Chicago Trip March 2007

We had a wonderful time in Chicago this week. The occasion that brought us to Chicago was a concert that our daughter Faith was involved in. She auditioned and was selected for the Children’s Choir of the Organization of American Kodaly Educators. Now that’s a mouthful. Anyway, the concert was wonderful. And while Faith was in rehearsals, Leslie and I did some sightseeing and shopping. That's Faith eating a "Chicago-style" deep dish pizza! Justin chose not to go with us on this trip. He stayed with a friend back home.

While in Chicago, we stayed at the Palmer House Hotel, now owned by Hilton. It was breathtaking! Built in 1871, it burned down in the great Chicago fire just a few weeks after opening. Within a year it was rebuilt. This hotel is one of those in the grand style. The ceiling in the main room has been called the “Sistine Chapel of Chicago.” Famous personalities entertained in the hotel’s Empire Room during the mid to late twentieth century. These included Phyllis Diller, Carol Channing, and Sonny and Cher. President Bill Clinton was one its famous guests. Our room was small, but very nice; we relaxed there in the mornings and evenings.

It was weird looking out over Lake Michigan and not seeing land on the other side. It’s just a lake, after all! The 2^nd day was about the only sunny day we enjoyed. All other days were cloudy, rainy, and foggy. But this didn’t dampen our spirits. We were exploring new territory.

On Thursday we visited the Museum of Science and Industry where we saw the Zephyr diesel train. This was very futuristic looking for its time. It ran from the 30s to the early 60s, I think. But when it first started running, it seemed everyone wanted to ride the train! This museum also had one of the coolest HO Scale train set ups. It took up almost an entire room, showing the city of Chicago and surrounding country side. The same room had a Boeing 737 inside.

Body Worlds 2 was the visiting exhibit. On display were actual bodies, stripped down to muscle and tissue, in most cases. They had all been plasticized, which is a very involved process that takes anywhere from weeks to months. After plasticization, they are shaped in various poses which are supposed to make them look natural: There’s a soccer player, a ballerina, and a figure skater, just to name a few. I’m glad Faith wasn’t with us. It might have creeped her out!

In the evening we visited the Chicago Art Institute. You know that American painting of the farmer and his wife—the one where he’s holding a pitchfork? It’s there. It's Grant Wood's "American Gothic" and was completed in 1930. And so is Georges Seurat's pointillistic painting "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" from the 1880s. It’s by a French artist. There are also many other recognizable works of art.

Later in the evening, we visited the 2^nd tallest skyscraper, the Hancock Center. We didn’t want to go to the top of the Sears Tower, because we heard the view wasn’t as great. It was just Leslie and I who visited the sky lounge on the 94^th floor of that building! We both enjoyed drinks and a beautiful view. It was beautiful seeing Chicago, and then looking out over the blackness that was Lake Michigan. “Wow” is all I can say! By the way, the drinks we enjoyed were diet cokes!

The next day we visited the Robey House, an early creation of famed architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The house was built about 1908, and was far ahead of its time, as was everything that this American architect put his mind to. The Robey House is next to the University of Chicago and is representative of his “Prairie Style” period. It’s a very spacious house, with flat roofs. Wright even designed the furniture in the house. My personal favorite of his work is the residence in Pennsylvania, “Falling Water,” which is built over a water fall. I think my next favorite would be the Guggenheim Modern Art Museum in NY City. Some time during this same day, I remember visiting the main branch of the Chicago Public Library. It’s all of 10 stories high! They say it’s the largest public library in the U.S.

On Saturday morning I visited the Chicago Cultural Institute and the Museum of History. On the bus ride I saw a very famous statue by Picasso, who, by the way, has many works displayed at the Art Institute. When I arrived at the History Museum, I rode a stationary bike, but it was the late 19^th century style bike, with a tall front wheel, and a very short back wheel. I also learned more about the Chicago fire. Back then the weather conditions were extremely dry, and most buildings and sidewalks were constructed of wood. Add to that the hay that was stored for animals, the usage of kerosene lamps, and you had a recipe for disaster. The fire was finally put out after 3 days.

In the afternoon, Leslie and I went to Faith’s concert, the culminating event of our trip. It was wonderful. She is seen here with her friend Caitlin, who was also in the choir. The choir sang 6 or 7 pieces; Following the children’s choirs were two other groups, basically a choir made up of middle school aged students, and the other of high school aged students. This concert was held in Chicago’s Symphony Hall, which is the venue for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

One of the things we enjoyed as a family was the public transportation. I’ve always been a fan of public transportation and ride on it often when visiting a large city away from home. You always meet interesting people on these public vehicles. One of the coolest things was riding Chicago’s famous “L” train to and from the Midway Airport. It was a 30 minute ride one way. It’s also called the “el” which is short for “elevated” train. These trains built in Chicago appeared in the 1890s. They were privately owned until the Chicago Transit Authority took them over in the 1960s.

Finally, the architecture of this great city is worth noting. Downtown is a mixture of old and modern. Millennium Park is and example of the modern. It’s most interesting part is its “bean” sculpture, for lack of a better phrase. This “bean” is a huge mirror, in which is reflected yourself and the skyline of the city. It really defies any other description. On the other hand, when you stroll past the old buildings of the city, just a few blocks away from Millennium Park, you can’t help but sense that a lot of history has taken place around you. Chicago is definitely a place I’d like to visit again some day, but probably in the summer!