That Went Fast

by Tyler Zeutenhorst

I don’t have too many words for my last post.

The Chicago Semester was a blast. It has better equipped me, both academically and professionally, for this “real world” everyone talks about. I am extremely grateful for the people and opportunities that made my experience as awesome as it was. The city will be missed.

Until next time…

Tyler Zeutenhorst

Warmer Weather Is Coming

by Tyler Zeutenhorst

The past couple weeks have provided some great opportunities for social activities. A couple weeks back, we had an absolutely beautiful Saturday. Some friends and I decided to head over to the beach (two blocks east of Canterbury Court Apartments) and kick a soccer ball around. It was good to take the socks and shoes off and run around in the sand, especially while taking in the sight of Chicago’s skyline. Hundreds of people were out exercising along the lakefront that day, so that made the environment even cooler. It was a fun afternoon of friends, warm weather and soccer.

Spring also means that baseball season is in full swing (pun intended). The Cubbies were hosting the World Champion San Francisco Giants last weekend, so my roommate (Graham), another friend (Corey) and I decided to ride the Red Line up to Wrigley and take in the game. First, though, we started our afternoon off right by eating lunch at Taco Bell. We then walked to Wrigley, which has a great atmosphere on game day. That day was “Darwin Barney Rawlings Gold Glove Award Replica Day,” so we each got a neat little collectible when we entered the Friendly Confines.

I’m completely aware of what I titled this blog post, but I must be honest and say it was downright cold at the game. There were little white flurries floating around for the first couple innings. The game itself, though, was fun to watch. Though a seventh-inning homer brought the Cubs within one, the Giants made outs and found a way to get the 3-2 victory. Was it a tad chilly? Yeah, but any day with baseball is a good one.

Our post-game activity was one I heard about through my internship. The city of Chicago was celebrating International Tom Hanks Day, an afternoon dedicated to the man himself. One of the women in my office heads up the Chicago chapter of this international celebratory event. They played his films, took themed photos, sold t-shirts and koozies and had a raffle with lots of signed memorabilia. All the proceeds went to charity. Though we didn’t win anything in the raffle, we had a great time in the atmosphere.

The next day, Graham and I attended a concert. The two performing bands were “Carousel” and “Mansions on the Moon.” Both were unfamiliar to me. Graham oriented me with some of their music before the concert, though, so I kind of knew what to expect. Both had kind of a “chill-electronic” style. We really enjoyed it. It wasn’t loud and crazy, and there weren’t many people there, so we could stand wherever we wanted. Graham made a great move by purchasing those tickets.

One week left.  Let’s make it a good one.

Until next time…

Tyler Zeutenhorst

Green Times

by Tyler Zeutenhorst

The city of Chicago sure does like St. Patrick’s Day. Unfortunately, I was out of town when thousands of people gathered on the banks of the Chicago River to watch it magically turn green. I managed to make it down there later that day, though. Here are a few photos of its appearance about six hours after it was dyed.

Our recent Arts in the City events have been unique opportunities. Last week we visited the Old Town School of Folk Music and took in a Zamin concert. This five-piece band highlights Western sounds by combining indie and rock. They set themselves apart, though, by featuring an Eastern voice and language, as well as a harmonium. They did a wonderful job blending different geographical sounds. Genevieve Guimond, the band’s cellist, visited our class prior to the concert and beautifully played some of her favorite pieces. Check out a performance of one of those pieces here.

This week we toured the Loyola University Museum of Art. Much of the exhibit involved religion. In fact, many pieces incorporated Hebrew into their design. Others portrayed Biblical stories in various forms of illustration. The experience challenged us to think about how visual representations of faith have changed over time.

Just today my Urban Planning class toured the Garfield Park Conservatory. If you don’t know what that is, think of it as a zoo, just with plants instead of animals. The purpose of the trip was to learn about and experience green space in an urban environment. The facility was comprised of five main rooms, each having a bit different feel and scenery. Plants from all over the world are housed there. Aside from the fact that the Conservatory had the capability to do a number on one’s allergies, it was cool to smell the freshness and see some green. We haven’t had those opportunities for some months. My favorite portion was the desert. There were hundreds of cacti.

Have a blessed Easter.

Until next time…

Tyler Zeutenhorst

We Like Sportz, And We Don't Care Who Knows

by Tyler Zeutenhorst

This weekend was filled with high-flyin’, rip-roarin’ sports action. On Friday night a group of Chicago Semester students made our way over to the United Center to watch the Bulls take on the Utah Jazz. To our disappointment, Bulls star Derrick Rose still wasn’t back from injury. They did, however, have Marco Belinelli. Belinelli hit a HUGE three-pointer with five seconds left in the game to put the Bulls up 89-88. The place went nuts. I high-fived an usher. The home team held on for the victory. It wasn’t the prettiest game of basketball, but it sure was a fun experience, and a great ending.

The next day, my roommate Graham and I traveled an hour and 45 minutes from Canterbury Court to Toyota Park to watch the Chicago Fire take on the New England Revolution. For those of you who have never heard of those teams, they are MLS (Major League Soccer) clubs. Graham and I are big soccer fans, and we found a great deal on tickets. Let me just say that our chicken strips at the game were more than the tickets themselves. We sat in “Section 8,” their crazy fan section behind the goal. We had a blast cheering for the Fire and yelling at the Revolution’s goalkeeper. Despite the 1-0 Revolution victory and a great deal of our Saturday spent on traveling, it was well worth it.

My Arts in the City class has had some great opportunities the past couple weeks. Last Thursday we attended the production of Julius Caesar at Navy Pier’s Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. The set and costumes were completely modernized, but they kept the original language. I thought they outdid themselves. I was especially impressed with the set design. The entire cast displayed a wonderful sense of professionalism as well. The week prior, we dressed up and went to a performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. There, we were privileged to witness an appearance from the great Yo-Yo Ma. Ma is revered as the world’s greatest cellists. We were all completely blown away by his talents. It was neat to be 50 ft. away from someone with such a stellar profile and reputation.

I may get to do some photo/video work for my internship at Freeosk in the near future. To prepare, I visited a photo shoot at the studio our company uses. They were shooting food for Blue Sky Chicago, Freeosk’s partner company. The photographer and food stylist taught me a lot about psychology and perception in the viewer’s mind. They asked me for feedback, too. Though I didn't know a whole lot about photography, I did pour a pretty mean glass of lemonade that was used in the shoot.

Until next time…

Tyler Zeutenhorst

Can[terbury] vs. Food

by Tyler Zeutenhorst

I probably tried a bit too hard on the title, but it was worth a shot. Last Saturday, Chicago Semester students participated in the famous Progressive Dinner. The event takes students on a culinary tour of the Canterbury Court Apartments, and gives everyone a chance to try appetizers, main courses, and desserts prepared by their fellow classmates. Participants did all the shopping themselves and hosted a come-and-go style gathering in their respective rooms. It was a fun night of fellowship, and the chefs expressed culture and creativity with their foods. We saw everything from black olive and carrot hors d’oeuvres that resembled penguins to chili with French fries in it.

Thursdays are big days for the team at Blue Sky/Freeosk. An “Eye of the Tiger” ambiance can be felt as employees mentally prepare themselves for their weekly volleyball game, which follows the workday. The office has a team in a Chicago Recreation league. The league is primarily made up of 20 and 30-year-olds and meets every Thursday night at Lincoln Park High School. My Arts in the City class usually attends art events on Thursdays, but we attended an opera that week, which was on Friday, so I was able to participate with my co-workers. It was fun interacting with everyone in an active, competitive setting. We played three close games, but lost them all. I still had a blast. Afterwards, we went to Stanley’s Kitchen and Tap to eat pizza and watch the Blackhawks game. The Hawks dominated and I got the leftover pizza. What a way to end an already enjoyable night.

Last week’s classes provided me with two field trip opportunities. My Arts in the City class toured the Art Institute of Chicago. We got the privilege of viewing original pieces from artists like Monet, Picasso and Warhol. The museum is huge; I didn’t make it through half of it. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to go again and see what else is on display. Dr. Clinton Stockwell took our Urban Planning class to Jane Addams’ Hull House Museum, which is located on the campus of UIC. There, we learned about Jane Addams, and her role in the social work field. We also learned about Hull House, which provided living and working opportunities to the many cultures that were populating Chicago.

Until next time…

Tyler Zeutenhorst

Not So True

by Tyler Zeutenhorst

My roommate and I decided to take public transportation from the airport to our new home at Canterbury Court. We were thinking, “There’s no greater way to look like a true Chicagoan than to navigate the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) like a pro.”  We should have been thinking, “I wonder if our bodies and luggage will be able to simultaneously fit through the revolving door at the subway’s exit.”  You know where this is going. Graham (my roommate) made it through fine; piece of cake. I, on the other hand, got stuck, sparked an unfriendly jam and practically begged for dirty looks from everyone in the neighborhood.

Hello, everyone. My name is Tyler Zeutenhorst, and I am currently a Chicagoan.

The last couple weeks have been a blast. I have had the chance to meet new people, interview for excellent internships and become oriented with this great city. It’s been a slight change of pace from that of my hometown (Orange City, Iowa). In fact, I think there are more corner pharmacies here than there are students at my school. Change is beneficial, though. This is a unique opportunity, and I look forward to the learning I’ll do here in the next 85ish days.

I am interning with a company called Freeosk, which works alongside Blue Sky Chicago, a food-marketing firm that works with samples. Freeosk is a kiosk that dispenses a free sample when a consumer scans his or her frequent-shopper card. The samples range anywhere from food to health/beauty products. I am learning a great deal from my co-workers and am enjoying the overall experience. Here is a photo of the Freeosk team.

My classes will allow me to learn by experiencing. I am taking “Arts in the City” and “Urban Planning,” along with a practicum course. So far, I have visited the Chicago History Museum, the Chicago Cultural Center and the Museum of Modern Photography. I saw an interesting exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center entitled “Industry of the Ordinary.”  It wasn’t really ordinary. I left fairly perplexed, but I was okay with that. It was someone else’s art, not mine. Outside of class, I’ve also learned a bit about animals. Some friends and I visited the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Shedd Aquarium. Check out this crab that lives at the aquarium! 

When I haven’t been working, going to class or visiting animals, I’ve probably been eating out. There are some cheap, tasty options in the neighborhood. Oh, and speaking of those two adjectives, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t visited the Taco Bell by Wrigley Field a couple times in the middle of the night. It’s open until 5 a.m., and the trains run all night. Why not?  These ventures also exposed me to some comical street art. I guess the Addison stop forbids the consumption of fruit-filled deserts.   

I’ll be providing periodical updates on my internship, classes and city life.

Until next time…

Tyler Zeutenhorst