I'm tagging along with a friend who's here for work, staying in the west loop area. She'll be working a lot but I'll be pretty much free the whole time. Oct 5th through the 8th, Tuesday night til Friday afternoon. All we've got on the agenda is a restaurant she likes Tuesday night and going to see the Cactus Blossoms at Schubas on Wednesday. I'm open to suggestions of any kind (food, record shops, fun), but especially for some good bars to have a bite at or close out the evening with. And if anybody wants to meet up for a Malort or three, I'm game.

P.S. for all the German restaurants, I couldn't find one that serves hasenpfeffer, anybody know a place?

Garfield Park Conservatory over dere is a great way to spend a coupla two tree hours. Take the green line out. And it's free!

Danylo wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:04 am
P.S. for all the German restaurants, I couldn't find one that serves hasenpfeffer, anybody know a place?

I'm getting bupkis on my German regs Laschet's and Reise's Bierstube - highly recommended regardless - but Kie-Gol-Lanee has a yummy wabbit stew if you're feeling Oaxacan.

yeah, it's somewhat touristy, and the Cloud Gate (the bean) and that reflecting pool place with the monoliths lose their luster quick on first visit let alone repeated ones, but Maggie Daley Park is worth a walk if you're downtown by the lake, as are the gardens around Buckingham fountain, and that is still fun to watch in color at night even after seeing it so many times. If it's rainy and crappy out, the Peggy Notebaert nature museum in Lincoln Park is also worth a visit, if for no other reason than to sit in the butterfly room for an hour. It's pretty magical in there.

God I wish Cal’s was still around. I’d tell you to go there. But, there is still the South Loop Club, a dive I haven’t been to since I was at Columbia College 20 years ago. There’s also a Reckless Records in the loop. The Art Institute. The Field Museum and Aquarium and Planetarium. The MOCA is not far from downtown. It’s near the famous old Water Tower. Greek Town is not far. Chinatown is a little farther. Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village and Logan Square are not too far. Wrigleyville, Old Town, Boystown, Lakeview and Lincoln Park are all not far. If the White Sox are playing when you’re in town that’s far but easily accessible by train. If Da Bears are playing, you can walk there.

If you can get out to the Near North suburbs (Glencoe) on a nice day, definitely visit the Chicago Botanic Garden. I've taken friends here from out of town and they have said it's one of the best gardens they've seen. You might still have to make a reservation online, but I would urge you, at all costs, to try and get there (pretty sure admission is $20 per car, free if you aren't in a car). This is like the best time of year to go, imo.

If you like comics, Quimby's in wicker park is a must. You can make it a trip along with the WP Reckless if you end up going there.

If you want to walk to food/bar entertainment from where you are, find Randolph and Fulton streets, both of which run west from downtown. Just walk them a mile and you'll pass dozens of restaurants, bars, breweries etc. Take your pick. The Loop and River North, on the other hand, is largely filled with restaurants that cater to tourists, conference attendees, partiers, etc. There are gems here and there but it's not where I'd wander.

Millennium Park/Maggie Daley Park/Buckingham Fountain/Grant Park/the Lake. Yes touristy, yes very much worth spending as much time as you want walking/biking around. The skylines around the park are breathtaking, take a moment. And speaking of tours, the Chicago Architecture Foundation river tour is completely 100% worth it.

Enjoy being outside in the city while you can, cause winter will be here soon enough.

My vote is for AIC. It's one of my favorite museums in the United States (and I've been to many).

Even if you're not into visual art per se, there's so much to see it's crazy. Great way to kill an afternoon.

El Protoolio wrote:South Loop Club

I don’t think I could ever imagine recommending this place to anyone. When I used to go in here, it was a hang out for wayward Columbia students and pimps who still dressed like Huggy Bear and their “ho’s”. Perhaps its like a BW3 franchise now.