Chicago

USA and Canada (April 1 - June 4, 2009). Special concert for fans in NYC (February 19). Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
wondercookie
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Re: Chicago

Post by wondercookie »

Pozest: Are you sure you want to rent a car and drive in from O;Hare? I've not been to Chicago, but I tend not to drive in Big Cities!...there's an airport shuttle for around $28 one way with drop off to most hotels in the downtown area, and good transportation, the El, the bus and lots of taxis. Don't forget that you'll need pay to park the car and probably won't need it once you get to the hotel. >7 miles to the venue is almost walking distance.,,,.....Anyone from Chicago want to comment on the transportation system?
wondercookie
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Re: Chicago

Post by wondercookie »

Hey Joe.....yes, keep in touch, sounds like you and Ann will be there nice and early. I'm looking forward to the whole thing, but meeting up with other fans is a big part of the fun.

Alice
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Joe Way
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Re: Chicago

Post by Joe Way »

Pozest, Yes, I think that Alice is right about the car. It will probably cost more to park it than would transportation to & from O'Hare. The El system and taxi's can get you around Chicago very efficiently. I had really good luck with Priceline for hotel. Just choose River North area or Millenium Park area as acceptable locations as either are within walking distance of the Chicago Theater. I hope you can meet up with us-I'm sure it will be very enjoyable for all.

Alice-I didn't have a chance to email you and Steve last night-hopefully I can do it tonight. We're really looking forward to the trip.

Joe
"Say a prayer for the cowboy..."
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POZEST
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Re: Chicago

Post by POZEST »

Hi Wonder Cookie & JOe,

I wish I would have read your posts sooner. I didn't think about parking for the rental car. What is the "El"?

I've already booked my flight, hotel, & rental car. It was actually $200 cheaper booking today than had I booked yesterday. Procrastination paid off.

I'm so excited about this trip. If its like my last two concerts (LC & some rock outfit), the pre concert meet ups with fans are also a hit for me.

Cookie/Joe, do we know yet of any fan meet ups? Any set locations by the venue yet?
Dan K.
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Location: Chicago

Re: Chicago

Post by Dan K. »

The "El" is the elevated train system here. It's a little outdated but it gets you where you need to go. You can take the Blue line from O'Hare to downtown for $2.25.
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POZEST
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Re: Chicago

Post by POZEST »

Dan K. wrote:The "El" is the elevated train system here. It's a little outdated but it gets you where you need to go. You can take the Blue line from O'Hare to downtown for $2.25.

Awww man... to have known this 12 hours ago *grr*. That sounds so convenient (airport to downtown) plus I can sight see as the train goes by. I'll look into it nonetheles. The worse expedia will say is 'no you can't back out of the car rental'. I think it was only an additional 30 or 40 dollars.

I may still opt to take this blue line just for convenience's sake. I just researched the blue line. My stop (Lake/Clark) would leave me 7 blocks from my hotel.
I think I'm going to do it. This way no hassle with the rental car or shuttle. Even if Expedia won't let me out of it.

Thanks for the tip Dan.

Thanks.
Dan K.
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Re: Chicago

Post by Dan K. »

If you do opt for the Blue line, here's a link to their "Trip Planner" so you can figure out which stop is closest to your hotel. It's also useful for figuring out how to get to different points of interest if you're staying long enough to do a little sightseeing. It's much better than fighting Chicago traffic. I think we're now the second worst city in the country in terms of traffic.

http://tripsweb.rtachicago.com


Edit: Guess I didn't type fast enough, haha! I'll leave the post up for anyone else who is coming in from out of town.
sherrylee
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Re: Chicago

Post by sherrylee »

Got my tickets in hand. I'll be traveling with friends from St. Louis!!
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lizzytysh
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Re: Chicago

Post by lizzytysh »

It's much better than fighting Chicago traffic. I think we're now the second worst city in the country in terms of traffic.
Who needs to read more than that to make their decision :lol: ? The El trains are fun. The first time I ever saw Leonard... Chicago mid-70s [what a difference a digit makes :roll: ], I rode the El trains and the subways all night, as by the time I paid my train fare and for the two nights's tickets, I didn't have enough for a motel. It was a wonderful, highly-memorable trip that I'll always be glad I made.


~ Lizzy
Last edited by lizzytysh on Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
ladydi
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Re: Chicago

Post by ladydi »

Hi Lizzy,

I just happened upon the Chicago thread because I saw your name. What a great story! Riding the El all night after seeing Leonard! Delightful. But, you know, so many of those stories could only have happened in the 60's! I think those of us who experienced those times, even though the years are now accumulating, are SO lucky to have been young then! What a time it was! 8)

Diana
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lizzytysh
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Re: Chicago

Post by lizzytysh »

Yeah, Diana, you're so right! ["Do not try this at home!" these days, eh?] And the second night, a lovely, young Jewish man took me home to his mother to stay in her guest bedroom... how perfect and fitting was that!?! :lol: Yes, not to worry... he called her ahead of time and I spoke with her on the phone first... I didn't just trapse off into the night, to "my mother's house [yeah, right]" :lol: . He tried to convince me to spend the next night and said I was welcome to stay with her, again, so I could go with him to see Arlo Guthrie [still doing Alice's Restaurant back then... though he did finally revive doing it for its 40th anniversary, I understand, but that wasn't yet, when I finally saw him several years back in Jacksonville]... but nooooooo, I had to "be responsible" and get back as I'd promised to my waitress job :shock: :roll: ... can you believe it :roll: ?? Of all times to feel compelled to be responsible. Well, it was just a great venue for both to play, I gotta say... the Quiet Knight, downtown Chicago, was the name of the place and the small room where Leonard played was up a narrow set of stairs [seating 200 or less]... the lobby of the place was gorgeous... regal... and the proprietor looked like some king from olde England. It was great! The place probably hasn't existed for years. So perfectly named as a place for Leonard to play 8) ... like a knight in some old fashioned book... I will quietly play for you.


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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POZEST
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Re: Chicago

Post by POZEST »

ladydi wrote:Hi Lizzy,

I just happened upon the Chicago thread because I saw your name. What a great story! Riding the El all night after seeing Leonard! Delightful. But, you know, so many of those stories could only have happened in the 60's! I think those of us who experienced those times, even though the years are now accumulating, are SO lucky to have been young then! What a time it was! 8)

Diana
I"m listening to "Take this Waltz" on my headphones at my desk at work before heading into the lab, and I had a vision of Lizzy Tish riding the subways all night back then in the 60s. This vision could take place in any decade, but I vision myself or anyone, spending the nights riding the trains that slither the city while listening to LC on an ipod or walkman(if we're going back in time) and as the trains move about, we see reflections of ourselves in the windows while on occasion bright lit buildings or colored spectacles peek through the windows. And while we see these reflections of ourselves we wonder is that a true reflection of ourself or are we seeing the best of ourselves as we reflect on life while now "Hey, That's no way to say goodbye" flows through our ear canals. And through these magical visual movements our body also sways in sync to the music playing through our headphones. All this until the next stop. Do we get off? Who else gets on? Who gets off?

Great thoughts. Have to run...
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lizzytysh
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Re: Chicago

Post by lizzytysh »

Hi POZEST ~

It's great to know that it would still be safe to do so in Chicago! No Ipods or anything like them back then, so all moving about in time to the music had to be imaginary on the latter.

If it's the only way one can manage to get to a Leonard concert, I highly recommend it... especially, if you can be on an Amtrak the next day, enroute home. It was an experience to remember. You should see the goofy photo I have of me and another Jewish guy [looking like a mad professor/hair like Spector-gone-mad], whose conversation was simply brilliant, in one of those photo booths, where you get 4 B&W photos in a strip.

When you just 'hit the road' [in one form or another], the world/universe become very expansive and adventure is sure to follow [safety needs always a precaution, however]! Just ask the woman who quit her job and left her relationship to follow Leonard on tour. Talk about expansiveness and adventure 8) !


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
MaryB
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Re: Chicago

Post by MaryB »

Lizzy,

How wonderful to have been able to see Leonard in such an extemely intimate setting! Back in the sixties? How long has this affair been going on :lol: ? You are so blessed to have discovered him so early on!

Warmest regards,
Mary
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lizzytysh
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Re: Chicago

Post by lizzytysh »

Oh, schoot! It was NOT the mid-60s, at all! ERRRRROOOORRRRRRRRRRR. It was the mid-70s, which some consider to still be the 60s, but I was still wondering where are all these people getting the "60s"!?! So I checked :shock: ! Dang. I didn't even HEAR Leonard until 1970! I apologize and will now go give myself one of those dratted edited lines. It WAS intimate, though... you're right. I was maybe[?] 20 feet from the stage... maybe less. Hard to assess, looking back. Okay, I'm off on an editing mission now.

Okay. Done. I'm so sorry :oops: .


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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