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Finally it is ready to unveil!


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Sit back and enjoy!

The New and Improved Looper features...

• A New Look...
• A New Address...
• Same Great Content... Yet More Filling and Satisfying....

If you miss my first official post, you can see it here.

Thank you to all that have visited these pages over the past 17 months, I look forward to keeping the momentum going with the new site.

Random Mondays... 06.26.06...

Today's random selection was culled from shots taken over the past week.

First up, we have a shot taken under Columbus Drive yesterday.

While on a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo on Saturday, the Lion House was all a flutter with the lions receiving a special treat. I am not sure what type of animal this giant bone came from (an elephant perhaps?) but it seemed very Flintstones like.

An angle of the Plensa Fountain at Millennium Park that isn't often photographed (by myself or others) The water hitting the up-lighting.

Waiting at Belmont for a Brown Line. This station along with the others along the Brown Line will be going away as they rebuild the tracks. Even though the platform is archaic and outdated, I will miss it's quirkiness.

Looking out my window last week, I couldn't help but notice this pink concrete truck on Block 37. I took a few shots of it, and after looking closer at the images, I was able to figure out that the truck was painted pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. Now I am in no way trying to dis Breast Cancer Awareness, but didn't they take the pink ribbon idea from the red ribbon fight for AIDS? And why isn't there a red truck out there for AIDS awareness?

Found on the intersection of Clyborn and Willow. I have never seen this kind of set up for fire hoses.

Brutal...

A few weeks back while down in Hyde Park, Michael took me to see the Joseph Regenstein Library (University of Chicago).He knew it would probably provoke me to take pictures and he was correct. Designed by Skimore Owings and Merrill, the Library is a great example of Brutalist Architecture. It shows that not all Brutalism is... Well... Brutal.

The library was completed in 1970 at a cost of 20 million dollars (which seems like a lot for the time).

Critics argue that this abstract nature of Brutalism makes the style unfriendly and uncommunicative, instead of integrating and protective as its proponents intended. I don't know much about the Brutalist movement, but the omnipresent heavy-ness of the buildings can have an overwhelming effect on it's users. But I think this example works, and isn't overwhelming at all. I does show importance.

The majority of Brutalist buildings are constructed of exposed concrete. But occasionally, brick or other materials are used. For the Library, the outside walls are deeply grooved Indiana limestone

A few more images can be found on my flickr.

Chinatown Chicago...

Chinatown in Chicago at 18th Cermack and Wentworth my not compare to Chinatown in NYC or San Francisco, but it is still a great neighborhood wander, and you can find some great Dim Sum!


I find myself drawn to the lettering on the "Overseas Art and Travel" sign. I need to come back in the evening to find out if the neon is still functioning.


The Pui Tak Center


A great place for Dim Sum on a Sunday Morning


Somehow I would think that "Cantonesia" would be mildly offensive. But I suppose after a few Maitai's, it wouldn't really matter.

Random Mondays... 06.19.2006...

Today's selection of randomness comes from images shot over the past ten days.

First, the 7th Street Garage on S Wabash. Note that they added "Discount" as a separate sign. What makes this parking discount?


I can never grow tired of Inland Steel. This shot from last week when the sun was just right.


Found in an alley while walking south on Jefferson near Randolph.


Michigan Avenue, Friday evening.


While out with the rental car Saturday evening, we ducked into Target in the burbs to miss a big storm. The storm didn't materialize, but when we came out of the store, this was the view on the way to the car.


This is the product of a happy accident. I was noticing that most of the floors at the IBM building were lit last night, and as I was setting up my camera, I pressed the shutter at the same time I was zooming out and this is the result.
Now I just want to experiment with it.

Botanic-alicious...

For the first time in my seven years of living here, I was at the Chicago Botanic Garden yesterday. I haven't been there before simply because it isn't exactly located in a convenient place (like the city of Chicago) and it also isn't exactly transit friendly. In the past, I have never wanted to take to nearly two hour trip each way on CTA and Pace, but thanks to the miracle of the rental car, and the astronomical sum of $12.00 to park it, I finally got to see the garden (which is free to get into).

Rather than explain all of the prettiness, I will just let the images speak for themselves.

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Bunnies were everywhere, and as soon as I would zoom in and begin to take their pic, they would scamper off. This little one however, sat still for me.

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These and a bunch more images from the garden are posted in my flickr.

Night Game...

While long controversial, the lights at Wrigley Field was perhaps the best designed addition to the ball park until the addition of the new bleachers last winter. The design of the lighting standards looks as though they were part of the original plan. I was up in the nabe on Tuesday evening, didn't go to the game, but I did walk around a bit and take a few shots. It is always the lights that grabbed my attention.

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While not on top of the ball park, they looked very cool against the evening sky.


See more shots of Wrigley Field Lights at my flickr.

Under the "L", South Loop...

I was walking down Wabash near 16th street on Sunday, when I began to hear a loud sound, like a tornado... So I rounded the corner at 16th, and walked under the "L" tracks to see what the noise was all about., and of course, it was a freight train.
It is here that the "L" tracks elevate to go over the freight trains and then ease back down again before the Orange and Green Line's go their separate way.


I have posted before (in Lake View, down Lake Street, on Wells Street, and Van Buren) about how much I love the shadows under the "L", and this is no exception. It wouldn't be Chicago with out the "L" tracks.


The next two images are me playing with black and white, leaving a small patch in the original color. Each of the rail cars (hauling coal) were shiny new aluminum, and they all had the bright green square on them. I suspect they are not connected with H&R Block.





And finally, over on State Street, the train was still going a while later...

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• A New Address...
• Same Great Content... Yet More Filling and Satisfying....
  
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Random Mondays... 06.12.06...

Today's random fun comes from shots taken over the past few weeks.

First up... Waiting for the Red Line at North and Clyborn last week. They are installing cameras at all of the subway stations, so snapping random shots without the wrath of CTA employee's will become more challenging. Even though it is completely legal to take pictures on CTA property (the policy allows for incidental photography), employee's routinely challenge you and tell you that you can't do it. It is usually not worth the argument.


"Pago Pago-Cantonese Food and Exotic Drinks in a Polynesian Atmosphere"

Painted on a building on Wabash just south of Van Buren. I don't know how far back you would have to go to find all three of these locations still in operation, but I think it is before the 773 area code came into being. Anybody have any ideas?


In the 20th floor laundry room at Marina City, is a "Weathermaker".
I think this is perhaps the best name for an air-conditioner ever.


Standing on Wacker and Monroe looking up at 30 S Wacker. Now I want to know if the windows are really that wavy or if it is an illusion.


A block away on the corner of Monroe and Franklin. I have shot this before, and probably posted a previous version, but it is none the less, a great intersection for looking up.


Wabash Ave side of the Essex House Hotel. These bricks are not painted, they were glazed in the different colors... How Mid-Century! Even though I have posted previous shots of this before, this one taken yesterday has such a nice shininess to it.

Marina City Sunsets...

I have done a post on this before, but every time I take the same shots, they are different.

Last week after dining on the balcony at Michael's place, we went up to the roof to watch the sun set. To follow is several images from the following 30 minutes.


It was a bit hazy, but the color was amazing.


Meanwhile, looking in other directions, the evening was turning out to be quite beautiful. Out over the lake, you can see the Indiana shore in the distance...


Looking east down the river...


And looking down State Street.


Back to where I started looking west... After the sun set.


And of course, River North.

Sofitel...

The Sofitel Hotel has been high on my list of favorite new buildings in Chicago since it was completed a few years ago. Oddly, I haven't posted on Sofitel before. So, no time like today. The pics were shot a in March.


I have had the fortune to sip several martinis in the bar, and while I haven't slept here, I have seen a couple of rooms from people I know that have. They are quite nice, I appreciate the fact that they don't look like a Hyatt or Hilton or Sheridan, or any one of the dozens of boring chains.


I really love that the windows appear to have a random pattern. While you can see the vertical support columns, the lines are blurred by the apparent randomness of windows.


The outward tilt of the building as it rises from the sidewalk, almost leaning over the street is a great visual trick to capture the eye and draw attention.


OK, so I had to throw this one in the mix... The Sofitel on the left with the differently angled Hancock in the background.

There are a few more pics on my Flickr.

Skyspace...

The new Skyspace by artist James Turrell was officially dedicated last week at the intersection of Roosevelt and Halsted. This being the first fully accessible one to the public, it is a different experience than his previous Skyspace's.


James Turrell has done several Skyspaces throughout the world, with several in the US. This is the first for Chicago. They are usually fully enclosed, but because this one is public, the bottom is completely open. To overcome the surrounding sounds of traffic, he incorporated falling streams of water to muffle the noise.


Inside, you begin to understand it's purpose. I can see how this could be serene.


The sun shining through the top creates a moving oval of light, shifting throughout the day.


I was there this past Sunday, and it was a cloudless day... So, I waited around until I could finally see something besides the pure blue sky.


From the far corner of the lot, you can see how it fits into the streetscape. Overall, I am not a big fan of the pinkish color chosen for the structure, I feel it already looks faded and will just look more faded as it ages. I was also a bit surprised at the opening not being perfectly shaped. Looking at the image above, you can see just how misshapen the oval really is.

Random Mondays... 06.05.06...

Images for today's random goodness were taken over the past week.

First up, on Saturday, I was at the Printers Row Book Fair, and while walking near the Metropolitan Correctional Center on Van Buren and Federal, I could see the prisoners looking down on the crowds. A bit creepy, but interesting none the less.


Last weeks storms brought out the most interesting of skies. This shot taken from my window on 5/30.


Zoology Building at The University of Chicago, on West 57th Street. UofC is certainly one of the most beautiful campuses in the Midwest.


Inside the gate to the Quadrangle, we came across this Lilly pond... Not much was in bloom, but I managed to capture these flowers on the far end of the pond.


Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. National Office, Hyde Park. What a nice modernist box. Mies would be proud.


Yesterday afternoon walking through my nabe, the sun was right to capture the stainless steel on the Inland Steel Building.

Peopled Weekend...

This weekend was all about being around large groups of people. (This being my third post in the past week focused on people... Not to worry... I have taken several shots of buildings which I will post in the upcoming week.)

The weekend first started out with the Printers Row Book Fair and Studs Terkel. We saw him yesterday at the Harold Washington Library in conversation with Liz Taylor, Literary Editor, and Rick Kogen, Staff Reporter, both of the Chicago Tribune. At 94, Studs is a Chicago legend, and I am glad I got to see him.


Walking through the Book Fair, one runs into lots of bookish folks... Not such a bad thing.


The line was far too long, but Augusten Burroughs, one of my favorite contemporary authors, was signing books yesterday. While I have read Sellevision, Dry, Running with Scissors, and Magical Thinking, I have yet to read his new one, Possible Side Effects, but I am sure that one will come along soon.


After the book fair, we headed down to Hyde Park, and accidentally ran into the 57th Street Art Fair. Wasn't looking for it, but glad to find it.
OK, so here is where it gets a bit odd, I didn't take any pictures at the art fair.... Not so odd really.... But I did take a pic of where 57th street goes under the Metra Tracks.


So today we headed down to the White Palace Grill on Roosevelt and Canal for breakfast when we decided to stop over at the "New" Maxwell Street Market. Again, didn't really pull my camera out, except to shoot this image.


So, after random Mondays tomorrow, I promise to bring back the pictures of buildings. Really...

Inland Steel... Part V... Parking...

Part I, The Lobby
Part II, The Offices
Part III, The Views
Part IV, Images from the Past

In Part V, the final part of my series on my tour of Inland Steel, I offer up a few images of the most pristine mid-century garage you have ever seen.

It was the finale to the tour, and what a final treat it was. While very utilitarian, the garage was, according to their literature, the first parking garage under a skyscraper. If you are thinking that it would be a handy place to stash the car on your next trip into the Loop, think again. First, you should be taking public transit to the Loop, but more importantly, the garage is for building tenants only, no public parking is allowed.


As was explained to us, the reason this place is as clean as it is, is due to two very dedicated garage attendants whom obviously take great pride in their work.


I would be willing to bet money, that this is the cleanest garage in the city.


The ramp leading to the street is this fantastic perfectly painted curve.


The shadows on the cinderblock in addition to the small round ground level lights just add to the" mid-century mod" look.