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by Ross Wirth, Class of 2019

True to form Chicago Spring has sprung, a weekend of 80 degree days followed by a snowy Monday. 

We are getting to that coveted time of year in our favorite city! Hibernation season is ending. I’m always torn this time of year, as the weather starts to turn., I’m excited to leave the house and once again experience the magic of the Chicago neighborhoods, but I also get the bug to travel.  What to do?! 

Take advantage of this living museum, as Mark Purdome (Docent class of 2019) said in his recent profile on The Bridge (read it here) ‘The city is the star, not me,’ or explore other great cities if of the world?  Why not both!? 

 Earlier this month a business trip took me to Paris and London.  In between workshops and meetings I took advantage of the long Easter weekend to explore Paris. I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t visited the City of Lights in over a decade. And she did not disappoint! 

I was honored to have my friend and fellow class of 2019 docent Michelle Woods join me for the weekend. I could not have asked for a better travel companion and guide! As I was buried with work leading up to the trip and the weekend Michelle planned a fantastic itinerary for us.  Of course we saw the tower which inspired Mr. Ferris’s wheel at our own Columbian Exposition.  

 We started the weekend in front of The Moulin Rouge for a walking tour filled with bites and sips in of the Montmartre neighborhood – culminating at the stunning (and self-cleaning) church, Sacré Coeur.

  Our epic walk took us past The Louvre as well as Notre Dame Cathedral’s ’s re-construction site.   

  We rounded out the weekend with a trip to the incomparable Palace of Versailles and its the gardens – oh the gardens!   

I won’t turn this into a slideshow of the entire trip (that’s available here – I’m adding to it, so check back), but I couldn’t help but think of Burnham’s inspiration for the City Beautiful movement in the consistent uniformity of Paris’s built environment. That said,  I wouldn’t trade it for the diversity of our broad shouldered skyline – always dynamic and reaching for the sky! 

  I returned home to Chicago, after a week of meetings in London, to a jet-bridge that was about 85 degrees. That Friday after a DAN committee meeting at the CAC my partner, Lisa, and I decided to hop on board Constance Rajala’s (class of 2013) 3PM river cruise – and what a fantastic way to spend a Friday afternoon! It’s possible I may have the tiniest bit of bias – but ours is clearly the best cruise on the Chicago River!  

I’m writing this as I’m landing in Zurich on the way to a week’s vacation in Italy – more inspiration and history to bring back to my tours in May. 

  See you on the streets! 

-Ross 

Ro**@ro*******.com 

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