Tag Archives: photos

Paulson speaks, students listen

Jan
27
2012
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Henry Paulson was chosen by George Bush to be US Secretary of the Treasury in 2006 and he played a large, and controversial role in the government’s attempt to prevent a total economic collapse.  Our economy is still ticking, so he wasn’t a total failure, but Monday-morning quarterbacks continue to snipe about his actions.  All this aside, I had the opportunity to photograph him at Chicago Booth (University of Chicago Graduate Business School) when he spoke to a large class of students in mid-January.  Paulson was humble and accepted some blame for faulty decisions that were made, and he welcomed sharp questions from the audience.  As a token of his goodwill and sincere feelings of remorse, Paulson handed out $100,000 gift cards to all the students in the room.  To insure my journalistic integrity, I declined the obvious attempt to sway my opinion.

Elkhart, Indiana: A Tale of Two Cities

Oct
15
2011
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During this seemingly endless recession, few cities have been hit as hard as Elkhart, Indiana. With a local economy dependent on the whims of the RV industry, the recent downturn saw unemployment hit a whopping 20 percent. Thankfully, things have improved over the past year, but people are still suffering.  In September, I was sent to Elkhart with a writer from the Paris-based newsmagazine Le Nouvel Observateur to document how people are coping with the devastating effects of the recession.  What we found were two very different Elkharts.  The first was the upbeat, optimistic, rose-colored version of life portrayed by the business leaders, politicians and Chamber of Commerce spokespersons.  The second Elkhart was a sad and painful depiction expressed by local residents in a food pantry, unemployment office, and on the quiet streets of this once-prosperous town.  The “real” Elkhart apparently resides in the eye of the beholder.

Traditional Flavors of Amish Country

Oct
15
2011
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Just two hours–and 200 years–from Chicago in NE Indiana is Amish Country. Anchored by the towns of Shipshewana, Goshen and Nappanee, this area is home to a religious sect that disavows modern conveniences and other trappings of life in the 21st century.  Lines of buggies dot the country roads, women in long dresses and colorful bonnets shop at local markets, and men sporting beards and black coats are commonplace.  Last month I was sent to this region to document some of the culinary traditions of the Amish for ADA Times, the publication of the American Dietetic Association.  Traveling to farmers markets, retail stores, farm stands, and small farms down isolated back roads, I discovered a vast assortment of tasty baked goods, succulent fruits and vegetables, cheese factories, and jars of homemade pickles, apple butter and cherry salsa.  The Amish may not have their MTV, but they are prepared when the munchies come-a-calling.

Historic Dublin Pubs

Aug
27
2011
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PUBS are the lifeblood of Dublin, and a visit to this fair city wouldn’t be complete without an extensive tour of the dozens of colorful and overly-friendly historic pubs.  I was there on assignment for Islands magazine and dutifully photographed the pubs and their patrons…and quaffed a few thirst-quenching pints simply for research purposes.

Renaissance on the River

Aug
27
2011
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While Chicago will never be described as the “Venice of the Midwest,”  the river that bisects the downtown area has been transformed into a major tourist attraction.  Offering architectural boat tours, a mile-long Riverwalk, numerous waterside cafes, museums, and an assortment of water sports including kayaking, jet skiing, and canoeing, the Chicago River is the city’s newest playground.  This once polluted waterway is now a vibrant artery that sparkles day and night at the foot of the city’s numerous architectural gems dating back to the late 19th century.  Now that the Riverwalk is completed, it snakes uninterrupted from beyond the Merchandise Mart all the way to Lake Michigan, passing under the numerous historic bridges. Soon it will rival Navy Pier and Millennium Park as the top tourist destination in Chicago.

Wicker Park: The New Greenwich Village?

Aug
26
2011
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While it’s only a short subway ride from downtown on the Blue Line, Wicker Park is worlds apart from the buttoned-down 9-5 workday of the Loop. The epicenter of this urban melting pot is a large intersection known as Six Corners. The three major avenues that meet here are North, Damen and Milwaukee, but the neighborhood is also a confluence of three cultural byways: hipster, artist and starving student. While there have been no scientific studies, researchers have postulated that there are more tattoos and piercings in Wicker Park than BMW’s in nearby Lincoln Park. Cafes, used bookstores and dive bars abound, and exist gracefully among $300 designer eyewear and Prada bags. Stop by on Gallery Night at the Flatiron Building and everyone comes out to strut their respective stuff while pontificating on modern art and free vodka.