Chicago

I appreciate everyone's comments about Dakota. It was heart warming in this week that I was in Chicago. Coming home to a quiet empty house was a bit of a bump to overcome, but he's in a better place and each day will get easier. It's amazing the memories that are coming back. James and I will spend sometime blogging those just to have them in one place. In the meantime, let me tell you about Chicago! My first day started at the Yolk on S Michigan at 11th. I highly recommend it. It's short order place the specializes in eggs, but does have other dishes. Sit at the bar to watch to action in the kitchen!From there I headed to the Field Museum of Natural History. Here are a few shots before I entered.

At the entrance is Sue - the largest T-Rex fossil that has been found. I almost thought I was in Night at the Museum, but hat was filmed in NYC. Still it was a little eerie! There is a room in the evolution exhibit of more dinosaur bones that has an interesting view of Chicago. through the windows.

From there was a week at the Coverings show - which was overwhelming in itself, but I actually was able to see a tapestry there. The show was held at McCormick Place and here adorning the wall as part of the permanent collection was a stylized view of Chicago.

When I saw all I could see at the show and FedExed all the samples back to the office. I treated myself to a trip to the Art Institute. There are many textiles in their exhibit, but alas all of the textile galleries were closed that day. There is information online about tapestries if you are curious, but it is all historical...

But that's okay there was still much to see. There's American Gothic, the Nighthawks, Sunday on the Grand Jatte, rooms of Renoir, van Gogh, and Monet. The one I actually photographed was The Weaver by Diego Rivera. It was painted in 1936. The placard states: "A leader of of the Mexican muralist movement in the 1920s, Diego Rivera sought to challenge social and political iniquities, often turning to indigenous themes to foster pride in Mexican culture. In The Weaver, Rivera depicted the centuries-old tradition of weaving with a back-strap loom. The woman, a well-known weaver and popular artists' model names Luz Jumenes, appears intently focused on creating the intricate red, blue, while and black pattern of the fabric that is rolled up in her lap. placed against the spare background of Rivera's studio, the weaver's actions take on greater significance, giver her life and craft a poignant grace and quiet dignity."

James joined me in Chicago later in the week and the nightlife included the Symphony and Mary Poppins. If you are particularly attached to the 1964 film version, let me warn you that Mary Poppins is not the story it used to be. If you can let that go, there are wonderful scenes with Step in Time and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - again only as Disney can do!

I'll leave you with one last picture from our window at the Hilton. It's of the Sears tower intact after the lightning strikes of Thursday night. The day had been beautiful and in fact I had just gotten home from the Symphony without any incident, but suddenly there was this storm. We heard lightning and thunder 3 times and it was over..