Making John Hughes Proud at the Skydeck Chicago (Sears Tower)

 

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When the fine people over at the Skydeck Chicago at the “Sears Tower” asked if I wanted to hang, I was all, “Sure! Be right over in a few!”

Okay, maybe they didn’t ask if I wanted to “hang,” but I feel like that’s what the Sears Tower would say to me if we were BFFs. And after our little adventure last weekend, I do feel like we are BFFs.

Because look:

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I got up there and said, “It’s like they were waiting for me!”
And then my husband said, “Orrrr it’s in honor of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off turning 30 this year.”
Whatever.

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Look at the views my BFF gives. Everything looks so small from up here. I recently wrote about gaining perspective from afar—amazing what a couple thousand feet can do.

 

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Those mannequins were set up to recreate a scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Side note: seriously, BFF, you couldn’t find a better wig for Sloane? Anyway, we were totally stoked to see this exhibit. If you have no idea what it means, you wouldn’t be alone. And that makes me very sad. 

There was a line for the exhibit, but I was prepared to wait because HAVE YOU JUST MET ME? Oh, in case you haven’t, let me introduce myself: my name is Kari. I have what some would call a John Hughes obsession. But not a “keep his hair in my drawer, wallpaper my walls with his face, stalk his family members” obsession. Mine is respectable.

I waited in line with my husband and my eight-year-old, Ferris Bueller-loving daughter. As we waited, I noticed a trend: over and over, people weren’t posing like Ferris, like the other mannequins. They were doing random things.

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See that couple behind “Cameron”? They cut in front of everyone and started taking random pictures. Not a single person knew how to pose.

I could almost hear John Hughes rolling in his grave.

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Until it was our turn. And without prompting, our third grader got up there and schooled the entire room of adults. 

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Everyone clapped and cheered. Faith in humanity restored. Probably one of my proudest moments as her parent.

By the way, “Sears Tower”/BFF, I am totally available for a part-time gig if you want me to stand by that exhibit and explain the history of the pose. I will even show your guests how to do it. YOU MUST STICK YOUR NOSE TO THE GLASS.

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After the rush of the exhibit, we finished off our day at the Skydeck with….DA DA DUM…

THE LEDGE.

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I am not afraid. And neither should you be. Although I don’t know if I’d go out there after someone has done one of those Van Halen jumps.

 

Note- Do not do that.

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As brave as our third grader was to jump up and be Ferris for a few minutes, she was a little apprehensive about The Ledge. 

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I love this picture my husband captured on his phone. I rarely get “in the picture,” and this one is perfect. LOOK! THERE I AM!

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What a great view- in more ways than one.

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On the way out of the tower, we had to make a mold of our BFF as per tradition.

Thank you, BFF, for letting us watch the world from afar for a little while and get to be tourists in our city for a day. It was nice to gain some perspective.

If you want to visit the Skydeck Chicago and be Ferris for the day, check their website for hours, prices, and fun trivia.

This exhibit is from 2016 and is no longer there.

My family and I were provided tickets to Skydeck Chicago. I was not paid to write this. My obsession love for John Hughes is all mine.