Danke Shoen

Because the gods smile down on us more often than is usual, the parental units of the Crawford Crew were honored to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary with a trip to Chicago.
Not that a town like this isn't on everyone's agenda to visit...but it was further down on our list of potential candidates until U2 announced the 2nd leg of their 360 tour with a September Chicago date. Other people save to go on cruises; we save up to go to as many U2 shows per tour as possible. Splurging every four years doesn't seem too excessive, does it? Don't answer that.

These pix come courtesy of Matt's extreme bravery; atop what will always be known as the Sears Tower (which, thanks to capitalism, is now the Willis Tower) are not only killer views of Lake Michigan, Chicago and other communities up to 50 miles away, but a ridiculous feature hanging off the side: a plexi-glass-bottomed viewing box. Sheer lunacy, I tell ya.

Just for perspective. From the sidewalk. My husband was in a plexi-glass-bottomed box. All. The. Way. Up. There.

We attempted to re-create Ferris, Cameron and Sloane's infamous Day Off in Chicago: Sears Tower, Chicago Stock Exchange, a walk-by of the Art Institute of Chicago; the Von Stuben Day Parade actually took place on Saturday afternoon, but, as you'll see, we had a conflict.

We took in a Friday afternoon Cubs game, which was impressive on a lot of levels. Not the Cubs, per se. Notwithstanding its smaller capacity, they managed to sell that sucker out on a Friday afternoon when the team is underperforming and has no shot at post-season play. Even more noteworthy: the sheer inebriation of a Chicago crowd. For any event. The rule of thumb is that the further East you go, the more alcohol and cigarettes consumed. But not even New York could match the ratio of beer-to-person intake...it was spectacular. And I suspect that a Cubs game, as well as any other public gathering, just serves as a convenient excuse to obtain more expensive beer than you could normally procure at your own home. Just a theory.

You know. The fancy fountain from the opening credits of "Married With Children." Which, coincidentally, we are.

Chicago River from Michigan Avenue. If time would've permitted (read: if we weren't so in love with napping), we would have loved to have been on one of those barges. As it is, we are so in love with napping. You see the dilemma.

American Girl Place, Miracle Mile. No joke, it's a full mile (I guess) of spectacular architecture coupled with high-end shopping, and this is the grail. Kinda relieved Eve didn't accompany us, she may not have survived the experience of wall-to-wall, three-story delights offered here.

Late Saturday afternoon, Soldier Field, U2's "Spaceship" stage. We've finally gotten smart and realized that camping out all day doesn't necessarily give you an advantage; a five p.m. arrival got us plenty close, that is, until show time, when the solid sea of kneecaps forced me to decamp a little further out, which, ironically, gave me the prettier views. Super-tall Matt stayed put and got the good pix you see below.

Paul David Hewson, or Bono for the unitiated. Spend as much time as you'd like with this picture, it never ceases to amaze. Go ahead. Take your time.

I've decided that I'm not only too old to be camping out, I'm also too old for opening acts. Although I'm sure Snow Patrol is loved in certain quarters and are upstanding individuals, I didn't fly cross-country to be novacained by them. The boys from Mt. Temple are what I came for. Others did as well, but, as I mentioned, they mostly came for the beer and Guinness. But it's all good...whatever funds you expend in order to save Africa will do.

Edge and Larry (with his very own conga!) flanking Bono as he prowls...spectacular show, but, as I've often said, they could stand up there, belching and juggling, and I'd be just as smitten. I'm so enamored of the new album material and fairly swooned over their live handling of what is a true studio album...anytime you see "Where the Streets Have No Name" performed before your very eyes, you get teary. If you have a soul, that is.

The video screen dropped into this cylinder for "The Unforgettable Fire", Matt's favorite U2 track and a lovely pat on the back to the old-school fans and their loyalty. Soldier Field was a nice enough venue, but our Zeke could have better handled admission and dismissal: imagine 70,000 people with one(!) 12-foot gate providing a way out. Then, once you've labored the hour to leave the premises, the long, single-file line to the trains...ridiculous. So if Chicago gets that 2016 Olympic bid, best of luck.