Storm of the Century

We were among more than 800,000 people in the Chicago area who lost power today after a thunderstorm that lasted about 20 minutes but did more damage than any storm in at least 13 years. We're among the lucky ones: our lights are back on. Some people may have to wait days.

In our area the Kenwood neighborhood around President Obama's house seems to have taken the worst of it.

Foggy, Foggy Night

This was the scene in Nichols Park last night as Chicago was engulfed in a blanket of fog that lasted for an uncommonly long time—well into this morning, in fact. My family transformed it into works of art. Photos by Jane Averill; art direction, digital enhancement, and layout by Michael Panelas.

Paging Watson and Crick

Here’s something new: an attractive public parking garage. I don’t know if these photos do justice to the new structure at the northeast corner of Clark and Kinzie in Chicago, but it is kind of cool looking. The double helix, I assume, is an allusion to the ramps that take you up the floors of the garage, not to DNA, but I could be wrong.

The Knight of the Iguana*

There’s some good news on the local chess front in the Windy City. Since my panicky post last summer about the imminent demise of the Chicago Chess Meetup Group, people have stepped up to rescue the group from extinction. Particularly active in the institution’s revival has been NM Bruce Kovalsky, who as far as I can tell moved here recently from the West Coast and has since put a lot of energy into chess organizing. First Bruce was scheduling meetups at various Starbucks on the Near North Side. Now he’s putting one together for the Iguana Café at 517 North Halsted on December 17. I’m told these get-togethers are a lot of fun. Go here for more information about the December 17 event and here to sign up for the Chicago Chess Meetup Group.

This is a good chance to get out of the house and away from the Internet, to meet some nice people, eat some good food, play some real, over-the-board chess, and support your local chess organizer.

* My apologies to those of you who are allergic to bad puns. Sometimes I just can't resist.

Chicago the Beautiful, 1948

Not all that different in some ways, though I don't see any palm trees at Oak Street Beach. And don't expect to see the North Avenue Chess Pavillion: that was built in 1957.