Greetings from Chi-Town

Hello, Famous Hat readers! Just a note to let you know I have safely arrived in Chicago and am currently drinking a complementary Tom Collins at the swanky hotel where my coworker and I have a SUITE for $99... and free internet access in the business office!

Last night Richard Bonomo, Anna Banana II, Kathbert, Cecil Markovitch, and I were among the many guests at a 50th birthday bash/fundraiser for Haiti. Rich was asked to make two traditional Haitian recipes: red beans and rice, and a sweet potato pudding. I said I would make the pudding, which entailed peeling and then shredding a bunch of sweet potatoes. The pudding smelled WONDERFUL, but I was surprised to see five other people had made it as well when I arrived at the party. Apparently they had asked multiple people to make each recipe so that everyone would get to try some. One woman said she tried all the sweet potato puddings and mine was by far the best, so she wondered what I had done differently, but I had no idea. Then a priest from Haiti talked about the poverty in his diocese, and a local woman who had moved down there told us some harrowing stories about spirit possession she had witnessed. After that a contra dance band played (not my band) as people danced.

Earlier in the day I had said to Rich that there seemed to be an excessive number of military planes flying around lately, and he told me there was a B-17 bomber in town giving people rides... and just then it flew right overhead! We drove out to the airport, but it was $400 for a ride, so we just waited until it landed and paid $5 to go inside of it on the ground. They played World War II music in the background, and it was a really good time. Rich said he always felt something magical about airports. I said, "I know what you mean - for me, it's marinas."

Famous Hat