anthroid
Annoying bad luck snails
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 16,002
No happy socks because nobody gets Manitoba.
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« Reply #15 on: March 23, 2011, 10:56:49 AM » |
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Speaking as a Chicago native, I hate Millenium Park. I hate it with a passion. Ugly, screwed up a wonderful huge open space, filled with chintzy looking crap. I hate it.
The Art Institute, however, is dandy.
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Do you hail from Planet Hello Kitty? It's like an action movie, but boring.
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sugaree
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« Reply #16 on: March 23, 2011, 11:06:30 AM » |
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If you are interested in shopping, the "miracle mile" of Michigan Ave. is north of the river (as opposed to the Art Institute and Millennium Park, which are not).
The Miracle Mile is in Los Angeles. In Chicago, it's the Magnificent Mile (or the Mag Mile). Oops! Of course it is. That's what I meant <sugaree wanders off in search of coffee>.... |
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where's the bourbon?
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prytania3
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« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2011, 12:05:02 PM » |
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Museum of Science and Industry
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Clowns, I tell you. Clowns.
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venerable_bede
Ain't nothin' but a
Senior member
Posts: 426
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« Reply #18 on: March 23, 2011, 12:17:58 PM » |
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Speaking as a Chicago native, I hate Millenium Park. I hate it with a passion. Ugly, screwed up a wonderful huge open space, filled with chintzy looking crap. I hate it.
The Art Institute, however, is dandy.
Isn't Millennium Park now in place of what used to be a huge disgusting end-of-the-tracks train depot? |
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Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. --H. L. Mencken
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bioteacher
chocolate loving
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 3,743
Confused and sad. Or happy. I'm not sure...
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« Reply #19 on: March 23, 2011, 12:37:48 PM » |
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The aquarium was delightful when I was there. And I had a blast on the gangster tour: http://www.gangstertour.com/Another time, I did the architecture riverboat tour: http://gochicago.about.com/od/sightseeingandtours/p/river_tour.htmIn both cases, I had a few hours to "see Chicago" before I had to leave. In both cases, the tours gave me a taste of what the city has to offer and I felt like I got my money's worth. Have fun! |
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My work ethic is somewhere in Lake Buena Vista. I need to go look for it.
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anthroid
Annoying bad luck snails
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 16,002
No happy socks because nobody gets Manitoba.
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« Reply #20 on: March 23, 2011, 01:42:51 PM » |
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Speaking as a Chicago native, I hate Millenium Park. I hate it with a passion. Ugly, screwed up a wonderful huge open space, filled with chintzy looking crap. I hate it.
The Art Institute, however, is dandy.
Isn't Millennium Park now in place of what used to be a huge disgusting end-of-the-tracks train depot? It is partly in place of a largish set of tracks for the IC/South Shore that was set below grade. I still find Millennium Park to be cutesy-wutesy, cluttered, filled with crap that blocks the view of the lake from the street (which the IC tracks did not do). I do not like the park at all, and I've spent enough time in and near it to know that I do not like it. I would take the below-grade trains any day over the Bat. |
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Do you hail from Planet Hello Kitty? It's like an action movie, but boring.
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distressed_student
grad student/adjunct instructor/confused family man
Member
Posts: 122
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« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2011, 10:20:19 PM » |
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Skip the cliche chicago-style pizza and get the REAL culinary item: A Chicago-style Hot Dog. Look for any hot dog shop with a "Vienna Beef" sign in the window and prepare to be amazed. Do NOT ask for ketchup on it, either. Demon Dogs (by dePaul Univ. on the north side) I think maybe long gone, but there's others.
Also, Lincoln Park Zoo. Skip the Suburban "bigger" zoo. Lincoln park zoo is also free or damn close to it.
Noon Tea at the Drake Hotel (while shopping and people watching on the Magnificent mile) is another must. Great Ethiopian restaurant on North Broadway, great Jewish-turning-Indian neighborhood on Devon St., Checkerboard lounge (home of the blues) on the South Side-----I could go on and on and on.
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Social Worker: Homer, your problem is simple. You're a fat, selfish buffoon.
Homer Simpson: ...Which is society's fault because...?
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msparticularity
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« Reply #22 on: March 24, 2011, 12:17:39 AM » |
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I would (and often do!) take a walk up and down Lakeshore Drive from the Art Institute up through the Mag Mile to enjoy the architecture, and then go to Greektown for Greek food--which I can't believe no one else has mentioned! I've eaten at both Athena and Pegasus, and hear good reports about Santorini--and Greek food is definitely a Chicago specialty.
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"Once admit that the sole verifiable or fruitful object of knowledge is the particular set of changes that generate the object of study...and no intelligible question can be asked about what, by assumption, lies outside." John Dewey
"Be particular." Jill Conner Browne
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mouseman
Oh dear, how did I become a
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 7,103
The Validater/Validator-in-Chief
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« Reply #23 on: March 24, 2011, 02:23:40 AM » |
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If you decide on the Field Museum, it's next to both the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium. You may be able to get a discount price on all.
As for food, since Frontera Grill is also expensive (though not like Topolobampo), there is a new, third place in the complex - Xoco. As the name suggests, it specializes in hot chocolate, Bayless style. It has some good sandwiches, as well. On Michigan, close to the Art Institute, there is also the Artist's Cafe, which is decently priced, and a good place for people-watching. I would not recommend Pizzeria Uno - it's now owned and run by the franchise. For good fast food, I will second (or third) a hot dog, but only if they use Vienna Beef sausages (they're local), and Italian beef - I recommend having both hot and sweet peppers, (Al's is indeed a great place).
To get to the airport, do not take the Blue line, unless you have lots of time. The stretch from the Loop to the airport is often unreliable, and there may be construction , which means getting off the train, taking a bus, and getting back on the train. A cab from downtown to O'Hare should be about $27. There are also cheaper shuttles from downtown to the airports.
Have fun, it's a great city!
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« Last Edit: March 24, 2011, 02:24:31 AM by mouseman »
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In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
In the midst of his laughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away -- -
For the Snark was a Boojum, you see.
Lewis Carroll
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venerable_bede
Ain't nothin' but a
Senior member
Posts: 426
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« Reply #24 on: March 24, 2011, 09:29:04 AM » |
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On Michigan, close to the Art Institute, there is also the Artist's Cafe, which is decently priced, and a good place for people-watching. Not to be contrarian or anything, but the Artist's Cafe is wildly overpriced. I walk by everyday, and am constantly amazed what they'll charge for a second-tier domestic brew. If you're near the Art Institute, there are lots of better options, of which the Gage (already mentioned) is maybe the most awesome. To get to the airport, do not take the Blue line, unless you have lots of time. The stretch from the Loop to the airport is often unreliable, and there may be construction , which means getting off the train, taking a bus, and getting back on the train. A cab from downtown to O'Hare should be about $27. There are also cheaper shuttles from downtown to the airports.
Mouseman, when's the last time you were on the northbound Kennedy in the late afternoon? The Blue Line slow-zone work is largely done (you can always check here, of course), and at least you know that, barring any massive problems, you'll get to O'Hare from the Loop in 60 minutes or so. For $2.25. A cab could also take an hour, quite possibly more than that, and be more than ten times the cost. |
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Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. --H. L. Mencken
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madhatter
We proudly present the fora's Least
Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 5,675
Just killing time
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« Reply #25 on: March 24, 2011, 05:51:09 PM » |
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I would not recommend Pizzeria Uno - it's now owned and run by the franchise.
Gasp! Say it ain't so! |
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"I may be an evil scientist, but it doesn't take a degree purchased from the Internet with your ex-wife's money to know how special and important you are to me." -- Dr. Doofenschmirtz
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sugaree
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« Reply #26 on: March 24, 2011, 06:23:45 PM » |
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I would not recommend Pizzeria Uno - it's now owned and run by the franchise.
Gasp! Say it ain't so! Meh. Giordano's and Lou Malnetti's were always better anyway! |
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where's the bourbon?
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madhatter
We proudly present the fora's Least
Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 5,675
Just killing time
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« Reply #27 on: March 24, 2011, 06:41:36 PM » |
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I would not recommend Pizzeria Uno - it's now owned and run by the franchise.
Gasp! Say it ain't so! Meh. Giordano's and Lou Malnetti's were always better anyway! Uno's and Due's were the originals -- and I think that, as late as the '80s, they were a mite better than the others. They did start to really get slammed with food tourists starting in the late '90s, and that may have brought the quality down some. I usually go to Malnati's when I'm in town. The locations are much more convenient for me, anyway. |
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"I may be an evil scientist, but it doesn't take a degree purchased from the Internet with your ex-wife's money to know how special and important you are to me." -- Dr. Doofenschmirtz
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mouseman
Oh dear, how did I become a
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 7,103
The Validater/Validator-in-Chief
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« Reply #28 on: March 24, 2011, 06:43:01 PM » |
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On Michigan, close to the Art Institute, there is also the Artist's Cafe, which is decently priced, and a good place for people-watching. Not to be contrarian or anything, but the Artist's Cafe is wildly overpriced. I walk by everyday, and am constantly amazed what they'll charge for a second-tier domestic brew. If you're near the Art Institute, there are lots of better options, of which the Gage (already mentioned) is maybe the most awesome. I still think that the Artist's Cafe is one of the better ones for people-watching. If the weather doesn't allow sitting outside, though, I agree that there are many better locations. To get to the airport, do not take the Blue line, unless you have lots of time. The stretch from the Loop to the airport is often unreliable, and there may be construction , which means getting off the train, taking a bus, and getting back on the train. A cab from downtown to O'Hare should be about $27. There are also cheaper shuttles from downtown to the airports.
Mouseman, when's the last time you were on the northbound Kennedy in the late afternoon? The Blue Line slow-zone work is largely done (you can always check here, of course), and at least you know that, barring any massive problems, you'll get to O'Hare from the Loop in 60 minutes or so. For $2.25. A cab could also take an hour, quite possibly more than that, and be more than ten times the cost. I used to take the Blue Line to O'Hare, but I got tired of never knowing what was going to happen on the way, and I nearly missed a couple of flights. On the other hand, it's true that I almost never take the northbound Kennedy in the afternoon (I don't need to take the Kennedy to get to O'Hare), so I'm not too familiar with the woes of that particular part of the Kennedy at that time. Perhaps the work that they were doing has solved some of the problems on the Loop-O'Hare part of the Blue Line. |
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In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
In the midst of his laughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away -- -
For the Snark was a Boojum, you see.
Lewis Carroll
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mended_drum
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« Reply #29 on: March 24, 2011, 09:14:32 PM » |
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It's almost April, isn't it? Cubs game!
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