The River North Westin is quite an elegant little surprise nestled right in the heart of Chicago. That doesn’t really come as a surprise, actually; that hotel stands in the one part of the city that really does give Chicago it’s “World Class” standing. It’s walking distance from Merchandise Mart, almost walking distance from the Chicago Board of Trade…and a bit closer to an area featured (rather hilariously) in The Blues Brothers. In fact, on the day that Corey and I went to meet and visit with Carin, we passed the spot so familiar to each of us…only Jake and Elwood were not speeding in the Bluesmobile, evading bumbling Chicago cops, while completing their “Mission from God,” or as they’d have said it, their “mission from Ghaad.” Words like that are always best spoken with a nasal Chicago accent. And so, in the absence of Jake and Elwood, Corey and I made our way through the cold and into the warmth of the Westin Hotel. Carin was there, and we found her immediately. The hotel lobby was mostly empty, and very comfortable. It was full of subtle colors, and nice internationally-inspired music wafting out of speakers hidden in very interesting places. Carin, Corey, and I talked for quite a long, long time, and then decided to have breakfast. None of us had eaten yet, and an exceptionally good day lay ahead of us. It was cloudy for a large part of it, but shortly after we met Carin, the sun came out. It went away, probably because it got cold too, but hey…it made an appearance, and that’s what counts. I took this photo from where I sat, with Corey and Carin. I was quite taken with the shiny elegance of everything. In a way, the lobby recalled the sort of set you’d find in a Stanley Kubrick film, only our dialogue was better. Such elegant grandeur was a great way to start a great day. Plus, it was warm. That’s always a good thing. As is typical, my mind went off in strange directions that day. I think a part of it came from the marvelous and funny stories we shared. And in looking back on that day, I can definitely say I’ve got great memories for a lifetime. There will be more, of course, but a meeting in Chicago is a great start. As I look back at this, I’m particularly taken by the strange qualities of this part of the lobby. The art was a part of the room and not simple accents placed here and there. The twin shapes on their squat, black-marble platform seemed an organic part of the black marble floor; there was no real way to tell where the floor ended and the artwork began. I loved that small bit of visual melding, and I suspect it’ll work its way into a story at some point. I loved the way in which the sculpture itself resembled something that might exist on Vulcan, and I’m sure that if Gene Roddenberry had seen this, he’d have found a way to put it into an episode of Star Trek or even in one of the movies. His fictional Vulcans do seem to have a visual aesthetic that would be right at home in Chicago’s River North Westin. In fact, the only thing absent from this picture, aside for Carin, Corey, and I, are Vulcans in elegant robes and really ornate necklaces somehow recalling the shape of the central sculpture here. This picture marks the start of an exquisite day, and I hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed making it. As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week. Chicago’s due for a blizzard soon (probably by Wednesday) and so I’m curious about what sorts of photographs that will provide. Time will tell.