Posts Tagged ‘Second city’

The hometown of Obama and Oprah get an A for food, shopping and museums. If only it weren’t so damn cold in the winter. So skip the brrrr of January and visit when the breezes off the lake are mellow.

Just like any other major city it’s categorized by different neighborhoods. Here are a few worth the walk.

River North
Cool urbanites live and lounge here. A true artist enclave, the neighborhood leases space to more galleries than any other city in America except Manhattan. To peruse and rub shoulders with the other sophisticates visit the galleries on the first Thursday of the month when they offer evening hours.

If looking up is more your style, then book an architectural boat tour at www.architecture.org and get on board at the Chicago Bridge and Wacker Drive.

For a taste of the neighborhood, there’s the notorious deep-dish pizza at Lou Malanati’s and the best margaritas in town can be found at Rick Bayless’ Frontier Grill. Wanting more sustenance? Choose delicious sushi at Japonais located on the river and with such good food, a gorgeous interior and a well-heeled crowd this will surely stay on a foodies regular route long after the hip move onto their next moment. Another must on a foodie’s list is Graham Elliot where the namesake chef serves up a mix of hi-lo world-class food. He is considered the youngest 4 star chef and a three-time James Beard Award nominee. Diners will never tire of Graham’s finesse in the kitchen when he serves up such delicious dishes as maple glazed scallops perfectly seared and served over, believe it or not, oatmeal, with dollops of butternut squash, Swiss chard and a bourbon emulsion. Graham describes his philosophy as a restaurateur with this quote, “Cooking is life made visible.”

After such a bistronomic success (four star cuisine mixed with humor and accessibility), lie your head in a hotel with an equally fitting commitment to the environment, the LEED-certified Hotel Felix.

Gold Coast
Home to the glitzy and glamorous-both the residents who live there and the boutiques that sell the wares they wear. This, of course means that there are also plenty of velour track suited tourists ogling both the high priced goods and the Manolo Blahnik wearing ladies who lunch. To stand above it all the John Hancock Building (www.hancock-observatory.com) offers breathtaking views for the observatory deck or look with a libation in hand from the Signature Lounge.

For shopping and a healthy depletion of your bank account stop at Jake’s or the new six-story Barney’s New York store. End your day or slow your shopping frenzy with a protein enhancement of a filet at Gibson’s Steakhouse or go to Spiaggi for a chance Oprah or Obama sighting and dine on luxurious Italian cuisine, just know your guy is required to wear a jacket. Men look so handsome in a jacket anyway so find a reason to make a reservation. And while Le Colonial with its French-Vietnamese food can be found in several major cities like New York and San Francisco, I’ve found the meal never disappoints.

The Meatpacking District
Get a reservation at Publican. I can’t wait to get back there. No need to get a table when you can have more fun sitting at the bar with a view of the kitchen. Our server Paul was top notch, he had us taste various wines and guided us through the menu with his top picks. I recommend the Bouchet mussels, aged ham, scallops and fries.

The Loop

Named for the elevated train system that loops around the financial and cultural center of Chicago. This part of town is home to one of my favorite museums in the US, the Art Institute filled with some of the best Edward Hoppers and an impressionist collection that comes close to Paris’ Musee D’Orsay. Once you idle among the Monet’s and Manet’s it’s time to wander outdoors into Millennium Park and walk by the grand Buckingham Fountain (one of the world’s largest), see your image in “the bean” the fondly nicknamed Cloud Gate sculpture by Anish Kappor that stands with a 12 foot high arch and is a 110 ton elliptical curve of highly polished steel situated near the Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker band shell where free concerts are frequently held.

In the winter you can rent ice skates and glide around the Millennium Park’s rink. For belly busting fare, bite into what is considered the city’s best burger at The Park Grill on N. Michigan and when you feel your digestion is complete get an adrenaline rush by stepping onto the glass boxes that hover 1,353 feet above the city at The Ledge at the Skydeck (www.theskydeck.com) on S. Wacker Drive. On a clear day you can see four states-Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.

For sleep and a drink two hotels fit the bill, the Burnham Hotel on State and Washington is a lovely boutique hotel with free wine tastings from 5-6pm every night and superb service and the newly opened The Wit Hotel also on State St is an ideal place to get some rest with an added bonus of a 7,000 square foot indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge, ROOF which is THE place of the moment. Get there fast before the moment disappears.