Chicago for the Non-Tourist

There are so many exciting things to do in Chicago; it’s hard to know where to begin! If you only have a day or two, try visiting the world-renowned Field Museum or the Museum of Science & Industry. Have just a few hours? Window shop on Michigan Avenue’s “Mag Mile” or among the stores along State Street, like Carson Pirie Scott and Marshall Field’s; mingle on Navy Pier; or catch a quick ride to the top of one of the world’s tallest buildings. Staying for a week or longer? Hunt for Cows on Parade (some are still around the city, even though the exhibit is long gone), take a lake or river cruise, meander through Old Town or Logan Square. Chicago is one of the most exciting cities in the world, with outstanding cuisine, friendly people, booming business, great shopping, and so much more than you could possibly cram into a few hours.

Quick Tips:

A friend recently came to visit and decided to stay in the suburbs “to save money.” In order to do so, she had to pay for a rental car –- plus of course gas and parking fees. Unless you are visiting people in the suburbs, attending a convention out at O’Hare, or plan to do a lot of out-of-city driving, take my tip and stay downtown and forget about driving. Parking is difficult and expensive in the city, with most garages charging in the + range for only a few hours, and people get very protective about their parking spaces. Public transportation is cheap and easy. Even using taxis, you’ll probably still come out ahead.

Additionally, Chicago has become a haven for creative chefs. Step outside the same-old, same-old chain restaurants and go exploring! Aside from world-famous locations like Charlie Trotter’s, Ambria and Everest, you will find all kinds of great places to eat all across the cuisine spectrum. Superb examples include Meritage, Vong, McCormick & Schmick’s, Tavern on Rush, Pasteur, Nacional 27, and Ben Pao. Local favorites include Big Bowl, the famous Billy Goat Tavern, the Melrose, Maggiano’s, and She She. Treat your palate right!

Best Way To Get Around:

Chicago’s public transportation system is excellent. You are rarely more than a couple blocks from an “L” (subway) or bus stop. The CTA (which runs the L trains and most of the buses) sells cards in L and Metra train stations, on buses, and through local Currency Exchanges and supermarkets. Single fares are .50, with first transfer 30 cents, second transfer free, if used within two hours of original fare. Single/multi-day fare cards are available starting at . The Blue L line is a 45-minute ride into O’Hare from the Loop (downtown); Midway is a 20-minute ride on the Orange line from the Loop. The bus terminal is located just southwest of the Loop, two blocks from a Blue line stop. Amtrak services in Union Station, also just west of the Loop. Local Metra and South Shore trains give access to suburbs in more than a 50-mile radius. Taxi service is readily available almost anywhere in the city, and many areas of the city are very pedestrian-friendly. Parking is very expensive, however, so you are better off using public transportation than driving, unless you are visiting hard-to-access areas.

The House of Two Urns is located in Wicker Park, just 2.5 miles from the Loop. The B&B is located in what is called a "two-flat" – the innkeeper and her family live downstairs, and the upstairs is dedicated to guest rooms. Each room is individually and charmingly decorated, with shared access to bathrooms, kitchen, and sitting room. VCRs are available in some bedrooms, with a selection of tapes in the lounge area. A delicious homemade breakfast is served each morning around the common table downstairs. There is a nice side garden to relax in, as well as a rooftop sun deck.

I stayed at Two Urns for a long weekend, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The hostess is an artist, and she is very knowledgeable about Chicago and the local areas. She can also provide you with passes to local attractions, so be sure to talk with her about any "touristy" plans you have! I met some interesting people and had some great conversations over shared late-night snacks in the kitchen upstairs. The rooms were clean, freshly decorated, and the beds were comfortable. If I did not already live in the city, I would stay in this B&B on every visit.

Two Urns is located in the heart of Wicker Park, within walking distance of a wide variety of stores, restaurants, and clubs. Limited parking is available, including one garage slot, but they are located within three blocks from several bus stops (#9 Ashland, # 56 Milwaukee, #12 Division, #16 North Avenue), and two blocks from the L train (Blue line, Division/Milwaukee stop).

Fax: 773/235-1410 E-mail:twourns@earthlink.net http://www.twourns.com/

Looking for a stylish restaurant where the food is as showcased as the venue? Then look no further than WILDFIRE ( www.wildfirerestaurant.com).

Before you even walk in the door, you are greeted with a slab-rock exterior and lots of wood: this place is a chophouse, and wants to let you know.

Inside, the restaurant aims to make you feel as if you've stepped back in time to a '40s supper club: dark woods and leather, accented by the gleam of silverware and spotless napkins, jazz music filtering over the patrons, with the center area of the dining area a few steps lower; the illusion is complete. The back wall is lit more brightly, drawing your eyes to the smooth-running kitchen area, where all meals are prepared and cooked in sight of the dinners; the scent of the wood-burning ovens and the meats they prepare is heady in the room.

Wildfire tends to be busy, so it is best to make a reservation, particularly on weekends. (Note: The downtown Chicago location is not open for lunch, but the locations in Lincolnshire, Oakbrook, and Eden Prairie are.) The staff is courteous and helpful without hovering.

While the menu is very meat-heavy, there are seafood and vegetarian selections available. Wildfire has nightly specials and occasionally runs special events, such as the "Wine Dinners" in conjunction with selected vintners. You are here for the food and the atmosphere, and you will get plenty of both--this is an equally good location for a business dinner or to impress your significant other.

There is a diverse selection of appetizers; the baked French onion soup is a good way to start--lots of cheese, with garlic croutons and a rich, beefy broth loaded with onions. The wood-oven-roasted crab cake is a better choice than the crab-crusted stuffed shrimp, but both are tasty.

Have an eye on the salads? The menu says it best: "All salads are sized for sharing." The spinach salad, with its warm mustard dressing, is a good choice.

Wildfire offers eight varieties of filet mignon, half a dozen cuts of steak and chops, and prime rib, as well as roasted chicken, seafood, and ribs. Its signature steak dish is the horseradish-crusted filet mignon, an almost sinfully delicious cut wrapped in bacon and topped with a horseradish crust. The steaks are aged to perfection, tasty and tender, and are improved even further by their sauces.

Like a little something with dinner? Wildfire has an excellent wine list--and if you can't decide, you can get wine "flights." Additionally, they offer a selection of flavorful martinis, and the bar draws 10 microbrews and draft beers, including a namesake beer brewed by Goose Island of Chicago.

If, after all that, you even have room for dessert, Wildfire has a rich apple brown Betty. The dessert choices tend to be slim--usually no more than two to three choices per location--but satisfying.

Wildfire is a member of the Lettuce Entertain You ( www.leye.com) group.

One of the most enjoyable Asian cuisine restaurants in the greater Chicago area is Lulu’s of Evanston.

Lulu’s, on the left, is decorated in cheerful yellow and brilliantly colored Asian artworks and memorabilia. The people that crowd this friendly restaurant are as eclectic as its menu.

Lulu’s motto is "Dim sum and then sum." They take their influences from a variety of Asian cuisine including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai dishes. Their menu proclaims the place to be "unique and eclectic among Oriental restaurants," and indeed it is–-in the best manner possible.

Lulu’s offers their dim sum menu for Sunday brunch (11:30am-3pm) and for Monday dinners (5:30-9:30pm). For $14.95, diners can sample any food off their regular menues--yes, any--an extremely popular feature that's made Lulu’s a favorite staple in the Evanston dining scene.

Lulu’s food choices are all tasty, emphasizing attractively presented fresh ingredients, often accompanied by a combination of mustards and chili sauces. Many of their menu choices come with vegetarian, vegetable, and tofu-alternative preparations. They do not use MSG. Food always arrives hot and promptly; the waitstaff is friendly.

Whether you go to Lulu’s to try their dim sum menu or have a regular meal, start with their variety of "small eats." Their pot stickers, made from pork and scallions pan fried with a ginger-soy dipping sauce, are good. The Japanese crispy potato croquettes, served with spicy red-chili aioli, is unusual to find in Oriental restaurants, but a yummy addition to one’s meal. Shrimp, crab and vegetable wontons--often referred to as crab Rangoon in other establishments-– are excellent here, as is the salt-and-pepper fried calamari.

Their "big eats," or main courses, are also available in half portions. Here Lulu’s shows their Japanese and Thai influences a bit more strongly, with dishes like Pad Thai, tempura-battered shrimp salad, Miso soup, and Nebeyaki Udon noodle soup with seafood. Even the Ramen noodle soup defies expectations, with clean, spicy flavors, and plenty of meat and vegetables added.

The main thing about Lulu’s is its consistency. During their busiest times, there may be a short wait, but it is rarely more than 10 minutes. The waitstaff is pleasant, the restaurant is clean and attractive, the food delivery prompt, the food always the right temperature and of high quality. It is very difficult to ever go wrong eating here--in more than 30 times dining out at Lulu’s, I have yet to have a bad dining experience.

Access: Handicapped accessible

Parking: Street (metered), parking garages nearby

Train: Davis St. stop - Purple line "L" & North line Metra trains (2 blocks west)

Website: Lulu's Dim Sum

Credit cards: Most major

Alcohol: Limited selections

"Meritage" was coined by 1980s California winemakers to classify a new breed of red wines they were blending: "merit" and "heritage" were combined to form "Meritage," a moniker limited to Bordeaux varietals. There are several more qualifications for a wine to legally bear the label "meritage"; among them, the wine must be the winery’s very best of that type (see also www.simpleinternet.com/recipes/dictionary.pl?4423).

Meritage Café well lives up to its moniker. This stellar restaurant is off the beaten path from downtown, but is well worth the effort to find.

I stumbled upon Meritage by happy accident. My first visit there was on a freezing winter night, when the restaurant’s façade was a bright, welcoming destination--we moved through heavy velvet curtains into a tastefully decorated main dining/bar area. We dined on the patio--you’d think that being outdoors in midwinter would be the last place to be, but Meritage’s patio is covered/heated in the winter. In the summer, the outdoor seating area is one of the best in the city. The restaurant is a beautiful setting for any meal, but if you want it a little quieter for a romantic meal, ask to be seated on the patio!

If the décor is not enough, the menu is sublime. The fixed menu is relatively shor--in fact, there are probably four times as many wines available as there are food choices. There are a few du jour items, which vary depending on season.

The first time I enjoyed dining at Meritage, we had the Chilean sea bass. It was amazing, but you will not find it on the menu now: Meritage is one of the many Chicago restaurants who are "Taking a Pass on Chilean Sea Bass" (see http://environet.policy.net/marine/csb). Their menu still remains heavily in favor of seafood, with a Northwestern/Asian-influenced touch.

Every piece of food is a piece of art, both for the eyes and palate. Start with the curried vegetable crispy rolls or one of the fantastic soups. The rock shrimp cake and crab salad is another tasty choice. Move on to the entrees--such as the Pacific king salmon, roasted duck breast, or seared scallops. For vegetarians, try the vegetable melange, which changes depending on the season.

Meritage has an outstanding and lengthy wine list, with primarily American varietals. Feeling indecisive? They offer tasting flights.

Save room for dessert! They have some elegantly simple choices--apple pecan torte, cinnamon bread pudding--or go for one of the more unusual selections, like curried ice-cream profiteroles or caramelized bananas and hazelnuts.

As a final compliment, the waitstaff is gracious: highly knowledgable, friendly, attentive without hovering, and never making you feel rushed.

And who would want to rush such a sublime dining experience?

***

Dinner only, catering available for private parties
Hours: 5:30-11pm Mon-Thurs, 5:30pm-12am Fri-Sat, 5-10pm Sun
MC/Amex/Visa
Street and valet parking; cabs plentiful; CTA buses 73-Armitage, 50-Damen
Smoking at bar only. Full bar.
Not wheelchair accessible.
Chef: Dirk Flanigan

The Lettuce Entertain You group (http://www.leye.com/) owns and operates many fine restaurants around the Chicago area, each with its own style, but with consistency for fine cuisine.

Petterino’s, at the corner of N. Dearborn and W. Randolph, harks back to the golden age of the supper clubs, with wood panelling, soft lighting, and fine service. Petterino’s is named for Arturo Petterino, long-time maitre d’ of the Pump Room during the heyday of stars and socialites –- and the restaurant pays homage to celebrities of Chicago, past and present, with caricatures of past and present local celebrities adorning the walls.

The feeling that you’ve slipped back to a 1940’s supper club starts the moment you walk in the door, but continues as you pick up the menu and see a list of "mixed cocktails" that used to be much more de rigeur at dinners: Grasshopper, Brandy Alexander, Side Car, Mimosa, to name a few. The wine list is well crafted and includes more than half a dozen champagnes.

Their appetizers include traditional hors d’oeuvres like smoked salmon and toast points, or shrimp cocktail, but their soups shine here, with special note to their tasty red snapper soup au sherry, which has a rich broth and chunks of fresh snapper.

Luncheon specialties include "The Robert Falls" club sandwich, classic chicken pot pie, fried fisherman’s platter, and stuffed peppers.

Petterino’s menu is firmly in the "comfort food" zone, with traditional favorites like filet mignon, NY sirloin, and chicken parmagiano. There is nothing too wild here, but perhaps that is what makes Petterino’s stand out so nicely: sometimes you need a break from all the cutting edge cuisine out there and need the warmth offered up by the timeless American cooking classics -- things like chicken, steak, fish, and pasta prepared just like Mom would. The food is not complex, but the quality is quite good, the portions hearty, and the atmosphere makes you feel like you have found a favorite neighborhood restaurant, instead of a place right in the heart of the Loop and the Theater District.

Open for lunch Mon-Fri; Dinner Mon-Sat; closed Sundays.

"Cheezeboiger, cheezeboiger, cheezeboiger, cheezeboiger. No Pepsi! COKE! No fries, CHEEPZ!"

John Belushi made this Chicago institution famous with his imitation of a Greek cook at the Billy Goat Tavern on "Saturday Night Live", but his portrayal was accurate. Located at 430 North Michigan, you need to go down the stairs in front of the Wrigley Building, then turn right to find this hole-in-the-wall joint - "Enter at your own risk," as the sign reads.

Billy Goat originator Sam Sianis is famous for another reason: during the 1945 World Series, he was forbidden from bringing his goat onto Wrigley Field. He cursed the ball club, saying the Cubs would never again win a World Series - and amazingly, 57 years later, that's still true.

The original location is a true neighborhood joint, with Formica on the counters, linoleum on the floors, Schlitz has been the draft of choice for 62 years, and the walls decked with clippings about the place and pictures of people who've made their mark here personally, or who frequent the place and are local (or national) celebrities: newspaper writers share wall space with beauty queens. The place has a character all its own, and although they've opened a few other locations (309 W. Washington; 1535 W. Madison; 3615 N. Clark; 600 E. Grand/Navy Pier; O'Hare - and several of these locations DO serve fries AND chips), you must visit the original. They also have a booth at the annual Taste of Chicago (June-July).

The Billy Goat was an institution before Belushi and SNL, however - with the personable cooks slinging burgers. Their fare is simple and priced cheep - err, cheap. You can have a full meal here for under $5 - compare that to the McDonald's upstairs, which is missing the colorful regulars and staff for the same price. And if you wander in looking lost, they'll make the decision for you: "Cheezeboiger! Oh, you sir, YOU a double cheezeboiger!" They're rarely wrong, and people walk away happy.

The burgers are made quick and tasty, and served on a tasty bun. They come without toppings, and there is a small bar of traditional toppings - ketchup, dill pickle chips, onions; one or two other choices - where you can top up your meal. The pickle chips are so thick and crisp as to be a tasty side on their own.

Smoking: Yes, at bar
Alcohol: Beer

Dick's Last Resort has locations in several cities around the country - their Chicago location is at 435 E. Illinois, behind the Fox & Obel supermarket, just a few blocks west of Navy Pier. Just across the sidewalk is Dick's Dock, where in nicer weather you can enjoy drinks on their floating dock.

I first found Dick's because I was working at a conference at the nearby Sheraton. Since then, I have returned often for their inexpensive Sunday jazz brunch.

Dick's is all about attitude, and they're proud of it. Generally, this makes for a fun, relaxing atmosphere. Dicks is in the basement of what used to be a factory building. You can still see the original cement flooring, including the tracks for rails that were used to haul cargo in/out of the building. The restaurant consists of one large open room filled with beer garden-style tables, with a bar along one wall and the kitchen area along the other, and a small glassed-in area with more singular tables.

Dick's of Chicago has live music 7 nights a week - jazz, blues, rock. They host an annual Parrothead bash, usually in August in conjunction with Jimmy Buffet's arrival in town for shows. The bands that play here are good; and try to catch their Sunday jazz brunches. Since the atmosphere here is extremely laid back, they don't mind if you're lingering over brunch to listen to the music a little longer (unlike most other jazz brunches in town, where they seem eager to get you out the door).

I like Dick's food. It's hearty, it's tasty, and the cost for what you get is pretty good, especially for a place smack in the heart of the touristy part of Chicago. I absolutely love their hamburgers.

The only place where Dick's loses points for me is their service, which can be very inconsistent. Generally, it is on the slow side anyway - in line with their take-it-and-like-it attitude - but if they've gotten swamped it can be bad. For example, I went there during Tall Ships Chicago 2003, and the place was even more packed than usual. I didn't have to wait for a table, but I had to wait nearly an hour before food was placed before me. So Dick's is not a place to go if you're rushing to a movie or if you have a short lunch break. But if you want someplace to kick back and relax and take your time over drinks or over your meal, then Dick's is great.

I like going here with friends who're in their 20's and 30's. I've taken my parents here for Sunday brunch and they enjoyed it. I really don't recommend Dick's if you have kids along, as the atmosphere borders on a bar/pub air. But if you want a place where you can kick back in the heart of downtown, this is your joint.

Monday-Thursday 11am-2am
Friday-Saturday 11am-3am
Sunday 10am-2am
www.dickslastresort.com

In high school, Shakespeare seemed stodgy and dull: it is difficult when you are sixteen to fully comprehend or enjoy the subtleties of his full body of work, and most teachers tend to stick to the more familiar plays, such as "Romeo & Juliet," "Julius Caesar," "Anthony & Cleopatra," or "Hamlet." In college, in my school's West Sussex (England) campus, I took a class called "Introduction to Shakespeare: Part 1" which oddly enough paired his comedies with his histories. ("Part 2" covered his tragedies) We saw "The Comedy of Errors," "Richard II," and "Much Ado About Nothing" at the Barbican in London, and "Twelfth Night," "Romeo & Juliet," "Henry IV parts 1&2" at the RSC in Stratford. It was here, in Shakespeare's own cities, where I truly fell in love with his work.

The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre had modest beginnings, originally performing atop the Red Lion pub in the Lincoln Park section of the city. They opened their beautiful new venue on Navy Pier in 1999, which includes a smaller "black box" theatre as well as the 510-seat mainstage, which resembles the Rose Theatre in London and where no seat is any more than nine rows from the stage. The exterior of the building is modern, almost like a glass sculpture, and the interior hosts not only the theatre space, but meeting space, a small pub, and a Shakespeare-centric bookstore.

The theatre hosts not only the CST, but also plays host to traveling productions: such as being the only North American stop on Peter Brooks’ Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord production of Le Costume (The Suit) tour. Recently, the CST hosted The Globe’s all-male production of "Twelfth Night" starring Mark Rylance performed to sellout crowds and outstanding reviews. The production was a perfect fit for the CST – and it was decidedly one of the best Shakespeare productions I’ve ever seen.

CST also performs family-friendly productions such as the recent "Green Eggs and Hamlet" in conjunction with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, or, for the less serious-minded, The Second City’s annual summer Shakespeare productions – 2002 and 2003 saw "Hamlet! The Musical!", but 2004 breaks ground with "Romeo and Juliet Musical: The People vs. Friar Laurence, the Man Who Killed Romeo & Juliet". Spring also sees the arrival of "Short Shakespeare!" where a modern interpretation of a favorite, "A Midsummer’s Night Dream," is a great way to be introduced to the CST.

Access to the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre is easy: it is located at the heart of Navy Pier, one of Chicago’s premiere tourist destinations. There are several restaurants on the Pier for before or after-play dining; and valet and self-parking is available (check with the box office for discounted rates). CTA buses #2, 29, 65, 66 and 124 all include the Pier on their routes.

Wrigley Field, one of the great icons of American Sports, opened April 23, 1914, and is home to the Chicago Cubs. The second-oldest major league ballpark in the country (second only to Boston's Fenway, 1912) holds a special place in the heart of many a ball fan. Chicago is one of the few cities that sports two major league baseball teams: the Cubs in the National League and the White Sox in the American League. It is one of the great Chicago dreams to see a cross-town World Series.

The Cubs are the "loveable losers" of baseball, having failed to win a World Series since 1908 (95 years and still counting). Will the "goat curse" ever truly be lifted from the Cubs?

It's easy to get to Wrigley Field -- just jump on the Red Line "L" and get off at Addison -- you can see into the field from the platform. There's no official parking at the field; local merchants and homeowners hawk their parking spaces for $5-20 on game days.

On the streets that flank the stadium, you can find all kinds of sports bars, memorabilia shops and ticket brokers (book your tickets online or buy them at the ball park, $14 and up). The 2004 season is almost sold out due to the near miss that the Cubs had with the World Series last year. You can tell if the Cubs won or lost their game today (home or away) by looking for the "W" or "L" flag atop the scoreboard.

The Wrigley Field tour (cost $15) runs on weekends throughout the summer and takes approximately 90 minutes. On the tour you visit a number of areas of the stadium, including the Cubs clubhouse, visitors clubhouse, dugouts, playing field, bleachers, mezzanine suites, press box, and security headquarters. Cameras are permitted on tours.

Wrigley has also been host to some of the most memorable moments in baseball. Among them is Babe Ruth's famous "called shot" in the third game of the 1932 World Series, when Ruth allegedly pointed to a bleacher location when he came to bat, and then hit the next pitch for a homer. Pete Rose also hit his 4191st career hit here, which tied him with Ty Cobb for the most hits in baseball history. On the trivia side, Wrigley still sports its original scoreboard from 1937, and in nearly 70 years of play, no batter has ever hit the scoreboard.

A die-hard Chicago tradition is partying on rooftops and nowhere is that more celebrated than the rooftops around Wrigley. After a lengthy battle where the park owners planned to construct obstructions to non-ticket-buying spectators, an agreement was reached and the Cubs-sanctioned Ballpark Rooftops organization was born. Member rooftops pay 17% of earnings to the Cubs, and in return, fans get one of the most unique experiences in major league ball.

Cubs baseball is as much about the fans as the players. Come see a game!

Over 30 years ago, a small rural parish in England started putting on a "do-it-yourself Messiah". Al Booth, founder and president of the International Music Foundation, enjoyed these and brought the idea home to Chicago. Together with Magaret Hillis, who was at the time Director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the "Do-It-Yourself Messiah" was introduced to Chicago in 1975.

Some 27 years later, the "Do-It-Yourself Messiah" is a Chicago Christmas holiday tradition. Interestingly enough, Handel's Messiah, which tells the story of Jesus's birth and life, was originally meant as an Easter performance, but has over the years become more closely associated with Christmas.

December 2002 marked my fourth Christmas living in Chicago. I was walking back to the "L" train after our office Christmas party when I saw the signs at LaSalle bank offering free tickets, and after having heard so much about this show, I picked up a few tickets, invited a couple friends to join me, and looked forward to attending.

A couple tips for first-timers to the Messiah:

1. Get to the Civic Opera House at least 20 minutes before it is to begin. You'll get a better chance at a better seat, have time to settle in, etc.

We were late. We had to climb all the way up to the nosebleed rafters and we sat in the last few rows among the very few unoccupied seats in a theatre that seats over 3,500. The Civic Opera House is a gorgeous piece of early 20th century architecture and a fantastic place to see anything performed.

2. Bring your own copy of the Messiah score (available around town but also orderable from Amazon.com, etc. The organizers use the G. Schirmer edition. While they do sell copies of the score on-site, they have limited supplies.

3. You don't have to be a great singer to participate. You sit by voice range (alto, tenor, etc.).

I have a passing familiarity with the score and I had never attempted to sing it before. I was feeling a bit unwell, so I sang along with the songs I knew best and I sat and enjoyed the rest, while my two companions sang their way through the rest of the piece.

As the orchestra soared through the opening notes, and the first soloist led the way, I could feel my blood pumping with exhilaration.

We've all heard Handel's Messiah before. It's hard to get through the holiday season without it. And maybe you've even seen a choir performing it.

But nothing can prepare you for the feeling of sheer power that washes over you to be sitting in the midst of a choir a couple thousand strong, singing this glorious alleluiah. You don't have to be Christian or even religious to enjoy this performance; you don't even have to understand English. The solos and the choir take you up into the heavens and seep into your being, and though the word seems woefully inadequate, the sensation is heady, rich, nearly tangible.

Charles Burney, 18th century music historian, is quoted saying that Handel's Messiah "fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and fostered the orphan." I know that while the do-it-yourself performance went on, I was simply immersed in the music and full on the glory of the hundreds and hundreds of human voices raised in song and celebration. There are other ways to see the Messiah, but nowhere will you find the experience quite as exhilarating as this one.

* * *

The annual Do-It-Yourself Messiah is held only two nights each December in Chicago and tickets are free. However, tickets are not released until the autumn. Until that time, you can contact the following for more information:

The dates for the 2003 LaSalle Bank Do-It-Yourself Messiah () are:

Wednesday, December 17, 2003  7p.m.
Friday, December 19, 2003  7p.m.
Civic Opera House
20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago