Topolobampo with Matt and Michael

Here we go, the first great meal of a handful of great meals during the recent visit to Chicago.  Dinner with Matt and Michael, a Thursday night meal at one of my all-time favourite restaurants in Chicago:  Topolobampo.

I have dined at Topolobampo and its sister, Frontera Grill, multiple times over the years.  When last I was there, it was November of 2021 (I think), and a celebration of both Chris and Rachel's 50th birthdays that month.  We had a very fine evening.  Last Thursday was no less fine.  Quite the contrary.  It was an extraordinary way to start off the conference trip.  An awesome meal at Rick Bayless' fine dining room, two terrific guys for company?  Yes, please!

I met Matt and Michael outside of the restaurant

on a fine, not yet too hot or humid Chicago evening.  The original plan for Thursday was to have Peter and his Matt join us for dinner that night - we would have had 3/4 of our guybrarian text thread there - but perhaps elsewhere.  When Peter let us know that he and Matt wouldn't be arriving in time for dinner, we pivoted a little and landed on Topolobampo.  Matt and Michael were very game, and so we made the reservation.  I was delighted to join them for their first time there.  What fun company for a good, leisurely meal.

We had cocktails to start, and - shockingly, I did not order their classic margarita as I so often have before.  I've been more spirit-forward in my cocktails lately, and opted for the Poleo Negroni, made with mezcal.  A good way to start. 

The wine shown was from my first course pairing, a Spanish sparkler, and I enjoyed more wine through the night.  Matt and Michael had a cocktail each as well, and then the two of them each opted for the agave pairing, enjoying that immensely.

Food!  Here we go...

A few amuses for us:  oysters with tuna ceviche and caviar

and a little trio that included a small cup of tortilla soup. 

I'm always in awe of how they can get such marvelous layered flavours in their sauces and broths.

Tostada de Atun. 

A tuna tostada that went very nicely with the Spanish wine.

Palmito en mole verde. 

Roasted and charred heart of palm in a green sauce for which we would have loved spoons.  I thought the entire meal was wonderful, but this course was my favourite.  Paired with a French Chardonnay.

A small intermezzo that I didn't quite catch but was essentially a meaty bite.  Yum!

Pulpo Zarandeado.  Grilled octopus. 

A successful course, and very pretty.  This is where I lost track of which wines I had - it IS over a week later - and the menu listing doesn't actually help.  Ah well.  At some point here or after this I had my favourite wine of the night, a Beaujolais. I liked the wine so much, I had another glass after dinner.

Carne en su Jugo. 

Wagyu beef.  Good, but I though this one might have been a tad more generous in size.  Still, I liked it, and we had plenty of tortillas to mop it up with.  

Pitaya, Coco Tierno, Maiz. 

Lime-tamal pudding cake with a cactus fruit sorbet and young coconut.  If this had been the only dessert, I would have been thrilled.  I honestly can't recall the wine for this one, not because it was a bad pairing, I promise - all of the wines were successful pairings.

Sabores de Maguey Rostisado. 

Plantain blondie torte with sweet potato ice cream.  Oh, I liked this one a lot.  I think there may have been a port or other dessert wine with this, but I cannot recall that one either.

There were little treats that followed, and I had wine while Matt had coffee.  We weren't the last to arrive, but we were the second-to-last to leave.  A very fine night all around, and thank you to Matt and Michael for sharing it with me!  The Chicago dining was underway, and wow, were there some more excellent dishes and drinks to come!

Philadelphia otherwise

Two Fridays ago I got myself onto a plane at BUR to head to SFO,

then from there onto a red-eye to PHL. 

Conference time for me, and an unusually condensed one this time.  I had originally planned to be there on the Wednesday, but life interfered, and so it was that I made it there for Saturday morning.  Checked into my suite,

got myself freshened up and pretty, and headed to my first meeting.

My time at conference was a lot about meetings, really.  Oh, I made sure to go to the closing session featuring Geena Davis (who was a wonderful storyteller)

(oh, and Gritty was there),

and I absolutely couldn't miss dragging Conrad and Van

to Sam's inauguration as president of the association (the improv musical theater was fun to watch),

but I didn't go to any other programs or presentations and only briefly made it to two official receptions.  And now that part of my life is done.  I have cycled out of my three-year obligation, I know longer have the inside scoop or participate in governance.  For the first time in over twenty years, I am not on a committee.  And man, am I glad of that.  The 150th anniversary of ALA will be celebrated in Chicago next year, and I'll almost certainly go to that conference, but after that?  We'll see.

Oh, there were morning walks to be enjoyed as well, both alone

and with others (thank you Amy and Steven for joining me - who will lead the walks for the Board now that I am gone?)

(and it's hard to tell, but that's the Liberty Bell in there!).

The real reason to go?  To see all of the friends from my years of involvement.  Like I did this time!  So let me rattle off some names and post photos.  I didn't get shots with everyone I enjoyed seeing, alas.

My buddy Sara (and hey there, Sam and Ed!). 

For three years we have been messaging and calling weekly and more.  Now that we are done our duty, let's keep in touch a whole bunch but make it about fun stuff!

Matt was there at Council, sitting right behind me. 

I had lunch with him and his wife, Kim, the next day,

and I hope I can convince them to come on a tour of Vietnam next year.

Lunch with my guybrarian message group:  Peter (with his husband, Matt, along with us), Matt, and Andy. 

Long may our messages fly back and forth, and may we have another conference meet up again.

Coffee with Denelle and Anne from the Ireland tour group last year. 

Denelle is already signed up for Vietnam, and I am excited that she will be going.  Anne just landed a new position as director of the fledgling LIS program at Marshall University, and I wish her great success with that.

Jose and April wandered past

while we were having coffee (and then Van saw them the next day, and they recommended a cheese steak place to him that he enjoyed).  I didn't get a chance to have a meal with them this time, so the next - I hope!

Evening drinks in the hotel lobby had a usual crew of folks, including Christina,

who has done so much great work in the association already.  It's always a delight seeing her.  She looks stunning in blue.

My last Board meeting, and I'll miss folks like Peter

and Nick,

among others.  Good folks.

A lot of friendly faces at the inaugural dinner, too....  

John! 

I've known him so many years, and I missed getting a meal with him.  I know he likes Vedge, and it would have been perfect for us to meet up there.  

My "little sister", Kathy. 

The Board brought us together.  May we keep that going!  I would love to visit her in SC one day.

And Larry. 

Ah, Larry, I've left you with a lot to take over and deal with, and I have so much confidence in your ability.  The buck has been passed (well, five of them in this shot, and hey there, Dina - thank you for our terrific working partnership these past few years).

Finally, Sam. 

Congratulations to our 2025-2026 ALA President.  A real pleasure and privilege to have worked with you.  May you steer our association successfully into its sesquicentennial.  Cheers!  And thank you to Skip for the Champagne!

That was the Philadelphia that was.  The people make the conference.  So seldom for me does the city make the conference, but the city can make a conference worse.  Looking at you, San Francisco (sorry, but I HATED it when we were there in 2015 - I don't hate it as a city to otherwise visit).  I didn't really see or experience Philadelphia, I know.  And maybe I'll be back.  We shall see, we can hope!

Sacramento, briefly

I flew out yesterday,

and I fly back today.  I hope!  Some delay so far.  So yes, a very short trip to Sacramento.  Meetings at the Embassy Suites

where I also stayed the night and had a… view.

 Ha!  Ah well, I got into the room

early, and for that, I didn’t care what I was looking out on.

The meetings/mini-conference went well, though!  I have a lot of things jotted down to follow up on back at work next week, which is good.  I also got to have dinner last night with Matt (and only Matt - Peter is out of town).  

Hooray for that!  And I got a nice shot or two of the handsome yellow bridge right next to the hotel.

 A Sacramento icon I always like to see.  No walk this morning, alas - too wet out,

and I didn’t want damp gear sitting in my roll aboard all day.

And now I sit and wait for my first flight.  Sigh.