Kiwis and Fairy Bread

14 June 2025

Firstly, we would like to give a shout out to our friends and family who participated in the No Kings demonstrations today. We do wish we could have rallied with you. It is important to peacefully show that “this is what democracy looks like”. Well done!

Secondly, our compassion and sympathy goes out to the people of Minnesota. Assassination is always horrible and never an answer. No one should have to live with that fear and anguish.

Thirdly our day was actually quite lovely. Our journey from Somerville went like clockwork. The airport taxi arrived on schedule. The recent troubles of Newark Liberty Airport (which included a runway in need of repair, and too few air traffic controllers) seem to have been resolved. We took off on time and landed early. We checked into our Chicago apartment at 2:00 on the dot, just as soon as the cleaning person had shut the door.

On the plane we sat with a very nice woman named Lena, a recent empty nester. She’d just visited her son at West Point, where he is a Cadet. Her two daughters are studying medicine. She told me to go on a river tour and to eat Chicago Deep Dish pizza. Will do!

O’Hare Airport is huge and bustling. Not unlike Heathrow. People in bright blue vests welcomed partipants to some kind of international expo. They gave us mini flashlights.

Onto the train for the hour or so ride into our Chicago neighborhood. It was much like other metropolitan trains we have taken around the world, except much of this one is an “L”, or elevated train. From the train you can look into apartment windows. From the ground you can look up at the fast moving and pretty lights of the train. I am finding this is a city of colored lights.

For an “L” the train was crazy deep at our stop. So much so that, despite my recent regimen of 5Ks 5 times a week, the staircase nearly killed me. My heart pounded as I lugged 40 plus pounds of luggage up at least three floors of stairs. But hey, the woman with a baby in a carriage had it worse.

We found our studio apartment to be warm, bright and cozy. The building is likely an old converted factory, the walls are old brick, the ceiling beams reclaimed wood with countless little holes, nails and dents. This building has seen some things.

Settled in, we went out in search of supplies and found ourselves at a Korean grocery where we bought ingredients for a shaved pork stir fry. Walked through Greek Town and got a recommendation from a local for breakfast.

A quick nap, dinner, a walk to the river with its countless iron bridges, and on to Millennium Park, where we had tickets to the Grant Park Symphony, the “house band” of The Jay Pritzker Pavilion.

What a venue! What a sound! What incredible music!

The band shell, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, is officially designated not as a building, but as a work of art (apparently that was to circumvent the city code that stated no parkland building could be taller than such-and-such). And indeed it is a giant sculpture. Wide ribbons of stainless steel curve and flow like fabric. At twilight it is lit lit by lights of changing colors. A lattice framework over the football-field-x-2 area holds lights and sound equipment.

This summer concert series is free to all who sit on the lawn. (And that is hundreds of people!). They were having picnics, large and small, fancy or just pizza. Many were bundled up in blankets against the cool breeze. We opted for some cheap seats (just $27.00), and wrapped up in my cloak for warmth.

A full chorus accompanied the orchestra to perform Earth Symphony, a new piece by American composer Jake Runestad. Its movements took us on a journey from our planets evolution, to the dawn of humans, to the end of them (us) to the mourning of that passing and the Earth’s quiet recovery. Very dynamic and powerful. A clear commentary on climate change. We briefly met the composer and told him we’ll request his work be performed by The New Jersey Symphony.

A perfect compliment to this new work was the old and beloved Planets, by Gustav Holst. I first played the movement entitled Mars way back in high school. It is loud and percussive and is conducted in the rare 5/4 time. There are seven movements, one for each planet except Earth (and Pluto, who hadn’t been seen at the time of composition). Sirens passing on the street and helicopters overhead added to the harmonies and percussive rhythms.

The entire piece reminds us so much of STAR WARS. John Williams was clearly inspired by the movements. In them we heard shades of The Imperial March, Princess Leia’s theme and The Force.

The end of the concert brought the crowd to its feet with loud and long cheers and applause. The Irish conductor in his silver sequined jacket beamed. The young and elegant concert master glowed as shook her long black hair.

We walked to the back of the venue and just stared at the beauty of the place and the experience. A nice beginning, wouldn’t you say?