Come 5 pm, we’re all looking for a break, and it usually ends with a cold beer or cocktail during the weekday. Perry Ellis challenged me to find a few alternatives to the weekday happy hour to discover a few other things to do in Chicago other than the ho-hum happy hour.
1. Chicago River Walk
The Chicago River Walk has undergone a major reformation in the past year and based on the ongoing construction, I’d like to think the best is yet to come. It’s hard to imagine that two years ago, the riverwalk was treated almost like a dark, dirty basement that people passed by to & from work. Now, in an effort to liven up the river that connects the Loop to River North there’s a reason to stick around in the Loop after work. You can rent a kayak, dine at a handful of fun and trendy restaurants and run along the riverwalk now that the segments have been connected by beautiful bridges, reminiscent of our very own Jay Pritzker Pavilion. You can even catch the Chicago Water Taxi and head straight to Chinatown from the river. One of my favorite parts of the riverwalk is the amazing views of Chicago’s architectural feats.
This first look is a great versatile spring outfit. Shorts paired with a blazer is a bold, yet casual move that guarantees you’re dressed for any daytime summer invite thrown your way. I love this knit Short Sleeve Striped Sweater as they’re back. Buttoned-up for a classier slant or left open for a more casual feel, the polo itself is versatile.
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2. Chicago Cultural Center
Just across from Millennium Park, Chicago’s Cultural Center has been a staple of downtown Chicago – and one of the best parts is that it’s free! This landmark building was the nation’s first free municipal cultural center. The Chicago Cultural Center hosts rotating galleries of art exhibitions and installations. The most notable of these was when a then-unknown (and now world-famous street photographer) Vivian Maier’s work was first exhibited in the United States. Fun fact: the center is also home to the largest Tiffany Favrile stained-glass dome in the world, measuring 38 feet in diameter. Located in Chicago’s Downtown.
3. Cloudgate (“The Bean”)
Chicago’s largest tourist attraction and destination is a funny looking bean-shaped mirror installation named Cloudgate (but dubbed ‘The Bean’ by locals) by Anish Kapoor. Unveiled in 2006, the giant piece wasn’t initially received well ~ but once people were able to engage with the piece, and play with its silly fun-house mirrored self, they quickly fell in love. The Bean is one of the first things I tell people to do when visiting Chicago!
This spring outfit is a fun one for me, as it’s bold and geometric. Featuring the Broken Grid Short Sleeve, I wanted to keep the look crisp and stark and stick to black & white. The slim fit solid sateen pant is a spring and summer pant that I’m going to find myself wearing for much of the season. This is certainly a different type of spring look, but it doesn’t have to be all pastel or bright colors.
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Stay Risky,
– John
Photography by Ali Stone
