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.

The boat tour I took was: [link]

For comparison, here is one of their competitors: [link]

Weather forecast for Saturday is "possible p.m. showers"

I've seen Kindles at Staples for prices pretty close to Amazon's. A Thermos you can find in most larger discount-y type stores: Target, Walmart, etc.

You can get a Thermos at most supermarkets, too.