Big weekend!

Friday night the GF took me to a local film festival to watch “Suffering Man’s Charity”, partially because it’s a local indie festival and partially because the film itself was directed by Alan Cumming whom we both really enjoy. Me because he’s a remarkably talented actor* and the GF because she totally has a celebrity crush on him, even though he’s married and gay**. The movie itself was interesting and well-written, but Cumming was really the highlight. He came across as self-deprecating and funny and even though we didn’t see him at the after-party that too was a fun part of the whole evening – everything there was sponsored by one company or another, including a room sponsored by Redken where you could get your hair styled for free***. Oh, and the drinks were free too, so long as you had either a Bud Select or a vodka cocktail made with some vodka brand that I’ve already forgotten****.

Saturday the GF and I went to get her haircut and then stopped to get brunch before going to my friend’s art gallery for her show’s closing weekend. Then at around 10:30 that evening, we headed out to a birthday soiree thrown by a friend of the GF’s at a lounge down in the West Loop. Now, typically, I avoid that area whenever possible because while parking is sometimes easier to locate, it’s not really my “scene”. Lots of exclusive clubs with lines and doormen-who-judge, that sort of thing. And I get all cranky in those kind of situations because I’m usually one of the people left to roti in the line for hours on end. When we arrived there was a line, and we dutifully got in the end where I prepared to wait an eternity to get in, and proceeded to get a little cranky – I hated that club, I hated the neighborhood, I was being a total cotton-headed ninny-muggins.

But then the door guy came up to us and after confirming it was just two of us, proceeded to walk us up to the door, past an entire gaggle of Lincoln Park Chads and straight through the door. Obviously, my nerdiness was completely countered by my fashionable glasses and the fact that the GF is totally hot. In a fraction of a second I went from loathing everything about the establishment to thinking it was a first-rate place with exceedingly good taste and a “discriminating” doorman. I didn’t even mind paying $20 for two drinks at the bar. But maybe that’s the point.

Sunday then was the Taste of Chicago, which for some sick reason I completely adore. I went down with a couple friends of mine from work, one of whom had never been there before. It was an absolutely perfect day outside, so much so that I completely lost track of time and ended up with a little sunburn on the back of my neck and forearms. I’m not quite sure what the best part of the day was. The food was grand, the company was great, and the friendly 40-ish dad with his family who rode with us on the ferris wheel and happened to be sporting a huge (albeit slightly faded) Latin Kings tattoo on his arm made for a great conversation topic after we got off. He was really nice though. Maybe that’s how we solve the gang problem, sentence gang members to marriage and kids – apparently it turns them into really friendly guys!

* I mean, he was Nightcrawler in X-Men 2 and the nerd-done-good in Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion!
** She lurves the boys with the film-talent.
*** Not to mention free product!
**** Note to Vodka Company: get a better brand name