While in Bloomington, we stayed at the Indiana Memorial Union Hotel, where I worked for three years while I was in college. I worked as a bellhop, concessions clerk, parking attendant, front desk clerk, and night auditor. When I called to reserve the rooms, I was shocked to hear Jean answer the reservations line. She had been there for 20 years when I was working there, and now some 17 years later, she was still there. While making our reservations, she told me that she would be retiring before I got there, after 37+ years working at the hotel. I hope they gave her a big party.
We immediately went to Bear's Place, which was my hangout. They have 32 ounce long island ice teas for $6 great sandwiches and fries, and it is located next to the music school. A bunch of my Singing Hoosier friends would come to Bear's after rehearsal ended to eat and drink before going home to study. It still looks exactly the same, except they no longer serve the drinks in pitchers, but in big glasses. I guess it makes you seem less of a alcoholic.
I then took everyone to the Musical Arts Center, where I was in a few operas and concerts in school, to see David Baker's Big Band Extravaganza. David Baker is a renowned jazz composer and conductor, and is the current conductor for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. The concert was great, but when I looked at Ralph, Mike and Tom, they looked completely bored. Marcia and I were enjoying the concert, but I decided to leave at intermission to spare the boys from the torture. I have to admit it was hard to sit there after 32 ounces of long island ice tea.
We went to Irish Lion which was also a frequent hangout of mine and where I was first introduced to yards of beer. We had a couple half yards of beer, and this picture was taken at the beginning of the second half yard.
Our next stop was new to me. When I was in school, the gay bar was called Bullwinkle's and it was large and had a huge lighted dance floor like in Saturday Night Fever. Bullwinkle's was apparently condemned because it fell into disrepair and the owner did not have the cash to fix it up. The current gay bar is "Uncle Elizabeth's" and is housed in what feels like a double-wide trailer. Most everyone was sitting at the bar or at tables and not mixing it up very much. We decided to serve as the catalyst to shake things up a bit.
First Drink
50th Drink
First Drink
50th Drink
At 2:00 am, we decided that we should leave and get something to eat at Denny's. By this time, Tom was getting sick of the paparazzi constantly taking pictures of him. It is so hard being a celebrity, isn't it Tom?
When we got to Denny's we were seated near this group of about 20 people who looked like a cult or coven of vampires. When they left, one of the women stayed behind and started collecting every one's leftover food and putting it in a Styrofoam container. She then walked into the server station, and started pouring coffee in a mug. When the waiter asked what she was doing, she said the food and coffee was not for her. She said that one of her friend's died so she needs some food for the wake tomorrow. Yikes!
While in Bloomington, we stayed at the Indiana Memorial Union Hotel, where I worked for three years while I was in college. I worked as a bellhop, concessions clerk, parking attendant, front desk clerk, and night auditor. When I called to reserve the rooms, I was shocked to hear Jean answer the reservations line. She had been there for 20 years when I was working there, and now some 17 years later, she was still there. While making our reservations, she told me that she would be retiring before I got there, after 37+ years working at the hotel. I hope they gave her a big party.
We immediately went to Bear's Place, which was my hangout. They have 32 ounce long island ice teas for $6 great sandwiches and fries, and it is located next to the music school. A bunch of my Singing Hoosier friends would come to Bear's after rehearsal ended to eat and drink before going home to study. It still looks exactly the same, except they no longer serve the drinks in pitchers, but in big glasses. I guess it makes you seem less of a alcoholic. 
I then took everyone to the Musical Arts Center, where I was in a few operas and concerts in school, to see David Baker's Big Band Extravaganza. David Baker is a renowned jazz composer and conductor, and is the current conductor for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. The concert was great, but when I looked at Ralph, Mike and Tom, they looked completely bored. Marcia and I were enjoying the concert, but I decided to leave at intermission to spare the boys from the torture. I have to admit it was hard to sit there after 32 ounces of long island ice tea. 
We went to Irish Lion which was also a frequent hangout of mine and where I was first introduced to yards of beer. We had a couple half yards of beer, and this picture was taken at the beginning of the second half yard. 
Our next stop was new to me. When I was in school, the gay bar was called Bullwinkle's and it was large and had a huge lighted dance floor like in Saturday Night Fever. Bullwinkle's was apparently condemned because it fell into disrepair and the owner did not have the cash to fix it up. The current gay bar is "Uncle Elizabeth's" and is housed in what feels like a double-wide trailer. Most everyone was sitting at the bar or at tables and not mixing it up very much. We decided to serve as the catalyst to shake things up a bit. 
50th Drink
First Drink
50th Drink
At 2:00 am, we decided that we should leave and get something to eat at Denny's. By this time, Tom was getting sick of the paparazzi constantly taking pictures of him. It is so hard being a celebrity, isn't it Tom? 
When we got to Denny's we were seated near this group of about 20 people who looked like a cult or coven of vampires. When they left, one of the women stayed behind and started collecting every one's leftover food and putting it in a Styrofoam container. She then walked into the server station, and started pouring coffee in a mug. When the waiter asked what she was doing, she said the food and coffee was not for her. She said that one of her friend's died so she needs some food for the wake tomorrow. Yikes!
