Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
18 June, 2012
Impressions of Chicago
What a big solid meaty town is Chicago. San Francisco has something ephemeral about it. Perhaps it's the fog that makes San Francisco seem like the Brigadoon of the West. Or that you often reach the city crossing two high bridges suspended over blue sparkling water. Well Chicago is nothing like that.
It is big and broad and has a thorough sense of itself. Feet on the ground. And none the worse for it. It is also old - a town where landmarks date from the early part of the 20th century if not before and are made of brick with ornate decorations. The 'L', suspended on 19th century cast iron weaves its way through old streets with mature trees. The views from the 'L' are rather like those over east London near Bethnal Green - my old route to work via Liverpool Street Station - backs of brick buildings, chairs and barbecues high up on fire escapes and rooftops next to the railway, quick views down city streets.
I loved Chicago as I love the working class, manufacturing cities of the north of England and Scotland, like Leeds, Liverpool and Glasgow. Self-made cities built on work not privilege. Cities with a strong sense of civic pride. I was told a story by a volunteer at the History Museum that after the fire Queen Victoria sent books as a donation to the presumed burnt library. But there was no library pre-fire - Chicago hadn't really been interested in culture. So when you walk past the fine stone building across from Millenium Park, you see an inscription dating the library's foundation from after the fire, presumably based around Queen Victoria's gift. Now of course it is a wonderful centre of culture (a lot of which we bored our poor younger daughter with).
And I loved our area - North Center. Old houses with front porches, small gardens, mature trees. Flat streets (thankfully as I couldn't manage SF style hills in over 90 degrees F). Families playing on their front lawns. Cafes and restaurants with tables outside. It was all very laidback and mellow.
I didn't get the chance to visit different neighbourhoods. For one thing, it was too hot. So loved Chicago, but would hate that climate. Too cold and windy in the winter (the 'L' stations have outdoor heating stations that work from November to March), and too too hot in the summer. And I know it isn't all good. I was staying in a comfortable middle class area but clearly not all of Chicago is like that. And Chicago politics is fascinating but jaw-dropping.
In summary:
Loved: the architecture, the 'L', the restaurants, the beach by the lake, the museums, the boat tour and the Chicago river, the neighbourhood, the parking outside the house (yay for no street cleaning) - last one only just become relevant again after arriving in Brooklyn.
Did not love: the heat. How do mid-westerners stand it? And Lakeshore Drive - massive fast road blocking Lincoln Park from the beach - why? I mean WHY??? Idiotic town planning. Again!
It is big and broad and has a thorough sense of itself. Feet on the ground. And none the worse for it. It is also old - a town where landmarks date from the early part of the 20th century if not before and are made of brick with ornate decorations. The 'L', suspended on 19th century cast iron weaves its way through old streets with mature trees. The views from the 'L' are rather like those over east London near Bethnal Green - my old route to work via Liverpool Street Station - backs of brick buildings, chairs and barbecues high up on fire escapes and rooftops next to the railway, quick views down city streets.
I loved Chicago as I love the working class, manufacturing cities of the north of England and Scotland, like Leeds, Liverpool and Glasgow. Self-made cities built on work not privilege. Cities with a strong sense of civic pride. I was told a story by a volunteer at the History Museum that after the fire Queen Victoria sent books as a donation to the presumed burnt library. But there was no library pre-fire - Chicago hadn't really been interested in culture. So when you walk past the fine stone building across from Millenium Park, you see an inscription dating the library's foundation from after the fire, presumably based around Queen Victoria's gift. Now of course it is a wonderful centre of culture (a lot of which we bored our poor younger daughter with).
And I loved our area - North Center. Old houses with front porches, small gardens, mature trees. Flat streets (thankfully as I couldn't manage SF style hills in over 90 degrees F). Families playing on their front lawns. Cafes and restaurants with tables outside. It was all very laidback and mellow.
I didn't get the chance to visit different neighbourhoods. For one thing, it was too hot. So loved Chicago, but would hate that climate. Too cold and windy in the winter (the 'L' stations have outdoor heating stations that work from November to March), and too too hot in the summer. And I know it isn't all good. I was staying in a comfortable middle class area but clearly not all of Chicago is like that. And Chicago politics is fascinating but jaw-dropping.
In summary:
Loved: the architecture, the 'L', the restaurants, the beach by the lake, the museums, the boat tour and the Chicago river, the neighbourhood, the parking outside the house (yay for no street cleaning) - last one only just become relevant again after arriving in Brooklyn.
Did not love: the heat. How do mid-westerners stand it? And Lakeshore Drive - massive fast road blocking Lincoln Park from the beach - why? I mean WHY??? Idiotic town planning. Again!
12 June, 2012
The (dreaded) museums of Chicago
Contrary to Lottie's poor opinion, I think Chicago's museums are amazing.
First up was the Chicago History Museum. It's a huge building on the south western corner of Lincoln Park and the edge of Old Town. It's modern, themed, hands on, so actually pretty good for kids. It's possible that Lottie's current aversion was caused by two visits in three days but, after I waxed lyrical, Tom wanted to go. Particular highlights were the original 'L' carriage with wood panelling and brass fittings and an excellent exhibit on the city in crisis taking you through everything from anarchy, race riots, boat disasters, the fire and the summer of '68. I also particularly liked the exhibit on freedom which focused on different struggles - against slavery, for votes for women, workers' rights, and in a display that harked back to our journey a few weeks ago, a feature on the Pine Ridge Reservation and the occupation in 1973 by AIM, at Wounded Knee. It's fascinating the way that echoes of our trip keep appearing.
Our next museum was the Art Institute. It is huge. And has a really amazing collection - we are talking Louvre/National Gallery scale. We just about made it through the European art section up to about 1900 and including some wonderful Monets, the very famous Seurat - A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte - and a couple of Gauguins that I'm sure we saw in Seattle! And then we rushed off to see American Gothic (last seen on the side of a barn in Iowa when whizzing down 30) and Hopper's Nighthawks. We didn't have the stamina for the Lichtenstein retrospective, or pretty much any post-1900 art - Picasso, anyone? I am going back. I think I'm taking Millie. Lottie is point blank refusing to go so will have to be quiet at home with a working Tom.
And then yesterday was time for the Field Museum. I don't know what got into us this weekend. We spent Saturday doing nothing more exciting than heading downtown to buy tickets for the Architecture Boat Tour for Sunday afternoon, and eating an ice cream. Then on Sunday, we left in the morning, ready to take on the Field Museum as well as doing the boat tour.
The Field Museum is the Natural History Museum with a good dollop of the British Museum. The Natural History section or more particularly the display on evolution was superb. Well explained, beautifully laid out, excellent interesting films of interviews with scientists explaining their work. incredible fossils, cute cartoons which cleverly explained the fundamental concepts of evolution and natural selection. Interestingly it was also an in your face account. The first thing you see on entering the gallery is an explanation of the term "theory" in scientific terminology which ends with the statement "All available evidence, which includes fossils, comparative anatomy, and DNA, supports the theory of evolution as the scientific explanation for the rich diversity of life on earth". Which wouldn't really need saying quite so baldly in London, but the USA is a country where apparently only 40% believe in evolution and where Republican candidates for the presidency can get away with equivocating or point blank denying it, and not get laughed off stage.
And after that notice, you're taken on a chronological walk through evolution, building from the first life forms through each period, crossing the six major extinction events, passing through a superb hall of dinosaurs, towards mammals and finally humans. Many of the fossils were from creatures I've never seen before (the shark with the curly betoothed lower jaw was particularly striking). Most of the fossils were breathtaking - particularly the collection from Fossil Lake Wyoming.
Well that was evolution... Took us nearly 2 hours to work our way through that exhibit. Then Millie and I headed off to the Ancient Americas while Tom and Lottie went to see the 3D T Rex movie. The Ancient Americas display was also superb, covering many cultures that for my sin I'd never heard of and showing the most beautiful artifacts.
We did not have enough time to do the museum justice - I'd go back if it wasn't for the small dissenter in our midst.
First up was the Chicago History Museum. It's a huge building on the south western corner of Lincoln Park and the edge of Old Town. It's modern, themed, hands on, so actually pretty good for kids. It's possible that Lottie's current aversion was caused by two visits in three days but, after I waxed lyrical, Tom wanted to go. Particular highlights were the original 'L' carriage with wood panelling and brass fittings and an excellent exhibit on the city in crisis taking you through everything from anarchy, race riots, boat disasters, the fire and the summer of '68. I also particularly liked the exhibit on freedom which focused on different struggles - against slavery, for votes for women, workers' rights, and in a display that harked back to our journey a few weeks ago, a feature on the Pine Ridge Reservation and the occupation in 1973 by AIM, at Wounded Knee. It's fascinating the way that echoes of our trip keep appearing.
Our next museum was the Art Institute. It is huge. And has a really amazing collection - we are talking Louvre/National Gallery scale. We just about made it through the European art section up to about 1900 and including some wonderful Monets, the very famous Seurat - A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte - and a couple of Gauguins that I'm sure we saw in Seattle! And then we rushed off to see American Gothic (last seen on the side of a barn in Iowa when whizzing down 30) and Hopper's Nighthawks. We didn't have the stamina for the Lichtenstein retrospective, or pretty much any post-1900 art - Picasso, anyone? I am going back. I think I'm taking Millie. Lottie is point blank refusing to go so will have to be quiet at home with a working Tom.
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| Sue! World's most complete T Rex |
The Field Museum is the Natural History Museum with a good dollop of the British Museum. The Natural History section or more particularly the display on evolution was superb. Well explained, beautifully laid out, excellent interesting films of interviews with scientists explaining their work. incredible fossils, cute cartoons which cleverly explained the fundamental concepts of evolution and natural selection. Interestingly it was also an in your face account. The first thing you see on entering the gallery is an explanation of the term "theory" in scientific terminology which ends with the statement "All available evidence, which includes fossils, comparative anatomy, and DNA, supports the theory of evolution as the scientific explanation for the rich diversity of life on earth". Which wouldn't really need saying quite so baldly in London, but the USA is a country where apparently only 40% believe in evolution and where Republican candidates for the presidency can get away with equivocating or point blank denying it, and not get laughed off stage.
And after that notice, you're taken on a chronological walk through evolution, building from the first life forms through each period, crossing the six major extinction events, passing through a superb hall of dinosaurs, towards mammals and finally humans. Many of the fossils were from creatures I've never seen before (the shark with the curly betoothed lower jaw was particularly striking). Most of the fossils were breathtaking - particularly the collection from Fossil Lake Wyoming.
Well that was evolution... Took us nearly 2 hours to work our way through that exhibit. Then Millie and I headed off to the Ancient Americas while Tom and Lottie went to see the 3D T Rex movie. The Ancient Americas display was also superb, covering many cultures that for my sin I'd never heard of and showing the most beautiful artifacts.
We did not have enough time to do the museum justice - I'd go back if it wasn't for the small dissenter in our midst.
11 June, 2012
First day in the Windy City: no wind, too hot (mostly pictures)
Memorial Day. We went downtown to potter about verrrry slowly, and with regular breaks in air conditioning. Have I mentioned that it is currently very hot in Chicago. It's hot. That day it was energy-sapping, sweat-inducing, brain-meltingly hot.
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| First stop, obviously |
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| Cooling off |
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| Back for more |
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| We love the 'L' |
Chicago arrival
We left Iowa on a very hot Sunday. Hurray for air conditioning. Sorry planet, but it was nearly 100 degrees F (high 30s C). The drive was uneventful. We passed signs for the turning to Ronald Reagan's birthplace; we didn't go and look. Not a fan. Which reminds me. In western Iowa we had passed signs to Andy Williams birthplace - I had to explain who Andy Williams was to Tom. If you don't know, google him. In the UK I think you have to be dead before your birthplace becomes noteworthy - probably dead for at least 50 years. And he isn't. I checked.
We avoided the Interstate again and drove east along 30 before joining the toll road that heads into Chicago. I had thought that a toll road would be an improvement on the shoddy surfaces we had got used to driving on up until that point but no. As soon as we went through a toll booth we hit roadworks. And we had to pay small amounts several times along the way. Well at least the road is under improvement.
Chicago slowly made itself apparent. It spreads far and wide. The landscape is very very flat so it can - in all directions except of course to the east where the lake lies. We didn't actually see Lake Michigan until several days later. We could see the skyscrapers from far away on the freeway - our first big city since Seattle. I think Tom and I were anticipating finding that harder than we did. The drive was pretty easy, we found parking right outside our flat (!) and being around more people again wasn't so much of a shock.
We are staying in North Center/Irving Park - about half an hour by the 'L' from downtown. It's a pretty and old neighbourhood with a lot of brick built buildings, avenues of trees and pretty front gardens. It was originally a German district which I deduced from the large number of Bavarian style taverns offering hearty German food. I can imagine this would be very tempting during the long cold Chicago winter. But as I said, it is HOT here so we haven't yet sampled pork chops or bratwurst and sauerkraut.
We avoided the Interstate again and drove east along 30 before joining the toll road that heads into Chicago. I had thought that a toll road would be an improvement on the shoddy surfaces we had got used to driving on up until that point but no. As soon as we went through a toll booth we hit roadworks. And we had to pay small amounts several times along the way. Well at least the road is under improvement.
Chicago slowly made itself apparent. It spreads far and wide. The landscape is very very flat so it can - in all directions except of course to the east where the lake lies. We didn't actually see Lake Michigan until several days later. We could see the skyscrapers from far away on the freeway - our first big city since Seattle. I think Tom and I were anticipating finding that harder than we did. The drive was pretty easy, we found parking right outside our flat (!) and being around more people again wasn't so much of a shock.
We are staying in North Center/Irving Park - about half an hour by the 'L' from downtown. It's a pretty and old neighbourhood with a lot of brick built buildings, avenues of trees and pretty front gardens. It was originally a German district which I deduced from the large number of Bavarian style taverns offering hearty German food. I can imagine this would be very tempting during the long cold Chicago winter. But as I said, it is HOT here so we haven't yet sampled pork chops or bratwurst and sauerkraut.
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