Nice pics, JPop!

Nice photos!

Good shots, and some uncommon angles.  :clap:

yeah, very picturesque views.

Interesting. 

 

They let you out The Bronx?  Does your P.O. know about this trip?  :-D

Thanks, guys!

 

I love Chicago.

Somebody likes their panos.  Great stuff...Chicago can be a magical place.

Nice jpop, I didn't know you are such a shutterbug.

Nice jpop, I didn't know you are such a shutterbug.

 

Thanks! I love photography .. just don't do it enough. :(

Fantastic!

Great shots.

 

Please don't turn this into a battle, but am I the only one who finds Chicago's downtown (Loop) to be boring?

 

Living in Milwaukee, I've taken innumerable trips down there and it's never grown on me.  It seems like there's a CVS, Potbelly's, Starbucks, and Subway at every intersection.  The riverwalk sucks on so many levels.  And Michigan avenue is just a large Mayfair Mall (or Crocker Park, Easton Town Center, or Kenwood Towne Centre.)  Grant Park is pretty poorly laid out to work for anything.  And the CTA's "EL" system is horribly inadequate. 

 

The thing that keeps me coming back though are the neighborhoods outside of the Loop.  Wicker Park, Wrigleyville, Andersonville, and Boystown are all fantastic neighborhoods.

 

 

 

Great shots.

 

Please don't turn this into a battle, but am I the only one who finds Chicago's downtown (Loop) to be boring?

 

Living in Milwaukee, I've taken innumerable trips down there and it's never grown on me.  It seems like there's a CVS, Potbelly's, Starbucks, and Subway at every intersection.  The riverwalk sucks on so many levels.  And Michigan avenue is just a large Mayfair Mall (or Crocker Park, Easton Town Center, or Kenwood Towne Centre.)  Grant Park is pretty poorly laid out to work for anything.  And the CTA's "EL" system is horribly inadequate. 

 

The thing that keeps me coming back though are the neighborhoods outside of the Loop.  Wicker Park, Wrigleyville, Andersonville, and Boystown are all fantastic neighborhoods.

 

 

I agree. Michigan ave. is overrated. The stores aren't that unique or exclusive. Minus a few high end stores it's just like being anywhere else. I'd rather shop on South Street in Philly or 5th Ave. in New York.

Great shots of a great city. I like the panoramas.

Great shots.

 

Please don't turn this into a battle, but am I the only one who finds Chicago's downtown (Loop) to be boring?

 

Living in Milwaukee, I've taken innumerable trips down there and it's never grown on me. It seems like there's a CVS, Potbelly's, Starbucks, and Subway at every intersection. The riverwalk sucks on so many levels. And Michigan avenue is just a large Mayfair Mall (or Crocker Park, Easton Town Center, or Kenwood Towne Centre.) Grant Park is pretty poorly laid out to work for anything. And the CTA's "EL" system is horribly inadequate.

 

The thing that keeps me coming back though are the neighborhoods outside of the Loop. Wicker Park, Wrigleyville, Andersonville, and Boystown are all fantastic neighborhoods.

 

 

I agree. Michigan ave. is overrated. The stores aren't that unique or exclusive. Minus a few high end stores it's just like being anywhere else. I'd rather shop on South Street in Philly or 5th Ave. in New York.

 

I personally love the Loop.

 

Maybe Michigan Ave is slightly overrated, but I personally think it's slightly prettier than 5th Ave. Until you start getting closer to Central Park .. then it's all NYC.

Great shots.

 

Please don't turn this into a battle, but am I the only one who finds Chicago's downtown (Loop) to be boring?

 

Living in Milwaukee, I've taken innumerable trips down there and it's never grown on me. It seems like there's a CVS, Potbelly's, Starbucks, and Subway at every intersection. The riverwalk sucks on so many levels. And Michigan avenue is just a large Mayfair Mall (or Crocker Park, Easton Town Center, or Kenwood Towne Centre.) Grant Park is pretty poorly laid out to work for anything. And the CTA's "EL" system is horribly inadequate.

 

The thing that keeps me coming back though are the neighborhoods outside of the Loop. Wicker Park, Wrigleyville, Andersonville, and Boystown are all fantastic neighborhoods.

 

 

I agree. Michigan ave. is overrated. The stores aren't that unique or exclusive. Minus a few high end stores it's just like being anywhere else. I'd rather shop on South Street in Philly or 5th Ave. in New York.

 

While most of Michigan Ave. has mostly chain stores that can be found at most of the nicer malls around Ohio, North Michigan really does have some exclusive stores, and Oak Street between Michigan and Rush is really where the upscale shopping is, as almost all of the big designer stores that are in 5th Ave and Beverly Hills are there.

 

Another thing about downtown Chicago that I find really great is the sense of excitement and all the people that are out 24/7.  While this is not true of the Loop, and I don't really find the Loop that interesting, it does hold true for the area north of the River. Also, the River North neighborhood is really great and has many galleries and great restaurants, that for all intents and purposes is "downtown".  I look forward to the day when the Loop can hold its own with the other great sub neighborhoods downtown.

I like how the new condo towers are filling in the skyline, between the Hancock and Sears tower

Oak Street cannot even shine the shoes of Fifth Avenue nor Rodeo Drive.  It's just below Union Square, in all honesty.

Great shots.

 

Please don't turn this into a battle, but am I the only one who finds Chicago's downtown (Loop) to be boring?

 

Living in Milwaukee, I've taken innumerable trips down there and it's never grown on me.  It seems like there's a CVS, Potbelly's, Starbucks, and Subway at every intersection.  The riverwalk sucks on so many levels.  And Michigan avenue is just a large Mayfair Mall (or Crocker Park, Easton Town Center, or Kenwood Towne Centre.)  Grant Park is pretty poorly laid out to work for anything.  And the CTA's "EL" system is horribly inadequate. 

 

The thing that keeps me coming back though are the neighborhoods outside of the Loop.  Wicker Park, Wrigleyville, Andersonville, and Boystown are all fantastic neighborhoods.

 

 

I agree. Michigan ave. is overrated. The stores aren't that unique or exclusive. Minus a few high end stores it's just like being anywhere else. I'd rather shop on South Street in Philly or 5th Ave. in New York.

 

While most of Michigan Ave. has mostly chain stores that can be found at most of the nicer malls around Ohio, North Michigan really does have some exclusive stores, and Oak Street between Michigan and Rush is really where the upscale shopping is, as almost all of the big designer stores that are in 5th Ave and Beverly Hills are there.

 

Another thing about downtown Chicago that I find really great is the sense of excitement and all the people that are out 24/7.  While this is not true of the Loop, and I don't really find the Loop that interesting, it does hold true for the area north of the River. Also, the River North neighborhood is really great and has many galleries and great restaurants, that for all intents and purposes is "downtown".  I look forward to the day when the Loop can hold its own with the other great sub neighborhoods downtown.

 

When is Oak St. getting their underground Apple Store!?

The excitement of Mich Av can wear off, but once people discover there is way more shopping, restaurants, and bars in the northside neighborhoods it can change perspectives.  I still love the loop and north river, but if these are the ONLY areas people are visiting everytime they come to Chicago, I feel very sorry for them, as this is but a small part of a truly good Chicago experience.

I feel like downtown Chicago is so touristy due to the number of landmark skyscrapers. It gives people a sense that they're in New York and really getting a big city experience. I would much rather be in the northern or near west neighborhoods exploring though (until that Spire gets built :) )

Oak Street cannot even shine the shoes of Fifth Avenue nor Rodeo Drive. It's just below Union Square, in all honesty.

 

I wouldn't go so far as to say that.

I will, and those rent prices prove it (refering to the "richest streets/areas per sq foot").  Only Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive, Union Square, and I believe a section of Madison Avenue are America's "contribution" with our horrific dollar.

Great 9-5 CBD, I'm a fan of the architecture. I did venture off to Near North, Wrigleyville, and Astor Ave. Why am I not surprised Boystown would be a fave here? Nice panoramic shots, btw.

Great 9-5 CBD, I'm a fan of the architecture. I did venture off to Near North, Wrigleyville, and Astor Ave. Why am I not surprised Boystown would be a fave here? Nice panoramic shots, btw.

 

I can pretty much agree with that. I'm always excited by good architecture and by the sheer mass of some of Chicago's loop buildings, but what really makes an experience for me is the street-level activity and energy. The Loop has that in spades during weekday business hours, and it's an exciting place to be. That may mean more to someone like me who comes from a country/small-town/small-city background than for someone who spent more of their youth in large cities.

 

Outside business hours, the Loop is indeed pretty uninspiring, but that's where the near-north neighborhoods come in; they seem to be lively any time, and they are more human-scaled and promote a different sort of interaction.

 

Regarding CTA, yes, it could be better. Mass transit has gotten little respect and even less funding until very recently, and although recently there's been more generosity from governments at various levels for capital improvements, operating funds still lag. There's a lot of work going on at a brisk pace to add capacity to CTA's rail facilities and long-needed updates to stations. I was there a couple of weeks ago and found the station work really appealing at some of the north-side stations. I'm hoping they'll find the operating funds to optimize the use of the upgraded infrastructure.

Great 9-5 CBD, I'm a fan of the architecture. I did venture off to Near North, Wrigleyville, and Astor Ave. Why am I not surprised Boystown would be a fave here? Nice panoramic shots, btw.

 

HAHA, I listed Boystown because there's some great pedestrian action and the residential parts are beautiful.  I actually find the whole gay aspect of the neighborhood appalling.  Rainbows everywhere!  As a gay man, I would much rather live in a place that is generally open and liberal and inclusive to people from all walks of life than a tacky/kitsch gay ghetto. 

Regarding CTA, yes, it could be better. Mass transit has gotten little respect and even less funding until very recently, and although recently there's been more generosity from governments at various levels for capital improvements, operating funds still lag. There's a lot of work going on at a brisk pace to add capacity to CTA's rail facilities and long-needed updates to stations. I was there a couple of weeks ago and found the station work really appealing at some of the north-side stations. I'm hoping they'll find the operating funds to optimize the use of the upgraded infrastructure.

 

See, I was at some of those north side station last Saturday, namely Belmont and Fullerton, and while the new updates are far better than what they had they're still seriously lacking.  Why the hell aren't the new stations covered!?!?!?!  It's fricken Chicago, it get pretty darn cold.  There's a sever lack of public art on the entire system.  The new wire mesh urban loft look they're giving the stations reminds me of a college dormitory.  And the subway stations downtown are WAY too small.  There's only like 12ft or something between the tracks and the back wall (at least at the Grand station) 

 

I know a lot of that is just opinion and really doesn't matter, but the station STILL not being covered is a serious problem (that is easily fixed)

Oak Street cannot even shine the shoes of Fifth Avenue nor Rodeo Drive. It's just below Union Square, in all honesty.

 

Although expensive, Oak Street pales in comparison to Madison Ave., the 57/Fifth Ave - Saks Fifth Avenue shopping strip, or often forgotten Kalakaua in Hawaii.

 

Hell, the Westtown Shopping Center in Dayton (with Mr Hero's, Shalonda's Nails, Monique's High Fashion, and Dollar Cent$).

Hell, the Westtown Shopping Center in Dayton (with Mr Hero's, Shalonda's Nails, Monique's High Fashion, and Dollar Cent$).

 

We'll having a Mr. Hero's makes it an "exclusive" mall!

Much like Russ Parr in the morning..."exclusive."

Hey now...Russ Parr is my shit.  Alfredas' horoscopes in the morning are hilarious!

LOL!