Monkey aficionados will already know that the Monkey met his photographer in Chicago, back in 1994 (see the FAQ for more info). The Monkey lived in Chicago for a number of years, but wasn't very much into being photographed at that point in his life. That said, he does have a few photos from the Chicago days, and he got many more shots during his July 2003 visit there.

Chicagoans are proud of the fact that the skyscraper was invented in their city. Architect William Le Baron Jenney pioneered what became known as the "Chicago skeleton" for his nine-storey (42 meter) Home Insurance Building in 1885 (destroyed 1931). The innovation, which enabled the construction of far taller structures just a few years later, was to build a steel "skeleton" that carried the load (weight) of the building, removing that responsibility from the walls. Using the load-bearing skeleton, interiors became more open, exterior walls could be replaced by increasingly large windows, and structures could soar ever higher.

Jenney's building was soon followed by a slew of other skyscrapers in a city anxious to rebuild itself after a devastating 1871 fire that destroyed most of the predominantly wooden city, and to make itself known over its more established rival, New York. In fact, Chicago's famous nickname, "the windy city," comes not from the weather (though the city can have bone-chilling winds in winter) but from New York's elites, who saw their burgeoning Chicago counterparts as "windy" in their persistent garrulity promoting the city. Another Chicago nickname referring to its deference to New York has also stuck: the Second City.

Today, Chicago is a sprawling metropolis of 2.9 million people, making it the third largest city in the United States (after New York and Los Angeles). It is home to one of the finest skylines in the world. In this shot, the Monkey rests in downtown's Grant Park, with a number of skyscrapers behind him. The 346 meter Standard Oil Building (later Amoco Tower, now Aon Center), at the right, is the 12th tallest building in the world, and the second tallest in Chicago.

The Monkey with another eye-catching, skyscraping Chicago landmark, the CNA Plaza. Built in the modern, or international, style, this 1972 tower is unique for its choice of color: what Crayola crayons might call burnt sienna.

At 110 storeys and 442 meters in height, Chicago's Sears Tower has a claim on being the world's tallest building. But Chicagoans have been grinding their teeth ever since Kuala Lumpur's twin Petronas Towers rose in 1998, reaching a height of 452 meters, and seemingly claiming the "world's tallest" title for Malaysia. However, the Petronas Towers reach their height by including 73.5 meter-tall ornamental spires, while below there are only 88 storeys tall inside (meaning their usable space ends at 378.5 meters). These spires were counted toward total height, while the antennae atop the Sears Tower (which would extend it beyond the Petronas spires' height to 527 meters) are arbitrarily excluded by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's rules. Completed in 2004, the Taipei 101 in Taiwan has a roof that tops out at 448 meters, plus a spire reaching 508 meters; Taipei 101 now holds the "tallest roof" claim on tallest building (but is still beaten by the Sears Tower's antennae).

In fact, there is considerable debate about defining the world's tallest building. Toronto's CN Tower, at 554 meters, is much taller than the aforementioned buildings, yet most of it is unusable space (CN Tower is a needle-type construction) and it is thus often called the world's tallest structure. The oil industry has repeatedly claimed that offshore oil rigs are the tallest freestanding structures in the world—beyond even the CN Tower.

At any rate, in the Monkey's considered opinion, the Sears Tower is still damn tall! It was built in 1973 on a plan by the Chicago-based architecture firm Skidmore, Owing & Merrill, with Bruce Graham in the lead.

Chicagoans do love their beer, and the Monkey, a former Chicagoan, is no exception. Here he kicks back with a few Old Style beers during his July 2003 visit to Chicago. Though brewed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the liberal consumption of Old Style has become something of a Chicago tradition.

The Monkey pauses in Chicago's Grant Park for another shot with some skyscrapers.

Papa Milano's is the Monkey's favorite restaurant in Chicago. A homey Italian eatery, Papa Milano's is also home to one of the best waiters the Monkey has ever seen. The waiter, Steven, can remember your name and favorite dish even if it's been five years since the last time you dined at Papa Milano's!

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