Meditating on Modernist Architecture with Mies
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is the master of modernist architecture. This is, of course, an architectural style that many could easily do without. Mies’ black box steel-frame buildings have no intricate details or Greek columns; their interiors have no marble staircases or glimmering mosaics. So what’s the big deal, right? Well, Mies essentially ushered […]
From Cuts to Cult: Chicago Meat Past to Present
We’ve been hinting at our second, quarterly “Detour” for some time, and now we have the details for you. “From Cuts to Cult: Chicago Meat Past and Present” is an exclusive, one-time-only food history tour around the Fulton Market Meatpacking District. We’re doing it Saturday, June 1, 1:30pm-4:30pm, and the $125 tickets go on sale this […]
Chicago-California Dreams Pt. 1: West Oakland Train Station
Despite living there, I’d never considered the historic connection between the Bay Area and Chicago. After all, a huge geographical distance separates these regions. Plus, what would hard-working, gritty, flat and super-sized Chicago have anything to do with easygoing, wealthy, hilly, super liberal San Francisco? A historic train station can belie this presumption. Oakland Train […]
Friendly Not Freaky Streets for Chicago Cyclists
Ok, it’s still a little freaky to be a Chicago cyclist on Dearborn Street. Those cars just a few short feet away seem to be coming right at you! It will take some getting used to. The opening of this new two-direction bike lane on Dearborn Street in mid-December also seemed unseasonable. We see bicyclists […]