As we set out to enjoy a long holiday weekend, many of us will pause to remember and honor the sacrifices that make our enjoyment possible, and the people who made those sacrifices.

The tiny (population 2,400, 0.6 square miles) Village of Kenilworth, where I lived for several years, hosts one of the area's more impressive Memorial Day celebrations. It's held the weekend before Memorial Day, to facilitate maximum participation.

In the video above, from 2007, then Village President T. Tolbert Chisum solemnly intones the names and home addresses of the Kenilworth residents who died in war, as Kenilworth scouts plant a flag for each of them, and the band plays the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Watch the parade and more of the ceremony at our Kenilworth playlist at YouTube.

As Joe Zekas has noted a few times in recent months, we spend a decent amount of time browsing the construction photos and commentary in the forums of SkyscraperCity.com. While plenty of impressive photos of our fair city are posted there, the user that consistently wows us is one that goes by name of "I am Hydrogen."

I don't know anything about this person, except for the fact that he/she has access to the upper floors of the Aon Center and takes some excellent photos from there and elsewhere. Some of Hydrogen's photos have been assembled on this Flickr page, so head over there and enjoy the view.

A frayed flag flaps in the breeze outside the old X/O Condominiums sales center in the South Loop. Nearby, a sign promoting "The Future of the South Loop" still hangs on the face of the PECO Uniforms building, facing the recently completed 1600 Museum Park at 1629 S Prairie Ave.

This loud longhorn says, "Bully for Mr. Beef!" He was herding hungry lunchers toward the River North restaurant during my lunch hour today with promises of free Italian beef sandwiches, all in hopes of stirring up support for the beleaguered business, which is facing foreclosure.

Or Denver, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, San Francisco, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, DC – over Chicago. But hey, we're tied with New York, Philadelphia and Dallas.

A higher percentage of Americans ranked 14 cities ahead of Chicago as a place they'd like to live, according to a recent report (pdf file) from the Pew Research Center. Only 23% of those surveyed wanted to live in any city.

And then there's this: "A 57% majority of urbanites under the age of 30 say the city is the perfect place for them, while majorities of every other age group that lives in the city would ideally prefer to live somewhere else."

Majorities. The much-touted "back to the city" movement better heat up right soon now, or we'll all be singing:

How ya gonna keep 'em down in Paree
After they've seen the farm?

The YoChicago staff wishes you peace, harmony and health as we celebrate our good fortune to be alive this day in this great, rich, restless city.

I'd rather watch a Flickr slide show than most of what's on TV, and that bent occasionally provides some delightful moments.

The title of this post comes from a set of Chicago photos and video at Flickr, from Katherine of Chicago. Sit back and watch the slide show, "a big random Chicago set: architecture, cemeteries, the CTA, gentrification, parks, signs, etc."

Lynn Becker has a nice post on his Architecture Chicago Plus blog today looking at Aqua and the Trump International Hotel and Tower in some detail. In the post, Becker links to an excellent gallery of photos that McHugh Construction crane operator Ken Derry has taken from the crane that was on top of Trump.

Joe and I have visited Trump a few times, but we've never come near the heights shown in some of Derry's photos. For a look at some of Trump's hotel rooms and condos, check out our YoChicago YouTube channel.

NewHomeNotebook:
• Rate and review Trump's hotel condos
• Rate and review Trump's luxury condos

Related posts:
• Video: Revisiting Trump's hotel condos (Oct. 8, 2008)
• Touring a two-bedroom in the Trump Tower (Sept. 27, 2008)

This was the scene at the plaza in front Fountain View, which is located at 2326 W Giddings St in Lincoln Square, when I visited the open house last weekend. Through much of the 20th century, Lincoln Square was a gateway for German immigration, and the Christmas tree tradition is believed to have started in Germany in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Does that explain why they put a tree up before Turkey Day? No, it doesn't.

When I first saw it, I couldn't help but let out a little groan, because it seemed far too early to be spreading Christmas cheer, but this week it seems slightly less objectionable. I still don't know why that guy was wearing a scarf over his face though; it wasn't at all cold that day.

Inside the building, I took a bunch of photos of the model unit, and I'll post some of those up later this weekend. But for now, have a happy Thanksgiving, Yo readers.

Michael Kardas, our intrepid photographer, is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and headed for a warmer rest stop in Costa Rica.

He shot this view from Navy Pier last summer. We wish you could see the original. This version (click to enlarge) is radically downsized and heavily compressed.