I’m still basking in last night’s comment about a resemblance to Richard Gere – “a younger version,” to add to the compliment. I’m questioning the sincerity because it was made as the Joe’s Stone Crab dinner bill was being delivered in anticipation of a generous tip. At the age of thinning hair, age spots, and wrinkles, it’s good to hear anything positive. I only wish I had the looks, talent, and money of Richard Gere and he truly is two years older, so “younger” is at least accurate. My wife was seeing me all day through the eyes of a bad cold and is tired of my retirement uniforms, so the last thing she was seeing was Richard Gere. Someone once told me I reminded them of Eugene Levy of American Pie, and he’s certainly no Richard Gere, so most likely the compliment was a bit exaggerated to loosen my wallet. By the way, my wife, or rather the “Pretty Woman,” paid for the dinner.

I did my run down Michigan Avenue and along the Chicago River Canal by the Chicago Yacht Club. I actually became aware of the “canal” aspect after watching a video at the new Chicago Center of Architecture. I heard about the museum while listening to the WXRT radio broadcast during my 5k jog. There is a remarkable scale model of the city’s transformation since the Chicago fire of 1871. The canal was part of the re-launch of the city, connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, and cleared the route for Maritime transportation from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, Chicago became a important location and began to explode in population. Also, prior to the canal, the Illinois General Assembly decided to reverse the flow of the Chicago River. This solved the city’s water supply problems, and gave the river and canal system multiple uses, with its inherent value immortalized in the design of the city flag and the creation of a Y-shaped symbol found on structures throughout the city.   

Chicago is also known for its history in the development of skyscrapers, starting with a 10-story structure in 1885 called the Home Insurance Building.  A display at the museum takes you through the current world-battle for the tallest building that eventually shifted from Chicago to New York to modern day Dubai. However, the 2,722 ft. Burj Khalifa is about to be surpassed. Models of all the prominent past and present skyscrapers, both commercial and residential, are part of this fascinating exhibit.

I then went to visit Tall Ship Windy at Navy Pier. It was just pulling out for an afternoon cruise as I arrived, but I got a glimpse of its magnificence. The ship was once part of my newly discovered Banister Family heritage, built by the husband of one of my DNA relatives. I had met her mother on my last trip to Chicago, hoping that it my lead to more information about my suspected birth mother. With respect to the family, I wanted to make every effort to at least visit the ship, however, I just missed the boat. I’m sure they would have turned-back for Richard Gere.