The car show really belongs to us
yes--it's a South Loop happening
02/17/2012 10:46 AM
Walking out of McCormick Place last night onto King Drive, down Cermak to Calumet, then north on Calumet to 18th, north on Prairie to 16th and so forth and so on until I arrived home in a timely fashion at Roosevelt and State, demonstrated one thing about the Chicago Auto Show. It's a South Loop event. Our streets were lively but not overly crowded with people who'd parked their cars and were ready to visit the show going to and fro. The crisp night winter air, punctuated by Venus and Jupiter lit up over my head during the early evening walk. I carried my freebie CAS shopping bags rife with pamphlets into the night air that had a cool glow. The car show is, if nothing else, a part of my neighborhood.
All the history was there as I traversed the route home: McCormick Place itself, the Platt Luggage Building (albeit in a new home a few blocks away and just sporting the facade), Howard Van Doren Shaw's Donnelly Buildings with the IC tracks behind; the Wheeler Mansion (now a B and B) on Calumet; the site of the Ft. Dearborn Massacre; the few surviving historic mansions of Prairie Avenue; the new townhomes that cover every inch of space, including the footprint of the Pullman mansion; the Marshall Field Jr. mansion where he suffered the mysterious gunshot wound that killed him, the new high-rises on the old Motor Row, not to mention the old Movie Row. And more and more. It's all there when you leave the CAS and walk north into the heart of the South Loop.
The show was calm, not too crowded, the auto manufacturers hawked their wares in two enormous spaces. They wanted to give you a ride on various kinds of novel tracks within their own parameters. They wanted to show you how the Prius self-parks (I got in the car and they did it--but I still can't figure out how it's done and if you ask them, they can't explain it either). You can experience how a Land Rover takes on the roughest of the rough terrain. And see what a Chevy Volt looks like. Or how a Buick stacks up against a Volvo or a Hyundai; how a Mercedes, a BMW and an Audi don't look all that different from a standard Ford. And how all the concept cars kind of look alike with floating swan-like seats in vehicles with extra leg room.
The Show's maintenance staff walked around continuously cleaning--alternating between feather dusting the cars and sanitizing anything people touched with a spray and some rags. I guess the show doesn't want to be known for spreading any kind of disease.
You could have a slice of Connie's Pizza, or two (I did) and a piece of very sugary Ryba's Fudge (I didn't). Or a Chicago hot dog. You could make your own button with markers and pin it on yourself after they put it through a button-making machine. I colored one up in cool shades of gray and lavender just before walking into the night air--made of cool shades of navy blue and incandescent.
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By Bruce from Prairie District
Posted: 02/28/2012 11:15 AM
I skipped the Auto Show this year because I think the emphasis on "Green" vehicles has gone way too far. Batteries, as most consumers know, are the worst alternative for reliable long term service. But to the point of bringing revenue to the South Loop, I can only say the #3 bus northbound from Michigan & Cullerton during the week was packed with show-goers with bags full of stuff. McCormick is much more annoying during some medical conventions when very Dr. needs to take a cab down Indiana.
By Ed from Little Italy
Posted: 02/28/2012 0:48 AM
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By Kent from Museum Campus
Posted: 02/21/2012 6:55 PM
I went during my lunch hour, just 3 blocks from my fun (work) place. OK, I got a gripe...CPD needs to have a couple extra squad cars along Indiana when there are big event at the Center, the taxis are driving even crazier, with more of them.
By South Loopr from South Loop
Posted: 02/18/2012 11:58 AM
Cool video of Motor Row.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFB7lkYsLtU&context=C3c92b3cADOEgsToPDskLY0fw1dAG-nWsQgLjB49M-