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Chicago.
What a town! Definitely my kind of town. The City is a bustle of people, sights, sounds, smells.
I recently had the opportunity to travel to the Windy City as my wife had a 4 day conference downtown. This left me with free reign to explore downtown.
The first day there we decided to grab a “Big Bus” tour and sit up top to really see the city. We were lucky enough to get a very good guide, his name was Mattie, and he was a riot. We learned so much from the loop tour, as this really gave us the chance to venture out and see specific items that were of interest. I highly recommend doing something similar to this in any city you travel to for an extended stay. I know, this sounds so touristy and paying money to the “Man” for something you can do on your own seems silly, but in my experience, other than a local guide, this is the best ban for your buck you can do to narrow down your list of must see items in a new city.
We hopped off the bus around the John Hancock building, as we wanted to see the observation deck on the 93rd floor. As we walked around we stumbled across the elevators for the Signature Club on the 96th floor. We decided to grab a glass of wine and see what it offered! The view was unobstructed and amazing. You can see the entire city, Navy Pier to the South Side. We enjoyed our beverages and set off downstairs to find the elevator to the Observation deck. Well, we found out that the Observation deck was on the 93rd floor, and the tickets were just to get to the floor. Then there was an additional charge for the pivoting glass section that tilts out from the side of the building and looks straight down. To be honest we had better views at the Signature Club and there was no cover to get in. So lesson learned! We walked Michigan Ave and stopped in to a few shops and just enjoyed the day.
We also had tickets to see Hamilton at the CIBC Theater. This venue is magnificent! An amazing place to catch a show as it is such a good example of the 20’s style of architecture the city has to offer. An excellent place to food and drink as well, as there are many good restaurants within walking distance of the event. This capped off our first day in the city, and we drank up as much of the city as we could!
Now for the next 3 days Kelly would be in conferences all day, and i would walk the city! First order of business, find a local coffee shop that was not a Starbucks……
That was more difficult than i originally thought. I did find a good one, Intelligencia, and started my mornings there each day. I planned my days there from the window facing the street and pondered my destinations. First up, Millennium Park. This was a very short walk from the Hyatt, and was bustling with people. The weather was beautiful on this first day, and the “Bean” was a popular spot. I walked the adjoining parks and down Michigan Ave to 18th st.. Such an amazing avenue! I enjoyed The Chicago Architecture Foundation and The Pritzker Military museum and library. Fantastic little museums, great information and displays. And of course the trip would not have been complete at this end of Michigan without spending quite a bit of time in the Art Institute of Chicago. I spent at least 6 hours in here until i got too tired and needed refreshments. I probably saw and appreciated a little over half of what the Art Institute had to show me.
One philosophical side note, When i walked towards the Impressionist wing, i turned down and hallway and just froze. At the end of the hall was my childhood. Any Gen X’er knows “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”, Georges Seurat. You may not know the name of the painting or even the artist, but the painting will instantly bring you back to a water tower that says “Save Ferris”. This painting is so striking, not just for the sheer size of it, or the beautiful colors, but to me, this was first seen during my most vigorous youth, as a senior at Spring Hill High School. This painting took me so shockingly back to my youth. I sat in the room just looking at it, seeing many things i hadn’t thought about in decades. I looked into my past. I looked into the Paintings past. I moved around to the back side of the room, and just watched how different generations looked at this picture. I was mesmerized on how a painting could deeply move me.
The Food. Of course the food! I ate my way across the town! I love Italian. I cannot get enough of it. Every meal i had was either a local Italian sandwich shop, Pizza, or just a good dish. I enjoy eating what ever a town is know for, or the culture it has. I do not eat seafood in Kansas City, nor Bar B Q in Chicago. This town has some of the best Italian in the country, and I wasnt going to miss it! We did however have one night of Sushi, that was outstanding as well!
This is a very large town. Large population. What was striking to me was watching some of the “Lost People” of the city. Some people that are ignored, some that are in their own little world just getting by, movers and shakers handling million dollar deals at the coffee shops. I have found in my travels that I always sit at the bar. This is where the action is. Where you get to meet all walks of life. You can interact as much or as little as you like, but the show is there for the watching.
Architecture. Iconic Buildings. Once again Michigan Avenue. The Chicago Tribune, Carbon and Carbide, John Hancock Building, Chicago Water Tower, London Guarantee Building, and the list can go on and on and on. Arguably the best thing to ever happen to Chicago was the great fire. This changed not only the landscape but the skyline as well. If you enjoy art deco, this city is amazing just to take pictures of doorways and building corners. The iconic Route 66 starts at Michigan and Adams/Wabash directly looking at the Art Institute of Chicago then going on 2451 miles ending at the Santa Monica Pier. Incredible history.
Now that I am back in Denver, i realize how big America is. I realize the micro environments that big cities have. Denver is NOT Kansas City, my home town. Nor is it Chicago by any means. These cities have their own vibe and culture that is completely different than other towns. It really makes one appreciate the diversity of our country, how great it truly is.
Enough of the Philosophy, bottom line, Chicago is My kind of Town.