Chicago January 11th Snow

After driving 13 hours in a surreal tunnel of 100 foot visibility, blowing snow and roaring big-rigs, Anna, Nicole, and I reached Chicago at 7am, just in time for morning rush hour. Sleep was hard to force, as my senses were thrilled into such a strange state - that, as everyone slept in Jonah's Uptown apartment, i sat on the futon and watched the snow quietly fall over Sheffield street - the morning light reflecting the blinds on the wall, and seeping through my eyelids. I lay on the futon feeling as though i was somehow underwater, yet full of excitement and utter exhaustion.
(a few hours pass)
The snowstorm was beautiful. Onto the train to the loop we went.
Nicole wanted to go to the Chicago Cultural Center, which was down by Millenium Park. I had never been, and it was fantastic. The beautiful building was once known as the People's Palace, a name I much prefer to the current title. There was a great photography exhibit there by an unknown street photographer Vivian Maier. (more on this later as she deserves a separate post)
There was also a space there dedicated to supporting, hosting, and showing artwork made by people with mental and developmental disabilities called Project Onward. I fell in love with the art of Adam Elias Hines, who makes posters on cardboard with pen and colored pencils, mostly of pop culture icons and places in Chicago. There were literally hundreds of them to browse through, I purchased his Fleetwood Mac poster - which will soon be hanging in my room. Luckily on our way out I ran into Adam and got to meet him - we shared a moment over our love of Fleetwood Mac.
I wish there were more programs encouraging creative expression, especially for those who have such a hard time expressing themselves traditionally in our society. Project Onward is truly a great thing.
Anna plinked away at a beautiful grand piano upstairs, echoing through the empty parlor - myself staring out on Michigan Avenue at the traffic through the streetlights and snow, catching the cool reflections of the chandeliers seemingly projected onto buildings outside.
Afterwards we went to watch the ice skaters, and check out the silver sculpture in the park. I usually steer clear of tourist type spots, but let me tell you - Millenium Park is definitely no Navy Pier. I took a quick 360 video to hopefully capture what we saw. It was a very happy Chicago magical snow time.
It doesn't quite capture the feeling, mainly because it doesn't pick up all the falling snow very well.