August 27th // Chicago, IL
After a quick-lunch, Faeln, Aisha, and I headed into the city for a Greek festival that was occurring. We only stayed for about half an hour since the street was crowded, the food didn’t look too appetizing and we were craving some warm coffee. We grabbed some Starbucks and headed towards Cloud Gate, or also known as “The Bean”. Some fun facts about Cloud Gate include: The Bean is cleaned every night and twice a year, it is bathed in 40 gallons of Tide, the artists doesn’t like the nickname “The Bean”, and the inside of Cloud Gate is made up of wooden frames and beams.
As well as seeing, touching, and taking many photos with Cloud Gate, we worked our way over to the Crown Fountain. Jaume Plensa is the artist behind the giant LCD screens that shoot water out of them. This interactive piece of art highlights dualism, water, and light. Although Crown Fountain is one of the most controversial features in Millennium Park, I thought the idea and execution as well as the enjoyment other’s got from the piece was a great touch to the park.
While walking back to the car, we heard a noise that caught my attention and decided to give it a look. At the Pritzker Pavilion, some young men and woman seemed to be practicing spoken word for an upcoming event. We closed and our eyes and listened as we slowed our walk to the car and took in the moment. A cold breeze hit my face and chill sparked due to the soft, yet impactful words of the girl speaking about racism. I try to take in these moments, how I feel, what I’m thinking, listening to my senses, etc., because these are the memories I will never forget.
I love the fact that a giant, beautiful park that includes large art pieces can be found in the heart of a city. At one moment you’re looking at all the different colored flowers and vibrant green trees, and the next second you look up and your eyes fixate on the twinkling lights of the city.
Getting to see the city and famous art pieces in person was a perfect ending to a very, very long day. Here are some other facts about Millennium Park that I found to be interesting:
- The idea for Millennium Park occurred during a dentist visit
- The Pritzker Pavilion’s speakers are faster than the speed of sound
- The park is technically a giant rooftop garden
- “The Bean” is so popular that it got ripped off
- The architect’s visions for the park were not perfectly realized
- You can rent Wrigley Plaza for $250 an hour
- You can actually take a shower in the park
(Facts from https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/chicago/chicago-facts-secrets-about-millennium-park-the-bean-buckingham-fountain )
Exploring the World 