January 8, 2008

January 8, 2008

Chicago is enjoying record warm temps so we decided to go downtown to see some sights. Even though we lived for years in suburban Chicago we rarely made the trip. Weekends were too crowded and work kept us away during the week. I especially wanted to walk thru Millennium Park, the newest addition by Daley to the lakefront. The centerpiece of the park is an outdoor concert hall that we will have to revisit this summer. My park favorite was this gigantic metal jellybean sculpture. Its curvy surface is mirrored reflecting Chicago’s wonderful skyline. I had more than a few minutes of fun trying to take my self-portrait with the skyscrapers in the background.

With a couple hours left in the parking meter, Aimee and I went next door to the Art Institute for a quick run thru the galleries. The Art Institute has a big collection of French Impressionists, my favorite art genre. We even explored the basement for the first time. Down below are 68 dollhouse-size miniature rooms from throughout history. They are incredibly detailed. You can’t tell a photo of these miniatures from the real thing. Aimee was amused when she recognized the colonial Tennessee room as the entry hall of Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage in Nashville.