Last weekend I said, "see ya soon!" to my kids and husband and headed off to meet a friend in Chicago. Lucky for me my friend is an art and architecture nerd like myself; and had a great time in this remarkable city. I'm going to list my favorite things we did, just in case you ever find yourself in Chicago and want to have a great time too.
1. Architecture Tour from the Chicago River - I've been waiting to do this tour for approximately 15 years, it was well worth the wait. My favorite part was probably seeing the Marina Towers and thinking about what it would be like to live in a high rise with your boat parked underneath your building. Or maybe it was hearing the story of the Chicago Fire while sitting on the very river that fire leapt over to burn the entire city to the ground. Possibly it was learning how they built skyscrapers on top of rail lines, but I also liked the fountain. It's hard to pick just one thing. The take home message for me was that Chicago really values it's ingenuity over antiquity.
1. Architecture Tour from the Chicago River - I've been waiting to do this tour for approximately 15 years, it was well worth the wait. My favorite part was probably seeing the Marina Towers and thinking about what it would be like to live in a high rise with your boat parked underneath your building. Or maybe it was hearing the story of the Chicago Fire while sitting on the very river that fire leapt over to burn the entire city to the ground. Possibly it was learning how they built skyscrapers on top of rail lines, but I also liked the fountain. It's hard to pick just one thing. The take home message for me was that Chicago really values it's ingenuity over antiquity.
Aqua - the 2nd building from the right has balconies that were constructed to look like water falling
Harry Weese's River Cottages -port hole inspired windows and all
Image from Link Bridge - taken from Wikipedia
The gold topped building in the middle back is the Carbide and Carbon Building. This building was built during Prohibition and was styled as a champagne bottle, clever eh?
2. Art Institute of Chicago- I loved standing in front of the painting, "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte". There is something about Ferris Bueller's Day Off and my childhood that will always be significant.
I teared up a bit in front of Chagall's America Windows. This is a must see.
3. Millenium Park - home of the bean and a cool art feature where a woman's face is the backdrop for a great fountain, also great sculpture garden and concert location
Amphitheatre build by Frank Gehry
Yvonne Domenge's Wind Waves
4. Chicago Public Library - I didn't get to go inside, but this gargoyle beckoned to me while I waited for a bus.
5. Hyde Park - Home of the University of Chicago, a couple Frank Lloyd Wright homes, an amazing neo-gothic chapel built by the Rockefellers, and a lovely walk along Lake Michigan.
Bye for now Chicago, I'll be back
- Andrea
