Chicago: The City of Fashion
My walk started September 29th at 2:30pm. I had finished a class at the Loop campus, and I was talking to a classmate that told me that there was a new pair of sneakers that was coming out at the Nike store at 3:00pm, so I decided to walk to Michigan avenue to get my new pair of shoes. It was a particularly sunny day, so I put my sunglasses on and began walking on state street to go up north to Michigan Ave. I walked along the North State Street bridge that crosses with the Chicago River and the view was like no other, I could see all of the different shades of green in the water as the rivers surface slowly got rippled from all of the boats that passed by. The multitude of bridges spanning the riverfront was something that could not be replicated in any other city because of the bridges unique brown color and historic looking design that screams out “Chicago!”
As I continue walking, I notice how busy the streets of downtown Chicago get around the afternoon and I begin to think about how each person has somewhere to go and how the city revolves around the people inside of it. Cars are a part of the city, but pedestrians are seen as more of a priority when compared to vehicles because of the vulnerability that comes with walking in a city. As I arrive near Michigan Avenue, I see the Water Tower which is built like a castle and it seems so interesting to me because of the architectural design behind the building and how it is able to mix in with the surrounding urban cityscape so seamlessly, this is something that makes this city so special which is the mix of modern and historic buildings all around the city.
As I arrive to the Nike store, I can see a line outside of the store, I ask around and to my surprise they are also here to get these pair of shoes, I line up and wait for about 10 minutes before I get inside and checkout my pair. As I was in line outside, I noticed the community that had come to line up, which was a community of sneaker enthusiasts and people who were into fashion and it was interesting to see them all congregate in line to buy a pair of shoes. I like doing these types of things where I travel to line up for a product since I have been into sneakers and clothing for a couple of years now and whenever I get the opportunity to buy a limited pair of shoes with other people that enjoy the same thing it makes me feel included and like a part of their community.
After I successfully got my pair of shoes, I left the Nike store and began walking around the Magnificent Mile and saw the absurd amount of shopping centers and storefronts all around and noticed the similarities that many of these places share such as eye-catching storefronts and premium products that are being sold in all these stores. It made me think of how this area of Chicago is for the affluent and influential because many of the products being sold in these stores are priced very high and not anyone can walk into these stores and buy something. I saw the OVO store, which is one of my favorite artists clothing brands, so I went inside and saw a hat that I really liked so I decided to buy it since it was a collaboration with the Chicago Bulls which is my favorite basketball team since I was a child. The storefront was very simple and lowkey, I wouldn’t have known that the store was there if it wasn’t for me recognizing the clothing inside of the store.
I leave the OVO store I head back towards the John Hancock Center to take some pictures for my photography class and as I got closer, I could really see the magnitude of this building. It is truly an eye-catching building with its unique symmetry and slanted windows that makes it look so sleek and majestic. Its black structure that soars around the surrounding buildings is a symbol of what was able to be accomplished in this city and the success that Chicago has had over the last few decades. The Hancock Centers iconic structure is seen every picture of the Chicago skyline and known around the world. As I got close I saw a lot of people shopping in the shopping centers and this was the most people I’ve seen in an area shopping, I guess that this was where most of the shopping centers were located and it made sense since the people come to see the Hancock center can also go shopping across the street.
Something that I noticed walking along Michigan Ave and its surrounding streets was that fashion plays a significant role in this city, All of the people I saw on the streets were wearing fashionable clothing or going shopping in the shopping centers and because there are so many stores that offer a variety of clothes people are more likely to find their style in many of the stores and it makes the city seem like a fashionable city and I believe that Chicago is one of the fashion hub capitals of the world.
https://vimeo.com/629683350 (Video)
I bought a bagel at Einstein bros on Pearson Street and started walking towards the Riverwalk to go and finish an essay that I had due for my writing class, so I started walking back to the loop on North Michigan Avenue and walked along the Riverwalk on the north side until I got to state street and I crossed the bridge and took a left going down some stairs to the Riverwalk. I sat Infront of a nice-looking restaurant called City Winery. The view from where I was sitting was stunning, I could see people kayaking in the water and a lot of boats out on the river and I saw how alive the city got during this warm and sunny weather. As I was writing my essay, I felt calm and safe, I loved the feeling of being next to the river and being able to enjoy the life of the city while being focused on writing my essay.
https://vimeo.com/629783806 (Boomerang)
I finished my essay in around 30 minutes and walked back up the stairs and walked 2 blocks down Wabash Avenue to get to the millennium Monument, walking under the train tracks on Wabash Avenue is something that I enjoy, the tracks provided a nice shade from the blinding sun. And I like the aesthetic of the train tracks in the middle of a city because it gives me a strong feeling of urbanism and that is an environment that I like being in. I took a left on East Washington street and arrived at the Millennium monument.
I came here to take some photographs of the fountain and test out my camera’s aperture and exposure settings for an assignment I had for my photography class. I sat down and took my time taking pictures and testing out my settings, I enjoyed looking at the surrounding buildings that towered over the fountain and I gained an appreciation of the green areas that are in the center of a city since greenery is an important aspect of a city because when nature is implemented in a city’s design it makes the city feel cleaner and greener which is a benefit for the surrounding environments and members of the city that enjoy being in green areas.
I have been out for a couple of hours, and I am feeling tired from walking, so I leave Millennium monument and head to the brown line at Washington/Wabash, as I’m heading back the train stops adjacent to Randolph street and I snap a good picture of the Cadillac Palace Theater. Unfortunately, my Tracking app malfunctioned, and I was not able to get the exact Milage walked but I estimated that I walked around 3 or 4 miles. I used the google maps application to learn a little about the Hancock center and see the building in 3D from the screen on my phone. The app also provided me with the history and facts about the Hancock Center and It was an important tool that I used to navigate myself throughout this walk, it took me through familiar paths, but I sometimes walked on the next street over to see something new.
