Ignore the last one. Friggin Microsoft.
Well, that was fun.
Even the plane rides were bearable.
Thanks to the generosity of Tom, I was given the very pleasurable
opportunity to visit Chicago this past weekend.
It happened that this weekend also coincided with the Chicago Celtic
Festival, so there was entertainment.
But especially, there was the gallery opening for the PDML Show.
So, I got to Chicago latish Thursday evening.
The escape from Canada flight was on was on a scale model of a very small
cattle car that had jet powered wings.
And, the buggers busted me for having too much toothpaste.
But, I had no seatmate, so it was all good.
The flight to Chicago was on a somewhat larger version of the same thing,
but my seatmate was a relatively small woman who was quite decorative and
friendly, and I had bought some 10 cent per ml Crest, so that was fine as
well.
When I debarked, Tom phoned and told me he was right outside.
The seatmate led me through the terminal and off she went, and a few moments
later I was in the passenger seat of Tom's Renta-A-Toyota.
After checking out our room on the 27th floor of the downtown Sheraton Posh
Hotel, we found a little bar and had a nice meal and drinks.
I believe we closed the place.
And then sat up until 4:00 catching up on stuff.
The very next morning after too few hours sleep, we went for a walk.
We found a very busy but efficient breakfast place called the West Egg Cafe
where we had a very nice breakfast.
And Tom, I think you have to admit it was the best breakfast we had, no
matter what you thought at the time.
And we found a very big lake.
And we found Navy Pier.
We found all sorts of cool stuff, and then we found Harry Carey's, and we
stopped for lunch.
I think we both had the Blackened Tenderloin.
It was quite wonderful, and washed down nicely with a nice ale.
And we walked some more, and then went back to the hotel.
It was a good day, and I would have been quite satisfied to call it a
success on many levels, but there was still more to come.
For this was the night of the PDML Show opening.
And off we went.
Finding a liquor vendor along the way was a good thing to do, so we laid in
a supply of whiskey and wine for laters, and to the gallery we went.
It was quite fun. I met a whole bunch of PDML members who also came to the
show, and I also got to meet Sue, the curator of the gallery.
The show is well worth seeing. I had seen all of the pictures on the web,
but nothing prepared me for the splendour that was hung on the walls of the
Scharpenberg Gallery.
We are an incredibly talented bunch of photographers, and I am proud to be a
member of this community.
Talking about talented photographers, I coudn't believe that Ted actually
talked to me.
I may not have given him any choice though.
But he still talked to me.
Actually, everyone was quite gracious.
Especially Tom.
After the show, Tom, Ann, Jay and myself went to a little Pizzeria that served
what I believe was a Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza.
After that, a bottle of wine and a few hours of sleep, and we found ourselves
in the Sheraton's food for exorbitant profit centre, and then off to the
Chicago Art Institute and the William Eggleston Exhibit.
Gonzo Photography.
I suspect that he and Hunter Thompson smoked a few together.
And then some silly tourist photography, back to the gallery for a dose of
Matisse, and supper with the whole gang at a place that Tom's Voodoo Device
said was permanently closed.
After we were done with it.....
But seriously, more good food, and I got to see Jostein's book from his trip to
Penguinland.
More seriously good photography there, and then we were off to the park, where
loud music was calling.
Apparently, we are too fucking old, because it chased us away.
But I digress.
Refreshing beverages were in order, but after making the mistake of trying to
park closer to the bar, and having an epic fail with a parkade, Tom chickened
out so we went back to the hotel.
Where we had a small but adequate stock of refreshing beverage.
And then, far too soon, this morning and off to the airport.
It was truly a pleasure to meet in person, more members of this community.
Meeting Boris and Jostein was what I'll remember the most, simply because of
the effort that they made to be there.
Seeing Ann again was truly a pleasure.
Cory, did you really say you couldn't believe you were shaking my hand?
By my count, 18 of the 44 artists who have pictures in this show were in
attendance, and whether I was meeting you for the first time or reacquainting
myself with you, it was a pleasure to be there.
A friend of mine, who shoots a different brand of camera is envious of what we
have here.
The PDML is, apparently, quite unique.
And at the end of the day, it, and this show, would not have happened, were it
not for Doug Brewer and his babysitting of this thing called the PDML.
So, while the Hurculean efforts of Mark and Christine cannot be forgotten, they
were the driving force behind the book and the gallery showing, were it not for
Doug, I suspect none of this would have happened.
Doug, I love you.
Be well
William Robb
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