Chicago Botanic Garden: Rédoute Masterpieces

Our latest visit to CBG was to view the Succulents: Featuring Rédoute Masterpieces exhibition.

Steve and I spent the morning helping our friend move out of her apartment; we were starving by the time we were finished. The Garden View Café looked tempting, so we gave it a try. I noticed Tillandsia cyanea (Pink Quills) at the entrance, which I hadn't seen since our last visit to Garfield Park Conservatory. I ordered the special of the day: chicken alfredo sausage calzone, and Steve grabbed an Asian salad with chicken. There were reusable water bottles so I got one as a souvenir.

I couldn't resist looking at the plants for sale at the Garden Shop, as usual. I purchased the only Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge) they had, which is native.

Finally, we made our way to Regenstein Center and entered Lenhardt Library. While I fawned over the stippled engravings, Steve browsed the book collection since members are allowed to check out material.

Pierre-Joseph Redouté, aka the Raphael of flowers, was a Belgian painter and considered on of the greatest botanical illustrators. His career flourished during the French Revolution, and was a favourite of Queen Marie Antoinette, who was also his pupil. It is said that the Queen summoned Redouté to paint the blossom of her favourite cactus, Selenicereus grandiflorus (Queen of the Night), which blooms annually for one night.

The detail was astounding! I took extra interest in Redouté's work being displayed due to my love for art as well as French history. After I checked out the Haworthia attenuata (Zebra Haworthia) in the library, Steve borrowed a book about ferns (his favourite) and we started back towards the parking lot, taking a few photos along the way.

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Our trip was short because of my appointment at The Hair Fetish. I had so much hair chopped off! I've never cut it this short before. I loved having long hair, but didn't do much with it as I would have liked, simply because it was too time consuming 99% of the time. Now it is easy and quick to style my pixie. My stylist Abigail is AMAZING and I'm totally never ever going anywhere else to my hair again. She listened to what I wanted and made suggestions. As she was working on my hair, it was like she was making art (and I suppose that is exactly what it is like for her). 

I really love the vibe THF gave. Everyone was friendly, they gave me cucumber lemon water, and I got to draw a unicorn on their bathroom wall. Its such a whimsical, cool place (their furniture is really neat). If you're in the Lake County, IL area I highly recommend them! Steve also goes there and his hair has been looking especially nice ever since.

 

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Stay warm and safe!