Up at 5 this morning, flight out of LAX at 8, arrived Hyatt Regency on Wacker Drive right about 3pm local time and checked in.
No programming today, just folks arriving. I’ve been to Chicons twice before — in 1991 and 2000 — though in each case I stayed at a satellite hotel. This is the first time I’m staying at the main hotel, the Hyatt Regency, which is split into two towers, east and west, and which as I recall is notorious for long lines at the elevators in the evenings when fans are roaming among parties. I’m on the 28th floor of the west tower, with a view of the offices in the building next door. Intermittent wifi reception (grr), or this would have been posted much earlier.
Finished the Jesse Bering book on the plane, and started (not completely coincidentally, since he’s a guest of honor here) John Scalzi’s new novel.
I’d bought a supporting membership in late July just to vote for the Hugos (Locus’ last chance, apparently), and only a week or so later decided to actually attend. So first thing today I upgraded my supporting to a full attending membership.
Saw a couple folks in passing in the lobby, including Scott Edelman, whose quest to visit all the continents on Earth is apparently now matched by his attempt to visit as many of the top restaurants on Earth — guided by (I think it’s) the list at http://www.theworlds50best.com/. In Chicago, this means Alinea, and later I saw Scott gathering in the lobby with Liza and Gary Wolfe and others for their exclusive reservation there.
Not seeing anyone else I knew, and the only dinner restaurant in the hotel closed for remodeling, I strolled down the street and ate dinner at McCormick & Schmick’s. This con my partner Yeong is flying in on Friday to see his son Jimmy, who lives in Chicago and who broke his leg skydiving 7 weeks ago; so I can count on hanging out with them Friday thru Sunday evenings. The one invitation I have during this con is (via Liza) to a Random House party on a cruise ship Friday evening, and I managed to get a ‘plus two’ invite approved. So the three of us will be doing that.
I can’t remember the last time a hotel room had a decent desk chair. They are all too low, compared to the desktop. No way to raise them, except by sitting on pillows.
