Here's is a photo bonanza. It's pretty much all of the good pictures I've taken since I moved to Chicago in early September until Thanksgiving. There are more, believe you me. Sorry they are not in chronilogical order (so Post-Modern). Anyway, hope you like them:
Odd start, I admit. Basically it's a photo at the Art Institute that went horribly wrong, but I still like.
My neighborhood after the rain
This is the Art Institute where I worked in September and October
This is the preparation for the construction of the new wing at the Art Institute
This is where I worked at the Art Institute
Fellow Art Institute comrade
Same girl, only this time it's halloween
Again, halloween party. We are at her house.
It is her house as well.
Wow! That's all I will say
When they started building this at the Art Institute, I thought they were building a patio for a hot tub or something
This is what I tried to capture with the earlier abstract photo
Alice at the Addison stop
Alice's most awesome wonderful Korean food ever.
Alice's view of the city
Alice at Blue Bayou
Andrew and Kate rockin' out at Murder House
Aragon Ballroom
This is where I work now at the Chicago Architecture Foundation.
Again, the Chicago Architecture Foundation
Mike and Audrey at her going away party. She quit her job. She didn't really leave us.
Best mailbox ever
Restaurant near my house
Blue Bayou.
Chicago Brauhaus
This is what happens to all of you failed musicians who don't know when to give up.
Danke, gut!
Brian and I at Murder House
Chicago Bucket Boys as featured on a KFC commercial
There is no liberal bias in Chicago.
This is Alice's cat. He is the gatekeeper of hell. And, according to a TV commercial, owner of a pool hotel for lovers on a romantic getaway.
Chicago is beautiful
Chinese restaurant monster near my apartment
Cloudy Chicago fall day
Club Foot
This building was featured in Batman Begins.
I am a proud customer of this store. They keep me supplied in nails, paint, and plungers.
Crobar
The Crobar again. Thanks Alice for the VIP treatment
Chicago Symphony Orchastra at Millenium Park
My dad tipping a few at the Brauhaus
Damen stop on the Blue Line.
Damen Stop on the Brown Line
Art Institute Co-Worker, Co-Killa
Double Door show
Why would wine called "Dry Sack" be so cheap?
Best anti-drug message ever
Ellen DeGenerous (sp?) look-alikes driving around for some reason
Farmers Market
First day of work at the Art Institute. I look like a Jarhead
Thompson Center. One of my favorite buildings.
This is how German my part of town is. This is in the library.
This is outside of the library. It is the Maypole.
The Chicago lakeshore
The world famous "chouch" being moved to our apartment
The Grizzly Bear Scare.
View from the Hancock Building
Another Hancock shot
Once more.
World's fancies Home Depot
This guy actually lives near me. I am in love.
The Grizzly Bear at the most authentic Irish bar I've ever been to
Mike, Audrey, and myself at Jimbo's during Sox playoff
JIMBO'S!
Playoff madness
WGN interview
Media outside of Jimbo's
Jimmy Buffett madness outside of Wrigley
Too many Buffett fans.
Most awesome Karate poster ever.
Art Institute Co-Worker
Art Institute Co-Worker and neighbor, Crystal. She was so trashed. I cropped this photo unfortunately. You should have seen the look I was giving her back.
After my, I guess, date with Monica.
The loneliest balloon ever at the Art Institute. The girl in the pumpkin outfit killed in minutes later for no other reason than to kill joy. Did I mention she's also a teacher?
My magical fountain
My magical park
Megan and Alice at Club Foot
Megan, Erika, and Alice at Club Foot before 2 of the 3 took off and tried getting themselves raped and killed. (Just kidding, kinda)
Meigs Field.
Most true representation of Michigan I've ever seen
I waited over two years to eat this Mild Curry Chicken. The most addictive meal ever.
Millenium Park Prarie
Pritzker Amplitheater at Night
Chicago moonlight
My 8 x 10 shot when I was going to attempt being in a Clint Eastwood movie. Didn't use it since I got a job and didn't have time to waste anymore.
Do you know Rod Stewart?
This is Murder House in full effect
The New Soldier Field.
Uptown building that I had no idea was so beautiful
Nick's 21st b-day present
Mike and Nick on his 21st
Matt at Nick's 21st
Mike and Nick a little later on his 21st
Milwaukee/Damen/North on an early Fall night
Some kind of mayhem
Beautiful artwork at the Golden Nugget
Palmer House, the longest continuously running hotel in America
Palmer House again
These are a friend of a friend of a friend who had a tiny puppy with them at a party. It was at DePaul University.
So many damn birds
The most beautiful plywood ever.
Peace protest at Federal Plaza also advocating for the impeachment of George W. Bush.
Protest
They were lined up like this around the whole area
Yeah!
The saddest little angel ever. Won't you end the war and impeach Bush to make him happy?
Protest
Police swarm area for no apparent reason
Police swarm area to prevent flag burning by anarchists
Police get into faces of protesters
Ararchists and police negotiate
Burn, Baby, Burn!
Rise up.
There she goes
Look at all the journalists
Rayon smells bad while on fire
The media.
At least it was keeping me warm that day.
Can you really take a cop on a Segway seriously? Maybe if they had some guns mounted to it.
Hippy anarchist yuppie motha fuckas dancing around a flag. They have truly shown the man what is up
More hippie/anarchist dancing
Cops decided to hang out instead of provide security. Amazingly, no more incidents happened. Coincidence?
Girls pose for "My First Protest" picture. Very cute.
Kim (aka Kimchi) told us about the most amazing pumpkin carving show ever at Phyllis' bar.
Alice peddling amazing animated pumpkin machine. This is true art. As the table turns, a strobe light goes off lighting a single pumpkin. It's basically a hung flip book that's good for your legs and ass.
This is what the animation was of.
Creepy Siskel and Ebert pumpkin. I saw Ebert not that long ago and he lost a lot of weight since I saw him in October of 2003. He must of had that surgery.
Can you tell me what this is? It's from Kim's animal collection. It is my belief that the Beany Baby company had lots of leftovers and decided to make a Military Bear Rabbit.
Am I wrong? Isn't this the fortune telling machine from "Big" starring Tom Hanks? If so, I will make a few wishes next time I am there.
Alice and myself in the foreground. The Jennifer Aniston/Sarah Jessica Parker girl with red eyes in the background is Monica. My wingwoman set me up with her when I first moved to Chicago. Last I heard, she's going to move to Boston to work at the zoo as a vet. Very impressive.
This is the creepiest halloween decoration ever at night. It's at the school across the street from me. They also had something that looked like two homeless people making a drug deal at their back door. Weird.
Chicago Architecture Foundation's security system. If you ever see me running down Michigan Ave. with a fog horn, you will know there is a shoplifter somewhere ahead of me.
My manager, Jenny, showing me how the security system works. She is a star on PBS.
The rogue Segway Gang of Chicago. Can you believe each one of these people paid $70 to do this? Man, I'd rather get the beat down most gangs give you for initiation.
I don't even remember. Very emo myspace though
My adoptive home.
White Sox duck fans. Very strange people must live here.
Sox Pride!
Look at all these people looking at a lion wearing a hat. No one ever does this when I wear a hat.
Installing the hat as I head to work. I like the guy straddling the lion. Very hawt.
Picasso wearing a hat. Every damn thing in Chicago was wearing a hat. Mayor Daley demanded it.
Stag Party show on one of my first nights in chicago with Nummerdor
Look at this display at a store near my house.
View from my apartment.
Tearing down a house
Ted Leo show. I have a crush on the lead singer of the band "Just A Fire." I don't know why. I think it's just because she seems very talented and very honest in her art.
More Ted Leo
All of my neighbors at the show
Balcony of Ted Leo show at Metro
Mo' Ted Leo
Playlist
Just A Fire setting up.
Seemed to fit the mood of what I was thinking when I was unemployed and walking around at 4 am on a weekday.
The lady forced this poor Mexican immigrant to play his guitar. He could have recieved a $300 fine for this.
He knows how to rock though.
Poor caged angel.
Why is this lady so sad. Doesn't she know she lives in Chicago, the greatest city in America!!!
These people were protesting Turkey for some reason. I couldn't figure out why, but they were pretty funny.
I don't like heights. This is where I see my movies usually and it gives me a touch of vertigo.
The sweetest violin lesson ever. It's halloween and that is why the child is wearing a cape. I wish it was just because he is that cool.
Western stop connection to German village. My ancestors lived in this part of town when they moved to the United States. It kinda makes it feel more like home having a history here.
This is were I worked at the Art Institute.
Beheaded mannequins at Sears murdering each other. It's like Baghdad in there.
SOX WIN THE WORLD SERIES!!! LET'S ALL GO OUT OF OUR MINDS CRAZY AND THROW A PARTY IN THE STREETS WHILE IT IS RAINING!!!!
I think each and every one of these guys hugged and kissed me at some point during the victory celebration. It was all girls on Halsted. So, it wasn't all bad.
My friend Tim is on the far left. This is one of my favorite pictures and I plan to have it made into a full sized poster when I have an extra $70 lying around. It reminds me of the French Revolution.
And they screamed, "GO SOX! FUCK THE CUBBIES, GO SOX!"
This viaduct was so damn loud after the victory.
This is wear we watched the final World Series game. During a live broadcast on Univision (the spanish network), Tim bear hugged the reporter and screamed into the mircrophone, "THE FUCKIN' SOX ARE GOING TO WIN THE FUCKIN' SERIES! AAAHHH!!!" They cut the broadcast and told him not to swear into the camera. He retorted "How do they know I'm swearing? Don't they speak Spanish?" Touche.
Well, I hope you all liked my overwhelming posting of photographs. This is what my life has been like since I moved to Chicago. I hope to post these a little bit more regularly. Anyway, I love you all and will see you soon.
-Mike Kraus
