Botstock Redux Vol 3

Botstock V3.0
April 23, 2006
Chicago, IL

A day at the museum, The Drake Hotel, Spamalot and "The Magnificent Mile"!

Chicago! My kind of town!

The next morning after breakfast and more chatting, the plan was to leave at 10:30am for a noon luncheon in our honor at the "Chicago Museum of Science and Industry". I think it is the best museum that I have ever seen including the Smithsonian.

http://www.msichicago.org/

Mike and I left in his van for Chicago and arrived 30 minutes early. It was a beautiful day with the Sear Tower and the skyline looking majestic.

Our group announced ourselves to the museum staff who insisted that we missed the event on Saturday! We explained that we were the event and Robert Lesser who own the robots in their exhibit was attending! After a few phone calls, it became clear that the general staff was not informed but the food staff was because of our luncheon. Finally, the one of the curators, Katheen McCarthy, (Director of Collections) appeared and led us to the "Presidents' Room" in which a buffet was set up with a small collection of robots and complimentary robot keychains. The staff welcome us and questions were asked by both sides. It was a pleasent event making us feel very welcome. Thanks Kathy!

She then led us to The Robert Lesser Collection.

http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/robots/index.html

Kathy along with Robert, we were given a tour of an incredible collection or rare and vintage tin toys and boxes .
Robert smiled for photos and answered every question in the friendiest manner possible and always listened to your comments attentively.

There was the famous "Gang of 5"... (3 here) $$$$$$$$!

and a full size talking Robby greeted vistors.

After the curator took us on a VIP tour of their new DaVinci exhibit which just opened that week!

http://www.msichicago.org/temp_exhibit/leonardo/index.html

It included mockups of his inventions, a page of a codex

and figures from current time who are inspired by DaVinci.

Such as Mark Rosheim and Laurie Anderson

On the way out I purchased a CD ROM of the codex, a book of his Codexes and and book about his robots. Recently, Da Vinci has been credited with the invention of the car, a robot and a computer (programmed stage display below).

After the Da Vinci tour were were taken to the German Uboat U505 It was captured by the Americans in 1944 completely intact with a Enigma code machine. You are given a tour inside! Fantastic!

http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/U505/index.html

We saw a mock up of a full size Lunar Lander, the original Apollo 8 capsule and a Mercury capsule.

I had found out from the other Alphadromers that there was a toy top making machine that you could make a Botock III souvenier. I said my goodbyes and rushed off tho the machine to make two. One for Russell in Sydney and one for me. I had a reject on the first one and had to start over! All the time I was rushing, the museum had taken longer than planned and I had 5:30 dinner reservations before the 7:30pm "Monty Python's Spamalot" musical comedy play and I had to check into the hotel! I was rushing because my ride to the Drake Hotel was already sitting in his van waiting for 30 minutes! So I course I had gotten a rejected top!

http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/toymaker3000/index.html

Mike drove me to the Drake Hotel and on the way we pasted the Buckingham Fountain (turned on the day before for the season!) and Soldiers' Field along the beautiful blue green and huge Lake Michigan.

I arrived at the "The Drake" with its grand lobby filled with "The Red Hat Society " women.

How great! I checked in asked the clerk to change my reservation to 6 and went to my huge "Executive" room to shower and grab a taxi to the restaurant "Chicago 21" next to the Cadillac Palace theatre. I had a delicous dinner of grilled calamari and a pork chop with an espresso cream dessert. And a good Merlot.

The play was terrific, Funny, great songs. The women in front of me told me she had seen the earlier tryouts and thought this was a lot better, tighter and funnier. I bought some souveniers, a program , a can of Spam for $10.! and a killer rabbit puppet. Watch "Monty Python and the Holy Grail "on DVD.

I then walked a over a mile up the "Magnificent Mile" with beautiful view of the Chicago River (which direction of flow was changed!). The stores were closed but it was a pleasant walk along their Rodeo Drive. A little windy of course!

Back to the Hotel and watched a Houdini special on the Discovery Channel. Slept on a terrific 800 thread count bed at 1am

More on Monday!