Relax-o-cat: Living In The City

Relaxocat - Chicago / Los Angeles • Founder of the Chicago Instagram Counnunity @igerschicago.

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California car culture | The climate coupled with no salty roads is the perfect situation for keeping older cars on the road, so you see a lot of gems here and there. This is an 80's @mercedesbenz 560SL which isa hard-top convertible. The trick is getting the top off and having a place to store it. Some people had a little lift contraption in their garage that held it suspended until it was ready to be put back on. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3OkgXoe

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There's a beer garden here, but for as many times as I've been by here, I've never stopped and drank. If you've been there, let me know what you think. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3pK3759

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It still strikes me as funny that we have so many seagulls, but no nearby sea. They're obviously satisfied with city life and Lake Michigan. Regardless, I like them, they have sweet faces and seem to land in front of me a lot as if they're saying hello. But not on this day. It was dinnertime. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3XL8Nbt

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It was a lot warmer than it looks. Last Friday I had lunch with a friend at a place that has outdoor seating, but it was so hot that I opted out. I almost never pass up al fresco dining! On our way out, over an hour later, there were only two people sitting in the normally filled outdoor patio. It was THAT hot. I walked with my friend toward his office and stopped here to meet another friend who was joining me for errands and shopping. "I'm at State & Kinzie", I texted him and then sent this photo on the fly. He was at State & Grand, it was hot af with 95% humidity, so I decided to step in the shade and wait - was happy to be there. Despite the heat, Friday was the start of a really fun holiday weekend. Did you stay near home or did ya leave town? — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3O4Uw6c

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It was 6:30pm and I needed a hot fudge sundae. So we ran out of the house and got over to Ghirardelli in @thewrigleybuilding , which was crowded, but not nearly as jam packed as when we left. We lucked out with a nice pair of window seats looking out onto Michigan Avenue. Now there's lots of bougie frozen treats in this city, but sometimes you just crave good ol' fashioned hot fudge (preferably with brownies too!) We walked home at a pretty fast pace because although fireworks are illegal in the city, everyone seems to be haphazardly setting them off in the street near the lake and near Michigan Ave, and I don't enjoy the idea of getting hit by one. It's 11pm right now and I'm sitting outside on the balcony with explosions sounding from every direction. I hope all of your pets aren't too freaked out and that you all had a safe and fun holiday! — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3NZwxFH

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It's the 4th of July. It's different because not only did we not have the old tradition of the City's fireworks on the 3rd, we don't have fireworks on the 4th either, but tomorrow? Huh. Well, whatever you're doing today, I hope you're having fun! — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3CXAWm2

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Then it started to rain ☔️ I expected this weekend to be a lot more hectic than it's been. NASCAR / 4th of July weekend hasn't been much different than any other summer weekend in the city, filled with visitors and local fun seekers. Yesterday we had a nice brunch at the @thewalnutroomchicago, which is always nice, and headed over to Grant Park through Maggie Daley Park. The crowds are mostly on the west side of the racetrack, leaving the lake side pretty peaceful. There's tons of security, but everyone seemed chill. And then if started to rain, but getting home was still easy albeit a little soggy. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3r1E5P5

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I took this on Wednesday afternoon•• Well, the smoke is clearing this fine Friday morning and the AQI is down to 90 from 173 when I looked on Tuesday. So that's the good news. The bad news is that humidity is at 94%. Can we please catch a break?! 😅 I'd hoped to get out of town during this NASCAR weekend, but no such luck. There's a 60% chance of rain in the forecast for Sunday, but even if it doesn't rain, high humidity can impact the performance of race cars. With the turns of the track and whatever the weather brings, it should be an exciting race for fans. The rest of us can find excitement in the fact that it’s the Independence Day weekend. 🎆 Have a great time whatever you do! — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3XwXa7Y

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When I realized this artwork isn't one dimensional, I had the urge to touch it. I didn't. While walking by this spot a few years ago, @ericchiaramonte asked me if I'm the sort of photographer who waits at a spot for a specific shot to happen. I don't. But on the day I took this, I did stop to see if I could grab a photo without people in it, which isn't all that easy since it sits at the bottom of the Sears (Willis)Tower and it's usually flooded with tourists and other pedestrians. Then along came this kid, doing exactly what I'd probably do if I were a kid. Thanks to the kid for the shot. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3JKqiDl

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Taken while on my way to @chiarchitecture the Chicago Architecture Center a few weeks ago to see the second documentary about the Thompson Center, Starship Chicago II by @dropdeaded209 Nathan Eddy. They also screened the first Starship Chicago that originally premiered at the @chicagoarchitecturebiennial. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3NxlH9z

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Summer was paused for a day of rain, wind, and chills, but it looks like we're back on track. 😎 — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/43AqQU5

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I took this at the "old" Carmine's awhile back, so it was a shock to see that the whole building was recently leveled. They'll be back soon in a new building at the same spot. Apparently, the restaurant will be on the second level of the new building, so if they have an outdoor space I'm guessing it will be off of the sidewalk. A nice change for diners, restaurant staff, and sidewalk pedestrians. I hope so - there's just too much action on the street around here for sidewalk dining to be enjoyable for anyone involved. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3X1uweW

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It's going to be a good day for fountains and pigeon bagging chasing. 😎 — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3p1K3Ph

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I needed a photo to accompany this song that I love, and the moon has been quite a sight, but as usual I was too lazy to set up a tripod. The air quality has been bad (smokey) for a few weeks due to the Canadian fires, plus the normal lakefront haze, so this came out even weirder than I thought it would. The top of the Hancock has been changing colors since June began. Sometimes it's a solid rainbow for Pride Month, sometimes the rainbow is moving, and sometimes it's one solid color (it's solid purple as I type). Years ago each individual light panel had to be changed in order to change the colors up there. I remember seeing that it would often take days to finish. Ever since the lighting system was upgraded, it's been fun to see what patterns or colors they are throughout the evenings. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3J1EZRO

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It's not left of right, it's equal. I don't understand why it's so difficult to achieve. Be liable for your own actions, you don't need to hold back others (or hate) in order to succeed. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/3oLhuWg

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For years on the first hot day of the year, a friend used to jokingly say, "Sun's out, guns out! It's shirtless driving season!" The "guns" reference was about muscly arms, not actual guns. Then 2020 happened and several mass shootings nationwide later, that joke isn't funny anymore. (Yeah, I just used lyrics from The Smiths). Anyway, for about 28 years prior to 2010, Chicago had laws that prohibited handguns within city limits. Then oxymoronic folks (you can just call them morons) who apparently care more about guns than the living, took the city to court and had that law struck down. It seems like they love embryos, but don't care so much about humans. The old law didn't "solve crime", but it kept more guns off the street. Since 2020, I've seen 3 shooting incidents from my living room window. Before 2020 the number of shootings I'd witnessed in my neighborhood was ZERO. I have lived in the Gold Coast the majority of my adult life. On top of that, the same people who acted against us (many don't even live in this city or state), now take joy in our suffering. Chicago doesn't even rank in the top 15 of most dangerous cities in the US. I hope @chicagosmayor gets his act together and embarks on his plans to reduce crime. Summer is here, things get worse in warm weather, and though I'm hoping for the best, I'm skeptical that impactful change will happen any time soon. — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/42huMHH

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Memorial Day 2023 · Honoring the women and men who lost their lives while serving our country in the military. 🇺🇸 — view on Instagram https://bit.ly/43tIsAs