Just returned from Chicago

[LatakiaLover]

I only managed to run into a few of you PF guys, but it was a great trip & good show. World name carvers everywhere you turned, and the best briar seen in years. Apparently the economic problems in Greece have made finding the stuff easier because more people are willing to do the job, and so new areas have opened up. Prices are also down from last year due to the abundant supply.

I'll post some pics tomorrow.

[LatakiaLover]

Here ya go.

Mostly I took personal pics, meaning memorable moments with friends, not "overview" ones. The reason being all shows look pretty much alike except for size, and I've been to dozens over the years.

Here are a few that will give you guys who've never been to Chicago an idea what it's like.

-----------------------------


Thursday afternoon in the smoking tent, with a dozen or so carvers (at any one time) chilling out while giving a preview of their wares. There were some formal pipe focus groups, workshops, & etc happing around the resort grounds, but for anyone not attending them it was "old friends meet-up day".

This shot is Adam Davidson, who definitely knows his way around a shop, has a personality as distinctive and interesting as his pipes, and covers the full spectrum from jaw-dropping "Danish quality" Dunhill replicas, to double magnum supergiant Blowfish... and he's barely out of high school (by my standards ) His future in the PipeWorld is bright indeed:



Friday morning was the pre-expo-hall exhibition & sale, held in the smoking tent. (I use the term "tent" loosely---substitute solid material for the fabric and it would be an airplane hangar).




Friday Afternoon was another slate of workshops and seminar-y stuff, and more hooking up and hanging out with friends.

Here's a typical scene. This time it's Russia-to-USA-transplant uber-carver Alex Florov talking with Dr. Dave (the other two I don't know), burning lots of tobacco and exchanging ideas.



Friday evening was/is the largest social gathering of pipe smokers under one roof in the world: the CPCC's annual free to all attendees buffet meal. The food is better than most restaurants you'll ever go to, conversation is non-stop, and though over 600 meals are served, there's no rush either in or out. (A leisurely smoking pace seems to rule everything in the PipeWorld.)



Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 5 is the show proper, open to the public and merch flying everywhere, from silk smoking jackets and tobacco, to vulcanite rods, briar blocks, and antique books. And pipes. Lots of pipes. About 30,000 of them.

These pics only caught two directions looking out from near the center of the floor, so double what you see here in your mind's eye. (As I said, I took mostly personal pics so missed a lot of what a proper journalist would cover.)





Saturday evening was the full-on, liveried-staff, sit-down dinner in a fancy schmantzy ballroom where everyone got spiffed up and the Doctor of Pipes award winners were announced and medals presented. I didn't want to disrupt the proceedings with a camera flash, though, so no pics.

I did get some shots of the four world-class collections that were on display just inside the expo entrance, but I'm gettin' hungry and don't want to leave a composition window open with Daisy on the prowl, so I'll post them later.

[Nate]

You can see my Mt Dew and elbow in the shot with Adam, and me at my table in the 5th pic down.

Sadly, I didn't get to set around the show at all really, so I missed out. No pics from me :/

[Sasquatch]

We can do a "Where's Waldo?" with these pix.

Spot: Alden's fat head


Spot: Bob Gilbert's beard


Spot: Danish Uber-master (either of 'em will get points)

[Alden]

Spot: Alden's fat head

Triple Bonus points if you find my fat head in two different pictures.
I feel like some kind of Bigtime Fammous Pipemaker.

[Ocelot55]

We can do a "Where's Waldo?" with these pix.

Spot: Alden's fat head


Spot: Bob Gilbert's beard


Spot: Danish Uber-master (either of 'em will get points)

Well I see Teddy in the third photo near Mogens Johansen. Kurt Balleby is in the 5th photo, Anthony Harris behind and to the left. He and Jimmy Craig seem to be staring at Bob Gilbert's beard. At least I think that's Bob.

[d.huber]

Spot: Danish Uber-master

Dude, I'm not Danish.

[e Markle]

It was a great show!

[LatakiaLover]

Spot: Danish Uber-master

Dude, I'm not Danish.

That explains why I couldn't find you to eyeball that urchin-blast pipe you posted a couple weeks ago. I kept wandering the halls of Fezzant Runn, calling, "Uber huber dude, hvor er du? Jeg vil gerne se, at spiny pip!" but got no reply.

It was heartbreaking.

[d.huber]

Spot: Danish Uber-master

Dude, I'm not Danish.

That explains why I couldn't find you to eyeball that urchin-blast pipe you posted a couple weeks ago. I kept wandering the halls of Fezzant Runn, calling, "Uber huber dude, hvor er du? Jeg vil gerne se, at spiny pip!" but got no reply.

It was heartbreaking.

I could've sworn I heard someone yell "uber huber" but then all I heard after that was gibberish and I figured some crazy dane had drunk too much wine.

[Sasquatch]

I thought it was the Swedish Chef making those chicken burgers.