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Chowathon: 10th Anniversary, April 20-21, 2012

LINK TO FINAL SCHEDULE: viewtopic.php?p=413267#p413267

Ten years ago, in April 2002, a few of us set out to eat for 24 hours in Chicago restaurants, dives, and horse tracks, some of which we’d talked about on Chowhound. We’re weren’t planning on straight-eating. We just thought we’d go from place to place, trying stuff, encountering new deliciousness, and talking all the way.

It was a period of “delighted discovery,” as my friend Vital Information so aptly put it, and a write-up by Monica Eng in Chicago Tribune seems to have served as an unintentional recruitment tool for others who probably thought to themselves, “Hey, this looks like my kind of people, my tribe.”

This eating adventure was one of the first bricks in the foundation of our continuing community.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/110535

On that first around-the-clock journey were some who are still posting here today. In addition to VI and me, there was ReneG, Seth Zurer, justjoan, zim, atomicman. My friend patoriq was also one of the few who made it to the end (the others being me, VI and ReneG).

All in all, we visited 24 places in 24 hours.

So, ten years after – smarter, stronger, wiser – we’re going to do it again.

Several people (like Pigmon) have expressed doubts they can make the whole day of eating; others feel they can make a few hours and that’d be it; a few others plan to go the distance, no question. At the LTH Trivia Event, Trixie Pea uttered the words that we should probably have embroidered on a banner:

24 or Nothing!

However, if you want to come for an hour or two, that’s fantastic. Justjoan suggested maybe showing up at midnight and going until noon. No pressure; come whenever you want.

Any time during that 24-hour stretch, if you’re sitting at home wondering what to eat, you can call me on my cell if you want to find out where we’re at: 708-902-3969

Some of the places we visited are gone or going out (La Milanesa, Ramova, RIP), but others (Matchbox, Freddy’s, etc.) are still going strong.

The beginning and end points of our first odyssey – Manny’s and Berghoff – remain in place. We will start at Manny’s (1141 S. Jefferson) at noon on Friday, April 20th, and we’ll end at Berghoff at noon on April 21st.

Transport remains uncertain. During our first trip, we drove some, then took the train for a while, then people showed up with cars so we drove some again, then ended up on the train. At the moment, logistics are TBD.

Where we go will be semi-planned, and we will certainly try to hit as many of the places that were on the original itinerary, allowing for serendipity to guide us to some new places.

Whether you’ve been an active LTH member or not, if this sounds like something you’d like to do, we’d like to have you along.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

This sounds amazing - assuming that I can beg off of work, I'm in.

* Edited to note that the Ramova Grill's last day is April 14.

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"Baseball is like church. Many attend. Few understand." Leo Durocher

Come after work, if that works.

Yes, really too bad we can't make it to Ramova for a farewell chili.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Buying some in bulk and freezing it, but perhaps Pleasant House could be subbed into the original itinerary? Just a thought.

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"Baseball is like church. Many attend. Few understand." Leo Durocher

There are a lot of places that will have to be subbed, and Pleasant House seems like it'd be a very good addition, and with Maria's nearby, an easy two-fer.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

I'm in. Probably for all, certainly for a good portion. Definitely still boycotting Berghoff but maybe I'll just have a glass of water and wash up in their bathroom.

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

Eating at each location is not required, though the "traditional" washup zone is downstairs at the Palmer House.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

I would be interested, starting after work on 4.20.

Great idea.

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I got a real good mind.

Before Cotton was King: http://www.grubseeker.blogspot.com

Not sure of the details on my end, but would like to make this work. So, if you're accepting definite maybes, you can sign me up. If you need a firm commitment, then I fully understand yielding my place to a sure thing.

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Gypsy Boy

“How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like kleenex?” (Julia Child)

Sounds like a piece of cake!
I'll be in for the full 24hr.

In.

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

Sooo, that's how this all got started. Very cool.

Id love to attend.

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http://eatpizzeriavalentino.com
http://valentinopasta.com

To assist with logistics, it would help if people put down their hours. I know a lot of people cannot just throw out a "when", but maybe if we can at least work on chunks:

- Who is going to try for the whole schmear?

- Who will be there at Manny's at noon on the 20th?

- If you won't be there at noon, approximately when will you show up--As we did last time, I think we should pin-point a few hard meet-up times. So, for instance, people will know we will be at Johnnie's at 6 PM*. This will make the hearding easier (I think). Knowing when people want to jump on board will help set these things up--of course, the general idea is that you can hop in or hop out as you want simply by finding us (and I think we can use Twitter also for this purpose). Still, we don't want to go all Swinger's like, with a caravan of cars. We want to be able to group up, transportation-wise.

Believe me, this is just the first of many logistical notices.

*For example purpose only

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Think Yiddish, Dress British - Advice of Evil Ronnie to me.

The Local Beet's very big list of 2013 Farmer's Markets

I'll be there for the beginning and will keep going for a few hours. Then I'l be back towards the end to finish things out. I really would love to do the whole thing, but I know my body won't allow that, so I'm trying to be realistic.

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

HI,

I am hosting Anne Willan who will speak on early cookbooks at the History Museum on the 21st. If it were not for this, I would be in for the whole game.

This event from ten years ago, when written up by Monica Eng was how I learned of Chowhound. I never expected there was anything like this out there.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

Count me in for the whole shebang... Has it really been 10 years already?!

A good idea would be to share location data via Google latitude. Since I plan to be on the whole event, I'll volunteer to share my location. it isn't always updated to the minute, but I can try to remember to check in at each new location. after the event is over I'll revoke access. Sorry, I don't want everyone to track my whereabouts forever.

I have to take more vacation days, so what a great excuse! I'm in, at least at the start on the 20th. Add my DH who will join in at some point. I'm not sure we can make the whole 24, but it's worth trying!

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Leek
SAVING ONE DOG MAY NOT CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT IT CHANGES THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG.
American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog.
http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org

Option: Stretch Limo inc of Chicago will charge $1,800 to take 10 people to unlimited locations within a 24 hour period (that's $60 hour, plus 7% fuel surcharge and 20% tip).

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Cheaper to treat someone who would be a designated driver.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

Well, that's the challenge. And we'd need at least two designated drivers.

The other way to go, which I'm not opposed to, is trying to do it all on public transit, getting rides whenever they're available . This would rule out some distant places (perhaps Maywood Park), but the Blue Line runs all night, it's cheap, and we'd all be together.

A limo is way more convenient, but then some would be in the big car and others wouldn't, which seems odd, too.

So, like a said, a challenge.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

This sounds like great fun. I'd like to show up for some of this...possibly during the wee hours only.

May I suggest stopping by Third Coast Comics for cake on the 21st? They're having a bake-off.

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I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert. ~ Jason Love
There is no pie in Nighthawks, which is why it's such a desolate image. ~ Happy Stomach
I can't go to Hollywood. I got biscuits to make. ~ Dwight Henry

Late-Nite Eats Database

I gotta get me some of this.
I don't think I can make the whole thing but I'd love to do midnight to noon.
Is there a limited headcount? I have a feeling my daughter is gonna want in when she hears about this.

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The cake is a lie

I don't see any reason to limit the headcount, but this is open for discussion.

I'm always way in favor of having kids along, but the midnight to noon stretch may of necessity involve some bars, so...

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

here's my current 2 cents, for what it's worth. the original chowathon worked well because it was a small group. except for the korean place at about 2am, and edna's for a 6am meal of brains, most of the places were also small so it wasn't disruptive to go to them. i am NOT suggesting that we should exclude anyone; just that 1) we cannot recreate the original, 2) i don't think any of us wants to be an unwieldy annoyance everywhere we go. 3) i think it would considerate for people to post if they plan to participate, rather than deciding on the spur of the moment on april 20th that they're joining in.

laikom's idea to be ground zero is a good one. and once the restaurants and other amusements (maywood, or miami bowl, etc.) are picked, maybe someone could start a spreadsheet (if that's the appropriate term) and could plug in people, based on their expected time of participation. i know this would only be sketchy, but we could use it to possibly cap attendance at those locations where it seems neccessary because of the size of the place. this could just be a framework, and if many people want in, we might have to pick larger restaurants or bars, even if we didn't go there originally (ie; the Matchbox is claustrophic anyway, so if 25 people want to show up there, we pick another bar instead). we all want this event to be fun, like the original chowathon was, not a logistical nightmare.

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"the only things money can't buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes" (guy clark)

Fully agree with points 1 and 2, though on the original odyssey I liked that some people just dropped in for a time and left whenever they felt like it. Seth decided on the day of the event that he wanted to go, and I'm glad he did. There was something excellent about the loose adventurousness of the first trip, and although I'm not trying to recreate it, I think I would like to recapture that sense of fun and lack of boundaries.

As I recall, at Matchbox, there was not enough room for all of us, so I stood outside with Seth (was he actually too young to enter at that point?) and some others. This may be an argument against going to Matchbox...then again, I don't mind standing outside.

If someone wants to do a spreadsheet, that's fine, though many places can handle big groups (Manny's, Berghoff, the only locked-in places, could easily handle a group larger than 25).

For the record, and should anyone want to create a spreadsheet, I'm all in for the full 24.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

on to the food: edna's is now ruby's restaurant. i'd like to see that one stay in for breakfast. what about a late night chinatown restaurant (ming hin is open till 2am) for a midnight meetup? those big round tables would be good for a large group. and chinatown is right near the train.

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"the only things money can't buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes" (guy clark)

Chinatown is an excellent idea. It's a target rich environment and, as you say, very close to trains. I'm wondering if we can't do this whole journey on public transit...be nice, though not sure it's possible.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

I thought it might be helpful to open up to discussion a tentative itinerary. Nothing here is fixed except Manny's and Berghof, and some of these ideas might be just plain unworkable, so input welcome. Ideally, all places should have public transit access.

Friday, Noon: Manny’s
1PM: Zaragoza
2PM:
3PM: Jimmy’s Woodlawn Tap
4PM: Ed’s Potsticker House
5PM:
6PM: Marion Street Cheese Market
7PM: Johnnie’s
8PM: Masa
9PM: Maywood Park Racetrack
11PM: Lao Hunan
Midnight: Little Three Happiness
1AM:Ming Hin
2AM: Skylark
3AM: 24-hour Cabbie Joint (TBD)
4AM:Maybe Some Other 24-hour Cabbie Joint (TBD)
5AM:
6AM: Ruby’s
7AM:
8AM:
9AM:
10AM:
11AM:
Saturday, Noon: Berghoff

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

i was thinking the same thing. walking from the train stations could be good exercise and head clearing time. maybe we could make large chunks of the 24 hours trainable, even if not all. hopefully, it'll be warmer than 10 years ago. didn't it snow? it sure was cold, i remember. chinatown is on the greenline, i think. manny's is close to the train. so is argyle street. so is wicker park- maybe a lazo's vs. arturo's taco competition at 3 am?

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"the only things money can't buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes" (guy clark)