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Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 12:00AM PDT)
From: Send an Instant Message "John French" <mosshead7@yahoo.com>  
Subject: Chicago
To: am@cnn.com
 


 

Dear Jack:
 
What a good question of the day - My head has been filled with rich treasure all day recollecting our most recent trip to Chicago in late December 2002.
 
We stayed at the House of Blues Hotel as our friends, Rusted Root, were playing two sold out shows at the HOB venue in between X-Mas and New Year's Eve. The lead singer, Michael Glabicki, suggested my wife and I take the trip as Chicago is one of his favorite cities and the House of Blues in Chicago is one of his favorite venues to play. My wife had never been and I promised her a good time.
 
We had a great time. From the cool, shabby-chic House of Blues Hotel to the V.I.P. lounge and backstage accommodations at the House of Blues venue to the big, big, cool security staff we had a great time right there where we were staying. And, when we ventured out - the city really welcomed us:
  • A romantic $500.00 dinner for two at Spaggo's - in a private booth overlooking Lake Michigan (uhmm... white and black truffle dishes w/ Caymus wine)
  • Martinis at the Pepper Lounge
  • Late night dinner at the "fab" Sushi Wabi - (suggested by the owner of Pepper Lounge)
  • Big Bowl
  • The Bistrot
  • Cognac at the Drake Hotel
  • Shopping at Diesel, Nordstroms, Kenneth Cole, Urban Outfitters, Tiffany's
  • And the ever so hot Blues and Jazz bars we popped in & out of
  • The Navy Pier
  • Watching the Pittsburgh Steelers at Harry-Caray's
The staff at the House of Blues were very cool - The concierge was very cool and accommodating and when we were leaving she said they wished they would've booked our friends, Rusted Root, for a third night because it was definitely the hottest ticket in town and everyone was trying to get in.
 
What a great time we had - What great memories - What good people - What a great city.
 
Best intent,
MossHead7
 

Along the HWY 
Deep in Ohio - Going to Chicago

Taking the HWY
With sounds of travel 
To unravel our kindred thoughts  

Passed Kent State –
‘Said a prayer to Toledo , 
Rolling on to South Bend  

Through fields of wheat and white
A blanket of Christmas snow freshly lay.  

Along the HWY.  Deep in Ohio .  Going to Chicago .
A seagull circles the rest stop  

We can feel lonely and hearty men sing in solitude 
Upon winter waves and thru December winds of the cold 
 Great Lakes of Middle America -

http://www.mystrawhat.com/vampire/Along.htm 

John Alan Conte` JR
 December 26, 2002
Pitt to Chicago

$#%^@!^&()$

Wandering on Magnificent Mile  

I saw you on the corner of Michigan and Deerborne,
Cut my palm, licked your neck, touched your breast
..And, let it bleed.  My father was a gentleman too.
You said it made us married but I don’t know about that.
I just saw your pretty reflection in the glass of the Bistrot
And wandered to Channel at the Drake to buy you a warm hat.  

http://www.mystrawhat.com/vampire/wander.htm

J. Conte`

$#%^@!^&()$

I’ll Love You in Chicago :
Welcoming Smiles Of A Big City  

Pulling back the thick hotel curtains
Taking in the blue, Chicago morning –
Concrete, river, sky. Tall bldgs. in golden-white sun,
Bodies walking & talking on the busy sidewalk  

A few moments ago, she was on top of me.
Her long bedroom hair and those eyes –
Shining like California stars above Sonoma ’s vineyards.
My Golden Isle sun pepper-brown colored skin against hers -
Hers., Pure as white driven snow blown 
From Northern storms in the sea –  

White, 
as the soft high-count cotton sheets of the shabby-sheik hotel -
Surrounding the head of my talented, virgin-American queen -
W/ her Royal blue eyes rolling like steamboats along the Ohio .  

Below the cylinder shaped towers of The House of Blues Hotel,
The traffic is honking.  Coca-Cola trucks are grinding slowly.
Grinding first and second and third gears - Greasy w/ travel.
City trees are lit w/ white holiday lights.
Snow covers the green midwestern grass.  

Holding hands.  Forgiving & forgetting past. 
As we walk down the big city streets,
Ice is melting in the dreamy, warm winter skies of Chicago .
Droplets fall from the verandas of grand stores onto our heads. 
A symphony, featuring everyday street sounds is being celebrated.
It’s a phantastic rendition of a small town girl’s dreams – 
Starting. Stopping.  It’s all improv and not a conscious rehearsal.
Not at all.  And, we like it!  It’s what we wanted all along.
We take the vibrations and start composing and directing truth,

Light, love, innocence met by rewarding experience and,
The beauty of coveting everyday life w/ out everyday expectations  

I wanted you to let go of me so I could love you in Chicago .  
I wanted to love you in Chicago .  I needed to and did.  
I was lonely here before you – once before, when I was a student -
Not that long ago from Deerfield Beach , Fla. and Milwaukee  

http://www.mystrawhat.com/vampire/chicago.htm

John A. Conte` JR – Chicago, Sat. Morn, Dec. 28th, 2002

$#%^@!^&()$

P.S. You should try and interview Wilco while there


 

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Poetry  By John Alan Conte`, Jr.
 Copyright 2005
  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or  transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or  otherwise, without prior written permission of John Alan Conte Jr.