My life in Chicago since moving here in Feb 2009.
Contemporary music ensemble Alarm Will Sound gave an exuberant performance today at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Alarm Will Sound is a 20-member chamber orchestra that focuses on recordings and performances of contemporary classical music.
I had an amazing time at a private show by alternative rockers Young the Giant in a cozy space above the legendary music venue Metro Chicago. Meeting charismatic lead singer Sameer Gadhia in the green room afterward made the experience even more special. His family has a rich musical background, with his grandmother being a professional singer and his father playing classical Indian instruments.
It was so cool seeing headliner Iggy Pop at Riot Fest 2012 last night! It’s the second time I’ve seen him perform—the first was at the intimate Numbers Nightclub in Houston, TX, on February 28, 1983. Riotfest is a three-day celebration of punk, rock, alternative, metal, and hip-hop, held annually in Chicago’s Douglass Park. This year’s Sunday lineup included Elvis Costello & The Imposters, NOFX, Less Than Jake, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and other great punk and alternative bands.
Lincoln Park Zoo stays open in the evenings during the holidays, with a gorgeous light show going on as you stroll through the park. The temp was around 39, but there was no wind, so it felt great to be out enjoying the evening.
It’s a beautiful day in Chicago. Around 67 degrees and no rain. Excellent bike riding weather!
The Stars of Lyric Opera concert last night was a memorable evening, marking the start of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s upcoming 57th season. Held at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, the free outdoor event attracted a full-capacity crowd, all eager to experience a night of operatic brilliance under the stars. Renée Fleming, newly appointed as Lyric’s creative consultant, served as both headliner and host. The evening featured a stellar lineup of performers, including Matthew Polenzani, James Morris, Susanna Phillips, and Jamie Barton. The Lyric Opera Orchestra, under the baton of French conductor Emmanuel Villaume, provided the musical accompaniment for the evening.
Muse crushed it last night at Lollapalooza 2011—truly a highlight of the festival. Unfortunately, my video footage doesn’t quite do it justice. In fairness, we were positioned far from the stage, it was the final performance of the evening, and I had partaken in a few too many celebratory drinks by that point.
We saw Paul McCartney tonight at Wrigley Field, just a few blocks from home. It was my second time seeing him; the first was in 1993 at the Hollywood Bowl.
We’ve been having some pretty intense thunderstorms the past few days.
A family of Raccoons live in the rocks near the Lake. They’re fun to watch.
Rode my bike down to Navy Pier this morning. It was foggy by the Lake, which kept the temps down. In the mid-90’s farther inland.
We were riding bikes along the Chicago North Branch Trail today when I spotted a small group of deer in the woods. It was odd seeing these large, beautiful animals so close to such a densely populated city.
We had such a fun time at Midsommarfest on Sunday! This vibrant event, held annually in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, is rooted in Swedish tradition and celebrates the summer solstice with a modern twist—blending cultural heritage with lively music, food, and festivities. I absolutely love all the summer festivals in Chicago!
It was cold today in Chicago, with temperatures in the low 50s, but that didn’t stop us from having a great time at the Chicago Blues Festival. The annual festival is one of the largest and most iconic free blues events in the world. It’s a vibrant celebration of the city’s rich blues heritage, rooted in the Great Migration, when musicians from the Mississippi Delta brought their sound to Chicago and electrified it—both literally and figuratively.
The Clarke House, built in 1836, is considered the oldest surviving domestic structure in Chicago. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside the house.
The Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Lincoln Park is right across the street from our building. It’s easy to forget that I live in the middle of a huge city.
This little guy sure looked comfortable and cute!
It was a gorgeous day in Chicago today!
I love walking around the Chicago Botanic Garden. It was cool today, but sunny and a nice day to be outdoors.
I took this shot a few weeks ago of Chase Tower in downtown Chicago while we were on a guided architectural walking tour of modern skyscrapers.
We just drove past President Obama’s house looking for Morry’s Deli in Hyde Park. They don’t let you go down the street in front of it.
Had fun at the Cubs vs. Padres game Monday night, in spite of the freezing cold and gusting winds. The Cubs won! We live on the 39th floor of the tallest building in the background of this pic.
The waves are really pounding today on Lake Michigan. It’s very windy, but not too cold – about 46 degrees right now.
I did three fun, music-related things this week. On Saturday, the University of Alabama Contemporary Ensemble performed works by Twentieth-Century classical composers. It was presented by Les Amis Des Vitraux in the beautiful Saint James Chapel. Saturday night we stopped at The Tonic Room to have one drink before going to our planned venue B.L.U.E.S. But an excellent jazz saxophonist named Frank Catalano and his band were playing, and they were so good we stayed until the end, never making it to our original destination. Last night I went to “VIVID 2011″ at the beautiful Auditorium Theatre. It was a concert by the students of Chicago College of the Performing Arts. I especially enjoyed the “Tribute to Miles Davis” and Edvard Grieg’s “Piano Concerto in A Minor” with the talented, young pianist Chanmi Ryu.
It’s 66 degrees right now, at almost 5:00 PM. The weather has been nice. Cubs games will be starting soon.
Today in Chicago.
There’s so much snow everywhere left over from last weeks blizzard. It also snowed quite a bit yesterday.
There was a lot of wind and a lot of snow over the last 30 hours! But from my point-of-view the “Blizzard of 2011” was exciting and a great example of nature’s beauty. Lake Shore Drive has been closed all day (still is as I write this).
The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is one of the largest science museums in the world, housed in a historic building from the 1893 World’s Fair. It features hands-on exhibits, a WWII German submarine, a working coal mine, and dazzling displays on space, genetics, transportation, and more, making science fun and accessible for all ages.
I walked over to Lincoln Park Zoo today and saw this very active tiger. No one else was around, so I just stood there looking at him for a long time… and he looked back.
“The Illusionist” is a beautiful, animated feature film that combines elegantly drawn illustrations with the heart-rending story of a man’s capacity for putting others first. After the movie, we had a nice dinner at “Raw Bar” on Clark.
We went to see The Second City’s show “Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies” tonight—and I enjoyed it more than I expected. The cast was incredibly talented, and it was a thrill to watch up-and-coming performers carrying on the legacy of some of the greatest comedic minds in the world.
We had lunch today at “Wilde.”
Went to see “My Dog Tulip” tonight at the Gene Siskel Film Center. It was entertaining with wonderfully animated illustrations and amusing narration.
This photo of mine received an honorable mention today in Chicago Now’s weekly “RedEye Photo Challenge.” The theme this week was “clocks.”
We went for a walk along Lake and saw some interesting ice formations. It was cold (around 12 degrees), but sunny, and the wind wasn’t blowing.
We went across the street to Lincoln Park and enjoyed today’s beautiful snowfall.
If it has to be cold outside, then let it snow!
It was a beautiful evening in the low 60’s. People out in short sleeves. Enjoyed my Dreamweaver class tonight.
We went hiking today at Starved Rock State Park. It’s a few hours’ drive from Chicago. Disappointed at the lack of fall colors, but it’s a nice place to visit.
Really liked learning HTML and CSS. Next comes another Dreamweaver Class.
I was in need of a “fall-colors-fix,” so went to the Morton Arboretum. It was beautiful and just what I wanted.
Last night I finished a 7-week class in Adobe Flash CS4 at Truman Community College. A difficult program to learn, but the creative options it gives are amazing. Next week I’ll finish the (X)HTML class. It finally looks like Fall outside; this is my favorite season.
Propagandhi was great last night at Metro. They were one of many bands playing at the annual Riot Fest punk rock music festival. This was my third time seeing them perform.
The weather is gorgeous today! 75 degrees and the sun is shining.
Today was my third time visiting the Art Institute of Chicago since moving to Chicago last year. AIC houses one of the largest and most impressive collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art outside of France. It’s an amazing art museum!
Been taking web design classes at a local community college. Flash CS4 and HTML/XHTML so far. Enjoying learning this very much.
I’m working on my personal website and need to incorporate a blog.
Kampas Life 