Chitown

So, last week I went to Chicago for the first time. Unfortunately I was going for a Conference so I was staying in a suburb about 25 miles outside the city. I have always wanted to go to Chicago ever since the movie "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (because that's where they make Dance TV)- my favorite movie as a fifth grader that I made my mom rent at least once a week at the Movie Stop. But, there were other reasons as well- I hear the Art Institute is fabulous, Lake Michigan, the Magnificent Mile, Wrigley Field, the list goes on and on.
So, after one day at the Conference I decided I could skip a half day and ride the El into downtown for some sightseeing. I finally made it to my stop (my first goal was the Art Institute) and the woman told me to walk East on Adams and I would run right into the Art Institute. Well, I was slightly confused how I was supposed to figure out which way was east, but felt like maybe I was supposed to know, so I decided I could figure it out. After all, on my map I noticed it was right next to the lake so I would just walk towards the way where all the buildings stopped. As I got out of the underground subway I looked around and finally decided the obvious way. However, 7 blocks later- still not Art Institute. I finally asked someone and luckily instead of compass directions they used left and rights so I returned to where I had come from and then hung a right- apparently that was East. Four short blocks later I had arrived at the Art Institute. I ran up the steps and had finally made it! And, it did not disappoint. There was even a special exhibition on Voillard- the art critic's- collection From Cezanne to Picasso. As an Art History major I was totally excited to be seeing so many famous pieces and I literally ran through it. (To me museums are like buffets. I can hardly appreciate what I am looking at because I can't wait to see whats next). Unfortunately after an hour my back was hurting so bad I could hardly walk so I had to stop my tour short- I think I missed some of my favorite pieces, but that just insures I will have to return!
After I left the museum I was determined to walk down to see Lake Michigan and then do some more sightseeing. I made my way down to the lake, but between my back and the 15 degree windchill I decided my death was not worth the Lake. So I took a picture from a block away and made my way back. I was feeling like somewhat of a tourist failure when all of a sudden I looked up- and there it was! It was like the heavens parted and God smiled upon me. There was the building I have equated with Chicago since I was 10 years old. I don't know the name, but I'm sure you will all know it as the "Adventures in Babysitting" building. You know the one with the slanty top that Sarah climbs out onto the ledge to escape the bad guys and they have to pull her up by a rope- the building where her parent's party was??!!! I was so excited. I snapped a picture and found my blue line el train and returned to the suburbs feeling like not such a tourist failure.

**As a weird aside to this story- I asked four separate people how to get to the Art Institute and each time (no lie) they said, "The Art Institute of Chicago?" Keep in mind I was in Chicago.