and clearly enjoying the Reception..

Cheers!

Tom and RA

The Chicago Air and Water Show shakes up the lakefront as it does every year in mid August. The Air Show is the largest FREE show of it’s kind in the United States. This year features the U.S. Navy Blue Angels – our personal favorite, as the Navy has a long and storied heritage in both of our families. The Air Show takes place along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach as the focal point.

Here’s a few shots from the practice runs on Friday mid day, taken during a lunchtime bike ride, and some info on the new F-22 Raptor that’s been added this year.

On Saturday, we found our way over to Belmont Harbor to enjoy some of the late afternoon events and actual caught a decent shot of the Blue Angels flying over us.

The Chicago Air and Water Show is strong in tradition and one of the world’s premier aviation events… and if you live in the neighborhoods of Chicago, it’s LOUD! (by the way, this has absolutely nothing to do with architecture, unless you consider all the cool buildings that get flybys).

The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) is located in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Initially endowed by Sears, Roebuck & Company president and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, it first opened in 1933 during the Century of Progress Exposition.

A New Industrial Museum

The museum occupies a beautiful Beaux-Arts building designed by Charles C. Atwood. It was built for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition as the Palace of Fine Arts. After the fair the building was occupied by the Field Museum. But in 1921 the Field museum moved to its current home in Grant Park and the building, which was initially constructed as temporary structure, started to deteriorate fast.

Palace of Fine Arts

When looking for a building to house the museum, the empty Palace of Fine Arts came into focus. Another 5 million dollar was spent on the restoration of the building. The plaster-clad building was reconstructed with limestone and marble. The original exterior beaux-arts design, including the 24 caryatids, was kept while the interior was adapted to its new purpose as an industry museum. In 1928, the museum changed its name to Museum of Science and Industry, and it officially opened in 1933, just in time for the Century of Progress Exposition. The building was designated as a Chicago Landmark in 1995.

Favorite Exhibit: The U-boat submarine from WWII

Among its diverse and expansive exhibits, our favorite permanent exhibit features a German submarine (U-505) captured during World War II. On June 4, 1944 a German submarine known as the U-505 was prowling off the coast of West Africa on a hunt for American and Allied ships, when depth charges from the USS Chatelain blasted the dreaded U-boat out of hiding. It was the end of a violent run for the U-505, which had terrorized the Atlantic Ocean as part of a massive U-boat campaign that almost altered the outcome of World War II.

Our sis and sis-in-law, Mejie and Julie, are in town for the weekend…and spent Friday morning at the Museum. They agree – the sub exhibit is a winner.

To learn more about the exhibit and other cool things happening at the museum, go to: http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/

The Fox River Trail – is one of our favorite rides.  There is a 33+ mile path that goes along the Fox River from Aurora (south end) to Algonquin (north end).  We usually start off at Fabyan Park (near the Windmill, for those in the know) just south of Geneva. We ride north through Geneva, then St. Charles, followed by a long streach to south Elgin, then Elgin, East Dundee, winding up a small cafe’ in Algonquin (to enjoy our PB&J’s and latte’s).  Round trip is about 42 miles.  

A few weeks back we met our friend Willy, who lives in St. Charles, to ride the trail.  An absolutely beautiful day! We plan to ride the Fox River Trail a few more time this year, and we’d love for you to join us.

The Melon Metric – is an organized ride that starts in Plano, IL, way the heck out west, southwest of Aurora, next to Sandwich, IL (where the monthly Antique Fair is – for those in the know).

We rode this last year, so thought we’d do it again.  And guess who joined us?  Our friend Willy… who is biking like crazy this year. OK, it helps that he lives out west, too.

We’re not exactly sure why they call it the Melon metric, as all we saw on the ride was corn and more corn. After reading the Omnivore’s Dilemma, this seemed quite poetic to us (again, for those in the know).

Ruth-Anne recognized zucchini growing at one small farmhouse we passed – but compared to the ungodly amount of corn, it was like the proverbial ‘deck chair on the Titanic’.  We’ve never seen so much corn.

We rode a total of 67 miles, and again we’re not exactly sure why they call it the Melon Metric, as we rode the “metric” route, which equalled 5 miles more.  But, that’s cool.  After head winds on the front side, the second half was worth the ride and the trip to Plano, IL (wherever that actually is).

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan was our July Book Club selection.

http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php

The invitation led with the following challenge:

Greetings Fellow Omnivores,

Our middle-of-the-summer Book Club’s theme = NO CORN! Your challenge, should you decide to accept it, is to produce your assignment with no corn, or corn byproducts. Total number of omnivores at the table: 10.  Summer start time: 5:30 PM. Looking forward to eating and drinking together, while talking about eating and drinking!

The Collaborative Menu at ChezRenaud featured:

Appetizer: A mediterrean inspired antipasto platter featuring mixed mushroom sauté served on bruschetta, olives, hummus, and marinated green beans (Alice & Wayne)

Salad:  fresh baby greens with blueberries, fresh goat cheese and a poppyseed dressing (Barbara & Tim)

Wine: an assortment of French wines since he just returned from the Loire Valley and Paris (Jim) and more wine (Lisa and Robin)

The Main Course (Tom and Ruth-Anne)

A taste test between grilled grass fed sirloin steaks (from The Gourmet Pantry at $17/lb) and standard issue corn fed sirloin steaks (from Jewel at $9/lb). The grass fed brand was Tallgrass Beef – http://www.tallgrassbeef.com

Roasted beef steak tomatoes with whole wheat breadcrumb, parmesan and basil

Fresh herbed Grilled Summer Squashes and Mushroom medley

Dessert: Fresh Peach Pie and Mixed Berry Pie from Sweet Occasions. (ok… this one had corn syrup, but at this stage we were happy to welcome the corn based ingredient as the final product tasted so good!. (Teri)

It was a great evening. The addition of Lisa and Robin added to the conversation and laughter. Lisa is a professionally trained chef from the Culinary Institute of America. Robin designs professional kitchens here in Chicago. I am hoping for a behind the scenes tour sometime soon – recent projects include Tavern on the Park and the banquet and catering kitchens at The Trump Tower.

As always, a good time had by all.  The discussion about the book and today’s food / lifestyle choices was fascinating: food choices in America; mass produced foods and food processing; food additives; industrial organic vs local organic; and health and wellness.

The trail winds along the North Branch of the Chicago River and the Skokie Lagoons – through various picnic groves, golf courses and eventually winds up at the Chicago Botanic Garden. This trail also connects to the Green Bay Bicycle Trail.

http://www.fpdcc.com/downloads/nbs_trailmap.pdf

http://www.fpdcc.com/downloads/nbn_trailmap.pdf

For those who have not done this ride in the past, its a great local trail and a beautiful place to escape to from the city.  You can ride any distance you like.  Our personal preference it to ride early on a Sunday morning and take a break at the Chicago Botanical Garden and have a mid morning PB&J while enjoying the scenery. http://www.chicagobotanic.org/

Our first North Branch jaunt this year was with our friends Julie and Frank (avid bikers and always up for a mid-morning PB&J)  

We hope to ride the North Branch Trail a few more times this summer and fall.  Let us know if you would like to join us.  PBJ’s are on us!

Architecture Friday’s has been on a bit of a hiatus since the 4^th of July. And, truth be told, Tom has been writing the Architecture posts since mid-June. Today – is a collaborative effort. Ruth-Anne ran 5 miles and Tom rode 20 miles along the Lakefront path. Here are some of our favorite architecture sights along the way.

LINCOLN PARK:

Don’t let this park’s origins as a municipal burial ground keep you away. Since its inception, the parcel named for the 16th US president has offered enormous greenways highlighted by boulevards and promenades designed for leisurely rides and strolls. Lincoln Park also offers scenic ponds and walking paths, graced by lake breezes and constant views of Chicago’s stunning skyline.

NORTH AVENUE BEACH: The city’s most popular beach, North Avenue Beach is at its prime during the warmer months, when hordes of families, exercise nuts,tourists, and mostly local 20-somethings flood here to seen-and-be-seen, sun, play beach volleyball, as well as roller-blade, cycle, and run along the shoreline. Across the street is Lincoln Park Zoo.

NORTH AVENUE BEACH BOAT HOUSE – restored in 1999

This structure caters to the most heavily used public beach in Chicago, serving 6.5 million people per year. The “boat house” serves as the training center for the city’s lifeguards and is a major social destination with it’s Castaway’s bar and grille on the roof deck. Completed with GEC Design Group as Architects of Record, this new beach house replaces a much loved but greatly deteriorated predecessor constructed in 1939.

THEATER ON THE LAKE – 

This venerable open-air building, located on the lakefront at Fullerton, was once a sanatorium for children suffering from TB.  Designed in 1913 and constructed in 1920 it was converted into a theatre a couple of decades ago, the building still offers stunning views and plenty of fresh air. Built on a landfill area, the impressive Prairie style structure was designed by Dwight H. Perkins of the firm Perkins, Fellows, and Hamilton, who also designed several Lincoln Park buildings including Café Brauer, the Lion House in the Lincoln Park Zoo, and the North Pond Café.

WAVELAND GOLF COURSE CLOCK TOWER

Constructed in 1931, The English Gothic style was designed by Edwin H. Clark; the carillon was restored to working order a few years ago. The lakeside, 9-hole course is a favorite to locals and out-of-towners with its stunning views.

THE TOTEM POLE -

The totem pole that stands today in Lincoln Park, just east of Lake Shore Drive at Addison Street, is only 22 years old, but has history dating back to the Kwakiutl Indians in western British Columbia, Canada.

One of the reasons that we may never leave where we live is having the ability to enjoy the lakefront, the parks, the paths and trails, and all that it has to offer.

As we celebrate the 232nd year of our American Way today, we celebrate one of the greatest gifts our country has to offer – truly unique and diverse architecture. American City skylines have become iconic symbols of growth, prosperity, freedom and independence.  They are also a symbol of the melting pot of world architecture that can happen nowhere except here in the good ol’ US of A.

The Chicago skyline is world renown, with the John Hancock Center and the Sears Tower flanking its north and south.  Chicago is famous for being the birthplace of the skyscraper, some of the world’s tallest and most innovative buildings, set along its glorious lakefront.

From Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der  Rohe, to today’s star architects Frank Gehry , Calvatara and Renzo Piano ~ we salute you for your additions to our skyline!

Look for us along the lakefront this 4th of July weekend, as we enjoy “our skyline”

At 1450 feet and 110 stories, the Sears Tower is the tallest building in the United States. Until recently the world’s tallest building, and still has the highest occupied floor level in the world.  Completed in 1973, the Sears Tower is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Chicago skyline and in the world.

Sears Tower is strategically located on Wacker Drive in the heart of the West Loop, Chicago’s premier submarket and home to its largest corporations and commuter rail stations. The attractive and contemporary 110-story trophy office tower consists of steel columns and beams in a “mega-module” system.

Designed by the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) for Sears, Roebuck & Company, the world’s largest retailer at the time.  The building contains approximately 3.8 million rentable square feet (“RSF”) including approximately 159,000 RSF of retail space, a world-class broadcast platform, and the world’s tallest “skydeck.”

The Chicago Skyline is flanked by the John Hancock Center to the northeast, with the Aon Center in the middle, and the Sears Tower to the southwest, making it one of the most recognizable in the world.   

• Vital Statistics: The John Hancock Center
• Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Completion Date: 1969
• Height: 1,127 feet
• Stories: 100
• Materials: Steel
• Facing Materials: Aluminum, glass
• Engineer(s): Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Today, the John Hancock Center in Chicago, Illinois, is affectionately known as “Big John,” but it was not always this way. Located on North Michigan Avenue along Chicago’s “Magnificent Mile,” the skyscraper was controversial from the start for its enormous bulk and dark metal exterior. Eventually, it was celebrated for its very brashness, and today it remains one of Chicago’s best-loved icons.

Currently, the John Hancock Center is the twelfth tallest building in the world. But to keep such a tall building standing in the “Windy City,” engineers had to make the enormous structure super stiff. How did they do it? The John Hancock Center is actually a super-tall steel tube. Steel columns and beams are concentrated in the skyscraper’s perimeter and five enormous diagonal braces on the exterior walls of the skyscraper give it extra strength in the wind. The skyscraper also rises from 40,000 square feet at the base to 18,000 square feet at the summit. This tapered design provides additional structural stability against wind forces.

A favorite building to Chicagoans and visitors alike, the Hancock looks great in all seasons as the anchor of the north end of the skyline.  We are partial to the view from our bikes, as we head down the lakefront trail towards town.photo taken from “Bike The Drive” 2008