october-2009

026 LET’S GO
PHOTOGRAPH OF DAN MANGAN BY BRIAN KERSEY
GALLERY QUEST
CREW CUTS FLIGHT ATTENDANT DAN MANGAN ALWAYS SEEKS OUT
INTERESTING EXHIBITS AT CHICAGO’S TOP MUSEUMS.
Those cool autumn breezes coming off
Lake Michigan don’t bother AirTran
Airways Crew Member Dan Mangan
one bit. Th ey’re the perfect excuse to
throw on his favorite sweater and head to Chicago’s
world-class (indoor) cultural institutions.
A lifelong Chicagoan, Mangan currently
resides in the heart of downtown, just a brisk
walk from the Art Institute of Chicago (www.
artic.edu). While he loves to gaze at the classic
Monets and Renoirs, he is a huge
fan of the new glass-enclosed
galleries in the Modern Wing.
Open since May, they showcase
everything from architecture
to photography.
When he’s in the mood for
Modern Wing
something edgier, Mangan
heads north on Michigan Avenue to the
Museum of Contemporary Art (www.
mcachicago.org). “Some of the exhibits can be
a little bit shocking for people,” he says. “But I
like that.” Opening this month is “Daria Martin:
Minotaur,” showcasing the artist’s 10-minute,
16mm fi lm that pays tribute to key pioneers of
the postmodern dance movement.
GO MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2009
Mangan also likes non-art museums, like
the Museum of Science and Industry (www.
msichicago.org), which features LEGO architecture,
smart homes and historical displays. “Going
down in the coal mine exhibit always reminds
me of my school fi eld trips as a kid,” he says.
Cool gadgets and contemporary art notwithstanding,
Mangan’s favorite arts venue
is the South Shore Cultural Center (www.
chicagoparkdistrict.com), an opulent early-
20th-century mansion—and
site of President and Michelle
Obama’s wedding reception—
south of downtown. One of
Mangan’s teenage haunts, the
refurbished lakefront country
club now partners with a
variety of cultural organizations
to host programs and creative classes. “Th e
place was empty… we used to sneak in there
to sleep. Now there’s so much going on. It’s so
cool,” he says.
For someone who loves Chicago’s
museums as much as Mangan does, a
painting class may just be on his agenda.
—Rod O’Connor
PERSONNEL PICKS
Name: Dan Mangan
Position: Flight
Attendant
Years in Chicago:
Lifelong resident
Favorite Chicago
cuisine: “People always
ask me about Chicago
pizza, but I love
Greektown,” Mangan
says. “My favorite restaurant
is Greek Islands
(www.greekislands.net;
312-782-9855). The
lamb shank is so good;
it falls of the bone.”
Favorite place for a
pint: “My dad’s from
County Cork and my
mom’s from County
Kerry, so of course I
love Cork and Kerry
(www.corkand
kerrychicago.com),”
he says. “It’s a very
cool pub—South Side
Irish to the core.”
Best beach for dog
watching: “I love
the dog beach on
Montrose Avenue
(www.mondog.org),”
Mangan says. “It’s a
beautiful beach. It
doesn’t matter if there’s
four feet of snow.”
Best place for a
post-art meal: Terzo
Piano (312-443-8650)
at the Art Institute of
Chicago. “It’s a nice
place to sit down and
have good food and
talk with your friends
about everything
you’ve seen,” he says.
TO LEARN more about what to do, where to
eat and where to shop in Chicago, turn to
page 113 in the Go Guides.