Chicago is charming

Jun. 4th, 2007 10:14 pm
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[personal profile] microbie
I spent a lovely weekend in Chicago for my friend Amanda's wedding. David wasn't able to join me, and I wasn't able to meet the fabulous [livejournal.com profile] oblomova, so I spent most of my time walking around the city, muttering to myself.




On a Lake Michigan beach
Beautiful site for a wedding, no shoes required.
On a Lake Michigan beach
Buffalo Barley, ring bearer
Sadly he was not allowed at the reception.
Buffalo Barley, ring bearer
Place setting
The wedding favors echoed the brilliant blue sky at the beach.
Place setting
Vogue fabrics
I spent over an hour here and managed to leave without buying anything. Printed silks for $2.99/yard were incredibly tempting. Alas, I would have had to ship purchases home because I brought only a duffel bag, packed almost to bursting.
Vogue fabrics
Art Institute of Chicago
Second time visiting, although my memories of the first visit are very hazy.
Art Institute of Chicago
Frank Lloyd Wright's first home
He bought this home in suburban Chicago as he was starting his architecture career.
Frank Lloyd Wright's first home


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Date: 2007-06-05 02:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nondescriptboy.livejournal.com
get cats and you can be the crazy cat lady on the simpsons.

Date: 2007-06-05 02:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
I HAVE CATS.

*sob*

Date: 2007-06-05 03:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] curious-mold.livejournal.com
I would totally squat in one of Frank's houses if there was some kind of end-of-the-world scenario going on.

Date: 2007-06-05 06:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
All of the other Wright-renovated or Wright-designed houses I saw on the neighborhood tour were inhabited. Can you imagine *living* in a Wright house?? I mean, a normal life. I can't. I'd worry constantly that I was ruining the place just by being there. But yeah, if the end of the world was here, I'd want to bunker down in one of his Prairie creations.

Date: 2007-06-05 03:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] octanez.livejournal.com
awwwww Barley
and will we be seeing you tomorrow? I missed you

Date: 2007-06-05 06:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
Poor Barley. He did all that work, and no one fed him scraps during the BBQ at the couple's house. He's got a tough life.

Date: 2007-06-05 03:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] maeve66.livejournal.com
Chicago IS charming; I completely agree. Those are great pictures. I wish the wedding had been about a month or so later, 'cuz I'd have been there. I'm tripping on you going to Vogue Fabrics! I grew up three blocks from there, and one of my high school friends was the middle son of the family -- and the one running the store, now. Vogue Fabrics is incredible... I used to just go lunatic over remnants and notions for various sewing projects from there... you make me want to go there this summer. Not that I sew much, now.

Date: 2007-06-05 06:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
Wow! I walked about five or six miles in the area around Vogue Fabrics; actually, the only reason I saw the store was because I was killing time before a promising-looking thrift store opened. There were so many wonderful houses nearby, and everyone's lawn looked well groomed.

I carried around a raw silk remnant, about a yard and a half for $15, for about 20 minutes before I decided that the cost of mailing would mostly negate the bargain.

Date: 2007-06-05 07:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gurdonark.livejournal.com
Buffalo Barley would instantly be my preferred member of the wedding party.

Date: 2007-06-05 06:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
He was so well behaved. He didn't even lunge after the kids in bathing suits who wandered over to us near the end of the ceremony.

Date: 2007-06-05 02:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] oblomova.livejournal.com
I'm bummed we didn't meet, but I'm glad you had a nice time. The weather looked like it cooperated when it needed to, anyway.

I haven't been to Frank Lloyd Wright's home in a long time. Must do it again soon. I did get to attend Christmas Eve services at Unity Temple, which was very cool. They're Unitarians, so they didn't mind a lapsed Catholic/agnosto-atheist in their midst.

Date: 2007-06-05 06:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
I got a couple photos of the outside of Unity Temple; the Wright home tour guide told me I should see it because I liked Wright's more geometric designs. I'd love to see the inside.

Flights between DC and Chicago are so cheap that I shouldn't have any trouble making another visit in the next couple of years.

Date: 2007-06-07 10:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angel80.livejournal.com
Gorgeous house. I'd ruin it in seconds!

Date: 2007-06-08 10:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
The trust that runs the Wright house and studio is very strict about visitors. One of the first things the guide did was run off a list of "no"s: no food or drink, no photography, no bags or purses, no umbrellas, no sitting on furniture, no touching of walls (actually no touching of anything).

Date: 2007-06-18 08:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] well-artesia.livejournal.com
Funny - they were exactly the OPPOSITE at Taliesin West... "here, have an umbrella (needed for the sun!), please take lots of pictures, even if I'm talking... please have a seat in these chairs..."
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