You can find these amazing murals at the underpass of Foster Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, Uptown…read moreChicago. They are pretty colorful and really adds life to the concrete walls! The walk from the lake to the residential area is more enjoyable.

I discovered this other little gem today on my way to Sunshine Cafe…read more And I was, just as for the one on 47th street, thoroughly impressed. And smiling. Turning gloomy underpasses into wonderful works of art is one of the best forms of urban improvement I have seen in years. It might seem pretty insignificant in the great scheme of things but to me it's highly symbolic: to revitalize some of the most disregarded spots of the city - ANY city - is definitely a step in the right direction. Underpasses are not doomed to be dark, smelly and forgotten. And when the art on display celebrate the Native American culture it takes a whole new dimension. The result - "Indian Land Dancing" - is a colorful display that interweaves time and heritage, with both distinct tribal nuances and larger Native American symbolism providing the bulk of the imagery. But no stereotype here: the entire project was in the hands of the Native American community who wanted to do 'something very meaningful' and connected to the present. Among other things: a skateboarder glides down the shimmering black mane of woman who hugs a sphere of seven circles representing responsibility to future generations. The underside of his board says "Apache." Woven into the woman's hair, a poem reads, "With our strong arms, we form a circle, and in that circle, we embrace the world." The 3,200 square inch mosaic grace both walls of the underpass, and is the only public display of Native American art in the city. Don't miss it this summer while walking to the beach. It's breathtaking.

This statue is kind of tucked away between the Cook County Administration Building and the Chicago…read moreTemple Building in the Brunswick Plaza. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance. Most viewers of this statue will be passerbys. This is not a destination piece by far. It is the work of Joan Miró, who created the piece in 1981. It stands 39 feet tall. It is made of a hodge podge of materials including: steel, wire mesh, concrete, bronze, and ceramic tile. The sculpture was originally called the Sun, the Moon and One Star. The abstract piece looks like a figure with a fork on its head standing on a pedestal. I will be honest. I find this sculpture a bit odd. I did like the colorful interior crystals that look like they are coming through a crack. If you look across the street, you will see the Picasso statue. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a destination piece, nor a long stop as I previously mentioned. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area (and there are many of them), or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Fun fact: The sculpture's model can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Miró's Chicago was initially commissioned but not completed due to the cost. Ten years later, Jane…read moreByrne, the first female mayor of Chicago, was able to raise the funds to complete the sculpture. Initially titled "The Sun, The Moon and One Star, " she is now nicknamed "Miss Chicago" due to her curved dimensions that evoke the famous Minoan snake goddess from the ancient isle of Crete. The public's initial response to the concrete, steel, bronze and ceramic tile masterpiece was less than favorable. Today, she is a beloved Chicago landmark statue. To learn more, scan the QR reader at your visit.

11/2/2025- My first…read moremural pic and review.. On my daily morning walk last week-.. I remember seeing this one behind our Chevron..and Tahoe Natural Cafe-.. Our murals depict our city and the creative artists in town!

I think mural paintings are so creative on a large scale. It seems that no matter where you…read moretravel, you can always see a mural or two that may be cultural or simply a message to others. As many artists use spray cans to paint on the huge canvas, it takes a certain skill to get the proportions correct. While many sketch their theme before spraying, I have also seen artists just do their thing. Creativity at its best provided it's agreed upon prior to display.

We were 1st time sightseeing in Chicago for 6 days in the middle of June. We had every single day…read moreplanned and crammed with places to go and see from early in the morning until late at night. We loved our adventures there and can't wait to go back to finish seeing what we didn't have enough time for. Chicago is a busy, bustling and hustling city. I have some tips for you. We did not rent a car because parking space is scarce! We Ubered or taxied or used the Big Bus Chicago. Much less stress on us. From early in the morning til late at night, you see so many people walking wherever you go. Chicago is rich in Architectural Design. It was simply amazing how many skyscrapers there are to see. We tried to go to several of them and it was thrilling. There are so many different restaurants to choose from for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. We chose well, I thought. I will name them for you. If you love shopping, you will be thrilled while walking on the Magnificent Mile in downtown. If you are looking for luxury goods, then go to the Gold Coast. Walk the Chicago Riverfront and enjoy the view and river front restaurants. Don't forget all the museums. Study a "Things To Do List in Chicago". Things we did: 75 minute Architectural Boat Cruise during the day with Shoreline Sightseeing, Tilt on the 360 Observation Deck, RIU Rooftop standing on a piece of thick glass and looking down on Chicago from 103 stories up, Navy Pier for many shops, restaurants, view of the skyline, and the Ferris wheel, the Big Bus Tour, the Bean at Millenium Park, and a couple more. Restaurants we enjoyed: NAIA. Beatnik on the River, Gibson's Steakhouse in the Gold Coast, Giordano's downtown, Michael Jordan's Steakhouse, Lake & Land Kitchen, London House Rooftop, Cloud Bar, the largest Starbucks Reserve in the world and a couple more. And President Obama was in town with hundreds of celebrities at the opening of his new Library!! The traffic was unbelievable and we missed our flight home. We stayed overnight in Rosemont nearby at La Quinta, in case it happens to you. Enjoy!

Hands down one of my favorite cities. It's like going to NYC, every visit you discover something…read morenew. I love everything from The Bean to Lincoln Park, the dying of Chicago River for St. Pat's Day (got to experience it and the city's parade one year...so much fun!), shopping, the waterfront, clubs, restaurants, theatre, I could go on and on. I think my favorite (if I had to choose) would be the Lake Michigan waterfront and beaches. Oh, and not to mention the Italian Beef, Deep-Dish Pies, and Vienna Sausages!

Wings of Mexico…read more Beautiful wings. Gold. Always a line for taking picture. Nice. Clean place. Lots of people. They placed the wings in the perfect place. Highly recommended

You will find this pair of gold wings in the front of The Plaza of America. They tempt you to hop…read moreup there and take a photo with them. The wings are made of bronze with cement and iron bases and were installed in the Plaza in May 2022. They are the work of renowned Mexican artist Jorge Marín, who intended the piece to proudly symbolize the immigrant journey. Marin partnered with the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago and Visit Mexico for the piece. The wings are well traveled. They were actually made in 2010 and before reaching its current home in Chi-town, it began it journey in Mexico City, with stops at 25 other locations, from California to Dubai. It was scheduled to be moved to Brookhaven, Georgia in October 2022, but for some reason still remains in Chicago as of April 2023. I like the concept of the wings and its backstory. It takes all of those wing murals popping up across the county to the next level. It is rare to see them in sculpture form. I really like these wings, even though they are pretty basic. They are still very detailed, eye catching and they are definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Parking to get a closer look at this sculpture is difficult to do, as is most parking in the Windy City. This sculpture is not a destination piece and most of its viewers will be passerbys such as myself. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. Also, be very careful if you are going to get a closer look, as i previously mentioned, this is located at a busy roundabout. With that being said, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

As a new resident, I contacted Republic Services--the provider contracted by the City of…read moreElmhurst--on the day I moved in to confirm how to dispose of moving boxes and packing materials. I was explicitly instructed to place the items at the curb for pickup during the next scheduled trash collection. I followed those instructions exactly. The items were not collected. I called again the following day, explained the situation, and was told a truck would be sent out that same day. No one came. I then contacted the City for assistance. I was told the issue would be handled. Instead, within 30 minutes, a code enforcement officer arrived at my home and issued a violation for the very items I had been directed--by their contracted service provider--to leave at the curb. This experience reflects a breakdown in coordination between the City and its contractor, and a lack of accountability when their guidance leads directly to a resident being penalized. As a new resident trying to follow the rules, it's frustrating to receive conflicting direction and then be cited for complying with it.

OMG I love Elmhurst lived there for 7 year and I still miss it. Everything is walking distance…read more I would always walk to the Movies and walk to the Museums just over all Elmhurst has it all and free parking for everything. I wish I ACN go back to live in Elmhurst it is so close to the expressways and to Chicago. They have the most exciting shops banks Doctors and dermatologist all in the same block. Not to mention all the best Italian restaurants are in Elmhurst

Weird to have a huge bean sculpture here when Boston is beantown…read more It's bulls city here in Chicago but hey I had to visit this big bean and it's beautiful! Lots of people or course It's located next to millennium park by the water It's a cool selfie spot

Cloud Gate, or "The Bean," is iconic for good reason…read more It's uncomplicated and a delight to interact with. It's such a great spot for photos, and it amplifies the skyline. Plus it's free to visit. We brought our kids to it for the first time, and it was a joy to see them interact with it. I had never thought about lying on the ground, under it as far as you can fit, to pretend it's squishing you. Ah, the joys of childhood imagination. :-P It doesn't take long to visit, maybe 15 minutes if you're trying to get a particular photo, and it seems to bring joy.

Edgewater is one of the 77 community areas within Chicago, and the newest of them; it was created…read morein 1980 when Uptown was divided and Edgewater established. As the name suggests, it is a neighborhood that borders Lake Michigan. It's home to one of the most popular neighborhoods in the city, Andersonville--the Swedish neighborhood home to lots of eyewear shops, restaurants, and so on. It was once one of the most desired neighborhoods in the city; there were many a mansion that lined the lake in this city. Hillary Rodham Clinton was born in Edgewater at Edgewater Hospital, and their family lived here for a few years of her childhood before moving to the suburbs. The notorious John Wayne Gary was also born at Edgewater Hospital. The hospital itself was a sordid history; due to medicare fraud, it was closed essentially overnight in the 1990s and sat empty for decades--it was only demolished about 10 years ago, when condos were built on the site. I saw some photos from urban spelunkers who broke in and explored the building, and it was honestly quite eerie. The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce is very active, and there are lots of activities and events that are planned throughout the year. Those include Midsommerfest, trick or treating along Clark, the Andersonville Farmer's Market, and other events. The Swedish Museum hosts a celebration for Santa Lucia day every year. Lakewood Balmoral Neighborhood Association hosts a yard sale every year that is huge, with at over 40 homes participating when I went last year. It's a nice neighborhood with a good deal of diversity.

It was a nice sunny day, so I thought I'd check out the Edgewater neighborhood. My goal is to…read morebecome more familiar with more of this great city's neighborhoods. Edgewater is very easy to get to; you can take LSD or the Red Line which I did. Like many neighborhoods, it liked parking is at a premium so take public transportation. From my relaxing stroll on Bryn Mawr, Broadway and some of the side streets, I noticed a variety of restaurants from the small mom & pop restaurants to very upscale restaurants such as Francesca's. I wish I had more time in the area but I will return to check more of this 'hood out.