Frozen Lake and skyline Chicago

Skyline Downtown Chicago from the North Side

     Since I live in University of Chicago, which is the south of downtown. Skyline that I often see is not this one. We went up north in order to visit Lincoln Park Zoo for Zoo Light which is the event that happens every winter in Chicago. It was strange for this year winter since I took this photo on Christmas Day but we still did not get any snow, so we missed White Christmas again this year. Too bad : (
    One more cool thing about this photo is a frozen lake. Who would believe me that half of the lake can be frozen and you are technically able to walk on it. I do not think I am stupid enough yet to do that. But maybe when it is more frozen, I might want to walk on the lake some time.

On Top of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel

Downtown from the top of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel 

     Rockefeller Memorial Chapel is one of the most interesting building on campus at the University of Chicago with a single tall tower. I always wish that I have a chance to climb up to the top of the tower.
     Finally, that chance did come to me during the summer. I went to the top of the tower and was amazed by the scene of Downtown Chicago from this far away. The Willis tower is the main focus of this view unlike the scene near the lake that Willis tower is often at the left side of the photo, emphasizing how spectacular this building is.
    The photo also captures a sculpture of Thomas à Kempis, a canon regular of the late medieval period, located at the West side of the tower.

Sunset at Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan and The Point

     This photo was taken at the Point during the summer 2012. One benefit of having a lake only ten minutes away is that we can just walk to the Point on a nice day, take couples photos and walk back. Sometimes it is pretty hard to believe that something beautiful like this is really close to where we live.  

X-Flight

X-Flight: The newest ride in Six Flag Great America

    "X-Flight"is the newest ride at Six Flag Great America in Illinois and also the first Wing Coaster in the United States. It quickly becomes one of the most promising rides in the park.
     $20 for Six Flag trip is one great thing for this summer in Chicago. I really enjoy my first Six Flag trip and look forward to going more. We rode in total 10 rides within 7 hours without any break. I felt little dizzy after riding about 5 rides, but I could not stop riding more. It was really fun. : )

On the Sidewalk

On the Sidewalk

     This photo doesn't have a lot of details in it. It just a photo of some building in downtown Chicago that reflected the water near a sidewalk. It was a cloudy day and rain just left us. I was about to cross the street but then the light turned red and  we have to wait for the light. I looked down and saw some reflection from a little pond in front of me. I took my camera out and quickly snapped this shot before we actually crossed the street. It wasn't that excited moment for this shot, but I still like this one.
     "Sometimes your achievement will come when you do not expect it to come. But if you don't prepare, all those successes will leave you behind and found another person who are prepared. So, be prepared for unexpecting thing to come"

Chicago, IL

Garfield Red Line Station

Red Line Station at Garfield ad 55th

     If you are a UChicago student, you will definitely remember this photo because it is from a 55th bus stop right outside Garfield red line station.Whether coming back from downtown or chinatown, you will have to hang out here for awhile while you are waiting for 55th bus to take you back to campus.

Mansueto Library

Mansueto Library at the end of winter

     This photo is one of my favorite photos that I have taken. Outsider might think that this is a spacecraft or some sort of alien aircrafts while students might just enjoy studying here during final exams. But it is something more than a reading space for students or a spaceship for others. Underneath this building is a solution of how we keep all books until UChicago’s libraries become one of the libraries with the most books in the country. The solution is "Robotic Cranes”

     Thousands of books lies underneath this building and robotic cranes help carrying those books up to the surface for people who want them. The software has to be very precise otherwise we will not be able to find them among other thousands books underground. That is how crazy this crazy-looking building is.

Trump International Hotel and Tower

 Trump International Hotel and Tower

       "Trump International Hotel and Tower" or Trump Tower  is a cool nice-looking building close to Chicago river and Michigan Avenue Bridge. We will see this building every time we went to a movie theater until one day someone told me the name of the building "Trump Tower." I found more cool thing about this building which is that it is the second-tallest building in the United States while the tallest one, Willis Tower, is also in Chicago. It is even taller than Empire States Building in New York City and it was actually planned to be the tallest building in the world. However after 9/11, everyone revised the plan and made it more safety and shorter than it was planned, so that it will be less targeted from terrorists.

Downtown Chicago

Downtown Chicago from the Point

     Downtown Chicago from the Point is one of my favorite view in Hype Park (where UChicago is located). The Promontory Point is a man-made peninsula into Lake Michigan. During the summer, a lot of people will come and make BBQ here while others will enjoy the beach which is nearby the Point.  Downtown from this point is fantastic. You can see (from the left) a Willis (Sears) tower as the tallest building in the United States, Trump Tower as a second-tallest building, John Hancock Center and Lake Point Tower at the furtherest one to the right.

Mansueto Library in white

Joe and Rika Mansueto Library with snow during winter at Chicago

     The weather that day was pretty bad. Snow storm came to Chicago, but some people were excited about this because they all think that this should be time for snow and winter to come to Chicago eventually. January without the whiteness of snow isn't something familiar here at all. However, less than a week after this, all snow was melt and everything become green again as if the winter will never come this year. Everyone still wait for winter, so that they will enjoy spring much more.

Chicago, IL

Sunset at Griffith

At the roof on Griffith Observatory: 1/640 at f/4.5

     One of my goal that I went to Los Angeles during winter break'12 is to go the Griffith Observatory. The telescope is not actually huge, but the location of it is pretty good. Right next to Hollywood sign is a good spot of tourists. As you can see from this photo, a lot people came here and just wait to get a nice shot from sun set which is actually pretty cool. We might not be able to call it an observatory because no one has used it for any kind of research. I think we should call it "astronomical museum" instead.

Los Angeles, CA

Occupy Chicago

Occupy Chicago in front of Chicago Broad of Trade

     I had a chance to observe the Occupy Chicago which is came from Occupy Wall Street in New York. It seemed not to have any violence or problems in this protest. But at the root of the problem, this is a good demonstration of what problems the United States has nowadays which will ultimately lead to financial crisis.