While we are huge supporters of art, we have to admit: the giant faces on the art installations in Millennium Park freak us out a bit. While the idea behind them is excellent — a work of art that reflects the city and its people, and provides fun entertainment for kids in the hot summer months — we don’t particularly like to be stared down by 50-foot-tall faces. However, the giantific portraits became even creepier......

When we first heard they were doing iPod audio tours of Millennium Park, we were psyched. We like the idea of an audio tour; we can go at our own pace and listen to headphones that drown out screaming children and double-decker buses. We also like to see Chicago through someone else’s eyes; see a different Chicago than the one we’re used to seeing every day. So we checked out Audissey Guides. Audissey Guides has......

If you spend much time at Millennium Park or on North Michigan Avenue, it’s no surprise that these are tourist hot spots. You know because you’ve been nearly blinded by a sea of brightly colored capri pants on at least one occasion. But we kid the tourists. We love them, and they love us. No, they really love us. According to a new study by Priceline.com, Millennium Park is the No. 1 destination for travelers......

Until his actual trial, barring another suicide attempt or yet another aggravated assault, this will probably be our last post on Dickhead Michael L. Jackson. You know the guy. Here's one long sentence to bring you up to speed. He was charged with driving over and killing cabbie Haroon Paryani in February, turned himself into police, went free on bond on April 7, overdosed on Xanax and Ambien on April 9 and went to the......

Millennium Park fans have a new reason to cheer and, um, take pictures this morning: The Tribune is reporting a $5 million gift to the park from Boeing, which will be used to fund construction of the aptly named "Boeing Galleries." Construction has actually already begun on the project, essentially a duo of 80-foot-wide granite-paved promenades that will be used to exhibit public art in the vein of last year's popular Boeing-sponsored "Family Album" exhibit.......

» The music at Fireside Bowl has died, Big Wig is closing, and Double Door may become a Banana Republic » Battle over Uptown and Wilson Yard » If you could redesign Crown Fountain, what would you display? This post was picked up by the RedEye. » Alan Keyes wants to protect your right to bear machine guns » A recent report from the school's accrediting agency suggests that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's......

One of Chicagoist's favorite procrastination destinations, Fark.com, has a contest running to Photoshop The Crown Fountain. Designed by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa, The Crown Fountain features two 50-foot high glass block towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers are activated with changing video images and lights, and water cascades from the top of each. Chicagoist had wondered with friends the feasibility of hacking into the computers controlling the videos, but......

A Chicagoist reader who goes by the moniker "thin white photographer" sent in this photo he took while walking past the construction of Crown Fountain in Millennium Park today. Crown Fountain, which is named after the $10 million donor of the project, the Crown family, will be 232 feet long and 48 feet wide when completed. Designed by the celebrated Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, the fountain will feature two water towers which display nature......