Chicago Baby! A great experience

May 14, 2017May 14, 2017Leave a comment

So it’s come to the end of my travels in Chicago and I’m truly sad to say goodbye to this fab’lous place. As with anywhere there are good and not so good places and bad press, in this instance about gun crime, but my experience is not of a hostile city, as I was lead to believe it would be. It’s not of an unsafe place and unfriendly people. Not a place to feel vulnerable as a young woman travelling on my own but a warm, relaxed and inviting city, with enough to do and see to keep you tripping from one to another all week and still have more to see.

Chicago Theatre

The food was amazing

Teriyaki steak at the Jazz club

Chicken and apricot salad

The views, spectacular

Panoramic view of the river junction

Panoramic view from the Hancock tower

The places to visit, delighful

Cloud Gate and ‘The Bean’

The jazz bars, full of talent and full of life

Watching a band at a Jazz bar

And the city full of wonderful sculptures, restaurants and buildings

Panoramic view of the skyline from the Michigan Avenue bridge

Flowers at Lincoln Park

Cocktails with a view

I’m so glad I chose this city and would love to return in the summer one year as I’m told the (almost) weekly festivals of culture and music are quite something to behold and experience.

Chicago Baby! An architecture experience

May 12, 2017Leave a comment

Having never considered myself particularly interested in architecture other than to go “oooh that’s pretty!” I decided to take a river-boat-cruise about architecture during my stay here in Chicago.

I was so glad I chose to go, it was gorgeous, seeing way they call the ‘canyon’ if skyscrapers from a different perspective with an enthusiast’s narration about the development and ebb and low of architecture styles, fads and trends.

Also a lovely story or two about the change in the city’s relationship with the river, how it changed over time, used and abused, misused, loved and now a must-see feature of this booming city.

How ever you look at it the city has many pockets of different characteristics and each nook and cranny appears to have a story to tell.

I was so enamored with the new perspective and rich stories not just about the past and the history of Chicago’s buildings but the present; talking about the building we could see being built before us and then looking into the future of what these areas could and should become.

Overall an insightful and somewhat poetical tip in places. I can highly recommend going on the Chicago’s First Lady boat tour.

Architecture River Cruise – Chicago’s First Lady

A few panoramic shots from the cruise

Architecture River Cruise – Chicago’s First Lady

A view by Navy Pier – Chicago’s First Lady

The Junction on the river – Chicago’s First Lady

Cheers folks,

Josie x

Chicago Baby! An artistic experience

May 10, 2017May 10, 2017Leave a comment

I had a wonderful day yesterday at the art institute off Michigan Avenue, you really could lose yourself for days in this wonderful place, with rooms and corridors full of wonderful art work, and a whole ‘wing’ dedicated to modern and contemporary American art.

Walking up to the building as I strolled the length of Michigan Avenue was a delight in itself. It holds echos of the grandeur similar to that of the larger London museums, but is grand and delighful in its own right. There are two large lion statues bookending some harsh-cut asymmetrical steps that draw your eyes into the sheer glass and gold doors that invite you in.

Art institute off Michigan Avenue

The flags are triumphantly boasted amongst the crisp arches that advertise a few of their exhibitions

Art institute off Michigan Avenue

Walking in you’re greeted by a grand hallway, Some sweeping staircases that make you feel a little like you’ve just stepped into an Escher drawing with a Victorian twist. The high ceiling and windows allow the light to stream in and dance around the images creating Stark contrast to the shadows thrown in and around the corridors and slightly smaller rooms containing more light sensitive artifacts.

Each room sweeps your eyes up and around drawing you in no particular order to the art work displayed, the natural rhythm of the space makes for a real exploratory experience. People hover and weave around, past and towards the different artists in a lovely ebb and flow, like they’re cascading water, leaving pockets of empty space to really drink in the space.

Ground floor of the Art Institute off Michigan Avenue

I highly recommend this as a must-see in Chicago. From Monet to Andy Warhol, hand carved sculptures and armour through-the-ages to immaculate portraits of poetical history. It’s a real walk through time.

Cheers folks,

Josie x

(Just a little disclaimer, I claim no rights for the ownership or creation of the artwork shown in this blog)

Chicago Baby! A sight seeing experience

May 9, 2017May 9, 2017Leave a comment

So today I’m heading to the Art Institute, I’ve been told you need days to fully explore, such is the delight and wonder of the place, so many things to see.

Here are a few photos from my sight seeing so far this week; from my time in Millennium Park, which is a beautiful space with art installations, a beautiful and large free outdoor theatre, some fountains and ‘The Bean’ to name but a few.

Harris Theatre on the edge of Millennium Park

‘The Bean’ Cloud Gate at Millennium Park

Some art installations

Tyre art work installations at Millennium Park

Fountains on the edge of the park, a panoramic view

Digital fountains at the edge of Millennium Park

Digital fountains at the edge of Millennium Park

And my time in the 360 tower, also known as the John Hancock centre, enjoying some delicious cocktails and simply stunning panoramic views of the city.
A panoramic view

Panoramic view of the city from the John Hancock centre

Cocktails on high, on the 96th floor of the John Hancock centre

A view of Chicago from the John Hancock centre

I hope you’ve enjoyed these snippets 😊

Thanks folks,
Josie x

Chicago Baby! A wanderer’s experience

May 9, 2017May 9, 2017Leave a comment

Had a great day walking the streets of Chicago enjoying various coffees, cakes and delights as I travelled.

Just sort of spent today getting to grips with the places and sights surrounding where I’m staying, taking some time out to get some slightly more deliberate and thought through photos done of some of the streets and architecture.
I enjoyed really looking at where I was, not just seeing, really watching and looking at what’s surrounding me. Seeing the reaching curves and twists of the more cathedral like spires and turrets boldly standing in contrast to the sharp, blocked, concrete edges of the towering lines of the more modern structures. Some truly juxtaposed beauty to run in to around here.

Here are some photos from today, I quite like the way the over exposure works on these images 🙂

Churchyard

Spires on Michigan Avenue

Street clocks

Street view on the corner of Michigan Avenue

Cheers folks
Josie x

Chicago Baby! A real foodie experience

May 8, 2017May 8, 2017Leave a comment

Having just had a lovely breakfast at my hotel consisting of a cream cheese bagel and fresh coffee I started thinking about the food I’ve already had in the short time I’ve been here.

Not one, normally, for photos of food I’ve found that the food here has been a delight, not only for the tastebuds, but for the eyes!

A real work of art – on the whole – so I’m going to share with you just a couple of the delights I’ve sampled so far…

Raspberry tart and Kurdish chicken and apricot salad

Raspberry and pistachio tart

Kurdish chicken and apricot salad – Gundis Kurdish Kitchen

And some delicious cheesecakes, we all ordered one and then passed round the table… They were immense…

Cookie dough and choc-chip – Cheesecake Factory

Raspberry, lemon and lime – Cheesecake Factory

Raspberry and white chocolate truffle – Cheesecake Factory

Cheers folks,

Josie x

Chicago Baby! A time traveling experience

May 8, 2017May 8, 2017Leave a comment

Having arrived yesterday at O’Hare airport I’m still getting to grips with the -6hours time difference, but so far jet lag has been bearable, it’s just my confusion over which day I’m actually on which keeps throwing me.

I’ve spent today getting my bearings and exploring this beautiful city, walked miles, jumped on the EL and went round the loop.

Went to several places on a delightful walk back up Michigan Avenue, also went to see ‘The Bean’ in Millennium Park, some lovely art installations including some HUGE fountains with changing faces, some sculptures made from tyres and various other bits and pieces.

Also paid a visit to The Cheesecake Factory, which was a little bit like stepping into Charlie and The Chocolate Factory – and the cheesecakes were immense!!

Finally took a trip up to the 96th floor of the John Hancock tower (360 tower) for a scrummy mojito and beautiful skyline view.

Looking forward to the rest of my time here, will keep you in the loop.

Look out for my photos on instagram and the twittersphere 🤓👍

Cheers folks,

Josie

Train

December 4, 2016December 9, 2016Leave a comment

Sitting on the platform
Ticking in the distance
As the chariot draws ever nearer
Steam billowing
As angry engines rumble

I feel the sunlight
It begins to warm my skin
The beautiful innocence
Of a dawning day
As the dragon draws in
Tracks tremble

The biting air
Disrupted
By the dragon
As engines calm
To a purr
It’s now welcoming
Beaconing me
To continue my journey

Continue reading →

Josie Dee – Scribbles of an insomniac

Sketches, scribbles and scripts

Tag: Travel

Chicago Baby! A great experience

Chicago Baby! An architecture experience

Chicago Baby! An artistic experience

Chicago Baby! A sight seeing experience

Chicago Baby! A wanderer’s experience

Chicago Baby! A real foodie experience

Chicago Baby! A time traveling experience

Train