Don't say peep while I'm doing business here.

Free Lebowski Roast from Highland Coffee and Free Speed of Sound Tour Poster just for showing up! 414 Baxter Ave: Louisville, KY!

Original Pin Suits with Bowling Ball Sold to the Dudes at Maximum ASP!

Lebowski Fest yard sale has begun!

My favorite 10 pictures from Lebowski Fest Chicago 2010

Honestly, I think I set a record low as far as how many pictures I took the past Friday & Saturday during Lebowski Fest Chicago. Part of it is because many more people take better pictures and it's increasingly easier to find other people's albums on Facebook.

With that disclaimer, like Lebowski Fest Chicago, now behind us here are my top ten favorite pictures (in no particular order) from my own personal camera:


Over the line!


This Walter didn't win "Best Walter" but I appreciated the effort in detail with show dog picture.


One of the first top tier costumes I saw during the Bowling Party. Admittedly, the fact that this is a couple dressing up together touched a soft spot (Well yes, what did you think this was all about? Fun and games?)


The Golfer has been done before, and by many people (yours truly included). However, this costume was by far the best executed. She had it won for me at the Argyle socks - but the golf bag to boot was icing on the visor topped cake.


Those that attended the 9th Annual Lebowski Fest in Louisville were introduced to the unveiling of "Hot Ass Maggie" as a method to showcase a blanket toss. I have the feeling this group costume idea will become a Lebowski Fest mainstay.


I think I heard the Founding Dudes say that this past weekend was the 40th or so Fest. Which means anytime you hear them say, "Lebowski Fest First" when it comes to a costume it's quite extraordinary. It's also a great costume because you'd only know this was a costume once inside a Lebowski Fest. (And for those of you wanting to be a Trivia champion - don't forget the name Irene Olga López.)


In what the Founding Dudes called another LF-First, what you have here is the Corvette of Larry Sellers' neighbor. Oh, and that's a giant crowbar. Bonus points for the "Do you see what happens, Larry" sticker on the car. (They also won brownie points for giving me my personal Fest highlight: they said they've actually read these posts to me!)


Lebowski Fest Chicago 2010 set itself apart from the others in how the Best Costume Finalists SOLD their characters. Each were given the microphone and nearly all of them exponentially added to their costume with brilliant performance. Knox Harrington, the video artist, has been done before (yes yes) and even by people who look more like David Thewlis, but none of them got out a phone to talk to Sandra and laugh like this character!


I urge everyone to find better angles of this, Best Costume winning, costume. See if you can figure it out by from the clues such as "tripped on a cloud" and "tore my mind on a jagged sky." Some of the best, next level, costumes cause everyone to pause to think through the process. The one aspect of this costume that pictures won't be able to translate is how this man took the microphone and led the entire Bowling Party in a sing-a-long to his costume. After that, he walked off the stage the winner.


Finally, one gratuitous picture of myself.[TQ]

Chicago is in full swing!

Nice Marmot poster by Chicago's own Jay Ryan.

It's audio, Dude.

It's great how the radio shows we all love embrace the podcast as a new medium. Basically, it's Audio On Demand:
Wave of the future, Dude. 100% electronic.

Even if you listened manually last night while the rest of us were at the Movie Party, give a listen to the great interview on WGN Radio (not exactly a lightweight) of our Founding Dudes.

Special thank yous and A Good Day To You Sir! for WGN Radio personality/talent/Achiever Nick Digilio and his humble Donny-esque producer Andy Herman for getting the Founding Dudes on the air during the tail end of the Chicago Lebowski Fest Movie Party.[TQ]

Last nights "special guests" - an amphibious rodent and a showdog with papers.

Thanks Chicago Achievers!

Movie about to start!

First Jason featured a key-guitar, Vaudezilla had it's dancing Maude, and Blue Moon Swamp reminds us to have Credence in the deck.

Movie's up next. Your roll.[TQ]

See you tonight Chicago Achievers!

Tonight @ Portage - 7:00 Doors 7:45 First Jason 8:15 Burlesque 8:45 Creedence 10:00 Film Screening (35mm!) - Tickets available at the door!

First Jason kicks off the Movie Party tonight at The Portage at 7:45. Skeered?

CHICAGO MOVIE PARTY TONIGHT!

No more tickets are available for the Bowling Party tomorrow.
I hope my fellow Chicago neighbors step up and make tonight's Movie Party a sell out as well!

Not that anybody reads these posts, but if you do and are going tonight I hope to meet you. You won't be able to miss me: I'll be wearing a highly colorful ORANGE (like construction worker high visibility orange) "Quintana Child Care" T-Shirt. The shirt is of course courtesy the magnificent "7:11 Crew" from Greater Cleveland.[TQ]

Chicago Bowling is SOLD OUT! Tix still available for the Movie Screening w/ Creedence at The Portage tonight. http://lebowskifest.com

Chicago Bowling is SOLD OUT! Tix are still available for the Movie with Creedence tonight. http://lebowskifest.com

It don't matter to Jesus!

Chicagoland Achievers: Bowling Tickets are almost gone! Put the piece away and get your tickets today! http://lebowskifest.com

What is that... yoga?

I just bought my tickets for Rollin' Outta Here Naked!
Achievers who are attending the Movie Party this Friday in Chicago will only get a tease of what Vaudezilla brings to the party.
Don't let your thinking about this case get uptight... Consider buying your tickets before they bust out (pun, regretfully, intended) at the Portage Theater, the venue of choice for the Lebowski Fest Chicago Movie Party. You can expect ticket sales to peak after their Lebowski Fest showing.
*Speaking of tickets: Did you get your tickets for Lebowski Fest Chicago yet?

Back to the babes: My prior assumptions of the show's rumored expansion have since been confirmed:

"We have expanded this year. We've got twice as many bowling showgirls, a slew of new characters (as well as some old familiar favorites), and - sure to make you happy - all-new original sketches to go along with last year's favorites!

It's bigger. It's Lebowski-er. It's going to be a fun time."

I met nearly all of these performers last year. It was my privilege to bowl with them during last year's Bowling Party. The heart of this crew is the Dick Dijon / Red Hot Annie power couple: Who took home a Best Maude and Trivia trophy abidingly last year (not exactly lightweights). The only reason, in my mind, that Maria May I didn't win Best Jesus is because her breakaway purple jumpsuit isn't exactly "movie accurate."

Oh by the way... This part of Friday's festivities: The live action performance on the stage with top notch quality and top shelf boobs... That's all IN ADDITION to watching one of your most favorite Movies of all time on a large screen. I'll see you there.[TQ]

Is this your only I.D.?

Lebowski Fest Chicago starts this Friday and I'm getting very excited, the best way to describe the feeling might be:
The complete opposite feeling of a Jack-Daniels-drunken Nihilist passed out in a Bunny-side-Pool.

Late last night I e-mailed the Founding Dudes, volunteering my what-have-you skill set because the Fest is rather close to where I live. This isn't the first time I'm offered aid - usually they tell me they have it covered. The Founding Dudes are pros at this - a Swiss fucking Watch.

But they said they might need my help at the door.
HELP AT THE DOOR!
Fair warning, tell Walter

Here's a couple things you can expect to see if I'm working the will call desk for example:
"Is this your only ID?" when someone tries to prove who they are (expect this said in record volume).
"Over the line!" when someone gets too anty and cuts in front of another Achiever.

Here's a couple more gems I might throw out if I'm ripping ticket stubs:
"Fucking dog has fucking papers" when someone hands me a computer print out ticket.
"I can see your anxious for me to get to the point" if I happen to be distracted or delayed somehow.
"It don't matter to Jesus!" if someone thanks me at any point.

Okay, so that last example is rather lame and not in proper context... Which is why I'm really hoping some of the attendees throw it right back at me....

Suggestions:
"Who am I? Who am I? I'm the guy that's gonna KICK-" when I ask for your name at Will Call.
If a special lady friend coos "Your not blowing" while my head is down buried in a pile of names I'm going to probably give someone a High-5.

Who am I kidding? Any reference anybody attempts to throw at me is going to be awesome. Can't wait to see you all there!

Tickets are going quickly, especially with the locals looking ahead to the upcoming weekend. Don't delay and go get your tickets now![TQ]

Achiever Wardrobe Malfucntion

For those that don't know, I actually discovered www.lebowskifest.com because I wanted that poster over The Dude's bar. I bought that poster, and soon a shirt, before immersing myself in the Forum.

At first, I only read from afar - never posting. After much envy, I finally attended a Lebowski Fest when they came to my backyard. Some stranger, no not an actual Stranger, asked if I had ever been to the one in Louisville. The next July I was in Louisville.

Countless friends, and remarkable experiences later - not to mention a crazy fan email asking about a blog - I am now posting on the site and am about to attend my 6th Fest this weekend when it returns to Chicago.


That shirt I mentioned earlier, I love it. Without a doubt it is a "first string shirt" that I intentionally wear to special occasions. I wore it to when I first saw Radiohead live (where somebody yelled to me, "Hey!!! The Dude Abides! " and I replied with my usual, "And a good day to you sir!") and to the Golden Gate Bridge.


Last month I wore it to a company outing to Wrigley Field. That night I had made a poor judgment call by trying to make it through an opening that wasn't exactly pedestrian friendly and punctured my absolute favorite shirt. I had felt like I had failed to achieve, even in the modest task that was my charge.

(Not since I had ripped my Foo Fighters, first ever concert t-shirt, had I felt instant regret and sadness at a wardrobe malfunction)

But fear not! As if the Founding Dudes had sensed the calamity, they have recently unveiled a new Achiever Shirt! (Black. Darker'n a black steer's tookus on a moonless prairie night.)


So I'm actually faced with quite a conundrum: What should I replace it with? I love the Royal Blue classic edition, but understand the new Black model will easily go with more formal attire. Then again, you have the Visible Green counterpart that I know many prefer.

Which should I choose? Thankfully, all three options should be available at the Merch stand this weekend at Lebowski Fest Chicago 2010.

I will be there, will you?[TQ]