What’s the first thing I do when I travel to a new place? Head to the museum! In this case, that would be the Art Institute of Chicago.
And what a museum it is! The Art Institute of Chicago, with its 260,000 pieces of art, features world-renown collections, including famous impressionist and post-impressionist works. I’m not a huge fan of that era, but even I was impressed by how many famous pieces it houses within its beaux arts edifice. It even nearly rivals New York’s Metropolitan museum. (almost) Fun fact: including the modern wing, the Art Institute is now the second largest art museum in the US.
Of course, any Ferris Bueller fan would instantly recognize the 2 pieces which were featured in the movie:
A Sunday on La Grand Jatte by Georges Seurat. The painting, created from dots of colours, or pointillism, certainly transfixes the viewer – just like it did with Cameron in the movie.
And my favourite piece in the entire museum: Marc Chagall’s America Windows. The stained glass masterpiece comes in 3 sections: music and art, literature and freedom, theatre and dance. It is in front of this piece that Ferris kisses Sloane in the movie. I can see why – it’s tucked in the back, it’s secluded and the vibrant blues, with rays of light pouring through the stained glass, make it a romantic little nook.
Ferris movie aside, I was also pleasantly surprised to see a lot of recognizable pieces living at the Art Institute:
12 Jackies by Andy Warhol
Four Mona Lisas by Andy Warhol
Ohhh…Alright… by Roy Lichtenstein
American Gothic by Grant Wood
Nighthawks by Edward Hopper
After a wonderful afternoon spent at the Art Institute of Chicago, I continued on the loop and headed over to millennium park to see the bean shaped, Cloud Gate and the water-spewing Crown Fountain.
Continuing on, I stopped into the Chicago Culture Centre to check out the spectacular tiffany glass dome. The largest undertaking in the company’s history, the glass dome is one of the world’s largest dome and is made up of 2,848 faceted glass jewels.
I’m not a foodie, but one place I have to go to whenever I come across it, is Pret a Manger, a sandwich shop chain originating in the UK. I LOVE this place. New York, London and now Chicago. I seriously can eat there everyday. The tomato and feta soup is to die for.
After refueling, I had to check out Chicago’s version of New York’s 5th Avenue, the Magnificent Mile. Located on North Michigan Avenue, it is Chicago’s premier shopping street, with some 450 stores on this stretch. Everything from designer boutiques, malls, big name chains and flagship stores. Not unlike 5th Avenue.
For a first day, I crammed a lot in. (as I always do) And the verdict? I like Chicago. It has a similar feel to New York, but with a friendly, mid-western vibe. I’m glad I came.
View more photos of my trip on my Flickr album.
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