Mini Escapes: How Would You Spend an Extra Few Hours?

Last Friday, we found ourselves able to leave work early, with a full two hours of unscheduled time on our hands. We walked to the Art Institute of Chicago, where we strolled around the sculpture gardens and took a few photos of the new Renzo Piano addition. It was sooo nice...

...to have just a couple of extra hours during a busy week and weekend. It's rare during the work week (and even sometimes on the weekends) that we get to choose exactly what we're going to do with our time.

If you had an extra few hours to escape today, how would you spend it?

(Photos: Sarah Coffey)

Comments (11)

I love it when I go to lunch on thursdays and there's that farmers market going on at daley center...I always manage to forget about it, and I always am pleasantly surprised to stumble across it..

posted by ichi on July 13th 2009 at 4:43pm
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Sadly, I think i would use it to finally getting around to clean out my closet and reorganize it.It may not be an exciting chore, but it's well worth the time and make getting dressed more fun. I just haven't had the time/energy to do this one!

posted by desireeg on July 13th 2009 at 5:00pm
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That's my college, actually. I need to escape -from- the Art Institute, not the other way around. :(

posted by liebe on July 13th 2009 at 5:00pm
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Unfortunately all the great places like this are far away from me. I'd probably go thrifting and get an early start on dinner. (Heh heh, I did that once when they didn't specify a time on my jury duty...)

posted by whytephoenix on July 13th 2009 at 5:34pm
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I haven't been to Cooper Hewitt in quite awhile. Or MoMA. I would love to hop a train from NJ into NYC and go to one of those places.

posted by MollydeA on July 13th 2009 at 8:27pm
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Mini Escapes: How Would You Spend an Extra Few Hours?

I'd go up that "THE ART INSTITVTE OF CHICAGO" sign and replace the pretentious V with a U.

posted by Blandwagon on July 13th 2009 at 10:37pm
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Yeah, classy spelling for a not very classy building.

posted by Alaricus on July 13th 2009 at 11:42pm
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I love that park in your last few photos! My husband and I got married at the courthouse and spent the rest of the day drinking champagne there. I have very fond memories.
here's a photo

posted by kiddo katsu on July 14th 2009 at 8:30am
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Yesterday I spent a free hour and a half at the Chicago Center for Green Technology, reading in their library and walking around the native garden.

Other top contenders for spare time are my local CPL branch, taking the dog for an extra long walk and an in-depth cleaning of something like the bath tub or closet.

When I have a free morning or afternoon, I want to use it in a relaxing way, not rush around trying to fit in five things. Although that's very tempting, I know I will only be exhausted at the end and still not finish everything.

posted by skiddoo on July 14th 2009 at 11:09am
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Great pictures!
I think I'd like to sit on a park bench on the waterfront and watch the boats come and go for a while, then stroll over to Chinatown for an early dinner.

posted by gordon on July 14th 2009 at 12:57pm
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I work in the Financial District and I love walking to the garden on the south-side of the Art Institute and eating my lunch by the fountains. It is quiet and cool even though it is right off Michigan Ave.

posted by Domestic Intellectual on July 16th 2009 at 1:34pm
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