Sweet Phone Chicago
Well, I’m back. We had a wonderful weekend with friends. I was continuously reminded of the many reasons why Chicago is one of my favorite cities. Great food and drink from Giordano’s to Garrett’s and Guinness to Goose Island. Grant Park, Rogers Park, Lincoln Park, and Millennium Park. Serendipitous tickets to see a spectacular Red Sox-Cubs game at the Friendly Confines. Traveling by Metra, El, CTA bus, trolley, taxi and by foot. Neighborhoods. Late night conversations. An imaginary tea party with a darling almost-three-year-old girl. A small Frank Lloyd Wright bridge hidden in the North Suburbs. Remembering what 90 degrees and 90% humidity felt like. Learning what an eruv is. A white muzzle on a black lab we’ve known since she was a puppy. Reliving Wheaton memories. Reliving St. Louis memories.
I wish it could have been longer.
Anyhow, I’m still catching up on work and on reading, so I’ll just post some cameraphone pictures for now....
We saw the dolphin show at the Shedd Aquarium from above and below. Above was great. I’d recommend below.
If there’s anything that Red Sox fans and Cubs fans can agree on, it’s that Nomar has been a disappointment the last two years. Of course, I wouldn’t say that out loud in the presence of these four boys.
We saw live swans, too. And cygnets. But there’s just something about a shot like this that I can’t not take.
It’s not easy capturing dramatic skies and urban silhouettes with an unfamiliar cameraphone, but I got close.
The children playing on this side of the fountains in Millennium Park might have missed out on the spitting grandmothers, but they had a much better eye for good lighting.
Thanks to our friends for hosting us. We hope it won’t be another two years before we return.
8 Ripples from “Sweet Phone Chicago”
Jim says:
June 16, 2005 at 5:06 am
Great pictures! You really have an eye. Well, I’m assuming you have two of them, but at least one of them does a nice job with the Maxwell Smart Pictophone.
bestman says:
June 16, 2005 at 6:06 am
I’m glad you got to see the spitting fountain faces, and all of these pictures are better than the ones I take with my reg’lar camera. I’m curious about this FLW bridge you mention, and I’m glad you got some Garrett’s before you left. I could go on and on, but I must point out something: I realize you didn’t get any tea, but around here, that kind of tea party is not considered imaginary; the imaginary kind is when you don’t even have a teapot or a tray or something to ‘pour’ into.
zalm says:
June 16, 2005 at 10:07 am
Actually, with the Pictophone, I am able to use both eyes. And trust me, there are a lot of pretty bad photos that didn’t make the cut.
The FLW bridge is up in Glencoe on Meadow and Sylvan Roads, where Wright designed several houses in the same small neighborhood. If you go here and scroll almost all the way to the bottom, you’ll find images of the houses and bridge, as well as addresses. Or see it from above on my favorite tool.
As for the tea party… imaginary or not, the invisible Cheetos were a nice touch.
Zossima says:
June 16, 2005 at 5:06 pm
Cubs fan here. Since I was a kid. I miss Chicago. It’s my favorite city in the US. Haven’t been to a Cubs game since ‘97. I tried to go to a Cubs-Cards night game last Spring but couldn’t touch a bleacher seat for less than $125. But Wrigley is one of my top 10 places on earth. Used to go there quite a bit in college.
zalm says:
June 17, 2005 at 12:06 am
I love ‘em, too. I moved from Boston to the Chicago area when I was 8. With the Cubs’ similar history, fans, and classic stadium, it was only natural that they became my second favorite team. To see the two teams play each other at Wrigley was about as good as baseball can get for me, even if it was too hot for beer.
unk says:
August 10, 2005 at 6:08 am
I’ll be visiting Chicago next month and I must know, without causing a major uproar I hope, Giordano’s or Gino’s?
Kevin says:
August 10, 2005 at 8:08 am
Giordano’s all the way my friend.
zalm says:
August 10, 2005 at 9:08 pm
Ooh, that’s a tough one.
I have a lot of sentimental attachment to Gino’s, although that attachment was largely to the old Gino’s East location. The new location is in the old Planet Hollywood building, which doesn’t have nearly the same charm.
They’re both really good. I like Gino’s crust a little more, but Giordano’s has more cheese and has a stuffed pizza which is pretty tasty.
I know there are others lurking out there who have opinions on this....
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