with Kr and two of her coworkers. Which means I need to flip through some back issues of The Economist this weekend to study up.

Did y'all see this? :D

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-15/news/ct-met-gay-marriage-lawsuit-20120615a_1_gay-marriage-camilla-taylor-marriage-laws

I'm going to the Green Music thing w/ Courtney and LL . Nick, LL, let me know if you're going to a show tomorrow night. I'll probably be in.

I was trying to get to NYC to escape Pride but plane tickets never got cheap enough, so I'm going to evacuate to Courtney's place.

Xp - yes! And Lisa Madigan won't defend the law either and David Orr agrees with the lawsuit against his own office. A third party is trying to become a defendant so that it won't go completely undefended.