The Cubs are Coming! The Cubs are Coming!

     After a storybook 2015 Season that saw a triumphant return to the playoffs after 7 seasons of either mediocre or just plain bad baseball, the Cubs are back this weekend at the Sheraton Grand Chicago for the 31st Annual Cubs Convention. The first day boasts the Opening Ceremony as well as the return of Friday Night with Ryan Dempster. Saturday is the big day, with the Ricketts family starting things off with their annual panel. After that, it's a flurry of interest panels, an update on the Buisness Operations of the team, and a panel called Cy Young Winners, which pretty much sounds like Jake Arrieta, his beard, and Rick Sutcliffe are gonna get on stage and have a beer together(unless Greg Maddux makes a surprise appearance) Later on that night, Cubs Bingo makes its return to the Convention. Then on Sunday the Convention wraps up with Once A Cub, Always A Cub and the Farm System update. Overall, things are looking very good for the year's Convention. It's the first one to have completely sold out in at least 5 years, having been out of tickets for over a month by now. I'll be there all weekend, giving updates when I can.

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The Wrath of the Auto Vamp

     In the Summer of 1922, the streets of Chicago were greeted by a new horror: the Auto Vamp. Jeane Miller, the 21-year-old bodacious beauty that she was, had been making a habit of flagging down passing motorists, jumping in their cars, and then blackmailing the hapless men, who certainly wouldn't want their wives to find out that they'd been taking attractive young ladies for rides around town. In August, Chicago's Finest bravely put an end to the vamping by arresting Miller. Alas, she skipped bail. Fast-forward to the evening of January 17, 1923, and Ms. Miller was walking down Oak Street when a passing citizen decided to take matters into his own hands. Just as a citizen's arrest was about to be made, another passerby surmised that Jeane was being kidnapped, and immediately spirited her away to safety in his own vehicle. The first gentleman gave chase, and a pursuit was at hand. Heading east, a motorcycle cop saw the commotion and joined the pursuit. When the chase hit Lake Shore Drive, the policeman finally caught up to the situation, informed the two drivers that he would sort out the misunderstanding, and booked Ms. Miller for bond forfeiture. And never again would the Auto Vamp strike fear into the hearts of Chicago motorists.

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Ringing in 2016...Like a Virgin

     Back on New Years Eve 90,000 Chicagoans attended the first annual Chi-Town Rising. By all accounts it was a success, with the minor hiccup of Chicago playing over the top of the beginning of the countdown. But that was far from the only thing going on. Over at the recently opened Virgin Hotel there was another function transpiring as well.

     Walking into the place, I was ushered up to the 3rd Floor, where I checked in and stowed my coat. From there I took an elevator up to the 26th Floor, where a DJ was spinning music and a photo booth was allowing people to try out their favorite poses.

     From there it was on to the bar! Did I mention that it was an open bar all the way through midnight? #awesome! Also near the bar was the food, which featured shrimp as one of the options. Even better!

     After getting an infusion of food and libations, it was time to descend to the 25th Floor for live entertainment, dancing, and(of course) another bar. This mix of food, drinks, and dancing was more than enough to keep the crowd pumped and energized as the midnight hour approached.

     Suddenly, the DJ stopped us all to start the countdown. 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Happy New Year! All of a sudden it was 2016 and we rang in the New Year the best way we knew how. With a swig of champagne, with a kiss, or perhaps all of the above. 2016 looks to be a great year, and the Virgin Hotel's soiree was a sublime place to ring it in.