Did you ever hear the story about how a couple years back Dave Matthews' tour bus stopped on a bridge over the Chicago River and started emptying out the "holding tank" (which contains the waste from the onboard toilet) over the side of the bridge and into the river? If that wasn't bad enough, what made matters even worse was that as soon as the driver started emptying the tank, a passenger ferry just happened to be coming down the river and the contents rained down on the poor tourists who had the incredible misfortune and ill-timing of going under the bridge at that exact moment.
  I guess Dave Matthews was cleared of any wrongdoing, but the tour bus driver was in deep doo-doo.  ::)



Oh yeah, that was all over the news.  We get WGN on our digital cable system down here, so we were following that as it was going along.


That was so gross....if I had been on that boat, I would have thrown up immediately.

If you're a true Chicagoan, then you should be able to complete this familiar jingle:

"Five-eight-eight, two-three hundred...__________?"

If you're a true Chicagoan, then you should be able to complete this familiar jingle:

"Five-eight-eight, two-three hundred...__________?"



Empire!

Empire!
I knew you'd get it!  ;D

A few weeks back I was watching Conan O'Brien who was doing his show in Chicago, and he brought out the Empire Carpets guy (or at least a look-a-like), then Conan said "Everybody now!" and the whole audience sang in unison, "588-2300, Empire!" I about laughed my ass off.

If you're a true Chicagoan, then you should be able to complete this familiar jingle:

"Five-eight-eight, two-three hundred...__________?"


I love that commercial.  ;D

ever lost a visiting friend on the brown line downtown??  My friend misplaced me and I travelled back up town to her apt. on my own in evening rushhour too. ::)

ever lost a visiting friend on the brown line downtown??  My friend misplaced me and I travelled back up town to her apt. on my own in evening rushhour too. ::)


No, I never have.  I rode the brown line a lot when we moved over on Kimball.



And evening rush hour on the train is no biggie.  I'd do that constantly when I was in school.

How's the commute in Chicago?

Can you believe they let me stay in The Palmer House?

;D

What was the name of your neighborhood and how did it change over the years while you were there? I've lived in about seven or eight neighborhoods on the north side, and I moved out of all of them because they got gentrified and expensive. Or maybe I did ...

How's the commute in Chicago?



It depends on the time of day and where you are, Howard.



What was the name of your neighborhood and how did it change over the years while you were there? I've lived in about seven or eight neighborhoods on the north side, and I moved out of all of them because they got gentrified and expensive. Or maybe I did ...



I lived in Logan Square and then we moved to Albany Park.  The rest of that, I don't know.

Great neighborhoods. Albany Park is beautiful. I live west of Logan Square now, and I work just east of it.

Is the group Chicago from Chicago? ;D

Is the group Chicago from Chicago? ;D



Yes Howard, they are.  The original band name was Chicago Transit Authority, but naturally the CTA made them change it.

My husband has a possible job opportunity in Chicago.  Do you reccommend moving there?  What are the winters like?  Can you tell me the best and worst things about living there?

My husband has a possible job opportunity in Chicago.  Do you reccommend moving there?  What are the winters like?  Can you tell me the best and worst things about living there?



I absolutely recommend moving there, I love it.  There are a TON of things to do there, you will never get bored.  The winters can be brutal, I won't lie.  It's right on the lake, so lake effect snow is your biggest problem.  That and the winds.  They come up off the lake, sweep down the buildings and then back up again, so when it's cold, it feels like knives are stabbing your face.  We get snow, sometimes in mass quantities, other times not.  It depends on how warm/cold the season has been so far. 

Best things about living there.....the museums.  Art Museum, Chicago Historical Society, Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Natural History Museum....I could go on.  Also, Navy Pier.  On a hot summer day, nothing is better than going down to the Pier and relaxing.  It's pretty at night with the skyline lit up.  The transit system is tops.  You can literally go anywhere in the city on some combination of bus or train.  You really don't need a car to live in the city. 

Worst things about living there....traffic.  We have one of the best public transportation systems in the country, but with the amount of traffic congestion, you'd think no one uses it.  The winters can be brutal, especially if you don't like cold.  We may not get the amount of snow that some other places get, but the cold can be just as bad. 

Have you ever been to the top of the Sears Tower?

Have you ever been to the top of the Sears Tower?



Quite a few times, but I was young when I went.  I probably haven't been up there in close to 15 years.

I absolutely recommend moving there, I love it.  There are a TON of things to do there, you will never get bored.  The winters can be brutal, I won't lie.  It's right on the lake, so lake effect snow is your biggest problem.  That and the winds.  They come up off the lake, sweep down the buildings and then back up again, so when it's cold, it feels like knives are stabbing your face.  We get snow, sometimes in mass quantities, other times not.  It depends on how warm/cold the season has been so far. 

Best things about living there.....the museums.  Art Museum, Chicago Historical Society, Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Natural History Museum....I could go on.  Also, Navy Pier.  On a hot summer day, nothing is better than going down to the Pier and relaxing.  It's pretty at night with the skyline lit up.  The transit system is tops.  You can literally go anywhere in the city on some combination of bus or train.  You really don't need a car to live in the city. 

Worst things about living there....traffic.  We have one of the best public transportation systems in the country, but with the amount of traffic congestion, you'd think no one uses it.  The winters can be brutal, especially if you don't like cold.  We may not get the amount of snow that some other places get, but the cold can be just as bad. 


The winters are the biggest obstacle for me.  I am just not a winter person...at all, so I don't know how I would feel about living there.  It also gets a lot colder there than it does here.  I would love to live in a big city though, and everyone I know that has been to Chicago says it's wonderful.  The museums sound fabulous...how cool would it be to be so close to all of them?  *sigh*  Maybe I'll just leave it up to my husband...

Have you ever been to the top of the Sears Tower?


John Hancock > Sears Tower :)

Except for the part where they make you pay for drinks if you sit down to enjoy the view.  That sucks :P

How's the traffic in Chicago?

How's the traffic in Chicago?


It SUCKS.  That's why I don't drive in unless I absolutely have to.

It SUCKS.  That's why I don't drive in unless I absolutely have to.



Thank you.  I think I've mentioned the traffic before.

Did you ever (or ever want to) get on The Bozo Show?  I tried that Grand Prize Game at some function at school when I was a kid.  That game's hard when you're only 5.

Did you ever (or ever want to) get on The Bozo Show?  I tried that Grand Prize Game at some function at school when I was a kid.  That game's hard when you're only 5.



I had absolutely no desire to have anything to do with it.  I never even watched it much, to my recollection.  I wasn't allowed to watch that much TV at that age.  I was allowed to watch some cartoons and PBS.  That was it.

I had absolutely no desire to have anything to do with it.  I never even watched it much, to my recollection.  I wasn't allowed to watch that much TV at that age.  I was allowed to watch some cartoons and PBS.  That was it.


I lived in Boulder Hill 60538 'til I was 5 and mostly watched cartoons on WGN and stuff on PBS.  Ray Rayner used to have a kids show with lots of  cartoons and I liked that better than Bozo.

I lived in Boulder Hill 60538 'til I was 5 and mostly watched cartoons on WGN and stuff on PBS.  Ray Rayner used to have a kids show with lots of  cartoons and I liked that better than Bozo.



The only time I would watch Bozo was during the Christmas season, because they'd air those cartoon shorts; Hard Rock, Coco and Jo, Suzy Snowflake and Frosty The Snowman.

What was your favorite shows growing up?

What was your favorite shows growing up?



Chicago has the same TV that everyone else does, Howard.  I watched cartoons and PBS when I was a kid, and watched whatever else was on TV when I was older.

Chicago has the same TV that everyone else does, Howard.  I watched cartoons and PBS when I was a kid, and watched whatever else was on TV when I was older.



So,you don't have a favorite? ???

So,you don't have a favorite? ???



No Howard, I don't.  Like I said, I didn't watch enough TV as a kid to really have a favorite.  My parents made me do other things aside from vegging out in front of the TV.

No Howard, I don't.  Like I said, I didn't watch enough TV as a kid to really have a favorite.  My parents made me do other things aside from vegging out in front of the TV.



So your Parents always wanted you to keep busy?

So your Parents always wanted you to keep busy?



That is the point, Howard.