Wonderful day!

What a day!

We'd decided to explore the city today, walk down the Magnificent Mile and end up in the Art Institute, because, as Mark would agree, there's more to life than shopping...

It was another beautiful morning.

I think Chicagoans must have nerves of steel to park their car here - and yes, they're all backed in, too.

First stop, the Millennium Park, and Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate.

Not only is it an amazing piece of art, seamlessly constructed, it's terrific fun too! We spent ages taking pics, ogling ourselves and enjoying watching others do the same. Love it.

Could this be a Frank Gehry structure over the trees there? Didn't know about that!
It's the Jay Pritzker auditorium, and an orchestra were assembling for a rehearsal. We sat and listened to them play through some of Mendelssohn's Elijah and found out there's a concert tomorrow night. A free concert. With Brahms and Beethoven.

Shall we go? Of course we will!

Dragging ourselves away from the rehearsal, we wandered through the Lurie Garden, where there was a scene which might have inspired an impressionist.

Which reminded us, we are heading for the Art Institute...

Hang on, what's happening here?

A fountain on a sunny day is always a magnet for children and this one was no exception. Another incredible piece of art, the faces of 1000 Chicagoans are featured in two walls built of illuminated bricks. The water feature amused us all - and we loved the fact there were no notices telling us to be careful, not go in the water, don't slip...you know what I'm referring to, don't you?

At last, we reached the Art Institute! Where we could take photographs for our own private use...

I have never been in a gallery where photography was permitted until now, and delighted in taking photos of American Gothic, of Matisse and Picasso's work, the work of unknown artists which attracted my eye and above all, the really fascinating building. I very much appreciated that and since I don't want to abuse the privilege, will just include one, of the "Fragments of Chicago" exhibit at the top of the stairs.

And yes, we did pop into the museum shop....

Across the road we found the Chicago Cultural Center, which just happens to have the world's largest glass dome by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Which I photographed badly. So you can imagine how wonderful it is...

Possibly that was enough culture for one day, so we walked back along Michigan Avenue in the late afternoon, passing by the Chicago Tribune building and spotting the funny bits of stone on the wall which we'd forgotten about.

Had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory under the John Hancock Center - and no, we couldn't. Of course we resisted the temptation!

And fell into bed, exhausted!

My Kinda Town

We are in Chicago, where the sun is shining

 

the skyscrapers are looking great

 

the popcorn queue isn't quite as long as it could have been

 

and the pizza tastes as good as we remember

 

Cheers!

Views from a Mayfair pub

Sitting outside the pub on the corner of Mount Street and South Audley Street is very entertaining. In the hour and a half we were there on Sunday evening we spotted three of the Neighbours cast (Mark recognised them - what does that tell you?!), even more Bentleys, Rolls Royces and Mercedes than the Daylesford car park and then, the little show in the photo above. It was a light preamble to the rather serious but absolutely superb concert we heard Edward sing in later that evening.

Do the residents of Mount Street feel insecure about their whereabouts?

Socks on the go

I'm working on another pair of Jaywalkers right now, for Mark. I bought the Trekking XXL yarn last year and, although I fancied working a different pattern, somehow it just said "Jaywalker" to me. Added to which, given my current travelling commitments, a mindless pattern is probably for the best.

I've finished one sock and am almost up to the heel on the second, most of which was done on the coach to the NFWI AGM in London last week. Friends Judy and Marjorie wanted Connie to see what I was doing - so here you are, Connie!

Of course, the usual anxieties prevail - will there be enough yarn?

Neat bag

I'm catching up with one or two things today and keep coming across things which I have been meaning to post about for a while. One of them is this delightful bag, given to me by Kathy, Swiss friend and supporter of Arbeit statt Almosen , a Fair Trade organisation working in developing countries.
My bag is beautifully made and a good deal of work and skill has gone into its manufacture. I love it - thank you Kathy!