Chicago!!! The City of Broad Shoulders

Corn on the Cob Buildings, Chicago

In November 2009, Virginia and I trekked to Chicago. It was our first time visiting. And that is when I fell in love with both the city and the people.

 

The shrimp risotto was an epiphany at Quartino's. Volare's was yummy. Lunch at the Drake Hotel was elegant and so tasty, with a view of the Beach on Lake Michigan.

 

Virginia and I walked everywhere, and visited Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile, window shopping in fabulous stores, buying Frette linens, walking in the lovely area where a Frank Lloyd Wright miracle-of-futuristic-thinking sits cheek and jowl with a turn-of-the-century typical brownstone in the tony part of Astor St. Also on Astor St. are billionaires' residences and the previous den of iniquity known as the Playboy Mansion. Hef since has moved on, but his roots are in Chicago.

 

We elbowed our way thru the American Doll Store, uncertain if we would ever reemerge. It has a fetishist quality.

 

One highlight of our trip was our Architectural boat tour, 90 minutes of breathtaking architecture, as seen from the Chicago River. Wow, the views were awesome! The breeze was chilly, but worth every minute of icicle feet.

Virginia at Millennium Park, reflected in the Bean

 

Another highlight was the Art Institute. Where else could you see "Van Gogh's Bedroom," "La Grand Jatte," "American Gothic,"

"Nighthawks", etc., etc., all under one roof? Nowhere else.

 

Amazing fact: the Chicago residents are some of the friendliest people I have ever met. They are just as friendly as Southerners, maybe more so. It led us to ask, why? And how soon can we persuade them all to move here? As soon as we landed in DC, it all reverted back. Everybody rushing home. I miss Chicago...

 

Love,

 

patsie >^..^<