The closure of Blind Pig Brewing has left a gap on the shelves of the beer aisle in the grocery store which is being filled with other Illinois brewers. In the Cards is from Pollyanna Brewing Company, based in Lemont, Illinois (up towards Chicago). It’s an okay hazy APA, but lacking in distinctive hop flavors.

A can of In the Cards, from Pollyanna Brewing, sitting on a coaster

Nia grup-kunvenejo ne plu nomiĝas la bierfarejo Blinda Porko, sed ili ankoraŭ uzas la samajn glasojn. Hodiaŭ mi trinkas bieron “No Call No Show,” kiu estas malfacila por traduki Esperanten. Estas frazo por kiam laboristo ne aperas ĉe laborejo, kaj ne antaŭe telefonas por diri tion.

For several weeks before and after the winter solstice, I’m quite prone to seasonal depression. In recent years, I’ve come up with a list of things I can do to ward off depression, two of which we practiced today.

First, we went to the University of Illinois Conservatory. It’s a rather handsome greenhouse where the plant biologists keep interesting plants, and make the space available to the public to come and see the plants, and hang out in the warm and humid and sunny.

Sadly, today it wasn’t sunny.

Interior of the University of Illinois Conservatory, on a rather grey day

But that’s okay. It was still warm and somewhat humid, with lots of exotic plants.

After the Conservatory, we went to the iHotel, where we had drinks by the fireplace, then went into Houlihan’s for lunch, then sat in front of the fireplace some more.

Jackie in front of the fireplace at Houlihan's, with our drinks on the table in front of her

It was very nice. I’m sure it staved off winter depression for a day or two.