Pink by Chipka
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Description
It’s been over a year since I took and tweaked this picture, and so I suspect it’s high-time I posted it, rather than have it languishing in digital Purgatory. That’s the beauty of back-logs; you can find all sorts of treasures: some worth keeping and some worthy of any cringes they might inspire. I didn’t cringe when I saw this picture, sitting patiently and waiting to see the light and so it must be worthy of posting.
I’d always been aware of “that great-big pink building” visible from the northern stretches of Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. I’d always wondered whose job it was to paint it. I still wonder, as the pink changes intensity from year to year, usually in the presence of scaffolds. It must be a painter’s dream (or nightmare) to keep this place all nice and pink.
I took this picture on a random Sunday morning. I’d gone to visit Corey, and we stayed up all night watching The X-Files on DVD. Needless to say, Corey was quite sleepy when—at sunrise—I’d decided to go play with my then-new camera; his roommate at the time, Andrea, had been awake all night, painting and doing Andrea-ish things, and so she was not in the mood to go wandering around, either. Well, as I was restless, I snagged Corey’s keys and promised to return with coffee. With snagged keys, I meandered along Broadway and made my way to the lake. I took pictures of random pigeons, strange, wilting flowers, and highrise-window reflections on a lone Greek Orthodox church. On my way back to the apartment (with coffee) I saw that great-big pink building and nabbed as many captures of it as I could. It wasn’t until Corey was awake that I learned the original name of the place.
Built in 1914 and christened The Edgewater Beach Hotel. During its lifetime, the hotel served many famous guests (as any big hotel might) including Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Tallulah Bankhead (don’t you just love that name!?) and other cultural luminaries. Presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower were also given nice digs there during their Chicago visits. On June 14th, 1949 Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Eddie Waitkus was shot and nearly killed by the sort of obsessive fan that makes people really leery of becoming famous. Word has it, that particular incident inspired Bernard Malamud’s novel The Natural.
Needless to say, Chicago has changed, and that great big pink building (which might not have originally been pink) has changed as well. It’s now known as the Edgewater Beach Co-Op Apartments, and on close inspection, the building’s glory days lie well behind it. No matter. It’s a grand, if very pink, landmark, and a glimpse into the friendlier pastel-shades of Chicago’s odd and often lurid history. It makes a pretty good picture too.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week. It’s finally cooled off a wee bit here—temperatures have gone from sweltering to extremely hot…and I must say, it feels a bit like a refreshing cold snap. Ah, but that’s Chicago for you; the weather, like the politics is incredibly skewed…and like any Chicagoan, I’m always inordinately pleased when things go from worse to bad.
Comments (27)
helanker
Chip it is a really beautiful building and you captured it very brillliantly. I love it. So you have still hot weather. I have tried to order a A/C for my room, but they are all sold out, so I´ll go to sleep in my 27,5 degrees Celcius room now. IF I CAN sleep, that is.
marybelgium
wonderful building an shot !
durleybeachbum
Well I have to say I rather like this huge edifice! I'm not one for tall buildings and all the light they cut out, but either it, or your postwork, is quite attractive! And as ever you give us a great read..only this time I'm just off to bed rather than just out of it!
Spirit1
Great shot and blog.
NefariousDrO
I don't know what is more fascinating here: the photo and what you've done with it, the building and it's intriguing history, or your ruminations on it and chicago (Much less your interestingly vague description of "Andrea-ish things") and life in general. In any event, it's a glimpse into a day in your life, seen through the "pen" of a very gifted writer. Thanks for making us see the world a little differently than we did before.
tennesseecowgirl
Reminds me of an Embassy Suites Hotel they all have this color.. Great dramatic capture on this one.
alanwilliams
good info covering a great shot, the perfect combination
sandra46
i like the idea of a digital Purgatory... and I'm aware that I also have created one! well this shot and the postwork are stellar!
jac204
Nice picture and story.
CoreyBlack
I love this picture and especially the postwork you did on the sky to make it pop even more than it already did that day. I remember thinking how cool the pix was when you showed the original version to me on your camera. I've had a fascination for this place since I first spied it on the northern skyline back in the '80's, and the fascination only intensified when I moved up the block from the place in 1994 durring my first stint in Edgewater. The thing really does stick out as one of the more noticeable landmarks in the area. It was probably even more of a stand out before they tore down the other half of it in 1968. Great shot of a cool building!
redchilicat
Excellent shot, love how the building takes up nearly the whole frame and that vivid sky.
jocko500
wonderful and history is wonderful too here. wonder if the movie of a Redford movie of this fan was killing all the players that look like they was going to be famous? Forgot the name of the movie lol... anyway this is wonderful
MrsRatbag
Fantastic POV and great postwork. Wonder what it's like inside?
beachzz
PInk is right--this must be quite a sight. Great history behind it as well!!
Meisiekind
Hats off to the painters first of all! From this distance it certainly looks well maintained! Your pink building (or rather THE pink building) reminds me of THE pink hotel here in Johannesburg. It was built on a hill overlooking one of the most affluent parts of the city. A night there would easily put you back a couple of thousand dollars. Needless to say - I'm not hanging out there often but I have been there for breakfast before. But I'm rambling.. Wonderful light in this marvelously composed image Chip! Bravo!
flavia49
fabulous colors and image!! wonderful work!
icerian
Excellent block of buildings and wonderful colouring. I am beginning to know your city step by step.
lucindawind
fantastic building .. excellent post work !
kgb224
Stunning capture and post work my friend. Thank you for sharing the picture as well as the history of the building.
jmb007
superbe photo!!
anaber
Beautiful! Giants in pink reaching the blue!Sky is superb!I love the perspective.I can love this place!!
auntietk
Love the building, love the color, love the IDEA of the thing! Any building built just before WWI is going to have some fascinating features, assuming nobody ripped them out for "modernization" in the meantime. I'd love to go through that place room by room, looking for amazing bits and pieces to photograph. It must have been quite a place in the late 20s and again in the 50s. Wowser! Wish I could have seen it then. Thanks for the fab photo and for kick starting my brain a bit! :)
lick.a.witch
The perspective on this is spot on! Excellent image. ^=^
rainbows
Wonderful capture and a great read, Chip. Hugs. Di. xx
GailB
very nice. Did you know that the a town in north Louisiana was renamed for Tallulah Bankhead and she was the main ghost in a children's novel (Up from Jericho Tell, I think)?
danapommet
Fantastic capture of this massive building. Love the sky and as always your story. Dana
minos_6
I really like the shifts in this picture - the dark foreground, the intense pinks, the shadow play, and that incredible sky! Your pov was perfect to show this building off, as it seems to loom over the viewer, a little intimidating perhaps.... I imagine the place could be past its best now, but you've captured it in all its glory nevertheless.