My trip to Chicago in June was for business but I arrived early to sightsee. I stayed at the historic Palmer House Hotel, built in 1875, which had great room service. I toured the city, seeing landmarks like the Chicago River and Navy Pier. At the Field Museum, I saw Sue the T-Rex skeleton. For work, I helped at a booth at a convention and attended industry parties. The trip combined business with enjoying Chicago's architecture, food, and views from skyscrapers.

1. MY TRIP TO CHICAGO

2. Sometime in June, I
went on a business
trip to Chicago. I
got there a few
days before the
business part
started so I could
take a look around.

3. The Palmer House Hotel,
illustrated on this old
postcard, is where I
stayed while in town. It
was first built in 1875
and is a cool hotel. Lots
of character and the
lobby stayed very lively!

4. The Palmer House has the best room service ever.
Great food! Not cheap! But with decadence, as with
so many other things, you get what you pay for.

5. These are the
“Peacock” doors at
the hotel’s Monroe
Street entrance. They
were designed by
Louis Comfort Tiffany
– the real thing! And
according to a plague
mounted nearby,
valued at over $1 m
each. Pretty!

6. This is the Chicago
River. I was
signed up for an
Architectural Boat
Tour – but missed
the boat! I’m such
a cliche…

7. I passed Cousin Kathie
Hanscom’s alma
mater on my way to
the Navy Pier.

8. That Ferris Wheel off in the distance is part of the
Navy Pier. I stopped at Riva’s there to have lunch
and admire the watery view on my way to the Field
Museum.

9. When I got to the
Field Museum, Sue
was there to greet
me.
Sue is the largest
T Rex skeleton
ever found.

10. This is the Man-Eating
Lion of Mfuwe.
But everyone just
calls him Please-don’t-
eat-me.
Guess why?

11. He ate five people from
the same village in
Africa.
After he ate the fifth
victim, he entered her
hut and carried out her
bag of laundry.

12. Then he strutted through
the village with the
laundry bag, dropping it
now and then to roar at
the terrified villagers!
I was out of
quarters…

13. Afterwards, the
villagers were
convinced that the
lion was either a devil
or a sorcerer and they
refused to hunt him!

14. Can’t say I really blame them…

15. I think Mfuwe and Sue
sometimes get together
and talk about the good ole days!
Tastes like
chicken!

16. This snake
seemed very
friendly!
You remind me
of my old friend
Eve!

17. Come fly with
me!
Dinosaurs, it turns out, were birds and
not lizards! Who knew?

18. Sadly, I had to
finally leave the
Field Museum
and head back to
the hotel.
The next day I
had to go to
work…

19. HKA Elevator Consulting, Inc. had a booth at the AIA
National Convention being held in Chicago.

20. This is me, setting
up our booth. As
you can probably
tell, I was there for
a while.

21. But all work and no play is not
my style! On Tuesday night I
went to a party held in the
Peninsula Hotel. Catered dinner
and drinks were enjoyed while
new KONE elevator products
were introduced.
I love edu-tainment!

22. It’s nice to be on KONE’s party list…
A is for
Alligator!

23. On Wednesday
night, I was invited
to a “Rooftop Party”
by KONE Elevator to
watch the Cubs play
the Reds at Wrigley
Field.

24. This is the view from the rooftop where the party
was held. It is actually next door to the ball field.
Barbeque and beer were served.

25. This is the view from
the 95th floor of the
John Hancock Building.
We went there for
drinks after dinner one
night.

26. Chicago is known
for its skyscrapers,
but I like these old
structures over by
Water Tower
Place. Kind of
scary looking.

27. Scary in an Aubrey Beardsley kind of way.

28. C’mon
down!

29. Love the way the
Poles got in TWO jabs
at the Russians for the
price of one with this
ad. Fun marketing!

30. These stickers
seemed to be
everywhere.
Hmmm…

31. A Non-Man-Eating Lion
outside the Art Institute.
OMG – I LOVE
Magritte!

32. A Man-Eating Piece of Cake.

33. Is this a
narrow-
minded
person?

34. Some people are just
naturally stiff!

35. Thanks Chicago! I had
a good time.
In my dreams, I still
look like this.
Isn’t sleeping grand?

36. THE
END