Yesterday I consumed more meat products than I normally eat in a week. I don't know how the good people of Chicago avoid having heart failure on a day-to-day basis. Maybe they do, but it doesn't seem to slow them down.
While walking through the Navy Pier last night the wife pointed out an emergency defibrillator strapped to the wall. Where most cities have fire hydrants, Chicago has electric heart therapy devices. I looked for a coin slot but found none, apparently it's free for everyone to use. Chicago, what a great city, free heart defibrillation for everyone!
We're going to the the Lincoln Zoo in a bit and after yesterdays exploration in Chicago cuisine I won't be surprised if I see the monkey and dolphins snacking on italian beef. It will be interesting to observe if chimps will try CPR first or just reach for the paddles.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
Chicago is one of the fattest cities in the country.
Some friends of mine own a gallery space at 1847 W Grand and had a show last night. There were two pieces performed. The second was just a grouping of skits played when a curtain opened. It was the first performance which was hilarious.
One of the guys, Greg, works at a butchers. He procured 30 pounds of bacon from said butcher's shop. He and the guys started cooking all 30lbs at 6pm and didn't stop until it was gone. (Oh.....and until the whole gallery had a decidedly bacon-y stench to it).
I've seen these things in several cities now. Even in Austin, of all places! I kind of hope the world runs out of gas before we come up with an alternate fuel solution, so we all have to walk or ride our bikes like most of the rest of the world does. Did you know airlines' profits are taking a hit because of fatter passengers?
Just mix in a few fish'n'chips and you'll be okay.
Welcome to my fine city! Glad to see you're enjoying our local delicacies. Man, I'd missed them during my years living away from the city. Nothing like the Italian beef, the deep dish pizza, the hot dogs, etc. And if you're looking for even more meat, don't skip Fogo de Chao or one of the other churrascarias (even if not native to Chicago).
Looks like a pretty nice day for the zoo. I may walk over there tomorrow since it's supposed to be even nicer. About time we get some spring!
Uh, don't forget to have a pizza puff.
SWALLOW THE ANIMAL, CONSUME MORE FLESH! Have a good time Greg, and the wife as well.
Austin have one? Surely you're kidding. I can just imagine somebody walking by one and suddenly fall over, just to be immediately rescued by a bus driver who happens to notice the Heart Defibrillator, conveniently placed.
save a tree, eat a beaver.
Hey, as someone who formerly worked in a life saving profession, those things are GREAT. We are trying to get AED's (automated electronic defibrillators) placed EVERYWHERE. And besides, they aren't just for fat people. They are getting to be a mainstay of practical CPR, seeing as how the heart can be stopped or slowed by nearly anything, including getting hit by lightning, a car, a gun, etc. The idea is so that you don't have to wait for an ambulance to show up, a period of time during which the victim could easily die.
As an auditor, I worked for a client (large, fund management company), and they had one on the wall before you entered one of their mini-Bond trading pits. What a career to be in when you know that, for some reason, the company thinks it's a good reason to keep one around just in case one of the employees goes into arrest. High stress? Now it is...
/Begin sarcasm
I'd love to see someone try and think that they can follow the instructions on the bag while trying to revive their coworker
/End sarcasm
How about mirrors everywhere so American's can look at their fat asses and realize it's time to mix in a salad. An ounce of prevention as they say.
I think its a good habit to order a salad with large amounts of meat so you have a good bed of lettuce or spinach to put the bones & fat on.
Greg -- as a long time reader and native of Chicago all I can say is I hope you had a great time and that *we* treated you well.
Hey, if God didn't want us to eat animals, why did he make them out of meat?
Meat is a delicious evil treat at the most weakest points in self control.
Do a little research on energy to produce X amount of beef VS vegies or grain. Lets all do ourselves a favor and save some grain for the gas tank. God knows soon enough we will need it. But if that isn't enough next time you are eating meat imagine that the animal you are just fattening up on was fed the remains of his weaker brethren. YUMMIE.
As a Brit out there, I was amazed consistently when protions were presented, I thought I had ordered a meal for two.
And I had more meat on one pizza, (approximately 1 and 1/2 cows) than I have had in five meals back here.
/Begin sarcasm
I'd love to see someone try and think that they can follow the instructions on the bag while trying to revive their coworker
/End sarcasm
You don'thave to read the instructions. The machine tells you what to do. There is a scheme in the UK where one can be trained in the use of AEDs. Unfortunately they aren't like the paddles you see on TV, and there's no satisfying KERCHUNK! and arching of the patients' body!
You do get to shout CLEAR! though.
I am sad to report that 3 out of the 5 Fattest Cities in America are here in Texas (Austin is actually 19th in the top 25 FITTEST cities) and all 3 beat out Chicago (which would put it at number 5). Just thought I'd share of our some embarassing dirt...
Greg, I certainly hope that you're enjoying yourselves - you picked the right time of year to visit.
Greg, does this have anything to do with a certain etherfarmer? When he was here in Spain, I ate more in a week than I normally eat in a month!
This is the reputation my friends create for me? Bastards, all of you!
This makes me wonder whether I should post a picture of myself on etherfarm only so that the general public doesn't think I'm Jabba the Hut.
Think high metabolism. Maybe I burn off all those calories by typing really fast.
Yeah, there's a lot of meat going on in Chi-town, but there's plenty for vegetarians, too.
Welcome to Chicago. If you're still in town Tuesday night, you might stop by this thing. Should be interesting.
Shame on you! Your mother would have a fit if she were home. Here I've been eating cardboard to loose weight and your eating colesteral plus in the (break)windy city. You'li have gas for a month after that trip. You've got to ready for Texas beef if Italian is all that's available there. Chicago used to be the beef captiol of the world. I guess Papa Loui Bambino moved and changed the neighborhood. Go South UYoung Man. Your just supporting the mafia when you eat that stuff. I enjoyed the pictures of the streetside connie with the fixins. (Barf). Try baskiddy next. See you in the panhandle with your spirs on.
Seems to be some kind of evolutionist theory in there somewhere, Greg... I think Airbag is the perfect place for well-written modernist allegory. Agenda it up!
Maybe you should try Yankee Noodle (it's from a famous wok restaurant in Antwerp)? It's wok-fried noodles with egg, chinese mushrooms and a big assortiment of fresh vegetables. There is no meat in this dish, only funky fried tofu. Very good and healthy!
Be sure to try a Chicago style pizza while you're there... Mmm, so good. I'd recommend Giordano's.
OK Greg - you're in Chicago and you've almost (but not quite I hope) had your fill of encased meat products... If you still have some space in your itinerary, you HAVE to go to Hot Doug's. Gourmet-type sausages for everyone! It's literally one of the greatest places on earth. Enjoy.
http://www.hotdougs.com/
Am I the only one that recognized the irony of this post for life saving heart thumps right after the post requesting no life saving heart thumps?
Now, if you were walking down the street and found free feeding tubes hanging out of buildings, that would be pretty cool.
Ted, you are not alone in the 'I see irony' department. This week the wife and I are exploring the world of vegitables in effort to counterbalance the effects of our splendid visit to Chicago.
Does this mean that you arein a "vegetative state"?
Mr. Ed, chuckle, chuckle..........that was good!