Chicago

I have to start by saying that apparently this is my 101 blog entry- yeah! I wish I had balloons and cake and streamers!!! (Or, I'd just settle for the cake ;)

On Thursday we headed to Chicago for the M/MLA conference (That's, Midwest Modern Language Association). I was so happy to get out of town, just to have a change of scene. Juan was presenting a paper on two Mexican poets. I heard some interesting papers at the conference and even ran into two old friends from college- Josh and Adela. She's from Spain and was my tutor back when I could barely put a sentence together in Spanish. Josh was an old roommate's boyfriend when we first arrived, but the two of them then ended up together, which was cool since that meant we also got to hang out in Caceres once or twice when I was on study abroad. They were also there for the conference, though we actually ran into each other on the street. She gave an interesting talk on Galdos and Desperate Housewives- (yes, there really was a connection there). It was great to see them and made me realize how small the academic world is- we'll probably meet again at another conference somewhere.

In Chicago I got to check out a LYS that was only a ten-minute walk from the hotel. Loopy Yarns was a saving grace for many reasons. First, due to its location in the Loop- the downtown section of Chicago where we were staying- I could easily walk there and not have to deal with the public transport system. Second, because when I decided to go it was downpouring outside but I did not know it because I had been in the hotel at the conference all day, and you know how they have no windows or other means for seeing the light of day. So, I took Mobi with me, thinking that she'd like the walk, and even when I realized it was pouring out, it wasn't too cold and she had her coat on, I took her anyway hoping they would take pity on her and let her in. We arrived soaking wet and frazzled from the dark, windy street of the run-down block. Opening the door of Loopy Yarns I felt like Dorothy discovering the Emerald City. It was a small but spacious shop brightly lit and full of women and fluffy, colorful yarns. Not only did the owner let Mobi come in, but she also held her while I picked out yarn for some Christmas gifts. Everyone oohed and ahhed over her, so of course she was in seventh doggie heaven, wiggling her little butt in that happy salsa dance she does. The third reason I loved Loopy Yarns this weekend is because I finally got the needles I needed to work on the sleeve of my unfinished sweater. (I'll have pictures-in-progess soon).

We stayed at the Palmer House Hilton, which is where we stayed last time we were in Chicago. This is a pic of its lobby, which has a beautiful decor. It's got a great location next to the Art Institute, Millenium Park, and Michigan Ave. It is pretty much the only hotel we've found downtown that allows dogs, so we were glad to see that that's where the conference was going to be. The people who worked there were so nice to Mobi and we couldn't get to the elevator without having ten people pet her and say how cute she was. (As if I needed to be told!)

All in all, I'd say it was a great little trip to the Windy city.