And they beckoned, And they beckoned… Come on darling eat.*

^{* Patti Smith, Summer Cannibals}

Friday, May 27, 2011 — "Can't sleep, clown will eat me..."

Couldn't sleep for quite some time last night. Woke up later than planned. Still quite chilly in Chicagoland today so my planned trek to Big Star for dinner may instead be for lunch. But first I peruse a complimentary copy of Michigan Avenue on the loo, and laugh, cry at how the other half lives.

Hey Aveda! Your hydrating lotion smells like pharmacist's spooge. Not the first choice to put on my face.

I wander down to Cal's Liquors to scope the scene. Alas, bar not open yet for the day, but a nice seedy liquor store though. Nothing remarkable to purchase.

Amidst the sea of Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts dotting the Loop, you can find a few Lavazza coffee shops. My choice for a cup of Joe in Chicago.

With morning coffee in hand I find the nearest Blue Line station and head north to Wicker Park. Arriving just before the lunch hour, I wander around the funky neighborhood at the corner of Damen & Milwaukee to kill time.

A large crowd soon gathers on the sidewalk in front of Big Star, waiting for the place to open. I arrived a few minutes earlier in queuing up for a seat, and beat a quick pace to a corner spot at the bar where I figure I’d have the best opportunity for lebensraum. It also turned out to be the lone spot bathed in mid-day sunlight coming down through a portal above. Inevitably, I picked up a minor sunburn across the top of my upper lip.

Seated in light, I order up a bottle of Lone Star, a shot of Old Heaven Hill, and await my repast.

Ah. The food, the beer, the whiskey [see blog post].

I hop back on the Blue Line and jump off at Grand for a lengthy walk, returning to Binny's Beverage Depot. I spend about an hour perusing the liquor selection, but in the end acquired only a cheap bottle of Mellow Corn whiskey for myself, and a gift bottle of Cruzan Black Strap Rum for a barista back home.

With booty in hand I wander over to Merchandise Mart where I spot a pair of cupcake trucks parked next to each other. Intrigued, I pause to sample some cakes [see blog post].

After a rest back at the hotel, I venture down Wells again to scope out any Loop bars that may still be open. The approaching rains predicted bum me out, as well as an ailing foot. Breaking in a pair of new Chuck Taylors could be a contributing factor.

I settle down at Allstars Sports Bar and Grill for a pint of Guinness and some mini-burgers on a bed of onion straws.

And the world gets smaller and colder. Gil Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 - May 27, 2011)