Exploring Chicago

The most famous landmark was of course the Cloud Gate, nicknamed "the Bean", located at the AT&T Plaza in Millennium park, which was downtown within the Loop community area (historic commercial area). Designed by a British artist Anish Kapoor (cue in Gary's "Of couuursee, it's British, it's the best!"), was a very popular attraction. 

Adjacent to the plaza, was the Great Lawn and the bandshell, known as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, was designed by Frank Gehry (Canadian-American architect). The Pritzker Pavilion hosted the Grant Park Music Festival, US' only remaining free outdoor classical music series, during the summer. It performed in the afternoon and evening, where friends, couples and families filled the lawn and enjoyed an evening of music and outdoor with food and wine. Besides the orchestra, the pavilion also hosts a wide range of performing arts. 

The BP Bridge, also designed by Frank Gehry, a pedestrian overpass that connects the both parts of the larger Grant  Park. The structure behind is the Great Lawn and the bandshell

An attraction that was especially popular with children was the Crown Fountain, which was also located next to the Bean. The pair of glass brick towers that stood opposite of each other was an interactive work of public art and video sculpture, that intermittently display faces on the two towers and water sprouts through a nozzle where the mouth would be. The fountain was also a public play area and offers people an escape from the summer heat, and allowing children to frolic in the fountain's water.

Sometime I forget that beaches existed even when there were no seas or oceans, but a lake. Located by Lake Michigan, Chicago has plenty of beaches including some in downtown!

Restaurant on Oak Street Beach. Review? Stay. Away.

Beach by the big shopping street/area, Magnificent Mile as they called it

Food wise, Chicago is famous for their deep dish pizza...which to be honest looks more like a quiche. We had it for dinner on our second day upon arriving. TV and pizza, mom and dad immersed straight into the American culture. However, ordering delivery is not the same as going to a restaurant, so we set out to Little Italy.

Except unfortunately there wasn't much there. I guess it would be more busy at night, as there were many fine dining restaurants that were only opened in the evening. 

My parents did a lot of exploring on their own. While Gary and I were still asleep in the morning, they would go out for a walk, shopping or take a random bus and stayed on until they see some interesting neighborhoods!

Walking by the shore and yacht club. The 3rd building from the right is our apartment.

Found Little Mexico, just pass Little Italy

Snacks from Mexican shop

One of the many channels that flow through the city

And of course a visit to the circus!

Blown to the Windy City

The most looked forward city run for this year was definitely Chicago. It felt so good to be back in a big walkable city again! After Minneapolis, Gary and I went straight to Chicago to spend the week off, as my parents arrived the day after to spend 10 days with us! Haven't seen them for 2 years.

Taken at Navy Pier with part of the Chicago skyline in the background

In this city, I am officially an employee, as a Guardian on Tour. Who am I guarding?? The ginger ninja.

This is where Katie spends her free time: in the kid's tent on site

This is Katie Smith.


What does "Guardian" mean? What do I do exactly? Well, when an artist is a minor (under 18), he or she can either have a parent touring with him/her or Cirque will assign a Guardian for the artist. 


So I am her legal guardian, and I basically take care of her, take her to work, make sure she has biscuit and milk before bed, sign paper work, make sure she doesn't wet the bed, and at one point Bank of America offered to let me oversee her finances! I however declined them kindly, as I thought this would be a good opportunity for Katie to be on the right path of independence. 


She is the flyer(top) of the acrobatic sport group as a Flea. 17 Years old and she traveled all this way on her own! 

King of the castle

Fanciest bedroom ever - a boost for the height challenged!

As a Guardian, I am required to live with Katie, so now that all three of us are employees, Gilles had found us a massive apartment, with absolutely breathtaking view of the city and the lake, locating right next to the harbor. Bonus of staying by the harbor was that we could see clearly from our living room of the fireworks that were displayed every Wednesday and Saturday night during the summer. We knew we'd enjoy being in Chicago for the city run! And by the way, Chicagoans are surprisingly quite friendly considering it's a big city... compare to New Yorkers haha!

One of the views from the apartment! 

Watching fireworks from the living room

One thing, and the most important thing, my family loves to do: EAT!! 

食 "si-gc". Gary learned the sound of this Chinese character during my parents' visit, because that's all he heard when he listened to our conversations in Cantonese.

Here we were in Chinatown. I found on Yelp a restaurant serving dim sum, a meal I have missed for so long. Since then we have been back to this restaurant 4-5 times. The food was very tasty! Much more than ones Toronto and Hong Kong surprisingly, and we cannot believe the price! $35 easily fed 4 of us, and we're talking about a meal of 15 items/dishes, belly bursting full! 


We made good use of the kitchen and the dining table during my parents' visit. Below are some photos of our dinners at home (you may see mostly Japanese food as my parents had a stop over in Tokyo on the way to Chicago):

Sashimi

Japanese home cooked food

Lobster night 

Japanese beef don (rice)

YOU HAVE JUST WITNESSED GARY'S 

2KG WEIGHT GAIN!!

Chicago was definitely a popular city for visitors, thus Michel's parents were also there for the week off. So we did a roast dinner at our apartment and invited some of our closer friends on tour.

The papas

The cooks. 2 roast chicken, potato mash, turnip mash, shrimps, mushrooms.

The parents with their espresso

to  be continued on "Exploring Chicago"...

A Little Gem!

Minneapolis is a little small, that's why together with St. Paul, they are referred to as the Twin Cities. However small, we managed to find quite a few activities to occupy us for the 4 week city run + 1 week off in the beginning.

But it seemed like we can never escape the bad weather...We were still on Tornado Watch.

If only you can see how fast the clouds were going

Check out that funnel!

Although where we stayed was a little far out, we had a very nice and big apartment!

Living room looking from the entrance

An extra room! I set it up as my sewing room!!

Quite a peaceful view

Drove by the site and the Big Top is in the process of raising. In the foreground is the kitchen being set up.

A visit to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to see Claes Oldenburg's Spoonbridge and Cherry

Because I so want that cherry

We were also introduced to Brit's Pub during our week off...which had quickly became a popular spot among fellow OVOs especially with the Brits of course! 

I've also played my first lawn bowling game at Brit's Pub (Zeca was surprisingly legendary at it), which was located on the terrace. I think I might have enjoyed it more than 10-pins bowling. 

Beautiful grass... it was like carpet!

That was also where we discovered an oh so refreshing, echoing its name: Crispin Cider. A crisp, clean fresh flavor, local to Minnesota. 

This is as described by Crispin Cider's website: 

Have only tried the Classic "Blue Line" cider. Don't pass out on it!

"Crispin Super Premium Hard Apple Cider, designed to be enjoyed over ice. Inspired by the classical, refined flavor styles of continental European cider making, Crispin "Blue Line" ciders are clean on the palate, with a crisp, not sweet, taste profile. They are deliciously untraditional with a strong "apple bomb" bouquet, fresh appley mouth-feel and pure & clean lingering aftertaste. Our ciders are not styled as traditional "sweet beers", they are not old-fashioned sweeter alternatives to beer, but sophisticated and crisp not sweet, dry and not "sticky" on the palate. And totally delicious over ice."

One of the nights during the week off we also made good use of our apartment and the kitchen...roast dinner with good friends!!

Where else have we been the first week...? Mmm of course the Mall of America! Second biggest mall in North America, as it is right across from site! More on that in a bit.

Flu Season Right Before Christmas Yipeeee~~

I am home being a legit, festive (Christmas songs playing in the background) couch potato due to my cold. 

X-Factor 2010 Winner: Matt Cardle

Ever since X-Factor finished a week ago (12th Dec), which we've been religiously watching every Monday night with noodles/Japanese curry and our X-Factor buddies Michel and Laura (guest buddies Angus, Ludo and Mikey a few times) for the past 2 months, we feel a little lost not knowing what to do for Monday nights anymore. 

Also since we've visited Georgia Aquarium, we're done sight seeing... I can, however, give you updates of things we've done here and there:

The past Sunday night we had a farewell party for Fabi (and the many technicians and artists who will be leaving but am sure we'll have a party again soon for them again!) at the bar where we held Pat Burke's legendary party for another jamming session. 

Dawn singing Winter Wonderland

Safar and Evgeny happy dancing

What that's on your forehead?

This explains it

Mmm... what else? Oh there's a Krispy Kreme nearby! We can watch them make the donuts from when they were white and flat to being glazed with the sweet goodness, and they sell them super fresh off the conveyor belt! $7 for a dozen, not £12 for a dozen hehehe.

Gary on his way of being a fatty fatty boom boom in America

We also had a farewell lunch on Thursday for Minnie.

Oh! And we finally got a Christmas tree!!! =D 

 

And this is what I got from Target [tar-shay] (I looooooove Target...)  It's finally growing after.... 2-3 weeks? I didn't expect it to work :) It will be ready for Christmas in 2011.

My baby Christmas tree!

2 days til Jason gets here and 2 weeks til Tour Break (England!!)

4 days til CHRISTMAS!