H+M is a relative newcomer to the Chicago shopping scene having only opened it's doors in early autumn 2003. My roadtrip buddy and I were marching our way down Michigan Avenue when she suddenly stopped and flipped out because she had seen someone carrying a merchandise bag with the H+M logo on it.

Background: Liz had just gotten back from a visit to Germany and had done almost all of her clothes shopping at H+M, which she described as Germany's answer to Old Navy. So for nostalgia's sake, she demanded that we find Chicago's local H+M.

We finally found it, located on the opposite street corner from the Hancock Tower. We had expected a small place, but we were a bit mistaken. It spans three floors, each floor being more massive than many full retail operations here in Indianapolis.

The first floor was all women's clothing, spanning a broad range of styles. Everything from suburban chic to alternative and punk stylings could be found on their racks. Liz was acting like a kid in a candy store, trying to choose between four different scarves (she eventually bought all of them since the were remarkably inexpensive), a plethora of shoulder bags and purses, and about six different color variations of the same pleather miniskirt with faux bondage belt and metal bindings. When we finally made it upstairs so I could do some shopping of my own, I realized I couldn't make fun of her anymore--I was acting just the same. I found all kinds of shirts, sweaters, scarves, hats, and coats that were just my style (believe it or not, they even had an entire wall of winter attire in nothing but shades of black, white, and grey, the only colors I really wear). Everything was remarkably priced as well! Examples: soft wool tartan print scarf in shades of grey for $8, German military style sweater for $24, black short sleeve dress shirt with johnny collar for $19, and a three-quarters length soft wool overcoat with silk lining for $78 (it would have cost two or three times that elsewhere).

Liz really hit it on the head when she likened H+M to Old Navy, except I'll add that they have better quality clothes, they're far less tacky (both the store AND the clothes), greater range of styles, and they're more affordable.

It really was an incredible find to run across this store. Unfortunately, it's the kind of place I want to go back to again and again, which means many more roadtrips! I'm glad the clothes aren't expensive, because the gas will be!

Manet and the Sea is the featured exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago on display from October 20, 2003 through January 19, 2004. This exhibition is devoted to the marine paintings of Edouard Manet. While Manet is the featured artist, there are several other marine paintings from others such as Pierre Auguste Renoir, Johan Barthold Jongkind, Eugene Boudin, Berthe Morisot, James McNeill Whistler, Claude Monet, and more.

Manet's seascapes, ranging from 1864 to shortly before his death in 1883, are a little-studied subject of the artist who sometimes is referred to as the father of Impressionism. The links between Manet and his immediate predecessors and contemporaries such as Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, James McNeill Whistler, Gustave Gourbet, Eugene Delacroix, and others are examined.

To truly understand the exhibit, I suggest you get the audio tour for $6. There are several walls of the exhibit that have paintings from three artists, such as Monet, Manet, and Whistler, all on the same subject. The audio tour explains which of these painters painted it first, how the other two painters were influenced, and the differences between their styles are identified.

One interesting fact about the subjects Manet chose for his paintings, was that he occasionally painted modern events. In 1864 he created a painting about an American Civil War naval battle that took place off the coast of France, The Battle of the U.S.S "Kearsarge" and the C.S.S. "Alabama". He used his imagination, since he was not present at the battle, to create the scene. Within one month from the event happening, and not even history yet, the painting was on display for people to see.

Towards the end of the exhibit is a large room with paintings only on one curved wall. On this wall are nine paintings of waves from various artists. Works from Renoir, Monet, Manet, and others are included. The exhibit is very large and takes about an hour to go through. We went on a Saturday morning at 10am when the general museum opened, and it was very crowded.

Several products related to the exhibition are available in the gift shop, including postcards, a Manet and the Sea exhibition catalogue, ornaments and an umbrella with one of the paintings, and much more.

Special Viewing Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday:10:30am-4:15pm
Tuesday: 10:30am-7:45pm
Friday: 9:30am-4:15pm
Saturday, Sunday: 9am-4:45pm
Closed: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

AUDIO TOUR
$5 for members and School of the Art Institute students
$6 for the public

OTHER VENUES:
Philadelphia Museum of Art
February 15-May 30, 2004

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
June 18-September 26, 2004

Yes, you get to see pictures of the original Alice. Alice Liddell is the subject of about three portraits in this exhibit. Before he became famous as the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass under his pseudonym Lewis Carroll, Rev. Charles Dodgson was a teacher at Christ Church in Oxford, England. Supposedly to supplement his income, he began practicing photography and became one of the most accomplished photographers of his day.

Dreaming in Pictures: The Photography of Lewis Carroll is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago from October 11, 2003 through January 11, 2004 and consists of over 75 vintage photographs. According to the Art Institute, these have been gathered from private, public, and corporate collections both here and abroad. There are also two kiosks with digital "albums" which allow the visitors to see the way his photographs were viewed, in an album. The kiosk is a touch screen and users can virtually turn the pages of his important albums.

Carroll practiced photography for 24 years. After the publication of the first Alice book in 1865, he had established financial security and freedom from academic responsibilities. Consequently, he was able to stop photographing people as a business. He began enhancing his creativity by creating scenes featuring children.

He really did a few neat things. The first wall of the exhibit displays portraits of a variety of children. He was hired by their families to take these pictures. Even these portraits are a bit unique. He posed them sitting on the couch or in a comfortable position in an oversized chair. They were never looking at him either. He captured them in a very natural way. He added objects for the children to hold such as dolls for the girls and guns or swords for the boys. One photo shows a folder holding his son on his knee and it appears he is handing his son a dueling pistol.

Later in the exhibit you find a wall full of photographed scenes. Children would dress up and be placed in scenes from popular songs or stories. One girl was dressed barefoot and in a torn dress and she posed as Cinderella. Another scene is of two sisters depicting the story of St. George and the dragon. Some songs and books of the day were also depicted.

No photographs of this special exhibit are permitted. Unfortunately, there are not postcards or items from this exhibit for sale in the gift shop either.

Centered right in the middle of downtown, guarded by two huge sculpted lions, this is a treasure of art. One of my favorite women Impressionists, Mary Cassatt, has a wall of her works on these walls. THE BATH, an oil of a mother bathing her daughter shows such maternal instinct, and from a women who never married or had children! Her mentor, Degas, also has works displayed here.

A room downstairs holds minitures of scenes from various periods of architecture in dollhouse settings. The attention to detail is incredible! You can look through the tiny windows & see pocket-sized gardens or views of terraces. Teeny books and spectacles lie on library tables. There is a fabulous gift shop, don't forget!

One of the great museums in this country, a trip to Chicago is not complete until you visit this fabulous museum. Upon walking past the great big lions that guard the front entrance my first tip is to pull out a dollar and head over to the ticket sales person and say "one please." The institute works on a pay as you like basis so forget the $8 "suggested" price and stroll on in.

Also, I advise you go as early as possible and walk straight over to the impressionist art. It is world class in scope and breadth and it is the most popular part of the Museum. By going there early and first you will see the works at their least busy time of the day. This museum is so large you could spend a couple of full days walking through the collection. My advice is to see the important stuff first and then if your energy level permits, view a certain section that catches your eye like the photography galleries in the basement or the huge 15th century armor collection. There are always special events happening at the museum. It is a special place. Here is the link to the museum. www.artic.edu