By melinda010100 on Skatehive
An early morning trip downtown provided an opportunity for a few snowy photos, before eventually visiting the warmth of the Art Institute. More about that later! Skating is free at McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, located in Millennium Park, though you are required to make an online reservation. If you don't have your own skates, rentals are available for a fee. It’s a major winter destination in Chicago, near Michigan Avenue shopping. In the summer months, this 16,000 square foot space is converted into the Park Grill Plaza, a popular outdoor dining area. Just up the stairs from the skating rink is the "Bean" (Cloud Gate) sculpture. The official name, Cloud Gate, comes from the fact that 80% of its surface reflects the sky, and its 12-foot-high arch creates a "gate" that visitors can walk through to reach the park. Although with the morning's fresh snow fall the sky reflection is far less than 80%! It was created by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor. It was his first public outdoor