2016 02 - BACK IN THE CITY

So I still wasn't planning on staying forever.  Mom seemed to be coming out of her funk that she was in (or maybe it was just not being alone ALL THE TIME).  She gets nasty from time to time, tells me to GO HOME and SHE CAN LIVE ALONE CUZ SHE HAS DONE IT FOREVER.  I am constantly trying to explain to her that I don't intend to stay forever and GOD knows I do not!

Mom is still working and driving in the city.  I am trying to limit her driving but she cannot understand why because SHE CAN LIVE ALONE CUZ SHE HAS DONE IT FOREVER. 

HOWEVER, she keeps getting lost when she is out in the neighborhood driving.  I decided around the end of February that it was time she quit driving when she got lost on the way to her hairdresser, which she went to every single week for FOREVER.  THEN once I got her there, she tried to turn around on Lawrence Avenue near Central because she couldn't park directly in front of the shop.  There was a bus coming and I freaked.  I drove home and for the next few months.

Here are a few of the things we did:

 

This is her favorite bakery.  She typically gets a coffee cake (which she has a slice of each morning) here every week.  Sometimes we take it with us to Today's Hair to share.

 

Here is Becky at Today's Hair.  She washes my mother's hair and sometimes takes out the rollers.

 This was taken at my mom's work.  She is busy and I am just hanging around.  I drove so I am pretty much stuck there.

Fun Things I have Found in the City

There are some weird things that I have found in the City.  Just odds and ends of things here and there.

I was at a store, and came out to find this...

AND they didn't even move when I walked around to take a better picture

I LOVE LOVE this place - Superdawg

What I found extremely odd, they have a TV hanging under the EL and it gives you news, weather and train times.

1) This is one of the 6 corners I go through daily.  This is just mindboggling

2)  This is part of the above picture, put this to the left and then then think of having to walk across this

I LOVE THIS!  (which is why I have it on my blog twice)

This is obviously an advertisement for a dentist but it is amazingly unique.

I found this one day accidentally.  I went by it many times before I just happened to see it.  It is a chair.  WHY?? I don't know.

These are becoming amazingly scarce anymore and I am constantly amazed whenever I find another one.  PLUS it has its own art on it.

I took this picture because of the street art on the side and I wanted to capture the building it was on.  AS I drove past it I happened to look into the window of the store front.  IT has what looks like crystals hanging all through the buiilding, different levels.  I do not think you can walk through that room without hitting one.

This was a fence off our alley.  It WAS January when I took this.  JANUARY in CHICAGO.  AND that is moss growing on the gate.

Carl Schurz High School.  I love the design and its huge.  I do not think I was able to capture the design but I love it.

Architecture from the City

This might possibly have to be updated from time to time.  I have been excited to discover new and different architectural awesomeness...

I think most people KNOW what this is... White Castle

EVEN their trash storage building is in theme.

This is the NO TELL MOTEL and what I loved about this place is the little square window in the middle of the windows in each room.  You will have to enlarge this pic to see it.  It is apparently the only window that actually opens in each room

I love the decoration that was used, reminds me of ancient Rome

This building is on one of the 6 corner streets (of which there are apparently many) in the city.  What I loved about this building as it was built to fit on one of the 6-corners - its a triangle with a flat side, on what should be pointy and they made it big enough to put in a window.  

This is actually in Park Ridge.  I love this building.

I love the turret on this building.  I have found a lot of buildings have additions put on that resembles castles and really adds to their value.. but I am not buying and not a real estate tycoon.

More bump outs.  Reminds me of Rapunzel stories.

Something about this building.  I WANT to eat there.  Someday!



 

 

Look at the ornate stuff around all the windows and across the top.

These things that go ALL around the entire building.  I am curious to know if they light up.  I LOVE THEM!

These remind me of the halls of justice.  

This is a typical block... I LOVE the different styles and heights on each block.

More turrets.  SO crazy because they are just in the middle of an old building.

More Turrets.

This is castle like.  They used big etched stones.

THIS ONE is totally kewl.  Its an apartment building above a store.  AND check out the diamonds.

This is another kewl one... apparently they come in different colors and styles.

I LOVE LOVE the round window.

This is a typical apartment building in the city.  Brick and Ornate.

Chicago - as never before seen through my eyes

I should possibly have been an architect.  I love redesigning almost every building I walk into.  What is sooooo surprising about this extended visit to my homeland is that I am thrust into the city and am actually enjoying the street art as well as the buildings.  I have taken many pictures while I sit at the many many many (have I said MANY) stop lights and stops because of traffic without lights.  Come and enjoy some of them with me.

I think I shall start with the street art.  These pictures aren't the best angles because I had to take them on the fly, or while stopping at a light.  I am not sure if some of these were commissioned or someone just had a lot of time on their hands. 

 

This was taken near the Congress Theater. 
Apparently it is Jimmi Hendrix and I suspect the smaller one is Elton John

I love this one.  Instead of having a billboard,
they had this painted on the outside of their restaurant.

Someday I will get a better pic of this. 
BUT this is as good as I can get for now.