Friday, August 31, 2012

Chicago ~ a wonderful town!

Chicago
Chicago ~ photo by Jane LaFazio

I do love Chicago! I was teaching at CREATE last week and had two days to tour the city. The weather was absolutely perfect! 77 degrees and sunny.
Chicago
Chicago ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
We went on the 90 minute Chicago Architecture Foundation River Tour . If you visit Chicago, do not miss this tour. (Last year, we visited the Art Institute of Chicago  and loved it.)
Chicago
Chicago ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
Chicago
Chicago ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
Chicago
Chicago ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
Chicago
This 4 condo building is right on the river amid all the skyscrapers. I want to live here!  
Chicago
Chicago ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
Chicago
Chicago ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
helen and me
My good friend, Helen Shafer Garcia was with me and we had a great time!


Chicago
 Millennium Park ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
 Millennium Park is another must see. That's a Frank Gehry building in the lower left corner.
Chicago
 ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
Cloud Gate, referred to as The Bean (by artist Anish Kapoor)
Chicago
Yoga in Public Places, The Bean, Millennium Park, Chicago, Ill.
Chicago
little kids playing with their reflections at The Bean 
~ photo by Jane LaFazio
wrights home
Frank Lloyd Wright House, Oak Park, Illinois ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
The next day, I was on my own, and took the train to fabulous Oak Park to see the Frank Lloyd Wright house. Yes, I read "Loving Frank" and really enjoyed it.

wrights home me
in front of Frank's office
wrights window
Frank Lloyd Wright home dining room window ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
wrights bathroom window
Frank Lloyd Wright home bathroom window ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
wrights family photo
Frank Lloyd Wright family photo
wrights dining room moonlight
Frank Lloyd Wright  ceiling light panel~ photo by Jane LaFazio
wrights living room
Frank Lloyd Wright home living room ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
wright designed home
A Frank Lloyd Wright designed home in Oak Park ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
The neighborhood of Oak Park is gorgeous, and had an audio tour available, but I didn't have time for it.
wright designed home 2
A Frank Lloyd Wright designed home in Oak Park ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
hems living room
Ernest Hemingway's childhood home ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
And a wonderful surprise for me, Ernest Hemingway grew up a few blocks from the Frank Lloyd Writght home.  Since I'd visited (and blogged about) Hemingway's home in Cuba this past January (and his home in Key West, Florida years ago) I was excited to continue my Hemingway home tours! (Yes, I read "Paris Wife" too, but didn't finish it.)

What a difference in architecture and interiors from Frank Lloyd Wright!
hems house 1
Ernest Hemingway's childhood home ~ photo by Jane LaFazio
hems as a kid
Ernest Hemingway on the left, holding a gun! with his grandfather and siblings

Lastly, here's a video I made from Millennium Park.  The band "Dead Can Dance" was rehearsing at the amphitheater.

You can see why I love Chicago!

9 comments:

  1. Wonderful photos! Thank you for sharing, Jane. I hope to visit Chicago in the near future and use your photos as a guide on what to see.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love all your photos Jane!! I do want to see Chicago one day. The music on your video has me intrigued so I'm going to look them up. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love Chicago. We are heading there to visit family next weekend. We have seen so many of the sites you visited that your photo montage was doubly entertaining. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My 17 month old granddaughter lives in Chicago (with her parents - grin). Spent 3 lovely weeks there in July - during the heatwave. I have taken both architectural boat rides and have visited Frank Lloyd Wright's studio. Wonderful place.

    ReplyDelete
  5. you took beautiful photos of my beautiful city -- and my beautiful building, The Wrigley Building -- I work for Wrigley. But I would not want to live in those condos on the river -- the river stinks and really isn't that clean at all :) The architectural boat tours are the best though. Also the Frank Lloyd Wright stuff in Oak Park is beautiful. Looks like you were lunching on Michigan Avenue -- near the Intercontinental Hotel??? Anyways, I follow your blog and just wanted to say I love your creations!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I couldn't make it to Create this year - otherwise I'd have been in one of your classes again. I love Chicago too and I feel so lucky to live close enough to visit on occasion.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wonderful photos - it's a trip down memory lane, or river! I met up with some friends Chicago last summer and just fell in love with the place. Yes to the Art Institute, yes to the river cruise, yes to Frank Llyod Wright and yes to Millenium Park! They are all on the YOU MUST DO THIS IN CHICAGO list!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great photos! Perfect weather!! ;-)

    I'm also a huge Frank Lloyd Wright fan, so was interested to see your photos of his home in Oak Park.

    Thank you!

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. We are going to Chicago next summer, and we'll use your photos and comments as recommendataions. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for visiting JaneLaFazio.com!

Related Posts with Thumbnails