Chicago // the bean

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfizXmfJylZFZB1TeQ-K1c3sBrb0NV4e0zhrI2hK3-fxBKovYEkoM60i_eOFTSMyP5GW9ImxEWfILQWFFXxajq4OFcGSSotBuCSf1ZXhJWpn-b2pAMiGxn5nFShijJqVR6b7O0or9DE_M/s1600/chicagobean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfizXmfJylZFZB1TeQ-K1c3sBrb0NV4e0zhrI2hK3-fxBKovYEkoM60i_eOFTSMyP5GW9ImxEWfILQWFFXxajq4OFcGSSotBuCSf1ZXhJWpn-b2pAMiGxn5nFShijJqVR6b7O0or9DE_M/s640/chicagobean.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />growing up in Michigan, I have been to Chicago several times. but. I had never been to the bean. so when I went to visit my cousin this summer, I knew we had to go to Millennium Park and see it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF_QVZwU0gUR1wZmo5UvUk3h9a_jjBtyiiHtdR3Qv1IFamxipSx2Uvtt2LYB1mRvHSLfIcjzaMewb5adL3bLMsXYpKUZKg9NUlyCAUABRLvB6gA5F0X2nrq_EYQu06cGXYYT2oPBYXAvl/s1600/IMG_1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF_QVZwU0gUR1wZmo5UvUk3h9a_jjBtyiiHtdR3Qv1IFamxipSx2Uvtt2LYB1mRvHSLfIcjzaMewb5adL3bLMsXYpKUZKg9NUlyCAUABRLvB6gA5F0X2nrq_EYQu06cGXYYT2oPBYXAvl/s640/IMG_1623.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUcKMs9gGdJGBwoxqkrtbpJP24svOSRiPuZqZhLMkdw18Whr4l4H-3Sipu9ijO9vVvJOpPXz5yGf693yLHQpcFevgBTwnkzloutB6HQe0HBdc_DQbbnCjqbYTOAOUOyzXKUlNiBUG7cPh/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUcKMs9gGdJGBwoxqkrtbpJP24svOSRiPuZqZhLMkdw18Whr4l4H-3Sipu9ijO9vVvJOpPXz5yGf693yLHQpcFevgBTwnkzloutB6HQe0HBdc_DQbbnCjqbYTOAOUOyzXKUlNiBUG7cPh/s640/IMG_1626.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBtmv795hemuVmufoRFbUtHlgM3kutQyK6hEFBiNXDkwAzRLnChEEykWqcbQE3GAAFM447p6Gu7ynuXbnvrHO4-0_ae-j9e1e_36SEdUNt533Wz1Se1IdVSNSEIerM96SZP4AESgb7W7y/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBtmv795hemuVmufoRFbUtHlgM3kutQyK6hEFBiNXDkwAzRLnChEEykWqcbQE3GAAFM447p6Gu7ynuXbnvrHO4-0_ae-j9e1e_36SEdUNt533Wz1Se1IdVSNSEIerM96SZP4AESgb7W7y/s640/IMG_1639.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />technically this silver sculpture is called "the cloud gate," but everyone just calls it "the bean". it's one of those ultra-touristy but still iconic things that you just have to do once when you visit Chicago. [like going to the Empire State Building in New York, or the Eiffel Tower in Paris.] typically I like to attempt to blend in when I'm traveling, but sometimes you just have to ham it up and wear the tourist label proudly.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-nuJ9AivKJCMxgLK-ldzaUgXcuB8ygcbXnJFJen8BnqmIlGP7WasYUa1y2He9kuDoW5vylHxFynEGqqaR0uOQxLd-k2aPlCU3BnwCCp2XLLQ24UlW0pvee4v-fVbZsYU5A__GWTgyPx9/s1600/IMG_1643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-nuJ9AivKJCMxgLK-ldzaUgXcuB8ygcbXnJFJen8BnqmIlGP7WasYUa1y2He9kuDoW5vylHxFynEGqqaR0uOQxLd-k2aPlCU3BnwCCp2XLLQ24UlW0pvee4v-fVbZsYU5A__GWTgyPx9/s640/IMG_1643.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUrZC7O7bJk4ompQdcE80dbWdd-zxhnyt4N42zM9_oulh31zI14t7REi1_U-EigxVaHRg_nB1Y3kmdGtDN6r26tsnt7xrc49NjmSglwmMERekD2cGhQTvqMCRO_hewIwjzj4YavBAqhpy/s1600/IMG_1644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUrZC7O7bJk4ompQdcE80dbWdd-zxhnyt4N42zM9_oulh31zI14t7REi1_U-EigxVaHRg_nB1Y3kmdGtDN6r26tsnt7xrc49NjmSglwmMERekD2cGhQTvqMCRO_hewIwjzj4YavBAqhpy/s640/IMG_1644.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />the bean is huge and reflective, and it's pretty much impossible to get a clear shot without anyone walking through your path. we handed our cameras over to a bunch of teenage boys from New Zealand and this was they best they could give us. [my phone came back with a few new selfies.]<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF92RL01aLJjnxXDbOU7SMd0xXNdPMllThZd-RidzM3kGjsIYKzzgtEWUdp0yZW-aMqwWLn7PtW82sf9GpQUvbsGAua_BRjN4tEiXlkwymB7BcmY7dZnWR7MY9JutL9giYsOjtTAn7esFN/s1600/IMG_1652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF92RL01aLJjnxXDbOU7SMd0xXNdPMllThZd-RidzM3kGjsIYKzzgtEWUdp0yZW-aMqwWLn7PtW82sf9GpQUvbsGAua_BRjN4tEiXlkwymB7BcmY7dZnWR7MY9JutL9giYsOjtTAn7esFN/s640/IMG_1652.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbiXRJ2t94gt-mveVP-nrF39A4TG3zUlsTD1RBqxoQm4Um_cLvKaRsoHSY87FkmQ5EzhSVMmzLU40hVk8RZTIpBiWKSUdV8MMaGIiBnATZzpgVOrEVVjjWJQQroBLbI2uc8cNfWwkXFeA/s1600/IMG_1627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbiXRJ2t94gt-mveVP-nrF39A4TG3zUlsTD1RBqxoQm4Um_cLvKaRsoHSY87FkmQ5EzhSVMmzLU40hVk8RZTIpBiWKSUdV8MMaGIiBnATZzpgVOrEVVjjWJQQroBLbI2uc8cNfWwkXFeA/s640/IMG_1627.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />my favorite thing about the bean is how it reflects the city skyline. we had a bright, clear day and the sky was almost blindingly blue. actually, I bet the clouds would look amazing reflected, and that's probably where the name comes from. maybe I'm getting a touch of homesickness looking at these pictures... but the midwest has sky like nowhere else I've been.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWcAI7F0nyIZBeZwnAcsx0in5OPW0v93gXGJGOWboWl4hZTLBNtYr0vM_5BaIcW2IGP3tG25jKIozOA1U5FbxZtwYUxqwd6RtehhtCRuGtk6v6aecCt8a5YIOJixSEBsMg7U0z2VeDwvy/s1600/IMG_1635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWcAI7F0nyIZBeZwnAcsx0in5OPW0v93gXGJGOWboWl4hZTLBNtYr0vM_5BaIcW2IGP3tG25jKIozOA1U5FbxZtwYUxqwd6RtehhtCRuGtk6v6aecCt8a5YIOJixSEBsMg7U0z2VeDwvy/s1600/IMG_1635.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraoVK5Am0BtaM5oWGEwlBQDiZB_nV0aU-98904iJgJamZivi5cCnhQ_dMcKWFexXGHSGRp7SB3e9MCjeAkJMscGNFQG99rs2SITS7wXNb4qRXrtIzsNt0uu48es4FvzgIRGm-gdo1ULk-/s1600/IMG_1646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraoVK5Am0BtaM5oWGEwlBQDiZB_nV0aU-98904iJgJamZivi5cCnhQ_dMcKWFexXGHSGRp7SB3e9MCjeAkJMscGNFQG99rs2SITS7wXNb4qRXrtIzsNt0uu48es4FvzgIRGm-gdo1ULk-/s640/IMG_1646.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CEQcVdIVhH1spjEntN8rBL3y92se8IGbrWL0zkxPOV_8k-JngjjoJ27321pwG-Eyq3FbuFUGIyWH2uKYOYUvpsHcJBJj5KLMN8r2malNrcKbxX_hzSokZwXtDVhp9xe43DBHJXG_KOLM/s1600/IMG_1654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CEQcVdIVhH1spjEntN8rBL3y92se8IGbrWL0zkxPOV_8k-JngjjoJ27321pwG-Eyq3FbuFUGIyWH2uKYOYUvpsHcJBJj5KLMN8r2malNrcKbxX_hzSokZwXtDVhp9xe43DBHJXG_KOLM/s640/IMG_1654.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />I don't really have much else to say about the bean. it's a just big rounded mirror swarmed by tourists, but you should go see it anyway. you can always stop by the nearby <a href="http://www.artic.edu/" target="_blank">Art Institute</a> or check out the lakeshore while you're there. or you can head to the overpriced cafe on the lower level of the terrace... maybe you'll luck out like I did and <a href="http://inkandadventure.blogspot.tw/2013/08/and-then-i-found-five-dollars.html" target="_blank">find five dollars there</a>.

Chicago // the bean

growing up in Michigan, I have been to Chicago several times. but. I had never been to the bean. so when I went to visit my cousin this summ...

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great white city

<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzabsVNdQhzroSa0I7HaXEAxprtrByThr549b4ioCUC6QDb1m-okuIit0Pxw1mVwg79hLkmWfkh-E3HmniFPO_8RcJhUi2tu5kWSL1Z002x61He5Wny6nUpiiPJnla1cCvq8bgMkKdxV3f/s1600/IMG_1662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzabsVNdQhzroSa0I7HaXEAxprtrByThr549b4ioCUC6QDb1m-okuIit0Pxw1mVwg79hLkmWfkh-E3HmniFPO_8RcJhUi2tu5kWSL1Z002x61He5Wny6nUpiiPJnla1cCvq8bgMkKdxV3f/s640/IMG_1662.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><br />[I can't look at pictures of Chicago without <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmJwraC4p5A" target="_blank">hearing this song</a>, so you may need to listen to it as you read.]<br /><br />my favorite thing about Chicago? breeze that sweeps in off the lake. most cities smell like cities: trash, sweaty people, roasting hot dogs, dirty pavement. and that has its own kind of charm. but Chicago was a breath of fresh air.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSTo8vpXXzzGllov4UBLnzKyvKzFDnimkv0ZL9fGYBLlY-2-yLOt5O7B8J1inHCx2ETPP2Utyjvu3G8KNLPaAdCjsqzBwkAxcRaNsbS2_JO_i_TlernS_o2a4sv__RR7QPac5TRjx3JY0/s1600/IMG_1618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSTo8vpXXzzGllov4UBLnzKyvKzFDnimkv0ZL9fGYBLlY-2-yLOt5O7B8J1inHCx2ETPP2Utyjvu3G8KNLPaAdCjsqzBwkAxcRaNsbS2_JO_i_TlernS_o2a4sv__RR7QPac5TRjx3JY0/s640/IMG_1618.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKExomB2xOWIsmPX1X499iTrqBry-77W43FpYkrjx-tzZ-tyF7tLG-nlp-xbfo6I50oSDOwFp1EUAPkZC_yo5K9WkGLJd41QSdCZdvbsE4Jiw4iYlwmmhbbN3XqOQfNvg6FHcJ2cpIcku/s1600/IMG_1619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKExomB2xOWIsmPX1X499iTrqBry-77W43FpYkrjx-tzZ-tyF7tLG-nlp-xbfo6I50oSDOwFp1EUAPkZC_yo5K9WkGLJd41QSdCZdvbsE4Jiw4iYlwmmhbbN3XqOQfNvg6FHcJ2cpIcku/s640/IMG_1619.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLOycObE50L5CvVVgRy26uZwxOn-jD0f6U4DIB4IwxeaFuiUf7sivX4GsokJgmW2MFOFheVMr9S7UP7tQRHM576-jZox7_6FBaJ5sBL-KZoaO9hwK7IvAdTLMwnIcOrHD3zr-oaw0WB3v/s1600/IMG_1622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLOycObE50L5CvVVgRy26uZwxOn-jD0f6U4DIB4IwxeaFuiUf7sivX4GsokJgmW2MFOFheVMr9S7UP7tQRHM576-jZox7_6FBaJ5sBL-KZoaO9hwK7IvAdTLMwnIcOrHD3zr-oaw0WB3v/s640/IMG_1622.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>New York will always be "my city" and Philly has a special place in my heart. I love Detroit because I grew up in Michigan and- come on, it's Detroit- but Chicago has grown on me. when I graduated and moved to the east coast it seemed like ALL my classmates wanted to stay in the midwest. I literally tried to find someone to take a job in NYC and they all turned it down for places like Grand Rapids and Omaha. I couldn't understand it. and the only ones who wanted to move to a big city wanted to move to Chicago because it was <i>so cool</i>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5QjR5VYmMvYFCX7PPbavMzuwYoeGFEltmfTpiFt8NkL_HML-4JzNxeOl3ZdxWqHnJswKamgSCVCsmyssg69_PbVtSxdUVIKydS7s_Ik4WsqBvfMsmJ5tDuuBBVIXSZmu3gm3HfsYaIt3/s1600/IMG_1708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5QjR5VYmMvYFCX7PPbavMzuwYoeGFEltmfTpiFt8NkL_HML-4JzNxeOl3ZdxWqHnJswKamgSCVCsmyssg69_PbVtSxdUVIKydS7s_Ik4WsqBvfMsmJ5tDuuBBVIXSZmu3gm3HfsYaIt3/s640/IMG_1708.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKConvp-7Q7OIxshK0WAHOJUmvLwBFh6VL7IR3Ck_yhbBaY2I6Cg-WD_bIPQ6JjrCUEs1r5MMeBnxhn6ht9Uqu_cHF8h2AB7Yzpqx6JR6qfSKigaGsa6PaVUIfY12xH6xJogeRi04afnN/s1600/IMG_1711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKConvp-7Q7OIxshK0WAHOJUmvLwBFh6VL7IR3Ck_yhbBaY2I6Cg-WD_bIPQ6JjrCUEs1r5MMeBnxhn6ht9Uqu_cHF8h2AB7Yzpqx6JR6qfSKigaGsa6PaVUIfY12xH6xJogeRi04afnN/s640/IMG_1711.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>well, turns out Chicago <b>is</b> pretty cool. the architecture, the lake, the food, the art, the people... it reminded me a lot of Philadelphia with all the neighborhoods spreading out, but the people definitely had more of a midwest charm. Philly has an attitude [and I love it], but Chicago is pretty chill. a little more laid back, a little more down to earth.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG2pevj0Jfcn05gPkH1zOQgFMQhBH9UyHkEWq9Zd_pJEv62AdHUKMXoOEhPs4MLlDG3dJ-l6DRVLq1o1HMqsIYdLkZ8QRhn1kvGr7e0TP4Knvfj3Wk_DIct-SxsRI2m_V9RL5xz5EM2Ly/s1600/IMG_1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG2pevj0Jfcn05gPkH1zOQgFMQhBH9UyHkEWq9Zd_pJEv62AdHUKMXoOEhPs4MLlDG3dJ-l6DRVLq1o1HMqsIYdLkZ8QRhn1kvGr7e0TP4Knvfj3Wk_DIct-SxsRI2m_V9RL5xz5EM2Ly/s1600/IMG_1677.JPG" /></a></div><br />more to come.<br /><br />

great white city

[I can't look at pictures of Chicago without  hearing this song , so you may need to listen to it as you read.] my favorite thing about ...

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