Monday, April 11, 2011

Downtown Chicago Inspiration

A couple weeks ago, on a non-preschool day, Becket and I met my mom downtown Chicago for a day at the Flower and Garden Show.  I found some cool quilty inspiration on the trip.  But first I have to add some cute Becket pictures.


We parked at the local Metra station and took the train in.  We sat in the top row seats.  Becket was a bit excited.



Once we got downtown, we had to wait a bit for my mom's train to arrive from the north suburbs.  So a snack was in order.  It was fun to sit on the old benches in the huge, marble station. 


The Flower and Garden show is at Navy Pier - and one of the permanent exhibits at the Pier is the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows.  It's a fabulous collection, and of course great quilt inspiration.


My mom and Becket peeked at me through this one :)


Surprisingly, I didn't find much quilty at the flower show.  They fill the big exhibition hall at the end of the pier with a bunch of mocked-up yards, ponds, flower beds.  A fabulous thing in the last of the Chicago winter!  But the theme this year was sports, so not as quilt-inspiring as the Alice in Wonderland displays last year.


But on the way back to our train station, I had to jump out into the road for two last photos.  It was so cool to see the cobblestones partially exposed from pot holes in the pavement.


Kid side note - so we're here watching Becket's favorite cartoon, Max and Ruby.   Do you wonder how old Ruby is?  There's never a parent around except for when the grandma comes to visit.  I hate it when I'm watching these things and am saying in my head how unrealistic it is to have no parents around, or traveling the world as like a 6yr old.  I have to remind myself that it's a CARTOON of talking rabbits - not realistic in the least.

6 comments:

And this would be . . . . said...

I don't let me girls (6 and 5) watch Max and Ruby. I don't understand that show and no matter how may time I think it is just a cartoon....I can't get over the fact that there are NO parents, but there is a grandmother???

Leslie said...

i love your inspiration pictures....the brick/stone street is beautiful. your Becket is too cute!!! looks like a fun place to visit! and i know about the cartoons..they are so ridiculous.

andie said...

laughing here about Max and Ruby!! Yes there is a grandmother! There are so many well know books, cartoons, and movies where there is either no mention of parents, or they are orphans or the parents some how are weaved out of the story line. It is just more fun without us I guess!! It just makes me laugh!!

Stephanie said...

Jackson loves Max and Ruby, we agree here that it's odd that the parents aren't around, but I love their toys!!! A red rubber elephant, can't sit up slug, I mean they have some awesome stuff!

Speaking of awesome, I wish all roads were still cobblestone!

Allie said...

Looks like a super fun day! I love the quilt inspiration.

Hobson School said...

Hi! Just checking in to see what you've been making. So funny about max and ruby. I say that every time my kids watch. "where is his mother!?" my kids always say "oh, she died. " because then it's acceptable for orphans to be living alone? And taking the bus to grandma's alone? And what about Louise? Her mother sends her to the orphan's house to play with no supervision? Why hasn't she reported them to dcfs!? Despite all that, cute show.