So last week I had the opportunity to visit lovely Chicago to attend a friend’s wedding. It’s been ten years since I had trekked around the Windy City but I was looking forward to my visit as I’ve always had a good time there. I have fond memories of the unique architecture, the food (for those of you who know me, you realize what an important element this is), the Art Institute of Chicago and that little slice of Midwestern chill in a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Unfortunately, I only had the weekend to partake of the sights, but the time I spent there was certainly enjoyable.
I ended up staying at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in the heart of the city. I was geeked to be able to stay there, not only because it was where my friend’s wedding was being held, but also because it was literally right up the street from the Art Institute. I didn’t realize what a treat I was in for until I arrived in the amazing lobby of the hotel. It literally looks like something out of a movie with it’s incredible decorative detailing that is found not only in the lobby, but also in the hallways where the hotel suites are. Each floor has a different theme; where mine was they featured old lithographs of Chicago during the 1800′s, while on the floor where my friend was, they had these incredible black and white photographs of singers and Hollywood starts from the 30′s, 40′s and 50′s.
The next day after I arrived, I staked out my visit to the Art Institute of Chicago. As I headed out to the museum, I took some skyline shots of the city and was marveling at the architecture. As I did so, I chuckled at a comment that the man at the concierge desk made when he found out I was from New York: “Welcome to our little city.” It’s hard to imagine with such incredible sculptural and architectural scenery that people here would have an inferiority complex to New York. As much as I love Gotham, I have to admit that it doesn’t quite have what Chicago does when it comes to building design.
Anyway, I eventually made my way to the Art Institute of Chicago. I was in luck because they had just recently opened their Matisse exhibit and several others to stir my creative juices. As it turned out, I wasn’t totally blown away by the Mastisse exhibition. I was intrigued to be able to see his works from his time in Tahiti, but I guess I was hoping that they would be displaying his pieces from his more experimental period. But no worries; I was more than satisfied by checking out the Modern in America exhibition that happened to feature some of my favorite painters, including my beloved Georgia O’Keeffe. So my recommendation is that if you are ever in Chicago, go…go…go to the Art Institute! You will not regret it.
So after that, I meandered across Michigan Avenue and stepped into Poster Plus, this amazing poster shop that features original vintage posters and incredible giclee prints of well known pieces. I bought a couple myself and probably would’ve bought like five more had it not been for this here budget I’m on. You can see what I’m talking about checking out their site, though I will say that it doesn’t compare to an in-store visit.
After my freak out at the poster store, I went ahead and took some more shots of the city. I wish I had more time to really delve into the nooks and crannies of the craftsmanship of my surroundings but I was really pressed for time. I’ve been taking shot of urban architecture as reference for some pieces I want to do (I’ll write more about that later) and Chicago definitely offers plenty of inspiration.
So after a short, but lovely visit, I had to bid adieu to the Second City but I will definitely be back soon!
