Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.
It’s no secret that I love a good excuse to wander around the parks the Chicago. Lucky for me, Nick was recently contacted by the nonprofit Love Your Melon with the opportunity to share a #selfie for a good cause. For those who don’t know Nick, he’s a bit of a perfectionist who rarely likes to be on the front side of a camera (perhaps two of the many things we have in common that make us a good pair 😉 But, he had committed to taking a selfie for a good cause – for every Love Your Melon beanie purchased, one is donated to a child battling cancer – and was struggling with the best way to capture not only himself, but the concept of the cause.
Then BAM! it hit him…stand next to Cloud Gate (a.k.a. The Bean) to create a mirror image selfie, playing off the whole idea that for every one purchased, means one donated for another. I loved the idea. And that is the long and short of what landed us at Millennium and Maggie Daley Parks on this particular day in December.
I snapped off a shot of Nick taking the selfie. But if you’re interested in seeing his final shot, you can check it out here. Oh, and it’s worth noting, the hat is incredibly comfortable. I’ve been stealing his to wear almost daily, waiting for the chance to buy my own. They’re out of stock, but promise to have more soon. Stay tuned!
This was the first time I had walked across the BP Pedestrian Bridge. It’s snaking, ribbon like structure spans Columbus Drive to connect Millennium Park with Maggie Daley Park. Named for energy firm BP, which donated $5 million toward its construction, it is the first Gehry-designed bridge to have been completed. That’s Frank Gehry, the same architect who designed the well known Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park (pictured further down in the set).
I loved the movement and fluidity created by Gehry’s design. In a city where right angles rule, it’s a refreshing break from the norm. The whimsical nature of the design is the perfect segue to the enormous playland that is Maggie Daley Park.
Maggie Daley Park is like your favorite childhood park on steroids! It is massive, engaging, and even caters to adults. To get an idea of scale, check out this aerial photo Nick captured of the whole park via helicopter. Pretty incredible, right?! We didn’t spend a ton of time there on this particular day (because it was quite cold, despite the deceiving blue sky and sunshine) but I will be back to tackle the gigantic slides in the Spring.
In the Winter months, Maggie Daley Park features a very unique ice-skating ribbon. I didn’t get any shots on this particular day, but it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area and dressed appropriately. This link is helpful if you’re planning a visit: Skating Ribbon
As we were crossing the BP Bridge, I looked south and saw the strangest cloud formation. It seemingly looked like the clouds were radiating from the sun in a saucer-like formation. It was really incredible to see in person. I’d never seen anything quite like it. A cloud display and moment in time I will remember forever.
If you haven’t explored these two magnificent parks yet, get on it! There is so much to see and do.
