Chess Recording Studios

Some say the Chicago Blues were the start of rock and roll. Big ticket item on Bryan's list. He had his photo taken with the wife of the late great Willi Dixon,

Jay has a go

Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters tour jacket and collection

Armando's Universe picture

Armando decided to draw the universe, several as it turned out. Centre Stage is his Mum's. Shoes seem to feature pretty well. His universe is lower right, the red blob is something to do with bursting out (growing up maybe?) Kiki's is top left Jay is top right. Don't think the two old blokes got a mention.

A night walk around the City

After the Berghoff walked up to the river, saw our first Route 66 sign, then visited the Great hall

at Chicago Central. Its very grand. A particularly graphic scene from "the Untouchables" was filmed on the steps shown in the lower picture

Weather report

Evening weather report - forecast getting warmer, 90 for Sunday

The Berghoff - from the trip hit list

Dinner at the Berghoff.


The Berghoff Restaurant is a Chicago classic, serving German-American cuisine and culture since 1898. One of the oldest family-run businesses in the nation, it is now run by fourth generation, Carlyn Berghoff. First generation, Herman Berghoff, opened the Berghoff doors as a men’s only saloon and made his start serving free corned beef sandwiches with the purchase of a stein of Berghoff Beer.


You can still get the corned beef sandwich

The 'Boys" first get together. Armando got coloured pencils and paper to draw on, and their own root beer, and pasta. The big boys had Schnitzel
and beer, and a red wine, but that's all.

Armando drew the universes of his mum, kiki, himself and Jay. 

Deep and meaningful stuff on the paper Mum.

Old World atmosphere

The Original Menu

The big meals like roasts, with veggies were about 55  cents

Doing it tough in the airline business

We all know the airline business is going through hard times, but I think AA should try to hold the internal panels of their aircraft together the way Boeing recommends, not with a sticky tape. Then again I have always wondered what is behind the panels

A classic in modern times - the library

The Harold Washington Library centre - Chicago

Its hard to believe this library is celebrating only its 20th anniversary this year, opened in October 1991

Very bold architecture - Neo Classical, the figures on each corner are pods containing a barn owl representing knowledge.

There you go