Thats what we did too, although there was one hang-up. After 4+ hours in IKEA on a Saturday, dodging strollers and pregnant woman, finding everything interesting not in stock, Gretchen and I were not in that good of a mood. Two beers each, obtained in the IKEA restaurant, helped take edge off but there was a reasonable amount of grump as we checked in to our hotel.

Knowing we had an obligation to the rest of the plan, as soon as we dropped our bags off we headed straight for the hotel bar. 3 Martinis + (me: 2 tall Tanq and tonics) (Gretchen: one very nicely poured glass of wine) helped to activate party mode. Last time I was in Chicago I mentioned that I loved the trains. This time they were an integral part of the plan.

We caught up with Arkasha and other mimers at a loft event. Experimental music, video, and a ghetto bar run by cute mod kids. Much experience, drink, and dance later we bar-hopped until slithering into Ark's pad for a night cap, and then another, and maybe another, and then collapse. Mission accomplished.

For some reason I thought it was a good idea to drink a red bull right before going to bed. I'm pretty sure it was Ark's fault. It, along with my significant-fraction-of-1.0 BAC, gave me great dreams.