Quintessential
Chicago
by Howe Sim,
published in Helium
A last minute substitution for our
tour of Switzerland, Chicago turned out to be a delightful albeit less exotic
alternative. The memories of my first visit to the Windy City several years ago
were not too pleasant, as it was during the middle of a bonechilling spell in
the early spring. This time, my wife
and I were blessed with sun-soaked days and temperatures in the mid- to high-
twenties Celsius. It was a short trip, lasting just three days. The flight from
Toronto took just over an hour, which was why we flew instead of driving.
After retrieving our luggage, we
took a 45-minute taxi ride to the charming European-style four-star Talbott
Hotel, located just off the northern end of Michigan Avenue, in Chicago’s posh
Gold Coast district. In addition to all
the usual amenities (including complimentary Wi-Fi access from all rooms and
24-hour room service), we were most impressed with the staff, who were as
polite and gracious as we’ve ever encountered.
From my research, Chicago seemed to
offer a little something for everyone, whether you were interested in shopping,
architecture, dining, sports, or the arts. Over the next 72 hours, we embarked
on a whirlwind tour of Chicago, to get a feel for what Chicagoans love most
about their city. What follows is a list of some quintessential Chicago
experiences, which will draw you back to this fascinating city time and again.
1. Enjoying an afternoon at Millenium Park, the city’s newest urban
showpiece. Similar to New York City’s Central Park, this 25-acre oasis,
located on South Michigan Avenue, debuted in summer 2004. Funded by philanthropists such as Oprah
Winfrey, it features a combination of beautiful landscaping, an ice rink, and a
theatre. Its centerpiece is the impressive Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker
Music Pavilion, with its massive stainless steel ribbons, where the Grank Park
Symphony Orchestra stages free outdoor classic music concerts in the summer.
The stunning Jay Pritzker Music Pavilion is the centerpiece of Millenium
Park
Two public artworks popular among
visitors are British sculptor Anish Kapoor’s huge polished steel reflective
Cloud Gate (known as The Bean) and
Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa’s Crown Foundation, with its two glass towers
projecting faces of Chicagoans and a shallow reflecting pool between them. It
is open daily 6AM-11PM and admission is free.
Visit milleniumpark.org for more information.
Anish Kapoor’s polished steel Cloud Gate is a favorite among visitors
2. Window shopping along the Magnificent Mile. Considered one of the world’s premiere
shopping districts, this stretch of Michigan Avenue, which runs north of the
Chicago River up to the stately Drake Hotel, has been compared to Paris’s
Champs Élysées and New York’s Fifth Avenue. In addition to high-end boutiques
and retailers, it is also home to many more moderately-priced shops. The
already beautiful Mile was adorned by rows of colorful tulips while we were
there, in celebration of its annual Tulip Days festival. On the northern tip of
the Magnificent Mile lies Oak Street, which is also known for its collection of
pricey designer-label boutiques, including Prada, Hermès, and Barneys New York.
North Michigan Avenue is lined by many high- and moderate-priced stores
3. Riding the “El” (elevated) train around the Loop. Hop the southbound Brown Line at the
Washington/Wells stop and ride it around the Loop (approximately 30 minutes).
At only US$2, you’ll get a unique perspective on the downtown core, as well as
interesting views into office buildings. Avoid boarding before 9AM and between
3-6PM. While Chicago’s El was not the nation’s first elevated train system, it
is the largest one with 465 kilometres of track.
A ride on the El train provides an interesting view of the downtown Loop
4. Marveling at masterpieces in the Art Institute. Famous for its large collection of
Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and American paintings, this museum is
easily identified by the bronze lions that flank its South Michigan Avenue
entrance. Children and adults alike will also be impressed by the Thorne
Miniature Rooms in the museum’s lower level, featuring 68 tiny reproductions of
furnished rooms from European and American history, running from the 1300s to
the 1930s. Admission is free on Thursdays, when it also happens to be open till
8PM (all other days open from 1030AM to 5PM).
The Chicago Art Institute houses the largest collection of Impressionist
art in North America
5. Cruising down the Chicago
River. One of the best ways to appreciate Chicago’s architectural history
and learn about the dramatic buildings that form its skyline is by taking an
architecture boat cruise. These run daily between May and September, and range
from 30 to 90 minutes in length. Ours was operated by Shoreline Sightseeing,
but Wendella Sightseeing Boats is another popular choice. Architecture buffs
tend to favor the Architecture River Cruise offered by the Chicago Architecture
Foundation.
A guided cruise down the Chicago River offers a unique view of the
city’s skyline
6. Chowing down on deep-dish
Chicago-style pizza and a classic Chicago hot dog. Invented in 1943 by a
former University of Texas football star, the true Chicago-style deep-dish
pizza features a buttery crust, cheese, and chunky tomato sauce, and is usually
eaten with knife and fork. Some of the best gourmet deep-dish pizza restaurants
in town are Pizzeria Uno, Gino’s East, and our personal favorite, Lou Malnati’s
Pizzeria.
For those who prefer hot dogs,
Chicago is home to many outstanding hot dog eateries, such as Fluky’s,
Portillo’s, and Gold Coast Dogs. These local chains offer the true Chicago hot
dog, which features a steamed or boiled all-beef hot dog topped with chopped onions,
sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, dill pickle spear, fresh tomato wedges, a
dash of celery salt, two or three chili peppers, but never any
ketchup.
7. Taking the kids to Navy Pier. Built in World War I as a training center
for Navy pilots, this kilometre-long pier features a boat dock, food court,
shopping arcade, and various carnival attractions. It’s popular with families,
largely because of its 15-story replica of the world’s first ferris wheel, as
well as its colorful carousel featuring 36 hand painted animals. It’s open
Sunday through Thursday 10AM-10PM and Friday to Saturday 10AM-midnight. For
more information, visit www.navypier.com.
Navy Pier’s ferris wheel offers great views of the Chicago skyline
8. Taking in a game at Wrigley
Field. For the true baseball fan,
this historic ballpark (the second oldest in America) with its manually
operated scoreboard and ivy-covered outfield walls, is true Americana. Stuff
yourself with a hot dog and some Cracker Jack, and join in the chorus of “Take
Me Out To The Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch. Because Wrigley is
small, tickets are often sold out by opening day. Your best bet is to try a
weekday game or a scalper on game day. Failing that, take one of the tours
offered on certain Saturdays in the summertime; stops include the locker rooms,
press box, and a walk on the field itself.
9. Checking out the animals at
the Lincoln Park Zoo. The nation’s
oldest zoo also happens to be one of only two zoos in the country that still
charge no admission fees. In spite of this, its Georgian revival-style brick
buildings, verdant lawns and flower gardens are among the most beautiful I’ve
seen at any zoo, and are kept in immaculate condition. The most popular
exhibits are the Regenstein African Journey, the Great Ape House, and the Sea
Lion Pool. Arrive early to avoid the masses of schoolchildren who inevitably
invade the place. The Lincoln Park Zoo is open 365 days a year.
This baby DeBrazza’s monkey is a resident of the popular Lincoln Park
Zoo
10. Strolling around one of
Chicago’s colorful neighborhoods.
Whether it’s the historic stately mansions of the tree-lined Gold Coast,
Old Town with its wood-framed houses and historic taverns, or the artsy and
picturesque Wicker Park district, some of your best memories of Chicago may
come from simply strolling through its various neighborhoods. If you prefer to
navigate these lesser trodden areas with a local guide, consider the free
Chicago Greeter program (www.chicagogreeter.com) or the increasingly popular
Chicago Neighborhood Tours (www.chicagoneighborhoodtours.com).
This stately home is in the ritzy Gold Coast neighborhood