Chicago- Beyond the City

Much more than I could have ever expected...More than buildings: I had heard about the beauty of the skyline and the grandeur of the city but what I really loved about this trip was the insider's view of Chicago. Ezra was back home and had a long list of to-do's and to-see's as it had been a really long time...it was my pleasure to tag along and discover the real heart of Chicago :)

Our trips into the city revealed beautiful pieces like these all over the place-proving that it was a very important gem to the city and the locals (I called the "Chicagowinians"...I know, that's not the "correct" term but I liked it :) anyway).

Above are pictures of some works that caught my eye around the city and the beloved "bean" that reflects all over it's entire surface (even underneath).

So naturally it was a photographers dream. We hit some of the hot spots but also played around a little with long exposure and depth of field...

Night Life: Real Celebrations...Sunday night Ezra's family and friends threw a big party for him. Roberto (below), taught Ezra how to play the Jarana Jarocha (...the J's are pronounced more like an H).

In addition to music, Roberto and his wife have a studio where they teach art and dance. Ezra's father is also a wonderful artist. I enjoyed seeing many of his paintings and photographs hung throughout the house.

Home Away from Home: From the moment we were dropped off at the airport the morning we were flying out I began to miss my family (a lot!). But once I convinced myself that the kids would be fine and I needed to just relax and enjoy the trip, I was OK. It also helped that every night coming back from fun in the city I felt like I was coming home; welcomed and always treated as family :) ...That's the best way to travel! Thank you Marcos (and family), Roberto, Pablo, Rayshawn, Sabrina, Ezra (and everyone else) for such a great trip!...more about Chicogo still to come (hey, I was there 5 days...I've got a lot of sharing to do!)