Once again, I covered a lot of ground today, both in distance and meandering down memory lane. My first activity this morning was to take the river architecture tour. It’s something I did a couple of decades ago. But as Chicago’s architecture has changed significantly since then, it seemed a good idea to do it again.
On my way to the dock, I walked through the Plaza of the Americas. It’s a public space nestled next to the Wrigley Building (a gorgeous and beloved city landmark at the beginning of the Magnificent Mile). There are statues of Frieda Kahlo painted by local artists currently on display on the plaza. The city is a bit Khalo mad at the moment. There is a major exhibition of her work on now at the Art Institute of Chicago.
After that short detour, I slowly, oh so slowly, climbed down a long flight of stairs to get to the riverbank. When I arrived, there were only a few people waiting. The large boat pulled up to the dock and we boarded. I congratulated myself on choosing an early trip with lots of room to spread out. Then a HUGE group of kids on a field trip arrived. So much for an empty, quiet sailing.
The kids mostly behaved, and the tour was fun and educational. Seeing the city from the Chicago River provides a very different perspective. The city has changed tremendously since the last time I took this tour. The old and new coexist, sometimes harmoniously, sometimes not. And, according to the tour guide, if I return in ten years it will look quite different. There are a slew of major projects under construction or planned.
Because of the late arrival of the kids, we were late returning to dock. I made a dash to get a taxi to meet my friend Jan (I was late). Jan and I were colleagues, working together on a several projects. I hadn’t seen her since before covid. She’d suggested that we meet at Beatnik on the River. It’s a funky restaurant with a great view of the river, with ambiance to spare and excellent food. It was wonderful to catch up with Jan.
Post lunch, I headed to a museum I’d read about in the NY Times—the American Writers Museum. When I arrived, I quipped that I should get a discount since I have published two books. “You don’t want to be exhibited in this museum,” said the woman at the desk. “Why’s that?” I asked. “Because all of the writers in this museum are dead.” Yep, I don’t want to be exhibited there, at least not yet.
Considering the subject, American Writers, I was surprised to discover that most of the exhibits are interactive. At the entrance, visitors get to choose if they want to participate as a writer or reader. I chose writer, though I could have selected either. In truth, there isn’t much difference in how the two groups interact with the exhibits. I had a lot of fun and also learned a great deal.
I returned to the hotel for a break before my last activity of the day—a play at the Goodman Theater. “The Antiquities” is a strange show about how AI and robots came to rule the world and eliminate humans. It starts and ends with Mary Shelley and the Frankenstein story. The play was weird, entertaining, and kept my attention for 90 minutes. It left me with a lot to think about, which is what the best theater does.