Freakshow, baby baby, on the dance floor...

When several bloggers get together to party, what else can you call it besides a "freakshow"?

First, I need to apologize. Here I was working hard to get my Palm Pilot up to snuff to post photos semi-live from Davecago 2: The Return, only to not be able to find a reliable, unprotected wifi network where we were. Sorry about that. I checked. It just wasn't happening. Guess I shouldn't have teased, huh?

Suffice it to say, it was a complete blast. We had 13 people in attendance and loved every minute of it. Here is the cast of characters...

• Me
• Dave (how else would it be Davecago?)
• Jenny
• Gary
• Robin
• Kim and her man, Steven
• Ajooja
• Lynne (Mrs. RW)
• RW (Mr. Lynne)
• Diane (formerly of Sparktacular) and her man, (oh crap, I'm blanking on his name, I think it's Evan)
• Ariana (who forgot to sign my roster and, thus, I had to search for her URL)
  

The day started with me meeting up with Dave and heading to the Hard Rock Cafe and then the Lego Store. The two of us then headed up to the Apple Store (are you really shocked that the Apple Store and the Lego Store were included when it's Dave and me involved?) where we met up with Gary.

We made pit stops at the hotels where Gary and Dave were staying before heading over to Pizano's on Madison where we tried in vain to hit a Graham Cracker's Comics that had closed a half hour before then went to an "L" station to take some bird's eye photos of Madison Street. Then we grabbed some drinks at the bar in Pizano's.

Jenny was the next to arrive followed by Ajooja, Kim & Steven, Diane & Evan, Ariana, and Robin. At about this time, we were seated at our pseudo banquet table. RW & Lynne were the last to arrive.

Somehow, we all chowed through four pizzas without much trouble, and that was only 11 of us, since RW and Lynne ordered pasta meals.

After determining that we couldn't hear each other all that well, we ventured out to a bar. After trekking nearly a mile, we hit a bar whose outside seating was, get this, closed! What the heck? We couldn't find enough good room inside the place that wasn't right next to where a band was setting up, so we trekked out yet again to a bar inside the Congress Hotel. This was shockingly quiet for a bar, so we sat, drank, and talked. Unfortunately, I had to leave to make my train (the problem with taking trains on weekends is that they run on a two-hour-between schedule... if I miss it, I'm screwed).

But, all in all, it was a fun day with a lot of great people.

I have some photos over on Flickr, but I just had to share my fave of the bunch of one of the cutest couples around, Steven and Kim. Total geek love on this one as he's a Trekkie and she's clearly a more highly evolved human since she's a Star Wars fan.

Totally Unrelated Aside (TUA): I have to apologize again as I bailed on Brandon's live fantasy football draft yesterday. I decided to declare it a Katie Day and she and I did a bunch of cool stuff starting with going to our alma, Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, where we stocked up on new NIU swag for the NIU/Iowa football game this coming Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago. We also went out to lunch, saw a movie (Superbad), and cooked a fantastic dinner of steak and rice with peas and a bottle of wine to top it all off.

For those wondering, Superbad wasn't great, but it was fun. As someone I read said, anything with McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and the two cops (Bill Hader and Seth Rogen) was gold! The other stuff was okay. Some was fun to watch while some got to be a bit too much, but we still enjoyed it overall.

And the dinner... oh, the dinner! Fan-friggin'-tastic! A great way to top off a great day.

Comments

[kilax]

I didn't realize the seating was closed at that bar. I just thought we were all leaving because of the hardcore goth people there with whips and chains. That could have been fun!

I love that photo Kevin! I will probably end up printing it out ;) Can't wait to see you again! (You+Diane+Me+3 sig figs = Dinner in September?)

[sizzle]

fun! and the rest of your weekend sounds equally fabulous.

[kapgar]

kilax, the outdoor was, which sucked. Made no sense why we couldn't just sit there. Although, I agree that the whips and chains gang might've been fun to hang with. September sounds like fun. We'll have to discuss dates and times.

sizzle, it was!

[Dagny]

Wow! You certainly did a lot. Now are you taking a day off from work to rest up?

[ajooja]

Great picture. I enjoyed meeting you and everyone else. It was a blast!

[sandra]

Jealous! You guys should have gone to my uncle's bar/restaurant though. :-)

[diane]

So much fun! Evan (correct) and I felt bad we had to leave so early.
Totally down for a September meetup. I will send you & Kim some possible dates. :)

[sue]

What fun!

[kapgar]

Dagny, ha! I wish.

ajooja, I enjoyed meeting you, too!

sandra, I keep forgetting about that bar. You'll have to send me details.

diane, cool. Don't feel bad. I left about 45 minutes after you. Had to make the train.

Sue, yup!

[RW]

Your pictures are up! Oh and yes we have Game 1 at the DWP Fantasy Football League.

Oh woe is you... Heh.

[kapgar]

Woe is me? Who you kidding? Woe is YOU, sucka!

[suze]

Awww - Davecago sounds like it was so much fun. Can we do a Davettawa? Or a Kapgarttawa? I'm so jealous... ;)

[Hilly]

We missed you at the draft yesterday but at least there was more pickings for those of us present and accounted for ;). Actually I got LT...nanny boo boo!

That party looks awesome and I am glad you all had tons of fun! I thought I would be jealous but oddly, am not!

[Brandon]

Yeah, we missed you at the draft, but at least you were given Brett Favre as punishment.

I can't wait for DaveLA or whatever he's calling it.

[kapgar]

suze, Kapgarttawa? I love it!

Hilly, no more pickings than if we all were there. Not as though more players showed up for the draft or anything. Mine was on auto with the preset rankings. I've got one of the best QBs in the league.

Brandon, with Brett, it's never punishment. The Packers may not do as well as they used to, but when Favre is on fire, he's on fire. But who really cares? He's my backup. I got Vince. I'm golden.

[Dave2]

Thanks so much for coming to the meet! Here's hoping next year Katie gets to come too! :-)

[kapgar]

She wishes she could've come too. And she loves her badge and is still deciding what shirt she wants.