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Chicago: Your favorite thing(s) to do

Brogued

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Originally Posted by StephenHero
Additionally, the hits they took from people browsing through those expensive books and leaving them in less than new condition before buying them on Amazon really had to kill their margins on that type of stuff.


Heard management complain about this frequently. Apparently, often students would come in, flip through a $300 book, then buy it on amazon from their mobile device while in the store. Drove the store nuts.
 

StephenHero

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I can't blame them. How many of us would buy a Hermes tie in person at 150% of the cost that a reputable online retailer was offering?
 

Brogued

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Hardly anyone would. It's true they were not the savviest businesspeople. They treated the store more like it was a museum than retail. I liked that. It made hanging out there an enjoyable experience. Tough to sustain a business that way, though.
 

LabelKing

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Originally Posted by StephenHero
Have not. I've been meaning to go to SF (never been), I'll check it out when I'm there. Thanks for the heads up.

Culturally and architecturally, the city is quite provincial, but it's otherwise rather pretty.
 

Kvc06

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I enjoy biking through downtown after midnight, when the streets are mostly empty. It's so calming and relaxing. Check out Carms in Little Italy or Marios on Taylor for Italian Ice.
 

shadrach

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"2) Conne you will get murdered wandering a block or so outside of Hyde Park. In Hyde Park you will die of boredom. The students are unbearable and sex is verboten (not that you would want those kids anyway). There is not a decent place to eat there."

not sure what kind of people would go down to uchicago trolling for sex, but whatever floats yer boat.

but if you are in the hyde park area, there is a decent place to eat. may i suggest harold's chicken shack on kimbark and woodlawn, something i know conne would especially enjoy.
 

jrobjr

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Dinner at Blackbird needs to be on the list. My meal last night was extraordinary.
http://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com/u...pdf?1265927782

Also, if there is an event to your liking at The Auditorium, then definitely attend - it is an exquisitely gilt opera palace. We saw David Sedaris there last night night and loved it.

For some of the best italian food I have ever had the privilege to enjoy, La Scarola can not be beat.
Zagat, 2004, Rated Excellent
"You feel like Grandma is going to walk out of the kitchen and pinch your cheeks."

Finally, for breakfast - at any time, you simply must go to the original pancake house. Plan on splitting an omelet or an apple pancake - they are unreal (and huge). The pancake is really more of a baked souffle splooged with awesomeness.
http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/

Shedd aquarium is very nice, but, and this may be because I went on a weekend, it was overcrowded.

As to the architectural tour - took it and enjoyed it thoroughly - the city is truly amazing. I hope to return soon.
 

JayJay

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Originally Posted by jrobjr
Finally, for breakfast - at any time, you simply must go to the original pancake house. Plan on splitting an omelet or an apple pancake - they are unreal (and huge). The pancake is really more of a baked souffle splooged with awesomeness.
http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/

We have one here. The apple pancake is my favorite along with the Dutch Baby pancake with bananas. I won't split them though.
laugh.gif
 

Kvc06

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Also go to Maxwell Street Market Sundays on Des Plaines and get a Quesadilla, Taco, and fake Gucci bag.
 

indesertum

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im going to go to chicago during spring break to meet a friend or two so far i have art institute museum of contemporary art bristol hancock tower and drinks italian beef hannah's bretzel two things i want to try foie gras italian food is cafe spiaggia a decent alternative to spiaggia? i cant afford alinea, tru, l20, trotter, blackbird, etc. well i guess if i wanted to i could splurge, but i highly doubt my college companions will agree. also is there any wine bar or so that offers high end wines btg?
smile.gif
i want to try d'yquem and foie. clothing store recs would be nice, but i think i'd rather spend money on food
 

Biggskip

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Originally Posted by indesertum
im going to go to chicago during spring break to meet a friend or two

so far i have

art institute
museum of contemporary art
bristol
hancock tower and drinks
italian beef
hannah's bretzel

two things i want to try
foie gras
italian food

is cafe spiaggia a decent alternative to spiaggia?

i cant afford alinea, tru, l20, trotter, blackbird, etc. well i guess if i wanted to i could splurge, but i highly doubt my college companions will agree.

also is there any wine bar or so that offers high end wines btg?
smile.gif
i want to try d'yquem and foie.


clothing store recs would be nice, but i think i'd rather spend money on food


Would recommend reading this thread.
 

burningbright

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For Italian I recommend Osteria Via Stato. Great food and you're not going to end up spending the Alinea-type bucks.

For a good Italian beef, try Al's or Johnnie's. I'll probably get shouted down for saying this, but Portillo's actually has a really good Italian beef (I think they actually supply a lot of the best places in Chicago with their beef and gravy so go figure).

For Chicago-style pizza I, like many on here, enjoy Peqoud's.

I think Kwilk had a good foie gras recommendation but I can't recall where he said as I don't really care for it myself.

Also a scotch guy and not a wine guy so somebody else can chime in on BTG places.

Not sure what your taste is in clothing but for SW&D try Haberdash (the North Wells one, not the River North one) and Penelope's. Most of the places I used to shop at in the past have long closed due to the recession. Barney's and Barney's Co-op are both meh. You're honestly going to be better off just going to NYC to shop for clothes.

Anyway, hope you have fun. Not sure what the weather is going to be like when you get here so prepare to bundle up.
 

dhc905

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Go to the new whole foods in Lincoln Park. 3rd largest WF in the world, AND has a great wine bar with low, medium, and high end wines that they sell basically at cost.

Probably also have foie.
 

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