Stanley Feld M.D., FACP, MACE
Every year Brad and I go away somewhere to just hang out, eat a lot of ice cream and a couple of fancy meals. Daniel and I do the same drill on a separate weekend.
Both boys and I feel it is very good for our health and spirit. When they were teenagers and young men I felt good because I had the opportunity to teach them something when we were alone.
Those days are long past. I am the one that learns from them and their view of life. I relish the opportunity to just to be with them alone and talk about their life and their worldviews.
Brad and I can walk for hours just talking.
Brad always has me pick the city. This year I picked Chicago. I know Brad’s been to Chicago 100 times. He was the lead investor in Chicago based Feedburner and was on the board of directors.
I guessed Brad had never been on the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise. I have done that tour three (3). It is a very educational experience. Brad knows a good deal about architecture but had never been on the Chicago River Cruise.
The cruise and the Chicago Cubs is the reason I picked a trip to Chicago.
We both got into Chicago about ten a.m. on Friday May 6th. I had a terrible time getting through security at DFW airport even with TSA Pre. I have had TSA Pre early on and never had a two block line at DFW airport. Something funny is going on with TSA.
The ride from O’hare was not bad because the driver took the side streets.
Brad booked two rooms at the Peninsula Hotel.
It was getting late after checking in, talking and playing with all the electronic toys in the room. We had tickets for a 1.00 p.m. River Cruise.
We had a quick lunch at Rosebud on Rush. I had eaten there before. The pasta was excellent.
We then walked the mile to the River Cruise port just below the Michgan Avenue bridge.
As we walked over the bridge guess what we saw?
Donald Trump is ubiquitous even in Chicago. Actually, this is the first building the tour guide told us about.
The Wrigley building is a wonderful building. It was the first building we went into after the boat tour because it has a Ghiradeli ice cream store.
Brad and I usually have chocolate ice cream twice a day during our weekends together.
Let us get back to the River cruise. The cruise gives one the opportunity to see Chicago and the tremendous architecture along the riverfront from a viewpoint one never sees on the city streets. Chicago has done a wonderful job it showing what can be accomplished using the riverfront as an asset for revitalizing g a city.
I think I have made my point. This is a tour that should not be missed.
After our ice cream we walked the mile back to the hotel. Along the way we stopped in a few stores. We stopped in Disney’s store to see the BB-8 display, the Garmin store, the Nike store, and the Under Armour store.
Along the way we talked politics, philosophy, economics and life in general.
It was time for a half hour nap. Brad and I are both experts on napping. He claims I taught him how to nap.
Next we were off to Swift and Sons for dinner. We met Brad’s friend Jeff Hyman for a drink at Swift and Sons before dinner. I love meeting Brad’s friends. I always learn a lot from them. Brad had invested in one of Jeff’s companies a while ago.
After drinks Brad and I had dinner and talked more. After dinner we were trying to figure out where to have chocolate ice cream. A chocolate ice cream sundae just showed up for both of us with the following note from Phil Nadel of Florida.
Our Chocolate Ice Cream
The note was in response to Brad’s blog post pre our Chicago trip in which he said,
I second this comment. I also suggest you open Brad’s link and read the comment section.
On Saturday morning Brad went for a long run along Lake Michigan. I intended to go for a short run (3 miles). I went outside. It was 48 degrees with a strong wind coming from the north. I went back into the Peninsula Hotel and up to its exercise room. It was good enough for me.
Next was the Chicago Cubs game. The game started at 3 p.m. Brad’s partner Jason Mendelson arranged a 12.30 pm tour of Wrigley Field for us.
We had to go to Giardino Pizza which was right across the street on Rush. I had forgot it takes forever to cook a Giardino’s Pizza. We had to down the pizza, then get an Uber to get us to Wrigley Field in time for the tour.
The pizza was great but the eating experience was lousy.
We met our tour guide in front of the Ernie Banks statue.
I look a little stuffed because I had all the clothes I brought in my suitcase on for the game. I wore three undershirts, two button down shirts, one cashmere sweater and a Cubs T shirt.
Brad was still shivering from his run on the lake. He went to the Cubs store and bought a sweatshirt hoody and hat.
The guide took us all around the ballpark showing us the renovations historical elements and collected mementoes.
The Cubs have been a perennial losing team. In the last few years, under Manager Joe Madden, the Cubs become a pennant contender. On May 7th they had the best record in their division and in all National League divisions.
Thanks to Jason Mendelson and his friendship with the Cubs present owner Brad and I had the best seats in the house. We had a chance to see how Joe Madden manages the team.
It was a fabulous game. The National were first in the eastern division. The lead changed hands 3 times during the game. The Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 8 to 5 in a superbly managed baseball game by both Joe Madden and the Nationals Dusty Baker.
Both managers used almost their bench.
After the game we had dinner at Coco Pazzo with Troy Henikoff (who runs Techstars Chicago) and his wife Kristin (a Columbia College graduate and lawyer). They are two lovely people. The conversation was stimulating. I always learn a lot from Brad’s friends. Thank you Brad.
We walked a mile and a half from Coco Pazzo to the Peninsula at 11 pm. It was warmer than the game time temperature.
We were tired but we are heading home in the morning.
This last picture is at the airport after another unforgettable weekend with Brad.
The opinions expressed in the blog “Repairing The Healthcare System” are, mine and mine alone.
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