Monday in Chicago

Crossing into Indiana.  

We starting see storm clouds off in the distance once we crossed into Illinois.  It was hard to tell whether or not they were coming towards us and if they were going to affect our visit to Chicago.  When we were about an hour outside of Chicago, the sky opened up and the rain came pouring down.  We started to reevaluate our trip into Chicago and we were trying to figure out what we could or couldn't do in the rain.  

Getting closer to Chicago and the storm seems to be holding off

Um....hope it doesn't rain on us?

Lake Michigan

We were trying to find a parking garage that was centrally located to the things we wanted to do in Chicago.  We wanted to go to Navy Pier, eat pizza, and see Millennium Park.  I had done the research before we left and had an address for it, but we had a hard time finding it, and the GPS couldn't seem to find it as well.  We finally came across this garage and decided to park here rather than just keep driving around.  I read or saw somewhere how you should take a picture of the exit you go out of when you are in a parking garage/city you are not familiar with. 

Lake Michigan

We wanted to start at the Navy Pier,then eat pizza, and finally end our evening at Millennium park.  We could see the Pier, but we couldn't figure out how to get to it.  We tried using the GPS on our phones and get walking directions, but we think because of all the tall buildings, it was not accurate.    

So, we walked, and we walked, and we walked

Until finally someone asked us if we were lost.  We told them we were trying to get to the Pier.  She gave us very straight forward directions, and we began (finally) walking in the right direction.

Walking along the Chicago River

Ahh!  Let me out!

Walking across the Chicago River.  The building in the middle is the Trump International Hotel and Tower.

It's getting closer.

Walking across Outer Drive Bridge to get to the Pier

Navy Pier

The construction made it a little annoying on the Pier, but they have grand plans that looked amazing, but as with anything, it is a work in progress.

Look at those clouds

I am not a huge fan of amusement park rides, however I like Ferris Wheels.  They scare the crap out of me, but I like them more than any other ride.  This Ferris Wheel is 15-stories-high.  It is modeled after the first Ferris Wheel, built for Chicago's 1893 World Columbian Exposition.  It took 7 minutes to complete one full revolution.  It was just my speed.    

Lake Michigan 

Inside the Pier they had a tropical garden

After the Ferris Wheel ride we decided to head inside the Pier to get dinner at Giordano's.  We had to put our name on a wait list.  They told us it would be about 20-25 minutes.  They took Scott's cell number and said they would call when it was ready.  We decided to explore more of the Pier. 

We were walking along when we happened upon this Gallery. 

The stained glass in this gallery was made by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933).  Louis helped revolutionize the technology of stained glass-making in the 1870s.  He approached the making of these windows with his training as a painter, using glass as the medium.  Since medieval times, the process of creating a stained-glass window had remained essentially unchanged.  However, Tiffany's innovations in texture, color, and other effects allowed him to achieve pictorial details that had previously been painted onto the glass. (Source: Plaque in gallery)

Christ and the Apostles, c. 1890

Tiffany illustrates Christ and eleven of his apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The drama of the scene, leading to the Agony of Christ, is captured by the urgent expressions of the apostles and the quiet sadness of Christ as they realize the approaching Crucifixion.  Powerful scenes from the Bible, such as this, were frequently commissioned for many churches across the nation. (source: plaque under stained glass)

Ecclesiastical Angels, c. 1890

Religious windows were often commissioned to memorialize a member of the congregation.  Here the angels honor ten of the church's workers.  They carry lilies to symbolize the workers' virtue and bear torches to signify the guiding light of Jesus Christ.  

King Solomon, c. 1900

Old Testament figures like King Solomon were popular themes for church patrons.  Tiffany Studios depicted most major Old and New Testament stories in their stained glass window commissions.  

The Annunciation, c. 1895

Tiffany's use of perspective and selection of glass adds to the theatrical quality of the window.  In this diptych, note the use of milky white glass covering much of the composition.

The Annunciation, c. 1895

When back-lit, this glass softens the image and enhances the depth and drama of the scene.  With the light off the viewer mainly sees the milky white layers.  

Jonquil Fire Screen (back side), c. 1890

Tiffany's love of nature and painterly approach to stained glass is evident in this fire screen.  Much of his secular work included decorative panels and objects for the interior environment.

                                                  Jonquil Fire Screen (front side), c. 1890

Chicago Skyline, c. 1928

This late example from Tiffany Studios was produced after Louis Comfort Tiffany's retirement in 1919.  The window was commissioned by Samuel Insull for a utility company in Joliet, Illinois to commemorate the electrification of rural and urban America.

We walked all the way to the end of the Pier and looked out on Lake Michigan and the Chicago Lighthouse.

Looking back from the Pier towards Chicago

Seriously thinking about something

The Grand Ballroom

Inside the Grand Ballroom 

Waiting a looooong time for our pizza.  It took almost 45 minutes to get our pizza.  

That is normal  because it takes a lot longer to bake a Chicago pizza.

My gluten-free pizza

After dinner we watched them make some pizzas

Getting ready to cut the pies

Ferris Wheel at night

The sign for Giordano's

Taxi after taxi lined up and waiting

Heading to Millennium Park from the Pier

Clouds are getting darker and not just because night is coming

NBC tower

Trump tower at night

Just before arriving at Millennium Park the rain started

The thunder and lightning was getting closer and we notice a bunch of people decided 

it would be a good idea to stand underneath The Cloud Gate which is a mirrored 

bean shaped sculpture made of stainless steel.

Really raining now

We got lost trying to find our parking garage.  We tried using the GPS on our phones again, but it still wasn't really working.  We started to recognize a few buildings.  

We found the building that we had excited out of earlier that evening, however the doors were locked.  So, we finally found the building, but couldn't get in.  We continued to walk around the building in the pour rain until we finally found an open entrance.  There was a person sitting at a desk at that entrance.  They directed us to the elevators that would take us down to the parking garage.  We got down to the garage, but couldn't find our car!  That's when I remembered the photo I had taken earlier that evening. Turns out were were on the complete opposite side of where we parked the car.  As soon as we got to the correct corner of the garage we easily found our car.   

We were soaked, but we had smiles on our faces.  We changed out of our wet closes, shoved the wet clothes into plastic bags and started driving towards our hotel which was about an hour away.

We decided that a Daniel Family Road Trip would not be complete without getting caught in a downpour.  In 2011 we got caught in a downpour in Savannah, Georgia.

I later found this article about the weather that occurred that night.  We were not aware of the Tornado Watch (eekk!)

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The National Weather Service issued the warning just after 8 p.m. as severe storm systems produced up to of 3 inches of rainfall in the areas in just under an hour.

Throughout the day, a Tornado Watch was in effect for the entire Chicago area until 10 p.m.
Strong winds during the storm system blew in excess of 60 mph with rapid lightning and some light hail. The lightning, while scattered, was evident, and as threatening as the thunder that came with it.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/stories/Threat-for-Rain-Thunderstorms-Continues-Across-Chicago-Area-Tuesday-322137972.html#ixzz3jZUwardf
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