An Uncloudy Day

Chicago is hand's down my favorite city. This is a place with world-class museums, great shopping, interesting history, and just crammed with fabulous restaurants. And there are even good beaches.Right downtown! Amazing.

Visit the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Take a trip to Navy Pier and ride the Ferris Wheel - very cool, trust me. The Shedd Aquarium has a fun dolphin exhibit, and is very kid friendly.

I highly recommend taking a tour with the Chicago Architectural Foundation. They will point things out to you that you might not otherwise see. You will also learn a lot about the city's history.

I think you could eat at a different restaurant in Chicago every night, and never run out of places to eat. There are so many great restaurants here, you ought to try at least a couple.

Quick Tips:

Check out the Chicago Board of Trade. There is a visitor's gallery on the fifth floor, and it is interesting to watch the trading floor.

Best Way To Get Around:

I prefer to walk in Chicago, because there is so much to look at - and so many stores in which to shop. However, public transportation in Chicago is pretty good, and costs US.50. The #146 bus will take you to the museum campus where the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and Art Institute are located.

The Holiday Inn City Centre is a perfectly acceptable place to stay in downtown Chicago. It has a great location - a couple of blocks off Michigan Avenue, and walking distance to Navy Pier. It is also in a neighborhood full of good restaurants, some just steps from the front lobby.

The Room
Most of the room was pretty standard: two double beds, color TV, full bath with amenities. There were a couple of nice touches that made me happy: a lounge chair next to a good reading lamp, a window seat with a view of the Hancock building, and a two part desk that could be configured into an L shape. The desk was paired with an adjustable desk chair. There was a data port adjacent to the desk with a little sign saying the data port was not working. Had I been traveling on business, this would have annoyed me.

Services
Service at this Holiday Inn was good natured, if a bit uneven. The first morning I got a paper delivered to my door. The second morning I had to pick up a paper at the bellman’s desk. The third morning there was no paper. The concierge in the lobby was cheerful, and gave me written directions for public transportation to the Field Museum, which I appreciated. The attached parking garage charges guests $20 a day for parking.

Fun Fact
Holiday Inn was started in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson, who was frustrated by the uneven quality of the motels he and his family stayed in during family vacations. He figured he could do better. The name Holiday Inn came from a Bing Crosby movie that was popular at the time.

The Billy Goat Tavern has opened up a new, pale imitation of itself on Navy Pier. The original Billy Goat Tavern is located underneath the bridge that runs over the Chicago River. This new location on Navy Pier is bright, airy, and has outdoor seating overlooking Lake Michigan.

Most people know the Billy Goat Tavern from the original Saturday Night Live sketches with John Belushi. (Remember that many of the original cast had come from Chicago’s Second City Comedy Troupe.) These skits made the "Cheeseborger, cheeseborger, no Coke, Pepsi," line famous. Maybe too famous. The employees at the grill seem to think that tourists expect them to say it, so they do - but without much enthusiasm.

The menu at the Billy Goat Tavern is pretty basic: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, eggs, Polish sausage. The most expensive thing on the menu is steak and eggs, and that will set you back a whopping $5.75. A "cheeseborger" is $2.85, and let’s face it, that’s what you came here for. Make no mistake, this is your original greasy spoon diner fare. It’s fast, cheap, and unpretentious.

If you’d like to get a feel for the original Billy Goat Tavern, before it was a comedy skit, read some of the columns the late Mike Royko, columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote about the place. Some of them are blown up and on the walls of the Navy Pier location. However, I recommend you try to find a copy of "Sez Who? Sez Me" which is a compilation of his columns. It’s a great book, and will give you a feel for Billy Goat’s in its heyday.

Billy Goat Tavern
Navy Pier (beyond the Ferris Wheel)
312-670-8789

I always thought I’d want to live in the type of neighborhood that had a place like Shucker’s as its corner bar. I come to Shucker’s when I’m in Chicago more for its ambiance than for its food.

Shucker’s is located in a cozy brownstone just a block and a half off Michigan Avenue. The restaurant is upstairs, but ask to eat downstairs in the bar. The bar is narrow and warm, with tables along one side, and a beautifully carved full bar along the other side. Underneath the stairs is a piano, played by a gentleman who is a dead ringer for John Huston.

Entrees run in the $15 to $30 range. Seafood is prominent on the menu but they also serve a good steak and a good prime rib. On this trip, I had the New York strip steak, which was tasty, along with a baked potato, which was not. (Why is it so hard for restaurants to make a good baked potato? You’d think I’d learn by now, but hope springs eternal.)

Service was attentive, but not smothering. I was brought warm bread with butter before my meal, and the bill was brought promptly and discreetly when I was ready to leave. Most restaurants have someone to greet you when you come in, but at Shucker’s they also bid you farewell, which I thought was a nice touch.

Shucker’s
150 E. Ontario Street
312-266-6057

I am always on the lookout for good cappuccino, and if you are in the River North area, this might just be the place to stop.

Tutto Pronto is an Italian delicatessen, with fresh made salads, entrees, and sandwiches at reasonable prices. They will put together a picnic lunch for you, which is great if you are headed for the Ohio Street Beach, which is only a block away, or to Navy Pier. They also sell wine, beer, and imported foods.

They also make a very nice cappuccino or latte. This will be a little bit less expensive, and served with a lot more joy and goodwill, than a similar concoction from the Starbuck’s next door. You can get Starbuck’s anywhere, but you can only get Tutto Pronto in Chicago.

Tutto Pronto
N. McClurg Coourt, between E. Ohio and E. Ontario
312-587-7700

It seems like every time I come to Chicago I find a new favorite restaurant. On this trip I found Suparossa, and I’m glad I did.

Suparossa is on East Ohio Street, in an area just crammed with good restaurants. There is a pleasant bar downstairs, and the restaurant proper is upstairs. In fine weather you can sit outside in a roped off area of the sidewalk.

The dining room upstairs just feels comfortable. There are big windows overlooking Ohio Street, and the bare brick walls are hung with old family photos. (Whose family they come from, I’m not quite sure. I have this feeling they were bought at garage sales, but I digress.)

Entrees are in the US$15 to US$30 range. The best deal, however, is their wood-fired pizza. Forget the deep dish or thin crust options. For US$8.95 you get this wonderful, tasty, hand-tossed pizza, cooked in a wood fired oven. I had the pizza Romana, which include fresh mushroom, prosciutto, and mozzarella. It was more than I could eat, and outstandingly good. The wood-fired pizza comes in one size, which makes a good dinner for one, or a lovely appetizer for two or more.

My server, Elena, was attentive, without hovering. I was greeted and seated promptly, and my bill was brought quickly when I asked for it. All in all, this is a great choice for dinner when you are in the mood for Italian food.

Suparossa
210 E. Ohio
312-587-0030

Szechuan East is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Good food, attentive staff, reasonable price. It bills itself as the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago. I think that's pushing it a bit, but it is pretty good.

The last time I visited Szechuan East, it was a chilly, rainy evening. With the wind blowing off the lake, and the rain, I was cold to the bone by the time that I had walked the two blocks to the restaurant. (I never seem to bring the right clothes to Chicago!)

I walked in with teeth chattering, and the host brought me to my table and said "You need tea!". He left me a menu, and whisked away to return with a steaming pot of Chinese tea.

My order was taken promptly, and my meal - Szechuan Chicken - came quickly. This was good. Nicely spicy with a silky smooth sauce. This was accompanied by a bottle of TsingTao beer, which was just about perfect.

When my bill was presented, I found that the pot of warming tea I had been brought upon arrival was complimentary. That was a nice touch. My meal, with tax, a healthy tip, and two beers came to $25. Not bad.

Entrees are in the $11 to $30 dollar range. Spicy Szechuan food is a specialty, but other, less fiery, dishes are available. They serve a full complement of American and imported beers and wine. In fine weather you can sit outside on the sidewalk, though the view is mostly of people lining up for the movie theater next door.

Szechuan East is located right next to a Holiday Inn, and a couple of blocks from Lake Shore Drive. There are a lot of good restaurants in this neighborhood, but this is one I never pass up.

Szechuan East
340 E. Ohio
312-255-9200

I like Thai food, and I had high hopes for this restaurant. I was disappointed.

I visited Dao at lunch time on a chilly, windy day, a day with a knife edged wind that seems to be only found in Chicago. I was hungry, and really looking forward to a spicy meal in a warm restaurant to take the edge off.

The restaurant was not busy. There were only two other patrons when I arrived, though it did fill up later. I was seated promptly, and given a menu. I ordered the Pad Prik with chicken, a dish that I have enjoyed at other Thai restaurants.

Temperature-wise, my meal was hot. Spice-wise, it was not. In fact, I have never had such a bland meal at a Thai restaurant. When I asked for more spice, the waiter placed a condiment tray on my table that included chopped onions, American style yellow mustard, and a small dish with the type of red pepper flakes that you would shake out of a spice can. Not exactly a lovingly prepared sauce.

The service was spotty, especially after the restaurant started to fill up. This may have also been because I was a single female. I was pretty routinely ignored, and I had to practically trip someone to get my check.

Dao is clean, with big windows that look out into the street. Ambiance is so-so, but probably just right for lunch with friends or co-workers. Lunch will run about US$10 a person.

This isn't a bad place to eat, but since there are so many good restaurants in this part of Chicago, I probably would pass this one by.

Dao
230 E. Ohio
Chicago, IL

What does a Ferris Wheel, an National Public Radio station, a magician, and a stained glass exhibit all have in common? Answer: They are all part of the fun on Navy Pier.

Navy Pier is a party waiting to happen. It is full of fun shops, interesting activities, changing exhibits, and a wide range of restaurants.

Shopping
Shopping here runs the gamut from a pretty good book store to a store selling magic tricks, to the Navy Pier souvenir shop, all amidst a myriad of kiosks selling all manners of stuff. There aren’t many bargains here, but looking is half the fun. One of the coolest shops is the museum store attached to the Chicago Children’s Museum, which is also located here.

Food
There are lots of food choices on Navy Pier. There is a food court anchored by a McDonald’s. For the more adventurous, the Billy Goat Tavern has an outpost here now - see my journal entry for a more complete rundown. Joe’s Be-Bop Cafe is a loud and raucous dining experience, while the Riva, further down the pier, is much more sedate. If you can’t find food to your liking here, you’re not trying. (Did I mention that Haagen Dazs has a cafe here, too?)

Activities
This is where Navy Pier really shines. During the summer, Navy Pier turns into an outdoor art gallery called Pier Walk. The sculptures on display change every year. (The bear at the bottom of the page is from Pier Walk 2002.) The Richard H. Dreihaus Gallery of Stained Glass is a small, easily navigated exhibition of Tiffany stained glass, and shouldn’t be missed. The Dreihaus exhibit is part of the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, which is a permanent exhibit at Navy Pier.

A number of cruises offering tours of the watery parts of Chicago take off from the south side of Navy Pier. Many of these require reservations, so plan ahead. One of these tours is an architectural tour of the city from the water, and should not be confused with the Chicago Architectural Foundation River Tours, which depart from the southeast corner of Michigan Ave. & Wacker Drive at the Michigan Ave. Bridge.

Chicago’s Shakespeare Theater has its home here, as does an Imax theater. There are frequent performances - suitable for children - at center stage by the Children’s Museum. Skyline Stage is an open air theater, home to all manner of entertainment. And, during the summer, there are fireworks on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Navy Pier is a high energy, entertaining place, and shouldn’t be missed. To find out more about what’s going on at the Pier, go to NavyPier or call 312-595-PIER.

One of the things I really like doing in Chicago is looking at all the architecturally interesting buildings. One building has always intrigued me, and that is Lake Shore Place. With its bright blue roof, it takes up a whole block on Lake Shore Drive between Erie and Huron.

Lake Shore Place started life in 1924 as the American Furniture Mart. In 1979 it was renovated into commercial and residential spaces. Playboy Enterprises has its offices here, as evidenced by a discreet Playboy bunny logo on the Erie Street entrance. (Remember that Chicago is Hugh Hefner’s hometown.)

The first floor of Lake Shore Place has mix of retail establishments - a sushi bar, a florist, an espresso place, and Treasure Island. Treasure Island is a fun, funky grocery store with an upscale twist. Imported cookies, fabulous cheeses, and exotic honey all vie for space with milk and laundry detergent. Prices are less expensive here than in other area markets. Throw in the fact that they have a pretty good deli, and you have a good place to pick up the makings for a picnic - Ohio Street Beach and Navy Pier are just a short walk away.

And just think - it’s all under the bright blue roof.

To say the Virgin Megastore sells music is a little like saying the Mona Lisa is a painting. This place has to be experienced to be believed. I thought Virgin only sold music put out by their own label. Boy, was I wrong! They have just about everything.

You can buy the current top 40 CDs at your local K-Mart. You can also buy them here, but where Virgin Megastore really shines is in the less popular, more off-the-beaten-path recordings. Looking for Rosemary Clooney singing "Come-On-a My House"? Upstairs, to the right. Miles Davis, "Sketches of Spain"? Check out the Jazz section; they have it on CD and vinyl.

Since there is absolutely no logic in CD pricing, you may find any particular CD here to be more or less expensive than in another store. I found the prices to be about average, and since a lot of this is stuff you won’t find anywhere else - at least not all under the same roof - it’s probably priced appropriately.

Interestingly, they also have a pretty good book section. The books on musicians caught my eye first, but then I found a pretty broad fiction section, and some interesting non-fiction selections. I thought this was odd at first, but then thought - if Border’s can sell music, it’s only right that Virgin sells books.

Virgin Megastore
540 N. Michigan Ave. (at the corner of Ohio Street)
312-645-9300

I am a National Public Radio groupie.

No, I don’t travel with the band, (gee, they have a band??) and I’ve never waylaid an on-air personality. I am, however, someone who has all the radios tuned to various NPR stations. I can distinguish between the voice of Tom Magliozzi and his brother Ray on Car Talk. I can tune in mid-segment and identify Susan Stamburg in three syllables. I know the voices of Ira Glass, Sara Vowell, and David Sedaris as well, if not better, than members of my own family. I am hooked.

A while ago I read an article about Ira Glass, host of the weekly show "This American Life, " which is produced by WBEZ, Chicago’s public radio station. The article said that WBEZ had its studios on Navy Pier. I vowed to look for said studios the next time I was in Chicago.

You can imagine my delight when I found the small sign, past the Billy Goat Tavern, pointing to WBEZ.

I pondered my next move. Figuring that I have been thrown out of worse places than this, I pushed through the glass doors and announced, "I am part of the public in National Public Radio, and I’m from out of town." The young lady behind the desk said, "Oh. Would you like a tour?"

A young staffer showed me around the station, and shared some of WBEZ’s history with me. She pointed out the studio where Ira Glass tapes "This American Life," and let me peek into the office of Peter Sagel, host of "Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me." For an NPR addict, it was a great tour.

If you decide to visit WBEZ, look for the sculpture along the Pier that has the WBEZ call sign. The studio is just inside.

A Friskycelery Tip
Ira Glass tapes his show "This American Life" on Friday evenings at 7 pm. On occasion, members of the public are allowed into the studio to watch the taping.