Chicago Leaving

I'm currently somewhere about and hour and a half south of Seattle and this is where i'll be spending the rest of my days in the US before I return back home in just a few days' time. Seattle is very much different from Chicago. The city is way smaller, the architecture here is somewhat less significant and life is slightly slower here. Not as exciting I would say, but then again, it's also got it's own identity being surrounded by awesome mountains, evergreen forests, next to a waterfront and all that. And probably fresher seafood produce.

Anyway, I'm just posting up more of Chicago photos for now. I've been quite occupied going around Seattle and have less time to post, but then I forsee that I may continue to upload as many pictures even after my vacation is over. But for now, here:

- American Gothic at the Art Institute of Chicago

- Near some Mexican restaurant

- Millemium park with Frank Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion in the background

- Crossway

- In downtown Chicago

- Barney's New York at Rush St. in Chicago

- I likey this road name.

- Lake Shore Drive

- Michigan Avenue (The Magnificent Mile)

- The Windy City lives up to its name.

- Sears Tower

- I'll be missing Chicago.

Stay tuned for more.

Waking up in Seattle

I've pretty much been crazed this past few days as I have been trying to squeeze in every worthwhile thing to do in Chicago into my last days there and so I haven't the time to update. Chicago was so awesome. I'll definitely miss it and I will return here someday. I managed to squeeze in a few more things before I left including taking a last stroll down Michigan Avenue and checking out the luxury goods retailer, Barneys, over on Rush Street. And one last visit with my sister to the Art Institute of Chicago where we laid out eyes on Monet's paintings.

Anyway, I'm just posting to tell you that I'm now in Seattle, well, technically living 1 and a half hours away from Seattle. In fact I just arrived about 12 hours ago and I just woke up. So I have a few days with my sister to explore this city before my holidays are up. So more pictures to come including the ones from Chicago.


Stay tuned for a new city.

Michigan

Over the weekend, we drove East to Michigan to visit our cousin and their family. And I got to do blueberry picking and managed to go to a sand dune on the way back.

I don't have the patience to narrate lengthy, detailed descriptions about how big and sweet the blueberries were or how fine and beautifully shaped each grain of sand was at the sand dunes. All I know is that it's 11.30pm, I'm sleepy, I'm getting cranky and I'm planning to head downtown early tomorrow. So, pictures should suffice for now.

- Blueberries

- As fresh as you can get em'

- The blueberry plants

- Warren Sand Dunes

- Lots...

- ...and lots...

- ...and lots of sand.

- By the Michigan lake shoreline. The water was cold. I have no idea how people can swim in it without gettin' pneumonia.

Stay tuned for more.

Chicago: Sculptures at Grant Park

Look what I came across while walking along Grant Park in downtown Chicago a few days back.





They are these sculptures of legs, all without torsos and heads by Magdalena Abakanowicz. And is entitled: Agora. They are cast out of iron in Poland and you can clearly see that it has rusted and stained the concrete ground. But I find it somewhat poetic that way. But walking through them, you can smell the rust.

PS: I'll be in Michigan over the weekend.

Stay tuned for more.

Wilmette: Baha'i Temple

We visited the Baha'i temple located in Evanston like two days ago. We happen to be in the area and my sister and her friend was like "You wanna go, you wanna go?" And I said "Why not?" So, we just hopped over for a short look at the temple building since it's supposed to be incredibly ornate.









Honestly, I know little about Baha'i, but I think the temple was incredible as it was funded entirely from donations and took like 30 years to construct. The exterior was richly decorated to awe and inspire. Once inside the temple, where silence is observed, it seemed extremely peaceful. And your line of sight is immediatelly drawn to the focal point, which is the dome.

I would say it's quite majestic. And it is also complemented by the many fountains, water features and beautifully manicured lawns and landscaping surrounding it.


Stay tuned for more.

Chicago: Metro Station Entrance

Look what I stumbled upon!



It's the Art Nouveau Metro entrance way which was designed by Hector Guimard. These entrances are most famous in Paris but this one was made a few years back using the same cast and design as the originals. Of all places, I never expected to see them in Chicago.

- The main characteristics of the Art Nouveau are fluid curvilinear lines.

- They almost seem plant-like. Very nature-inspired in a way.

Stay tuned for more.

Chicago Alone

Today I walked nearly 20 blocks. Like SERIOUSLY. I'm so freakin tired. It's 12am here and my sister is already sleeping while I'm the one who walked 20 blocks. Nevermind.

Anyways, it was TOTALY.WORTH.IT. I took a stoll down to Lake Shore Drive to have a look at 860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments (more to come in another post). But the thing is, I entered the lobby to ask the concierge just to confirm whether I was at the right place since they were like renovating the shit out on the road outside and had like tarp covering any sign saying what building it was. And that man was really friendly. Asked me where I was from and all that and had a decent conversation. I would have to say that Kairi is probably the one who influenced me to strike up conversations with random strangers.

Other than that I just walked the Magnificent Mile again (where all the stores are). I found out how expensive Neiman Marcus was as they carry Dolce, Prada, Diesel, Armani, Ferragamo and all that crap. Didn't buy a single thing. Just looked, touched, and looked some more. I mean if you think stuff in Parkson was expensive, try that Dolce Tuxedo Jacket I saw worth 4995.00. And mind you, that's 4995.00 U.S. dollars. AND it's ONLY the jacket. I'm still sticking to H&M.

I also took a visit to the Art Museum coz I found out that on Thursdays after 5:00pm, admission is awesome-ly free. Walked around but I did not finish the entire museum as it was big. Like BIG. And there was quite alot to see. Nice things. Paintings by Picasso and Piet Mondrain, architectural sketches by Richard Neutra, Mies Van Der Rohe and Frank Gehry. Sculptures by Matisse. Lots of things. I'm so going back there again next Thursday.

Here're some RANDOM pictures. I will most likely organise them better in the coming posts.

- John Hancock building...again. But better view, without me in it.


- Trump International Hotel and Tower entrance.


- The newly constructed Trump Tower. I love how it reflects the sun.


- Inside Macy's. It was pretty nice in there. Tried on a couple things from DKNY but their sizes were too big.


- Random street. You see, I walked alot today. AH LOT


- Finally, the Art Institute of Chicago.


- Dinner at Chipotle. I do like Mexican!

I need to get a tripod or a friend because the entire time I could not take pictures of myself posing in front of fantastic locations. And I think that is just missed opportunity.


Stay tuned for more.

Chicago: 330 North Wabash

For my architecture coursemates:

I paid a visit to the 330 North Wabash building (formerly known as the IBM building). Seeing this building for the first time absolutely overwhelmed me. How could it not when it was designed by famed architect and one of my favourites, Mies Van Der Rohe.

This was infact the last building he designed in the U.S. and unfortunately, he passed away before its construction. Nevertheless, it embodies all of his ideas on minimalism.

If possible, when I journey into the city again, I would like to try and enter the building. That is if I'm allowed to. But admiring the exterior was good enough.

- Signage

- 330 North Wabash behind me.

- Right at the corner.

- The raised sidewalk.

- The entrance

Stay tuned for more structures in Chicago.

Chicago Lovin'

It's awesome here. There's nothing else I can say.

This is my first time here in the Windy City and so far so good. For the first three nights here, I got to stay in the hotel in downtown Chicago right in the heart of the city. It's an odd feeling where on the first day itself I was hurled right into the fast-paced side walks. You see, the main street, Michigan Avenue is what 5th Avenue would be to New York. And throngs of people walk the walk everyday. Even more now that it's summer.

I think I could really learn to love Chicago. It's not as busy and domineering as New York, It's got an electic mix of people and the architecture is just marvelous. It's got good bus systems, railway, beautiful well equipped parks, nice beaches, and scenic roads. The one thing bothering most people would probably be the traffic jam (Imagine Federal Highway during rush hour). But what city doesn't face this problem?

I love how the city has a well organized grid system with generous sidewalks. I think I have a thing for sidewalks...and boulevards. Pathways, in general. They are like the arteries of the city, conveying people in and around the city on foot. I find walking around the city is so much better than being in a vehicle because you just tuned in all of your senses when you're exposed to the environment. Vehicles create a buffer between you and the outside.

I have so many things to say but I can't seem to find the words. Here are a fraction of the pictures I snapped up in the city that I will be calling home for the next few weeks.

- my first glimpse of downtown Chicago.

- John Hancock Building on the left with the Water Tower Place beside it (Oprah once lived here).

- At the foot of the Hancock Building.

- Well spaced side walks.

- Chicago

- On a bridge overlooking the Chicago river.

- downtown.

- at Navy Pier, where alot of activities take place. The cityscape in the background.

- Navy Pier 'board walk'.

- I think this is called Wacker Drive. An underground road where Batman: The Dark Knight was supposedly filmed.

- Enjoying the famous Chicago Deep Dish pizza. Let's just hope it wasn't beef.

- The smooth steel surface.

- The Cloud Gate Sculpture by Anish Kapoor, Millenium park,

- It drizzled.

- Threading water.

- The Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa, also at Millenium Park. It's comprised of translucent glass blocks and a high tech LED video system and every few minutes, the random Chicagoan faces pucker up and water jets out from the lips as though they're spitting!

- Tickets to the Taste of Chicago (kinda like a big food fair).

- Gelato.

- Turkey Leg. And yes, eating it was a challenge.

I've since moved out from the Avenue Hotel in downtown Chicago and moved up north to stay with my sister's friend who will be putting us up for the rest mf my stay. It's still close to the city and I can still take a bus ride to get there. I just did it today to go for some shopping and it wasn't that bad!

I'm planning to explore more in the city as well as this neighbourhood I'm in.

Where am I?

View Larger Map


Stay tuned for much MUCH more.