Chicago’s 57th Street Art Fair & Hyde Park Area - MyShadowProductions #208

Bom Dia a Todos !! (Remember that from Portugal?)

Good Morning Everybody (even if you are reading this in the afternoon or evening :)

June seems to be flying by with the days of long sunshine/daylight and the explosion of growth in the trees, bushes, plants, grasses and life.

Before I get into the main “adventure” of this Post, I have a few thoughts to put out there :)

What’s your favorite saying these days? Maybe one of these?

• Hot enough for you?
• Stay hydrated!
• I love humidity!
• You’re not walking in this heat are you?
• Hotter than a firecracker!
• Too hot to cook!

Is GREEN the color of the month/season? Maybe, but what about the sky blues, cloud whites/greys and every color imaginable in the flowers/trees/fruits?

How many leaves or blades of grass in this photo? In the world?

Morton Arboretum has a new Art Exhibition called “Vivid Creatures”, here is a collage of my photos walking around and “finding” the Creatures:

New Exhibit

Previous Exhibit 

Now, the main event :)

On Sunday, June 8, 2025 I went to Chicago and checked out the 57th Street Art Fair as well as a little bit of the Hyde Park neighborhood, the University of Chicago campus, Washington Park (needs some TLC), the Midway Plaisance and a bit of Grant Park..

Click Here for a Video created from my photos going to and at the 57th Street Art Fair.

CLICK HERE for a Video created from my photos after the Art Fair.

I don’t want this Post to be a “term paper” so I will offer the following links if you want to learn a little about the “good old days” in Chicago :)

The Chicago Boulevards aka The Emerald Necklace.

The Midway Plaisance aka Washington Park Meadow (one mile long and 200 yards wide)

The World’s Columbian Exposition aka Chicago World’s Fair 1893

Would love to see this idea reinstated :)

When I think maybe it is “too hot to cook” I think of fresh fruit and “Cowboy Caviar” - remember that from MyShadow Post #178 ?

I like the recipe because there is total freedom to add/subtract ingredients as you like/dislike. I think it is intended to be a dip, but I prefer to eat it like a cold salad. 

With this recipe it tends to make a pretty “big bowl full” because if you don’t use a whole can, what do you do with the remainder?

• 1 drained and rinsed one can each of Kidney Beans, Red Beans, Black Beans, Black-eyed Peas, Whole kernel corn
• One Bell pepper (any and/or all colors) diced
• Diced onion 
• Diced cucumber
• Garlic powder
• Salt & Pepper
• Cilantro
• Jalapeño with seeds removed
• Olive oil and Red wine Vinegar
• Crumbled Cheese

I think it is best to add Roma Tomatoes and/or Avocado chunks just before eating

I took a photo of my recent batch and used the iPhoto identifier “tool”.

It came back “look up food” and I clicked on that and amazingly it said “Cowboy Caviar” :)

Then, there was this Grey Heron who either couldn’t read or just was too hungry to obey :)

                     “No Fishing In or On the Canoe Chute”

                Kind of depends too on the definition of “fishing” :)

That’s all for now, Have a Good One, and “Stay Hydrated” :) :)