Chicago, IL – A perfect day?

Any use of the word the perfect or best is usually hyperbole but yesterday came quite close. What made the day special was the fact that it was the first day of summer vacation. Here are some details that allow me to banter about the phrase “perfect day”.

Slept in, for me that is about 8am, then leisurely coffee drinking for about an hour. There was no official plan for the day, just some loose plans to bum around. I convinced my Dad to go to the Indiana Jones movie at the 10:30 showing. It was about to rain so there was little else to do. I loved the movie but admittedly I am Indiana Jones fanatic. I would rank the movie right above The Temple of Doom, but squarely behind The Last Crusade; with Raiders of the Lost Ark, clearly occupying the top spot. The ending was on the cheesy side but hey what do you expect. It poured rain while the movie was going on but by the time it was over it started to clear up.

The Indiana Jones films played a major role in my love of History.

We debated what to do next and we finally came to the conclusion that we should head towards Wrigley Field for some lunch. I was still up in the air whether to head to the Cubs game that was starting later in the afternoon. We had a few beers and a sandwich. While we were eating the Cubs went down 4 to 0 in the top of the first inning but the sun was starting to come out so I scalped a ticket from one of the bartender’s buddies for 10 bucks. The ticket was cheap to come by because who else wants to by a ticket to a game that the home team is down four runs and there is threat that severe weather?

Here is a video clip of the infamous 7th inning stretch at Wrigley!

By the time I walked across the street to Wrigley that sun was shining and I realized that I had a ridiculously good seat. The Rockies tacked on three more runs in the second inning. By the sixth the Cubbies were down 9 to 1. The way I figured it was crappy game but the day was beautiful, so who cares right? Wrong, the Cubs staged a momentous comeback finally scoring six runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead for good. Wrigley was rocking!(Video)

Cubs win 10 to 9!

The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field in Chicago

After the game I took the L back to Keri’s neighborhood and met the family up on the Huettenbar a great local tavern in Keri’s neighborhood. My Dad, who declined to attend the game, had already befriended a small group of people who were at the bar. After sharing a few beers and stories the whole crew went to Mayfest. Keri’s neighborhood, Lincoln Square, has a big German festival in May with German music, food, and of course beer. A grand time was had by all. I met up with some friends from Erie who now live in Chicago and friends Cullen’s, who rudely decided to go to France while I was in Chicago. The Festival shut down around 10pm and we all slid over to a great Irish tavern called the Grafton.

The Huettenbar in Lincoln Square

The set up for Mayfest, sehr Deutsche!

The crowd outside the tent, the whole neighborhood was packed.

So in the end my day entailed Indiana Jones, a couple of beers for lunch, a nine run rally by the Cubbies, and a German festival with old and new friends. Not bad for the first day of summer vacation.

More photos of the day