Benevolent

(Photograph by Kevin Gibson)

Even if you live in Chicago, the chances are good that you have no idea where this photo was taken.  I’ll give you a hint.  I bet you’ve passed by its impressive exterior at least once.

Look familiar? That’s the National Headquarters of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.

It’s majestically located very near the corner of Lakeview and Diversey.

It happens to be my neighbor and I’ve walked by it a thousand times.

One day, curiosity finally prompted this cat and I went in.  I met Gloria, the official Elks greeter, and she welcomed me in.  She explained that this was the national headquarters of the organization and that it had been built as a memorial for all the Elks who had been killed in the wars.

Starting with the Civil War.

I walked around taking in all the history and the beauty.  And I filed it away for another longer visit someday when I had a real Elk in tow.

On Halloween- just ahead of Veteran’s Day- cue this guy.

That’s my friend (and Super-Accountant) Kevin Gibson.  Longtime readers of this blog know why I am in love with him.  (No Mrs. Robinson cracks, please.)

Oh, what the heck.

He’s a great guy, loyal friend and a member in good standing of his lodge out in Colorado.  He’s on the Elks’ scholarship committee and I thought he’d like to take a gander at nerve central.

Kev was in town last week for a three day seminar for CPA big wigs. (He’s a principal in Dalby, Wendland– the largest- and finest- accounting firm on the western slope of Colorado.  He’s always trying to make his clients’ accounting experience a better, more cost-effective one.)

He’s careful with your money.  And his.

Usually.

But when his official business duties out by O’Hare ended, Kevin grabbed a cab over to my place and we went on a Chicago tour.

I had planned out a big city itinerary custom-tailored to Kevin’s interests. But the weather last Saturday let me down.

Badly.

It rained all day long.

My fab fun walking tour of Lincoln Park and our beautiful lakefront- Kevin is an avid boating enthusiast- had to be scrapped.  Dry indoor venues had to be substituted at the last minute.

I was up to the challenge.

All that patriotism, marble halls, and history at the Elks Memorial had given me goosebumps.

And an appetite.

Time for lunch.

Here.

Another Lincoln Park neighbor, R.J.Grunts.  The very first restaurant of Rich Melman’s Lettuce Entertain You food empire.

I knew Kevin would be interested in the business back story.  And that we could get a light lunch that wouldn’t kill us both for the dinner that was coming.

(Very Chicago, I know.  Here, it’s all about where you eat.  Believe me, I wanted to take him to Walker Brothers or Portillo’s or Due’s but our waistlines- and my conscience- wouldn’t allow it.)

 

It was still pouring when our lunch was over.  Luckily our two hearts beat as one and we cabbed it to élu.

Back Story:  Back when I lived in Snowmass, I was enamored of all things Henry Beguilin.  The flagship store- owned by Paul and Cristina Nicoletti- was a heady mix of magnificent and stylish leather goods, furniture, and clothing.

I started out small.  Purses, belts.  But soon I graduated to the clothing- jackets, pants, all in softest leather.  I was addicted to the scent of that gorgeous place.

Thus I listened with great interest when Kevin- a good friend of the Nicolettis- informed me that they had opened a baby sister boutique on Webster.  Did I want to go?

Naturalmente!

(I also happened to be wearing my favorite Beguilin belt and carrying a treasured Beguilin bag and I thought they might want to meet up with their Chicago cousins.)

Andiamo!

This chic sexy boutique smelled just like a new car.  I was swooning.

Haley, the adorable store manager, helped me play with little leather vests and showed me fabulous leather sneakers.  Kevin prowled around on his own and then said, “Try this on.”

He held out the softest yummiest scarf I had seen in a long while.

“No,” I (faintly) protested.  “You can’t do this.”

“It’s your birthday present,” my buddy gallantly replied.  “I insist.”

(Me looking like a drowned rat. Because it was still raining!)

On to the Polo Store for a quick run through and then…

Time to repair to the RL bar for some R&R.

One hour and one exquisite champagne cocktail later, it was still raining.

Time for a foray here.

That’s the new Restoration Hardware in the old Three Arts Club building.

Have you been there yet? What a mind-blower.  Each floor is dedicated to a different part of the house.  Start at the top on the roof garden and work your way down.  On the way, you can get some expert decorating advice.

(Kevin did.  He has a pesky corner in his house that has been defying all attempts to civilize it.  Twenty minutes with a designer here and his decor problem was solved.)

Uncle Kevin also found it necessary to buy his courtesy nephew, Sam, a soft floppy dog from the baby boutique.

It went over the next day like gangbusters.

By now it was almost the seven p.m. closing time. (Although the store was still packed.)  So we didn’t have time to do more than peek at the fabulous glassed-in l’orangerie style restaurant on the first floor.

When we came out, it had finally stopped raining.  We made our way through hordes of happy trick-or-treating Gold Coast families and walked home.

We had just enough time to dry off, change and head out to Bella Notte for dinner.

Three hours and a few proseccos later, it was time for this CinderEllen to come back down to earth.

We cabbed home, Kevin said farewell and went back to his digs out by O’Hare.

He had an early morning flight out on Sunday.  (That didn’t end up leaving until four in the afternoon.  But that’s another story.)

Thanks, pal.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been given the red carpet treatment.

You’ve got my vote as Exalted Ruler any time.