Wayback Wednesday: Christmas Day, 10 Years Ago
North Michigan Avenue December 25, 2009 (file) In today’s time capsule, we go back 10 years to the afternoon of December 25, 2009. The view is looking down on the Magnificent Mile from the 50th floor of the John Hancock Center. Though the snow-crusted idyll of A Christmas Story was set just a couple of dozen miles away, this scene is decidedly more frantic, more noisome, and more commercial as tourists, traders, and...
OHC Photos: Museum of Science and Industry
There exists a scientific formula known as the Nike-Starbucks Coefficient. By comparing the amount of tread worn off of your sneakers with the amount of coffee consumed in mid-October, it’s possible to predict how many photographs you took during Open House Chicago. We can only speculate what the Nike-Starbucks Coefficient is for Jennifer Mishra of Wits End Photography, who shared with us her OHC pictures of the Museum of...
OHC Photos: Wrigley Building
Small things can beget greatness. Look at the humble stick of chewing gum, which gave us the magnificent Wrigley Building. Jennifer Mishra of Wits End Photography got a chance to wander around the terra cotta gingerbread castle during the Chicago Architecture Center’s Open House Chicago event, and shared these photographs. (And if your building’s sidewalk is polka-dotted with black ovals of discarded flavor, this is a...
Photos: A Look Back at Open House Chicago
If you were among the people who had to put a winter coat over your child’s Halloween costume when you went trick-or-treating, you might be pining for the halcyon days of mid-October already. To indulge your nostalgia for the days of near-past, here are some photographs from Open House Chicago, taken by Jennifer Mishra of Wits End Photography. Jennifer Mishra/Wits End Photography Jennifer Mishra/Wits End Photography Jennifer...
Take a Trip Back In Time With The Chicago Park District
Two of Chicago’s most valuable — and under-appreciated — public amenities have gotten together to enhance your love of the Windy City. The Chicago Park District has donated 10,000 historic photographs of the city’s parks to the Chicago Public Library, which has made them available to see for free on the intarwebs. This is where your journey down the rabbit hole...
One Final Look Inside Noble Square’s Saint Boniface Church
For close to a decade we’ve been telling you about the saga of Saint Boniface Church in Noble Square. Completed in 1904, shuttered in 1990, since then it’s watched both its convent and school fall to the wrecking ball. Over the years, there has been lots of talk about turning the building into something more than it currently is, and in the last few years that notion gained steam with Stas Development’s plan to turn...
What Summer Looks Like in Chicago: 2018 Edition
About a decade ago we ran a series of articles showing the rooftop pools of various buildings around downtown Chicago. It was a great taste of urban life during the lazy days of the year. Now that the first full week of summer is here, we present a selection of photos from around the city showing updated views of the parks, roofs, balconies, pools, and other places where Chicagoans spend their free time in the sunshine. Be sure to...
Road Trip to Chicago’s Gritty, Colorful Past
It’s hard to escape Chicago. It doesn’t matter where you go on this big blue marble of ours, Chicago seems to follow us around. Museums in Seattle feature items salvaged from demolished Chicago buildings. Las Vegas has dozens of Chicago eateries, including Al’s Beef, Garrett’s Popcorn, and a second Giordano’s location under construction. Asia is dusted with Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grills. Tokyo has...
CBRE Urban Photography Contest Now On
There are almost as many photographers in Chicago as there are sights to photograph. So if you’re a shutterbug at heart, here’s a chance to prove your stuff. Global real estate giant CBRE is now accepting entries for this year’s urban photography contest. Of course, choosing a favorite photograph is like choosing a favorite child. The good news is that you can enter up to 24 different photos. Chicago was not...
Eight Weird And Wacky Facts About The Newberry Library
Books often hold mysteries and strange facts, but the library buildings holding them are generally less interesting. Not so with Chicago’s stately Newberry Library at 60 West Walton Street. The Newberry Library has some very interesting architectural elements, and wealthy benefactor Walter Newberry—who gave the library its name—well, let’s just say that his life ended in a manner worthy of a book. I learned these true tales of the...
