We started the fun early on Wednesday morning celebrating Ella’s birthday! We had a surprise breakfast party in Andrea’s room under the guise of a regular morning meeting. After cake and singing we reviewed our plans for the day and set out into the city.
Our first stop was the Museum of Illusions. We walked through a tunnel that was “spinning” and made us feel like we would fall over (some people did!). We learned about forced perspective and had fun creating pictures that looked like we were falling buildings or sitting on the ceiling. The infinity room was really cool and a room full of games to keep us busy. We had some time to spare after the museum so we jumped on the Red Line and traveled to Chinatown. We spent time in the park and learnt about intentional landscaping to make the space peaceful and meaningful for the local residents. After the park we went to a local food court and enjoyed steamed dumplings, bao buns, pot stickers and shopping for snacks we don’t find at home. All the food was cooked fresh to order and was really delicious.
With our bellies filled we jumped back on the L and headed to the river for an architecture boat tour. We learned about the different styles of buildings that included Art Deco, Contextualism, Brutalism and we saw the largest skyscraper in the world designed by an all female architectural company. Our guide was fun, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. Highlights were hearing about people illegally climbing up the Sears Building (now the Willis Building), learning about how a building shaped like a fidget spinner was built in a place it wasn’t supposed to be, hearing stories about the Great Fire that destroyed Chicago, and seeing three building dubbed the Goddess, the Queen and the Empress.
We ate a delicious dinner at Doc B’s before heading to watch Momma Mia at The Nederlander Theater. The show was AMAZING!!! Like the BEST SHOW EVER!!! The actors, songs, lights, live band and friendly staff made the night one to remember. Several of us want to make it to Broadway and be in the future shows. It was also the theater’s 98th birthday, originally opening on May 8 1926! Our night finished with an evening meeting to discuss the day and then we headed back to our rooms for much needed rest.
By Ella, Avery, Lola and Kennedy
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