Bob Schaefer
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bobszilla.bsky.social
Bob Schaefer
@bobszilla.bsky.social
170 followers 410 following 690 posts
A hot cuppa tea on a cold winter's day. Chicagoan, architect, listener, reader, traveler, time waster
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bobszilla.bsky.social
Happy Thanksgiving from the very young and very British Fairport Convention. youtu.be/qVTQ_VkGsjk
Fairport Convention - Now Be Thankful
YouTube video by Cleapatr
youtu.be
November 27, 2025 at 3:33 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Family food pr0n. Forget the Thanksgiving feast. The night before is where it’s at.
A photo of a serving plate of mostaccioli with marinara sauce with meatballs, Parmesan cheese and basil
November 27, 2025 at 1:48 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Fare thee well to Jimmy Cliff, who was my first, largest entry to reggae music. ‘The Harder They Come’, both the soundtrack and the movie, meant a lot to the eighteen year old me away at college and gobbling up new-to-me music.
Screenshot of an Apple Music play of Jimmy Cliff’s “Sitting in Limbo” from the soundtrack to The Harder They Come’
November 24, 2025 at 12:31 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
This is a great read on a great album that I don't play often enough. Fixing that right now! pitchfork.com/reviews/albu...
The Boo Radleys: Giant Steps
Read Zach Schoenfeld’s review of the album.
pitchfork.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:33 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Starting my week at a client with low sun illuminating Streeterville highrises. Wish I could stare out the windows all day but I’m here for work.
An eleventh floor view of sunlight illuminating highrise buildings in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago
November 17, 2025 at 2:21 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
I will say that every time I go to see and hear art of any sort from any point in history, A.I., or at least the sort that is stealing and appropriating the work of human imagination, just shows its ass as a bankrupt, empty and soulless ripoff.
bobszilla.bsky.social Bob Schaefer @bobszilla.bsky.social · 14d
Amazing day off today with visits to AIC, CAB, CAC, MCA and a few non-acronymic places. I’ll have a few more things to say and some photos of cool art and architecture at point, but I’m mostly spent. In a good way.
Postcards for the Chicago Architecture Biennial and the Disappointed Tourist exhibit at the Chicago Architecture Center, a promo card for the Yoko Ono Music of the Mind exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art and a ticket for admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art.
November 17, 2025 at 3:18 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Hey Chicago people with an eye for and an interest in art and architecture, you should see these exhibitions while they are here. Attempt at a thread with pictures to follow.
bobszilla.bsky.social Bob Schaefer @bobszilla.bsky.social · 14d
Amazing day off today with visits to AIC, CAB, CAC, MCA and a few non-acronymic places. I’ll have a few more things to say and some photos of cool art and architecture at point, but I’m mostly spent. In a good way.
Postcards for the Chicago Architecture Biennial and the Disappointed Tourist exhibit at the Chicago Architecture Center, a promo card for the Yoko Ono Music of the Mind exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art and a ticket for admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art.
November 17, 2025 at 2:24 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Mostly I took pictures today, but I was at a few too many places selling books, and the MCA double discount days was enough for me to take home these two recently released titles from my list.
Two books with their front covers displayed: ‘Chicago Homes: A Portrait of the City’s Everyday Architecture’ by Carla Bruni & Phil Thompson and ‘The Hours Are Long But The Pay Is Low: A Curious Life In Independent Music’ by Rob Miller
November 15, 2025 at 1:08 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Amazing day off today with visits to AIC, CAB, CAC, MCA and a few non-acronymic places. I’ll have a few more things to say and some photos of cool art and architecture at point, but I’m mostly spent. In a good way.
Postcards for the Chicago Architecture Biennial and the Disappointed Tourist exhibit at the Chicago Architecture Center, a promo card for the Yoko Ono Music of the Mind exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art and a ticket for admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art.
November 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Feeding my head, heart and soul with art and architecture downtown on a gorgeous fall day.
The buildings of the north end of Millennium Park taken from the Nichols Bridgeway in Chicago. Chicago Loop buildings tower above late autumn trees as seen looking northwest from the Nichols Bridgeway. Chicago Loop buildings as seen through late autumn trees looking northwest from the Nichols Bridgeway. Looking south up the Nichols Bridgeway from Millennium Park back toward the Art Institute of Chicago.
November 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
How long has this been going on (Brian Eno on Apple Classical)?
Screenshot of an Apple Music play of Brian Eno’s album ‘Another Green World’ with a pop up invitation to listen to it on Apple Classical
November 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
I am very much looking forward to this. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/12/c...
New Chicago Review of Architecture wants younger voices weighing in on the city’s built environment
An offshoot of the New York Review of Architecture, the magazine will feature “erudite, humorous and hyperlocal writing.”
www.chicagotribune.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:53 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
I’m loving everyone’s northern lights photos from a somewhat darkened lakefront. But even through the West Loop light pollution it’s pretty cool.
Mostly magenta colored northern lights as seen from a roof deck in the West Loop of Chicago with some lit high rise buildings off the sides.
November 12, 2025 at 3:17 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Meanwhile tonight on the UIC campus…🎇
Looking south toward the University of Illinois-Chicago campus where a fireworks display illuminates the night sky. Looking south toward the University of Illinois-Chicago campus where a fireworks display illuminates the night sky. Looking south toward the University of Illinois-Chicago campus where a fireworks display illuminates the night sky. Looking south toward the University of Illinois-Chicago campus where a fireworks display illuminates the night sky.
November 12, 2025 at 12:35 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
There goes my work morning...
80 Artists Pick Their Favorite Neil Young Song - stereogum.com/2476602/80-a...
80 Artists Pick Their Favorite Neil Young Song
Happy 80th birthday, Neil Young!
stereogum.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Somehow I've purchased tickets for six shows in ten days in mid-December, a predictably busy time even without live music, and with predictably unpredictable weather.
November 11, 2025 at 1:35 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
The NWS Chicago forecast for the West Loop now has snow totals of 4-8". On top of tonight's Senate sellout, I'm not gonna get any thundersnow am I.
bobszilla.bsky.social Bob Schaefer @bobszilla.bsky.social · 20d
I can’t get over this forecast discussion from the National Weather Service in Chicago regarding the lake effect snow event overnight tonight into tomorrow morning. 3-5” per hour snow rates! And one of my favorite weather phenomena, thundersnow! forecast.weather.gov/product.php?...
Screenshot of National Weather Service Chicago Area Forecast Discussion on the morning of November 9: As has been discussed in previous forecast discussions, the magnitude of lake instability available tonight into Monday is incredible and more typical of environments over Lake Erie. Forecast BUFKIT profiles depict over the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan tonight depict 850/700mb temperature differentials of 25/35C, lake- induced CAPE in excess of 1,500 I/kg, and effective equilibrium levels nearing 25,000 feet. As a result, the expectation is for the lake effect snow bands to be unusually intense with peak snow rates of 3 to locally 5 inches per hour, frequent lightning and thunder, and pockets of hail. Even with the expectation for the snow bands to be relatively transitory, the unusually intense snow rates will render snow clearing measures ineffective leading to dangerous travel conditions. If any band were to park over the same area for several hours (which may very well happen in Cook county at around daybreak Monday), travel may become impossible with the potential for stranded cars during the rush hour commute. Needless to say, this may become a very dangerous and life threatening situation beneath the most intense and stationary lake effect snow bands. Travel is not advised beneath the lake effect snow bands.
November 10, 2025 at 3:02 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Bluesky is not good for my mental health. At least not the Bluesky that feeds me the play-by-play of the Senate Democrats sellout.
November 10, 2025 at 2:51 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
I can’t get over this forecast discussion from the National Weather Service in Chicago regarding the lake effect snow event overnight tonight into tomorrow morning. 3-5” per hour snow rates! And one of my favorite weather phenomena, thundersnow! forecast.weather.gov/product.php?...
Screenshot of National Weather Service Chicago Area Forecast Discussion on the morning of November 9: As has been discussed in previous forecast discussions, the magnitude of lake instability available tonight into Monday is incredible and more typical of environments over Lake Erie. Forecast BUFKIT profiles depict over the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan tonight depict 850/700mb temperature differentials of 25/35C, lake- induced CAPE in excess of 1,500 I/kg, and effective equilibrium levels nearing 25,000 feet. As a result, the expectation is for the lake effect snow bands to be unusually intense with peak snow rates of 3 to locally 5 inches per hour, frequent lightning and thunder, and pockets of hail. Even with the expectation for the snow bands to be relatively transitory, the unusually intense snow rates will render snow clearing measures ineffective leading to dangerous travel conditions. If any band were to park over the same area for several hours (which may very well happen in Cook county at around daybreak Monday), travel may become impossible with the potential for stranded cars during the rush hour commute. Needless to say, this may become a very dangerous and life threatening situation beneath the most intense and stationary lake effect snow bands. Travel is not advised beneath the lake effect snow bands.
November 9, 2025 at 12:18 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
I ordered a physical CD copy of this which I will have in my hands tomorrow. And I streamed this today, and my god, “miracle” only hints at the glorious melding of fury and melody and intensity at a particular point in time. 40 years on, I can’t believe how good Hüskers were/are.
Screenshot of an Apple Music play of Hüsker Dü ‘1985: The Miracle Years’ featuring the album cover art
November 8, 2025 at 2:20 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
I have been to all of this top 10 except (weirdly) the Green Mill. My probably controversial take is Metro gets its rep more for its bookings than the venue, which is a frequently terrible experience. I'd add the Hideout and Lincoln Hall into my personal top 10 www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/b...
A music critic’s guide to the 10 best music venues in Chicago
From the Green Mill to Empty Bottle to Symphony Center, here are the best places in Chicago to see live music.
www.chicagotribune.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:54 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
If you want to know why Chicago is so awesome...well, it's many things...but it definitely and especially includes the current state of its music scene. The kids are alright.
November 6, 2025 at 8:04 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Dammit guys, I'm already in my pajamas. Stop posting Chicago aurora photos.
November 6, 2025 at 3:20 AM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Big changes at the Art Institute of Chicago with the Grainger Center for Conservation and Science displacing Regenstein Hall from the Rice Building. www.artic.edu/articles/121...
Conservation and Science Take Center Stage in the New Grainger Center | The Art Institute of Chicago
Every artwork in the Art Institute’s collections—whether it’s on view in the galleries, protected in storage, or traveling the globe—comes under the care of the Conservation and Science team.
www.artic.edu
November 4, 2025 at 9:32 PM
bobszilla.bsky.social
Brad Biggs' Ten Thoughts about the Bears' games alone are worth maintaining a Chicago Tribune subscription. Unreal depth and detail. Just need to leave myself 20-25 minutes on Monday morning to read it.

(I do read other things with my Tribune subscription)
November 3, 2025 at 1:51 PM