Ninety-five floors above the street is a hell of a place to share a meal. Just months before The Signature Room shuttered their doors after a 30+ year run, my wife and I were able to snag a reservation and grab dinner high above the Windy City. The restaurant was on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center (now renamed), with the bar and lounge on the 96th floor. The building is significant to me as a Chris Farley fan. Chris had taken his last breath just 35 floors below that restaurant back in 1997. The meal was excellent, but the view was better. I grabbed a quick photo before the sun went down. The shot reminds me of the mid-20th century, a bit more classic atmosphere. Chicago is home to some of the greatest blues and jazz musicians in history, including the legendary Herbie Hancock. Herbie was name checked in Chris Farley’s 1995 film Tommy Boy when Chris’ character mistakenly answers a test question asking about… John Hancock. Tommy Boy was released on March 31st, 1995, just five days before Kurt Cobain took his own life. To tie all of this together, here’s Herbie Hancock doing Nirvana’s “All Apologies”, along with a few other jazz covers to class up your dinner date.

Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S21+
Location: Downtown Chicago, Illinois
Date: June 2023