Welcome to the friendly confines of McCormick Place, where $23 gets you a parking spot within jogging distance of the entrance, although nowhere near the hall where you have to go. Absurd that they always seem to close off the closer parking lots. Here you see hordes of visitors with their mandatory yellow Sterno totes.

Always, always, always there’s Coke.  Every year they have a different holographic cup for each day.  I have about five years’ worth…which I never use, but just save.

FirstBorn took this picture of octopuses; odd, because he hates seafood.

Shiny Buddha is selling plates and bowls.  Put him next to a glass-cleaning stand!

Palazzolo always has a truck dispensing frozen yogurt, gelato and sorbetto – – their raspberry ghost pepper sorbetto is outstanding – – wonder if they got rid of the truck to make me think they weren’t attending this year (thus keeping more stock).  Didn’t work, guys!

A little someplace closer to home (Berwyn) – Turano Bakery every year has a huge display where they bring in fresh bread daily and freely hand it out.  They also have a bakery, to add to your sins 🙂

And finally, an artifact that few under the age of 20 would recognize…remember when Superman in the first movie had to use a revolving door to change ’cause there weren’t any phone booths?  Now we don’t even have public phones!