I drove up to the Botanic Garden today with my friend Marcey to check out blub fest. It was the most beautiful Fall day for wandering the gardens. They have loads of mums in yellows and oranges and strategically placed gourds here and there, a hay bale maze and gourd tower. It was lovely.
First tip - if you want bulbs (which I didn't - no yard to put them in) go on Friday or early Saturday or pre-order. They were very picked over today. Second tip - don't expect very many vendors for fun fall goodies. I picked up a couple of mini loaves of peanut butter cookie bread (yep, yum!) and some homemade marshmallows. Marcey picked up some veggies and that was about it ... But it was the most perfect day to be out and about. Perfectly Fall! 
worlds largest camera
Last weekend I made my way over to see the worlds largest camera - currently sitting in 2 N Riverside Plaza as part of the art installation "Butterflies & Buffalo: Tales of American Culture. Let me just say it's AMAZING! The camera is crazy big and beautiful and the photo output incredible! Really amazing detail for prints of this size. I cannot wait to see how this project comes together!
Want to know a little more? Check out their video on Vimeo!
Butterflies & Buffalo: Tales of American Culture from Butterflies & Buffalo on Vimeo.
chicago clickin walk
(see mobile pics here)
Processed the "big camera" photos today so I could get everything posted on the Clickin Mom's forum - my first posts to the forums (eek!). A few others have posted and I'm really enjoying seeing everyone's take on Chicago's architecture! The crazy ones to see are the camera phone pics - we all walked the same streets and with all the different apps and filters, very few look the same. So much fun! 
Here are a few of the ladies in action at Union Station! 
clickin walk : phoned in
I met up with about 30 other women who are members of Clickin Moms for the 2013 Clickin Moms Walk. I have only been a member of the group for a few months and, sadly, have not really taken advantage of the resources they offer. But, I am always up for a photowalk so I met up with the Chicago group in Mary Bartelme Park for a walk to the river, union station and back. I met some great ladies and am looking forward to their take on the city. Here is a sneak peek via iPhone 5S!! 
chicago in white : trois
This was my third year attending the Chicago in White dinner - a pop up / flash mob style dinner who's secret location is not revealed until we have all gathered at our harmonization points. In years past we have dined in Daley Plaza and along the Chicago River in front of the Merchandise Mart, so the bar was set pretty high. This year our head of table announced we would be dining at the Randolph Street Market there was silence... Yeah, that's because it's not exactly a Chicago landmark ... And, the market is held in a parking lot! I was completely underwhelmed by the venue this year, but enjoyed dining with my friends regardless. Hoping they get back on their game next year and move it back to August ... we were a little chilly! 
staycation : six
stay : six podiatrist history @ the chicago history museum 95 floors above the city @ the john hancock observatory
Let me just start by saying... when I woke up this morning it was POURING rain. Buckets of rain. That is not at all what you want when you're on vacation. Anyway, I had to get out and about and my first stop was the podiatrist. (kind of goes with the anti-vacation thing to do) A quick analysis, a few x-rays and some ace bandages and I was out the door. Apparently I have plantar fasciitis, boo. This is how I walked out of the office ... it's a good look, huh?
A quick stop at home for a shoe change and it was back downtown with me. First stop was the Chicago History Museum. This is the one museum in the city that I have never been to before, so it was fabulous to finally pay a visit! I didn't learn all that much more than what I have learned in my 18 years here, but they do have a very nice display of the "white city" and "chicago fire." They had two really great exhibits - one of Ebony Magazine and the history of their Fashion Fair - and the other, the real reason for me being there, Vivian Maier's Chicago. It was a small, but well done exhibit. I really enjoy her work - she had a great eye for finding interesting subjects from very simple moments. I even broke down and bought the book of her work! Maybe someday someone will make a book of my photos - wouldn't that be something!?!
Enough about me... (ha!).. when I emerged from the museum, the sun had come out so I decided to run into the John Hancock Observatory for a few shots from above the city. I prefer the view from the JH to that of the Wills because you really get the lakefront. And on a day like today - with a little haze in the sky - it was perfect! Just look at that skyline would ya? 
staycation : three
Stay : threewalk thru millenium park and the laurie garden lunch @ sweetwater sweets @ sugar bliss happy exhibit @ the chicago cultural center impressionists @ the art institute walk @ the nature boardwalk near the lincoln park zoo
I was skeptical when I woke up this morning and is had rained overnight and the sky will filled with clouds. But, as the morning went on, the clouds rolling in over the lake began to give way to the blue sky above and it turned out to be a really, really nice day! iPhone photos only for now - I will do a little more on each item in upcoming posts. Just too many photos to process tonight and each of these things deserves a little elaboration.
I got downtown a little early to walk through the park and Lurie Garden - had not been in the gardens before. Given that it's Fall, most everything is on it's way out, but it was still a beautiful green space in the middle of the concrete jungle!
I squeaked in a visit to The Happy Show by Stefan Sagmeister at the Cultural Center (it leaves next week) and I am so happy that I did! I love his humor and keen grasp of the obvious. This exhibit is fun and interactive and says much of what we think, but never admit or say out loud. 
From there I walked over to the Art Institute of Chicago to take in the Impressionists (another exhibit at the end of it's run). There were a lot of amazing works - didn't really love that they were spread out so much - somehow never found the AI's famous Seurat. Guess it's a good thing I have had the pleasure of seeing it before, but if I were an out-of-towner, I'd be pretty upset it wasn't front and center. 
Last stop of the day was over to the Nature Boardwalk near the Lincoln Park Zoo. I have seen a good number of photos of this structure that sits along the nature walk and have wanted to get there myself to take a go at it! No idea why it's taken me so long, but man, was I missing something fabulous! I might have gotten a little carried away photographing this thing...
staycation : days one two
The last couple of years have been very busy at work and I squeaked in a little vacay here and there, but didn't come close to taking all of my vacation days. So ... this year I said I was going to take as many of my vacation days as I could! Why let them go unused, right?!? This week will be my first ever "staycation!" It's odd for me to take time off from work and not be going somewhere. Kind of funny to hear everyone's response. "Where are you going again?" I finally started answering "Chicago" and then they kind of got it. I feel like I do a pretty good job of getting out and about around town, but Chicago has so many amazing things to offer - why not be a tourist in my own city?
So let the stacay begin!
stay : one
brunch @ Farmhouse Evanston
shop local - ventured into a few shops that I had never been in before and found a couple of great items
end of summer party on rooftop in Bucktown with a pretty spectacular view - my pitiful iPhone photo just does not do it justice
stay : two
brunch @ Little Market Brasserie
Kind of got rained out today, so we spent a huge chunk of the day sitting and chatting over some fabulous food and drink. I topped it off with a black bottom sundae that had the most delicious homemade salted caramel - I literally ate it by the spoonful - oy!
And they had live music - every Sunday for brunch! I have never seen this before and think it's a fabulous idea! The lead singer was dishing up acoustic versions of his band's music (Mighty Fox) mixed in with covers. He had a great voice too! We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. [soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/78936477" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]
beautiful day @ the botanic garden
So, I am not a huge flower person... but I do love the Chicago Botanic Garden. Marcey and I met the Robinson's there to spend the most lovely day wandering the different gardens. There was so much in bloom - pretty much everything looked great except for the roses, they were just past their time. I really think I should try to make it up there once each season. Next up would be Fall foliage ... putting that on the calendar now! Till then, enjoy some pretty flowers!
Oh and I almost forgot about the crazy lilly pads! That may have been Elliot's favorite of the day...
brunch @ beatrix
One thing I love about Chicago - there's always a new restaurant to try! Met Selika for brunch today at a new space called Beatrix. I really like the vibe of the space. It's this kind of hybrid bar/restaurant/coffee/pastry spot. They have a great brunch menu and the pastry bar .. oh my, so good. I wanted one of everything, of course! I picked up a house-made graham cracker that was delicious, but had to grab one of these peanut butter sandwich cookies to go! I mean look at this thing! How can you pass it up?
Give it a try if you are in town! 