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Chicago, Illinois – May 1999

By: Daniel Lee

Spring is here! Officially, Spring arrived back in March-although

in Chicago that doesn’t mean jack.

But now that the temperatures are hovering around the

mid-70s, it can be safe to assume that winter is finally

over, and people from the city are flocking to the glorious

shores of Lake Michigan to hang out and have fun.

Museum Campus

One of my favorite places to hang out is in the museum

campus, which is comprised of the Adler Planetarium, the

Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium.

An extensive network of bike and jogging paths criss-cross

their way between the buildings, and the park is surprisingly

serene, being that it’s in a big city. People on all sorts

of wheels like bicycles and rollerblades frolic their way

through the park, embraced by the very pleasant breeze that

sweeps in from the lake.

Tourists flood the entrances to the museums and street

performers come out to greet them. All in all, it’s a very

pleasant atmosphere for a lazy day.

Field Museum

The Field Museum of Natural History is one of those world-class

museums where the building itself is a massive work of art.

Looming over the entire museum campus, the Field Museum

houses exhibits on archeological, geological, and ecological

wonders such as Egyptian mummies, dinosaurs, and rare gemstones.

New this month is the Del

Corazon festival, which celebrates Mexican heritage

and culture.

Museum hours are 9-5 everyday. Admission is $7 for adults

and $4 for children ages 3-17, seniors over 65, and students

with valid ID. Admission is free on Wednesdays. Phone: (312)

922-9410.

The John G. Shedd Aquarium

has got to be one of the most enjoyable and downright fun

museums in Chicago. One can see various fishes and other

marine life from around the world, and even watch a diver

go down into a gigantic 90,000-gallon coral reef tank and

feed such animals as sharks, sea turtles, and huge barracuda.

The Oceanarium is where the real fun is-with daily shows

exhibiting beluga whales, dolphins, and other critters like

sea otters and seals. Also, be sure to catch the current

exhibit on seahorses-these creatures are delicately magnificent

and soothing to watch.

Note: renovation has caused Galleries 1 and 2 to

be closed until May 2000.

Museum hours are daily 9-5pm. Please call the aquarium

as there are always weird special closing hours on certain

dates. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for children and

seniors. There is a discount on Mondays for $6 and $5, respectively.

Phone: (312) 939-2438.

The Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum at the end of

the campus gives the visitor an inside look at astronomy

and our solar system.

However, this museum can be missed and should be low on

the totem pole for must-see priorities. There isn’t much

going on here. Also, current renovation projects have caused

some exhibits to close until October. Call for more details.

Museum hours are Mon-Thurs 9-5, Fri 9-9, and weekends 9-6.

Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for children and seniors.

Free admission on Tuesday. Phone: (312) 922-7827.

The museum campus is located at 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive,

at the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Lake Shore Drive

(LSD). There is an underground passageway from the west

side of LSD from Grant Park to the museum campus. To get

there by the ‘El’ train, take the Red, Green, or Orange

line into the Roosevelt stop and walk from there.

General Info on Chicago

If the United States are one big melting pot, then Chicago is definitely one of the spiciest flavors of the stew.

With dozens of ethnic communities, artistic villages, and entertainment districts, the City of Big Shoulders can please even the most scrutinizing pleasure-seeker. Lake Michigan also adds to the excitement, and city life seems to flock to the shore at the first hint of spring—refusing to desert it and extracting every last moment of good weather until the inevitable arrival of winter.

Chicago is definitely the forerunner in many big-city categories. It’s architecture is second to none in the U.S., with influences from such big names as Wright, Louis, and Sullivan.

Its diverse array of quality foods is mind-boggling, having almost every type of ethnic dish from dolmades to pad thai—as well as the famous deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dog.

Entertainment also ranks high as the fierce music, theater, and art scenes vie for attention from the city’s millions.

And with extensive train, bus, and taxi availability, transportation to a favorite bar or opera show is never far away.

A Little Info on Daniel

Hey everybody. I’m 24 years old and I live in Naperville, a Chicago suburb and the 2nd largest town in Illinois.

I was born and raised in the city and I go back as often as possible. Some of my friends from Naperville think that I’m out of the country because I’m in Chicago so much. In fact, my fiancee and I will be moving back into the city in May 2000.

As far as my interests go, I guess you could call me a Renaissance Man. I love drawing, painting, theater, photography, and music. I am currently the lead singer/guitarist for the Chicago-based band Shampoo Effect.

I love hiking, canoeing, and just plain old adventuring anywhere. Some of my craziest climbs have been Sugarloaf Mountain (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and French Canyon (Starved Rock State Park, Illinois). Both were done without any climbing gear and I think I must have been insane. But I’d gladly do them both again in a heartbeat.

I’ve traveled to Canada, Brazil, Singapore, and France, as well as all over the United States. But I must say that I am pretty damn lucky to live in such a wonderful city as Chicago.

As far as boots are concerned, I’ve only worn Lake of the Woods and they’re fine with me. I’m more of a gym shoes kinda guy though.