OK, here goes:

I will arrive to O'hare at 12:30PM tomorrow. I thought of having lunch there, so if anybody wants to join me there (or suggest another alternative), just say so. I'll get to brenda's whenever she'll say is convenient.

Museums are nice. local stores are great, so is art and food (food! I heart food). I do want to check Sephora for a lipstick that was recommended by Buffistas (Makeup Forever's Aqua Rouge), and I want to buy a Kindle too. I still need to find 2-3 plays from the New Swan Shakespeare for my dad, and a Thermos for my sister.

However. My main interest is seeing Buffistas. Whatever we'll do, watch, or eat, I'm sure we'll have a great time.

Brenda - the only thing I'm not entirely sure about that benefit is the gambling. I'm not very much into it, and wondering what I'll do there all night.

I love that Shir is planning a trip to Sephora. Gotta love us!

I'm fairly available evenings and weekends while Shir is here and up for some adventures and/or food.

Shir, if you want to drop by my office for a free lunch on a weekday, let me know. My office is downtown near shopping.

Yes, shrift. I'd love that, thank you.

Just got back from a day out with smonster. She got me drunk during daytime, took me to an art museum, and we ended up listening to live brass band. I highly recommend NOLA with Nora and smonster to anyone.

I love that Shir is planning a trip to Sephora. Gotta love us!

It took Buffistas to make a woman out of me. I have no regrets. I just want more.

Yes, shrift. I'd love that, thank you.

Cool. I just sent you an email with details.

I'm glad you had a great New Orleans day! I'm sad that I couldn't join you. Stupid work. Well, not stupid, I love my work, but getting more and more of it means I actually have to do it. I have actually not even been going out for American Craft Beer Week, I'm working through the nights as well.

Anyway! Chicago! Yes. I second the boat tour idea that Lee mentioned, and that's pretty much all I have, since everything else I did last time I was there was beer related. Oh, wait, doughnuts! There were some really delicious doughnuts in Chicago.

Is it Chicago Beer Week this week or next week?

Since I've got all day Saturday to schmooze, I'm up for anything: food, museums, shopping (I can window shop like a boss.) The only place I really want to make a stop at is a Lush store. Need to restock desperately.

Is it Chicago Beer Week this week or next week?

It's this week! We just missed some crazy beer shenanigans at the bar in the Hotel Monaco where Bob stays all the time. The head bartender there is a ciccerone (the beer equivalent of a sommelier) and he had some great things going on. (And Bob is such a regular there that he now drinks for free when the head bartender is working.)

Instead we are in Michigan visiting family and mushroom hunting and the mushrooms are NUTS this year! They are crazy prolific and huge. So, I'm not so sad to be missing the beer week.

That sounds like something we should check out.

Arrived to Brenda's! And she already took me out for some really good food, so yay for that.

Looks like tomorrow I'll be heading downtown (if I got the directions and names right). I'll try to see both shrift and aurelia. If you have recommendations or if other buffistas would like to meet, do say. Specifically, say, where can one purchase Thermos and a Kindle.

If anyone would like to join me for a boat tour or a museum visit - any museum visit - we can plan so. Just let me know so we'll schedule.

Since I've got all day Saturday to schmooze, I'm up for anything: food, museums, shopping (I can window shop like a boss.) The only place I really want to make a stop at is a Lush store. Need to restock desperately.

Oh, wow. Yes, please. In NOLA smonster showed me the Lush store and for the first time I got to know what y'all are talking about in that secret Santa question, and I feel as if I'm ready to learn more about your world.