Street Closures, Crowds & Lots of Food....

So, I decided since I am half a block's walk away from Boul Mich (GRR. I hate when people call it that. Forget I called it that, okay? Strike it from the record.)
Right, so I'm really close to Michigan Avenue, and thought it might be fun to check out the Taste of Chicago at lunch Friday afternoon, since we get out early in the summer. Honestly. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But the second I got there, I almost turned around and went to McDonald's. Because, here's the thing, I really really hate people. Like, a lot. I don't know where it came from, but just suddenly, I have a very low tolerance for people doing stupid things. And the Taste of Chicago is Ground Zero for crazy shit and crowds.

For those of you not familiar with the Taste, it's a big festival held in and around Grant Park (closing off all kinds of streets for about 2 weeks - thank GOD I am not driving to 13!) and many area restaurants set up booths and people come and stuff their faces with all kinds of great food. Also, the 4th of July fireworks (which we have on the 3rd - wacky Chicagoans!) happen down there, so it's loads of fun times. I used to go with my parents every year, and I just remember it being a fun summertime tradition. I didn't remember it being so crowded, or my being annoyed by people or anything, so I don't know if it got more crowded or if I just notice it more now.

At any rate, I didn't turn back and go to McDonald's, but I did stuff my face with an enormous amount of junk in a very short period of time. Here's the breakdown:

Arrival 1:30
Walk around. See nothing very exciting, other than a giant inflatable piece of cheese for kids to jump around on (part of a promotion for the movie Ratatoille - or however the hell you spell it). Obtain tickets.

Decide to just eat whatever looks good, so get a taste portion (half slice) of Eli's cheesecake topped with chocolate (mmmmm.)

Wander around. Lots of food - typical stuff: corn on the cob, pizza, hot dogs, ice creams, italian ices, etc. Lots of things on sticks - pickle on a stick, ice cream on a stick (seriously). Things like hot wings, turkey legs, turtle soup. Eventually, I got a piece of tilapia with a dill rum sauce. Also delish.

Walk some more. Dodge foolish people walking too slow, or stopping randomly in the middle of the already crowded street. I need more patience, I guess. Stopped at Connie's pizza for a taste portion of a meatball sandwich (2 meatballs - 3 tickets). I walk some more, and am just not in the mood for any of the stuff I see.

Move onto a side to avoid the crowd and come upon the Chicago Chocolate Factory. This is a no-brainer, I get some gigantic chocolate covered strawberries - real melty milk chocolate on top. Messy, but good. Have to go and wash my hands at a little portable sink outside the Oui Oui (ha!) porta potties.

Want a soda, but don't have enough tickets. Stop for more. Get a soda, but now have to use up the rest of the tickets. Stop at Tuscany for some fried ravioli. Walk. Eat. Drink Diet Pepsi. Have about 7 tickets left. Don't want to stay much longer, as have had enough - food, folks and fun. Wanted to get the Original Rainbow Cone (TM) but the !@#*$& thing was 8 tickets. Walk around some more, looking for some other food stuff to catch my eye. See it: real Italian gelato!!! And it used up all my tickets! So I got some, and headed off to Columbia. It was, oh about 2:15.

So yeah. Lots of food and walking. I have to work on Tuesday, and I am not looking forward to the fireworks crowd down there. I am not planning to hang around. I'll have a better spot watching them from home on tv. Our fireworks display in town is on the actual fourth.