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Suggestions for Chicago?

ajward549 said:
That’s right, this will be my first time in the city without a car!
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Cars are more trouble than they’re worth in the Loop. For anything less than a mile, walking is usually the fastest way around. Longer than that, taxi or the El (or Uber if you’re into that). Cars are only better if you’re going to the suburbs, or the fringes of the city.
 
Like I said before, we used to always stay in the burbs, never stayed downtown before AND this will be first time in Chicago w/o my wife!

She vowed never to return with me unless I promised to walk slower after out last trip downtown ;)
 
Since your downtown with no car....Millennium Park and "Cloudgate" is very cool and worth an hour or two to hang out
Kiddie corner from MP is the Cultural Center (old library building) and is interior architecture is awesome. Don't miss the Tiffany Dome on the top floor. Just walk in.
Navy Pier is a tourist trap but pretty cool to walk to the end and check out the city views. Permanent stained glass exhibit and atrium are cool
Willis Tower or Hancock observation decks are always worth the price of admission weather permitting
Red Line to Wrigley area is safe even at night (especially if you're a drinker!) just not too late
If you go to a Sox game it's best to not hang around the neighborhood even though it's not too bad. There's a lot of nice stuff to explore inside the park
Pizzeria Uno has as good deep dish pizza as any. Try an Italian beef sandwich somewhere too. Portillo's?
Don't be afraid to pop into any old (or new) office building to check out the lobby architecture. Just tell the guard you want to check it out and take some pics. The Rookery and Marquette buildings come to mind or any of the old theaters.

Have fun and enjoy!!
 
bluesky said:
Be careful, Be aware.
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Not to sound overly dramatic but I agree.

Long time ago, (maybe 35 years?) I was there, visiting from Indianapolis. I had a girlfriend with me who had never traveled out of the state of Indiana until this trip.

Stayed downtown but wanted to visit a specific restaurant that was highly recommended to me by a friend (forget name)

Walked around the city and started to walk to the restaurant. To keep story short, we were really close but I was confused as to where it was. Saw a police station so walked in and said I was walking to such & such....which way is it???

I "understood" just as soon as I saw their "look" to each other and one of them slowly/quietly asked.... "did you say you are walking??"

I got the distinct impression that we were in an area that walking along with my 5'10" girlfriend wasn't the brightest idea.

On a happy note, it seems the restaurant was now only like two blocks away so we trucked up there and after eating, got a cab for ride back to hotel.
 
Cabs and UBER are the way to go. One of the best Corned Beef sandwiches ANYWHERE is on Jefferson St. just north of Roosevelt Rd.
Manny's Deli. A bit pricey(everything in Chicago?!) a Sandwich, potato pancake,& soft drink will cost you $20 but well worth the cost.
Huge and fantastic.
 
I never stopped in at Manny's but always meant to. It's a shame what's going on here and the reputation we get around the country. Most of the gun violence/shootings are out in certain troublesome neighborhoods but after 10PM criminal types may cruise the "better" neighborhoods looking for targets to rob so it's best to stay in nicely crowded and busy places or back at the hotel by then. In a lot of ways I'm proud of my city but then......and I grew up rural, go figure. Don't get me started on our state. Our ex-governors aren't depicted on license plates, they are MAKING them!!!
 
Gosh, you all are great! I have so many ideas now, I’m very thankful.

I’ll be careful. No late nights (I normally get up at 5) and will use Uber anytime I need to since the trip is on the department (because I’m presenting novel research.)

Looking forward to hitting up some new record shops, will work on “making space” for any new acquisitions I may discover in the next few weeks before I leave!
 
TomBig58 said:
Since your downtown with no car....Millennium Park and "Cloudgate" is very cool and worth an hour or two to hang out
Kiddie corner from MP is the Cultural Center (old library building) and is interior architecture is awesome. Don't miss the Tiffany Dome on the top floor. Just walk in.
Navy Pier is a tourist trap but pretty cool to walk to the end and check out the city views. Permanent stained glass exhibit and atrium are cool
Willis Tower or Hancock observation decks are always worth the price of admission weather permitting
Red Line to Wrigley area is safe even at night (especially if you're a drinker!) just not too late
If you go to a Sox game it's best to not hang around the neighborhood even though it's not too bad. There's a lot of nice stuff to explore inside the park
Pizzeria Uno has as good deep dish pizza as any. Try an Italian beef sandwich somewhere too. Portillo's?
Don't be afraid to pop into any old (or new) office building to check out the lobby architecture. Just tell the guard you want to check it out and take some pics. The Rookery and Marquette buildings come to mind or any of the old theaters.

Have fun and enjoy!!
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^^^^ This comment, right here. Presuming you're confined to the Loop due to time/transit options, TomBig58 sketched out an excellent itinerary. According to my wife of 21 years, Pizzeria Uno has damn near the best pizza on the planet, the observation decks at Sears Tower (I'll never say "Willis") and the Hancock provide world class views on clear days (yes, that is the shoreline of SW Michigan you gleen in the distance...), Millennium Park is one of the best city parks in the nation, the skyline views from Navy Pier (expecially the ferris wheel) are to "die for," and the architecture of the "Chicago School" is in a class by itself (pun intended....). Enjoy your visit to the Windy City, professional and recreational, ajward549.
 
Coytee said:
Forget the audio/stereo/record stores.... go see some of the museums

They have some nice ones
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So, decided to hit up the Field Museum and the Art Institute yesterday after all. It was really hot yesterday and foolish me did not bring shorts and the prospect of walking great distances yesterday in the heat were not attractive; nice, large, air conditioned museums were though! As a bonus, I was able to shop both gift shops for plenty of goodies to bring back to the family!

bobschneider said:
Reckless Records has a shop on Madison west of Michigan Ave, walking distance from the Hilton.

For gear, try Saturday Audio on Belmont, a bit south of Wrigley Field. It’s about a block west of the Belmont stop on the Red Line El (State Street subway in the Loop). But they’re only open Thursday evenings and weekend days.

For Chicago pizza, Lou Malnati’s is good. There’s one at 805 S. State, close to the Hilton. For Italian Beef, try Portillo’s - nearest one is at Clinton and Taylor, a short cab ride. For classic Chicago, try The Berghoff on Adams or Italian Village on Monroe - the Village on the 2nd floor is the same as when Al Capone ate there.

For music, Buddy Guy’s club is just a couple blocks from the Hilton, 700 S. Wabash. Or take a cab to the 2500 block of Halsted, where Kingston Mines and B.L.U.E.S. are across the street from each other. For jazz, try the Jazz Showcase, also close to the Hilton. You’re also close to Orchestra Hall, home of the Chicago Symphony, although in the summer they play at Ravina Park in the north suburbs. There are also lots of free concerts in the summer at Millennium Park, on Michigan Ave north of the Art Institute.
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Thanks for this too Bob, these all look walkable and I might do them tonight. I've never ridden the train here in Chicago, so depending on what time I am able to leave the hotel this evening this might be a great option tomorrow when Saturday Audio will be open in the evening.

TomBig58 said:
Bob's Blues and Jazz Mart on west Irving Park Rd. I passed this unobtrusive storefront dozens of times before I stopped in. I was the only one in the store and was lucky enough to meet Bob, who is in his late 80's, and he regaled me with stories about Chicago blues and jazz history. Who is Bob Koester? Well, he ONLY owned and operated Chicago Jazz Mart for decades AND FOUNDED Delmark Records. He sold the Mart a couple years ago and opened up this little store out of boredom. A couple of other times I stopped in and met his son, whose "fly on the wall" stories were as good as his father's. Bob was honored at this years BluesFest with a "Delmark Studios Day".
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Tom, I need to map this to see how to get to this shop from my hotel. I probably should have tried to get to this shop yesterday when I had more free time, but I would really like to try to make it to this shop over all other record stores. How are prices?
 
3419 W Irving Park Rd it's pretty far from downtown and if your doing public transportation you'll need to take a bus. He knows what he has and priced accordingly. No super scores here.

https://cityseeker.com/chicago/1140740-bob-s-blues-jazz-mart

For some volume pricing of good quality rock albums and cd's try my buddy Ray at RPM Music at 1839 W Irving Park Rd. He's moving soon and trying to thin the inventory. Tell him Tom G sent you.
 
Just my two cents, but Andy's Jazz Club is as good as it gets! Live music starts around 5-6 PM for the first set. Quaint, classic jazz club! And the music is outstanding. State and Hubbard.
 
TomBig58 said:
aj, are you staying downtown? Do you like architecture? History? I've "nickel tour guided" a few friends and relatives around and know of a few free or inexpensive "non-touristy" hidden gems around the city.
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Hi Tom, will unexpectedly be done after lunch today and have several hours free this afternoon before I fly out tonight. Any recommendations of places to check out architecturally? Not adverse to hop on the train if needed, don't really want to ride any more cabs/uber though!
 
ajward549 said:
Hi Tom, will unexpectedly be done after lunch today and have several hours free this afternoon before I fly out tonight. Any recommendations of places to check out architecturally? Not adverse to hop on the train if needed, don't really want to ride any more cabs/uber though!
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The Architecture River Tour is very good. You pick it up at Michigan Ave and the river, a few blocks north of Millenium Park. https://www.architecture.org/tours/...er-cruise-aboard-chicagos-first-lady-cruises/

For cool interiors, check out the lobby of the Rookery building, at LaSalle and Adams. The building was built in the 1880s, but the lobby was renovated by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1900s. The Field Building across the street also has a very cool, Art Deco lobby - you'll think Fred and Ginger are going to come dancing around the corner. The Marquette Building a block east of that also has a neat original lobby from the 1890s.
 
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bobschneider said:
The Architecture River Tour is very good. You pick it up at Michigan Ave and the river, a few blocks north of Millenium Park. https://www.architecture.org/tours/...er-cruise-aboard-chicagos-first-lady-cruises/

For cool interiors, check out the lobby of the Rookery building, at LaSalle and Adams. The building was built in the 1880s, but the lobby was renovated by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1900s. The Field Building across the street also has a very cool, Art Deco lobby - you'll think Fred and Ginger are going to come dancing around the corner. The Marquette Building a block east of that also has a neat original lobby from the 1890s.
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Thanks Bob!
 
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