Going to Chicago....what to do, see, stay, etc.

[Wendy]

Here's another one:

 

* Jeff said once that he wrote the song "Pecan Pie" for Susan as he was walking to Schuba's. Schuba's is on the corner of Belmont and Southport.

 

(Edited to add: Please someone correct me if I'mm remembering wrong, but I swear he has said this before. )

 

Can't say it better than this: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=119935

 

Schuba’s is more than a bar. Its back room is a wooden-floored concert hall, where artists on the eve of making it big play sold-out shows night after night, and next door bar-goers or weekend brunch-eaters can enjoy the Harmony Grill, a restaurant specializing in regional cuisine.

 

I love Schuba's!

 

[LouieB]

 

 

I love Schuba's!

 

 

One can't say enough nice things about Schubas. It is good for three things, seeing music (they have the consistantly best bookings in town and some of the best sound in town too...), drinking (the bar itself is great and housed in an old original Schlitz bar) and eating (good food, although there are more exciting places to eat, but it is a good place to eat before a show or drinking.) Within walking distance are lots of other great bars, restaurants, stores, etc. Just take a stroll east on Belmont towards Lakeview or north along Shefield or Southport into other parts of Lakeview or west up and down Lincoln Avenue. Any direction you walk you can't go wrong. The owner is a sweetheart and the generally the folks who hang there are good people.

 

edit- Schubas is opening a medium size club just down the street on Lincoln Ave from where Lounge Ax used to be (in the old Three Penny movie theater.) It sounds great. The monitoring system is from Wilco and the rest of the soundsystem sounds first rate. The only problem with this is the lack of parking in the neighborhood, but it is really close to the Fullerton el stop. This should be a great place to see music.

 

LouieB

[LouieB]

I took some of my friends from Mass out to Oak Park to see Frank Lloyd Wright's house and studio and cruised by a few of the homes and stopped and saw the Unity Temple too. If you are interested in architecture, this is a good side trip. It can all be reached by el also.

 

LouieB

[drop dead ed]

Is the Chicago Go Card worth it? I'll be heading up this coming Saturday and will be up there for a 8 days. Is it going to be too cold to do anything outdoors.

[calvino]

Is the Chicago Go Card worth it? I'll be heading up this coming Saturday and will be up there for a 8 days. Is it going to be too cold to do anything outdoors.

 

It's never too cold to anything outdoors, esp. in Chicago. Plenty of places (downtown at least) to duck into, if you need to warm up a bit. Actually most hotel lobbies and public buildings do a lot of decorating for the holidays, so it would be worth you while to check them out. Plus nothing beats a brisk walk along the lake in the winter.

 

As far as the Go card, I am not too familiar with it, but if you plan to use lots of public transportation, I am sure it will be well worth it.

 

Enjoy.

[LouieB]

It's never too cold to anything outdoors, esp. in Chicago. Plenty of places (downtown at least) to duck into, if you need to warm up a bit. Actually most hotel lobbies and public buildings do a lot of decorating for the holidays, so it would be worth you while to check them out. Plus nothing beats a brisk walk along the lake in the winter.

 

As far as the Go card, I am not too familiar with it, but if you plan to use lots of public transportation, I am sure it will be well worth it.

 

Enjoy.

I won't comment on the cold because my opinion would be different, but clearly if you are going to be traveling alot, do the math on the Go Card. It would probably be a good investment if you are only on public transport and not cabs. So unless you are going to hide out in someone's appartment or some hotel room for 8 days, go (card) for it. An individual ride without a transfer is $2.25 so if you keep adding up and you are a traveling man, you could rack up a pretty good CTA bill by doing individual rides.

 

Come back after you use it and let us know what you thought so others can benefit.

 

LouieB

[drop dead ed]

Yeah, we're going to be really busy...It's a road trip!!! 13th-22nd of December

 

Leaving Austin at midnight traveling through Oklahoma seeing some cooky Route 66 sites. Spending the night in St. Louis and arriving in Chicago the next day, which would be the 14th, but right after stopping in Springfield and some smaller cities for some quirky sites. Perfect timing considering Jeff Tweedy will be up and running around the Second City I believe.

 

The meat of the trip is Chicago and we're both super excited about it. We purchased a 5-day Chicago Go Card which is pretty pricey running us about 150 each, but we plan to use right down to the bone. I wish I knew about the Blackhawks playing the Red Wings because that's my favorite team and I really wanted to see them play!! sorry Chicago!!

 

Any interesting shows going on in that time frame off the top of your head that a Wilco fan might enjoy?

[LouieB]

As usual, check the Reader site for music or try Time Out. Once you get here the Reader is free on the streets. Lots of cool Chicago music stuff. Read this thread for the run down on various clubs and hit one just for the heck of it.

 

As far as Rt 66 in IL, check out the Mother Jones memorial in Mt. Olive and drive up old Rt 66 north of there. If you like old cars there is a great old car dealership south of there I think called Country something or other. Lincoln is an interesting town on 66 north of Springfield. Plenty to do in Springfield. If you like architecture don't miss Dana House done by Frank Lloyd Wright in Springfield. It will be fixed up for the Holidays.

 

Good luck.

 

LouieB

[drop dead ed]

Yeah I kept this thread in mind. I was actually going to start a thread asking all these Wilconians about Chicago, but was amazed to find this pinned ViaChicago Tourist Guide.

[LouieB]

Yeah I kept this thread in mind. I was actually going to start a thread asking all these Wilconians about Chicago, but was amazed to find this pinned ViaChicago Tourist Guide.

We aim to please. After many people starting threads asking what to do in Chicago, it was decided to pin this so that people don't keep asking the same questions.

 

The Go Card; enlighten me!! Is that for both the museums and the CTA or what?

 

LouieB

[calvino]

Here's the link for the Go Card

 

Here I thought it was for transportation. If you plan to go to a lot of the museums and such, this pass should have you covered. Individual passes into the museums are not cheap.

 

Here is link for the CTA passes/fares.

You might want to consider public transportation, even though you will have a car. Especially if the streets are bad due to snow.

[LouieB]

Thanks for clearing this up. I sort of knew there was a pass for all the major museums, but I had no idea it included so much. Considering some of these attractions are up to nearly 20 bucks a pop, $150 isn't bad if you can burn through a whole ton of stuff in a week or so. I would certainly agree that a bus pass is worth the dough. You have to buy some sort of pass at this point anyway, but if you are really running, then see which one of the passes suits your needs and go for it. There are only a few places I would not suggest on the CTA, but generally it is well populated even at night and a good way to go. Cabs can really add up over several rides.

 

LouieB

[drop dead ed]

we bought the 5 day Chicago Go Card and It is worth it, but it is really hard to do everything that they offer, since everything is so spaced out across Chicago. I had an amazing time and hope to go back sometime in March or April.

 

There is really so much to do in Chicago and the food is crazy!!!!!!

 

 

 

here are some of my pics if ya wanna take a gander.

 

oh yeah we got the 7 day CTA pass and it's so worth the 23 dollars if you plan on using it as your main mode for getting around. Nothing beats the CTA and a walking around in a mysterious big city.

[calvino]

Glad you had a good time. Nice pics!

[LouieB]

Thanks for stopping back and reporting on your trip. Glad you had a good time. Brilliant pictures. You went both the obvious and not so obvious places. And the food looks great. Come back in the warm weather, but you sure made Chicago look good. Looks like a great trip.

 

LouieB

[cryptique]

 

 

here are some of my pics if ya wanna take a gander.

Very nice photos. I'm missing Chicago really hard right now.

[Guest Speed Racer]

The only thing I ever really miss about Chicago is the food. Every time I go back, my entire schedule is centered around meals.

[drop dead ed]

Yeah, I'm heading up next week again, I heard Ann Sathers had some of the best cinnamon rolls in Chicago, I dunno, but thats what I heard and thats where I'm going. I'll also be catching a Cold War Kids concert and Buddy Guy as well.

 

But the main reason is going to see my girlfriend.

[drop dead ed]

I really want to experience the "not so obvious" chicago and it's quite obvious that Chicago is the twinkie capital, but I really want to be around when they open the doors!!! C'mon Wonka open those doors!!!!

[LouieB]

Yeah, I'm heading up next week again, I heard Ann Sathers had some of the best cinnamon rolls in Chicago, I dunno, but thats what I heard and thats where I'm going. I'll also be catching a Cold War Kids concert and Buddy Guy as well.

 

But the main reason is going to see my girlfriend.

 

Sounds like the best reason. I don't know if Ann Sathers has the best or not, but the rest of their food is pretty good too. Did you get tix to Buddy? He usually sells out.

I really want to experience the "not so obvious" chicago and it's quite obvious that Chicago is the twinkie capital, but I really want to be around when they open the doors!!! C'mon Wonka open those doors!!!!

I assume this is not serious, but we will find something special if you want....plenty of great bakeries here that people can recommend.

 

LouieB

[BreezyGrass]

I've never been to Chicago but plan on doing it someday soon....hopefully. Anyways - watching some mindless tv just now and caught Travel Channel's Extreme Fast Food and they spotlighted The Weiner's Circle. The place looks hilarious! Any of you locals heads been? Comparable to other weiner joints?

[PopTodd]

I've never been to Chicago but plan on doing it someday soon....hopefully. Anyways - watching some mindless tv just now and caught Travel Channel's Extreme Fast Food and they spotlighted The Weiner's Circle. The place looks hilarious! Any of you locals heads been? Comparable to other weiner joints?

 

The Weiner Circle is a damn good hot dog joint.

You'd better know what you want by the time you get to the front of the line, though, or you'll be waiting for a long time.

And, don't go there looking for the show, or you will become the show. Just go to get the food... it's good enough to warrant the trip there. The cheese fries are particularly good, as are the burgers and Polish sausage. (Do NOT order catsup on your hot dog or Polish, or you will get a beat-down.)

 

But yeah, it's worth it.

[BreezyGrass]

The Weiner Circle is a damn good hot dog joint.

You'd better know what you want by the time you get to the front of the line, though, or you'll be waiting for a long time.

And, don't go there looking for the show, or you will become the show. Just go to get the food... it's good enough to warrant the trip there. The cheese fries are particularly good, as are the burgers and Polish sausage. (Do NOT order catsup on your hot dog or Polish, or you will get a beat-down.)

 

But yeah, it's worth it.

 

I laughed out loud when they got into ordering the chocolate shake I have to admit. I will get to Chicago one of these days...

[LouieB]

I will defer to Pop Todd on this matter since I have never been to this place. I have also seen footage of what goes on and if all you want is good fast food, with less of a show, there are literally hundreds of hot dog stands in Chicago that are good. But if you want a show and possibly get insulted, hit this place up; if you want a good burger, hot dog or Italian beef place, there are plenty of other places to go.

 

LouieB

[PopTodd]

I will defer to Pop Todd on this matter since I have never been to this place. I have also seen footage of what goes on and if all you want is good fast food, with less of a show, there are literally hundreds of hot dog stands in Chicago that are good. But if you want a show and possibly get insulted, hit this place up; if you want a good burger, hot dog or Italian beef place, there are plenty of other places to go.

 

LouieB

 

I agree with this, too.

Like:

Al's Original Beef on Taylor (yeah, the location does make a difference. Taylor is the original and it's noticably better than the rest.)

Ricobene's Breaded Steaks (several locations)