I’m here in Chicago, having a great time in the very short visit that time allows. I’ve never been to this city before — have only touched down at the airport and jetted elsewhere prior to this.
What was I thinking? This place is AMAZING!
I’m here with Lee Edward Fodi, Lori Sherritt-Fleming and the one and only Kari-Lynn Winters, and the four of us today gave a kicker of a presentation to the NCTE — National Council for Teachers of English. This is a mammoth yearly conference for educators from all over the US, and we talked about finding ways to make time for the Arts in regular curriculum — and having fun while doing it. The talk was great, and we all feel very welcomed by the lovely folks of this city.
Last night we walked the city and had [thanks to the terrific advice of @LukeRyanSays] the best deep-dish pizza I’ve ever eaten. Today, after the NCTE gig, Lee and I took off on a typical Lee & kc adventure, getting massively lost in the Art Institute of Chicago and then finding our way along the yellow brick road just before sunset to make a pilgrimmage to Lee’s childhood hero L. Frank Baum’s neighbourhood.
Pictoral evidence HERE.
Totally so much fun. The happy look on Lee’s face says it all — it was worth the wind and the hike to share the space with Dorothy [whose shoes, I’m afraid, kinda paled next to the now very well-travelled Pink Docs], the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Straw Man.
Lovely.
But this is not to belittle the trip to the AIoC. Holy crow. I got to see the iconic Georgia O’Keefe painting, a huge Seurat in all its pixellated glory, an astonishing interpretation of the picture of Dorian Grey, originals by Monet, Toulouse Latrec, Manet and the unmistakeable American Gothic.
I have the best job in the world.
Now, for some reason, I can’t get any of today’s photos to post at the moment, and I am now late to go meet my gang. We’re heading off for a midnight showing of Second City. Might feel a little rough at my lunchtime gig tomorrow, but hey…how can I visit Chicago without seeing the seat of much of what I have found funny my entire life?
Will post pix to my flickr page and add some to this blog as soon as the Internet gods smile on me. In the meantime, I blow kisses to you from the windy City, which is SO living up to its name!
More soon…
~kc
And Trudy? I’m typing this in a Chicago Starbucks while Sarah McLaughlin sings the First Noel. Definitely Christmassy!