Chicago Botanic Garden | Best thing I did this week

I hauled out to Glencoe this weekend to cover a Chicago Botanic Garden exhibit about trees (review forthcoming). While most noontime visitors stayed tucked inside the cheery café, I traversed the icy landscape, passing by the English walled garden, the mazelike landscape surrounding the sun dial, and the massive, eerily silent carillons. I'd never been to the botanic gardens during the winter, but now I'm a fan: The hard varying shades and textures of brown made for a lovely solitary winter walk (but a bad picture, so I've posted this more wintery landscape to pique your interest.)

Chicago Botanic Garden (1000 Lake Cook Rd) is open 8am–sunset. Parking costs $20; the garden is free.