Exhibit of unofficial Obama inspired art in Chicago

by Jamie Rhein on

What is unofficial Obama art? That’s what I wondered when I heard there will be a display of such art in Chicago at the Chicago Tourism Center. Basically, it’s art by any artist who was inspired by Obama’s run for president to create a video, a painting, a poster or whatever to commemorate the occasion.

This is not just any art, but good art. People whose work is represented in the exhibit sent it in for consideration. The result is more than 100 artworks. Some of the pieces may seem familiar like the Go Tell Mama series of posters or Sol Sender’s Obama ’08 logo–the one that ended up on yard signs and bumper stickers.

The exhibit is opening on April 1 and will be on display through May 31. Throughout the two months, there will be a variety of talks. You can check the exhibit website for a list of the represented artists and events.

I’m always interested to see a variety of artwork that turns on one theme. That’s when artists’ personalities and sensibilities are most evident. The variety found in human creative efforts seems to never disappoint.

Will Chicago get an airport on the South Side?

by Jamie Rhein on

In May, I’m flying into Chicago. My friends live in Bolingbrook, a suburb to the south about 35 miles from downtown. According to Map Quest, it will take me 54 minutes to get to their house. I’m thinking, if I’m lucky. Traffic through Chicago can be a nightmare. This summer we drove right by downtown at 1:00 in the morning and traffic was still heavy, so heavy that we missed a toll booth lane and had to send our $1.35, or thereabouts, in the mail.

In his column in the New York Times today, Bob Herbert outlines the plan in the works for a new airport in Chicago to be built on the South Side. There are stumbling blocks to such a plan. Politics for one. What interests me is the number of jobs an airport produces, both during construction and afterward. The number is well into the thousands.

From Herbert’s description airports sound like beehives of activity. As he points out, O’Hare has grown to be so massive that it’s unwieldy at times. Although, according to O’Hare’s Web site, it was voted the Global Traveler Award for Best Airport in North America in 2007. Herbert also points out that Midway’s runways are short which poses another problem.

The airport on the South Side makes sense to me. It would sure make getting to Bolingbrook much easier. Possibly it could help lessen traffic through downtown by people who had to head further north in order to fly out of town.

Sears Tower to be renamed “Willis Tower”

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Times have changed since Chicago’s Sears Tower was first built. Upon its completion in 1973, this 110-story Chicago monolith was proclaimed a modern marvel – a building that planted a massive stake in the ground for Chicago’s, and arguably America’s, architectural and economic dominance. Though the Sears Tower remains an important symbol in 2009, its preeminence in the “World’s Tallest Building” category has changed significantly.

Still, the news earlier this week that the building would soon be renamed as the Willis Tower comes as a surprise. Willis Holdings, a London-based insurance group that occupies more than 150,000 square feet of office space, will take over naming rights to the building in late 2009. This is in contrast to Chicago-based retailer Sears, which no longer leases space in the building and frankly, is struggling merely to stay relevant.

How is everyone reacting to the news? Chicago’s own Mayor Daley has feigned indifference. But coming from this Chicagoan by birth, I find the name change surprisingly affects me on a personal level, as if it was an affront to the pride of my hometown. Perhaps though the name is less important than what the building represents. To quote the great William Shakespeare, “What’s in a name?” Is anyone, tourist or local, likely to start calling the building the Willis Tower? I doubt it. Believe it or not, the Sears Tower is not the first Chicago landmark to be taken over by out-of-towners, and Chicagoans have learned to continue on with their lives.

Maybe it’s just a sign of the times – in an increasingly global world, it’s harder and harder for something truly “local” to remain that way. Whether it’s the authentic Japanese sushi you’re eating in New York or the London souvenir hoodie that was made in China. Travel is often more about your expectations of what a destination or landmark should be like, rather than taking it for what it truly is. For me at least, whether it’s called the Willis or Sears Tower, the next time I gaze up at that magnificent building I’ll see what I want: a landmark that continues to be truly one-of-a-kind.

[Via Buzzfeed]

Travel to convention cities to find a bargain

by Jamie Rhein on

Yesterday Tom pointed out cities like Palm Springs and Tuscon have shown a jump in travelers and offer travel deals to keep visitors coming.

In a Travel Briefs in the Dispatch, I read about more cities with vacation deals. Because there has been a drop in conventions, cities that partly rely on business travel as a revenue source are worth checking out for discounts. Vacation deals could be had in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York, New Orleans, and Washington D.C. among others. Some of them have been covered in our budget travel series. If Miami interests you, not much further north you’ll find deals in Ft. Lauderdale. The photo was taken at the convention center in Phoenix. Look there too.

The message seems to be that, although the economy may have huge downsides right now, if you have a hankering to travel, there are many places that will be thrilled to have you and will offer you enticements to head their way.

Snuggie Pub Crawl

by Annie Scott on


Okay. So, the Snuggie is a super-informercialicious fleece blanket. The hook? It has sleeves. As you can see in the video above, the Snuggie allows you to stay warm, but still have the use of your hands. It’s sort of like putting on a robe backwards — oh wait. No, it’s exactly like putting on a robe backwards.

In any case, here’s a reason you might actually want one: Chicago is hosting the first-ever Snuggie Pub Crawl! On Saturday, April 18, 2009, Snuggie enthusiasts from all over the world will gather in the windy city to drink beer in wearable blankets with arms. Snuggie Pub Crawl is donating its proceeds to the AC-Orphanage in Arusha, Tanzania, which rescues orphans whose parents have TB and HIV. Doesn’t that make you feel warm and fuzzy? Well, just wait till you get your Snuggie!

Sign up now, and purchase your Snuggie by February 28th to ensure it will arrive in time for this charmingly ridiculous event.