I'm going to the Taste tomorrow. Love the food, hate the people. Rudeness, sloppiness and yes, even stinkiness are plentiful. It's just a bad combination of people's hunger, greed and the heat that makes the event so much more stressful than it should be. Pushing through to get into lines or pass lines, finding a semi-sanitary spot to eat your food, sweating and being too hot to drink anything since you just stuffed yourself silly or couldn't carry both the food and a cup, and what to do with that last freakin' ticket. I know they do it purposely so that you'll say, "Ok, I'll buy one more strip of tickets (you make your friend split it with you) and then we're outta here. I just can't waste this one ticket!" Then on your way out you see a homeless guy asking for spare tickets and you say, Oh...i could have just given it to him...but see...it was your greed. Then there's some who save the one ticket cause you just might make it back, but you know there's a slim to none chance you will cause you'll be in the burbs and God forbid you leave the burbs more than once in a weekend. So you do laundry later that week and find the ticket in your pocket. Should have given it to that cute kid who was begging their mom for one more Rainbow cone, and she was short one ticket.

Now that I've focused on some of the negative, let me highlight some positive notes and favorite things about the great Taste. I'm a semi-foodie. I critique, but i'm limited to trying certain things considering I can't eat shellfish or anything ridiculously too spicy or strange. But most stuff is edible for me. I love the toasted ravioli and rainbow cone. I usually don't get pizza cause i've tried everyplace worthy that's there. I have had alligator sausage (tastes like spicy chicken sausage) and a buffalo burger...not gamey...still yum. I'm not a big goat meat fan though...that's gamey. Otherwise I almost always go for a boneless rib sandwich and regret the sticky fingers. I skip the corn and watermelon, and head for a cheesecake taste. I don't usually do taco's but this one place had awesome enchildas last year. Can't remember who... Anyway, I've had the strangest taste for a corn dog. I've only had one once in my life and I think it's time to indulge in some mystery meat wrapped in corn meal on a stick. Aren't life's little experiences great. What memories!

Anyhoo, I usually end up going to the Taste on the 3rd as well for the fireworks. Now here's an experience that never fails to be a real adventure for the past few years so far.  I usually meet up with a group of friends and their friends and friends of friends. So the crowd I'm celebrating with is usually a pretty good turn out. And I'm pretty sure that my experiences are pretty similar in most ways to other people's trials while at the Taste on the 3rd. See if you agree...Goal #1: Find your friends in the crowd at the music shell garden. Someone usually says, 'call my cell, it'll be on'. But alas, it is almost too difficult to even get a signal with all the interference of everyone else's phones. Some try the funny balloon method. "We'll have a yellow smiley balloon raised up"...so does everyone and their granny. Next they've reached you on the phone and now you're acting like a compass when they give you exact directions to the spot. "Go by the Miller Lite truck, walk about 72 paces south and make a quick left by the man passed out with his belly showing, then take 20 more steps toward the first yellow smiley balloon, look right and spot the 2nd yellow smiley balloon. Head toward there, step over the pile of beer bottles and voila! you've found us!" But wait...you thought your friend was following you...he's jumping up and down squinting to find which direction you turned. You go and get him, retracing your steps backward and you've managed to find your friends again.  Goal #2: Alcohol. There's usually a guy walking around with a black hefty bag filled with about 2 cases of beer (usually not very cold) and he sells them for about $2...Now he's making bank on some of the cheapest and nastiest beer around, but you're desperate and hot and thirsty. Miller high life it is. You bargain a price of 2 for $3 and he's sold. Or, you brave the crowd and head by the caged off beer section in the park and pay about 6 bucks worth in tickets for a 12 ounce cup. Oh the things we do. Otherwise, if you were a smart one, you brought your own, only hoping that your mysteriously full backpack doesn't tip off the security and get it confiscated, since you're legally not supposed to bring alcohol to the park. Here's a tip...20 oz coke bottle. Half coke...half captain...OR...20 oz lemonade...half lemon...half vodka. Solves the obviousness problem right there. For those of you that don't drink, you've already thought ahead and brought your water bottle...good for you.Goal #3: Waiting. It's 5pm and the fireworks don't start until 9:30ish. Somehow in your crazy mind you though that just sitting around for 4 1/2 hours in the blazing sun would be just fine, since you're not doing anything active. You put sunscreen on when you left earlier but it sweated off. Now you're burning up on your nose and shoulders or chest area and there's nothing you can do about cause you're not putting on that 'just in case' jacket in this heat! 7pm...and you're watching the sun slowly drift down past the skyline...8pm...you're pretty buzzed at this point and having such a good time the bathroom can wait. It's 9pm and you've got to go, but the line is atrocius...you make your way through the crowd fast as you can and head to what you think is the shortest line. But the user in the port is having 'issues' and your line remains still while the longer line is moving like clockwork. The next person shouts, "GO GO GO!!!" Do you move from the line or stay where you are? What are the chances you switch lines and then that one is held up? Oh the decisions....You stick and your line starts moving. Somehow you don't feel so bad doing the 'gotta go dance' in front of everyone cause at least everyone else there is doing it and you're kinda keeping the same rhythm. I digress. Deed done, you scurry back to the spot - truck...72...man's belly...20...1st smiley...2nd smiley...bottles...there they are awaiting your return. Time for the show!

Show is over! Everyone moves like a herd to the mode of transportation of choice. People running to make the next metra, train platforms packed, buses hot and crowded or bumper to bumper traffic in the grant park parking garages. All in all it was worth it. Why you ask? Cause you know you'll do it all again next year!