Recently in Chicago Category

Tribune Media Group hosted a Press Pass day at Sox Park on Sunday, July 25. Wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a trip walking through the ball park. Winding from the Scout Seats lounge area, out to the field behind home plate, down into the visitors dugout & locker room area, and then up to the Stadium Club for some food & listen to Moose Skowron and Ron Kittle talk baseball.

Fun day, have to say.
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Been less than a month now since the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, and I think I've played Kaner's game winning goal 1,000 times on TiVo.

Since the Hawks brought home the Cup, I've managed to see it three times:  once in the parade, once in the Tribune newsroom during it's media tour day, and once at the United Center during a Blackhawks Standbys meeting.

Never got to linger around it long enough to read all the names...  but at least I got to touch it.  Twice.  As little as four years ago, I wasn't sure if that would ever happen.  Now, if I only had a good camera shot of me & the Cup...  ha!

Thank you, Blackhawks.

2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks playoff & parade photos

Much like I did in October 2005 when the White Sox won the World Series, I took the day off of work and walked amongst thousands of other Blackhawk fans (and other people who were not hockey fans but don't need an excuse to converge with a crowd) to watch the Hawks parade up Michigan Avenue with the Stanley Cup.

Also, here's a view from half a block south on Michigan Avenue as the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup rally kicks off with the standard National Anthem. We could barely hear anything that was being said on the stage where we were standing (poor speaker placement), but you can kindof make out the voice of Jim Cornelison in the background.


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If these videos don't get you ready for Blackhawk hockey, I don't know what will...


The Logo


Testify by Rage


91 All Star Game Anthem

Now, these last two aren't Blackhawk-centric, but I still dig them.


Stompin' Tom Conors


Cup Raise

When the Hawks announced they were going to have a Jeremy Roenick heritage night, I knew that I was going to go to that game.  The Blackhawks under new management really go nuts with these gimmick nights (can't wait for Sergei Krivokrasov night!), but it was nice to see JR back in a Hawk sweater, one even he admits he should never have been removed from (thanks old management).

I grew up watching Payton and the Bears, Jordan and the Bulls, Baines and the White Sox, but for whatever reason never embraced the Blackhawks until JR came around.  I missed a lot of Savard, Wilson, and Larmer years and the anthems in the Old Barn; but glad Roenick, Chelios, and Belfour woke me up and opened my eyes to the greatest sport to watch.

So cheers, JR.  Nice to see you again.  And nice to see the Hawks beat San Jose 4-3 in overtime (cheers, to Seabrook too).



Foley calls



Fixer



High Performance Delivery



Back Breaking Hits



Puck Drop



Thank You, Fans

Part of my training for the big Bike Ireland trip coming up in September is riding as much as I can while at home.  The way I feel after 20 miles this afternoon, I still have a long way to go.  Although, the 16 mph winds didn't help much, but they sure made it fun watching the waves on Lake Michigan.

Started my ride by stopping by the Chicago Theater to take a tour.  Unfortunately, since the union crew were still tearing down the stage from the previous nights event (Macy's Glamorama), we couldn't tour backstage or get on the stage at all.  But it was still pretty cool to see more of the building than I'd ever seen when going to see performances by Tori Amos or the Shaolin Monks.

After that, rode through Millenium Park and hit the lake front trail and headed south.  Down through the museum campus, passed Soldier Field & McCormick Place, all the way down to Promontory Point.  A wedding was being held down there, so aside from the U. of C. students sunbathing and reading on the rocks, there was a bit of formal attire around too.  Interesting mix.



After the rest stop watching the waves, headed over toward where the 1893 Columbian Exposition was held.  Rode passed a replica of the statue "The Republic", then around the Museum of Science and Industry, one of the only permanent structures built for the Fair.  Near the museum was the Japanese Garden, tucked out of sight from most of the roads around Jackson Park. Next was down the Midway Plaisance near the University of Chicago.  Here was where the Fair's big attraction, the Ferris Wheel, stood.  In fact, word is when they were building the structures for the current skating rink in the middle of the Midway, they found some of the old hardware from the old Wheel.   After that I rode by the Lorado Taft piece "Fountain of Time" in Washington Park where if Daley gets his way, that's where the stadium for the Opening Ceremonies & Track and Field events will be held for the Olympics in 2016.

It was then time to start heading back north toward home, and that's when the 16 mile an hour wind starting kicking my ass.  Sure, after I had already rode 10 miles... maybe I should have gone north FIRST when I started my ride, so the wind would have been at my back on the ride home.

PassedSox Park on the way home, a little too early to stick around for the game later that night.  And eventually, I did crawl home.  Barely.

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My buddy Tim found these gems on YouTube, a couple clips from James A. Fitzpatrick's Traveltalks featuring my town of Chicago back in the 40s.



These clips were made by James A. Fitzpatrick, and I'll have to track down some of his other TravelTalk videos.

A while back I bought a Canon ZR950 camera off Woot. Seemed like a good deal, even though I know nothing when it comes to video cameras. And being a firm believer in "you get what you pay for", I knew I wasn't getting anything THAT great. But then after the camera arrived in the mail I thought to myself "ok, now what?"

Friday, July 3rd.  Rare day off work, no plans (which isn't as rare).  So I decided to go see what it's like to stand 103 floors above ground on an inch-and-a-half thick pane of glass.  Mother nature could have given a little better day as it was mostly cloudy, dulling some of the reflections on the floor at times and views in other directions (not to mention making Lake Michigan look a dull gray as well), but every now and then, it's fun being a tourist in your own home town.


The Ledge is a new attraction at Sears Tower (no, I haven't started calling it Willis Tower just yet, especially when my idea for nicknaming it Wesley Willis Tower didn't catch on).  1,353 feet above Wacker Drive, four clear boxes jut out from the side of the tower.  Each box is made of three sheets of half-inch thick glass, each panel weighing 1,500 pounds.

As soon as I saw the announcement I knew I was going to be all over this.  But even then, as I walked up to the edge of the ledge the first time, the legs were a little wobbly taking the first step out.  But if those little rugrats running around the skydeck can go out there without fear, so can I dammit!

I really can't describe in words what it feels like.  Take a look at some more photos, or better yet, if you have the chance get up there and step off the Ledge for yourself! 

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So a few weeks ago I picked up a Canon handheld miniDV camera for some reason. Found it on Woot and got a pretty good deal on it. But now I've got a video camera, and no idea what to do with it really other than trying to learn some video apps to add to my portfolio.

So here's the first movie I threw together, just a pass with iMovie for now. Tossed the camera onto the dashboard of my car on bright sunny Saturday afternoon and went for a ride. It's really good with Thomas Newman's theme to "Road to Perdition" (appropriate?), but in the spirit of being in compliance with copyright laws the version I uploaded to YouTube is silent.


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