Live from Chicago

I'm blogging from the room of Keith and Shu, the two very kind souls who have gladly accepted to host me over the duration of the next few days. For those who are actually keen to know who they are, Keith was a fellow intern during my time during my summer internship, while Shu is his roommate and originally hails from Delaware. Actually, more like China.

I hate it when people ramble, including myself, so I'll try to put in some chronology to talk about this trip to Chicago.

1. Originally scheduled for 3.30pm, the ticketing lady at Independence Air was kind enough to bump up my flight to the 2pm one since I was early and it didn't make any sense to keep me waiting at the airport. That's possibly one of my few positive encounters with airlines. Anyway, thank you, Independence Air, you've actually done something right!

2. Made my way from O'Hare to UChicago without getting mugged. Erm, right. Touchwood. In all honesty, though, Chicago looks kinda dreary when you first leave the airport, but it's not too bad a place. More details later. In any case, I've arrived on a good weekend because the temperature is the same as in Virginia, and also because Keith has no work this weekend. Woot.

3. Dinner was at a Sze Chuan restaurant, and for about US$14 a head, we ate as if there was no tomorrow. No words can describe the senes of satisfaction of being in a place with lots of good Chinese food to choose from, so see pics below. Chinatown rox.

4. The last activity to wrap up the day was a trip to Belmont, the bohemian/hippie/gay central of Chicago. We visited a hooka joint named Samah, and I think it's quite a spectacular welcome to Chicago (my usual edge to my writing is being taken off due to the fatigue of travelling). The service was fantastic (free refills on teas and the charcoal) and the atmosphere kinda feels like a somewhat more upmarket kind of tea joint with the availability of a hooka. If I work in Chicago, I'd be spending lotsa time in this place. Erm, yeah. It was good. I like Chicago already. :)

Too tired to think, here's pics of dinner.


Dinner - The Before Edition


Dinner - The After Edition (Notice it's only 3 people for dinner)