Oh Chicago, I hardly got to know ya...

First-year students of CreComm were blessed this past school year by being given the opportunity to join second-year PR and Advertising grads on their trip to Chicago, Illinois. There was room on the bus for more than a dozen of us "first years", and I was glad that I took the opportunity to go. Chicago is a beautiful city and I will briefly describe some of the photos I took of places I visited when I was there.

1. This is a view of Lake Michigan from the John Hancock Observatory on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. One side of the walkway was "open air" and was covered by a grille instead of glass. Very Breezy at 94 floors high and over a 1,000 feet.

2. This building is a fantastic remnant of old Chicago. It's called the Chicago Water Tower and it used to hold a column of water 138 feet high to help with firefighting and regulating the city's water pressure.

3. This structure is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago's Millennium Park. It's stage hosts music, dance, and a variety of artistic performances. Stunning to look at and huge.

4. No, this is not a spaceship. This reflective artwork is called Cloud Gate by its designer, Anish Kapoor (but locals call it, "the bean") The Chicago skyline reflects magnificently on its surface.

5. This is a view of downtown Chicago from the Willis (Sears) Tower. I'm glad I went there at night to see how far Chicago extends out into the landscape.

6. This is a photo of my feet looking down 103 floors to the street below from The Ledge on the Willis Tower Skydeck. I'm not going to lie, it was a bit of a spooky experience. I saw a girl doing a handstand for a photo op. I don't have that kinda guts...

7. Egyptian sculptures from The Art Institute of Chicago. Inside are hundreds of pieces of stunning artwork and sculpture. If you go, prepare to spend a whole day. This place is endless.

8. Garrett Popcorn Shops on East Ontario Street near our hotel. The popcorn here is (as my wife would say) "to die for." I would seriously ponder my life for its tasty kernels. The CheeseCorn is habit forming and the Chicago Mix will upset your dentist. Mmmmmmm...yum.

9. Our class visit to Ketchum, a Public Relations firm headquartered in New York City. Very friendly and informative staff. I would love to work here. Just sayin'...

10. This is one of the exterior walls of the Chicago Tribune. Embedded in the walls are pieces of historic buildings: a piece of a roman building, a mosque, Sydney Opera House, and metal from the World Trade Center.

11. Our final piece of deep-dish pizza from Giordano's in our hotel room. Lotsa, lotsa cheese on this baby and yes, you will gain weight eating it. One of the top three pizza's I've eaten. Did I mention I make kick-ass homemade pizza?

12. Chicago's Navy Pier. Lots to see and do here and it even boasts its own amusement park. I walked around here for hours taking in the scenery, shops, and stained glass museum.

13. This four-mast tall ship, Windy, was docked at Navy Pier. She's in fine shape. Arrrrgghh... ; "think pirate sound."

14. The tulips in bloom on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. This street has also been named, The Magnificent Mile. (for good reason, the shops and scenery are "magnificent")

"I Heart Chicago", is the feeling I came away with after this trip. I also came away with the flu on the trip home, but you have to take the good with the bad. The vibe in Chicago is very friendly, though I do have to admit we were in mostly tourist friendly areas. That being said, if you ever happen to visit here, the places I've mentioned above are a good place to start.

I won't be returning to Red River College until August, so likely this blog will not be as regular as its been. I will try to sign in occasionally to let you know what's up from time to time in my six-foot world. Until then, take care!