Washington National Cathedral Gargoyle

Walking down the streets of older American cities, where spired, turreted Gothic Revival buildings tower overhead, have you ever felt the presence of someone watching you?

Well, they are.

Look up.

You’ll be amazed at what’s looking down at you! 

Gargoyles – those weird, usually grotesque, sometimes comic, often outrageous, always fantastic, fanciful caricatures with distinct personalities hanging all over older buildings - are intricate, amazingly detailed architectural carvings of hybrid monsters with both human and animal characteristics, often with mouths agape.  Cleverly blended into their architectural surroundings by master sculptors, they are out there in abundance, whole gatherings of them.  Lurking and leering from perches high overhead, hunched in outcroppings, clinging to outer walls, or poised to pounce from nooks and crannies of religious, educational and governmental buildings, and even from grand mansions, they are more often than not, noticed only through a double-take.  

While their presence in architecture dates back to ancient times and crosses all cultures, their purpose has no universally accepted explanation.  Originally the term used for the fanciful stone carved gutter spouts used to direct rainwater away from building foundations, a gargoyle generically has come to mean any decorative architectural carving of a grotesque nature, and cities are filled with them. 

To find them, just look up. In New York City on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, gargoyles found a welcome home in the arches and flying buttresses rising up to the Neo-Gothic cathedral-like tower of the Woolworth Building. Legions of them are on Wall Street, surely showing their displeasure with recent events.  On the Upper West Side, in the massive, yet unfinished St. John the Divine Cathedral, all manner of fanciful, grotesque creatures fiercely stand guard over niches filled with saints and angels.  On busy Lexington Avenue in Midtown, look up at the iconic Chrysler Building.  Jutting way out from the corners of the 61^st Floor of this spectacular Art Deco building are huge, shiny gargoyles – eagle heads- replicas of the 1929 Chrysler hood ornaments.   

In Chicago, the decorative top of the Gothic Tribune Tower on Michigan Avenue is loaded with gargoyle bats! On elegant Nob Hill in San Francisco, those perpendicular protrusions sticking out just below the main spire of magnificent Grace Cathedral are actually eight identical gargoyles, winged dragons perched to take flight in case the forces of evil get too close.  Once sighted, they are obvious, but, without knowing they’re there, they are easily missed.  Such is a gargoyle…there, but not there.  

University of Chicago Gargoyle

Gargoyles are particularly fond of the collegial culture of universities over a century old. Throughout the campus of Princeton University, gargoyles pay homage to the disciplines studied in the buildings they haunt. There are so many there that they star in an online Grotesque Tour.  Click your way, too, for gargoyle sightings at Duke University.  The Quadrangle Building at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia is crawling with them.  Likewise, at the exquisite Gothic University of Chicago, their antics begin at the main entrance gate, where a series of them usher in newbies with warnings of perilous things to come on their climb through academia.   

These fanciful spirits also live in historic mansions throughout the country. In Savannah, many homes in the historic district have downspouts ending in stylized cast iron dolphin heads, gargoyles well suited to this colonial-era seaport city.  The Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina has an amazingly diverse gargoyle collection. While best viewed from below, a special rooftop tour gets them within pouncing range. 

A treasure trove of gargoyles with a 20^th century attitude reside throughout the Washington National Cathedral.  This spectacular Gothic building, completed in 1990, literally crawls with them.  Their unique humor and style comes through a collaborative effort between the private donors who commissioned them and the sculptors who created them.  Fantastically creative, they are wonderful caricatures of the times, the 1960s, 70s and 80s: hippies and yuppies; crooked politicians and greedy thieves; and countless other mischievous and appealing modern spirits in stone who bring a smile…to those who notice.  

Wherever your travels take you, get in the habit of looking up!

Biltmore Estate Gargoyle

They are always watching.

This summer and fall, as you travel about the US, include a visit to a city market, community garden, greenmarket, farmers’ markets, tailgate market, and seek out restaurants whose menus feature fresh, regionally grown vegetables and sustainable cuisine.  You’ll love this new tourism twist!Enjoy make-shift stalls and shaded lots filled with bins and buckets exploding with color.  Smell, pinch and snap, sample. Indulge in something delicious, freshly baked or locally canned.  Take in the regional flavor, the fresh air, the bustling sounds, the camaraderie.  Mingle with locals.

Get used to the term community garden as it’s making a comeback. They’ve been around since man began farming, and in the US became popular and patriotic during WWII when they were known as Victory Gardens.  In urban centers, blighted areas have long been greened by window boxes, roof gardens, green sproutings carefully tended in tiny plots, or in abandoned lots tucked between concrete walls.

The most recent urban community garden to make a big splash is the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden on the lawn of San Francisco’s City Hall, part of the Victory Gardens 2008+ project that is sweeping the city!  The food from the garden will be donated to local food banks and meal programs, and the overall message is to show urban residents that they, too, can grow their own, even in a limited space.   If you’re visiting San Francisco between July and September 2008, stop by City Hall in the Civic Center area.  You can get there several ways, but why not take the San Francisco Trolley Hop, get off at its Union Square stop, walk a couple of blocks to the BART stop at Market & Powell.  Get on the BART to the Civic Center stop.  You can’t miss the domed City Hall.  Or, if you’re just walking about, find one of San Francisco’s 40 community gardens on city-owned property.

Visiting Boston?  Hop on the Old Town Trolley Tours of Boston (a great tour with the added perk of being able to hop off at any one of the convenient stops to see the sights), get off at Stop # 11, walk down to the light, cross the street and Fenway Victory Gardens, the last of the WWII Victory Gardens, is right in front.   Or, get off at trolley Stop # 8, walk past the John Hancock Building, turn right onto Berkeley Street and walk 4 blocks to Berkeley Gardens, where Asian families carry on centuries-old tradition of farming garden plots.

Whether in a big city or small town, greenmarkets and farmers’ markets are no longer off the beaten path.  They’re sprouting up everywhere.  Greenmarket is a term more frequently associated with urban areas, while farmers’ markets can be large and urban, or small-town and colloquial.  Both can sell not only produce, but meat, seafood, baked goods, arrays of cheeses and other dairy products, preserves, honey, flowers and even crafts.  The produce can be organic, or not.

In big cities, while greenmarkets are becoming increasingly popular, some have been around forever. New York City, the penultimate urban community, has over 40, the biggest of which is Union Square Greenmarket, a must see!  Be sure to get there early as this is where the city’s famous chefs go shortly after dawn in search of the freshest ingredients for the day’s menu.  Washington’s beloved Eastern Market, a neighborhood market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood for over a century, was badly burned in a fire in April 2007, but vendors have kept the market open by setting up outside or across the street!  In Philadelphia, the year-round Reading Terminal Market has been a city fixture since William Penn’s time, and in historic Boston, the Copely Square Farmer’s Market sets up from mid-May to mid-November on Tuesdays and Fridays right in front of glorious Trinity Church on the famous square.

And the list goes on … Chicago has its Green City Market, a year-round market set up at the center of Lincoln Park in the summer, and inside the Peggy Notebaert Nature Center in the winter, which encourages sustainable practices from farmers selling there.  In New Orleans, be sure to stop by the Mid-City Green Market, which, to the delight of locals and visitors, just re-opened in May after having been closed since Katrina.  Glittery Las Vegas is more than nighttime neon - stop by Garden Park Farmers’ Market for a breath of fresh air.  On Saturdays in trendy Miami, walk through the venerable Coconut Grove Organic Farmers Market for a change of pace.

Smaller farmers’ markets, more regional in flavor, tend to have a real neighborly feel.  In Washington DC, within the beltway residents love their year-round Farm Fresh Market, open Sundays in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, and seasonally in Foggy Bottom and in up and coming Penn Quarter.  In the Los Angeles area, surrounded by miles and miles of fertile fields, farmers’ markets are everywhere, many featuring Asian and Hispanic specialties. San Diego has so many that the Farm Bureau of San Diego County pulishes a Farmer’s Market Schedule!

Likewise in small communities and towns across the country, small farmers’ markets and even smaller tailgate markets are everywhere. Traveling about by car this summer? If you see a farmers’ market along the way, stop. Get out to stretch your legs and pick up fresh ingredients for a spontaneous picnic lunch.  Sure beats the packaged, fast-food alternative!

For a change in restaurant fare, become a  “Locavore!” Designated as the word of the year in November 2007 by the New Oxford American Dictionary, it means one who is passionate about eating local ingredients.  In many cities, chefs are creating market-driven menus with selections prepared with regionally produced and available ingredients. In San Diego, locavores go to JSix in the Gaslamp District, just a couple of blocks from Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego’s Stop #5A for innovative lunch and dinner menus featuring fresh, seasonal regional produce and sustainable seafood.  In New York City, many restaurants are following the market-driven menu trend, and do so with creativity and flair.  For example, Tribeca Grill, owned by Robert DiNiro, is fabulous and reflects the artistic character of the surrounding Tribeca neighborhood; BLT Market in the Ritz Carleton reflects its upscale Midtown East neighborhood.  In Washington, D.C., Nora’s became America’s first certified organic restaurant in 1999; 15 ria’s new American cuisine is fabulously created with market-fresh ingredients that change with the season; and, Hook in Georgetown offers a wonderful dining experience with a menu that changes daily to reflect whatever sustainable fish are in season and available.

Get out; get in touch.  See America as you have never before see it!

Congratulations Chicago Sightseeing Company!

The sleek, luxuriously appointed buses, trolleys and upper-deckers that introduce visiting sightseers to Chicago’s remarkable attractions today are a far cry from the vintage touring coaches boarded by eager tourists back in the summer of 1907. Over the last century, trends in passenger transport have changed as dramatically as the city’s magnificent skyline while the chameleon-like Chicago Sightseeing Company has remained at the industry’s forefront. This year, the Company celebrates a significant milestone: its 100th anniversary. While time has changed many aspects of the business, it has not changed the company’s dedication to service and to the city of Chicago.

As the originator of sightseeing and shuttle bus systems in Chicago, Chicago Sightseeing Company is tantamount with Chicago travel and tourism. This distinction, in addition to an impressive family history, is a matter of pride for Donald and Francis Ferrone, who currently own and operate the company. Their late father, Henry Ferrone, was not only the founder of the American Sightseeing Association, he also played a pioneering role in Chicago’s sightseeing industry and was a driving force in establishing quality bus tours for the traveling public.

Born in 1889, Henry Ferrone grew up on the near west side of Chicago. One of six children, Henry dropped out of school in the sixth grade to sell newspapers in Chicago’s Loop on the southwest corner of State and Quincy. The first owners of Chicago/Sightseeing were regulars at Henry’s newsstand, which was located in front of the Great Northern Hotel and whose lobby served as the starting point for the company’s sightseeing tours. Fascinated by the heated conversations he overheard regarding Chicago’s sightseeing industry and by the business practices he witnessed the businessmen employ near his sandwich included every high-pressure hawking tactic short of tugging at the shirt sleeves of passerbys-the street smart entrepreneur became determined that he could run things with more class and garner more profit given the right opportunity.

That opportunity came along in 1919 when Henry, who had recently returned from service in World War I, purchased the majority stock of Chicago Sightseeing, eventually incorporating it as Chicago Sightseeing Company. With Henry wearing the captain’s hat, the small business offered three essential tours via touring cars and omnibuses: the north side tour, the south side tour and the grand tour which included sights from both sides of Chicago.

Like most businessmen in the United States during the 1920s, Henry struggled to expand his new company, acquiring all the stock in 1928. His difficulties continued until 1933 when the famous Century of Progress Exposition World’s Fair came to town, bringing with it millions of tourists from throughout the world. Offering many diversified tours, including an admission to see Sally Rand and her “famous fan”-one of the most popular attractions at the fair, Chicago Sightseeing Company appealed to the crowds flocking to the city. Not only did it shuttle visitors back and forth to the fairgrounds, its tours introduced them to Chicago’s natural and architectural wonders, thriving commercial district, colorful ethnic neighborhoods and even the city’s notorious “Skid Row.” The boom in business allowed Henry to purchase additional equipment and to enhance his operation.

Business rolled along nicely until the outbreak of World War II, when it was declared that fuel would no longer be available for luxury-type bus services. Undeterred by these restrictions, Henry, who was now the operator of one of the nation’s leading tour services, obtained government contracts that would allow him to transport employees of local defense plants to and from work using thirty school-type buses operating around the clock. This was not Henry’s first experience with supporting the war effort. He was awarded the Purple Heart after being wounded in World War I where he served in the famous 42nd Rainbow Division and the Fighting 69th lnfantry Regiment. Hollywood produced a film starring James Cagney and Pat O’Brien, noting the famous poet Joyce Kilmer. He called “the Fighting 69th’, a factual adaptation of the 165th lnfantry Division (New York’s original 69th) participation in World War I in France , assisting the French Army in overcoming the German Army for a final victory ending the War. Now Henry proudly served his country again, fulfilling the contracts until the war ended in 1945.

After the war, Americans began traveling again in greater numbers. In order to better compete with Gray Line Worldwide Association’s many franchises, Henry formed the American Sightseeing Association in 1947. He solicited three independent and professionally licensed sightseeing operators from New York, Boston and Salt Lake City. Banded together, the non-profit organization allowed each business to market their individual companies under one banner. The association continued to grow to include a total of 50 operators that performed daily sightseeing bus and cruise tours throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean Islands. This allowed the company to compete for the tourism market on an international level as well as a domestic one.

A year after founding the association, American Sightseeing-Chicago, as it was now called, was selected as the official Sightseeing Tour Operator and the Shuttle Bus Operator for the 1948 International Lions Annual Convention in Chicago. The convention brought 25,000 Lion members and their families to the city, and American Sightseeing transported nearly 10,000 of those members and guests on its two-hour narrated tour of Chicago in three days, making it the largest sightseeing bus tour contract in the country.

The company continued to score big contracts. In 1950, it was awarded the shuttle bus contract for the largest trade show held in the U.S. at the time-Print 50. Printers from around the globe attended the show held in the International Amphitheatre, and American Sightseeing was responsible for transporting them to and from the big show.

With the outbreak of the Korean War that same year, the tourism industry was cut in half. In order to pick up the slack for the lack of sightseers, Henry purchased a fleet of Packard limousines in 1950 to service local clientele.

On July 7, 1955, American Sightseeing was dealt a heavy blow when Henry Ferrone passed away. He left more than his company to his loving wife, Fannie, and sons Donald and Francis; he left a legacy of entrepreneurial spirit, top-notch service and a love of Chicago.

Despite having assisted their father from the time they were young and having been thoroughly briefed in every detail of the sightseeing industry, the next five years were a struggle for Don and Fran, who were competing against older men for Chicago’s sightseeing dollars. In order to contend with the likes of Gray Line World Wide Company, which had four times the equipment and controlled a majority of the bus tour market, Don and Fran started The Nightclub Tour. This new twist on the standard city tour was incredibly popular, and it included stops at famous nightclubs of the time like the Chez Paree, The Empire Room, The Villa Venice and Mangam’s Chateau. These clubs featured some of the nation’s top entertainers, from Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin to Liberace and Red Skelton. The tour also included visits to unique local entertainment hot spots such as Ivanhoe, Tip Top Tap (which was nested on top of the Allerton Hotel), Boulevard Room, Club Waikiki and the Blue Angel. Once the bright lights of television and Las Vegas began drawing these top entertainers away from Chicago in the early ’60s, The Nightclub Tour was retired.

But Don and Fran had plenty to keep them busy. In 1961, they opened Modern Travel Service Inc. to provide individuals with domestic and international airfare in addition to rail, steamship and other common carrier services. The most popular program was the international seminars for medical, construction and other types of organizations in which Don and Fran provided Air Tour Packages to exciting locales in Europe, South America, Australia, Mexico, Hawaii and more. Some of these tours Don and Fran took a hands-on approach to, escorting their customers themselves. Today, the company still provides group travel to affinity organizations, but stopped offering individual ticketing after September 11, 2001.

The growth of the trade show industry in Chicago opened up another travel market, and the Ferrone brothers were quick to jump on the new opportunity. From 1963 through the 1980s, American Sightseeing controlled the majority of Chicago’s trade show shuttle bus contracts to carry the show’s attendees between their hotel and the show’s venue. Some of these shows included the largest and most prestigious shows held in Chicago such as the Chicago Dental Expo, The Auto Show, the International Plastics Expo, the National Restaurant show, the International Machine Tool Show, the Packaging Machinery Show, Consumer Electronics Show and the largest of them all, the 1975 CONEXPO Show, which drew 140,000 registered attendees using 22,000 hotel rooms over a five day period.

During this time, the Ferrones also started a common carrier shuttle service between O’Hare Airport and resorts in Wisconsin, with interim stops in between. Although the service ended in 2001, the name O’Hare Express still operates in other markets of the company’s total services.

In June 1982, American Sightseeing provided service of another kind when it was called upon to serve royalty visiting Chicago. Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, her husband the Crown Prince Claus and their royal entourage were given a two-hour tour of Chicago’s attractions in American Sightseeing’s new glass-top sightseeing coach, leading the Ferrones to declare their deluxe coaches as truly “fit for a queen.” Donald Ferrone mused that while this was definitely a first for Chicago, it was also probably the first time a royal family elected to view any American city by bus.

That same decade brought more firsts for Chicago and for the company. As one of the world’s busiest airports, O’Hare began construction on an international terminal in 1985. American Sightseeing’s sister-firm, the O’Hare Wisconsin Limousine Service Inc., was awarded a five year contract with the city to carry international airline passengers between the temporary terminal and the airport tarmac. By the time the contract ended, international travel had grown exponentially and O’Hare Wisconsin Limousine’s contract required three times the equipment that had been originally contracted-a tribute to Chicago’s aggressive marketing for tourism and trade shows.

On July 1 , 1991, the Ferrones acquired the Gray Line Tour franchise, which was founded in 191 0, and combined their equipment to provide the ultimate in local sightseeing, tour and shuttle bus service for tourists, convention and trade shows in Chicago. It took four decades to attain the company, but the Ferrone perseverance prevailed once again.

Throughout the years, American Sightseeing-Chicago has continued to serve the city. In 1994, when Governor Edgar and Mayor Daley broke the ribbon at the Navy Pier renovation ceremony, the Ferrones donated three new trolleys for local government and civic guests to tour the newly revamped Pier. Today, Navy Pier draws more tourists and local residents annually than any other attraction in the Chicagoland area.

Don and Fran are constantly seeking new markets and ways to serve the public. In April 1996, their O’Hare Wisconsin Limousine Service company was selected to join the Trailways National Bus System organization, having a local banner ‘Prairie Trailways’ providing deluxe coaches for charter. Since the death of their father, Don and Fran have continued to provide the traveling public innovative ideas for tours and transportation, always offering something new and different to their customers.

They present sightseers with unique opportunities such as Behind the Scene’s Tours of Blues Musicians Art Works, Jazz and Blues Programs. All a part of Gray Line’s Blue Diamond Collection of Tours. In addition American Sightseeing offers Grand Classic Tours of Chicago’s famous architectural, cultural and historic landmarks and sights. Combined Chicago Sightseeing and Gray Line are truly, the local expert on sightseeing in Chicago.

The company’s current fleet of deluxe buses, trolleys and bright yellow upper-deckers-which have the words “Top Banana” printed on them because, as Don and Fran have declared, Chicago is the top city in America-provide unobstructed views of the city’s sights over traffic and the finest service to Chicago’s sightseers.

It is this rich history that has given American Sightseeing tours the distinct air of an “authentic” Chicago experience. Because regardless of how far the historic brand has come, (American Sightseeing, Gray Line, Trailways) whether by bus, trolley or upper-decker, the ultimate goal remains the same -to show the world all of the great reasons why the company has been proud to call Chicago its home for the past century.

Reproduced from Chicago Sightseeing Company’s “Pioneers of Sightseeing Coach Tours & Shuttle Bus Services – Proudly Serving Chicago for 100 Years”

Planning your next vacation to Chicago or other top American destinations? Look no further than Trusted Tours and Attractions… a proud partner of Chicago Sightseeing Company and other great American tours and attractions.

The United States has celebrated St. Patrick’s Day well before it’s independence from Great Britain. The first St. Patrick’s Day and parade in North America was held in Boston in 1737 followed by New York City in 1756. While St. Patrick’s Day originated in Ireland, the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is held in Chicago with over 2 million spectators and participants. The US, with it’s large Irish ancestory, has parties, parades and events throughout the country. Are you planning to “Go Green” in March? The largest St. Patrick’s Day Parades are:

1. Chicago, Illinois, since 1843 – Over 2 Million Spectators
2. New York City, Since 1756 – Tied with Chicago
3. Savannah, Georgia – Over 400,000
4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Another pre-Declaration of Independence aged St. Patrick’s Day
5. Kansas City, Missouri – 200,00 spectators
6. Boston, Massachusetts
7. San Francisco, California – Oldest and biggest west of the Mississippi
8. Houston, Texas
9. Cleveland, Ohio
10. New London, Wisconsin

I’m not prone to nosebleeds so the zippy elevator that whisked us to the top of the John Hancock Observatory in Chicago, Illinois didn’t bother me as much as some folks. I will admit that I felt like we we being launched instead of transported to the 94th floor but when the doors opened the view made it all worthwhile. 1,000 feet above Chicago with views in all directions but it got even better with “Skywalk”. This section of the observatory was open air. Just screened in so you could feel the wind on your face and hear the sounds of the city from below. Not for the faint of heart. I was surprised at how much room there is to walk around up there and they even identify the surrounding buildings for you. On a clear day they say you can see 80 miles and four states. Since the Hancock Observatory is right at the magnificent mile, it’s a natural to visit before or after some shopping and great food. Aah Chicago!

It’s not as easy as it looks. I’m certain that putting full-size trains and planes inside a building takes patience. That’s why when you walk around the The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois, you keep saying “Wow!”.

Industrial is the feel here as you explore a maze of inventions that changed society. Technology is showcased on a grand scale with lots of hands-on opportunities for kids of all ages. I really enjoyed the robot exhibit where “Robbie the Robot” towers over the entrance welcoming you to a fun exhibit of robots in our culture. An Omnimax theater offers spectacular speciality films, too. From the time you enter the building and take the giant escalator up to the exhibits, you gawk and point. For an inspiring journey of human ingenuity, spend some time at The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. You won’t regret it.

Sue is the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever found and you can see her at The Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. But Sue is only the beginning.

The Field Museum was created to house the collections from the 1893 Columbian Exposition and includes over 20 million specimens today.

My first impression was one of walking into the ultimate taxidermy display. Poised lions, antelope and water buffalo stared back at me like a static zoo. The obvious advantage to seeing these animals presented in this way is the detail. You can stand and notice every ripple of the Rhino’s skin, since they are not moving. They also had skeletal displays of many animals. A full-sized Walrus skeleton will stop you in your tracks! I was also lucky enough during my visit to enjoy the Tutankhamun traveling exhibit, which was spectacular. The quality and preservation of objects 5,000 years old is awe-inspiring. Being able to study and understand the natural world around us is a great gift and The Field Museum delivers on every level.

When I was a kid watching the “Aquaman” cartoon, I dreamed of being able to summon the denizens of the deep to do my bidding, just like him. Experiments at the beach during family vacations proved ineffective. No dolphins rallied to my side despite my deep concentration. Never the less, I developed a strong connection with the Sea and it’s creatures when Jacques Cousteau began sharing his adventures on film. I’ve been a big fan of Aquariums ever since.

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois was the largest of it’s kind when it opened in 1930. Millions of gallons of saltwater were transported from Florida for the exhibits. From the beginning, this aquarium was a huge hit. Today, it is a wonderful adventure.

The Pacific white-sided dolphins in the Oceanarium were a highlight for me. Watching them jump and swim was mesmerizing! The Oceanarium Amphitheater has a spectacular view of Lake Michigan during the shows, which are well presented. What I like most about Shedd is the way it’s designed to encourage you to explore. Multi-levels, little nooks and hidden exhibits surprise and delight if you take the time to discover them. When I found myself alone at Secluded Bay with the Beluga Whales, I was tempted to dive in! Of course, you can see sharks and rays, jellyfish and lionfish, piranhas and penguins. A great menagerie of water creatures. So I had to do it. One more time I had to try. I closed my eyes and concentrated with all my might sending out signals to the denizens of the deep. Here of all places it had to work. I stared at the clownfish as it darted in and out of the anemone. I sent out my signal of brotherhood when suddenly it turned to me and went “Bloop”.

The Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum in Chicago, Illinois is the only one to feature two state-of-the-art planetariums. It was the first and oldest one built in the western hemisphere. Copernicus would be pleased. As an avid stargazer, I couldn’t get enough.

Perched over Lake Michigan, Adler offers wonderful shows, historic astronomical instruments and modern space exploration exhibits. I really enjoyed the Stars of the Pharoahs Show. It was in the starider theater and was a combination of IMax style flyover video combined with classic Planetarium star fields projected 360 degrees around plush seats that tilted back just the right amount.

The history of Astronomy is really brought to life with a great collection of antique instruments for studying the sky including the Atwood Sphere, a planetarium which is 15 feet in diameter you step inside to see a representation of the night sky. Very cool.

If you ever gaze up at the night sky like I do, a trip to Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum is a real treat!

Chicago is my kind of town. While they tear down and build up constantly, they seem to blend the old and new beautifully.

Two things impressed me most:

1) The town was very clean for a big city.

2) The people were very friendly.

Everywhere I went, the door swung wide and a smile greeted me. The vibe here is busy but not frantic. Modern with an old-fashioned twist. Grounded. I loved the food. Pizza, red hots, beef. I couldn’t stop eating! One place was better than the next.

“HOG Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,

Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler;

Stormy, husky, brawling,

City of the Big Shoulders”

Sandburg was right…