Romy and I hit Chicago last Friday, Oct. 1. We went primarily because it was the last weekend of the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit – which I didn’t want to miss – but also just to noodle around. Some highlights (pictures don’t merit gallery; trust me):
 Tour guide explaining one of the Institute’s treasures, Grant Wood’s American Gothic Art Insitute of Chicago First stop was the Art Institute of Chicago to see the photography exhibit. It did not disappoint. One of the nice things about photography is that there are multiple prints (yes, cheapens the same at the same time). So this was a very massive collection of Cartier-Bresson’s work. Hit all the big pictures he’s famous for, as well as a slew I’d never seen (some of his portraits [many famous] were great – Robert Capa, for example). Photog on photog. I enjoyed greatly – Although I wish more of the photos had more (any) description/backstory; the ones that did helped. (For example, Capa – see previous graph – was photographed in a crowd scene in a suit at a horse/car race. No indication that this is a famous war photographer/photojournalist.)
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 The Bean Millennium Park Yep, took too long to finish, cost too much. But it’s a great space with a lot packed into it. The “Bean” (Cloudscape) pictured at right became an instant icon, rivaling the Picasso in Daley Center. There’s a band shell, restaurant (skating rink in winter!), lots of plantings and more. Awesome addition to the Chicago lakefront. To a certain extent, an example of the ends justifying the means… The Millennium Grill is a good watering hole we’ve hit several times; this trip, perfecto weather, low crowds. And cold beer. We’re in!
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Chicago Cultural Center
 Tiffany Dome
The Cultural Center – the former library – is one of my favorite Chicago buildings, and – in Chicago – that’s saying a lot. Whenever we go to Chicago I have to visit it, partly for the exhibits that may be there, but mainly for the architecture. It’s like I have Culture Center architecture Tourette’s Syndrome. I can’t not photograph the stuff I’ve shot every time we go to Chicago. I don’t apologize for this “weakness”! The only exhibit of note on this visit was a very impressive collection of photographs of Cuba by Sandro Miller. He had a lot of compelling pictures of Cuba – a tropical Detroit, essentially – but his portraits, blown large, were Avedon/Karsh in nature. Very impressive.
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Coffee & Tea Exchange
 Best coffee in Chicago, in my book (bean, not “cup of coffee”). Can someone explain to me why I’ve never done shots of the barrels of coffee, the dark, oily beans in same? I’m an idiot! Next time… |
El Nuevo – Lunch
 My second margarita…  El Nuevo interior  Duke of Perth I picked this restaurant off the internet; it was new to me. Crap – I’ve never eaten there, but it’s right across the street from The Duke of Perth – which I’ve been to many times over many years. El Nuevo – good food; not great. Service was excellent (but there were only three tables occupied). Sure, I’d go there again, but I’d try some other place first – just to see what I was missing and so on. Not unhappy with the choice. I’m not a big eater, and Romy pretty much said I wouldn’t kill the plate. I did. (Not sport eating; just very good – enchiladas with mole sauce – great taste.) Restaurant exterior:
Duke of Perth exterior (across the street): |
OK – this has been a jumbled entry (pics on the side; below text about areas…).
For the most part worked; still work needed to make this more consistent and easier to post with my tools. My tools may need modification. After a decade; yeppers…