Saturday, September 29, 2012

Stone Faced and the Billy Goat Tavern



The other day we had the opportunity to visit an interesting Chicago landmark and grab a geocache while we were at it.  The name of the geocache is Stone Faced  and for this particular cache you had to go to the Tribune Tower and take a photo of one of the famous features of the building.

(photo wikipedia images)

The Tribune Tower is located on Michigan Ave. World famous WGN broadcasts from the building.



Prior to it's being built in 1925, Colonel McCormick sent correspondents out with the unusual request to bring back rocks and bricks from historic sites throughout the world.  The relics they brought back were incorporated into the outside lower levels of the building, and labeled with their original origins.























And recently added.....


It was interesting to walk around the building and get to touch artifacts from around the world!

Afterwards we walked across the street and had lunch at the Billy Goat Tavern, which is located underneath Michigan Ave.


The Billy Goat Tavern is known for several things, one of them being "The Cubs Curse."  The original owner of the tavern, William Sianis, brought his goat to Game 4 of the World Series in 1945, when the Cubs were playing a home game against Detroit.  Cubs Owner, Philip Wrigley, allegedly kicked Sianis and his goat out of their box seats because the goat smelled.  In retaliation  Sianis placed a curse on the Cubs, saying they would never win another pennant or play in a World Series.




If you're familiar with the old Saturday Night Live bit where John Belushi screams "Cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger!" well, this is the restaurant on which they based their Olympia Cafe.


Yes, I had a cheezborger and when I ordered "fries," I was told "no fries, cheeps."  So I had a cheezborger and cheeps and afterwards went outside and found another geocache - Ziggy vs. The Goat.

12 comments:

  1. Now that sounds like a very cool building! Fascinating idea (and a bit crazy!) :o)
    But I can't help but wonder how he got "authorisation" to get some of those stones... ;o)

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  2. The Stones are so interesting! I've never heard of this landmark but it's intriguing! Love that Cheezborger...oh my! That's my favorite meal in the world! Happy weekend!

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  3. That building needs some granite from the Black Hills! :) Looks like an interesting place to visit.

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    1. Linda, they may have had one. I seem to remember seeing that but didn't take a picture.

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  4. Thanks for visiting my blog, and leaving a sweet comment. I am following yours. I used to do a bit of geocaching when I lived in PA. That was fun.

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    1. Oh, a fellow geocacher! I'm always happy to meet another blogger who has done that. Don't you cache anymore? Thanks for coming by.

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  5. I found this article very interesting. I'd want to see and touch all those different artifacts too! But The Honey would be rushing me...he isn't the artifact type! hmmmpph!... anyway, I've been to the Alamo...with him and it's a blurr. So I'd love to touch the stone from the Alamo...and Ground Zero...those to were my favorite.
    I was wondering if you had to drink Pepsi with your cheezborger and cheeps?
    I'd have to order water...I'm a Coke gal!

    ...this post made me laugh at the end because I remember those skits! (does that mean I'm old?) Pat

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    1. No older than I am because I remember the FIRST SNL episode. Ugh, I AM old! LOL!

      Actually, they have a sign that reads "No Pepsi, Coke." That's what they serve - coke, thank goodness. John Belushi switched the words in the skit to "No coke, pepsi."

      My favorite artifact was from Italy and I made my daughter touch it because one of these days I want to take her there.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. Loved this post...and now....I'm hungry for a cheezborger..:)

    I have never really understood the geocache thing....??

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  7. The landmarks are amazing! What a cool way to incorporate them into the structure.

    That is one tasty looking cheeseborger!

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  8. I was raised outside Chicago (across the Indiana state line in Whiting, IN) but I didn't spend much time in the Windy City. I had heard of the curse of the Cubs and your background about it is interesting.

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  9. I want some cheeps! That's crazy funny about the Cubs' curse!

    What I found really fascinating are the imported bricks at the Tribune Tower. Imagine in this day and age if one were to get away with a relic from the Alamo?!

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