CHICAGO WEEK 4
Looking for a great time in or around Chicago? Ever wondered what a city like Milwaukee has to offer? Last week of our midlife journey in Chicago, we ventured out to beautiful lakefront Milwaukee, continued our hunt for vibrant street art, experienced a bold Barbara Kruger exhibition at The Art Institute of Chicago (AIC), and lots of things in between.
MILWAUKEE DAY TRIP
Allan had a meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I went along for the day. I was pleasantly surprised by this picturesque lakefront town with plenty of things to experience. I enjoyed wandering around the Historic Third Ward District, with its trendy shops and art galleries. Explored a variety of artisanal products among the local food vendors at the Public Marked. Walked along the Milwaukee Riverwalk, with various shops and restaurants among public art and green spaces.
Milwaukee has embraced street art as a form of expression and community engagement. Both local and visiting artists have contributed to a colorful and dynamic street art experience throughout the city. One of the most famous spots for street art is Black Cat Alley on Milwaukee’s eastside.
Since Milwaukee is famous for its brewing history, we enjoyed a burger and a beer on the outdoor patio at Lakefront Brewery, before heading back to Chicago.
The Riverwalk and Historic Third Ward District in Milwaukee
bike rides and street art
There are lots of things to love about Chicago; interesting architecture, quirky coffee shops, amazing restaurants, and iconic buildings. One of my favorite things is how street art creates an eclectic and creative atmosphere. It is displayed on large buildings or hidden in alleys everywhere around Chicago. More than anything it reflects the diverse nature of the various Chicago neighborhoods.
From Logan Square, it is easy to walk and bike around the city. Yes, the traffic is a bit crazy everywhere in Chicago but it is not unusual to see people on a bike. One of my favorite bike routes was the 606, also called Bloomingdale Trail. It’s a 2.7-mile-long trail system elevated on former railway tracks, connecting the Logan Square, Bucktown, Wicker Park, and Humboldt Park neighborhoods. From here we got a great perspective of these culturally rich and diverse neighborhoods and their colorful murals and art installations.
View from the 606 – Bloomingdale Trail
a special movie night
On a weeknight, we watched the new James Bond movie, No Time to Die at the historic Logan Square Theatre. It’s a cute vintage-style movie house from 1915 with deep a tradition of neighborhood entertainment. It was late when we walked back to the apartment but decided to stop at Furious Spoon, a local Ramen place. We sat outside in the cool October air, each with a big bowl of steaming hot noodles, and sometimes it’s the smallest things that create the strongest memories.
At this random Ramen place in Chicago, I looked at my husband across the table, 30 years older than when we first met. I felt reassured deep down inside, that together we would overcome the challenges of this stage of our lives, and fill the void that our kids had left behind.
Chicago Marathon
On our last Sunday in Chicago, all the major streets had been closed off for traffic downtown because of the Chicago Marathon. The marathon is an annual event in October. We arrived a little too late to see much of the race. However, there were lots of people gathered in the streets, and an amazing atmosphere of excitement, relief, accomplishment, and gratitude.
And A Bold exhibition at AIC
We joined the many people in the streets for a while before visiting The Art Institute of Chicago. Here we experienced an interesting and very bold exhibition by American conceptual artist and collagist Barbara Kruger, “Thinking of you. I mean me. I mean you.”. Barbara Kruger combines bold text with images, exploring themes of consumerism, feminism, and power. Allan wasn’t crazy about it, but he kept an open mind. I, on the other hand, especially as a graphic designer, loved the striking visuals and powerful messages.
The Art Institute of Chicago regularly features temporary exhibitions like the Barbara Kruger exhibit alongside its permanent collection. Check out the museum’s official website for more information on current and upcoming exhibitions.
Chicago skyline at night
Later in the evening, we sat outside Restaurant Fisk & Co., a hip and modern place to get seafood. The night seemed almost magical. The air was crisp and cool, we were in the middle of a vibrant urban hustle and bustle as we watched the sun set behind the surrounding skyscrapers. Towering silhouettes against a dramatic and colorful backdrop. A combination of steel and glass created a striking panorama as the Chicago skyline lit up.
After dinner, we walked down by the river and watched a digital display by Barbara Kruger on theMART. Art on theMART is one of the world’s largest permanent digital projections and it was really cool.
Art on theMART featuring Barbara Kruger
getting ready to leave Chicago
Our last week in Chicago was fall-ish and rainy. Colorful, wet leaves gathered along the side of the streets creating damp and saturated air with a strong scent of wet earth. Curtains of soft misty haze had been pulled in front of the bay window, and we were slowly getting ready to move on. The last two days we had some pipework going on in the basement of the house, so we couldn’t take a shower… or cook, which was a great excuse for getting one final deep-dish pizza from Giordano’s!
Leaving Chicago was bittersweet. City life had been challenging in the beginning, but we had experienced so many great things in the one month we lived there. No matter how long we would have stayed, there will never be enough time to explore everything Chicago has to offer, especially in terms of food, art, and culture.