City Life

I love being in the city. Don't get me wrong, the burb I live in is great - lots of character, older...none of those icky subdivisions. They even do three of four festivals a year where the whole town joins in...but, in the city, it's different. The energy is almost electric. I'm downtown for the weekend to sell a book that I am in charge of promoting for my company. We are set up at a Children's Festival that becomes more adult friendly after 8pm. I had resigned myself to 2 very long hot days of boredom. But last night this amazing jazz/blues/swing group that I used to go see in grad school played the festival.

Street festivals are great - beer trucks, street closed off, big stage, great sound all under the open night sky. And this group - The Mighty Blue Kings - is so awesome. They are Chicago natives - used to play at the Green Mill all the time. They have a great following and play to the crowd really well - so even if you don't love their music, you can't help but have fun. We were dancing in the streets and then $1 beers and $1 dogs at Murphy's after - sitting on the patio. And the really best part is that it was all within walking disatance of where we were staying - no stinky cabs or cab fare for that matter. Cheap, fun and we were asleep by midnight - I know that doesn't sound great, but today it's supposed to be over 100 degrees and we have another day of festival.

It's funny, because another band playing the festival - Hello Dave - is an aquaintance of mine - friend of a friend. So what was to be two really long, hot crappy days - have become tolerable - even enjoyable. I love when shit like this happens.