United States
Where to begin??? Hmmmm....
Let's begin with Illinois.
Let's begin with Illinois.
Hold on to you hats, we’re gonna visit the Windy City.
My Kind of Town, Chicago is.
Yep, Chi-Town was where we were born and raised.
This pic was taken around the time of Kevin's retirement in 1999.
8-2000
Lakefront-view taken from the top of the Sears Tower
Lakefront-view taken from the top of the Sears Tower
4-2004
Driving North on the Dan Ryan toward downtown
Driving North on the Dan Ryan toward downtown
8-2006
The Sear's Tower is impressive to the skyline.
The Sear's Tower is impressive to the skyline.
It was completed in 1973 and was the tallest building in the world.
I just found out that it is no longer called the Sears Tower.
In 2012, they changed the name to the Willis Tower.
10-2001
I will always think of it as the Sears Tower
It sure is tall.
3-2002
Really tall.
Okay, this will be the last of the Sears........maybe.
6-2000
Driving South on Lake Shore to Michigan Avenue
toward the Drake Hotel and the Hancock building.
John Hancock Building
2-2002
Hancock again
11-2001
Marina Towers
9-2001
I always liked the corn-cob and honey-comb shape.
8-2006 Marina
Car parking was on the lower levels.
Don't back in too far.
Car parking was on the lower levels.
Don't back in too far.
10-2003
Marina Towers (Left), Unitrin Bldg, (Center) and Chicago Theater (Center Front)
8-2011
In 2011, the Unitrin Building was changed to the Kemper Building.
It was completed 1962, and was the tallest marble-clad office building in Chicago.
8-2006
The Mercantile Mart
6-2002
Chicago Board of Trade Building
8-2001
The BOT Pit
As of 2015, the Pit no longer exists for trades.
As of 2015, the Pit no longer exists for trades.
9-2001
Boeing Bldg.
8-2004
CNA is also called the "Red Building".
In 1999, a window fell from
the building, killing a woman walking below.
To this day, the firm physically checks each window monthly.
10-2004
The diamond-shaped building was the Associates Center.
In 2012, they changed the name to Crain Communications Building.
9-2001
The tall rectangle building is The Standard Oil
Building.
When completed in 1974, it was the tallest building in Chicago.
A year later the Sears Tower became the tallest in the world.
Standard Oil was renamed
the Amoco Building in 1985.
Then renamed
the Aon Center in 1999
In 2007, it changed
to Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc.
Who knows what it
is now.
Are the Chicago Cops directing traffic or crossing the street?
10-2002
Congress Hotel
What am I doing taking a picture in the middle of Michigan Avenue,
with cars coming at me?
6-2000
Hancock and The Drake Hotel
Driving south from Lake Shore Drive onto Michigan Ave.
11-2002
NBC Tower
11-2001
Tribune Tower
3-2003
We happened
to be downtown, when they were filming a remake of “The In-Laws”
with Michael
Douglas, Albert Brooks and Candice Bergen.
We remained in the area, but we have never seen the film.
6-2003
Water Tower on a foggy day.
8-2006
The Water Tower is located on Michigan Avenue,
along the "Magnificent Mile" shopping district,
The Water Tower is located on Michigan Avenue,
along the "Magnificent Mile" shopping district,
2-2000
The Water Tower was built in 1869.
It has a large water pump to draw water from Lake Michigan.
But now it is used as a tourist information center.
The Water Tower was built in 1869.
It has a large water pump to draw water from Lake Michigan.
But now it is used as a tourist information center.
9-2001
Wrigley Building and a boat on the Chicago River going under Wabash Ave.
10-2003
The Wrigley Bldg was designed
using the shape of the Giralda tower of Seville' Cathedral
with a touch of French Renaissance.
8-2004
Crain Communication Center.(Center) and Prudential Building (Right)
The Prudential was completed in 1955.
The antenna on top was used to broadcast WGN-TV.
You might recognize the Crain as the infamous building in the movie "The Babysitter".
You might recognize the Crain as the infamous building in the movie "The Babysitter".
2-2002
The Aragon Ballroom
Buddy Holly was scheduled to perform in Chicago's Aragon Ballroom.
Sadly it was cancelled due to the fatal plane crash in 1959.
Buddy Holly was scheduled to perform in Chicago's Aragon Ballroom.
Sadly it was cancelled due to the fatal plane crash in 1959.
8-2006
The Chicago Theater
11-2001
The Goodman Theater
6-2000
Second City
2-2002
Old Goldblatt's Building
1999
State Street Ice Skating Rink with a Zamboni.
11-2002
Billy Goat Tavern opened in 1934.
The famous newspaper columnist, Mike Royko, frequented the Bar.
In 1964, Billy Goat's moved to its current location, under Michigan Avenue.
Butt in anytime.
10-2002
Perez Restaurant had great Mexican food.
We use to drive into the city to go out to lunch with our son.
The food was so good and portions so large, we had to take doggie-bags home.
8-2006
The Chicago River
6-2002
The Sun Times Building
The two major Newspapers in Chicago: the "Times" or the "Trib"
8-2006
This is the Mirrored Building on Wacker Drive.
10-2002
The Picasso structure opened to the public in 1967 in the Daley Plaza.
People can climb and slide on it.
12-2002
Picasso dwarfed by the Christmas tree.
12-2005
Marshall Fields
Architecture in Chicago is stunning.
But inside the buildings can also be dazzling.
Marshall Fields again. These are escalators.
Okay, let's visit some museums.
6-2001
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of our favorites.
There is so much to see.
2-2002
Yes, the real Grant Wood's "American Gothic" is there.
"Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper
"Paris Street: Rainy Day" by Gustave Caillebotte
If you go, be sure to visit the Thorne Miniature rooms.
There are 68 tiny models of beautifully detailed rooms,
constructed between 1932 and 1940.
7-2001
The Field Museum
8-2000
This Mammoth is enormous.
2-2003
Never sure what you might see.
Sue is the largest and best preserved Tyrannosaurus (T Rex) ever.
The illusive butterfly
Famous man eating lion from Africa.
2-2003
Other strange displays, also.
The Museum of Science and Industry
There is an enormous replica of the city.
Especially from above.
I always loved Yesterday's Main Street.
It is a mock-up of a Chicago Street from the early 20th century.
You can still see silent movies at the Nickelodeon Cinema.
2-2003
I do not remember this photo being taken.
2-2002
The Shedd Aquarium opened in 1930 and still draws millions of visitors each year.
All sorts of fish
2-2002
Lincoln Park Zoo: The lions look tired.
The monkeys were actually swinging all over the place.
This one came over to check us out.
6-2001
Over by the University of Chicago, you can find the Oriental Museum.
It is a relatively small museum, but it is always interesting.
Kevin and his sister had a great time.
10-2001
Chicago River
10-2003
Buckingham Fountain was dedicated in 1927.
It is one of the largest fountains in the world.
Especially beautiful at night.
1-2002
The Metro
3-2003
3-2003
The L (or Elevated) runs above ground-level.
I cannot ever remember riding it.
But you could always hear the rumble, when it was coming.
8-2006
Cloud Gate opened in Millenium Park, in May of 2006.
It was nicknamed the Bean.
Taking pictures was fascinating.
If you can see the red eclipse in the center,
I am the one (top) taking the picture and Kevin is below.
Which one is reality?
Everyone should see the Bean, at least once.
9-2001
The Chicago Skyline
11-2004
Promontory Point Lake Michigan at 55th Street
Ted Erikson (my dad) spent immeasurable time here (and still does).
12-2004
The famous "Robie House", designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
8-2004
The Gerald Ratner Athletic Building in Hyde Park.
6-2001
Chicago South Shore Apartments
This was Kevin's childhood home.
He could walk to Rainbow Beach on Lake Michigan.
He could walk to Rainbow Beach on Lake Michigan.
2-2002
15423 Minerva Avenue in Dolton, Illinois.
This is where Kevin lived when we first met.
Nearby, there was a Drive-in restaurant.
The roller-skating waitresses would take your order,
and skate back with a tray to attach to your car window.
They had the greatest Pizza Burgers, EVER.
Nearby, there was a Drive-in restaurant.
The roller-skating waitresses would take your order,
and skate back with a tray to attach to your car window.
They had the greatest Pizza Burgers, EVER.
My first home was Gunsaulus Hall at Illinois Institute of Technology.
We lived there while my father studied and worked at IIT.
My second home was on Cicero avenue in Hometown.
I do not have a picture of either place.
But there was the Sheridan Drive-In Theater across the street in Hometown.
The cars would line up in a parking lot
and attach metal speakers to their windshields.
I can remember...
We put lawn chairs on the front lawn on Saturday evenings.
My mother would make popcorn.
And we would watch the big screen across the street.
Of course, we could not hear what they were saying in the films,
but it was great fun.
That is, until they planted a big tree to block our view.
7-2002
11460 Longwood Drive, Chicago, Illinois.
I lived here from 1959 through 1965.
My room was in the attic (you can see the top window).
I could climb out the window, and sit on the roof.
It was great for star watching at night or talking to the neighbor kid next-door.
Chicago has so many beautiful buildings
and museums and structures.
I could go on forever,
and still, never do it justice.
