When I toured the States in my year off ( ok 1978) I was slightly overwhelmed by so many things; and I still am some 35 years later. One of the things was the astonishing warmth and generosity. And that still exists.
Jodi and Greg Hamstra have been warmth personified. They have opened up there home to me, introduced me to their friends, wined and dined me and shown me their favourite places.
Yesterday we walked to the art store for Jodi to buy some gold and copper leaf that she is inspired to use in her painting. On the way back we overheard the first Xmas carols. We popped into a vast art gallery to admire a local artists work...the sales girl didn't like me... 'no photos please!' she yelled, looking at my camera. 'yes' I said 'I saw the sign in the lift....I thought it meant no photos to be taken in the lift' . Well she didn't get it and were happy to leave to meet Greg in the Purple Pig which is cozy and fun and I sank an Aperol Spritz...
I strolled across the Plaza outside the Trump to meet Stephen Scarr who is now living and working in Chicago. He owns the Internet company INFO.COM that actually provides my email address. I met him and his simply gorgeous daughter Georgia who is 8 and bright and self entertaining and pretty and intelligent.. We lunched at Smith and Smolenski on State St and over looking the Chicago river. En route I was bother by a hobo who was so entertaining and charming that when he asked me for money for a cup of tea I had no hesitation about not having change for a sizeable note!
After bloody marys and a feeble old fashioned we gossiped about school days, our lives and life in general over oysters, lobster tails and delicious home made bread and good white wine.
Jodi came to join us for the last half hour and the whole lunch and conversation was simply wonderful.
We got back to Trump tower just as Mary Beth, Tony and Jacqueline Bos were alighting from their gleaming White totally British made Bentley Flying Spur .....which takes some style in the centre of Chicago.
We headed up to the 86th floor for champagne and then down to the Rebar in the hotel below for cocktails... The citizens of Chicago marched past with the massed bands, mickey mouse and god knows what to celebrate the lights festival...the starting gun for Xmas shopping. We had the best seats in the city for the final fire work display.
A short stroll at 8pm to Bennys Chop House on Wabash. Now there are chop houses and chop houses......this was elegantly packed with dark suited and elegant people....a kind of look that Ralph Lauren enjoys. The starter was Altantic crab and lobster and the main was a selection of steaks the like of which I have never seen before. The waiters description and soliloquy about the aged meat was such a performance it was like an aria from an opera.
Mary Beth produced two bottles of Chateux Margaux 2004 from her stunning Fendi bag with a great smile and a not too demanding corkage of $50 for the two. We talked ranching and vintage cars and Tony promised me a peek at his new old car collection when I visit Fair Oaks on Monday.
We staggered back to the hotel for a night cap and despite all this I manage to get a relatively early bed at 11.00
Jodi and Greg Hamstra have been warmth personified. They have opened up there home to me, introduced me to their friends, wined and dined me and shown me their favourite places.
Yesterday we walked to the art store for Jodi to buy some gold and copper leaf that she is inspired to use in her painting. On the way back we overheard the first Xmas carols. We popped into a vast art gallery to admire a local artists work...the sales girl didn't like me... 'no photos please!' she yelled, looking at my camera. 'yes' I said 'I saw the sign in the lift....I thought it meant no photos to be taken in the lift' . Well she didn't get it and were happy to leave to meet Greg in the Purple Pig which is cozy and fun and I sank an Aperol Spritz...
I strolled across the Plaza outside the Trump to meet Stephen Scarr who is now living and working in Chicago. He owns the Internet company INFO.COM that actually provides my email address. I met him and his simply gorgeous daughter Georgia who is 8 and bright and self entertaining and pretty and intelligent.. We lunched at Smith and Smolenski on State St and over looking the Chicago river. En route I was bother by a hobo who was so entertaining and charming that when he asked me for money for a cup of tea I had no hesitation about not having change for a sizeable note!
After bloody marys and a feeble old fashioned we gossiped about school days, our lives and life in general over oysters, lobster tails and delicious home made bread and good white wine.
Jodi came to join us for the last half hour and the whole lunch and conversation was simply wonderful.
We got back to Trump tower just as Mary Beth, Tony and Jacqueline Bos were alighting from their gleaming White totally British made Bentley Flying Spur .....which takes some style in the centre of Chicago.
We headed up to the 86th floor for champagne and then down to the Rebar in the hotel below for cocktails... The citizens of Chicago marched past with the massed bands, mickey mouse and god knows what to celebrate the lights festival...the starting gun for Xmas shopping. We had the best seats in the city for the final fire work display.
A short stroll at 8pm to Bennys Chop House on Wabash. Now there are chop houses and chop houses......this was elegantly packed with dark suited and elegant people....a kind of look that Ralph Lauren enjoys. The starter was Altantic crab and lobster and the main was a selection of steaks the like of which I have never seen before. The waiters description and soliloquy about the aged meat was such a performance it was like an aria from an opera.
Mary Beth produced two bottles of Chateux Margaux 2004 from her stunning Fendi bag with a great smile and a not too demanding corkage of $50 for the two. We talked ranching and vintage cars and Tony promised me a peek at his new old car collection when I visit Fair Oaks on Monday.
We staggered back to the hotel for a night cap and despite all this I manage to get a relatively early bed at 11.00