Wright in Chicago: The Robie House

More Chicago Frank Lloyd Wright as we slide into the weekend. Completed in 1910, the Frederick C. Robie home was probably Wright's very favorite Prairie house that he designed. My tour began in the garage area; I kept thinking...get me in here!



Finally we traveled up and around the house, which is still in the middle of a much-needed restoration.



While the interiors are not as slick and revitalized as Wright's home and studio, you can still see the amazing bones of Wright's horizontal design.







The chairs that are currently there give a taste of what a Wright-designed dining area might look like.



How about that shower?



I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the Robie House. I learned that the owner was only able to live there for a year before financial hardship forced him and his family to move. I can only imagine how heartbreaking that must have been.

Wright can also be found in downtown Chicago. The Rookery, an 1888 Chicago skyscraper was designed by the architectural firm of Burnham and Root. In 1905, seeking to modernize the interior public spaces of The Rookery, Edward C. Waller, the building’s manager, hired Wright.







Jaw drops and hits the floor.



The Rookery is also the home of the Frank Lloyd Wright trust.



More Frank Lloyd Wright at my main website.

Rock 'n Savannah, Pt. 7

Today marks the end of my Savannah posts (until my next visit there, of course). What better way to start off a morning than a beautiful plate of fluffy lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes? Breakfasts at the Hamilton-Turner Inn are always delicious and sure taste great after a morning run through the historic district.

The next few photos are from the City Market/Ellis Square area.



This vintage postcard shows you The Old Market House, which once stood on Ellis Square. Replaced by a parking lot, it is now gone to the ages.



Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed a few years ago and replaced the hideous parking garage with an underground structure, restoring it to the lovely park-like area that you see here.



This statue of lyricist/songwriter Johnny Mercer (also the cofounder of Capitol Records) is a nice salute to Savannah's native son.



Back on Bay Street, for the last dinner of this visit, Vic's on the River was the restaurant of choice.



Typically, Vic's rates at least one meal per visit, thanks to its understatedly elegant interior, delicious food, and attentive service..



Traditional Fried Green Tomatoes are given zest with a tangy tomato chutney.



The Swordfish melted in my mouth.



The view from Vic's balcony is pretty spectacular, too. The river sure looks purty at night.



The next morning, I awoke at the crack of dawn (5am) so that I could get some shots of River Street as the sun was coming up and before it got too crowded with tourists and delivery trucks.



What I didn't count on was the sudden drop in temperatures.



Of course I got my photos, but narrowly avoided freezing my fingers off! The things photographers do to capture what they see; it's a perilous job! Here, the Westin is beautifully lit by the rising sun in the distance.



River Street is typically an area that I avoid because it seems too touristy and commercial. In the early morning light though, I have a deep appreciation for it.



Next, it was time to pack up my bags and catch a plane to Philadelphia. I was able to snap an aerial view of the windy city, Chicago:



a detailed view of the Pier:



Today I bid adieu to Savannah, but if you'll return tomorrow, I promise to take you with me to Philly!

See more Daveland Savannah photos on my Savannah web pages.

Route 66: Start To Finish

In a previous post, I displayed a photo I shot of the Santa Monica Pier. Daveland reader JG was kind enough to send me a corresponding photo that he had recently taken. As he tells it:

Here's a recent shot of the Route 66 start on Adams and Wabash in Chicago, a block or so from the old entrance to the Art Institute. Hope you enjoy it, now you have both ends of the road!



This is the kind of stuff that makes blogging worth it. Thanks to JG for sharing and completing the puzzle! See more of my photos on my photography web pages.