About Chicago
April 16, 2007
Hello Possums. Let me tell you some of the things I learnt about Chicago over the past eight days.
The best place to fall in love in Chicago is over dinner on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building overlooking Lake Michigan and the city lights.
“You don’t get to sing the blues in Chicago unless you’re damn good”. This is a quote from my harmonica playing, tequila drinking acquaintance. From what I saw of Chicago blues, he’s damn right! At least once in your life you need to hear the blues sung in Chicago. Pic (left) of me looking happy to be at ‘Blue Chicago’ on my first night, listening to Mojo Mama.
Always bring a coat, hat, gloves and scarf. Despite the tourist associations telling you Chicago
is called the windy city because of a reputation for feisty politicians, it was windy almost every day, and off the lake that wind sure is chilly. If you want to meet French Canadian men, wear a beret. Wear boots if it’s likely to snow because ordinary shoes slip in the streets. One morning (pic to the right, click to see the horizontal sleet) the wind was so strong that the friction of my court shoes on the road wasn’t big enough to give me purchase against it. I was stuck motionless and had to change direction in order to progress at all. I had to sort of walk in a zig zag.
The restaurants in my home city, Melbourne, are excellent and the ones I went to in Chicago at least equal them. Chicago, like Melbourne, is a city for foodies. Servings are too big though! The top end restaurants are an exception to this rule. Here we are at 312 Chicago. I will remember this meal for a long time, it was superb!
The French Impressionist collection at the Art Museum in Chicago needs to be seen. I was not prepared for my emotional reaction to the Renoirs. Honestly they are so beautiful that they brought tears to my eyes. My impossible dream is to go there with my mother.
The architecture is stunning. There is simply nothing in Melbourne that can compare! An architectural walking tour is a must. The pic to the left shows me being snowed on during the tour. It was too cold to do the Architectural River Boat Tour when I was there, but I’ve heard that it’s even better. Rivers are great vantage points for viewing cities (and wilderness for that matter). Pics below give you a taste, but are a long way from comprehensive. From the left I’ve included: the Chicago Tribune Building, Wrigley Towers, Corn Cob Condos, The Jewelers Building (click to view the larger versions – this is particularly necessary for the corn cob condos, because you will be able to see the car parking for the condos on the lower levels. I could not capture this in the photo, but each condo also comes with its own boat mooring on the Chicago River).
So is Chicago my favorite city? I loved Chicago, but “there’s no place like home”. After an absence from home, there is nothing more beautiful to the eyes of an Australian than the sight from the plane of the Australian coast.
(But if I had a pair of those red shoes so that, rather than 18 hours of travel Chicago was only three heel clicks away, I’d be back in a flash).
Hi,
I am the French Canadian with the Beret! (you can see the picture at atwoodpublishing.com).
Don’t forget the next convention in New York in 2008.
Yves, now this is a nice surprise!
I did mention your book in the comments here.
Also, did you visit both parts of the cocktail party conversation? There are parts 1 and 2, and I think 2 is funnier!
(Just to fill the rest of you epossums in, Yves has suggested that ‘A penis for a day’ would be a good title for a book!).
And yes, New York is definitely on my calendar for next year!
Great pictures Bindi. I loved reading your travel journal.
You would be so much fun on a night out.
Thanks earthpal. Chicago was a hoot!
It was great fun reading about your Chicago trip … there is something about French-Canadian men although I have not met many who wore berets. Most of them, if they wore anything on their heads, wore ‘tuques’ or ‘touques’ – a uniquely Canadian expression to describe a knitted cap. (I think it’s just the literary types who wear berets … but then it has been 6 years since I was married to a French Canadian and living in Ottawa … which isn’t the same thing as living in Montréal.)
‘A Penis for a Day’ would be a great read … Bindi, you should start working on your book now!!
ha ha Kate! I’m not so sure about the book!
You’re right. It was me who was wearing the beret. He started a conversation with me because the cover of his book has an abstract picture of a person in a beret. He approached me as I passed his publishing stand at the conference and said, this is you! Pointing to the picture on his book, and after that strange introduction we chatted for maybe an hour, maybe two?
[...] , life Hello Possums. I’ve certainly hit the ground after my whirl wind visit to Chicago last week. I wonder how people who travel often do it! If you are one of these people who travel [...]
[...] reunion in New Zealand and her microwave packed it in on her return. Me – well, I’ve been to Chicago, had a hoot of a time, came home to vomiting children and a washing machine that decided to pack it [...]
[...] own city! Eventhough the night was cooler than it has been for months it was still warm by recent Chicago standards! I didn’t wish to be anywhere [...]
[...] , humour Hello Possums, like Stephanie, I have a funny conversation to report whilst I was in Chicago recently. This was overheard when I was grabbing a quick bite to eat at the Corner Bakery Cafe – cnr North [...]
[...] its all because of my coat. I bought this sheep skin coat at Syndey airport on the way home from Chicago in April and now that the weather has turned cold, I’m getting a good bit of use out of it. [...]