Lights, Lace and Liquor

The Christkindlmarket is an annual event in Daley Plaza. German and American artisans sell their wares at little booths. They start after Thanksgiving and go until Christmas Eve. I'm pretty sure they have little heaters in their booths to help them through the cold days. These are just three of the many booths at the market. Now, I was there early in the afternoon so it wasn't as crowded as it gets in the evening and the weekends. The Gluhwein vendor is usually MUCH busier.

Lights

Lace

Liquor

A Sparrow in a Pine Tree

This little white-throated sparrow and several of his friends were enjoying Chicago's Official Christmas Tree in Daley Plaza. I guess the lights are welcoming (they're LED so probably do not give off much heat) and they have a steady stream of food from the Christkindlmarket that is also underway (brat bun scraps, pretzel pieces, etc.). I hope they stay out of the gluhwein, else they'll be flying a bit crooked.


The tree is a single 55 foot Blue Spruce tree. The city budget didn't allow for the usual jumbo tree (made of several tiny trees). The signs say that this is the first time since 1955 that the city has used a single tree. I like the natural and simple look of the single tree.

It Looked Better on Paper?

Presumably for Halloween, the water in the fountain in Daley Plaza has been dyed orange. It is - well - different.


But it makes for some interesting photos. Especially when there are leaves from nearby trees floating in the water.

Congratulations, Rio

This was the scene at Daley Plaza today. Before, of course, the news that Chicago didn't get the 2016 Olympics.

Dearborn was packed with news trucks.

And lots of people were showing their support for the city's Olympic bid

Oh well. Maybe they shouldn't have recycled the "W" signs from the last Cubs playoff series.

Congratulations and Good Luck to Rio de Janeiro!