Stormy Sunday: Chicago Itinerary Checklist for OpeRAtion Into the Storm 2014 RA Fans Film Viewing Gathering, August 03, 2014 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #14)

If you are joining us for our planned Chicago or New York City RA Fans seeing the exquisitely talented British actor Richard Armitage’s (image of his in character as Gary, right) new film Into the Storm on Saturday August 9^th, hopefully you have already started your travel planning.  We are seven days away from our RA Fans meet ups in Chicago and in New York City on August 9th.

Please be sure to complete the Contact Form by Thursday Aug. 7th on this web site (see tab on home page above) to let us know that you will be joining us.  I/Grati need accurate counts for lunch and dinner reservations (everyone pays their own way).

And with all of the rave reviews coming from people who saw the film in previews, Into the Storm is sure to be an exciting film.  In this interview hyperlinked here, Into the Storm Director Steven Quale.talks about the special effects challenges of the film.

But tornadoes are serious business–not for the faint of heart–and lives are devastated each year when they strike.  So as a tie-in to the movie Into the Storm, there is a SpReAd the Love plan to make a donation to disaster relief organizations via the SpReAd the Love campaign with each act of kindness given or received.  I’m donating a pint of my blood on Monday to our local Red Cross agency.  Won’t you also consider sharing a kindness given or received–especially within the RA Fandom?  Your sharing will put money into  disaster relief organizations coffers via an anonymous donor. Thanks to Jazzbaby1 and Obscura for organizing this SpReAd the Love tie-in to the Into the Storm film.

 

Below is a Detailed Itinerary for our Chicago August 9^th OpeRAtion Into the Storm 2014 RA Fans Gathering (everybody pays their own expenses):

11:45am meet at Macy’s 111 N. State Street Chicago at their Walnut Room (I’m making us a reservation for 10 people so far) for 12noon lunch (Macy’s was formerly known as Marshall Fields);  arrive early at 11:30am and go to Macy’s lower level Visitor Center to buy a $35 Shopping Package (see right), the gift card may be used toward Macy’s purchases, including lunch at the Walnut Room; and you also get a neat Macy’s shopping bag and the traditional chocolate Frango mints, etc.  Note that for the 10% off visitors pass part of the shopping package, Macy’s said that that promotion  is only for people who live 200 or more miles away.

1:30 – 4pm site seeing and shopping (we can split up if people’s interests vary); here are some choices:
* shopping a bit at Macy’s after lunch (note that Macy’s shopping package deal mentioned above (and detailed in the graphic below)

* walking from Macys to the Art Institute, we could just take a leisurely window shopping stroll along State Street and Michigan Avenue

* please note that the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) has purse size limit guidelines and handy $1/item bag checking for items not allowed into the museum.  And here is the Art Institute’s admission fees page  (the range seems to be $14 – $23);  Current AIC exhibitions (sample below) are eclectically divine for those of us who like the French impressionists (tons of Monet haystack paintings), modern masters, blown glass paperweights, art and artifacts from antiquity, etc. The AIC is a feast of cultures and histories from around the world and also from our own backyard.  You will find me making a beeline for  the  blue hued splendor of the Chagall windows when we arrive. And as a finale to your visit, the AIC has the most fabulous Museum Gift Store!
* Millennium Park–an outdoor garden, playground, cultural venue that has, among other things, the much touted bean (that silvery mirrored thingy, ha!)

*  shopping at Navy Pier; someone indicated that there is a free trolley or bus for transportation within Navy Pier’s shops and such
* Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower)–the tallest building in the world for a really long time
*  etc.

  

 

Art Institute of Chicago maps of exhibits:

  

4:30pm arrive for 5:00pm viewing of Into the Storm at AMC River East 21 Movie  Theatre at 322 E. Illinois Street, Chicago;  Please be sure to buy your movie tickets online days ahead of time at Fandango to avoid the problem of the movie being sold out;  My ticket says auditorium 10, in case they are showing the film  in two theatre auditoriums at the same time

7:00pm we head to dinner after the movie to decompress,  unwind, and review the film (the restaurant is tba, the AMC River East 21 Movie Theatre has MacGuffin’s Bar & Lounge, or other restaurant  at nearby Navy Pier  that we decide upon) ;  then after?

Please note that transportation between venues that are not within easy walking distance of each other will be by hailing a taxi at each individual’s expense.

P.S. My room at the hotel reservations I booked for Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago that is centrally located at 160 E. Huron (formerly the Crowne Plaza) in Chicago, near Michigan Avenue. Their phone is (312) 585-9333 should you also wish to book a room–we do not have a block of rooms, but you might still be able to get a reservation.  These are nicely sized suites that are the most economical I found–everything else for only a single room was 2 or 3 times this.  And the Hilton hotel reservation folks cut me a deal as a government employee (for just under $200).  Snap! So if anyone needs a place to stay Saturday night and wants to split this hotel cost with me, please contact me via this blog’s contact form.   Thanks!