Summertime in Chicago

Recently I’ve become a bit concerned about the upcoming, and my first, Chicago winter. I’m assuming the worst, and perhaps with these extreme expectations, it won’t hurt as bad. What’s really informing me and making me nervous is the sheer ubiquity of summer activities (thus my assumption that nothing happens during winter). I’ve attended numerous street, music and food festivals, fireworks, fairs, farmer’s markets, and beaches and pools. These things seem to pop up not only on the weekends, but on the weekdays as well, and a local must be very careful and discerning of which pursuit interests him more, as there is never enough time to do all things on the calendar of events for any particular day.
Seen below: Tour da Fat, Folk and Roots Festival, Chinese Heritage week

Observe the Conservatory

Last week I ran into an acquaintance of mine, and he mentioned that he volunteers as a bee keeper (aka apiarist) at the Garfield Park Conservatory, and that if I had some time, I should go and check it out. I rode over one afternoon and spent close to 3 hours wandering through the premises. I was always a fan of greenhouses, and this one seemed to be on steroids. Towering 60 foot palm trees in the Palm House, lush ferns with requisite ponds and waterfalls in the Fern Room, and a fragrant display of flowering plants in the Show Room were some of my favorites. However, my most beloved find within the grounds was the labyrinth. With no resemblance to the one in the David Bowie classic, the Shining or that Harry Potter flick, this was much more meditative and zen. See for yourself.

The river and its bridges

When I was in New York, working as a musician, my only knowledge of the Chicago river was that it had the dubious distinction of being a dumping ground for the Dave Matthews tour bus. I’ve also learned of how it’s turned green for St. Patrick’s Day, and that a huge engineering feat transpired long ago to reverse the flow, from the lake and into the Mississippi (for sewage reasons). If one can look past these substantial traits, the river is a beautiful, integral, and special part of this city.
The river cuts due west into downtown and splits a half mile inland with one leg (North Branch) shooting NW and the other meandering SW to become the Ship Canal. My experiences with the river exist in the loop and the North Branch, primarily when traveling downtown or to other neighborhoods NE from me. Many parks and condos have been springing up as the industrial corridor gentrifies and becomes more cosmopolitan. Taking one of the 38 bridges over the river usually gives me a beautiful view of the skyline, of other bridges, wildlife, boaters, and in general, a dynamic reserved for only a handful of great metropolitan areas (e.g. Paris, Boston, etc.)

Quick Hits June ’09

-I don’t really enjoy biking in the rain or snow, but I hate biking in heavy wind. I know Chicago is the windy city, but this is a weather pattern you can’t see and never anticipate. And it won’t prevent me from biking, but I’ll just have to work twice as hard to get to where I’m going.
-I attended NEOCON this month at the Merchandise Mart, aka the world’s largest commercial building, aka the building with its own zipcode, aka the ridiculous and overwhelming art deco behemoth. I got a headache just trying to figure out which set of elevators to take (but there was a cool bucky ball in the entrance).
-I took a trip with a zipcar to IIT (33rd and State), and while returning home (Ukrainian Village) I decided not to use the map or any highway. I made it home in one piece! I haven’t spent much time in Chicago in a car (thankfully), and truthfully haven’t owned 4 wheels for over a decade, but will gain a greater understanding driving one here.
-A recent survey came out and specified that 4 of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the US are located in Chicago. Coming in at #2 is the vicinity of 55th and State. I wasn’t aware of this stat when I took the green line up from Hyde Park the other day, but it did feel shady. Three others cracked the top 20 in the south side community of Englewood. Ouch.
-I spent the day at the beach this last weekend. What a wonderful day, but how long will it take to get used to bathing in fresh water?
-Is it the “EL” or the “L”? I keep calling it the subway.

igochicago

“How does a stranger build an image of a new city; how does a child develop his image of the world?”  Kevin Lynch