Mark went back yesterday, a day early, because his cat escaped out of a second floor window – silly kitty. She’s a de-clawed Maine coon, so she looks big, but she’s only about 10 months old so still a bit kitten-dumb. And loose on the neighbor hood with raccoons and dogs.
Our kids looked for her and even put out a live trap, but no luck. Mark found the cat within 20 minutes of arriving at our house, hiding under the next door neighbor’s side porch. So leaving conference early = totally worth it.
For my last conference day, I did two booth shifts, with a breakfast break out by the lake out behind McCormick, in the Chicago Fallen Firefighter’s Park, tho I did not hear about AZ Firefighters till this morning. At noon I was supposed to have a lunch meeting with the outgoing committee chair I am replacing. We rode the bus up Michigan Ave. and that took so long that we just had our meeting on the bus; no time for lunch. Went to one last BIBFRAME talk, Eric Miller on subjects.
For my very last ALA-related event, I stopped by the AIA/ALA library architecture awards. They’re celebrating 50 years of the awards, so there was a reception at the AIA Chicago offices where my friend Joan works. I missed the actual award presentations because of going to bibframe, but saw all the maquettes, and talked to a few people: a filmmaker doing a film about public libraries in the digital age, and an architect who used to teach library design for my library school. And caught up with Joan a bit – Mark texted me that the cat was found while I was there and she suggested he get kitty microchipped. And got bread & cheese & a small white wine for lunch. Perfect.
I went to the Art Institute for the Impressionists & Fashion show. Nicely hung, but I’m not sure astro turf was really the right flooring choice for the gallery about fashionistas in the park. And even tho it was a Monday afternoon it was crowded – it is 4th of July week, afterall – and I hate how the audio tour makes people clump.
I finished the day with dinner with Martin & Suzanne & Jen at a really good sort of nouveau (Nuevo?) Mexican joint, Cantina Laredo. Martin’s choice and a good one. Quacamole table side, warm chips, fancy tequila drinks. I had beef brisket enchiladas. Yum but no pix.
Finished at the 55 S. Wabash Starbucks – thanks for the wifi & to their fast talking barista who actually brought my latte to my counter seat. “If you don’t like that, don’t go away mad, here’s [next drink for next person].
Posted from my iPhone – bet this is my longest post done this way
