Soup & Bread: The book party

That, my friends, is a cake shaped like a Crock-Pot, courtesy of Celeste Dolan at Celestial Kitchens. And it epitomizes the demented genius  — and over-the-top enthusiasm — that were the hallmarks of our book release party.

I think I speak for everyone involved with S&B and the party-planning enterprise when I say HOLY SHIT. Where did all you people come from?

It was overwhelming, and so gratifying to see so many people come out to support Soup & Bread. I’m particularly grateful to those who waited patiently outside the Hideout while we tried to move people through the soup room and thin things out a bit. As far as I know, no one went away hungry, and your spirits did not flag despite the crowds and the very, very long lines.

A full set of party pix can be found on Flickr here, courtesy of Agate‘s Diana Slickman, ace photographer. (Thanks, Slick.) And, while I did try and thank everyone who made the party, and the book, possible at the time, I am not the greatest public speaker, and I rushed and fumbled and surely forgot someone, or several someones. So, bear with me for a minute while I do it once more, for the record.

Thank you so very much to Doug Seibold (the tall guy above), Diana S. Zach Rudin, Jenny Sikora, Eileen Johnson, Jali Becker, and everyone at Agate who believed in this project and helped us create this beautiful book. And thank you to the Hideout! Katie and Tim and Ick and Immer, for not being fazed when the staff comes up with crazypants ideas like this, and Andrea Jablonski, Mariapaz Camargo, and Ryan Hembrey for keeping things running smoothly during the party even when I, clearly, was running off the rails.

Thank you to our stellar party-planning committee, especially Liz Tamny, who went above and beyond to produce posters, signage, buttons, and little swaggy garlands with which to adorn the walls of the Hideout, and to our volunteers – Helen Tsatsos, Julie Sampson, Laura Park, Sarah Gardiner, stalwart salesladies Sarah Bortt (above),  Irma Nunez, and Jen McLaughlin, and everyone who brought food for the table – and to DJ Mike Bulington for spinning music to eat soup by long past our planned curtain.

Thank you so much to all the soup cooks: To Jill Barron at Mana Food Bar, Carol Watson at Milk & Honey, Karen Gerod at Swim Cafe, Susan Goss at West Town Tavern, Rob Levitt and Chris (last name?) at the Butcher & Larder, Josh Deth and Michelle Foik at Revolution Brewing, Rodney Staton and Bruch Finkleman at Bite, Jared Wentworth at Longman & Eagle, and the incredibly generous Rida Shahin and Michelle Calderhead, at La Farine Bakery. Go there. Buy their bread. You won’t be sorry.

A million thanks to Sr. Joellen Tumas, of the Casa Catalina Basic Human Needs Center in Back of the Yards, who spoke plainly and eloquently about the value of a Soup & Bread donation out in the world, breaking down the nuts and bolts of how your $5 or $10 can fill a vital need for a diabetic, or a child. She is one busy nun, and I’m so glad she took the time to come up and have some soup with us.

And, last but not least, thank you to three people who managed to successfully evade Diana’s camera: Alison True, who expertly edited the manuscript for the book and who strongarmed hors d’oeuvres out of Hot Doug and many others. Paul Dolan, whose beautiful illustrations are such a key part of the Soup & Bread package. And Sheila Sachs, book designer, mailing list manager, tablecloth launderer, cake facilitator, volunteer coordinator, and basically just all-around brilliant friend and collaborator. Thank you all so much. Let’s do it again!

ETA! NBC Chicago’s The Feast has a live, on-the-scene report; go here for the moving pictures.