Exploring Downtown Chicago

Although Ryan grew up in the Chicago suburbs and we still visit his mom there on a regular basis, it's actually quite rare that I get a chance to travel downtown and be a classic tourist. I always enjoy these times. Having gone to college just three hours from Chicago, I have some fond memories of adventures along Michigan Avenue and the lake shore.
Several weeks ago, I was presenting a lecture at a work event and then found out that there was another free training event being offered in downtown Chicago the following week. I decided to spend 5 or 6 days up in Chicago and take in both events. On the Sunday I had off, I decided to take the train downtown in order to take in the sites and sounds of Chicago. I was planning on hitting up the art museum until I discovered the entrance fee was $18. At that point I decided wandering the streets was about as much fun and free. My first stop has been one of my perennial favorites; the model of downtown Chicago at the Chicago Architecture Foundation. This free exhibit not only shows a scale model of the Chicago skyline, it also discussed various attempts, both successful and failed, at revitalizing certain neighborhoods or infrastructure elements of the city.
	Next on my agenda was a walk along State Street towards Michigan Avenue, shopping mecca of the world. It was a beautiful sunny day, with a high in the upper sixties. I enjoyed simply being out and about and people watching along the way. It's always fun to hit the river and spot the iconic bridge and famous waterway surrounded by buildings, both new and old.
Although my intent was to window shop more than spend money, I decided to swing by the old Marshall Fields building (now a Macy's) to buy my mother in law her birthday present. I got a chance to spot the very fancy mosaic lining an interior barrel vault of the store. This picture doesn't do justice to the thousands of tiny mosaics that sparkle.
	After my second day of classes I decided to take a stroll through the new Millenium Park. This is a relatively new green space downtown, which I believe is a section of the larger park known as Grant Park. Although it was fairly late in the year when I went, I was still able to catch some nice colors in the garden. This picture shows some of the greenery along the path to the new, modern entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago.
This is a picture of the Frank Ghery designed pavilion which I will forever connect with Barack Obama's presidential acceptance speech.
And finally, this is a flower I saw hanging on for dear life long aftersummer had ended, its tall stem being mirrored by the skyscraper I found behind it.