The Windy City was where I spent the last days of July. I was there specifically to commemorate the life of Escape Into Life founder Chris Al-Aswad, celebrate the past and future of EIL, and meet fellow contributors to the online arts magazine that I am so proud to be affiliated with. I had known Chris only through Twitter and EIL, but even online, his intellect, taste, writing, and the way he was collecting an international team of contributors touched me deeply. His death had come as a terrible shock; when an invitation to Chicago arrived from his family, I knew I had to go.In addition to the joy of meeting many wonderful people whom I had previously only known online, I was able to walk all over Chicago, fill my eyes with as much art as possible in two and a half days, and snap hundreds of pictures. . . it was a truly a remarkable weekend.
It's as if the 70's have returned!
One of the many rooms at the Chicago Art Institute
Lavazza-- a coffee worth drinking every morning.
The surreal beauty of the beach of Lake Michigan.
Sunset over the pier.
Aerial view of "The Bean".
Marilyn: it may be in somewhat poor taste, but the people keep coming in droves.
With EIL's Teia Pearson at the largest fountain I have ever seen.
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3 comments
I never really thought of Chicago as a city I HAVE to visit...until now. Awesome pics!
Lovely to meet you! And we saw Marilyn, too!
Kathleen-- It was a pleasure to meet you too! Isn't Marilyn surreal? I especially enjoyed watching all the different reactions to her. . .
Jamie-- You'd definitely enjoy Chicago-- nice parks, museums, music, culture galore, great food, tea, coffee, the works! Parts of the city look gritty, mind you, but according to my father, Chicago is far more beautiful and lively today than he remembered from decades past. There are certainly lots of new trees and flowers being planted. . . and you know how I love green!
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