Chicago River

I took this photograph of the Chicago River 12 years ago. It's hard to believe how desolate the riverfront looked back then. I need to go back and take this same photo today to compare the two. 

Marina Towers

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

Chicago's world-famous Marina Towers have put an exclamation point on the city's architecture for the last half a century. As a kid, I was always fascinated with these twin buildings as they towered over the Chicago River.

The Marina Towers — and the array of attached buildings called Marina City — were built during an urban decline in the city as Chicagoans started flooding the suburbs. At 65 stories tall, they were the tallest residential buildings and the tallest reinforced concrete structures in the world. Interestingly, they were built at a cost of $36 million, financed largely by a union of janitors and elevator operators as a last-ditch effort to convince people to stay in the city at night (source: Wikipedia). 

Chicago's architects have never stopped innovating and there are functional works of art all over the city but these twin buildings have earned their spot in history for their unique design and construction techniques. 

Go Cubs!

Game Seven! Go Cubs! 

Thunderbirds Over Chicago

This is one of the greatest weekends of the year — Chicago's Air & Water Show!

We religiously attended the air show every summer when I was a kid and I still love going back to watch it whenever I'm able to. If you've never been to Chicago before, don't go in February. Go on air show weekend and you will leave certain that Chicago is the greatest city in the world. Not only is the city literally buzzing with amazing aircraft all weekend long but the weather is almost always perfect and everybody in the city is out enjoying the weekend. It's payback for the long, grey, slushy winters. 

If you don't have access to a roof deck or a high-rise condo along the water, check out North Avenue Beach or the viewing deck at the Hancock building for some of the best views. 

This photograph was captured with a Nikon D90.