Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving
A Robert Indiana Hope sculpture,
companion piece to his famous Love sculpture in Philadelphia,
on display by the John Hancock Building
Monday, November 21, 2011
Exploring Pilsen VII
Finishing up Pilsen with a few random photos from the area
Window Display
(I like how the Red Devil looks a little Johnny Depp-ish)
Pilsen Artsy A Crazy Chef painting in an
Street Lamp area grocery store
A Pilsen Institution with Yummy Food
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Exploring ... Pilsen VI
According to a Chicago Neighborhoods history book I have, the Pilsen neighborhood was originally "settled" by Czechoslovakians, Austrians, Polish, and Lithuanians. Pilsen's name is derived from the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic (Plzen). So, seeing little remnants - such as the Beer Stein gate post in the first photo and the "L. Wilimovsky" nameplate on the building in the second photo isn't too surprising.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Exploring ... Pilsen V
A sample of Pilsen architecture
Street Scene
St. Adalbert's Church
Colorful Entrance
Interesting Brickwork
Friday, November 18, 2011
Exploring ... Pilsen IV
Another new mural in Pilsen, the J-Def Peace Project, honors a local hip-hop artist that was killed in 2009. Here are a few segments of that mural.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Exploring ... Pilsen III
Pilsen has many vibrantly painted murals. Here are a few scenes from one of the newer ones entitled Reach for Peace.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Exploring ... Pilsen II
There's a beautifully painted Community Center in Pilsen called Casa Aztlan. Here are a few scenes from the building. The blank white spaces seem to indicate that the exterior is always being updated and refreshed.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Exploring ... Pilsen I
Artsy Sidewalk Marker
Artsy Gangway Gate
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Autumn Skies I
The drawback to Autumn Sailing Classes (which I think is what those little boats in the bottom right of the photo were doing) is that your class could be held while snow flakes are falling. The benefit, though, is a chance to see some great Autumnal Sky Colors
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Exploring ... Stearns Quarry III
Another view of the Fishing Pond at Palmisano Park (Stearns Quarry) along with a close-up of one of the limestone boulders, left over from the old quarry, that adorn the park. Are those ridges signs of fossils?
Palmisano Park Fishing Pond
Limestone Boulder from Stearns Quarry
Park History Interpretive Sign
Friday, November 11, 2011
Blink and You Missed It
It snowed on Thursday. If you blinked, you missed it. A few minutes later the sun came out; then another snow shower; then the sun came out again.
I got confused! I wasn't sure if it was a sign that Winter was coming or if it meant that today was the start of Baseball Season ;)
Labels:
Autumn,
Grant Park,
Nature,
Not Winter,
Sidewalk Scenes,
Snow,
Weather
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Freighter Day
This is blurrier than I would like it to be. But given that it was dawn and the freighter wouldn't hold still for me, it's not too bad -- especially if you pretend it is an impressionist painting. This freighter came by last week along with a few more -- it was almost like a parade. I guess they were getting their last trips in before the weather makes it too dangerous to continue running.
I'm posting this photo today because it is the anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald during a bad storm on Lake Superior. So, find the Gordon Lightfoot song on iTunes and toast the "Fitz", the captain, and the crew.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Exploring ... Stearns Quarry II
This is the fountain at the entrance to Palmisano Park (the old Stearns Quarry). Although it was turned off for the season, it is quite impressive. Apparently, the water is drawn from the Fishing Pond. The fountain is connected to a chute that recirculates the water back down the park's sloping landscape to the pond.
The terraced landscape of the park
The Interpretive Sign about the park's fountain
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Exploring ... Stearns Quarry I
Stearns Quarry was a limestone quarry in the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago. It closed around 1970 and became a clean construction landfill. The Chicago Park District turned it into a very scenic and welcoming park, named Palmisano Park, in 2009. Here's the link for more information on this park.
Information on the Fishing Pond (above)
from one of the Interpretive signs in the park
Friday, October 28, 2011
Morning and Evening
I just love the interesting clouds and weather patterns that keep sliding through Chicago. The top photo is from Thursday morning (around 9), the bottom photo is from the early evening (around 5:30). The middle of the day was actually rather sunny.
Labels:
Autumn,
Chicago Harbor Light,
Clouds,
Lake Michigan,
Navy Pier,
Sky,
Weather
Thursday, October 20, 2011
135 Years of Architecture
The church was completed in 1873.
The John Hancock Building (in back of the church) was completed in 1970.
The 900 Michigan Building (in back of the Elysian) was completed in 1989.
The Elysian was completed in 2008.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Cliffs Notes Version
I don't know about you, but I never realized that my Green Eggs and Ham book is obviously the Cliffs Notes version. Apparently, the unabridged version of Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, between the Economics book and the Dr. Jekyll book in the photo, is really as long as War and Peace!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Autumn Sunrise
October Sunrise. There are still a few boats in the harbor. Have to credit the optimists that hold out for those last late Autumn lazy boating days.
Labels:
Autumn,
Boat,
DuSable Harbor,
Lake Michigan,
Sunrise
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wrigley Pink and Blue
This was taken Wednesday evening when - I think - the Wrigley Building was in the process of converting its tower lighting from September's Blue (for Prostate Cancer Awareness) to October's Pink (for Breast Cancer Awareness)
Monday, September 26, 2011
Watching for Waterspouts
There's an odd weather pattern (see the article here) involving the warm temperature of Lake Michigan and a slow moving low pressure weather system that caused a large number of waterspouts to form on Lake Michigan this past weekend. Here's the one I saw near South Haven. Michigan.
Labels:
Lake Michigan,
Not Chicago,
Sky,
Sunset,
Weather
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