Day Three, and I feel a lot more at ease with what I am doing. Still a little anxious about filling up my time while in the city, but all in all, it feels great to have possibilities and fall back ideas. I have ditched the architectural idea out the window for now; I was having a difficult time condensing the idea into something less vague. Brian, a fellow student and experienced feature writer suggested focusing on something such as a monument in the city and writing about that. Of course then, I would need to find someone to interview and because many of the monuments in the city are old or extremely famous I run the risk of a great piece about a gorgeous monument and no one to talk to about it. D'Arcy, my sister, and my mother came up with some wonderful alternative ideas.
My main focus right now is emerging & young music artists in the city. I have contacted a high school and family friend who lives in the city and performs with his band (also all young men) The Hudson Branch. Luckily, they are playing on the evening of the 8th and granted me backstage access to interview the band members as a whole on whatever I would like. So, I need to be coming up with some questions to ask these young men and see if they can connect me to any other small bands known in the city. There is another music festival on the 9th loaded with bands I have never heard of, but are apparently also known in Chicago. I am planning to attend that as well, and see what I come up with...what I hear...what I feel...what I want to focus on writing about. This is what D'Arcy has us practicing in the cemeteries with our new flip cameras.
I came across a lovely little bakery whose website compared them to the TLC Television show, Ace of Cakes. These cakes and cupcakes were amazing. I had a difficult time seeing them as cakes...food, and not real pieces of ceramic art. Because D'Arcy recommended we all do a food piece for the magazine, I right away thought of my love for baking. I know I would be interested in writing a piece about little bakeries in Chicago...but what if I wrote a piece about one re known bakery in particular? Just a thought for now...
Another solid idea that would appeal to my young, college readers: young urban neighborhoods in Chicago. Which area attracts these young students and recent graduates? Where do they go to live after school? Why? What is there? I have the phone number of a family friend who lives in Wicker Park (Bucktown will be another focus of mine). I plan on meeting with her during my week and asking her these questions for my piece.
As for other ideas...since we need a rough total of about four pieces to write when we return, I think I will spend a large part of my time in the city walking around, observing, and seeing what I come across that sparks my interest. Hopefully, this all works out.
I am still very anxiously counting down the days until Sunday.
Wish me luck,
Alissa
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