Chi-town Chillin'
View from the top (103 floors to be exact) (Skydeck Chicago, Chicago, IL) — 03/10/2016
You ever feel the need — no, the urge — to get away from the familiar? Just to simply escape from the humdrum of the everyday, the quotidian, the routine? Well, I guess you could say that that's the feeling that made me come all the way out to Boston nearly two years ago, but now that feeling's reared its head again and this time around, it's got me itching to get out of the Hub. It's this static dissatisfaction that's got me looking towards the future and my life post-grad outside of New England, but that's a whole other post itself.
For now, let's focus on where it's sent me this time around: Chicago.
Lincoln Park Conservatory
Chicago's been on my list for quite some time now, and since Hannah moved out there for law school I've been meaning to visit. No other time than spring break to squeeze in a mid-semester vacay, right? After some lightweight contemplating (read: none) I bought airfare and planned a trip within a timespan of nine-ish days. Not too shabby, considering JetBlue was having a wicked sale (ugh, Bostonian slang has got its grip on me).
Once I tidied up everything that needed to get done with school, work, and the apartment, I hopped on the plane and within three hours I was reunited with my cuz' in the Windy City.
Clockwise from the top: bouillabaisse, foie gras toast, and salmon poke toast from Bunny, the Micro Bakery; fried chicken from Big Jones; the little gem salad and fermin serrano from The Publican
I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I first landed in Chicago. Definitely a city, but a city unlike San Francisco, Boston, or New York. On the smaller size, but more diverse than my current location and more lowkey than the urban meccas of the West and East coasts. Not sure if that makes any sense, but the main takeaway point is that at the end of my trip, I saw Chicago for what it really is: wonderful.
From the food, to the architecture, to the art scene, to the public transportation (yes, even that because when you deal with the MBTA, you learn to appreciate the little things...like efficient subway systems), Chicago exceeded all of my expectations, whatever they were to begin with.
Tunnel vision (Downtown Chicago, Chicago, IL) — 03/10/2016
Not to mention, I basically had a personal tour guide in Hannah, who offered an insider's look on all things Chicago. We tried to avoid the tourist gimmicks, but I could not resist seeing the Bean (meh) and taking the Willis Tower's elevator 103 floors up for the Skydeck (double meh). Meh's aside, most of my trip consisted of the appreciation of art (and food, let's be real).
We ambitiously and successfully hit up most of the city's art scene during my four-day stay. I got more than my fill or Chicago arts and culture after exploring an artists' commune in Wicker Park known as the Flat Iron Arts Building on Thursday night, spending an entire Friday morning and afternoon in the The Art Institute of Chicago and then a pre-dinner art crawl in Pilsen. Not that that's a bad thing! Actually, it's the total opposite.
The Art Institute of Chicago; The Bean at Millennium Park
In having such a focused, niche-driven trip, I was able to see past the Chicago depicted in the media and tourist guides, and experience it in a way I probably would have never been able to if not for having family in the city. And for that, I'm grateful. It's easy to bypass cities by doing, seeing, eating the typical travel-recommended activities, sites, and fares, but when you get the chance to peek through the projected image of a place and really, truly see it, that's when it can leave its mark.
It's like Dorothy pulling back the curtain on the Wiz, except instead of a sad, middle-aged white dude there's a beautiful, amazing city just waiting to be seen.
*****
Stagnancy and all, I've already got my next trip planned. This weekend I'm heading back out to New York! Stay tuned for posts and pics, but in the meantime you can keep up on my Instagram.