Chicago has amazing restaurants, museums and architecture. Jonny picks the restaurants when Dave and I visit. On Saturday night, October 21, 2012, Jonny, Jenny, Dave and I gathered at Ras Dashen for Ethiopian food. The big, woven injera baskets were just like the one in my mother's basement, and the spongy injera (sourdough pancake) and spicy watt (stew made of vegetables and/or meats) reminded me powerfully of my teenage years in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We washed our exotic meal down with mango juice.
Sunday morning, after Church, the four of us visited the Art Institute. One special exhibit was on Studio Gang Architects, a prominent Chicago firm. We studied their models of projects all over the world, and we were excited by a new pavilion designed for the nature park on the way to downtown Chicago, where we love to stroll.
Another special exhibit was on Steve McQueen, a mixed media artist. We watched with fascination a movie made by a helicopter cruising around the Statue of Liberty and capturing such strange sights as leaf debris built up under the statue's armpits! We had more trouble with a 24-minute film taken as South African workers descended into a mine shaft.
Wandering through the Art Institute's permanent collection is a treat, as I see old favorites like Grant Wood's "American Gothic," and new favorites from the Asian art section.
We joined an afternoon walking tour sponsored by the Chicago Architectural Foundation. Our guide introduced us to the Chicago School skyscrapers from the late 1800s and early 1900s. We loved their ornamented facades and graceful proportions.
We wandered through the Chicago Public Library, now a cultural center. It has stunning mosaics on the walls and ceiling.
We paused at Marshall Field's department store (now Macy's), with its beautiful, mosaic ceiling.
We finished the tour at the Palmer House, a Belle Epoque (late 1800s) gem.
As we walked back to our car, we also marveled at the modern skyscrapers that make Chicago distinctive.
We finished our day of sightseeing at Cozy Noodles, a great Thai restaurant. It was decorated with hundreds of vintage toys.
2 comments:
Another great day in Chicago. You guys always find such creative things to do! I wouldn't have thought to take an architecture tour, but that clearly is something that is so interesting about Chicago.
It was so much fun having you guys out! Can't wait to see everyone next month.
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