Chicago: The city that Design built
That's Ruby and Annette checking out this crazy video-art-water-fountain. This is only a part of the new Millennium Park in Chicago. My favorite is the giant metal kidney orb, which is unfortunately under construction. (They are smoothing out the rivets, all Howard Hughes-like)
A couple of us Yahoos got to visit Chicago last week for the How Design Conference. View my pics here or bug Annette, Ruby, or BK for more photos.
As part of the conference, BK and I got to tour local design studios, ranging from small niche private studios to larger multimedia agencies.
They kept us busy each day with speakers talking about ways to get inspiration, understanding business, verbal brainstorming, presentation, and more. Some sessions were more useful than others.
We gave away all our company-branded flashlight-caribiners (???) and candied popcorn, and I saw people perusing our job descriptions. In return, we grabbed lots of paper samples (foreign substances for web designers), Honda decks of cards, cheeky posters and other various useless items to share with the other Visual Designers who couldn't make it there.
In between our busy sessions, we saw what we could of this city filled with design. Annette and Ruby took an architectural boat tour and caught part of a Blues Festival. We all dined on steak, seafood, matzo ball, cheesecake, tapas, deep-dish Chicago Pizza and trendy meals filled with salt (stay tuned for BK's Yahoo! Local reviews).
BK and Ruby took panaromic photos atop their Radisson Hotel. Annette and I shopped at the H&M nearby the Westin North Michigan where we stayed. And we all had cocktails and laughs at the Second City show, "From Fear to Eternity."
The last night of the conference, there was a masquerade party at Navy Pier, where they raffled a coveted lounge Eames chair. The runner up got a cardboard cut-out of the chair.
I whipped up some Messenger emoticon masks for the Yahoos to bring. The obvious winner, however, was the giant Nick Nolte head. There was a pop-cover band and free finger food, reminiscent of Yahoo's year-end parties, but with less theme decor.
The day after, some of us saw a history of video games exhibit and plastinated human bodies exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, while Ruby visited the Chicago Art Institute. Later, Ruby and Annette checked out CB2, a trendier Crate and Barrel.
All in all it was a good time. Weather was annoyingly hot and humid when we first got here, but now it's much more moderate.
I'm still in Chicago visiting relatives. Today I went to a custom bag shop and had a true Chicago Hot Dog at the Wiener circle, which was delish! The other Yahoos should have stayed longer, and they know it! Well there's always next time...
posted by misocrazy @ 5:34 PM
3 Comments:
My capsule review for Narcisse, that French restaurant: Our waitress resembled Helena Christensen circa 1992, with a French accent and a corset. 'Nuff said.
(from ruby)
here's the Narcisse website: http://narcisse.us/
please help redesign their site, brian.
on the last morning, annette and i tried out the Wow Bao place in Water Tower Place this fast food place that has the chinese buns with a twist in fillings. Surprisingly, the baos were soft and tasty. I tried the curry thai and chicken cashew. we need a place like that here. not surprisingly, it's owned by the big restaurant conglomerate in Chicago Lettuce Entertain You.
aw man, sounds like you had so much fun and strangely i do miss chi-town already. you probably got to see as much of the city during your visit as i did in two school quarters. there's always next year for me i guess!
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