A few weeks ago I attended the Innovative Users Group Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Even though I had visited the "Windy City" a few times before, this was my first time to have an extended stay downtown. I initially had some hesitations about getting around in a big city for a conference, as the largest conference location I had been at previously was in Minneapolis and I was in walking distance from most things I needed at the time. However, I can honestly say that the Conference and visit to Chicago were definite blessings. This travelogue and diary of sorts is probably mainly of interest to me, but maybe I might have some gems of insight to share.
4/17 - left from Ottumwa IA to Chicago via Amtrak's California Zephyr. It had been about 10 years since I had traveled via Amtrak, and this was my first time to have a major hub as a destination. It was an amazing experience to walk between the Amtrak behemoth engines at Union Station - with the sights of their red lights and electrical sounds if felt like I was darting my way between dragons in the underworld! Took a taxi to the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, I was awestruck about the view outside my hotel room - looking south across the Chicago River with excellent views of the Swissotel and the Aon Center, not to mention the boat traffic.
4/18 - Preconference sessions.
4/19 - First day of conference; Scott Simon of NPR - Mentioned that he didn't have a PowerPoint presentation (to wide applause) and gave a very thought-felt and impassioned talk, especially in regards to his reporting in wartime Sarajevo, the two young women he met there, and the book they inspired Pretty Birds. I enjoyed his stories about reading to his children, including stories about Chicago. I sent an email to him the following week inquiring if he has any plans to write children's books - he responded the same day and seemed flattered that I would ask.
4/20 - Second day of conference; I had dinner at Heaven on Seven on Rush Street with other Iowa librarians. At it was the first wall of hot sauce I have seen and I had an excellent huge catfish platter!
4/21 - Third day of conference; I had dinner with a friend at Bandera - an element of Edward Hopper in the setting and the best roast prime rib ever! We took the Red Line "L" to U.S. Cellular Stadium to see the White Sox battle Tampa Bay. My first attendance at a professional game, a very cool introduction with fireworks and AC/DC's Thunderstruck, which has to be one of the best intro songs ever! I wasn't dressed for the temperatures (dropped to 37), and I had to leave by the fifth inning. Unfortunately the Sox were loosing 5 to 0.
4/22 - First day on a CTA bus (excellent service); first day of a load profiles training workshop at the City Colleges of Chicago administrative offices, very close to the former Sears Tower, which I didn't realize until I looked up in the sky during our lunch break. I had some very nice Tropic Delight thin crust pizza at Giordano's, the short order cook seemed surprised that I didn't want Chicago deep dish style.
I walked to the Art Institute. I found for getting around downtown that a quick and long stride seemed most efficient. The friend who I walked with the day before thought that I was hurrying, but I figure why not get the most energy expenditure out of walking (as opposed to paying to go to the hotel exercise facilities, which doesn't make good business sense to me). It was Free Thursdays at the Art Institute, and it was fairly crowded. I had to take a few minutes to orientate myself to the split levels and where collections were in relation to one another. I spent a while in the Impressionism and Post-Impressionism collections, but was primarily interested in seeing Edward Hopper's Nighthawks in person. There were plenty of people at this and the other well known paintings. I was surprised to see Ivan Albright's Picture of Dorian Gray. I recall my Dad mentioning that the painting was at the Institute and I had seen pictures of it before, as well as the movie of the same name, but nothing compared to seeing it in person. The figure reminds me of portraits of Ludwig van Beethoven, but instead of a dignified person, the figure is literally falling apart before our eyes.
4/23 - Second day of the load profile training. I enjoyed a hearty but healthy breakfast at the West Egg Cafe. I took advantage during a lunch break to take the elevator up to the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). I know there is much controversy about the name change, but to be honest I'm surprised Sears/K-Mart is still in business. I don't tend to love heights but the view was well worth the trip - I loved it! I struck up a conversation about the Lego Willis Tower with a gentleman shopping in the gift shop. I didn't have time to step out on "The Ledge" but maybe next time I will do so with my son!
When evening came around I took a quick jaunt north on Fairbank Ct. I noticed some interesting architecture along the way, including the Prentice Women's Pavilion at Northwestern Hospital and further northwest on Michigan St., the historic Water Tower and Pumping Station. I had a sundae at the Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop. I spoke a few words to the waiter and he asked me where I was from and I mentioned Iowa, and he mentioned that he had lived in Dubuque and missed someone very much there, I responded to keep praying. I made a quick stop in a Dominick's food store, which reminded me of some of the grocery stores my family and I frequented in Germany. A quick walk and viewing more sites proved to be a very energizing and rewarding.
4/24 - Took the bus in time for the opening of The Field Museum. This was my third visit there, and I always enjoy the Hall of the Mammals of Asia, which is one of the oldest exhibit collections. I enjoyed reading some online Bible readings while relaxing on a couch and surrounded by the dioramas. Maybe those would be odd bedfellows to some. Everyone of course doesn't has the same belief system as I do , but I typically don't have any problems reconciling faith and scientific research and findings - it all just makes life that more interesting to me. I also enjoyed The Ancient Americas exhibit with its fascinating and compelling history of Native American populations. I spent three hours at the museum but could have easily spent six (with a lunch break). By the afternoon it was time to pick up my baggage and catch a taxi to the train station.
I had brought "Nothing Like in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869" for reading, and each time one of the assistant conductors noticed my book, they would have a comment like "Stephen Ambrose, it must be good", or when I showed the cover "I like it already". I had an interesting conversation in the observation cart with a fellow from Burlington IA who worked for a business based in San Francisco CA. It was a very rainy day but it was still great to see the Illinois and Iowa countryside from a window side view and without fighting traffic. The train was a few minutes early arriving in Ottumwa. A great close to an excellent trip!
4/17 - left from Ottumwa IA to Chicago via Amtrak's California Zephyr. It had been about 10 years since I had traveled via Amtrak, and this was my first time to have a major hub as a destination. It was an amazing experience to walk between the Amtrak behemoth engines at Union Station - with the sights of their red lights and electrical sounds if felt like I was darting my way between dragons in the underworld! Took a taxi to the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, I was awestruck about the view outside my hotel room - looking south across the Chicago River with excellent views of the Swissotel and the Aon Center, not to mention the boat traffic.
4/18 - Preconference sessions.
4/19 - First day of conference; Scott Simon of NPR - Mentioned that he didn't have a PowerPoint presentation (to wide applause) and gave a very thought-felt and impassioned talk, especially in regards to his reporting in wartime Sarajevo, the two young women he met there, and the book they inspired Pretty Birds. I enjoyed his stories about reading to his children, including stories about Chicago. I sent an email to him the following week inquiring if he has any plans to write children's books - he responded the same day and seemed flattered that I would ask.
4/20 - Second day of conference; I had dinner at Heaven on Seven on Rush Street with other Iowa librarians. At it was the first wall of hot sauce I have seen and I had an excellent huge catfish platter!
4/21 - Third day of conference; I had dinner with a friend at Bandera - an element of Edward Hopper in the setting and the best roast prime rib ever! We took the Red Line "L" to U.S. Cellular Stadium to see the White Sox battle Tampa Bay. My first attendance at a professional game, a very cool introduction with fireworks and AC/DC's Thunderstruck, which has to be one of the best intro songs ever! I wasn't dressed for the temperatures (dropped to 37), and I had to leave by the fifth inning. Unfortunately the Sox were loosing 5 to 0.
4/22 - First day on a CTA bus (excellent service); first day of a load profiles training workshop at the City Colleges of Chicago administrative offices, very close to the former Sears Tower, which I didn't realize until I looked up in the sky during our lunch break. I had some very nice Tropic Delight thin crust pizza at Giordano's, the short order cook seemed surprised that I didn't want Chicago deep dish style.
I walked to the Art Institute. I found for getting around downtown that a quick and long stride seemed most efficient. The friend who I walked with the day before thought that I was hurrying, but I figure why not get the most energy expenditure out of walking (as opposed to paying to go to the hotel exercise facilities, which doesn't make good business sense to me). It was Free Thursdays at the Art Institute, and it was fairly crowded. I had to take a few minutes to orientate myself to the split levels and where collections were in relation to one another. I spent a while in the Impressionism and Post-Impressionism collections, but was primarily interested in seeing Edward Hopper's Nighthawks in person. There were plenty of people at this and the other well known paintings. I was surprised to see Ivan Albright's Picture of Dorian Gray. I recall my Dad mentioning that the painting was at the Institute and I had seen pictures of it before, as well as the movie of the same name, but nothing compared to seeing it in person. The figure reminds me of portraits of Ludwig van Beethoven, but instead of a dignified person, the figure is literally falling apart before our eyes.
4/23 - Second day of the load profile training. I enjoyed a hearty but healthy breakfast at the West Egg Cafe. I took advantage during a lunch break to take the elevator up to the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). I know there is much controversy about the name change, but to be honest I'm surprised Sears/K-Mart is still in business. I don't tend to love heights but the view was well worth the trip - I loved it! I struck up a conversation about the Lego Willis Tower with a gentleman shopping in the gift shop. I didn't have time to step out on "The Ledge" but maybe next time I will do so with my son!
When evening came around I took a quick jaunt north on Fairbank Ct. I noticed some interesting architecture along the way, including the Prentice Women's Pavilion at Northwestern Hospital and further northwest on Michigan St., the historic Water Tower and Pumping Station. I had a sundae at the Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop. I spoke a few words to the waiter and he asked me where I was from and I mentioned Iowa, and he mentioned that he had lived in Dubuque and missed someone very much there, I responded to keep praying. I made a quick stop in a Dominick's food store, which reminded me of some of the grocery stores my family and I frequented in Germany. A quick walk and viewing more sites proved to be a very energizing and rewarding.
4/24 - Took the bus in time for the opening of The Field Museum. This was my third visit there, and I always enjoy the Hall of the Mammals of Asia, which is one of the oldest exhibit collections. I enjoyed reading some online Bible readings while relaxing on a couch and surrounded by the dioramas. Maybe those would be odd bedfellows to some. Everyone of course doesn't has the same belief system as I do , but I typically don't have any problems reconciling faith and scientific research and findings - it all just makes life that more interesting to me. I also enjoyed The Ancient Americas exhibit with its fascinating and compelling history of Native American populations. I spent three hours at the museum but could have easily spent six (with a lunch break). By the afternoon it was time to pick up my baggage and catch a taxi to the train station.
I had brought "Nothing Like in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869" for reading, and each time one of the assistant conductors noticed my book, they would have a comment like "Stephen Ambrose, it must be good", or when I showed the cover "I like it already". I had an interesting conversation in the observation cart with a fellow from Burlington IA who worked for a business based in San Francisco CA. It was a very rainy day but it was still great to see the Illinois and Iowa countryside from a window side view and without fighting traffic. The train was a few minutes early arriving in Ottumwa. A great close to an excellent trip!
Chicago has received a lot of negative press with references to "Chicago Politics" at the national level, and the murder rate and some politician efforts to bring in the National Guard to help stem the rising tide of urban crime. I'm not sold on whether that idea is good or bad (probably like many things, a mixed bag) but I don't believe that we can condemn the city or its population because of violence. Violence is everywhere and has been here since the beginning and will be here until the end; we have to find ways to discover and encourage the best in people. I met many nice local folks, and the city has a fascinating history and to me seems like a place of endless possibilities - I'm sure that it will continue to weather its storms.
Great journal entries, Kyle has described a city that can compete with any major city of the world. His description of the arts, food, entertainment, museums and citizens of Chicago would entice anyone to visit it soon.
ReplyDeleteHe has taken a business trip and turned it into a unique lifetime experience. It takes a lot of courage to venture out of the safety of a convention center and explore such a large city on foot but he has shown it can be done with great rewards.