Doris in the White City

I intentionally didn't pack my SLR because I didn't think I'd have any time to walk around Chicago, but after I found myself with two free hours this afternoon, I really started to kick myself for not bringing it. One of the things I love about Chicago is the architecture here, and it would have been really great to try and capture all the beauty. After spending about 2.5 hours walking around in 17 degree weather, I'm actually glad I didn't bring the SLR, as it was cold enough trying to operate my Canon. Here's a quick tour of the buildings I saw today:

View from my room at the Hyatt Regency



Millenium Park - The Bean



People's Gas Company Building
One of the many buildings in Chicago built by Burnham & Company



Santa Fe Building
Originally built as a railway exchange for the Santa Fe railway. Burnham & Company had offices here, but it now houses the Chicago Architecture Foundation along with other offices.



Federal Center
Comprised of the Loop Post Office, Dirksen US Courthouse, the Kluczynski Federal Building, and the Flamingo statue.





Monadnock Building
Another Burnham & Root building, this is known as the tallest building without a steel frame to hold it up. The walls are supposedly six feet thick on the first floor.









The Rookery
Built by Burnham & Root, but the interior was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and made of iron and marble. There happened to be an art class drawing pictures while I was there.









Chicago Board of Trade
I stumbled upon this building as I came out of The Rookery and the way this art deco building looks in the sunset is just absolutely breathtaking. The building is topped with a statue of the goddess Ceres, but is faceless because its sculptor didn't think any other building nearby would be taller than it to see its face.




Marquette Building
One of the world's first steel framed skyscrapers, the main lobby of this building is surrounded by mosaic panels made by Tiffany telling the story of Jacques Marquette, the first European settler in Chicago.





Chicago Theater