The Bean

There was, apparently, a big blizzard in the northeast last weekend. We experienced none of it; we were in the midwest, where we got 6 inches or 12 inches or who knows, really? Out there they handle the winter with such ease and such aplomb and such quiet efficiency that it doesn't even matter how much it snows.

Except it does make everything look quite fabulous.

Our gracious and illustrious hosts' home, for example . . .

. . . and their lovely 'hood . . .

We woke up to snow every day and oohed and aahed at it . . .

. . . and got on with our snow-covered lives.

And on Monday, that meant heading into Chicago propah.

Chicago's a beautiful city, and although I'm a summertime girl, through and through, I appreciate that Chicago holds its own in its wintertime glory.

I appreciate it and admire it.

Eighteen of us went into the city together that day . . .

. . . and although we look like we're part of a parade or a general mass of humanity in Millennium Park heading toward that gigantic, um, kidney bean, it's just us.

And of course it's not a real kidney bean, it's Cloud Gate, nicknamed The Bean:

Cloud Gate is British artist Anish Kapoor's first public outdoor work installed in the United States. The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect the city's famous skyline and the clouds above. A 12-foot-high arch provides a "gate" to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture, inviting visitors to touch its mirror-like surface and see their image reflected back from a variety of perspectives.

Oh, we could see our image all right . . .

. . . and, frankly, when you have 18 people all together, all about to separate into groups to do separate and distinct Chicago-related activities . . .

. . . well, The Bean is a good place to start.

It's a good place to gather and marvel and touch its mirror-like surface and shiver and then diverge and say, "See you for a drinkie-poo later."

And just look at The Bean from underneath:

This is the underside, the omphalos (Greek for "navel"). It's awesomely awesome, as my niece would say.

Speaking of whom . . .

Jacquie's girl and her Uncle Schleckah are great pals . . .

. . . and always have been.

And, wait just one minute, are those ice skates hanging off my shoulder?? Why, yes, I think they are.

And look! It's the ice rink at Millennium Park! Oh, I hope someone has photos.