Sometimes it takes the Midwest a little time to catch up with the coasts on certain trends like, say, tart frozen yogurt-like substances.  While we still don’t have a Pinkberry to speak of, I’m pleased to say that over the past year or so Chicago has welcomed literally dozens of shops specializing in similarly tangy treats. 

We compared two such franchises this weekend: Yogen Fruz, an established favorite, and Starfruit, the newer kid on the block.  To ensure a fair competition, I ordered my standby at each: plain soft serve with fruity pebbles!  Results are below.

YOGEN FRUZ:

The Place:  Per usual, we visited the branch at 333 South State Street.  This store tends to stay open later than many Loop shops and eateries, which makes it a good place to end the evening.  It’s a little sterile inside, especially as compared to the super fun

The Frozen Stuff:  Yogen Fruz offers low fat frozen yogurt.  The franchise advertises its yogurt as being made fresh, high in fiber, full of vitamins, probiotics and/or antixoidents.  Original probiotic soft serve has 25 calories per ounce, with a small serving (pictured above) containing about 5 ounces

Yogen Fruz offers several different serving options including Top It (yogurt with toppings), Mix It (swirled with fresh fruit flavors), Nu Mixes (Mix it with more decadent flavors), smoothies, and some seriously delicious looking milkshakes.  Available toppings include fresh fruit, candy, and several different cereals.

The Texture:  It’s thinner than traditional soft serve frozen yogurt, but thicker than regular yogurt.  My issue with regular yogurt (you know, the truly healthy kind) has always been a texture thing, so I’m glad Yogen Fruz eliminates this problem for me.  I find this yogurt goes perfectly with a crunchy topping like Fruity Pebbles.

The Taste:  Delicious!  Yogen Fruz original frozen yogurt provides a fabulous combination of tangy and sweet that is downright addicting.  I love the way it smells, too. 

The Price:  Expect to pay at least $5.00 for anything beyond the smallest, barest scoop of yogurt available.  However, I recently bought a bunch of coupons on Groupon that will allow me to get a bunch of $6.00 treats for $3.00 each.

STARFRUIT:

The Place:  We visited the Starfruit branch located at the new Block 36 complex, an in-progress indoor mall and entertainment facility located on State Street.  The mall is still eerily quiet, but Starfruit itself is bright and fun, with a “kid in a candy store” type of vibe. 

The Frozen Stuff:  Starfruit serves kefir, a fermented dairy product similar to yogurt.  The franchise claims that Starfruit is distinguished from frozen yogurt because it contains a whopping 10 “probiotic cultures” aka “good bacteria”.  Starfruit claims these cultures aid digestion, boost immunity, promote weight loss, and so on and so forth.  Both original and flavored Kefir weighs in at 22 calories per ounce.

The menu at Starfruit includes soft serve kefir in flavors like peach, green tea, chocolate, and raspberry.  Topping options are similar to those at Yogen Fruz except Starfruit seems to have more types of candy and cereal.  Patrons can use the same toppings to make a smoothie drink or granola parfait. 

The Texture:  Starfruit’s soft serve looks very similar to Yogen Fruz’s except it is a slightly brighter white and appears just a little bit grainier.  Its appearance isn’t deceiving, because it tastes almost icy compared to the smooth, creamy, yogurt-like substance to which I am accustomed.  The icy texture made my Fruity Pebbles seem like a less than ideal topping choice, so I’d probably go for some fresh fruit instead next time.

The Taste:   May take some getting used to.  My original soft serve had none of the tang and tartness I’ve come to associate with this type of treat.  What little flavor there was can best be described as “watery,” like a the way a snow cone tastes after you’ve sucked most of the syrup out.

The Price:  A little cheaper than Yogen Fruz.  Also, they were handing out dollar off coupons the day we visited, making it possible to get a good solid treat for about $3.00.

FINAL VERDICT:  While I appreciate Starfruit’s aesthetically pleasing storefront and slightly lower prices, I must prefer the actual product at Yogen Fruz.  Yogen Fruz wins!

*No Yogen Fruz near you?  Make your own like I do!  Just combine a 32 ounce tub of Greek yogurt (many foodies swear by Fage, but I use the cheaper Greek Gods) with 2/3 cup sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Stick it in an ice cream maker for 30 minutes and freeze for another half hour.  This will make at least 4 servings.  Top with fruity pebbles and enjoy!  The texture is obviously different from the soft serve treats described above, but the flavor is practically identical.  Delicious!

Created by Tony Tasset and entitled “Eye,”  this giant sculpture will be “keeping watch” over Pritzker Park through October.  I had read about it online a couple of weeks ago but promptly forgot about it until I stumbled across it during a trip to get some Yogen Fruz.  Fortunately (or unfortunately, for those with an aversion to the work) this piece of art is tough to miss.

I was glad to see quite a few tourists enjoying the art despite the late hour.

Judging from the articles I have found online, Chicagoans’ reviews are mixed.  One comment comparing the sculpture to Sauron made me laugh out loud!  I personally kind of liked the piece, although the blood vessels around the back are kind of creepy.  Your mileage may vary but it’s at least worth a trip down State Street to give Eye the stare down.

Looking for something fun and FREE to do in Chicago?  Rain or shine, the Garfield Park Conservatory east of downtown is a great pick.  We popped into this indoor garden on a rainy March morning and immediately felt happier, thanks to being surrounded by flowers.

The Garfield Park Conservatory is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Wednesday, when it remains open until 8:00 p.m.  Parking at the conservatory is no problem, with plenty of street-side spots available.  Upon our arrival at around 10:00 a.m. we saw quite a few large busses, so I was a bit worried about crowds.  Fortunately, these groups seemed to be on site for special events and we rarely saw them during our tour.

This facility is rather sprawling, with one room leading willy-nilly into the next.  Visitors must choose between 1) touring each room in its entirety before backtracking to move onto the next; and 2) heading down the left (or right) side of each room until reaching the end of the road and heading back down the opposite side.  We picked the latter method of touring but in retrospect I think the former would probably have been easier.

When we visited the conservatory, the Spring Flower Show was in bloom, making for a nice contrast to the dreary day.  This space smelled fabulous and had plenty of benches from which to sit and contemplate the foliage.  The floral displays themselves were not as elaborate as those in the show garden of Milwaukee’s Mitchell Park Domes, about an hour north, but the overall effect was still quite pleasant.  This show ended in mid-May, but you can see the Summer Tropical Flower Show beginning May 29, 2010.

We also spent some time in the desert garden, which was chock-full of cacti large and small.  That cactus to the far left apparently lives for 100 years, then shoots up a single blossom, then dies.  Way to go out in a blaze of glory, I suppose! 

There are also several “green” rooms at the Garfield Park Conservatory.  The Moss Room, to the left, was my favorite.  It was wet, humid, and tranquil, with moss clinging to virtually every available service.  The Koi Pond pictured at center was also awesome because it had tons of fish and a Dale Chihuly sculpture!  Finally, the Palm House at the right was pretty standard, but of course every greenhouse has to have some tropical plants and flowers.

The Garfield Park Conservatory’s outdoor gardens weren’t really up and running when we visited.  We’d definitely consider returning to see these and to attend one of the facility’s many events, which include everything from an evening Walking Club to a gardening class for kids.  This conservatory is truly a hidden gem and I love it that it doesn’t cost a penny to enjoy.

I LOVE Whole Foods.  I know it’s overpriced, blah blah blah, but the shopping experience is so clean, organized, and aesthetically pleasing that I’m willing to pay a premium for it once in a while.  Don’t worry – I share equal love for World Market, Jungle Jim’s, Trader Joe’s, and Sam’s Club.  There’s nothing like mass quantities of unique food to make a girl smile!

We regularly pop in at different branches of Whole Foods when we travel.  My current goal is to visit all the Chicago locations.  We recently visited the North Halstead store for lunch and to brows around, and had a blast.  Hooray for hand-made marshmallows, bulk cashews, and made-to-order noodle bowls!

The point of this post, though, is to point out a particularly fabulous “local” display that I’ve never noticed before – cookies from around the world, all made fresh in Chicago bakeries!  There are literally dozens of varieties, and we filled a good-sized box for less than six dollars. 

As you can see, I picked lemon meringues (made in store and AMAZING), kolaczkis (polish favorites, with jam!), chocolate and almond macaroons (should have bought more almond ones – best of the bunch!) and pistachio sugar cookies (epic fail).  Disregard the holiday plate – these were bought in March 2010.

The cookie selection apparently changes seasonally, so be sure to stop by soon, and often, if you are in the Chicago area.  Just what I need – another reason to go to Whole Foods!

I’m a little surprised that I haven’t yet blogged about the Chicago area institution that is Giordano’s.  After all, it’s been around for decades and my family has been dinning there at least a few times a year since I was probably fifteen or so.

There are Giordano’s locations scattered all over the city and its suburbs.  We nearly always visit the Prudential Plaza branch (directly off Michigan) but have also stopped in for a pie at the Randolph Street location and, most recently, the Oak Brook location.  All the branches have a similar feel and equally delicious food, although the Oak Brook site did seem a little newer and less “authentic” than the downtown ones.

Here’s an interior shot.  Giordano’s has pretty traditional “pizza joint” decor, with red and white checkered table cloths and a mixture of tables and booths. 

We usually start our meal with an appetizer, which we sometimes regret by the time the pizza comes!  These are the mozzarella sticks, which have an excellent texture.  For a larger group we tend to order the combo platter which comes with fried mushrooms, zucchini, and mozzarella sticks.  A slightly healthier alternative is the antipasto salad which comes with a variety of meats, cheeses, onions, and olives.  Most appetizer items cost $7-$10 and all are very sharable.

Now, for the main event – PIZZA!  There are several types available, but you want the stuffed variety.  Although we often play around with toppings at other pizza places, here we usually get extra cheese and that’s it.  After all, you can’t improve upon perfection.  Expect to pay about $15-$30 per pie, depending on size and toppings.

Giordano’s pizzas take at least 30-40 minutes, but the end result is well worth it – ooey, gooey cheese, firm yet flaky crust, and flavorful tomato sauce topping it all off.  A single piece may fill you up, but I usually try for two.  DELICIOUS!!!  No wonder Giardano’s is a Chicago institution!

If these pictures have somehow failed to sell you on Giordano’s, you can read my in-depth rave about the restaurant here.

Yes, I know Christmas is long past, but consider this tardy post an early entry for next year’s holiday season!  Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is well-known for its annual holiday celebration – Christmas Around the World.  We visited for the first time this year to check out the decorated trees as well as the museum’s newest exhibit, “You! the experience.”  The final verdict?  I would definitely return for the Christmas display, if not for You!

The Museum of Science and Industry is located about ten minutes from downtown Chicago. We often ride the Southshore Railroad and exit at the museum stop. The museum is also accessible via Metra from downtown. If you drive, there is a nice attached parking garage available.  Current museum hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day except Sunday, when the facility opens at 11:00 a.m. 

Standard adult museum admission costs $15.00, which is a substantial increase from a few years ago.  Kids are $10.00.  The Christmas Around the World display is included with standard admission, but there are always several extra cost experiences.  During our recent visit these were The White House: A Look Inside ($5.00), U-505 Submarine optional on-board tour ($8.00), and Omnimax movies Wired to Win, The Human Body, and Mysteries of the Great Lakes.  Because of the museum’s large size, we rarely do the extra charge exhibits.  I will say that I saw Wired to Win in Louisville and it was fabulous. 

The Christmas Around the World display is dominated by a central giant tree flanked by dozens of trees dedicated to countries around the world.  We explored the trees in a counter-clockwise pattern.  It took about forty-five minutes to see them all, and we didn’t even read every word of the plaques detailing holiday customs in various countries.

Here are a few of the trees.  My absolute favorites were Greece (far left) and Japan (far right).  I’m not sure how “authentic” any of the trees are in terms of being what would actually be on display at the holidays in the listed countries.  They seem more like symbolic representations with iconography specific to these places.  In any event, they’re very pretty.

We had a very difficult time finding the tree for Poland, where my people are from.  Finally we reached it – it just happened to be the last one we came to!  Near the display, there is a little gift store set up where visitors can buy ornaments representative of their heritage.

After we finished admiring the trees, we headed over to check out You! the experience.  This newish exhibit is an “interactive” look at the human mind, body, and spirit.  Quite frankly, it seems a little redundant to me in that some of these themes are already touched on in the museum’s Genetics display. 

The You! gallery, while offering some interesting exhibits, suffers from many of the same problems as most displays of its type – long lines and frequent malfunctions of the interactive experiences.  We very much wanted to try a game where visitors can move a ball back and forth with their brain waves, but after waiting fifteen minutes behind a mother and son who had camped out there we gave up and moved on.  We attempted to play with a touch screen maze but found the table to be non-responsive to our touching.  I did like the simple display pictured to the bottom right which allowed guests to lift the weight gain associated with eating the pictured snacks each day for a year.  Not that it had much effect, in that I’m drinking a soda while writing this entry and will probably enjoy a candy bar shortly!

After fighting our way through the crowds at You! we stopped in to experience two of my favorite things at the Museum of Science and Industry – the Brain Food Court and Mold-A-Rama!  The museum’s food court is one of the best I’ve seen at this type of facility, offering a wide variety of tasty healthy and not-so-healthy foods.  My mom opted for the taco salad, while I had a tasty pretzel bread sandwich.  Christmas cookies were also available during our visit. 

As for Mold-A-Rama, The Museum of Science and Industry offers several different types.  This visit, I made myself a lovely grey wax U-505 submarine to add to my collection. 

We had a great day at the Museum of Science and Industry.  Although we don’t visit here as often as the Field Museum or Shedd Aquarium, we are going to make an effort to make the trip more frequently.  Perhaps we’ll go in March to see Science Storms, the soon-to-be-opened addition to the museum’s collection.

I’ll admit – I was one of the ones kicking and screaming about the recent transition of Chicago’s historic Marshall Field’s on State Street into a Macy’s store.  However, I’m pleased to say that Macy’s has kept many of the best features of this downtown institution.  The public spaces are still heavily decorated for the holidays, as shown below.  Even more importantly, visitors can still enjoy a delicious brunch, lunch, or dinner at the seventh floor Walnut Room.

The Walnut Room is lovely year round, and certainly more peaceful during the spring, summer, and fall.  However, it is most known for its massive Christmas trees, each year’s with a different theme.  Over the years we have eaten under  Pinocchio tree, a Martha Stewart tree, and a Swarovski crystal tree.  The tree can be viewed from a platform on the store’s top floor or from most points inside the Walnut Room.

This year’s tree is simple, with primarily silver ornaments.  Unlike in past years, the base is bare – no presents – with words projected from above.  I think the one nearest to us said “Peace.”  Here are a couple of photos:

  The dining room itself gets very crowded.  We made a last-minute decision to eat dinner here, and were shocked to find there was no wait at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday night.  I vividly remember spending several Saturday mornings during my childhood enduring three hour waits with a pager, so I would highly recommend an early weeknight dinner as an alternative to this scene.  If you do want to do the brunch, arrive early!

We were quite lucky and ended up sitting at that vacant table right next to the tree in the photo above.  It was a great seat, except for the mysteriously unaccompanied kids at the table next to us who kept bumping my mom’s chair.  I think they were just overly excited.  There is a sugar plum fairy of sorts who comes around and sprays glitter on the kids, and she was causing general hysteria among the little ones.   

The food at The Walnut Room is pretty darn delicious.  We eat here a couple of times each year and have never had a bad meal, but we definitely have some favorite items which we tend to order.

Mrs. Herring’s Chicken Pot Pie is The Walnut Room’s most famous and longstanding menu item.  With good reason – it’s fabulous!  The pastry is much more lighter and flakier than one usually finds in a meat pie, making it a fine choice for a nosh in the middle of a shopping marathon.   

While there are many tempting salads to choose from at The Walnut Room, my personal favorite menu item is the Peach Nest, pictured above.  This dish includes some of the finest chicken salad I’ve ever had, its flavor heightened by the bed of onion straws underneath.  It also comes with peaches, grapes, strawberries, and three different types of bread with a dollop of strawberry cream cheese.  I love this dish for brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Finally, no trip to this State Street establishment is complete without a piece of its signature dessert, Frango Mint Pie.  This is basically a very strongly flavored ice cream pie with a crumbly graham cracker crust.  It’s worth the ice cream headache it brings!

The Walnut Room tree went up shortly after Thanksgiving and should remain up until after New Year’s.  If you’ve never checked out this Chicago holiday favorite, make some time to pop in and enjoy the tree, the lights, and possibly a delicious meal. 

Although our family loves to try different restaurants when visiting Chicago, it’s nice to have a reliable “go-to” pizza place to pop into after a long day of shopping or touring.  We went through a Giordano’s phase before being put off somewhat by the constant hordes of tourists.  We also dined regularly for a while at InField’s at the old Marshall Field’s but I think quality has declined since the Macy’s takeover.  Fortunately, I think we may have found a new favorite pizza joint in the form of Pizano’s in the Loop.

Atmosphere-wise, Pizano’s is a cleaner-than-average bar.  Typical Chicago/sports bar memorabilia lines the walls, and the lights are dim.  There are three different places to sit: upstairs restaurant, downstairs restaurant, and upstairs bar.  Upstairs is where the action is at, with downstairs having more of a banquet room feel.  I see little difference between sitting in the restaurant versus the bar as both have table service and a similar atmosphere. 

Every meal at Pizano’s starts off with typical crusty Italian bread and butter.  I imagine they would bring olive oil if asked.  It sometimes comes out warm and is very tasty.

Pizano’s has pastas, sandwiches, and pizza with some miscellaneous items thrown in. I have ordered the homemade gnocchi on both visits, the first time with pesto and pine nuts and the second with marinara sauce.  I prefer the latter type of sauce on gnocchi because the dumplings tend to be so heavy.  These are indeed heavy, but tasty.  My only gripe is that the $14.00 portion is large enough to serve a family of six.  Next time I’m going to try and ask for a half order as I hate to waste food.

There are several different types of pizzas to choose from at Pizano’s, but my family swears by the thin-crust variety.  Even this takes thirty minutes to prepare so order right away if you’re starving.  The sauce is delicious, but I believe the cheese blend really sets these pies apart from their competitors.  Pizza prices range from $11.00 to more than $25.00 depending on size and toppings.  Toppings are pretty standard and include pepperoni, sausage, onion, green pepper, and tomatoes. 

Finally, this is sort of random, but Pizano’s has some of the best fountain soda I’ve ever tried.  It could be because they serve it in huge glasses but I always find myself gulping down gallons when I’m there!  Don’t worry – the beer’s good too.

Although the Loop location is most convenient for us, there are actually three Pizano’s locations.  Head here to find one that’s convenient for you.

Shedd Aquarium has been hyping its “Reimagined” Oceanarium for years, since before the marine animals were even removed.  They’re back now, and I visited Monday for the first time since the reopening to check out the renovated spaces and the new show, Fantasea.  I also became a member for the year, something anyone within driving distance should seriously consider.  A single membership costs just $80 and includes a guest for each visit.  This means the membership pays for itself with the second visit.

Shedd’s exterior looks pretty much the same as always except for some banners and giant inflatable dolphins promoting the “reimagining.”  This was my first and only weekday aquarium visit to date (hey, I have to work!) and I was shocked and thrilled by the lack of crowds both indoors and out.  Instead of heading straight to the Oceanarium, we started our touring with the Shark Reef and Amazon Rising exhibits.  It was incredibly relaxing through these spaces without being surrounded by thousands of our closest friends like we usually are.  Weekend or weekday, I think we will follow this reversed touring pattern for all future visits because the Oceanarium is always going to be crowded no matter what.

First, it is worth nothing that the beluga area has doubled in size, or at least the beluga family has.  There are now two separate pods of whales to be viewed and enjoyed.  We found the pod to the right to be friendlier and more interactive, particularly the oh-so-pregnant Naya, pictured above.  She is such a friendly girl, but she looks ready to POP!

We attended the 10:30 a.m. showing of Fantasea.  The arena itself has not been changed substantially.  It still offers rocky steps for guests to sit on and overlooks Lake Michigan.  Once the show starts, though, a screen comes down and blocks all outdoor views.  Images are then projected on the screen throughout the show.

Fantasea kicks off with a sea lion performing some antics and progresses into some business about magical sirens and a little girl making a wish to spend a day with sea creatures.  My mom and I argued all day about whether or not the girl was a ringer (they try to pretend she is part of the audience).  However, I just looked at press materials for the show and they depict the same little girl we saw, so I guess I win that debate.

After the little girl rides to the island in a boat, she gets visits from beluga whales, penguins, and a hawk.  There are also human trainers dressed to match each of these creatures.  As much as I love the Shedd’s belugas, I’m not sure they are cut out for show business.  Whale natural behaviors are rather subtle, and without any jumping or splashing things get a little dull.  The penguins, in turn, were absolutely out of control – one of them made a beeline for the crowd and ended up somebody’s lap.  I bet it won’t be long before that portion of the show gets retooled to make things safer for both humans and birds.  The hawk, at least, behaved himself.

After all the other animals have their turn, the Pacific white-sided dolphins get their turn.  They splash and jump, often in unison.  These guys are the real star of the show, and I would have enjoyed watching them for longer.  The end!

Overall, Fantasea is certainly an improvement from Shedd’s prior dolphin show, at least in terms of theatrics.  It actually reminded of some of the presentations I have seen at Sea World.  Still, I think there are some kinks to be worked out and I worry that repeat visitors will be bored with a second or third viewing of such a highly choreographed show.

Finally, we ended our tour of the new facility by checking out the new Polar Play Zone on the Oceanarium’s lower level.  Gone are the leaky ceilings and dreary water table displays.  The space certainly looks much nicer, with clean, brightly painted walls and fresh carpeting.

As to the actual substance, meh.  I am a little baffled as to why children need a playground at an aquarium.  Isn’t the entire aquarium kid-friendly?  The part where parents can dress their kids up as penguins with human heads is particularly odd.  I was also disappointed to see that underwater viewing space for the whales and dolphins seemed to be decreased.  We never spent much time on this level anyway, though, so I guess I’m just glad that it has been spruced up enough to be of interest to some visitors.  There were definitely lots of kids playing when we were there.

The Field Museum has long been one of my very favorite museums.  As compared to some more stagnant natural history museums, (National History Museum, I’m looking at you!) the Field does a pretty good job of making history exciting instead of dead.  Yes, there’s a good number of exhibits containing taxidermied “animals under glass”, but there are also quite a few vibrant, exciting, recently renovated displays.

The Field Museum is located on Chicago’s Museum Campus, along with the Shedd Aquarium (excellent) and the Adler Planetarium (decent).  I did a full write-up of the museum here, but the following is a rundown of my favorite exhibits which you should NOT miss during your visit:

1.  SUE – Sue is the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton anywhere.  The skeleton itself is pretty cool, and so are the interactive exhibits surrounding it.  Sue is definitely the best reason to visit the Field Museum.

2.  Underground Adventure – Guests can have sort of a “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” moment while exploring under the soil from a bug’s eye view.  This is a really neat exhibit, although a couple of the audio-animatronic bugs needed refurbishment the last time I was there.

3.  Inside Ancient Egypt – Mummies are awesome, and this large display does an excellent job of exploring various aspects Ancient Egyptian life and culture.  The “tomb” used to really freak me out when I was a kid, but in a good way!

4.  Grainger Hall of Gems – See some of the biggest precious and semi-precious stones you’ll ever lay eyes on, neatly displayed amongst plaques providing information about different types and cuts of gemstones.  This is definitely the “prettiest” room in the museum.

5.  Africa – This is, in my opinion, the best of the museum’s many areas devoted to various world cultures.  The displays are bright and colorful and at least somewhat interactive.  I like the one where guests can sit on a “bus” to view a video of a day in an African Village.

Here are some pictures to help you prepare for your visit.

This is the front entrance.  “Nature Unleashed” must have been the special exhibit at the time I took this photograph.  By this time, “Real Pirates” has taken its place.  You should definitely buy advance tickets if you want to see any special exhibit during your time at the Field.

Here’s a view of the museum’s multi-story atrium, which houses several major artifacts and displays.

These are the “Man-Eating Lions of Tsavo,” which are ridiculously hard to find in the museum.  It took us three visits!  Do yourself a favor and ask a docent for help right at the get-go.  These lions don’t look menacing enough to live up to their name, but apparently they were bigger before the taxidermy.

The Field Museum has Mold-A-Rama!  You can get a wax sauropod, stegosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, or triceratops. 

Finally, one of the best reasons to visit Chicago’s Museum Campus is to take advantage of some fabulous views of the city skyline.  This picture was taken from right outside the Shedd Aquarium.