It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas (2009 Edition, Part 10)

The City of Chicago's official Christmas tree is up in Daley Plaza (55 West Randolph Street).  Instead of being dozens of trees lashed together, this year it's just one tree spotted in Mundelein by a tree scout.  Now there's a career I'd never considered before.

North Side Sonic Boom Warning

That noise you're going to hear this morning (Friday, September 18, 2009) echoing across the Gold Coast and Near North Side is a 21-gun salute at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Chestnut Street.  In the photo above we see Chicago police officers preparing for the event in front of Fourth Presbyterian Church (125 East Chestnut Street).  It's part of a series of events all week honoring veterans, especially those who received the Congressional Medal of Honor.  The photo below is from an event at Daley Plaza (55 West Randolph Street) yesterday.

Daley Plaza Isn't a Trailer Park

What's the difference between the Daley Center and a trailer park?  The Daley Center isn't waiting until April to take down its Christmas decorations.  The last of the trees that made up the massive city Christmas tree have finally been hauled away.  This picture was snapped on Friday, January 23rd as crews were removing the last bits of it.  Still, the fresh scent of pine hung in the air in a soothing way.  It was a nice contrast to the incessant blaring of taxi horns as the hacks honk at invisible leprechauns on their dashboards or whatever it is that causes their antisocial insolence.