New Telly!

Today my first adult, self purchased television was delivered.

I remember my 16 inch color TV from my parents bedroom in the 1980's! It's made by Panasonic, nice and small (and I happen to like nice and small) and owes me nothing. I inherited it from my parents 10 years ago. It has been my main "living room" TV for the last few years. Although its size and age are laughable, especially for someone in the business that I'm in, I haven't been able to justify spending a couple of grand on the new Panasonic 40 inch flat screen that would look so pretty hanging on my wall. Plus the little telly worked fine, thank you. So I've lived with the '80's heirloom that fit so unobtrusively on the old blanket chest.

Here is the 16 incher on the old tool chest, post new telly...

The picture on the old telly started to turn green about a week ago... then really dark green. After muttering a few bad Wicked jokes to myself, off to Best Buy, Sears and Circuit City I went... I still couldn't bring myself to spend more than $1,000 on a TV, so I considered small, 27 inch or less old fashioned tube models. Of course, these days, I want Widescreen and HD... so my choices were limited. Even more limited when I started to measure how deep these mothers are; no way would any of these new models fit on the blanket chest where it belongs. Enter Samsung and their Slimfit line. Still a tube TV, but considerably less deep.

3 models to choose from. I chose the 30 inch widescreen, HD model. And well under $1,000 including tax, delivery and set up. Circuit City had the best deal. Surly delivery scheduler though. The actual guys delivering the 96 pound box were courteous and capable. But ridiculously early.

I'm happy with my purchase. Like a few things, I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

Being Julia was on today. I thought I might identify with Annette Benning and I did, kinda. But she never totally had me. Fantastic Locations tho. Filmed in the UK and Hungary. Hungarian director. Great Set Dec., Wardrobe, Design, Art Direction, lighting... Mildly heavy handed editing I thought.

It takes up the whole chest but it fits! It's 16 inches deep, the blanket chest - 17 inches deep.

Secret neighborhoods...

I've always loved a good secret. One of my favorite secrets is a well hidden street, preserved at its best, lived in and/or adored by those of us lucky enough to know of its existence. There are many secret spots in Chicago that I cherish and share carefully. I went out of my way today to walk this block and enjoy the Autumn day.

Rest in peace - 630 S. Wabash

It was one of those buildings that I've kept my eye on over the years...

I figured it was a time capsule on the inside.

It was 6 stories tall and over 100 years old.

630 South Wabash Avenue sat empty at the Hiltons back door, on Wabash, and before this afternoon, it was ripe for condo conversion. Its brick shit-house facade seemed thankful for the small fortune of ancient red iron fire escape that climbed the street side of the building. Formerly "cold storage" on the upper floors, George Diamonds Steak House thrived on the street level in the 30's through the 80's. Best steak house in the city from the 30's through the 60's they say. Whoever they are. 630 South Wabash is protected as a Historical Landmark. And yet, it sat empty. Until this afternoon. 250 firefighters descended upon old 630 South Wabash.

Today I parked my car and snapped photographs of it burning itself into an inferno... CBS News says it's a five alarm blaze. That's 250 firefighters on the scene. Highest alarm possible. Traffic in my neighborhood ceased to move. Gridlock. Traffic controllers, in their day-glow green slickers, had even less than normal clues how to manage the rush hour madness. Doomsday does not look good for Streets And Sanitations version of traffic management.

What would George say?

R.I.P. 630

10.24.06

...rich with marathon runners...

Chicago. Sunday, October 22nd, 2006 in the South Loop... I love living downtown. Even when its inconvenient. The Chicago Marathon ran half a block from my front door this morning. It completely blocked me in with its street closures. 38 degrees, brisk wind and the occasional raindrop did not keep me from the inspiring athletic event happening steps away from my kitchen sink.

CPD cleared Michigan Ave...

First came the wheel chairs...

Then the official time van...

The lead runners ran so fast that I literally missed them!

My corner had cheerleaders!

And, true to South Loop form... lots of good dogs...

...and one cold, royal dog.

It's good to live at Mile 25 of The Chicago Marathon!