Whats up with the gable lighting on RR Donnelly?

Last night I noticed that they had the gable lighting turned on on the RR Donnelly Building. Up close you can see that it is flourescent lighting behind a sofit. I have only seen this once before about a year ago. I didn't take pics because I thought it was just that they had maybe repaired old lighting and it would be on the next night. Well... I was wrong... It took a year, but last night and again tonight the lighting is on. Does anybody know about this lighting? Did it used to be on all the time before I moved here in 1999? Here are a few images I posted on my blog about it last night. More images posted on my blog...>

Water Tower vastly underated?

The water tower (the actual tower and its counterpart across the street, not the mall that is), I feel is very underated in Chicago and nationally. i think it is magnificant and beautiful, and there is something very majestic about it. The thing is no one ever hears anything about it. I think it is a great symbol of Chicago. It shows some history and that it could withstand the great fire. I feel Chicagoans don't give it the respect it should get. I prefer for the the water tower to be the Chicago's landmark rather than the Sears Tower (although I understand why the sears tower is, it truly is amazing as well). Am I the only one the likes the water tower this much? what do you think?>

beach bars and cafes

plain and simply why doesent Chicago have bars and cafes that open up to the beach(the ways some bars and resurants open up to the streets) ? i think it would be cool if during the summer months the bars would open up at night and even set up tables outside on the sand mabey one will host a live band with dancing on the sand etc. we got the beaches , so why not use em properly? at the very least have a few cafes that open up the the beach >

Chicago mixed bag of photos 2005: Part 3 Norwood Park and Portage Park

Sorry for the delay in getting the next part up, I've been out of town durring the holidays. Parts 1 and 2 can be found here: Part 1 Part 2 The next part will focus on the Neighborhoods of Norwood Park (shadded in orange) and Portage Park (shadded in light blue). Norwood Park Norwood Park has too distinct areas which are bisected by the business district along Northwest Highway. The northern portion (covered first) resembels your typical outer Chicago hood, while the Southern portion resembels a railroad suburb with bigger lots and curving streets. Note the Chicago flag embedded into the welcome sign at the Metra train station. We'll start at this famous landmark on the fringe of the neighborhood, the Superdawg Drive-in: It still functions as a drive-in too. A set of old street-signs salvaged and placed in a backyard. Doctored up '60s flats Onahan Elementary School Infill Bungalow rehab and addition McMansion in the city, but the garage is still on the alley, where it belongs. Infill This is the main commercial strip on Northwest Highway For what its worth, Gorge Bush ate a burger here durring his campaign. Speaking of which, I spotted his transport today as he was flown into town for a private event with an ecconomic group: I spy Sears and Aon Big John too. Now entering the south half of the neighborhood, which resembels a railroad/ streetcar suburb. more infill Note the street name. There is a circular ring street running through the nieghborhood. Norwood Park School Who says you can't have a big yard in the city? This is the oldest house in the entire city. It was built in 1833 (the left half) and predates the Clarke House (which is touted as the city's oldest building)by 3 years. Now on to... Portage Park Smyser Accelerated School Gray School Toot's drive-through, a neighborhood icon. (Yes, many hoods have an iconic hot dog stand). Modern postwar high school These little traffic circles are used for traffic calming, and can be found all over the city. The Namesake park Fieldhouse The neighborhood pool Portage Park Elemmentary School Supersized bungalow This is the Six Corners shopping district, which gets its name from the six-way intersection formed by Milwaukee Avenue, Cicero Avenue and Irving Park Rd Former Klee Brothers dept store, now turning into 64 condos. These next few are of a infill project on the eastern edge of the neighborhood. And that tops off part 3, more to come latter....>