My day today represents the best travel can be. It was jam packed and I’m tired, but I wouldn’t have sacrificed one minute of it.
My first stop was to revisit the “Bean.” Officially titled Cloud Gate, it is a monumental stainless-steel sculpture by artist Anish Kapoor. It is an iconic symbol of Chicago that draws millions of visitors to Millennium Park. There is something that compels everyone (including me) to pose and play with the weird reflections and, of course, to take far too many photos.
Crossing the street, I paid a visit to a favorite building, the Chicago Cultural Center. It opened in 1897 as the city’s first central public library. Remnants of that history remain in mosaics. In the 1990s the building was repurposed as a public arts venue hosting free concerts, exhibitions, lectures, and performances. I used to go to meetings in that building, and then and now, appreciate the beauty of it. What I wanted to revisit was its Tiffany stained-glass dome, the largest in existence.
From there I walked down Michigan Avenue to The Art Institute of Chicago, just in time for opening at 11 am. For the next two hours I wandered through the galleries (resting frequently). One of the highlights for me was The Thorne Miniature Rooms. I first visited them over fifty years ago with my mother. I recall spending a lot of time with her oohing over the intricate details of the dioramas. This time I was again ooh’d, I’d forgotten how magnificent they are. They are miniature masterpieces. I did a quick sweep through other galleries; the Impressionists, Japanese and Chinese Art. I saw only a small fraction of what’s on display.
A friend recommended that I have lunch at Cindy’s Rooftop restaurant, perched atop the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. In the elevator up, I chatted with a young man. He didn’t have a reservation and was uncertain he’d be able to be seated. I invited him to sit with me. Leo and I had the most delightful conversation. He’s an attorney who was in town to be at the ceremony of some friends who were getting sworn into the bar association. Lunch went by too fast. As a thank you for sharing my table (and our lively conversation) he insisted on buying me lunch. Before we parted ways, we went onto the restaurant’s terrace with its panoramic views of Millennium Park, Lake Michigan, and the city skyline to take photographs. It was a serendipitous meeting that could not have been more pleasant.
My next new friend came via Facebook. When I mentioned I’d be visiting Chicago, Louise DM’d me and offered to take me on a tour of Chicago’s street art. It was an offer I was delighted to accept. She met me outside the restaurant, and we were off on an adventure. I saw parts of Chicago I’d never seen and didn’t even know existed.
Our first stop was Prairie Avenue, located in Chicago’s Near South Side. It was once the city’s most prestigious residential street during the late 19th century, often referred to as “the Fifth Avenue of the Midwest.” The homes are immaculately preserved and gorgeous. Next, we passed Willie Dixson’s Blues Garden. It’s an outdoor performance space adjacent to the historic Chess Records building at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue (one of the most influential labels in blues and early rock ‘n’ roll history). It was the recording studio for Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, Chuck Berry, and Willie Dixon. Later, The Rolling Stones recorded there and named an instrumental track “2120 South Michigan Avenue” in its honor.
We were just beginning. Next stop was Chinatown, where we took a stroll and stopped for decadent ice cream in a funky, wonderful ice cream shop. Then it was off to Pilsen, located on Chicago’s Lower West Side. It’s known for its rich Mexican American heritage. We went there to see the street art. We zig-zagged through the neighborhood, stopping frequently to admire and take photos of the art. I was wowed by the rail embankment which seems to go on forever, decorated with amazing murals.
By that point, both Louise and I were tired, even though I doubt we’d seen close to all the art in the neighborhood. It was time for dinner. We ended up in Greektown, at the Greek Islands restaurant. I highly recommend it, dinner was delicious. And, as a rarity in Chicago, there was free valet parking.
A long, wonderful day. I made two new friends and saw both treasured favorite sites in Chicago as well as a slew of new ones.