Arjan Jager - Chicago Magazine

I love snow. Cities transform into a whole new world. Busy streets seem to whisper, everything calms down. Snow feels like being on vacation without the need to travel. You can just step outside and go for a walk.

Almost every winter in my life I experienced some days with snow, so I thought I’d know everything about it. Until I moved to Chicago.

I learned that large amounts of snow can fall multiple times a day. And it stays cold for weeks, so the snow doesn’t melt within days like elsewhere I lived. Still they manage to keep sidewalks spotless. How?

As soon as the first snow falls, half the people you see outside seems to be shoveling.

They also use a lot of salt. A lot. With unexpected, different challenges.

But most of all, the thick blanket of snow was a great way to see city life from a different, sometimes surprising perspective.

I can’t wait to experience and learn more next winter in Chicago.

Chicago Magazine

Chicago winters are much more intense than previous ones in my life. And to me, Chicagoans have elevated dealing with snow to an art form, which inspired me to create a short visual column of my favorite surprises during many winter walks and bike rides.

This column "Fresh Snow Perspectives in Chicago" was published by Chicago Magazine on 3.15.2023 with some extra information. You can read it here.

Scroll down to see the column.