Chicago Sep 2012
 

Since I've already created two photo threads today, I figure why not make a third, this time of my trip to Chicago in late September of last year. This was my first extended trip to Chicago, and compared to where I'm from, NY, Chicago struck me as one or two magnitudes smaller and more quiet. But it also struck me as perhaps the most polished large American city I've seen, and maybe even in the running for most beautiful large city in the country. Which was not something I expected.

First up, a bunch of skyline/loop photos.

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Views from the Sears Tower

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My favorite view of Chicago, and the one which makes the city look largest, I think.

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River Cruise

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Chicago came across as a very monumental city, maybe even more so than NY

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Lake Cruise

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Even though I grew up and live on the East Coast, I like!

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Cocktails at the John Hancock building

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Pilsen, a nice and very presentable Mexican neighborhood to the west. I really liked the contrast between the high rise monumentalism of the Loop and Near North, and the well-taken-care-of low rise neighborhoods to the North and West.

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Wicker Park, probably my favorite neighborhood in Chicago

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Had dinner here later

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North Side neighborhoods

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Moving toward the lake

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This building reminded me of NY

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The free Winter Garden nearby

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And the free zoo

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Even though Michigan is just a lake, Chicago felt like a coastal city, more so than NY for example, because it embraces its waterfront so thoroughly.

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Wringleyville. Very quiet, I guess because there was no game going on

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Back to the Chicago River

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Michigan Avenue

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Daytime views from the John Hancock building

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Back on Michigan Avenue

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What was this? Reminded me almost of a mini-Rockefeller Center

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Makin' Chicago look very friendly. Perfect set.

That's one of my favorite Chicago buildings, NBC Tower. I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to do some work there during the 1996 elections. It's not a coincidence that it reminds you of Rockefeller Center -- it looks like it on purpose, even though it was completed in 1989. It was very controversial in the architecture world at the time because Chicago had been -- and still is -- so big on modernism for so long, and it's supposed to look like it's from the 1930s. But almost 25 years later, I think it's settled very nicely into its surroundings.

Wonderful tour. And you made it to Big Star!

Damn YOus!!! You sucked me in and now I want a deep dish and there is no where to get one here. I have actually been trying to find jobs there since the last trip. I need to get back to finally hit the observation decks. Tom in Chicago drove me through Wrigleyville on a Friday night. It was hilarious and scary as hell. So much douche it was unreal. You couldnt have paid me to go into any of the bars on Friday. PIlsen was awesome. Loved Pilsen. Worth going out of the way to see. I could live there easily.

many adjectives describe Chicago, but one really captures the city best: SPECTACULAR!!!

Thanks for this complete tour and very nice pics of Chicago, bricky!

I´ve many special memories of our visit to Chicago in September 2010, just two years before yours. Chicago is such an spectacular city! We enjoyed it complete and intensely.

Congrats and greetings from Madrid, Spain!:tup:

Really incredible tour here. Chicago looks beyond amazing!!:cheers:

Wonderful city photos! I'm planning on going to downtown Chicago next week.

Cool as Fonzie; great set dude!

:)

chicago in the summer, nothing like it!

Had to get my last chi town summer fix, your pics are the best for it. Thanks much.

I miss my former home. Nice to see these photos!

Nice photos!

Spot on tour, thanks. I agree w you on many of your observations and Wicker Park is hard to beat.

Just a lake is always what "the coasters" say but it is only the 3rd largest lake in the world so...:titanic:
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Good pics though.:tup:

Great set, great city. Thanks!

wow im longing for those summer roadtrips north, now.

Beautiful! The downtown Chicago seems to be in a very good shape!