L'il Pearl and the Blonde-Guy during Recent Visit..

 ...a lull at her Mom's dinner party. Sunday was Pearl's 30-th birthday. Her "card" is late getting to her. That's not a bad this: she's one of my kid's now, since I'm usually late-ish for the actual day.

Hey, kids! Miss you both. Happy Birthday Season, L'il Pearl!

The Gardener, with the Kids and Flowers She Loves...

 Looking bright as sunlight, my friend enjoys a visit from Molly and Micah, the intrepid little twins. The latest of their misadventures was recently: Micah said "You are bad, Molly. I'm going to lock you up in college and squish you up and put you in my hot-dog." (their parents are both teachers; the 3 year old kids are told they will go to college but they can't imagine not being with Mommy and Daddy).

My friend made the flower arrangement for the Memorial Day Sunday service at her church. Beautiful; I was delighted to contribute those lovely Red Poppies, so right for Memorial Day, from my flower bed! She is 100% recovered from that scary fall she suffered just before Christmas--enough that she is going forward with a knee replacement operation in a few weeks. Brave.

Blonde-Boy, Bloggsy and the Bean...

The under-belly of the Bean. Don't usually see these angles, do you?

On Mothers Day, at the Botanic Gardens...a Girl Like "Pearl"...

The young mom, on a bike ramble with two red-headed little girls and Hubby. We did a double-take as she superficially resembled our L'il Pearl (soon to visit us, yippee!)

And a possible peek into some version of a "future time"??? :-)  Maybe.

More Style Secrets of Chicago Commuters....

 Yes, just ordinary working people on a weekday morning inside Union Station and on Jackon Blvd. heading east.    The "new retro" clothing feels slightly "off" to me, since I lived 60's and 70's clothing styles as a young woman. We didn't actually have "leggings" in those days, tho if you felt thin enough to feel comfortable, there were stretch pants with stirrups around the feet to keep the legs in place. But, hey girl, cute jacket with pleated little skirt.

Everyone carries large and/or multiple large bags. Break my shoulder, will you? Mostly black; mine is maroon, old and "LandsEnd". And I strive to keep in light!

Some bring foldable scooters on the train; some have long walks from the train station to work places perhaps a mile or more.

Occasionally, bright splashes of color among the black, brown and denim blue.

Little "pops" of bright orange. Since we get the fun of having the NATO Summit here this coming weekend, for several weeks signs of extra security--orange cones, police tape, extra security, the entrance to the "Sears Tower" open only to people who must be there, news trucks parked around the streets, etc. Today there were many more European-seeming people apparent in the Financial District as I walked back to the train in the afternoon.

Fashion Secrets of Downtown Chicago...

Truth be told, the working people I see on the streets are mostly conventional in approach to dress. The contrast in styles seen above: the exception. The young guys reminded me of  these two kids from a year ago in Roanoke, VA.   How are the pants held up? Honestly, I was trailing them with the camera, wondering if I'd be able to get the photo of the kid picking the pants off the ground. lol.

Come Inside the Rookery Building in Chicago....

 As I mentioned before, my father's business office was located in this building in the mid-to-late 1960's. This ornate and sumptuous lobby you see here is entirely different from the picture I would have taken back then, when it was just a tired, grimy, 80 year old hulk of an out-dated structure.  In those days, many grand old Chicago buildings were torn down. In the 1980's, the building was completely renovated, cleaned and reconditioned. A fabulous architectural jewel once again.

Part of a famous staircase, which is difficult to visit now.  As a kid, I would take friends up to see it and actually climbed the entire way up to the top, perhaps 10 stories.

 Intricate, ornate moaic floor tile; cleaned and restored--the camera doesn't do them justice.

More details....

The Building Formerly Known as....

Classic Chicago Architecture...

A somewhat  awkward "slice" photo of Quincy St., a narrow alley between the Rookery Building and the building that houses the Bank of America's main branch....

The Rookery, among the oldest and most revered classic Chicago buildings.  In the mid-90's I was out one day on LaSalle St. on an errand. As it happened, a film crew was out front of the building--the left side of this view--and were filming one of the sequels to the dreadful but popular "Home Alone" series of movies. A couple of the supporting cast (the actors who played the "bad guys") were on set. The young star was not there, but a tiny, wiry little lady, the star's body double for distance shots, was there, dressed up as a little boy.

The building was cast as a toy store in NY.    I've always liked this part of the building, the south side. It feels so authentically "1880's".   My Dad used to work in the building in the early 1960's, so I sort of grew up here.  There is a wonderful spiral stair case inside--I used to take my boyfriends to see it; it's quite a surprise.