Chicago: Day 2 - Dinner at Joelen's

[Whew! Marathon posting session! Scroll down for 4 new posts]

After resting briefly after our forays out to the Art Institute and the Sears (I mean, Willis) Tower, we chilled at our hotel before heading out yet again. It rained during those few hours and as 6:30 approached, it rained even more. As mentioned in a previous blog post, I had the pleasure of corresponding with local Chicago food blogger (and fellow Pinay), Joelen from the Chicago food blog "Joelen's Culinary Adventures with Friends and Food", and leader and host of her culinary food group What's Cookin, Chicago?.

A humble and gracious person, Joelen was recently featured in the home living magazine, The Nest. Here's her post on that - All I can say is, "W"hat a great experience! One more thing, she was also the winner of the Virtual Kitchen competition, judged by Chicago chef Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill & Topolobampo. See her posts about that here, here, and here plus a feature on the local news here (too bad the video of her segment is no longer available).

I think it's amazing how the internet can connect you to so many people. Here's my long winded story of how we "met". Marvin, of the blog Burnt Lumpia had a post last month on the 18th Annual FPAC in San Pedro.

The first comment caught my eye, "I wish Chicago had events like this!" -joelen.

"Hmmmm...."I thought to myself. "Chicago, eh?". Since we were going to that very city at the end of the month, perhaps I could ask her a few things.

I clicked on the poster's name and was immediatedly connected to Joelen's blog which was chock full of gorgeous food porn as well as her "culinary adventures" (Great minds think alive - I've used that same term in the past when going out with HotFudge, TORC, Divalicious, the Knitting Diva, etc).

After perusing her blog, I ended up emailing Joelen a few days later, asking for her recommendations about places to eat in Chicago as well as non-touristy things to do. She was kind enough to oblige - in fact, she sent me so many useful links of her personal culinary food tours of the various neighborhoods. Anyhow, our emails led to a phone conversation and she was so gracious to invite us over during our stay in her city...My husband, daughter and I felt so welcomed by her hospitality.

Here is the view of their top floor condo overlooking Millenium Park. The lit up blue lines forming a domelike shame (it changes colors actually) is the Pritzker Pavilion. Sorry for the poor picture quality.
Joelen had a Chicago themed dinner ready for us. Here are her much more superior photos as well as the deets on each food item at her post, "My Kind of Town, Chicago. I highly suggest that you check out her post - her photos are mouthwateringly fab!

As a proponent of local products, each item featured in her culinary ode to Chicago was from a local company. Here's the cheesy "carmel" corn. This is not normally a flavor combination I would even buy, but it actually tasted pretty good! Once you try one, you can't stop!Goose Island Wheat Ale...
Chicago style dogs (with regular buns, not poppy seed) - A beef dog with mustard, relish, chopped onions, a pickle spear and topped with celery salt. A word to the wise, don't ask for ketchup on your hot dog in Chicago unless you want your ass kicked.
I really loved the bright and radioactive shade of this green relish! Have you ever seen anything so artificially green? I regret not buying a jar to take home.
She had two kinds of deep dish pizzas from Lou Malnati's ready - Deep Dish Sausage and Pepperoni. These pizzas were so much better than the one we had at Giordano's for lunch. For one, the crust was thinner and more buttery and flaky. I loved that. If a pizza doesn't have good crust, then why even bother eating it, right? Remember to use your utensils when eating deep dish pizza because the slices are so thick and heavy.
Dessert was also wonderful. She had four different slices of cheesecake (strawberry swirl, plain, chocolate chip & chocolate cake). My favorite was the chocolate chip. The chocolate cake was too much like "cake" and I couldn't really taste the "cheesecake" factor in there.
As if that weren't enough, she also had Coffee Toffee Pie. This was so delicious - very creamy and topped with crunchy bits of toffee. The crust was sooo good too - crushed chocolate cookies with butter! Go ahead and lick your screen. As Pitbull would say, "You know I want'cha, want'cha!" (okay, that was lame-o! ha ha)
We had such a lovely time that night. Both Joelen and her husband were super nice. I am still amazed that she took the time to entertain us, complete strangers, into their home. TC, Bert and Joelen's husband had a blast playing Mario Kart on the wii while Joelen and I chatted in the kitchen. We had a quite a few things in common, especially our love of food and culture. I'm so grateful that we made a connection and hope that one day we can return the favor to her.

Tomorrow - The Quest for Duck Fat Fries at Hot Doug's, Graceland Cemetery and making the trek to Wisconsin!

Chicago: Day 2 - Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis? - The Sears Tower

After our lunch at Giordano's, we walked over to the Sears Tower, which is now actually renamed, the Willis Tower. We were headed to the Skydeck at the top, specifically the new "The Ledge Experience which opened up earlier this year.
Inside the lobby was a huge voting machine - Chicago was one of the cities considered for the 2016 Olympics. At the time of writing this blog (Friday, October 9), Chicago was eliminated in the first round. The eventual winner of the Olympic bid turned out to be the Brazilian city of Rio. Anyways, I pushed the big red button and voted for Chicago.
Eastern view
Another view towards the East...as you can see, it wasn't that clear that day. Although the day started off a bit dreary, it got worse after our visit to the Tower. Rain begain right after we left! Lake Michigan is huuuuuge!
North view of South Michigan Avenue. The piece of land jutting out on the far left houses the Adler Planetarium as well as the Shedd Aquarium. The huge blocky building on the far right is the Field Museum. The brick buildings at the bottom comprise the massive Hilton Towers - the site of Hilton Hotel Incident during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Northwestern view - the tall black building on the far left is the John Hancock Tower.
View below of Federal Plaza, featuring "Flamingo" a sculpture by Alexander Calder. The sculpture is located outside of the Kluczynski Federal Building.
One of the newest additions to the Skydeck is this view from one of the new see-through glass cubicles that jut out 103 stories above downtown Chicago...It was a strange feeling stepping onto that ledge. I was tentative at first. Although I knew I was standing on something that's engineered to be sturdy, I still couldn't help but feel a bit queasy while looking down at the Lilliputian scene below. The Tokidoki bag on TC is one of my older ones. The design is Trasporto and the bag style is Stellina (kind of like a mini messenger bag with outside pockets)
Bert next to one of the Northern views. The red building is the CNA Center - sometimes the city lights up its windows to spell out messages like "Go Bears" or "Go White Sox". If you look closely, you can see a bit of the Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park (at the top right corner of the CNA Center).
TC and I in one of the glass boxes. The loopy freeway you see at the left is the The Circle Interchange also known as the "Spaghetti Bowl". This view faces East.
Our day wasn't over yet...

Chicago: Day 2 - The Art Institute & Giordano's

After getting our sculpture fix, we headed back down to the Art Institute, flanked by two huge lion sculptures. The museum was actually free today, but only from 5 - 8 pm but we already had dinner plans later this evening at Joelen's (of the Chicago foodblog What's Cookin, Chicago?).
Before I go on with this post though, here is one of my favorite scenes from the late John Hughes' 80's classic teensploitation flick, - the Museum scene in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". And because I know you all just love musical trivia (oh wait, that's just me!), the song playing in the background is a cover of The Smiths' "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" (instrumental version) by The Dream Academy. Of course, I prefer the Smith's much more anguished version, which is also featured in the soundtrack another one of Hughes' films, one of my favorites (it's the partial namesake of my blog), "Pretty in Pink)". Okay, I'll STFU now!!!

" Two Sisters (aka On the Terrace)" (1881) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. If you don't already know it, the Art Institute has a large collection of Impressionist paintings. It's amazing seeing these paintings in person instead of in a book (or in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"!)
Calf's Head and Ox Tongue (1882) by Gustave Caillebotte (the same artist who painted "Paris Street, Rainy Day")A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat - One of the best examples of Pointillism.

"The Captive Slave" by British painter John Philip Simpson (1782-1847). I thought this painting was quite moving, given its history.

Here's a nice cheerful little painting everyone should have in their living room - "Head of a Guillotined Man" by Jean Louis Andre Theodore Gericault. TC ran up to me while I was looking at another painting and told me to come look at this really "gross" one...I had to explain to her what a guillotine was and after describing the contraption to her, she made a "connection" to an older Spongebob episode where Spongebob travels back in time. That's the way to do it...relate something historical to a cartoon! I know I did (example - political references in old episodes of "Popeye" and "Bugs Bunny", plus think of all of the classical music featured in the old Warner Bros cartoons)! Another one of Gustave Caillebotte's larger and well known works, "Paris Street, Rainy Day". Very cool this was.

"Bedroom in Arles" (1888) by Vincent van Gogh. TC was excited because she recognized the painting since there was a framed poster of this in our hotel room. Plus, if you mention "Van Gogh cut off his ear" to a curious child who is fast developing her mother's taste of the morbid, well then, there you have it. Instant audience.
"At the Moulin Rouge" by Henri_de Toulouse-Lautrec (he depicted himself in the crowd - see bearded man in the middle). The Moulin Rouge was a French cabaret and the birthplace of the "Can Can" dance. Loved the garish use of color especially in the woman's face (popular dancer May Milton) in the right corner.

The iconic Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. Often spoofed but never imitated.
Now instead of looking at Night Hawks, you should do an about face and take a longass look-see at this beauty! (click to enlarge)

(image courtesy of RasMarley's flckr photos).

This lovely and lurid painting is "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1943-1944) by Ivan Albright...based on the story by Oscar Wilde, this painting was commissioned for the 1943 adaptation of the story. More on the painting here .

Next is the vibrant and dynamic Nightlife (1943) by African American artist

Archibald J. Motley, Jr.. - "Nightlife" is considered by some to be the "black version" of "Night Hawks.". American Gothic by Grant Wood - Later on during our trip, we would see a "tribute" of sorts to this in the women's bathroom at Hot Doug's. By the way, the chick in this painting is not the man's wife. It's his daughter. Old maid anyone?
We took the "El" to get to the Sears Tower...
We took the Pink Line...

Before heading over to the Sears Tower, we had lunch nearby at Giordano's - the Jackson Street location (see company site here and yelp reviews of this location here).

Although we've had Chicago style deep dish pizza before at Pizzeria Uno's in Chula Vista (when they used to have it at the Chula Vista mall), we felt compelled to have one of Chicago's signature dishes at a Chicago chain, Giordano's

Tacky sign.

The soup of the day was Clam Chowder...

Bert's entree came with salad which we shared...per my request, the dressing came on the side. A good thing too because it was Italian dressing which I really don't like (not a fan of vinegary dressings).

Our so very healthy and heart friendly appetizer - Fried Mozzarella cheese sticks with marinara dipping sauce.

TC and I shared a personal size deep dish pizza. The standard is cheese then you add toppings for extra. Our extra toppigs were black olives while the mushrooms were embedded within the pizza.

Bert's Hot Italian Beef Sandwich (served with au jus) and pickled peppers on the side. When I hear the words "Hot Beef", I don't think of sandwich...ha ha.

My thoughts on Giordano's? Nothing out of the ordinary. It's a chain that reminds me of Pizzeria Uno or even TGIFriday's. Pizza is just pizza to me. I prefer the thinner New York style crust. While it does taste good, the deep dish style is a bit too heavy for me. There was also more crust than I liked. As for Bert's lunch, he found his beef sandwich pretty tasty. There was quite a bit of thinly sliced beef in there and the au jus made it even better.

Chicago: Day 2 - The Crown Fountain and assorted sculptures

Although we were planning to go to the Art Institute that morning, it was still too early. They opened at 10 am so we killed some time by checking out the Sculpture Garden next door to the museum as well as the Crown Fountain, located in Millennium Park.
I'm not sure what this was, but I saw at least half a dozen of these wierd figures on the asphalt off of South Michigan Ave while walking to the museum. Some yellow, light blue, or white and I noticed they were near crosswalks.

A few buildings in the South Loop area...

The following are sculptures in the North Stanley McCormick Memorial Court (aka North Garden) next to the Art Institute.

Cubi VII, 1963 - Stainless Steel sculpture by David Smith)(American, 1906-1965)

Flying Dragon), 1975 - painted steel plate by Alexander Calder (American, 1989 - 1976)

This isn't a famous sculpture...just a lamp post base I found interesting...

Untitled, 1987 granite by Ulrich Ruckriem (German, born 1938)

Large Interior Form, 1982 bronze by Henry Moore (British, 1989 - 1986)

Another view...

The Crown Fountain in Millenium Park - this was really cool. The faces would change after a few minutes and water would spout from their mouths. Since it was kind of cold (but overcast), there weren't a lot of people out that day. I'm wearing a Columbia College t-shirt; the college was just a few blocks away from our hotel. I didn't realize that it is the largest arts and media college in the U.S. I usually try to get one or two college/university shirts in every city that we visit. Plus, as a high school counselor, I like to wear college shirts on casual Fridays. It's something new besides my usual SDSU shirt.

Check out this video clip and article about these sculptures from China which were recently installed this April----->here and another article about the installations here. Pretty cool. I took pix of two of the three sculptures. The one below is called Yang Yong Feng Dao (I'm sure I probably spelled that wrong). It features a woman clinging to a man who is clinging a large pig (symbolizes greed, fortune and desire). It certainly is attention getting, especially since the pig had rows upon rows of prominent teats. This was kind of freaky.

This Red T-Rex is called "Windy City Dinosaur"...this is me goofing off...

On to the Art Institute!