Sunday, November 17, 2013

109/365 - And The Rains Came


109/365 - And The Rains Came, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 17, 2013. All week long, I kept hearing how nice it was going to be on Sunday, with temperatures in the 60's. "But it's going to rain," was always added. The weather reports were correct. It did warm up to the 60's, and it rained. It rained a lot. Tornadoes were a potential threat. A facebook contact actually reported one in a neighboring county. I looked outside and saw a flooded street, particularly along the curbs, where the surface curves downward. One neighbor in a raincoat and rainpants was stalking the sidewalks with a rake, looking for storm sewers clogged with the countless leaves that have fallen over the last week.

108/365 - Wise


108/365 - Wise, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 16, 2013. Just a portrait of an owl-headed lady in Wicker Park.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

107/365 - Zamboni


107/365 - Zamboni, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 15, 2013. I had no idea it was opening day at the Millennium Park ice rink. I don't often include Millennium Park in my lunchtime photowalks, largely because I try to avoid taking too many pictures of the Bean. I actually walked by it without taking any photos of it, and on my way out of the park, I heard the zamboni. I snapped a few frames from the south end of the rink before I gave in and decided to photograph from the angle seen here. Thankfully, the zamboni driver, who had just left the ice, drove back on and rolled into this shot. As of Friday, November 15, Chicagoans and visitors can go to Millennium Park for free outdoor ice skating until sometime in March.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

106/365 - Smile


106/365 - Smile, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 14, 2013. These happy faces greet you in Avondale. I imagine a couple of people may actually find them startling.

105/365 - Autumn Bungalow


105/365 - Autumn Bungalow, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 13, 2013. Fallen leaves and a little bit of snow decorate the lawn of my friend Amy's house.

104/365 - Bag of Heads


104/365 - Bag of Heads, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 12, 2013. I walked past one of the countless seasonal Halloween shops that appear on every third block sometime in September, and had to wonder what became of the people who were in that shop for those few weeks. Looking in the window, I saw a bag full of heads, the lower half of someone lopped off at the waist, and a headless, armless woman's torso. There was also a really tall demonic looking fellow playing guitar. I decided against asking him any of my questions.

103/365 - First Snow


103/365 - First Snow, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 11, 2013. This year, Veteran's Day fell on a Monday, making it observed on the same day. It was also the day that Chicago saw its first snowfall of the season. I was downtown at the time, allowing me to capture a scene that is clearly Chicago.

102/365 - Open The Door


102/365 - Open The Door, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 10, 2013. Walking two dogs seems to result in one of two things. The two of them might compete to be the dog in front the entire time, keeping your arm or arms pulled taut, and your feet constantly moving in an attempt to keep your face off the sidewalk. Or perhaps they're like Sam and Elsie, with one walking along, stopping occasionally to sniff briefly, and the other darting to the next place any dog or rabbit has ever been, and trying to spend three minutes sniffing each spot before running to the next spot two and a half feet away.

101/365 - Office Cat


101/365 - Office Cat, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 9, 2013. This photo illustrates the height of my Saturday night excitement. Next weekend should be a little more happening.

100/365 - The Magic of the Elevated Train

November 8, 2013. This gentleman in a top hat and turtleneck came out of the pub with some friends. He seemed particularly interested in the L train overhead on Wabash.

099/365 - Windscreen


099/365 - Windscreen, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 7, 2013. This was a pretty cold night, and the wind was blowing directly at me. This woman found a spot to hide from the wind while sending messages.

098/365 - Phone Booth


098/365 - Phone Booth, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 6, 2013. I suppose you just have to find a comfortable spot for talking on the phone. Even if there were phone booths still around, can you imagine what they'd smell like in a city like Chicago? You probably shouldn't try to imagine that.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

097/365 - Whistleblower


097/365 - Whistleblower, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 5, 2013. Here's one of the interesting sights on my ride home from work. He blew a whistle with each exhalation.

096/365 - Winnings


096/365 - Winnings, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 4, 2013. We thought we were just going to The Monarch to get dinner, but trivia was beginning right after we were seated. We went ahead and played, at first ready to bow out as soon as we didn't know any answers or couldn't carry on our own conversation. Then came the first bonus question, which required getting the written answer to the host first. We won that and got a prize, and continued to win all the bonus questions, while steadily remaining in second place. At the end, we were still in second, but the kitchen staff was the only team ahead of us, and they of course, were ineligible for a gift certificate to their own restaurant. With them out, we won the first prize as well as several bonus prizes, and got $25 taken off of our bill. It was a good dinner! I had a delicious fried green tomato sandwich, and the Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers for the first time in 6 years, which we simultaneously watched on TV.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

095/365 - Five Eight


095/365 - Five Eight, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.

November 3, 2013. Longtime friends Five Eight left Athens, Georgia this weekend for shows in the Midwest. I caught up with them in Chicago at the LiveWire Lounge, a venue that my bands also play on occasion. It was fantastic to see them play again, as it's been several years since they were touring frequently enough for me to catch them on a regular basis. The set, and their visit, were too short to feel I've caught up with them, and with Patrick in particular, a friend of mine since high school. They're such a good band. For those that don't know them, please look them up.

094/365 - Aftermath


094/365 - Aftermath, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.
November 2, 2013.  As is the case in many neighborhoods, destroyed jack-o-lanterns litter the streets in Mayfair, in northwest Chicago.

093/365 - Día De Los Muertos


093/365 - Día De Los Muertos, originally uploaded by Mikey Brick.
November 1, 2013.  ElevArte hosted the 34th annual Muertos De La Risa event in Pilsen, which included the procession from Dvorak Park through the neighborhood.

092/365 - Vanilla Ice, Wonder Woman, and a Mime Walk Into a Bar

October 31, 2013.  Here is a photo from the Halloween party thrown by the Fabulous Ladies of Fitness at Cole's Bar in Logan Square.