Chicago: Wright, Gospel, Baha'i and Friends

Chicago can be overwhelming if you let it, but with only two days to visit, and trips there before we narrowed down our activities to Frank Lloyd Wright, some music, food and seeing our friends. John has known Phil and Bobbie Barry since Brown days (all class of '66) and the three of them took Chinese together. Seeing them was old home time, of course.

They were incredibly thoughtful about what to do and had lined up poached salmon and champagne for our first night, followed by a visit to the Baha'i Temple, about two miles north of their home. The temple is a huge dome in intricate design with rows of pews inside that allow for the worshippers to see all that is happening in the sanctuary. It's surrounded by gardens. Though night time when we got there, it's mangificent.



Saturday morning, as we read the Tribune's excellent review of The Visit, now playing at Signature, (they loved it), we decided on the plan for what would be a wonderful afternoon of things that can only be done in Chicago.

We began with lunch at the Happy Village dim sum restaurant in Chinatown: ducks feet (they sound awful, they are chewy, but have a sweetish taste, served with turnips cold), wonderful pork stuffed dumplings, fried clam bits and tofu with scallions and red peppers, tiny clams in brown sauce, Chinese broccoli, and barbecue filled buns. Lovely lunch at a garage like restaurant in a row of warehouses.

Next stop, Oak Park, a suburb with a huge collection of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential buildings. It's hard to do justice to Wright without pictures, so here they are, including one of the Unity Temple, designed in 1905, which is across the street from a totally conventional early 20th century Presbyterian fire escape.

We started at this home and studio, shown here with some details, moved on past almost a dozen of his designs that are interspersed throughout a neighborhood with a cross section of almost contemporary Victorian homes, built about the end of the 19th century until about 1905.




All four of us left with such a feeling of reverence at the beauty of his organic designs, despite the fact he was a crusty architect, had his own ideas to the discomfort of many of his patrons, and, unfortunately, the works are difficult to maintain for owners of his 100 year old homes and churches. Ah, yes, and even Falling Water his most famous house of all for the Kauffmans of Pittsburgh has had to be rebuilt. Still a genius.



A quick drive to the Lakefront and we're at Grant Park and the Pritzker Shell, designed, we believe, by Frank Gehry. Thousands of people listening,waving their hands and dancing to gospel singers. A view of life we don't generally see.





Besides waving and clapping to the gospel singers, most of whom for the time we were there were old line Chicago groups led by ministers in their 70s and 80s(who really know how to rock the audience into charismatic enjoyment), we studied the "bean." I am not sure what this is in geometry, but it is sure wonderful to walk around, and see your somewhat distorted image along with others as well as the surrounding skyline.



Dinner was good Greek fare at Athena Restaurant in Chicago's Greektown, with enough leftovers for us to have today in the middle of Iowa.