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2 Really Good Meals in Chicago

hookyIU1990

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Sep 26, 2007
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I spent this week in Chicago at a conference with customers.

The event was at the House of Blues, which was a great venue to host a bunch people, and I hosted 2 client dinners.

Quartino was very good. Ended up being done family style for the 8 of us, so I was able to have a little bit of everything and everything tasted great. A couple of items were exceptional, the house made tortellini and the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. We had various pizzas, a sausage and risoto dish, Orecchiette and a ton of salumi and cheese plates. A client picked the wine, so I'm not sure what we drank beyond a pinot and chianti. The chianti was excellent. Great experience for everyone and not a bad word about anything from a single person in the party.

The next night we had 16 people at Gene and Georgetti. Everyone raved about their food. We drank our faces off. But again, somebody else ordered the wine and I was too busy with conversations to pay attention to what was being poured, so I'm not sure what we were drinking. Steaks ruled the day, but I saw pork chops and gnocchi being served too. I thought we went overboard on appetizers with calamari, sausage & Peppers, shrimp cocktail, prsciutto & barrata, and carpaccio.

This was the first time since the fall of '19 where we were able to attend a large event with clients and prospects. I had forgotten how much fun it is to be out and face to fae with people in that kind of setting. There was so much pent up demand for human interaction that you could tell how downright giddy some people were and everyone enjoyed themselves. It's crazy to think that a few of these people are annually spending a million plus with us and this was the first time we'd actually met face to face.
 
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Both places are outstanding, granted Sluggo hasn't eaten at G&G for quite some time. Glad you had a good time and made it out of Chiraq alive.
 
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I spent this week in Chicago at a conference with customers.

The event was at the House of Blues, which was a great venue to host a bunch people, and I hosted 2 client dinners.

Quartino was very good. Ended up being done family style for the 8 of us, so I was able to have a little bit of everything and everything tasted great. A couple of items were exceptional, the house made tortellini and the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. various pizzas, a sausage and risoto dish, Orecchiette and a ton of salumi and cheese plates. A client picked the wine, so I'm not sure what we drank beyond a pinot and chianti. The chianti was excellent. Great experience for everyone and not a bad word about anything from a single person in the party.

The next night we had 16 people at Gene and Georgetti. Everyone raved about their food. We drank our faces off. But again, somebody else ordered the wine and I was too busy with conversations to pay attention to what was being poured, so I'm not sure what we were drinking. Steaks ruled the day, but I saw pork chops and gnocchi being served too. I thought we went overboard on appetizers with calamari, sausage & Peppers, shrimp cocktail, prsciutto & barrata, and carpaccio.

This was the first time since the fall of '19 where we were able to attend a large event with clients and prospects. I had forgotten how much it is to be out and face to fae with people in that kind of setting. There was so much pent up demand for human interaction that you could tell how downright giddy some people were and everyone enjoyed themselves. It's crazy to think that a few of these people are annually spending a million plus with us and this was the first time we'd actually met face to face.
you're a brave fella

happy to hear you didn't get shot
 
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Both places are outstanding, granted Sluggo hasn't eaten at G&G for quite some time. Glad you had a good time and made it out of Chiraq alive.

you're a brave fella

happy to hear you didn't get shot
Wednesday afternoon, I rolled down the stairs at HoB to walk over to the hotel for a meeting and the entrance lobby for HoB had 3 guys in SWAT gear minus helmets and a Cook Cty deputy. Walk outside and there's a slew of cop cars.

I ask about Thursday morning at breakfast and find out that a guy and his wife had been beaten and robbed in the alley behind the hotel earlier that afternoon. SUV rolls up and 3 dudes get out, pistol whipped the husband and broke his jaw before or after they robbed them.
 
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I spent this week in Chicago at a conference with customers.

The event was at the House of Blues, which was a great venue to host a bunch people, and I hosted 2 client dinners.

Quartino was very good. Ended up being done family style for the 8 of us, so I was able to have a little bit of everything and everything tasted great. A couple of items were exceptional, the house made tortellini and the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. various pizzas, a sausage and risoto dish, Orecchiette and a ton of salumi and cheese plates. A client picked the wine, so I'm not sure what we drank beyond a pinot and chianti. The chianti was excellent. Great experience for everyone and not a bad word about anything from a single person in the party.

The next night we had 16 people at Gene and Georgetti. Everyone raved about their food. We drank our faces off. But again, somebody else ordered the wine and I was too busy with conversations to pay attention to what was being poured, so I'm not sure what we were drinking. Steaks ruled the day, but I saw pork chops and gnocchi being served too. I thought we went overboard on appetizers with calamari, sausage & Peppers, shrimp cocktail, prsciutto & barrata, and carpaccio.

This was the first time since the fall of '19 where we were able to attend a large event with clients and prospects. I had forgotten how much it is to be out and face to fae with people in that kind of setting. There was so much pent up demand for human interaction that you could tell how downright giddy some people were and everyone enjoyed themselves. It's crazy to think that a few of these people are annually spending a million plus with us and this was the first time we'd actually met face to face.
Ahhhh Chicago Sausage and Peppers. I miss em.
 
Wednesday afternoon, I rolled down the stairs at HoB to walk over to the hotel for a meeting and the entrance lobby for HoB had 3 guys in SWAT gear minus helmets and a Cook Cty deputy. Walk outside and there's a slew of cop cars.

I ask about Thursday morning at breakfast and find out that a guy and his wife had been beaten and robbed in the alley behind the hotel earlier that afternoon. SUV rolls up and 3 dudes get out, pistol whipped the husband and broke his jaw before or after they robbed them.
we used to love to take a few days and head to chicago

no more
 
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I spent this week in Chicago at a conference with customers.

The event was at the House of Blues, which was a great venue to host a bunch people, and I hosted 2 client dinners.

Quartino was very good. Ended up being done family style for the 8 of us, so I was able to have a little bit of everything and everything tasted great. A couple of items were exceptional, the house made tortellini and the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. various pizzas, a sausage and risoto dish, Orecchiette and a ton of salumi and cheese plates. A client picked the wine, so I'm not sure what we drank beyond a pinot and chianti. The chianti was excellent. Great experience for everyone and not a bad word about anything from a single person in the party.

The next night we had 16 people at Gene and Georgetti. Everyone raved about their food. We drank our faces off. But again, somebody else ordered the wine and I was too busy with conversations to pay attention to what was being poured, so I'm not sure what we were drinking. Steaks ruled the day, but I saw pork chops and gnocchi being served too. I thought we went overboard on appetizers with calamari, sausage & Peppers, shrimp cocktail, prsciutto & barrata, and carpaccio.

This was the first time since the fall of '19 where we were able to attend a large event with clients and prospects. I had forgotten how much it is to be out and face to fae with people in that kind of setting. There was so much pent up demand for human interaction that you could tell how downright giddy some people were and everyone enjoyed themselves. It's crazy to think that a few of these people are annually spending a million plus with us and this was the first time we'd actually met face to face.
Hated nothing more than having to suck up to clients.

If we’re friends, let’s party. If not, I hated acting like we were.

Plus crime. Plus Covid. Plus Chitown.
 
Hated nothing more than having to suck up to clients.

If we’re friends, let’s party. If not, I hated acting like we were.

Plus crime. Plus Covid. Plus Chitown.
Do you think the clients see it as shallow too? They have to know you are only buttering them up so they will sign or stay with you. I do admit it sure would feel good to have people want you so much like that. But after thinking on it it would be empty.
 
Hated nothing more than having to suck up to clients.
Im fortunate. I genuinely liked all of them that attended and had a great time. I'm at a point in my career that early in the sales cycle I can weed out the ones that are going to be nothing but problems, and the people that are looking for the cheapest option that think they can push you around generally self select themselves to go somewhere else.

Still have the occasional client that isn't any fun to hang out with, but not many.
 
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