All Things BBC! – 4/21/18

This was a fun (and free) social event that celebrated everything BBC, honoring Doctor Who, Sherlock, Merlin, Top Gear, and any other favorite BBC show you cared to bring up. Thirty-three people attended this three hour event. (Twenty-nine in the photograph above.) 

So what I notices during this social event were a lot of Doctor Who fans, and some cosplay. You were not required to come in costume. I was very happy that a few did. I may not want to cosplay myself, however, I do enjoy when others do.

My bride and I were the first ones there, by intent. We arrived about 11:35 AM for a 12:30 social start. The Red Lion Pub, where this was held, opened at noon. Living in NW Indiana you can never really know how much time it will take you to get from home to anywhere in Chicago. If it were a simple day with no accidents and normal traffic backups, it would take us 45 minutes. Today we planned for more because of some foot racing along the lakefront, and it took us 75 minutes. Not too bad compared to say a Wednesday evening trying to get to Music Comedy Live in the same area that would take us 150 minutes (38 miles).

Not to fret. This social event was set at the right time on a Saturday afternoon. We were able to park our TARDIS (Kia Soul Makeover) in front of the British themed pub. This place was BEAUTIFUL! Ironically, being parked in front of The Red Lion Pub neither Christi or I photographed the front of this establishment with our professional cameras. (Christi did with her cell phone.)  So if others attending this social event did and would like to submit a photo or two for placement in this blog post (credit will be given), please feel free to message me at WesBushby[at]gmail.com. (I use the [at] instead of @ to keep the bots away, and it works.)

What we did photograph from the outside was The Biograph Theater sitting sort of kitty corner from The Red Lion Pub. This is where John Dillinger was shot by FBI agents in 1934. I only bring this up is because Dillinger escaped from the Crown Point Indiana jail, just a few miles from my house. Given that, the first couple photographs are of The Biograph Theater instead of The Red Lion Pub.

(Update: Christi reads my blogs! She sent me her cell phone photograph.)

The front room of the pub caught my eye first. The photographs and books that line the walls make you feel you are in Britain. You absorb that fantasy as you gaze around, easily pretending you were really there.

An upstairs loft with seating for ten people made the experience feel more like you were in the local pub of old. The woodwork pulled you into that experience. The view to the front room in one direction, the open back room in the other direction, made you feel something special about this pub.

The photograph above was taken of the upstairs, me kicked back on the sofa, and foot in the lower left of the photograph. I just thought I would call that out so that I am not made too much fun of for taking a photograph of my foot. It was intended, however the photograph is meant to show the space.

There was merch given away to help draw attendance to this event, along with props for photo ops. There were raffles, one for a $25 gift card to the Blue Box Cafe (which Christi and I still have yet to see), two movie tickets to the Davis Theater graciously given by Jake Lyons Realtor, and the grand prize being weekend passes for the Chicago TARDIS conventions 2018 Thanksgiving weekend. I do not recall who the winners were, or I would post.

The one item you received for being early came from Crumby Art Bakehouse & Cakery. The cookies were not only artistically decorated, as in the next photograph of my Dalek cookie, they are very very good tasting cookies as reported by Christi. I have not had the strength to eat my art piece yet . . .

Chicago TARDIS also handed out TARDIS pins, as you can see the the photograph below, near the lower right corner of my Dalek cookie. Oh, did I mention that one of my cars has the personalized plate of "DALEK"?

Besides bananas (as seen in the upper right of the next photograph), different loose teas could be bagged and taken home for later, or to make your cup of tea there should you so desire.

Christi and I ate and drank, enjoying the food, the atmosphere, the great service from Chris (not only for his service, the group photo too), and of course enjoyed this social event and the people who attended. A big thanks to The Red Lion Pub who let us use their establishment. A big thanks to Happy Fish Parties and Chicago TARDIS who hosted the event. A bigger thanks to Emma for doing all the work to get us together!

The Red Lion Pub

2446 North Lincoln Ave

Chicago, IL

773.883.2422

Website

Facebook

Happy Fish Parties

312.470.0370

Website

Facebook

Chicago TARDIS

630.792.9461

Website

Facebook

Blue Box Cafe

176 E Chicago St

Elgin, IL 60120

847.697.2583

Website

Facebook

Crumby Art Bakery & Cakery

890 Elm Grove Rd

Elm Grove, WI

262.794.3051

Website

Facebook

Jake Lyons Realty

2447 N Ashland Ave

Chicago, IL

812.929.8089

Website

Facebook

You can see a categorized thumbnail of all my blogs by going to StreetPhoto.ME. Scroll down to the Doctor Who category to see other related Doctor Who and Sci-Fi events that have been blogged.

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