My Times in Chicago

Giordano's should be made a fixture of Chicago. It is that awesome.

Chicago style pizza is a style of pizza featuring (from the bottom up), a thick deep-dish style crusts, thick oozing layers of cheese and toppings, and a smooth layer of tomato/marinara sauce on top. Yes, the tomato sauce is on top. Yes it is better than anything you've had before.

Giordano's is the perfect way to experience a Chicago style pizza. With many restaurants open across Chicago and its many suburbs, Giordano's is easily accessible and well priced. If you go on a regular night (Tuesday through Sunday), you can easily get a great and very filling meal of pizza for only $5 a person. If you go on Monday, where all pizza is half off, you can easily get a meal for just above $2 a person.

One of my favorite pizza's is the spinach pizza, which is very very good. The pizza is delicious from the beginning to the end. The thick layer of cheese and toppings plus the crispy and just right layer of crust combining in your mouth is one of the best feelings/tastes you will experience while in Chicago.

Giordano's is great for eating in groups (because the more pizza you get, the cheaper it is in the long run), or in small families (because one large pizza is more than enough for 2 adults and 2 kids). You'll enjoy the casual atmosphere, and definitely the cuisine. It's not the most fancy or best restaurant in town, but if you're looking for a filling meal and a easy-come, easy-go atmosphere, Giordano's is the place to eat.

Although Michigan Avenue is home to many stores, business centers, and cultural sights and sounds, there is a surprising lack of easily accessible restaurants. Although there are a few restaurants, several are very expensive and require reservations and/or dress requirements.

Bennigans is one of the few restaurants that lies in the heart of downtown Chicago that don't require reservations or have tremendous wait times, and its central location makes it popular for both local residents and out-of-town tourists. It lies in an area that attracts many tourists (Millennium Park), and also many Chicagoan's.

Bennigan's sits on the corner of Michigan and Monroe, featuring both and indoor dining and outdoor patio if weather permits. The restaurants faces Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago, and offers view of life in Chicago as is happens. It lies a block away from the Chicago El stop, and lies along Michigan Ave, allowing easy access to buses and taxi's.

The dining experience at Bennigan's is like most any "normal" or "regular" American restaurants. It features a wide array of entrees and appetizers during both lunch and dinner. This includes many specialty sandwiches, steaks and chicken, a seafood fare, and also pasta and salads. They also feature a "weight watchers" section and also a bar.

The food at Bennigan's is pretty good, and is not overpriced. The quality of service is generally good, the only problems are due to the restaurant being packed during peak lunch/dinner hours. On several occasions when a trip to Chicago lasts longer than anticipated, eating at Bennigan's is a great way to end the day because it is not expensive, and it's wide menu has food that can please almost anyone. It's location is also a plus.

All in all, Bennigan's is a pretty good restaurant to eat in. Although it isn't a fixture of Chicago, and certainly not one of a kind, Bennigan's provides an atmosphere for dining that is suitable for tired and hungry families, but also for a dinner meeting for friends. It's location makes it easily accessible, and it's menu makes it popular.

Shedd Aquarium is one of the oldest and largest aquariums in America. It was built in 1932. You walk up several flights of stone stairs into a huge atrium. Once you go through the line to buy your tickets, you immediately see the Caribbean Exhibit, a 360 degree tank, which has hammerhead sharks, barracuda, in addition regular shows of divers feeding the animals underwater.

Next you tour through various areas of the world and different environments, such as the Amazon, Southeast Asia, North America, and river, ocean, lakes, etc.

If you paid to see the Northwest/Pacific exhibit, you will be able to see the beluga whales and dolphins. The tickets were only several dollars more (~5.00) to see these animals, and you also get to see the Amazon wild life exhibit. It was very impressive.

It's a huge park, at least 10 blocks in length and width. There is ample parking underneath the park.

The park has an outdoor concert pavilion (all shows are free), a terraced garden, several large fountains, the huge Buckingham fountain, a playing pool, and of course the "Bean".

The concerts are great, often including famous and nationally touring artists, in addition to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (one of the best in the world). The terraced garden can be relaxing if the weather permits, but often it is very hot in downtown Chicago. The fountains are very pretty. In addition you can see "the Bean" a mirror-shined metal sculpture which melts the sky with the earth you stand on. This very fun to see and play around.

There is also the Millennium Park walkway, which is a metal/architectural stairway/walkway.

Also try to see the Facial fountains, which I described above.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is easily one of the best orchestras in the whole world. Add to that, the history of the orchestra and it's legendary brass power, this orchestra is truly something you want to see if you ever visit Chicago.

I'm lucky enough that I live only several miles away from downtown Chicago that I try to visit at least four times a year, although I'm probably going at least every two months now.

The orchestra plays almost every week during its performing season, which is from the end of September/beginning of October until June. The orchestra has many guest performances, including some of the best classical performers joining the orchestra on many different songs.

The concert hall is an old hall, but there are a wide variety of seats, ranging from floor to gallery to box. You should purchase your tickets ahead of time to ensure that they come together and that you can find a good price. However, purchasing your tickets at the door is possible the day off and right before the concert.

The concert hall is centered in downtown Chicago, right outside Millennium Park. Because of this venue, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra often holds free public concerts at the pavilion in Millennium Park. These concerts take place over the summer.

The concerts themselves are marvelous. Although the concert call may seem cramped (they have expanded it upwards and added second gallery), the sound of the orchestra carries clearly throughout. The concert hall has be updated with acoustical engineering to allow the best hearing situation possible for practically every seat. In addition, the energy and power of this group is just so great a dinky concert hall can't stop their sound.

The orchestra plays a wide variety of music (all classical of course), ranging from all eras. In addition, the orchestra also plays with singers and soloists. In addition, there are also several guest conductor series.

Besides the Chicago Symphony orchestra, there are also soloist and other music series. For instance there is the Sara Lee piano concert series, which features famous pianists from across the world coming to play at the concert hall. There is also a jazz concert series which features many of the world best and brightest jazz musicians, such as Wynton Marsalis, Dave Holland, and Marcus Roberts.

In summary, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is definitely a must see. With famous performing artists playing with such a stellar and world-renown group, it would be a crime to visit Chicago without seeing them play live.

Cubs games are another defining part of the Chicago experience.

Cubs games are pretty regular (during the regular season), and tickets are easy to get. They can cost anywhere from $10 to $50 depending on what seat you get. Inside the Wrigley field there are tons of hot dog vendors (selling Chicago style hot dogs of course, but also pizza, burgers, etc). There are many restaurants and bars around the stadium if you're hungry when you leave, but I'd recommend going a couple El train stop away or else you'll get caught in a mad rush.

The games are plenty of fun, there are pretty regular give aways at the gates and from surveys, etc. I got a free little Snoopy doll (Given at gates) and a free fleece Cubs blanket (bank survey). You can also bring food and drinks in if you want, just not a huge cooler (you could try haha).

Transportation to the field is easy enough, there are major thoroughfares around it, but parking is rough. My suggestion is to park several El Stations away, and to ride a bus, or catch the El, or just walk (the nearest stations are two blocks away from the field.

The games are pretty fun, even though the Cubs haven't been awesome recently. The games are never jam packed, but they can be busy. It is easy to get a large group in, but you should get tickets ahead of time.

All in all Cub's games and Wrigley field are a great way to relax and enjoy the summer and fall nights. With the sights and sounds of a ball park, especially one with such history, nothing can go wrong (except rain).