Thursday, December 29, 2005

So Long Farewell Auf Wiedersehn Goodbye

When Marshall Field's announced that they were changing their name to Macy's, my indignation and outrage lasted about 30 seconds. As soon as I found out that they'd continue to carry Frango mints and Thomas Pink dress shirts after the changeover, I figured no big whoop.

Then the news about the Berghoff hit the wires yesterday. I had to blink a couple times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

Lots of memories for me at that place over the past 10 years. I ate there with the former Vice Chairman of the CBOT and his now late sister (who were kinda my mentors in the futures industry) after my last day working for them. I met my Mom's boyfriend Shelley there for the first time in 1997. I got into a beer-over-the-head war with the Killer Bee at Oktoberfest that year too. My trader buddy Johnny D and I hit it up over sauerbraten and creamed spinach every now and then. It's the traditional meeting spot for me and my fellow Internet Sox geek friends before our yearly game outings, and Kris and I would stop in there a lot after Saturday night games, usually the first ones in and the last ones out.

At some point before February 28th, I'm gonna have to head over there for one more Schlachtplatte and a couple mugs of dark. The lines are sure to be out the door...but it'll be worth the wait for one last time.