We woke to storms, dark clouds and thunder.... the clean cut face of the TV presenter told us that we were to stay indoors until 8.00 am... however, we had an agenda and the weather just didn't fit... Today was our day to visit Chicago some 2.5 hours from Winamac. I had the job of driving... Glen, a gent of distinguished age was to be our guide and directed me with confidence and aplomb. It's was a wonderful experience. Heaven, to me is to visit an Art Gallery. I try to visit them wherever I travel... and this gallery is second to none... This is my second visit. I will return.
We walked the corridors and joined such artists as Gauguin, Monet, Seraut, Turner and others too numerous to mention. My greatest joy was to view an entire gallery of Dutch Masters... Some of these paintings I have admired since I was 10 years old. (yes I was a nerd as a child, I'm making up for it now)
The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 as both a museum and school. It opened on its present site in 1893. Built on rubble from the 1871 Chicago fire. The collection now encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world.
My enjoyment increased when I was able to purchase a book that will assist me with my next project... I was like a kid in a candy shop.... The excitement was shared by my friend Glen who has taken to my project with keen anticipation. The temperature hovered around 101, the streets were bustling and the sounds of the city exciting...By 3.00 we were feeling a little hungry and a short walk down the street took us to the Berghoff Restaurant where they serve the best German food in Chicago.
The restaurant's founder, Herman Joseph Berghoff, an immigrant to America in 1870 from Dortmund, Germany, began brewing Berghoff Beer in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1887 as a family enterprise with his three brothers, Henry, Hubert and Gustav. A promoter by nature known for his sparkling blue eyes and determination, Herman dreamed of expanding the market for his beer beyond Indiana. The Chicago World's Fair of 1893 proved to be a perfect introduction when he sold the beer to fair-goers on the now-famous Midway.
Inspired by the wide public acclaim the beer received at the fair, Herman opened the Berghoff Cafe in 1898 to showcase his celebrated Dortmunder-style beer. Originally located at the corner of State and Adams streets, one door down from its present location, the bar sold beer for a nickel and offered sandwiches for free.
Our meal wasn't free, but delicious... and the ambiance of the paneled and painted interior added to the meal. I think it's the best coffee I have had in the USA. Maybe it was the formality of the waiters, or was it the mellow light thrown by the old gas lamps....
