Toddled Milk

June 22, 2004
The Milkman's Son
By Tracy C. Baker

Chicago Is...
My business has taken me to many different cities over the years. Unfortunately, business travel hardly ever provides the time to go and see the towns I visit. Now, with some that is not a problem as the sidewalks are rolled up at 8:00.

Not Chicago. I've "been" to Chicago many a time, but never beyond O'Hare or Midway airports. A new team that I am working for brought me there for a few days last week. We were placed in the middle of the loop at the Allegro Hotel in the Theater District. My sightseer bug itched like crazy and Kevin, the company partner and founder, graciously provided me time to walk the town.

Clint, another partner, and Kevin have both been to Chicago many a time and they pointed me in the direction of Michigan Avenue and I walked all the way to Lakeshore Drive and the shores of Lake Michigan. This stretch of Michigan Avenue is known as the Magnificent Mile and is lined with stores for the shopping inclined.

Look Up!
Chicago, however, is an architect's Mecca and you can see that from your first steps out of your hotel. Along Michigan is the Wrigley Building in all its chewing gum glory. Further down is the Water Tower, one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire. It was built in 1869 in a gothic style, resembling something you might find along the Rhine River in Germany, a beautiful sight to behold.

As I stood on the shores of Lake Michigan, I looked out to the East and realized I had now stood on both shores. My Father grew up in Muskegon, Michigan, a straight shot East across the lake. I haven't been back in a long while. I think maybe it is time...

I walked back along Lakeshore Drive with various side trips up streets to catch sights like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Northwestern University, and the Centennial Arc and Fountain. I was getting a little hungry, looked at my watch and realized it was nearly 9:00 p.m. and I had been walking for 2 ½ hours. Time to eat! I headed up Wacker Dr along the Chicago River. 35 E. Wacker caught my attention. It was apparently the tallest building outside New York City when it was built in the mid-1920s. My research shows it originally housed a parking garage on the 2nd through 22nd floors! 333 Wacker is a great example of modern architecture with it's gleaming glass walls that reflect the Chicago River, giving it an Emerald City look.

I ended my evening at the Chicago House of Blues, a blues version of the Hard Rock Café. I love the blues and Chicago is a great spot for both the blues and jazz. The group that night was very good and I had a hard time tearing myself away.

Art, Art Everywhere!
We walked to work the next morning at the Catalyst Ranch in the Haymarket District. As we walked, we passed a rather long imposing building with the name "GENERAL GROWTH" chiseled into its wall. We wondered aloud what this company's product was.

Could it be an annuity firm or a baby formula maker? Could it be a Business consulting firm or perhaps a way for afflicted Army officers to, well, remain "firm", so to speak?

Just then, a young women passing by snapped us back from our wandering minds.

"It is a developer and manager of shopping malls," she said.

Ah...another case of a name not supporting a brand.

We arrived at Catalyst Ranch, a meeting space that was the best I've been in. (Forgive me; I'm a facilitator and trainer. My work depends on the meeting space chosen. I get off on these things!) Catalyst Ranch looks like a giant daycare center for adults. Brightly colored walls, chairs, tables, couches, toys, drinks, snacks, great lunches all combine to make for a highly productive and relaxing setting. Enough of things that make trainers shriek with joy. More sightseeing was about to take place.

That evening, Kevin and Clint took their leave to see a movie. I opted for more walking and made my way around the loop looking at the overwhelming amount of street art.

I first came across the work of Jean Dubuffet, a sculpture known as Monument with Standing Beast. This 29-foot tall white and black fiberglass sculpture sits in the plaza of the Illinois State Building (also known as the James R. Thompson center). Next, I came across Joan Miro's "Chicago" in Brunswick Plaza. This is a forty foot tall statue of a women with arms out-stretched. I loved it...in fact, I stared at it a little too much and began walking down the street, getting a block away before I realized that the Chicago Picasso was directly across the street in Daley Plaza!

I missed the Chagall mosaic in the First National Plaza but I did see one of the two Calder's. Titled "Flamingo" it sits in the Federal Center Plaza. I must admit I didn't know it was a Calder, but it stuck with me as I walked by it, staring 53 feet into the sky.

Dang! Hungry again! As it was a warm, humid night, I decided to dine al fresco and grabbed a burger and fries. Making my way down Randolph, I walked into Grant Park and found a bench overlooking the Buckingham Fountain. I enjoyed my dinner looking out over the park and Lake Michigan.

So much to see and so little time. Winnie and I will return someday.

Chicago is one toddlin' town!

Fini

Tracy