What to do in Chicago

[FrostyBoy]

I just touched down in Chicago, I have never been to America, I guess I was expecting a little more from "The Greatest Country in the World". Thankfully I am just on a 2 week business trip.

Anyway, I am staying near Magnificient Mile with my 2 colleagues, and I have no idea what to do. I don't know where to go, what to see, where is good chinese food (my colleagues are chinese), what places I should not go to, what I should watch out for, etc.

Anyone care to enlighten!?

[Riesstiu IV]

Join the Chicago outfit.

[snoopy369]

Well, you could always have warned us ahead of time, and have a chicago polymeet A bunch of us live here, Ming, Rah, etc. ...

[snoopy369]

Anyhow, if you're wanting good chinese food, go south to ChinaTown, which is Archer and Cermak (about 3-4 miles south of the magnificent mile depending on where in said mile you are) ... the best restaurant is the Phoenix:

http://chicago.citysearch.com/profile/3681799

the second best is Three Happiness. There's a list here:

http://www.chicagochinatown.org/dine/restaurants

That's about a $10 cab ride from where you are, or take the Red Line el (subway) to the Chinatown stop, it's a short walk from that stop (you'll have to ask directions or get a map as I can't explain the directions easily, but if they're Chinese and speak chinese you'll be fine). Three Happiness is right off of the el stop, but the Phoenix is much better.

There are some chinese restaurants downtown also, but I'm not as familiar with how good they are... head down to the area around Grand or Ohio and take a look around there between Michigan and Lasalle, there are a few there from what I remember (plus Big Bowl which is panasian and quite good, if not really chinese in any respect).

[snoopy369]

You said you're here for two weeks, is that all in Chicago? If so, next friday perhaps a polymeet should be arranged.. usually they're this time Friday. Ming would have to arrange that, as it's usually his job to do so ... my apartment is rather too small

To watch out for: Don't walk around randomly south of the river after dark, as while there are plenty of safe places there there are some less safe ones also, and the river is a good dividing line. Near the lake (east) you're safe pretty much anywhere, though, at least until chinatown south and for a good five miles north.

If you want bars and such, I think around Oak street (north end of mag mile) there are some bars, between Chicago and Oak anyhow, off of Michigan, to the west mostly. There are lots of pubs and such around also, if that's more your thing.

Shoppingwise tomorrow head up and down Michigan of course, check out the Apple store (Huron, I think, or thereabouts), the Garmin store, the Nokia store, all on east side of Michigan; the Lego store in the nordstrom's building just north of the river on the west side, that's sort of neat if you loved legos as a kid. There's a huge Border's Book/music/dvd store towards the north end, and a Sharper Image in the Water Tower mall across the street.

You're near the John Hancock tower, a thousand feet of tallness, and the Sears Tower is a good distance to the south, catch a cab or the 151 Sheridan bus ("To Union Station") going south on Michigan to go to the Sears Tower. Consider taking a boat tour, if any are available (But bring your winter coat of course); some of the architectural based ones are quite interesting. There's also bus tours, including the one where they take you to gangster locations... There is a visitors center in the old water tower building, that's on Pearson St. just EAST of michigan avenue (if you're at the Hancock building, one block south is the Water Tower Mall and south across the street of that is the Visitor's Center) that will have guides on all of the tours and how to take them.

There are some great museums, the Museum of Science and Industry is basically next to where I live, it's at 57th and Lake Shore (south), either take a cab or a #10 Museum bus (you can catch this on the weekend only, during the day, on michigan north of the river); it has some pretty neat exhibits including an old U-Boat and I think currently is the Star Wars main exhibit. There is also Museum Campus, which is on the lake around 14th street, cab is best to get to that, you can go to the Field Museum (natural history - mummies, that sort of thing), the Shedd Aquarium (yay fish), and the Adler Planetarium.

[Zkribbler]

Darn. One of my office mates loves to visit Chicago...but he's gone for the weekend

[snoopy369]

Bar/etc. wise, there's a list here:

http://chicago.citysearch.com/yellowpages/results/Chicago_IL/page1.html?cw2=55&flavor_id=5&sorted=dist

I'd suggest (this is hearsay as I don't do this stuff):
1. House of Blues, if you can get in. Great music.
2. Excalibur.
3. O'Callaghans.

That's all I am really familiar with... perhaps someone else more familiar can comment.

A quick geography lesson:
In chicago the lake is to your EAST. Streets are nearly always perfectly north/south or east/west, except very rarely there is a diagonal cutter but it will be obvious (as the streets it intersects won't be at 90 degrees). Street numbers are 800 per mile, so if you're at 800 N and need to get to 3200 N you're 3 miles away.

Major streets N/S, starting with Michigan:

1. Michigan - major shopping street
1a. Rush - not always there, smaller side street
2. Wabash - smaller street, interesting side stuff here
3. State - the 0 line n/s, so east of it are addresses EAST like 29 E Madison; west of it are addresses west, like 19 W Chicago.
4. Dearborn
5. Clark
6. LaSalle

Major streets E/W, starting at the south end of the loop, skipping several:
Congress - south end of the financial district
Jackson - middle of the financial district, Sears Tower is here on the west side, Art Institute is near here on Michigan
Madison - the 0 line E/W, so anything S of here has a South address, north of here has a North address.
Washington - The old Marshall Field's is here (now Macy's) on State St.; lots of clothing retailers around Washington+State to Jackson+State.
Lake - Theatres are around here mostly, within a block or two either way, mostly around State or Dearborn (Goodman, Ford, etc.)
(River is here)
Grand - start of the River North district, lots of food between Grand and Chicago (north)
Ohio
Chicago (Water Tower is near here)
Delaware - here and north is the boutique area with quite a few little, expensive boutiques, and some bars and clubs also
Oak - a bit past the end of the Mag Mile, more shopping/boutiques still

[FrostyBoy]

Wow, thanks for the wealth of info!

Tomorrow will be checking out michigan area.

Also, I heard there is some large factory outlet where they sell branded stuff quite cheap, somewhere out to the west, is that true? If so, where and what is the best way to get there?

I find the many different kinds of people here quite interesting. The white man for crossing roads made me laugh, to me, it's just another subliminal message that white man must go first. I told my asian colleages to stay while I cross over.

We are also planning to take a quick flight to another city nearby next weekend, perhaps New York, is that a good idea? Do you know roughly what the price might be?

As for the polymeet, I'm sorry I will not be able to commit, as I am here on business and must stick with my colleagues and I know for certain they will not feel comfortable with Poly people. But it would have been nice to meet some of you finally after all this time I have been on Poly, it's my home on the internet. (I think I should relocate).

I'm very surprised by the amount of fatty foods everywhere, looks very tempting tho..

I also want to try one of those deep-dish pizza's, where's the best place to go for that? I think they are properly called Pizza Pies right?

Thanks for the info again!

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by FrostyBoy
I also want to try one of those deep-dish pizza's, where's the best place to go for that? I think they are properly called Pizza Pies right?

Thanks for the info again!

All pizzas were called Pizza pies way back when, when they were still shifting from a south Italian ethnic specialty to general American cuisine (before they became world food). Deep dish pizza is usually called just that. I dont know the place these days, used to be a chain called Eduardos was decent, and a couple of others, Giordanos?.

If youre down in Hyde Park for the Museum of Science and Industry, you can make a quick side trip to where controlled nuclear fission was first acheived, near whats now Regenstein library.

I liked the whole North lakefront, especially Near North, Old Town, Lincoln Park, etc. There are also some interesting ethnic areas, not sure whats left of them, Greektown, for ex, and a Polish section with a Polish museum.

[snoopy369]

Pizza, if you're in north michigan area you have a few choices...

Pizzeria Uno/Due are around that area, one is about ohio and state, the other is a block or so away... fairly good, tourist type. Giordanos is probably the best in that area, there is one on rush and superior (one block W of michigan, one block south of the water tower park). Eduardos is very good but not in that area. There is also a Giordanos south of the river off michigan a short bit, but I don't recall exactly where. Either way, you must order a Deep Dish pizza, that is Chicago style. 3cm thick and lots of cheese.

There are some good Sushi places around that area also, I imagine you're familiar; Oysi is the nearest decent one, that's on Grand one and a half blocks west of michigan, I think between wabash and rush. A bit hard to spot if you're not looking just right for it. It's next to Joe's Stone Crab, a very pricey but very good steak + seafood place.

[SlowwHand]

Re: What to do in Chicago

Originally posted by FrostyBoy
I just touched down in Chicago, I have never been to America, I guess I was expecting a little more from "The Greatest Country in the World"

You dumb****. You're aiming for Texas. We're down here. Chicago? WTF is wrong with you?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Pizza, if you're in north michigan area you have a few choices...

Pizzeria Uno/Due are around that area, one is about ohio and state, the other is a block or so away... fairly good, tourist type. Giordanos is probably the best in that area, there is one on rush and superior (one block W of michigan, one block south of the water tower park). Eduardos is very good but not in that area. There is also a Giordanos south of the river off michigan a short bit, but I don't recall exactly where. Either way, you must order a Deep Dish pizza, that is Chicago style. 3cm thick and lots of cheese.

There are some good Sushi places around that area also, I imagine you're familiar; Oysi is the nearest decent one, that's on Grand one and a half blocks west of michigan, I think between wabash and rush. A bit hard to spot if you're not looking just right for it. It's next to Joe's Stone Crab, a very pricey but very good steak + seafood place.

Bergoffs (?) is out business right? The place in the loop, near the Opera House?

[snoopy369]

They are and they aren't... I think they're back in some form, but I am not entirely sure exactly what.

[SlowwHand]

It just dawned on me, I'm such a fool. NATURALLY, the thing to do in Chicag is to switch flights and come to Dallas. I'm sorry. I don't know why it didn't occur to me why you would be there. Check your flight schedule. I'm sure it's just a connection.

[Adam Smith]

SECOND CITY
1616 N. Wells Street
This is probably walking distance from where you are on the Magnificent Mile. If not, take the el (red line) to North and Clyborne or Clark and Division.

Second City is the Mecca of comedy. Virtually the entire original cast of Saturday Night Live came from Second City, as well as just about anybody who's anybody in the field (names of alumni are on the wall next to the upstairs ticket office). If at all possible go to the late show Saturday night and stick around afterwords. The current cast (often with some alumni who drop by) hone their skills by doing improv comedy based on audience suggestions. I once saw Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, and Bill Murray run an ersatz school board meeting. Laughed myself sick. Another night saw George Wendt (Norm from Cheers) running around the audience in nothing but a diaper. He was a test tube baby looking for his parents.

You might also check out B.L.U.E.S. (2519 N. Halsted; red line to Fullerton) or Kingston Mines (2548 N. Halsted; again red line to Fullerton, I think) for Chicago Blues.

I miss Chicago SO bad.