I drank my coffee out of my Chicago mug today. Chicago is one of my favorite cities in the world. When I was traveling for Accenture, I went to Chicago quite a bit. It was a good central location for meetings. For example, there are direct flights from Dublin to Chicago, as well as other major European cities. We also used to have a huge office in Northbrook, Illinois which is a suburb of Chicago. The Northbrook office was an entire complex that even had a cross-country ski course.
From wikipedia:
"Chicago incorporated as a city in 1837 after being founded in 1833 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed. The city soon became a major transportation hub in North America and the transportation, financial and industrial center of the Midwest. Today the city's attractions bring 44.2 million visitors annually. O'Hare International is the second busiest airport in the world.
From wikipedia:
"Chicago incorporated as a city in 1837 after being founded in 1833 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed. The city soon became a major transportation hub in North America and the transportation, financial and industrial center of the Midwest. Today the city's attractions bring 44.2 million visitors annually. O'Hare International is the second busiest airport in the world.
Chicago attracted a combined 44.2 million people in 2006 from around the nation and abroad. Upscale shopping along the Magnificent Mile, thousands of restaurants, as well as Chicago's eminent architecture, continue to draw tourists. The city is the United States' third-largest convention destination. Most conventions are held at McCormick Place, just south of Soldier Field. "
In my opinion, visiting the following attractions would be an ideal way to spend a day in Chicago!
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art of Institute of Chicago is a neat place to spend a morning or an afternoon. There are some great exhibits there. In fact, parts of the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” were filmed there.
From the Art Institute of Chicago’s website:
“The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 as both a museum and school, first stood on the southwest corner of State and Monroe Streets. It opened on its present site at Michigan Avenue and Adams Street in 1893. Built on rubble from the 1871 Chicago fire, the museum housed a collection of plaster casts and had a visionary purpose: to acquire and exhibit art of all kinds and to conduct programs of education. The collection now encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world, and the school's graduate program is continually ranked as one of the best in the country. Within the next decade, a new complex will continue this process of growth.”
Magnificent Mile
Several years ago, Mike and I flew up to Chicago to spend a weekend in late fall. We did some Christmas shopping on Michigan Avenue and also got to see the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and the lighting of the Christmas tree. It was a great way to kick off the Christmas season.
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art of Institute of Chicago is a neat place to spend a morning or an afternoon. There are some great exhibits there. In fact, parts of the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” were filmed there.From the Art Institute of Chicago’s website:
“The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 as both a museum and school, first stood on the southwest corner of State and Monroe Streets. It opened on its present site at Michigan Avenue and Adams Street in 1893. Built on rubble from the 1871 Chicago fire, the museum housed a collection of plaster casts and had a visionary purpose: to acquire and exhibit art of all kinds and to conduct programs of education. The collection now encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world, and the school's graduate program is continually ranked as one of the best in the country. Within the next decade, a new complex will continue this process of growth.”
Magnificent Mile
Several years ago, Mike and I flew up to Chicago to spend a weekend in late fall. We did some Christmas shopping on Michigan Avenue and also got to see the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and the lighting of the Christmas tree. It was a great way to kick off the Christmas season. From wikipedia:
“The Magnificent Mile is the portion of Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois extending from the Chicago River to Oak Street in Near North Side community area. Located one block east of Rush Street, which is known for its nightlife, the Magnificent Mile serves as the main thoroughfare between Chicago's Loop business district and its Gold Coast.
Real estate developer Arthur Rubloff of Rubloff Company gave the nickname to one of the city's most prestigious residential and commercial thoroughfares in the 1940s. It includes fine restaurants, hotels, and stores and several of the tallest buildings in the world. In addition, numerous prestigious buildings are located along the Magnificent Mile, such as the Wrigley Building and the John Hancock Center, places listed on the National Register of Historic Places such as The Old Chicago Water Tower District and Chicago Landmarks such as Tribune Tower and the Allerton Hotel.”
Giordano’s
If you like food, Chicago is an amazing place to visit. Take your pick – any type of food you want is available. I’ve had Italian, Greek, Cuban, etc there. But my favorite is probably the stuffed pizza. Everyone in Chicago has a favorite – Giordano’s, Pizzeria Uno, Gino’s East. My favorite is Giordano’s. Their pizza is out of this world! You have to wait about 30 minutes but it is so worth it!
“The Magnificent Mile is the portion of Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois extending from the Chicago River to Oak Street in Near North Side community area. Located one block east of Rush Street, which is known for its nightlife, the Magnificent Mile serves as the main thoroughfare between Chicago's Loop business district and its Gold Coast.
Real estate developer Arthur Rubloff of Rubloff Company gave the nickname to one of the city's most prestigious residential and commercial thoroughfares in the 1940s. It includes fine restaurants, hotels, and stores and several of the tallest buildings in the world. In addition, numerous prestigious buildings are located along the Magnificent Mile, such as the Wrigley Building and the John Hancock Center, places listed on the National Register of Historic Places such as The Old Chicago Water Tower District and Chicago Landmarks such as Tribune Tower and the Allerton Hotel.”
Giordano’s
If you like food, Chicago is an amazing place to visit. Take your pick – any type of food you want is available. I’ve had Italian, Greek, Cuban, etc there. But my favorite is probably the stuffed pizza. Everyone in Chicago has a favorite – Giordano’s, Pizzeria Uno, Gino’s East. My favorite is Giordano’s. Their pizza is out of this world! You have to wait about 30 minutes but it is so worth it!
I just found this on the Giordano’s website and I am now seriously thinking about ordering one (three??)!
“Giordano's will now partially bake and freeze our famous stuffed pizzas. They are packed in an insulated container with dry ice for shipping anywhere in the USA. We ship 12" pizzas which serve 3-4 people. The shipping price includes transportation via UPS, dry ice, and an insulated container. Your pizza will be made fresh to order, frozen overnight, and shipped the next day.”
It looks like it’s about $50 for the shipping but you can get multiple pizzas for not much more than that price. Hmmmm…
Jilly’s
Jilly’s is a nightclub in Chicago that plays all Sinatra music and music from other artists of that same era. The place is typically packed. I had so many fun nights there. I was finally able to take Mike there a few years ago and we had a great time. Jilly’s is named after Sinatra’s good friend, Jilly Rizzo.From the Jilly’s website:
“Located in the heart of Chicago's nightlife district, this Rush Street landmark is one of Chicago's original spots for the rich, famous and flashy. The Piano Bar is among the few places to offer live entertainment without a cover charge or drink minimum. Just like Ol' Blue Eyes, the bar serves up a lively swagger, from the outdoor sidewalk Café to the tables for two located next to the dance floor. The after-work crowd starts off the evening with people watching & lively conversation, to when the joint gets jumping and swinging into the wee hours of the morning. From bright and bold to dark & discreet this is the place to be and be seen. Come join the party.”
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