Wabash Avenue, Chicago

Wabash Avenue, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

Wabash, under the L in the Loop, has long been a favorite of photographers.

Millennium Park

Millennium Park, originally uploaded by barst.

I had to stop at a couple of places on Wabash on Saturday and was just a block away from Millennium Park. I never can resist photographing there, especially the Crown Fountain. Everyone always seems to be having such a great time--the kids playing in the water, and the adults watching, but not daring to jump in themselves.

Wicker Park, Chicago

Wicker Park, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

Roosevelt Road Bridge, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

Roosevelt Road is one of my favorite walks in Chicago. It combines the old gritty industrial Chicago with a spectacular view of the skyline from the bridge over the south branch of the Chicago River.

Walking along Roosevelt Road, one also sees many other contrasts. There still are remnants of the old Jewish commercial district--mainly Manny's Delicatessen on Jefferson. More recently big box stores are opening on Roosevelt following the huge upscale housing explosion in the West and South Loop. Target opened a few years ago, Home Depot opened recently, and Whole Foods is following next month.

Maxwell Street, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

This is the "new" Maxwell Street in Chicago. The area is now called University Village because of it's proximity to the University of Illinois at
Chicago.

Popcorn, originally uploaded by barst.

Residents and visitors to Chicago are familiar with Garrett's Popcorn and the long lines. This is the North Michigan Avenue store.

Running down Michigan Avenue

Running down Michigan Avenue, originally uploaded by barst.

Not so fond remembrances of winter in Chicago

Another winter in Chicago3, originally uploaded by barst.

I haven't been able to get out and shoot this week. The big rainstorms earlier in the week threw a monkey wrench into my plans to get out on North Michigan Avenue (my favorite place to shoot). again.

So here is a reminder of far worse weather in Chicago.

Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Michigan Avenue, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

Strange things are growing on Michigan Avenue these days.

Lake Street, Chicago

Lake Street, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

Under the L on Lake Street.

Wicker Park, Chicago

Wicker Park, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

Wicker Park is a West Town Chicago neighborhood that has gone through many changes over the years. It was a working class Polish neighborhood for many years. Many people still remember and miss the Busy Bee restaurant. After that it became predominately Hispanic. Artists started moving there in the 80s because cheap lofts were available.

As so often happens, gentrification follows the artists. Now property values are extremely high and the funky and the slick exist side by side. Earwax cafe, pictured here, has been on Milwaukee Avenue since the early 90s,

Rainy night in Paris, originally uploaded by barst.

Jumping back in time a bit, this a photo from my trip to Paris in May. I took this on our last night there. We were sitting in a café across the street from our hotel. It started pouring and many people ducked into the café, making for long waits for food. I started taking photos out the window to amuse myself.

Big Love Bus, originally uploaded by barst.

Ever since I first saw Robert Frank's "Streetcar, New Orleans" in his book, The Americans, I have photographed buses, hoping to create an image that was as meaningful to the world in which I live as Frank's image was in the mid fifties. No one has ever been able to even come close to Frank, but I keep trying.

It sure isn't up to Frank, but I was intrigued by this image of a CTA bus juxtaposed with am advertising display for HBO's current series about polygamists , "Big Love." Frank's image was about pre-civil rights era racial segregation in the South, mine is about a TV show. Hmm, maybe mine really does reflect our own world.

Michigan Avenue, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

I started this blog a couple of years ago, but never got around to posting much on it. Now that I am out photographing on the street again, I am going to start anew. I'm going to try to post a photo a day.

This one was taken on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago the "Magnificent Mile" as it is called. These days, it is lined with mostly outposts of international chains from Chanel to the Gap and everything in between. Marshall Field's is no more--now it's Macy's. Lord & Taylor is gone, but the stores and the people keep coming.