In This City

1753 W Cullerton St 2nd Floor. This is my home, at least until next August. This is the result of some frantic trolling on Craiglist. I feel a little like I'm in an episode of GIRLS or Friends. Last night a fire hydrant burst open and flooded the streets and all the little Hispanic children in the neighborhood were playing in it, making it like a quintessential Hey Arnold-esque city scene.

Yesterday I took a trip on whim to explore downtown and acquaint myself with the city. The Chicago Public Library was right off the Pink Line. The mural below is featured on the 9th floor and is just one of the many displays throughout the nine levels of the library. The featured art in the library is from 20th century Chicagoan artists and seems to convey a common theme of struggle, optimism, pride, and progress.

The building to the right looks like a vertically stretched cathedral on the Chicago river which runs eastward through downtown to its mouth on Lake Michigan. It's the Chicago Tribune building and may be my favorite building so far. At the building's base are chunks of famous and historic structures around from the world - the pyramids in Egypt, Civil War landmarks, the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings ( a piece of Colorado!), the Great Wall of China.... the list goes on. This is on the Chicago River. 

My neck was strained from staring up at all the architectural wonder. I don't know what it is, but Chicago's architecture may surpass New York.

Street art by Oak Beach, off of Lake Shore Trail. 

I must have walked about 5 miles or so north up Lake Shore Trail from the city centre. Below is the view! Not too shabby, eh? The walkway was packed yesterday, the weather was gorgeous, so I just kept going. I ended up in Lincoln Park, sitting in the grass, sipping on a 7-11 Gulp with a giant map in my hands trying to navigate my way back home. I did find my way home eventually only to end up taking the train back to Lincoln Park a few hours later going to the bars with my roommate Chandler and friends. An Irish bar no less. Have yet to find a good one on my explorations. Oxfords and boat shoes to no end.