Crossroads 2010

Here we are, Crossroads 2010!!!

Eric Clapton's "Blackie". Probably the most recognizable guitar ever. Pieced together his favorite components from various guitars. This was his main studio and live performance guitar for like 15 years.

Clapton's Cherry Red Gibson ES-335. Used in his Cream days, can also be seen on the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar "Lenny". Given to him by his wife Lenora (Lenny) for his birthday. This is the only guitar of his entire collection made available for sale. The night she gave it to him, he wrote the song Lenny on the guitar while she slept.

First of many Eric sightings of the day. On stage with Sonny Landreth

Robert Cray

Little old band from Texas. They left straight from the show right after their set to play in Milwakee that night.

Doyle Bramhall II and Sheryl Crow.

Doyle and Sheryl

Of course Eric comes out to play with Doyle and Sheryl

Buddy Guy and Ron Wood with Robert Lang

Buddy Guy can usually be seen playing a polka-dot guitar (you can see the polka-dot carpet) When he left Louisiana he told his mother that when he got famous he'd buy her a polka-dot Cadillac. She died before she ever knew of his fame. The polka-dot guitar is in memory of her and where he came from.

Derek Trucks & others from the Allman Brothers Band.

3 days before the festival Gregg Allman had to go in for an emergency liver transplant(years of living the Rock and Roll lifestyle seek their revenge), so all the musicians from the Allman Brothers Band were there except Gregg, so they couldn't call themselves the Allman Brothers Band.

Then Warren Haynes came out to complete the Allman Bros lineup, and the guitarists from Los Lobos...

...then Johnny Winter came out...

This concert was the most amazing thing ever. It was one unbelievable set after another.

Jeff Beck.

His bassist Rhonda Smith was way good. Worth checking out.

Eric came out and kicked off his set with Crossroads.

Eric and Jeff Beck.

Both former Yardbirds guitarists. Jeff came in after Eric left.

Eric and Jeff

Eric and Steve Winwood. This set was INCREDIBLE!! Two of the most talented musicians alive.

Eric and Steve

Eric, Jimmie Vaughan, and Robert Cray welcome BB to the stage

BB King, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan, and Robert Cray. We scoped out some seats and moved closer to the stage for the last two sets of the night.

The Guitar Summit. All the guitarists came out on stage for one last song...what else but Sweet Home Chicago.

The complete lineup, in order:

Sonny Landreth

-Eric Clapton

Robert Randolf

-Joe Bonamassa

Robert Cray

-Jimmy Vaughan

-Hubert Sumlin

Bert Jansch

Gary Clark Jr.

-Keb Mo

ZZ Top

Doyle Bramhall II(band Faded Boogey)

-Sheryl Crow

-Eric Clapton

Vince Gill

-Albert Lee

-Keb Mo

-James Burton

Citizen Cope

Earl Klugh

John Mayer

Buddy Guy

-Jeff Beck

-Robert Lang

-Earl Klugh

Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi

-Warren Haynes(Gov't Mule)

-David Hidalgo & Cesar Rosas(Los Lobos)

-Johnny Winter

-Chris Stainton

Jeff Beck

Eric Clapton

-Jeff Beck

-Steve Winwood

-Citizen Cope

Eric Clapton

-Robert Cray

-Jimmy Vaughan

-BB King

EVERYBODY

We have an apartment!!!

We're starting to get somewhat settled in finally. After almost a week and a half of apartment shopping we ended up going with one that I looked at the first day...but I'm no longer staying at the hostel anymore! Our new address is 5200 S. Blackstone Ave, apt 805. We both got to spent the first night there Tuesday. There are still a couple of kinks to iron out, like we don't have hot water in the shower. There's hot water in the bathroom and kitchen sinks, but not the shower. Luckily it's freaking hot here, so cold showers aren't too bad. Also, we don't have a bed yet. That's this week's task...to find at least a mattress. We're getting there though.

Kara has been insanely busy with Teach For America stuff. They have had her in classes from 7 in the morning until like 9 at night. It's kind of weird for me being on the other side of 14 hour school days. I don't even really get to see her for long enough to find out what they have her doing to relate it. I do know that they start having them teach in actual classrooms on Monday, so stay posted for those updates.

Tuesday I went around to a bunch of Chicago Blues historical places, and walked around the city some more. Here's some pictures:

This is the Chicago skyline from across the south side of Chicago Harbor. I took a bunch of pictures and merged them together to get the full panorama. It came out all pixelated when it compressed this one for some reason.

This is the original location for Chess Records studio(Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, Etta James) when it was started by Leonard Chess in 1947.

This was the site of the second location of Chess records. Kind of crappy they tore it down.

Chess Records bought this studio on 2120 s Michigan Ave in 1957. It is where some of the most influential Blues and R&B records were recorded. They sound they produced from this studio was cutting edge for the time. This is where the harmonica was amplified for the first time, which is a staple in the Chicago Blues sound. When the Rolling Stones first came to the states, they came here to play with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. They even wrote a song called 2120 Michigan Ave.

Muddy Waters' house on 4339 s Lake Park Ave. It's kind of sad, it's all overgrown and unkept. The front doors are all boarded up, and there's a notice on the door from 2006 saying they were cutting the power. There's a little sign in front that identifies it as Muddy's house, but that's all the recognition it gets.

When they weren't in the studio, Muddy Waters and his band and others that came to sit in would rehearse in the basement of his house. This is where Chicago Blues really developed.

Activities in the Windy City

You can really tell that I don't have much to do while Kara goes to work because this is the second time I have posted on our blog. Just thought I would relate a little about what I'm doing while I don't have anyone to play with. I'm LOVING Chicago...First of all, last weekend, when we got here, the annual Chicago Blues Festival was going on. So we....I ....got to see some awesome Chicago blues after just stepping off the plane. Tuesday night I went to a popular blues club to see one of the performers I wanted to see, but we weren't able to catch at the blues festival. About halfway through his set, this guy comes in, talks to the club owner for a bit, then walks up to the stage and whips out his harmonica and starts playing along with the band. Much to my amazement, it was James Cotton...(he played harmonica with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf and the old Chicago blues guys, exciting for me). He was in town for the Blues Festival and just decided that that club was where he wanted to hang out that night. Incredible! Today there was a free concert in Millennium Park we caught while Kara and I were strolling through. I've just been wandering around, checking out architecture and listening to music. I absolutely love it here. As a side note, I still haven't found an apartment yet, but I'm trying to fit that into my schedule.

The guy at the mic is James Cotton

Street performer. These guys are all over the place. Wherever you go you hear music.

This is the Monadnock Building. It is the tallest masonry building in Chicago(maybe the world). 1893, just before they started building them out of steel. It was so heavy that it sunk 18in. after it was completed. They had to build steps down into the entrance of the building.

I stayed in a Hostel last night....

While I am hunting for a dwelling for us, I'm staying at a HOSTEL downtown. Not a terribly bad experience. I'm staying in a room with 9 other guys, at least 3 of which are pretty serious about snoring. I had to wash my hair with hand soap the first morning, which, as wonderful as Pink Pearl is to bathe with, taught me a good lesson...always steal the little bottles of hotel shampoo, no exceptions. Haven't found a place yet, but the motivation is there...

Comment Link Fixed!

For those of you who tried to leave a comment, sorry! I have overcome technology and re-inabled the comment button!

Apartment Hunting

Nate has been apartment hunting while I've been getting brainwashed! He is such a good sport! He found this apartment that we think we like. Tell us what you think! Apartments in Hyde Park (the neighborhood that we are looking to live in are going for about 1100-1300 for a 2 bedroom). Nate is a particular fan of the Le Corbusier chairs in the lobby (an architect thing I think?). Also there is a $1000 credit for the 2 month of rent so basically it would almost be a free month of rent.

Here is the apartment listed on an online apartment guide: The Blackwood

Here is the ad from Craigslist:

Gorgeous 1 and 2 bedroom apartments available at great prices! Modern finishes in a vintage rehab! Granite counters! Beautiful vintage, fully rehabbed apartments!

The Blackwood! 5200 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago, IL 60615


Walk to all that Hyde Park has to offer! Restaurants, Shopping, Coffee Houses, Museums, Galleries and the lake!


Our On-Site Manager would love to show you around!


+ indoor parking available

+ indoor bike rooms

+ resident library/study with Wi-Fi

+ free faxing, photocopying and scanning for residents

+ free loaner items such as vacuum cleaners and tool kits

+ indoor 24-hour laundry facilities

+ on-site 24 hour fitness center

+ controlled access building

+ electronic intercom system

+ water and trash included

+ central air conditioning

+ dishwasher, stove and refrigerator


Please call 773-288-7915 and ask for Freddie White

fwhite@macapartments.com

• cats are OK - purrr
• Location: Blackstone Ave.
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
  
  

So do you think we should get it?

Just a Quick Brainwashing Before Lunch

Well I officially started my TFA (Teach For America) induction today. Induction is this week where the TFA staff tells us all about their movement here in Chicago and Northwest Indiana and instill in us the concepts that will help us close the education gap. When I informed Nate via text that TFA was "pumping me full of idealism and making sure I am aligned with their core values", he responded: "oh good. Just a quick brainwashing before lunch." Haha! I find him so hilarious! But yeah, they are pretty much brainwashing me! Here are some of the things I learned today:

• When problem solving follow this framework: Look at the current outcomes, determine what the causes of these outcomes are, and then come up with a solution to get the outcomes that you want.
• Less than 50% of low-income students in the chicago area graduate from high school.
• Less than 4% of low-income students in the chicago area have the opportunity to go to and graduate from a 4-year university. Less than 2% for African Americans.
• These statistics don't have to exist. We can change them.
• Example of Change: Urban Prep, a high school that works with low-income African American boys had 100% of their graduating class last year accepted into a 4-year university.
• What I need to succeed in the classroom is an expansive internal locus of control (locus of control is the things you believe to be within your control--having a broad internal locus of control will help me see how I can be part of solutions rather than dwelling on the problem).
• I also need these core values: 1. A relentless pursuit of results--no giving up at the first sight of difficulty 2. Integrity to stand up for what I believe in and do something about it 3. Respect and Humility to recognize when others may know more about a problem than I do. 4. Disciplined Thought to ensure that when I come up with solutions, they are the most effective for my students. 5. A sense of possibility--if I think it's impossible, I won't even look for a solution!

Crazy! Guys, I am going to see miracles in my classroom. Today a person from my school came and spoke to us and he brought two of his students, my students, the students I will be teaching in August with him: Robert and Jamal. They both spoke to us and their stories broke my heart. Neither of them have ever known their fathers--Robert's was murdered and Jamal never knew his. Their mothers raised them the best that they could but often it was in poverty. But both of them stood up there and told us that they knew that they wouldn't have to live like that because they were going to go to a 4-year college a get a degree. It was amazing. I can't give up now. I know them, and they are waiting for me to be amazing. They are waiting for me to do miracles to ensure that they will have a different life for themselves. They need me. I will not fail them. I cannot fail them. Oh please don't let me fail them.

We're Here!

We made it to Chicago! Ah yeah. Here's what we've been up to:

Arrival: We got in last night, and grabbed all 8 pieces of our luggage. Hilariously I didn't think that 2 checked bags, a carry-on and a personal item each were going to be that difficult to lug all around Chicago. Turns out I was wrong. We were definitely sweating by the time we got to the hotel. I was carrying twice my weight! But we made it here and we made it safely.

Today we just bummed around the city. First off I grabbed my tour-guide, Nate, and we went on a scenic walk through the streets of downtown Chicago. The first building that my tour-guide was very excited about was the Roanoke building:

This Building was originally built as a 16 story Lumber yard in 1915, and then was added onto two more times. Crazy! Hollabird & Roche were the Architects and they're kind of a big deal in Chicago because they were one of the first firms to build after the fire.

We then saw the New York Life Insurance building:

This was built by William LeBaron Jenny and it was the first Modern Sky Scraper, using steel instead of masonry. Way Cool.

Next we saw the Carson, Pirie, Scott, and Company Building:

It was designed by Louis Sullivan and was very ground breaking because it had these huge windows which were unheard of in 1899 when it was built. It also had all of this wrought iron decoration on the exterior of the main level.

Luckily the tourguide got some good close-ups of these:

Then my tourguide could hardly contain himself because we saw the Chicago Building:

This was the first building built with in the classic chicago style--known for the bay windows called chicago windows. There are tons of smaller buildings all around Chicago with these same windows mimicking this building!

We then went to the Chicago Public Library. There aren't any books there anymore, and it is their Cultural Center and has galleries and stuff. However the mosaics and glasswork are amazing!

Then we went over to Millennium Park and took this glorious little pic:

The legend behind the building behind me is that some chick decided that she was sick and tired of how phallic sky-scrapers were so she decided to make a sky scraper that resembled a vagina. So everyone calls this the vagina building. Unfortunately non of this is true. It is purely coincidental that the building resembles a vagina! Hilarious!

We also saw this Frank Gehry Concert Arena:

And the Bean!

Then we sat down and sketched the skyline. Nate's was good, but mine was not blog-worthy.

Amazingly we happened to arrive in Chicago during the Chicago Blues Festival! So cool.

They had these venues set up all over grant park. Nate was in heaven, but unfortunately I was running on an empty stomach and became a grouchy grouchy Kara. But we got some food in me and life was good again!

And we ended our day by going and getting ourselves a deep dish stuffed crust pizza! It was amazing, and I don't think I've ever been so full from eating pizza.

We are having so much fun with our new city! We miss everyone at home though! Let us know how things are going! Please!