Saturday 8 September
Woke up 7:30, checked email and LJ then down to breakfast 8:15 where I had waffle fingers, bagel and cream cheese, coffee, OJ, cereal and a croissant.
Updated my LJ and played a bit with my new iPod, it's awesome! It's only minus is it has slightly less available storage but it can all be backed up to iCloud.
Read a bit. Discovered that the CVS across the road from the hostel sells cheap t-shirts and got 7 for $25.69! The Chicon 7 shirt was selling for $20.
Left again at 11:00 walked up State which was closed for Open Space day, games and activities all down the road. If not for my blistered feet, and aching bones...
Got to the river just in time for the Wendella boats Lake and River tour got my ticket from the vending machine for $26+tax, for a 90 minute tour. I think I was the last aboard. The ship was called Lila.
First we went away from the lake along the Chicago River, at the Willis Tower (near Jackson) we turned around and headed lakeward.
The Chicago river is one of a kind because it's surface is about 30cm lower than Lake Michigan ie the lake drains into the river. There is a lock in place to reduce outflow. Also all the water for Chicago and surrounding is provided by Michigan.
Took a fair few minutes for water levels to equalise and then there were the views of the city. I took a number of pictures on my iPod and wished my camera battery hadn't died. At least I had some photos.
Returned through the lock then docked at Trump Tower, this took five minutes, without this time the trip was only 85 minutes!
From there I walked via Wacker, State and Lake to Lake / Clark on the Blue line. This is usually a transfer station, but all these lines were unavailable due to L refurbishment (this was why the roads were closed last night).
Caught the train to O'Hare and got off at Montrose. I then had to follow a google maps printout to the Portage Theatre, 4050 North Milwaukee Ave, IL 60641. Arrived at 3:00 to be told doors open at 6:00!
I'd passed an IHOP on my way so backtracked (open 24/7) and ordered a stack of five pancakes and coffee.
The never-ending coffee was only 3 cups, but I did get an ice water without asking. Total $8.97, I was there for about an hour.
Then wandered around six corners, discovered iPod camera doesn't work if the charge is too low.
Read for a bit after finding some seats by a bus stop, and then finding a bus stop with chairs right outside the Theatre.
Can't Stop the Serenity
At 6:00 went in got ticket and patch (photo ID required).
Charity screening of Serenity for Equality Now and House if the Good Shepherd.
The Portage Theater is in 6 corners and is a fairly large single auditorium it even has a organ to accompany silent movies. I sat four rows from the front a) so I could hear when the sound system wasn't used and b) I could see the screen through the correct part of my varifocals.
At 7:00 the performance started with an improv story "The Verse: Another Firefly Story" it's Eli Cobb's birthday.... With a band (and episodes on YouTube).
7:45 thanks from Mary Coffey of House of the Good Shepherd
8:00 intermission, I bought a bag of buttered popcorn, priced at $3 and actually cost $3 (usually tax is added to price displayed).
8.15 door prizes given out. Silent auction ended, costume contest (3 prizes). Actual live auction, lots of cool stuff, if I'd had space I might have bid as a fair few items went for low prices. Though there were a few bidding wars. At the end of this section there were more door prizes. And I won one. (by this time there wasn't much left, so I picked out glow in the dark brackets.
9:15 final intermission
And then at 9:30 the main feature "Serenity" I hadn't watched it since it's original release, it was still awesome, though some lines of foreshadowing were particularly poignant.
The film finished at 11:30 but outside it was raining / drizzling. I put on my pale sweatshirt for visibility and warmth.
Got to Montrose as a train Loopward arrived, caught it with the last credit on my CTA card, left station 11:48 arrived at Jackson 12:14 got a bit turned around, but back to hostel and in bed by 12:40.
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