Chicago, Chicago, while waiting for Butch Walker

A lot of the readers don't know, but Bibi is a total geek sometimes.  Sure, she's cool when it comes to music--here she is in Chicago just to see Butch Walker--the coolest, rocking-est musician currently working--and she's really got it going on with so many other facets of life, but put her in a new city with world class all-kinds-of-places and where does she go?  Well, in Chicago, she went straight from the hotel to the Frank Lloyd Wright prairie house exemplar, the Robie House, on the University of Chicago campus. 

Luckily, the guy in the museum shop let Bibi join the last tour group, already overbooked and in progress.  The docent (Mary) was very knowledgeable and Bibi had a quite enjoyable wallow in architecture culture.  That FLW was something.  But, it's Bibi and although it was getting dark, the field trip was definitely just beginning.  What else could she explore, discover, tour while on the campus of one of the premier American univerisities?  She wasn't sure how to get there, but persisted and found the nearby Oriental Institute and Museum, also on the U Chicago campus.  What a hidden treasure!  No set admission, $10 recommended and if you didn't have any cash, go ahead and enter anyway.  So what is this place, you ask?  I didn't get to really spend the time it merited, but it's all about Mesopotamia, the Hittites, Assyrians, Persians, Egyptians--what a collection!  Totally impressive, the colossal statues, the low key, accessible, down-homey way everthing was presented.  Loved it!  Here's their webpage:  http://oi.uchicago.edu/museum/  Be sure to check it out!  Here are a few photos:

Mesopotamian Lion

Egyptian cat mask (for a cat mummy)

Colossal statue of Tutankhamen

BTW--the new phone takes pretty good pictures, huh? 

So far, the trip has gone so smoothly, it's like "is this really a trip Bibi is taking?"  Paws crossed that it stays this way.  Just passing time waiting for Sunday night--doesn't seem possible that it's almost here!  Finally, Butch Walker LIVE, IN PERSON, ON STAGE !!! Fan question:  is Butch already in Chicago?  Think about it: Butch Walker in the same city as Bibi!!  Hope we get to hear some cuts from the new album and really hope there's going to be a tour in support of it.  Bibi on the road again (sigh, in a good way, though).

For now, plan to hit more of the sights tomorrow, including the (probably) overwhelming Art Institute of Chicago--omg, finally get to savor Un dimanche après-midi à l'Île de la Grande Jatte--and (maybe) the Magnificent Mile.  While I'm a very resourceful kitty, when the directions begin with, go north (south, east, west, doesn't matter), I sort of glaze over and it gets really iffy on whether or not I'll get to my anticipated destination.  Managed it tonight coming back from the Oriental Museum, but it was a bit surprizing.  Of course, it doesn't matter as long as I get to the show on Sunday, so it could be like some of my other trips--might not get to see the original objective, but often get to see/experience some really off the beaten track places.

And this time, I owe it all to Butch Walker.  Wouldn't even be in Chicago except for Butch's show, so THANKS, Butch!

See you really soon!