End of the Work Week

Friday afternoon in a Monroe Street alley. Have a great weekend!

Looking Up

190 South Lasalle Street. Designed by architect John Burgee, and completed in 1986, critics called the top of this building chateau-like and "like a ritzy high rise jail." But this building is massively impressive and its design is beautiful. Click here for other views from afar and from the air.
p.s. Here's a photo of the its doorman who kindly looked away from my fumbling attempts at getting the whole building into view...

State Street El Station

The elevated train (known as the el train). Routes are color coded and can be fairly simple, as long as you know where you're going and you aren't color blind. This (rusting) State Street station is the starting point for this extensive system that covers the city and forty suburbs.

Donald Trumps Downtown

401 N. Wabash Avenue. Though the new Trump Tower isn't one hundred percent complete, it's already been the subject of debate for its steel, glass and stone design by architecture critics and reviewers. IMHO, I think it's a noteworthy presence along the Chicago River (and a lot better looking than the old Sun-Times building). Besides, I think all that shiny stuff does brighten up stodgy old Wabash Avenue...

Black Friday

Nordstrom on the Magnificent Mile. A helpful hint for your list this year: consumer reports say clothing was the most disappointing gift among recipients in 2006.

Turkey Lovers of the World, Unite!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The John Hancock Center

875 North Michigan Avenue. This building is a hundred stories high and is the third tallest skyscraper in Chicago (fourth tallest in the US). See a panoramic view here. I like the dark steel and glass for its moody reflections of the city, its external x-braces that were used, both for its structural function against the wind forces and for its visual impact; and the Observatory which rivals that of the Sears Tower in the South Loop. But my favorite part of this building is The Cheescake Factory, located at its base.

Flowers for Amadou

Today, our neighborhood is in shock and is grieving the senseless death of University of Chicago graduate student Amadou Cisse early Monday morning in Hyde Park. Amadou, 29 and a native of Senegal, had just successfully defended his doctoral thesis in Chemistry when he was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest. We pray for him and his family as we gather around to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. His degree will be granted to him posthumously this December.

Uptown Mural

Sheridan at Lawrence Avenue. Read about Uptown's fascinating history and see photos of some of its former lords.

At the Grocery

Whole Foods in Lincoln Park. It isn't in my neighborhood and I don't come here during the weekend when I tend to barricade myself back at home. But I discovered, while tooling around the internet looking for information on Whole Foods, that aside from its "socially responsible" reputation that it is also a place where an inordinate number of romances tend to blossom, organically of course, and that the term "a whole food flirt" has entered the lexicon of the online single and dating crowd. Hmm. Where do you spend your Saturdays?

Play Misty For Me

Lake Shore Drive. Beyond the trees, Lake Michigan is shrouded in mist.

A Hundred Reasons

Since starting my "daily" photo blog, I have both loved and hated the challenge of constantly discovering ways to present my beloved city. For this momentous post (it's my hundredth) I decided to feature this happy guy I met on Michigan Avenue. With change cup in hand and his big beautiful smile, you gotta love his can-do spirit and his obvious joie de vivre. Heck, if he can be this happy after spending the night in the park, I should find solace in knowing that though there may be even bigger challenges still ahead, there is always a reason to smile. Thanks to everyone who's visited and encouraged me with your lovely comments, your sweet memories of your own Chicago and your willingness to wait yet again for the next slow to come post. A hundred thank yous!

Bulls On The Way

Breaking their oh-in-four streak...finally! Go, Bulls!

O'Gara and Wilson Antiquarian Booksellers

1448 E. 57th St. Opened in 1886, it is Chicago's oldest bookstore. Specializing in rare and antique books, the store also sells quirky old oddments such as photographs, sheet music, vintage postcards, exotic marriage urns (?) and the like, none of which can be found most anywhere else. Even their blog is a good read...

In the Eye of the Bean

Sunday at Millennium Park. Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor is one of my favorite things to show out-of-town guests. Click here and here to see my other photos of our beloved Bean.

Blue-Haired and Happy

A participant from last night's trick-or-treat candypalooza....