Weekend Trip 5: Chicago

chicago..
this is my longest weekend trip ever.. 5 days
my last one too..
exams are around the corner le..

chicago is known as the windy city
yes.. the weather is indeed very windy..
but the city got it's nickname when the mayor
and his representatives went down to washington to bid for the opportunity to host the world fair 1893 in chicago..
they were soooo long winded in their proposal that they managed to secure the bid eventually..
and thus earning the nickname "windy" city

another interesting thing about the city is the great fire in 1871..
yesh.. it burnt the entire city down..

but on one hand the debris from the fire got pushed into Lake Michigan, which eventually served as land reclamation for the city..

and on the other hand, a whole swam of architects from ard the world came into the city..
each architect with his own school of thought knew that the fire meant tht chicago was an empty canvas and they could try whatever they wanted on it..

modern architecture designs such as steel beams, steal facades, elevators were tried out for the first time in the world at chicago..

pretty rights..
another unique thing about their buildings is that there is regulation for it to be set back from the city street, thus creating pockets of space for natural sunlight to come in..

also, their first mayor strongly encouraged making art available to the public..
so every corner u will see some public art erected..
on whether they are all relevantly placed..
i'm not to comment.. haha

When I travel..
food hunting is not unusual..
haha..
here are my good yummy finds
1) Chicago Deep Pan Pizza

the crust is different from the normal kind..
the fillings mar chiam free de..

2) Chicago's draft beer -Miller

Min ah's studying in UIUC so she came down to see me while I was in Chicago..
Haha.. *poor bin*
I was drinking Chicago's Miller and She was drinking Boston's Sam Adam...
a good exchange experience sia.. haha

3) A group of pretty girls and the PIZZA

yups.. this is the 7 of us who were in Chicago..
*winks

4) Dim Sum

thanks to Min Ah's reccommendations
we actually found dim sum in chicago..
it was good stuff..
although i still think i need to get my dose of crystal jade when i get back... haha

5) Abercombie & Fitch guy

wouldn't u agree that this was yummy too..
one more reason why I like shopping at AF..
he was just standing at the store front for customers to take photo with him..

whee wheet~

6) Chicago Hot Dog

Vienna Beef with everything on it except Ketchup..
it is considered rude to ask for Ketchup with this dog..

7) Ghihradeli Chocolate's ice cream

Chicago or rather the state of Illinois is such a goood place for chocolate..
If you go further north to Winsconsin.. where the moo-s are..
the chocolate is even better..

8) Jambalaya

we went to a sounthern style restuarant called "Heaven on Seven" where they served Cajun food..
Jambalaya is probably one of the more famous southern dishes available..
It's abit char-pa-lan.. like how our SG fried rice came about..
just that the texture abit like "mui fan"

interesting.. but i miss my mum's overnight fried rice with her sambal more... *winks*

next up.. navy pier..
one of the prettier places in chicago
and it's famous ferris wheel..


me and elyse were trying to do the "huan huan ai" scene..
corny la~
but had to try to romanticise things abit mah.. haha


on the ferris wheel..
with the chicago skyline framing me from behind..
awwww....

Then I went Museum hopping..

This is the skull of a graffic..
i never knew those feelers thingy was actually bone part of the skull..
(yesh.. bimbo moment..)

Yuck..

Pretty..

Prettier..

This was the view outside the museums..
blue skies, green grass, beautiful skyline..
I complete the picture.. *wahaha*

How do i bring it across that the view was breaktaking...
It was simply awww..

btw the tallest building there is the Sears Tower..
also the Tallest skyscraper in the US...




I mentioned about public art in Chicago..
this was probably my favourite..

it's called the "cloud gate" by Anish Kapoor
it kinda looks like a metallic bean with a highly reflective surface capturing and transforming the skyline and the downtown cityscape..


That evening..
I went up the John Hancock Observatory..
4th tallest in the US..
i was on the 94th floor..

it's doesn't look that bright while walking on the streets..
but from that view..
it's amazing how every little bit of street light fits nicely to light up the skyline...

That's all folks..