Garrett Popcorn Shops, well-known and much loved around Chicago for more than 50 years now, has opened its first airport location at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

This first branch is in Terminal 3, near Gate H1. Another branch should pop up soon in Terminal 1, between Gates B9 and B10.

In addition to the cheese-flavored air-popped popcorn, friends tell me the popcorn shop makes macadamia -nut and caramel crisp popcorn.

Better yet – the airport shops will be selling the popcorn by the bag and by the one or two gallon tin!

Photo courtesy Garrett Popcorn Shops

From now through mid-December, jetsetters passing through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport Terminal 5 will be able to check out an exhibit of more than 40 posters from the 2008 Chicago International Poster Biennial Association (CIPBA).

Here’s a sample….

(Poster images courtesy O’Hare International Airport)

Terminal 5 has some other artwork worth checking out: The “Beacons” - two lit geometric sculptures - and a limestone and marble mosaic from Chicago’s sister city Amman, Jordan entitled “Treasury of Petra.”

A 50-foot long blown-glass painted mural entitled “Jet Trails” and a 40-foot long mural - “Songs of Chicago” - created by students in After School Matters, were also installed this year in Terminal 1.

I’m a big fan of art at the airport. Anything that helps perk a place up.So I was pleased to see that there a two new pieces of public art at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.Steven Heyman’s sculptures, the square “Blue Beacon” and the circular “Orange Beacon” have been installed at International Terminal 5 and will welcome arriving passengers.The artwork should be hard to miss: each is 16 feet across and consists of painted silk panels that are lit from within.