Art in Chicago

One of my favorite art museums in the world is the Art Institute in Chicago. We didn't get to go this time, and I plan on going next time I'm in Chicago, because I have not seen the new wing there yet.

We did manage to see some art, though, including the Alexander Calder exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art. I have always enjoyed Calder mobiles, but it is something special to see a whole bunch of them grouped together. We were not allowed to photograph that room, but there was a short movie being shown on the ground floor about the museum, so I snapped a photo of the Calder as shown on the movie. This gives some idea of the exhibit.

The rest of the museum took about 15 minutes to see - exhibits are sparse and few.

We also saw photos at the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College, but I only really enjoyed one photo arrangement by John Baldessari seen here.

Food in Chicago

Chicago is known for hot dogs and deep dish pizza, but we had other fabulous food during our stay.

Highlights:

Zed 451. We were taken out to this amazingly great restaurant near the Magnificent Mile. It is similar in concept to Fogo de Chao (a chain of Brazilian steakhouses), but the food is much more subtle and tastier. First you take a stroll through "Harvest Table" which is a salad bar of a variety of unusual dishes - vegetables, cheeses, breads, etc. Then the chefs come to the table with all kinds of meats, from venison and duck to mahi tuna and chicken. Dessert consisted of many little truffles, cheesecakes, and lemon meringues. We chose to walk back to the hotel rather than take the van so we could help all that delicious food digest.

The Signature Room. At the top of the John Hancock Building sits the Signature Room and Signature Lounge. We made reservations for the restaurant and were fortunate enough to sit at a corner table overlooking both the lake and the Loop. The service was excellent, the views magnificent, and the food was fine, and not too, too overpriced.

Wow Bau. So, this is not fancy at all, but we enjoy Chinese bao when we can find it, and this fast food place inside the Water Tower Place has a variety of things to stuff inside its bao, including my favorite - thai chicken curry.

Argo Tea. Pumpkin Chai. Yum.

Corner Bakery and Cafe. We just like it here.

Reunion

After we left Chicago from our sabbatical, I found seven friends from my elementary school days in Chicago on Facebook. Three of these friends still live in Chicago, and I was excited to have a reunion with them. We attended Murray Elementary School which is now the Murray Language Arts Academy - a magnet school for languages (Spanish, French and Japanese).

After meeting Lynette, Cynthia and Doris at the Third World Cafe, just a block and half from Murray, we walked over to the school which was closed for teacher inservice. We managed to get the vice principal to let us in for a look around, and we spent about an hour there reminiscing about our Kindergarten-3rd grade days. My friends actually went through all public schools in Hyde Park, but my family moved after 3rd grade.

See my earlier post about finding these friends on Facebook!

Architecture Tour

The first thing we did as tourists in Chicago was to take an architectural tour put on by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. This group hosts about 85 different tours, and we chose Historic Downtown (south): Rise of the Skyscraper - a two-hour walking tour. I have put pictures from the tour on my picasa site.

Two years ago we took a river boat architectural tour which we really enjoyed, and this one was probably even better, mostly because we got to go inside of the buildings.

Here is a blog by a woman who is taking all tours. Next time we go back to Chicago, we'll probably take another tour. The architecture of the city is inspiring.

Chicago!

We just got home after a glorious 4-day trip to my favorite city, Chicago. We had a summer day, a fall day, and a nearly winter day, one right after the other. Luckily for us, we got to stay in the Magnificent Mile, so we were walking distance to so many things.

We've been home from our Chicago sabbatical for just over 2 years, but it seemed like no time had passed. Some differences I noticed were: Trump Tower (in photo) is now finished, scaffolding around the Carson Pirie Scott building is gone, but construction around Calder's flamingo sculpture has gone up, it now costs $2.25 to ride the L or bus instead of $2.

Flooding in Northfield, MN

News is coming in fast and furious about the flooding of the Cannon River in Northfield, MN. I guess the river rose about 8 feet in 24 hours. You can read an update in the Northfield News or at the Carleton College website.

Book Club Weekend

This weekend our book club will discuss Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. We rarely read science fiction, but this being a classic is one of those "I probably should have read this one" books.

Although it feels dated in some ways, I was surprised to see that it was written in 1931. I might have put it in the 1950s, it was that forward-thinking. I am sure that we are going to have a good discussion.

Back in the Teaching Groove

This is my first week back to teaching general music, and with it comes the usual remembrances of the start-up:

1) There is great excitement in considering all the new possibilities

2) Kids have forgotten so much over the summer

3) It's tiring, and I have to pace my voice so I don't loose it

4) 2nd graders can't wait to be in 3rd grade so they can play recorder

5) I go kicking and screaming into getting up in the morning, but when I get to school, I really enjoy what I do!

Memorial Park Tree

This poor tree in Memorial Park lost a big branch this week. Earlier this summer it lost an even larger one.

Need a Place for a Wedding?

On Saturday my string trio played a wedding held at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden, a place I've strolled through many times. It had never occurred to me that one could have a wedding here, but it was a beautiful setting. The Garden has staff on hand to bring people up from the parking lot on trolleys. This particular ceremony took place in the California Natives Container Garden. Upon chatting with some staff, I found out that information on rentals are on the RSABG website.