Having a pint and tea and watching the Chicago world go by.

Second City

We caught a show at the Second City improv theater. This was where John Belushi, Bill Murray, Steve.Carrell and so many others started out. We laughed till it hurt for two hours last night!

Lincoln Park Zoo

One of the last free urban zoos in America, Lincoln Park Zoo is wonderful. We spent about three hours and saw pretty much all of the zoo by the shore of Lake Michegan. For a small zoo, they have a wonderful population of animals. Some of the highlights were the lions and tigers, the very nice Africa exhibit showing animals and plants from several different climate zones, the flamingos (they looked really cold) and especially the monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas. We got to see the latter less than a foot away through the glass.

Diamond Jim Greene at Buddy Guy's Legends blues club

Watching an acoustic blues set, eating fried okra and soon we'll get our jambalaya, catfish smothered with crawfish etoufee and gumbo with cornbread.  Almost like being in Louisiana again!

Chicago Art Institute

This stunning Tiffany lamp was one of many wonders of our afternoon here. We mainly stayed in the impressionist painting galleries (Van Gogh and Monet!) today but we will be back.

Stained Glass in Chicago

Navy Pier is quite a place offering a Children's Museum, ferris wheel, Shakespeare theater, boat tours of the Chicago River, a carousel, food choices,  and much more.  One free exhibit we thoroughly enjoyed was the stained glass.  This is a collection of windows from homes, churches and other buildings in Chicago.  During the late 1800's and early 1900's there were over 200 stained glass manufacturers in Chicago.  Tiffany's explorations with glass production inspired more talent.  There are still many buildings with amazing glass but this exhibit explained techniques along with highlighting different artists and styles.  Tiffany's dome in the public library is amazing...our picture hardly represents its majesty. 

 

 

THE BEAN's fun reflection