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2005-01-31 - 1:19 p.m.
Favorite views -From the Orange Line stop at Halsted looking southeast. The Stevenson and the Dan Ryan expressways converge, and the cars are going over and under and past each other. It�s mesmerizing. Well, it may be more mesmerizing because I tend to look at it at 7am while waiting for the train, but it�s still something I point out to people visiting. And unless it�s so foggy or snowy that the visibility is almost nothing, it�s fascinating no matter what the weather. -Walking east through the Loop on Lake St. The Aon Center is directly ahead � and even though it�s kind of the bastard stepchild of Chicago�s tallest buildings (everyone thinks the Sears Tower is tallest which is right, but the Aon Center is second and the Hancock Building is third � the Hancock often gets credited as being second). It�s very mountain-cliff-like and intimidating. Best on sunny afternoons � the sun gets almost painfully bright reflecting off of the white of the building. -Looking northwest from the steps of the Shedd Aquarium. It�s the clich� spot for tourist pictures, but for good reason. The buildings all look more colorful � especially on a sunny summer day with lots of sailboats in the harbor. -The 33rd St. bridge over the Dan Ryan expressway looking north. Each building stands out on its own, but at the same time it gives the far-away look of the skyline as a whole. It also adds some gritty realism to the skyline that doesn�t often show up in the average picture of downtown, because a chain-link fence rises around 7-8 feet above the sidewalk. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to see spectacular views, but other times lend a not-just-a-postcard feel to the skyline. -The view of 333 W. Wacker from across the river (looking southeast). The Chicago River (and Wacker Dr.) bend from east/west to north/south created an interesting spot to put a building. The architects created a glass, curved surface, that reflects the river. But not only is the building itself beautiful, the Sears Tower also rises up in the background and brings stability to the picture.
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