Alright, I'll just throw it out there: I originally packed my bags for this trip to go try out for America's Next Top Model. Hahahahahahahaha... okay, please don't laugh too long! I went to the audition on Saturday and it was crazy. At least 500 girls showed up, probably more. When you finally get your turn, you're actually sharing that turn with about 100 other girls. You line up like sardines against the walls of the room, moderators urging you to practically munch on the girls hair in front of you. Then, one by one, you get about 10 seconds to step away from the wall, stare into a video camera and say your name, age weight and tryout number. That's it! They either like you and ask you to come back for the second round or they don't. The girl right next to me got called back. She was really excited. She'd been to three of these things before and never got called, but this time she did. A lot of girls said they usually don't call back first-timers. I thought that was interesting.
After that, I headed back to Aaron and Ira's place (see previous Urban Wilderness Chicago post if you're wondering who they are). With the rest of the afternoon free, I decided to check out the nearby cafe the boys recommended. It was just about 5 blocks from their place. Not too far. Lula Cafe turned out to be everything Aaron and Ira promised. I choose the pasta yiayia for lunch. The entree consists of bucatini noodles with moroccan cinnamon, feta, garlic and browned butter. It was exquisitely delicious. Cinnamon with pasta was a first for me, and I definitely liked the combo.
After I was comfortably stuffed, I headed back to the apartment to grab my camera and wander around Aaron and Ira's urban neighborhood. The area was really nice. Broad boulevards divided with wide green spaces that were amply shaded with old trees. Most of the apartments looked just as old, but they were well kept and quite elegant for the most part. There were also big, old houses that ranged in architecture, from Victorian to Oriental. Some houses were covered in Ivy and looked comfortably inviting. Dog lovers took their pets out to play in green islands in the middle of the boulevards. Another eccentric group spread out a blanket and enjoyed a lazy Saturday afternoon picnic. I could occasionally hear their laughter trickle by me on the breeze about 3 blocks away.
That night, I had arranged to meet up with another couchsurfer. The plan was to meet him at the restaurant where he worked, the Irish Bistro. Dustin was all smiles, very engaging and refreshingly chivalrous. He was actually working a reception at the restaurant, but we had ample time to chat. There was a great view of the Lincoln Avenue night scene from the balconied windows of the restaurant's second level. Dustin asked lots of questions, and, unsurprisingly, I obliged with a lot of chatter. I didn't want to distract Dustin too much from working though, so I headed downstairs to the big, glossy dark wood bar to grab a bite to eat. I ended up getting the salmon bruschetta (basically salmon pizza). It was interesting... I don't think I'll ever go for salmon with pizza again though. 
The bartender was very amicable and so were the other waitresses, one of which was Bulgarian. I bombarded her with a ton of questions. The bartender recommended a Belgian beer since I told her I prefer dark and stout ales. She promised I would like St. Bernardus, and she was right, it was excellent.Then it was back to the neighborhood of Boulevard's. Just as I was approaching Kedzie (the street where I was staying), Aaron called and asked if I was up for going to a local dig to check out his friend's band. The bar was a lot like a neighborhood, college bar. Beer in plastic cups and lots of gaggles of friends enjoying their night out. The bad news is, we missed the band. Oh well, we tried. Dustin met Aaron and I a little later. Although Aaron decided to call it a night, Dustin and I were up for a little more nightlife. We went to Wrigglyville and the night owls were everywhere. It's a big strip for nightlife. The night was capped off rather pleasantly with a rooftop view of a honey-colored moon over the Chicago skyline. The city had definitely begun seducing me.
Sunday was the day for me to head back home, but I couldn't leave without exploring more of the city. I took a river tour of the downtown architecture along the Chicago River, which winds 156 miles and slices right through downtown Chicago. It was really fascinating to stare up at Chicago's giant, modern, architectural marvels while the guide unloaded a wealth of history and information about the buildings.
I grabbed a bite to eat after the tour at a cafe in one of the hotels, I'm blanking on which one, but I think it may have been the Hyatt. I got these incredibly spicy chicken crumbles that you wrap in lettuce leaves with sticks of sliced carrots and celery. The combo of flavor-soaked chicken with fresh crisp lettuce and veggies was absolutely savory. The cafe was wide and open with a cool architectural design of its own with water reflecting from a blue bed throughout the cafe terrace. Up above there was a lofted bar with a wall of colored liquor bottles. The light was hitting the bottles just right and the display gave off a sort of disco-ball sparkle on the cafe below.
I also ventured to Millennium Park to check out the slew of architectural art, by which the park is defined. I strongly urge anyone reading this to go check out the Jay Pritzker Pavillion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; and Anish Kapoor's hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza. Surrounded by these modern sculptures and structures, I felt as if a creative energy was radiating from these art wonders... and I was eagerly soaking it up. Oh, and I can't forget the BP Bridge. Here's a little blurb about it from the Web site:Connecting Millennium Park to Daley Bicentennial Plaza, east of the park, this 925-foot-long winding bridge, Frank Gehry's first, provides incomparable views of the Chicago skyline, Grant Park and Lake Michigan. Clad in brushed stainless steel panels, the BP Bridge complements the Pritzker Pavilion in function as well as design by creating an acoustic barrier from the traffic noise below.
Yup, Chicago had given me a buzz that left me eager to drink from the city's creativity again and again.
Here's a link to more pics from that trip: Chicago August 2007.
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