Tag: buildings

Chicago Day 5

May 10, 2013
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We had a late flight out of O’Hare back to Toronto on Friday, so after checking out of our hotel room we headed to The Art Institute of Chicago. There was a Picasso exhibition that was ending on Sunday. We started the day at Daley Plaza to see the Picasso statue.

City Hall.

The Atrium Mall inside the James R Thompson Building.

Monument With Standing Beast.

Looking up inside the building.

A McDonald’s in the Theatre District. You would never know with the tiny sign.

The front of the Marshall Field and Company Building which now houses the Macy’s.

Looking down an alley.

Cloud Gate not as busy on a cloudy day.

The temperature on Friday was only 10°C and foggy early in the morning.

Nighthawks by Edward Hooper.

American Gothic by Grant Wood

Mother and Child by Pablo Picasso.

The Red Armchair by Pablo Picasso.

Head of a Woman with Straw Hat on a Pink Background by Pablo Picasso

Nude Under a Pine Tree by Pablo Picasso.

The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso.

The exhibit was busy, especially since it was the final weekend it would be showing.

The main staircase.

Two Sisters (on the Terrace) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

One of the many galleries.

Old Man with a Gold Chain by Rembrandt

Self Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh.

After the Art Institute, it was back to the hotel to pick up our bags and then the subway out to O’Hare.

We had a great week in Chicago, we walked and walked and walked some more. The weather was good for most part and it only rained the one night. We look forward to returning here one day for another visit. We were delayed about 30 minutes leaving Chicago and Angela and Gillian came to pick us up at the airport.

Chicago Day 4

May 9, 2013
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This Lego scene and mosaic is made of lego blocks.

We were enjoying a coffee outside the John Hancock Center people watching. We watched these cops on bikes pull over a Porsche.

Thursday’s weather was overcast, but the rain held off for most of the day.

One of the many water taxis along the river.

Looking down Michigan Avenue.

Looking west along the Chicago River.

This McDonald’s span a city block.

Chicago Day 2

May 7, 2013
Chicago2013

Tuesday was another great day weather wise. We woke to this view of Michigan Avenue.

We headed down to the river for a boat tour. Looking south on Michigan Avenue towards the Wrigley building.

The entrance to the Chicago Tribune building.

The Wrigley Building undergoing some renovations at the street level.

We spent most of the walk down to the river looking up.

The Trump Tower on the left and the Wrigley Building on the right.

Looking back north on Michigan Avenue towards the John Hancock Centre and our hotel in the middle of the picture.

The Marina City buildings, these are 65 storey buildings.

The first 19 floors are for parking.

The elevated L train in the Loop.

More tulips along State Street.

We did the Wendella River and Lake boat tour.

We had some time before the boat tour, so we headed to the Eddie Bauer store.

The start of the boat tour.

The Boeing building.

The CTA rapid transit train.

Heading back up the river towards the lake.

Looking back at the Trump Tower.

Waiting in the lock to head out to Lake Michigan.

The Chicago skyline.

A view of Navy Pier. It was a little chilly out on the lake. It was a great boat tour, we really enjoyed it.

We grabbed some lunch at the Billy Goat Tavern. It is located under Michigan Avenue. It is famous for the “Cheezborger, Cheezborger, Cheep, Cheep” skit from Saturday Night Live.

Under North Michigan Avenue.

After lunch we headed down to Millennium Park.

These are Dangos (meaning rounded forms or dumplings in Japanese) by Jun Kaneko.

Cloud Gate or the “Bean”.

Susan and I reflecting in the Bean.

Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, it was built in 1927. There were some artists that had set up shop and were painting the fountain.

A statue of Abraham Lincoln in Grant Park.

The Crown Fountain in Millennium Park.

We headed to the Navy Pier for dinner.

There wasn’t much happening, but it is probably hopping in the summer months.

We ended up at Harry Caray’s for dinner.

A Week In Chicago

May 6, 2013
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We landed at Chicago O’Hare on Monday morning and took the subway from the airport to downtown. Our room wasn’t ready so we dropped off our bags and headed out. Not quite the load of the people in Shanna’s Viet-Nam photos, this was the delivery guy for the sandwich shop we had lunch at.

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The Water Tower in downtown Chicago, one of the few surviving buildings from the Great Fire of 1871.

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There were beds and beds of tulips in the downtown core.

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Looking south on Michigan Avenue.

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Outside a candy store in The Water Tower Place mall.

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The dresses were made from Skittles wrappers and Jelly Belly wrappers.

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The Hershey Store.

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We were staying at the Allerton Hotel right on Michigan Avenue.

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With both the Blackhawks and the Bulls in the playoffs, there were a lot of jerseys arounds, even on these statues outside one of the hotels.

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We had dinner at Giordano’s and had some deep dish pizza.

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After dinner we headed to the Signature lounge on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Center. The lounge is free to visit, but the drinks are pricey. We were able to get a table by the window with a view of the south.

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Day 13: So Long PEI, Hello Tidal Bore

August 18, 2012
PEI2012

It was finally time to say so long to our cottage on PEI. The girls and I were up early and down on the beach at 6:30 am to beach comb one last time. After we had the car packed we gathered for our new blog photo (see left).

Some photos of the cottage, the kitchen.

The living room. There was no air conditioning, but with all the windows open and the breezes coming through, it wasn’t necessary. The fans gave the extra relief when needed.

The stairway up to the bedrooms, there was one bedroom on the main floor and two upstairs.

Another view of the kitchen.

From the kitchen looking into the living room and front hallway.

Looking down from the stairs to the back deck.

We have extra business cards if anyone is looking for a place to vacation. Special thanks to Rob, who works at the City with Susan, for the recommendation.

Paying our way off the island, it cost $44.25/car in order to leave, it is free to cross onto the island.

We drove through Amherst, Nova Scotia, looking for a Subway. Amherst has a lot of old building, this is the First Baptist Church.

The old Bank of Montreal building. It was built in 1904.

The old Amherst Post Office building built between 1884-86.

After picking up up subs we headed to the Maccan Tidal Wetlands Park to have lunch.

The park is an excellent spot to watch the incoming tidal bore. I read about it on the internet and how there was a gentleman who lived nearby that came down everyday to see it, and give a little info to tourists. Sure enough he was there today, pulling out pictures of what we should expect and answering any questions.

Here is the tidal bore in action, it is travelling at a good rate of speed, and it is loud and it sloshes on the river banks.

Some video of the tidal bore.

It only takes a couple of minutes to pass by. I had seen one a few years ago on the Shubenacadie River a little further south. There were 5 other tourists there to see the tidal bore.

Once the bore passes it takes about one and half hours for the river to fill in to it’s max, it changes with the size of the tide and the moon phases.

The gentleman is Gordon Boss, who posts the times and the type of tidal bore.

Here is a before and after photo of the river upstream. Before the Tidal Bore.

After the Tidal Bore.

That is Gordon Boss in the blue coat.

It was onto our destination for the next couple of days, we are staying in Dartmouth, across from Halifax.

Our route today. It was 351 km and it took us 6 hours with our stops.

After dinner tonight we headed out to Cole Harbour, NS, which is about a 10 minute drive from our hotel. They have a “Home of Sidney Crosby” sign as you enter the town. One of Gillian’s friends is a big Crosby fan, so I thought Gillian could say she has been to Crosby’s hometown. In the background is a closed Zellers store that will be converted to a Wal-Mart.

Afterwards we picked up some hot fudge sundaes from McDonald’s and brought them back to the hotel to enjoy.

Day 8: Charlottetown

August 13, 2012
PEI2012

Today we headed in to Charlottetown to tour around. The forecast was calling for chance of rain, it turned out to be a slim chance as we ended up with sun for most of the day. Here is the view from Victoria Park.

We walked along the boardwalk in search of the Government House.

Angela sitting on one of the cannons

The cannons were at a display for the Prince Edward Battery. The battery was originally built to protect the town from incoming intruders into Charlottetown Harbour.

We made our way to Government House, the girls posing with the Queen in the guardhouse.

During the summer they give free tours of Government House, the Lieutenant Governor of PEI still lives in the house.

The house was originally built in 1834.

We were waiting for the next tour.

The Fathers of Confederation met at the Government House in September of 1864.

Most of the furniture is original from 1834. This piano is 200 years old and still works.

The formal dining room.

The Queen has stayed here once, Prince Edward, Charles and Di and most recently Will and Kate were guests last year. This chair is in the Royal Suite.

The table where Will and Kate ate their breakfast.

In the bedroom.

The Grand Salon.

The girls out in the garden

There were a lot of bees busy at work.

We figured this was the Lieutenant Governors wheels.

After Government House it was down to the waterfront.

Claudia trying on a lobster hat.

Claudia waiting with me while the others were shopping.

There are still a lot of old buildings in old downtown, this one was used to store confiscated rum during prohibition.

We stopped for lunch at the Water St. Fish & Chips. We started with a plate of steamed mussels. Here is the evidence.

I ordered the 1 piece halibut and chips, it was hanging over the plate and the chips needed a knife they were so big.

It was a good meal.

We went to Church. We stopped in at St Dunstan’s Basilica.

The current church was built in 1919, after two wooden structures and a stone church built in 1896 (that burnt down in 1913).

Inside St Dunstan’s Basilica.

Down the street from St Dunstan’s is Province House. This is the birthplace of Confederation and the seat of PEI’s provincial legislature since 1847.

Some locals walking down Victoria Row.

Looking up Queen Street.

The girls with Sir John A. Macdonald.

After a stop at the grocery store it was back to the cottage, we are about 30 minutes from Charlottetown. The girls were back down to the beach as the tide was coming back in.

Blue skies made for some spectacular scenery.

It was back to beach combing for sea glass, aka “mermaid tears”. There is a Sea Glass Festival in south eastern PEI the 3rd weekend of July. Here is the handful I found in about 30 minutes.

It is a family event to see who can find the biggest piece or the most rare colours (i.e. blue).

Gillian with her handful.

Based on the forecast, this may be our only sunset while we are at the cottage.

For awhile the sea gulls were flying inland, according to some it is an indication that a storm is on its way.

My artistic sunset shot.

There it goes…

The sunset made for some interesting colours on the clouds.

After enjoying a meal out on the deck.

Rick Mercer Report

February 10, 2012
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I managed to get four tickets to the Rick Mercer Report live taping for Friday night, Susan and I were going to go with friends, but plans changed, so Angela and Claudia came with us. Gillian had her Grade 11 semi-formal that she was attending. The taping is at the CBC Broadcasting Centre on Front Street. Here is Roy Thompson Hall.

Looking north-west from near Metro Hall.

Near the eternal flame outside Metro Hall. We had dinner at Sushi Oniwa Japanese Restaurant on King Street W. We were headed to the Swiss Chalet that was next door, but it has since closed down.

The girls waiting for the show to begin.

He does some crowd interaction at the beginning.

For the segments of the show that are done on location, he comes out and introduces the segment and then they play it on the video screens. This week he was in Ottawa at the Governor General’s residence and working at the Chateau Laurier. The show will air on Tuesday February 14th.

During the show he is always chatting with the floor director.

Rick waving to someone in the audience.

The audience holds 350 people, and almost every friday night for 20 weeks it is full. The best chance for rush tickets are if there is a snow storm, since the tickets are free, people are more apt to not show up if the weather is bad.

Waiting for the crew to install his desk.

The end of show 15 of season 9.

The wait to meet Rick Mercer wasn’t that long, or we got out of the studio quicker. He liked Claudia’s panda hat. He talked about the pandas coming to Canada and what citizenship a baby panda would be if born here.

 The Mr Dressup display in the CBC Museum.

 Angela and Claudia in front of Casey and Finnegan’s treehouse. The original show had gone off the air before either of the girls were born.

Both Angela and Claudia really enjoyed the show.

City Centre

January 8, 2012
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We headed down to the central library, Angela wanted to get a book that she had put a hold on. We parked underground and came up near the new skating rink.

The Absolute Condo building, better known as the Marilyn building. The 56th floor penthouse is on the market for $3.2 million. It has a 180-degree view of the lake and city skyline, you also get 4 parking spots and your own elevator.

The Celebration Square stage.