The Nationwide is a five-day present — Wednesday via Sunday. Usually, I arrange on Wednesday morning. Sadly, I’m now a bit infirm and may’t deal with establishing Wednesday morning then stay open for enterprise via 8 p.m. So, I paid an additional $100 for the privilege of establishing on Tuesday, one thing I’ve by no means completed earlier than.
Dave and I deliberate to go away Monday round midday and arrive in Cleveland round time for supper, loosen up, then head over to the Conference Middle Tuesday morning for arrange. Because it at all times appears to go, I needed to get some work completed for my actual job within the morning on Monday and into the afternoon. I had hoped to be out of the home by 11 a.m. however ended up leaving for Dave’s place round 2 p.m.
Previous to hitting the highway, I loaded into my automotive 12 show circumstances, one bin of playing cards, a number of bins of playing cards, two card tables and my baggage. My automotive regarded pretty full. I used to be involved I’d not have sufficient room to slot in Dave’s stuff.
Site visitors heading south on the I294 was horrible. It got here to a standstill on the O’Hare exit. I made a decision to exit at Irving Park and take Route 83 right down to Dave’s place. Fairly a little bit of site visitors on Route 83 as effectively. It was a irritating drive.
I pulled up into Dave’s driveway and noticed his storage was open and all his circumstances and luggage have been lined up, ready for me. I felt horrible being so late. I advised Dave earlier that I’d be there round midday. To my credit score, I did ship him an e mail round midday in an effort to let him know I used to be operating late. He by no means noticed the e-mail. Sorry Dave!
Anyway, I used to be in a position to match Dave’s 4 show circumstances, three bins of playing cards, assorted luggage and his cart on prime of all my stuff. We had my automotive packed to the gills however every thing match. Woot!
We hopped again on the 294 at Roosevelt Street. It was a parking zone. It appeared to clear up pretty fast and we made it to Indiana very quickly. Dave instructed we cease for lunch in South Bend. I agreed. I had solely been to South Bend as soon as earlier than after I arrange at a present there final September. I’ve by no means been to Downtown or the Notre Dame campus. We determined to attempt to discover a place to eat Downtown.
Downtown South Bend is type of desolate, not what I anticipated. We had hassle discovering a restaurant. We ended up at a Thai Restaurant. Dave has by no means eaten Thai meals earlier than. I like it and eat it on a regular basis. I ordered us each Rooster Satay and Rooster Pad Thai and Thai Ice Teas. I beloved all of it whereas Dave… not a lot. Sorry Dave!
Again on the highway, we made it to Cleveland shortly after darkish. A number of months in the past, Dave booked us six nights on the Travelodge Resort close to the Cleveland Airport — extra on the Travelodge later.
I feel I fell asleep round midnight and tossed and turned a lot of the evening. I’m simply too excited in the course of the first few nights of the Nationwide to sleep. We hit a close-by Bob Evans for breakfast, which is nearly at all times stable.
Straightforward drive to the I-X Middle. We had hoped to have the ability to drive my automotive into the I-X Middle and proper as much as our sales space. Nevertheless, we noticed a HUGE line of automobiles ready to drive into the constructing. The road was not shifting. The numskulls in control of this deal have been solely permitting a trickle of autos into the constructing at a time. We determined to park and cargo in from the parking zone which turned out to be a bit troublesome as a result of it was a little bit of a stroll within the sizzling solar then into the recent constructing and as much as our sales space. I used to be exhausted after three journeys from the automotive to the sales space.
We arrange the sales space the identical manner we did it final yr with Dave on one finish and my stuff arrange in a U-shape deal behind him, protecting the remainder of the sales space. It didn’t take Dave lengthy to arrange. I, then again, took a number of hours. I cleaned the glass on all 12 show circumstances then positioned playing cards within the circumstances separately.
Whereas establishing, we noticed our previous buddy Josh, who simply occurred to be arrange subsequent to us. I went to legislation faculty with Josh greater than 20 years in the past. Josh is actual shut with considered one of our previous legislation faculty professors who collects classic playing cards. The professor is generally an important buyer of Dave’s. It was good to meet up with Josh and I’m trying ahead to seeing our previous professor later this week.
Whereas I used to be establishing, a collector from Canada sat down at Dave’s desk and spent the subsequent two hours pulling playing cards. Dave ended up with a monster sale and an incredible begin to the 2024 Nationwide. I’m nonetheless on zero gross sales.
After arrange, we hit Huge Boy over by the Travelodge. I had a slim Jim sandwich whereas Dave had a Huge Boy Burger. My sandwich was nice. Dave didn’t like his burger. After our meal, we went again to the Travelodge, which I wish to focus on a bit bit now.
So, as you realize, Dave and I am going first-class, prime notch to the Nationwide yearly. No expense is simply too nice for us. We’re often known as massive spenders in most circles. We at all times reside in luxurious. Pictured under is the chair I’m sitting on now whereas typing this weblog.
In my estimation, I consider the chair is from the early Renaissance. The stain was in all probability made by Da Vinci. When, I tire of resting on the Da Vinci chair, I transfer throughout the room and loosen up on the Shakespeare chair under.
The tour of our beautiful room continues with the wall decor under which was designed by a really costly agency from Beverly Hills… I consider the identify of the agency is Fred G. Sanford and Son Ltd.
No room is full until it accommodates a door that results in nowhere, as Dave and I are fortunate to have right here on the Cleveland Travelodge, pictured under.
Our elegant tour continues with a view of the resort hallway, pictured under, designed in early Soviet Public Housing, which is all the craze today.
From the modern hallway, one might entry the ultra-modern elevator, pictured under, right down to the foyer.
Exiting the elevator, one is handled to the pleasant foyer adorned in early-modern Shaft meets Cunning Brown.
Our tour of Dave and Tony’s Cleveland Luxurious Journey continues with the facade of our beautiful resort with these fantastic balconies, pictured under, which can be under no circumstances crumbling.
Anyway, extra to come back from the 2024 Nationwide. In case you are planning to attend, come see us in Sales space 1144!!!
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