For the Labor Day weekend, we went to Chicago, Illinois, to visit friends and experience the city. As is normal, obligatory conversations about my trip followed, which led to animated debates and strong reactions to my statement - Chicago made me uncomfortable and confused. I could not shake off the feeling of deja vu, whether I was in downtown, in the suburbs or on the highways. It took me a while to clear the fog in my mind and realize - that walking in downtown on the Magnificent Mile was reminiscent of Manhattan and the suburbs were strangely reminiscent of Rochester - hence taking away the thrill of 'discovering a new place.'

That having being said - I really did like Chicago, the architecture in particular. I fell in love with the 'bean,' enjoyed the architectural boat tour and gawking up at the tall buildings (and discovering the Simpson family in the windows of an office building).

The icing on the cake for me was the trip to Oak Park - the home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright and the neighboring houses he designed. Photography was not permitted inside his house and studio, but here are images of the exterior and neighboring houses. Being well known for the Prairie style of architecture, I was surprised to find that he had actually designed Victorian style houses as well (I am just developing a keen interest in architecture - and have a lot of catching up to do - Oak Park being the first of many such trips).

I recognize that not all of these are great pictures - the downside of traveling light and hurrying up. My husband and I love traveling and sight-seeing. To get through 8-hour days of walking and discovering new places, we try and remain hands-free, carrying as little as possible - which often leaves me yearning for a better camera, tripod, etc. Most of the pictures we take are from a point and shoot. My husband, though supportive of my interests, doesn't share my need to 'set up the scene,' 'walk an extra 10 minutes to get the perfect angle' or 'wait for the sun to cast a softer shadow.' I try and keep the Top Ten Tips in mind to compensate for the lack of professional gear.

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