Taste of Chicago 2008

Its been nearly ten years since we revisited the old neighborhood in Downtown Chicago.  A kidless week revisiting those places that were so familair to us was refreshing and rejuvinating.  I forgot how many people actually show up for Taste of Chicago until they closed the streets around Grant Park to let the partiers exit by way of all the local streets.  It was awesome to see millions of people, peacfully walking down the middle of Michigan Ave.  Chicago definitly knows how to party since the celebration is weeks long and there was fireworks three nights in a row.

  We visited the old Northwestern Dental School downtown near Navy Pier,  or what was left of it since it got swallowed up by the medical school, and managed to find some signs and  buildings that were still the same.  The old Lake Shore Athletic Club was boarded up and rumor has it that it is to be preserved by the city as a landmark probably because it was once a speakeasy during the depression that was frequented by gangsters and mayors.  The real legacy, though in my opinion,  was the years we lived in it and the great times we had there as Northwestern Graduate Students living in a “museum”.  Abott Hall is still functioning and the Ward Building and the old Clinic look the same on the outside but are completely rebuilt inside.  No more Gilmore Hall or Dental Labs in Ward.  Our old apartment at 230 East Ontario was for sale for a mere $280K  but I bet the monthly cost are at least as much as rent was back in the 80’s.  What a great place to go to school!

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