WhyILoveChicago - Downtown Chicago Attractions

Go Chicago Card Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:36:00 +0000

If you're planning to visit downtown Chicago in the next few weeks, here's your chance to save some extra money!

For a limited time, the Go Chicago card is on sale - offering you an extra 10% off the price of admission to more than 30 fun Chicago attractions including the Field Museum, the Hancock Observatory, Navy Pier, boat tours and many more!

Save 10% instantly on 3, 5, and 7 day cards! Offer valid from 9/9/09 through 9/17/09.

It's official: The Willis Tower

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:03:00 +0000

Today, the city of Chicago was re-introduced to an old friend - albeit by a new name. The building once known as the Sears Tower has been renamed the Willis Tower, as described in this MSNBC article.

I know that I'm not the only one in Chicago who thinks this is silly (the most politically correct word I can think of). It's been the Sears Tower for 35 years... I simply refuse to call it the Willis Tower. I can't bring myself to do it.

I wish I had known about http://www.itsthesearstower.com/ before today... I definitely would have signed that petition.

It looks like we're too late, but the Sears Tower is still cool in my book. I'm hoping to check out their new "Ledge" attraction sometime soon.

Sears Tower: "The Ledge"

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:28:00 +0000

I just saw a news article saying that the Sears Tower will open it's glass-bottom "Ledge" tomorrow. I had heard about this a while back and I'm actually pretty excited about the idea.

Personally, I think the Sears Tower is one of the coolest downtown attractions that Chicago has to offer. Not only is it one of the tallest buildings in the world, but it has a wonderful restaurant at the top and a cool view of the southern part of the city. I like the views from the Hancock center a bit more (it's closer to the lake), but seeing the Loop from 100+ stories up can't be beat.

Speaking of the Sears Tower... does anyone like it's new name(The Willis Tower)? Honestly, I think it's ridiculous. Everyone knows it as the Sears Tower, and I'm going to refuse to use its new name as long as possible.

2009 Taste of Chicago?

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Is it just me, or has there been little advertising for the 2009 Taste of Chicago?

I haven't spent too much time downtown to comment on visual ads, but in terms of TV and Radio advertising I have seen virtually nothing mentioned about the Taste. In fact, I had forgotten about it until the ABC7 news mentioned it last night.

I hope the Taste of Chicago will be a success this year... anyone planning on going?

Do the Olympics really cost $500 million?

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:12:00 +0000

I just saw this article, which says Mayor Daley has guaranteed the city of Chicago will foot the $500+ million bill for the Olympics... assuming of course that Chicago wins our bid for the games.

Now, on the one hand I totally support the idea. Hear me out on this one: if Chicago wants the Olympics (an idea I actually like) we're obviously going to have to pay for something. I don't claim to know anything about the city budget, but it seems to me that the Olympics could make a lot of money for the city. Thus, in theory that $500 million might be a good investment.

On the other hand, $500 million is a shitload of money. I don't even know if that's a realistic estimate, or what exactly that pays for. Does the US government, the state of IL, or the international Olympic committee help us out?

Obviously, that $500 million dollars could pay for a lot of things in Chicago: fixing potholes, fixing/updating public transportation, buying corrupt politicians (joking...).

So what do you think about Chicago spending $500 million dollars on the Olympics?

2009 Chicago Urbanathlon

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:12:00 +0000

I just signed up for the 2009 Men's Health Urbanathlon, which takes place in Chicago on Saturday, October 17. Wondering what an Urbanathlon is? It's just short of a half-marathon (10.5 miles) with urban obstacles designed to slow you down.

One of the obstacles: climbing the stairs of Soldier Field. That wouldn't be so bad if we weren't also running 10.5 miles. And it's only one of like 4 obstacles.

I'm pretty amateur as athletes go, but I'm hoping this race is motivation enough to lose some weight and start some healthy eating habits.

This is the second year Men's Health magazine has sponsored this event. Did anyone do it last year? Anyone planning on doing it this year?

Chicago vs. Honolulu: Who has the better airport?

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:20:00 +0000

In my previous post, I mentioned I just got back from a vacation in Hawaii. After spending the better part of a full day in an airport or on a plane, I have some quick thoughts about my time in both O'Hare and Honolulu airports.

I've been in O'Hare airport more times than I can count over the years, and I could probably talk for a week about why I like or dislike some part of it. In general I happen to think it's a great airport, though it's certainly not without its flaws.

This trip was my first visit to Honolulu airport, so my opinion must obviously be taken with a grain of salt.

Things I like better about Chicago O'Hare airport:

There's a million options for food. Hot dog stands are a plus.
The ticketing area is indoors and air conditioned (Honolulu is open air, and very hot/humid).
There are more TV screens in the terminals (I didn't see many in Honolulu).

Things I like better about Honolulu airport:

Although the options for food are very limited, your options are almost all healthy.
The outdoor walkways are very neat (when the weather is nice).
The terminal seating is very comfortable.

Can anyone add some thoughts to this list of things to like/dislike about either airport?

O'Hare TSA Checkpoints

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:18:00 +0000

I just got back from Hawaii where my wife and I vacationed for our 1 year anniversary. We had a wonderful time, though there were a number of funny things that reminded of why I love Chicago.

For one, Chicago Cubs jerseys are incredibly popular with the Japanese tourists - and I saw a lot of them. That should be no surprise given that Kosuke Fukudome is from Japan, but it was surprising that the only MLB t-shirts, hats and logos I saw were for the Philadelphia Phillies (my home town), the Chicago Cubs, or the New York Mets (I saw one hat). I didn't see gear for another MLB team the entire time I was there.

Oddly enough, one event stands out about my trip - the TSA security checkpoint at O'Hare airport.

I usually fly on United or American Airlines, for no other reason than those carriers typically have hubs wherever I'm flying. I'm not really impressed with either company, and I'm certainly not loyal to them. Both companies boast frequent flier miles, which do absolutely nothing for someone (like me) who flies maybe once a year. Those miles expire before I can finish blinking.

On this trip, my wife and I flew on Delta airlines. I don't have much to say, good or bad, about my experience with Delta - but the TSA security staff at the Delta terminal were outstanding.

I can hear your comments now: Really? The TSA was amazing? Give me a break! But very seriously, I have never felt so safe at the airport as I did on this day.

The TSA employee checking IDs in the security line took his time (the line wasn't long, so it didn't matter), but his diligence really impressed me. For every person in line he took the ticket and ID, looked at the person, looked at the ID, looked at the person, looked at the ID... and so on for literally about thirty seconds a person. He was very clearly checking the stats on height, weight and age, as well as comparing the picture to the person in front of him.

Kudos to you, Mr. TSA employee. I'm sorry I haven't had the same comments about your colleagues in the past, but you sir deserve a raise.

Chicago Beaches Are Open

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:04:00 +0000

I just read a news report saying that the Chicago public beaches are now open.

I'm going to sound clueless for a moment... but I never realized the beaches ever "closed". When I was in college at Loyola, we used to go to the beaches in Rogers Park at all hours and all days of the year. The CPD never told us to leave. In fact, we used to joke that they were protecting us from the bums.

I suppose I just never thought about how the beaches are technically parks, and that (obviously) the lifeguards aren't working year-round. So apparently I didn't learn that in college. Way-to-go Loyola!

Tracy Butler - ABC 7 Weather

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:57:00 +0000

I am not a morning person. If it weren't for a strong cup of coffee, I'd probably end up killing someone on my way to work every morning. While I may hate waking up, I do get up early to drink my coffee and watch the news. As the I let the caffeine slowly sink into my veins, I like watching the ABC7 morning news followed by Good Morning America.

I'm going to be honest: I used to make fun of Tracy Butler, the morning meteorologist for ABC7 Chicago. I know it sounds stupid, but for the longest time I swear she looked drunk or hungover every single day. In fact, it's part of why I enjoy watching ABC7 each morning - I would look forward to seeing if Tracy Butler was hungover yet again.

I'm really not trying to be mean. Her clothing, hair, and makeup did her no justice and couldn't hide the fact that she probably isn't a morning person.

However, over the past few weeks I've noticed that she doesn't look the same. She looks... sober?

I should take a step back at this point. I need to qualify my opinion here by saying I have no idea if Tracy Butler drinks, whether she has a problem, or whether hey stylist was just terrible. I don't want to joke about alcoholism, but I've had enough mornings like that to find hangovers amusing.

The fact is that her look has improved lately, and I'm happy for her - whatever the reason.

If I'm being honest though, I miss the disheveled, tired and groggy look. It made me feel better, knowing that I'm not the only person who hates getting up at 5am.

My Favorite Chicago Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Cesar's is far and away my favorite restaurant in all of Chicago. Hands-down. Bar none. If you like Mexican food, margaritas, and eating Mexican food while you drink margaritas... then this is definitely the place for you!

I first learned about Cesar's in 2001, when I was a freshman at Loyola. A friend of mine told me about how big and how strong the margaritas are (don't plan on driving after you have one), and he wasn't lying. They're big. They're full of tequila. And they get you drunk.

Over the years (8 years now), I've probably been to Cesar's about 50 times. In fact, I was just there again this past Saturday for lunch. The food is fantastic, and about as authentic as any Mexican restaurant this side of the border. The complimentary chips and salsa are a staple, as is the free tomato soup with dinner. I've tried each of their entrees, and I can't complain about one. I don't know how they do it, but Cesar's has never (not once!) failed to deliver good food with great service.

Never been to Cesar's? It's easy to get to. It's about one block east of the Belmont stop on the Red/Brown lines. The benefit of public transportation is that you can have as many margaritas as you can handle - and still get home.

Oh, and I almost forgot. The food (and the drinks) are very affordable. It's a perfect place for a date!

Jersey Boys in Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:22:00 +0000

This past weekend, my wife and I took a trip downtown to see the musical Jersey Boys. I had been hearing from a few people (and an assault of TV commercials) that the show was worth seeing - and I have to say that it lives up to the hype. In fact, I can't say that I've ever had as much fun at a musical as I did this show.

Jersey Boys Tickets - Chicago

Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons told from four points-of-view (each of the original Four Seasons members). I honestly knew very little about Frankie Valli or the Four Seasons prior to the show, but the writers did a fantastic job of explaining the history behind the group. The music is simply contagious, and I think just about anyone would enjoy this show.

Here are some of my thoughts on the performance:

First things first: if you have little kids, do not take them to this show. I counted a stretch during one scene where at least 20 swear words were shouted in succession. Had I known anything about Frankie Valli's past, I suppose this would not have surprised me... just be aware that young children might not need to hear that.

Second: the songs are great! The singing is, eh, alright. Like I said before, I've never had so much fun at the theatre. The actors did a phenomenal job of getting the audience involved (we were clapping and dancing at points), and the choreography looked spot-on. That being said, the actors didn't sing nearly as well as I thought professionals at this level should have.

Third: the acting was really good! Ironically, my favorite scene in the whole show (a show centered around music) was a moment in which the theatre was completely silent. There is about a 10 second pause immediately after Frankie learns his daughter has died, and the lead actor somehow captivated an entire auditorium without saying a word. Simply fantastic.

If you're looking for a fun date in downtown Chicago, I highly recommend seeing Jersey Boys.

A Brand New Look!

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:51:00 +0000

Well... kind of.

Today, WhyILoveChicago.com got a bit of a facelift. We made the site wider so we could use more content, and we started promoting some our our new partnerships with StubHub and Hotels.com.

We hope you enjoy the new-ish look! We really look forward to your feedback!

April 23 - Talk Like Shakespeare Day

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Chicago's Mayor Daley has pronounced that April 23 will be "Talk Like Shakespeare" day to commemorate Shakespeare's 445th birthday. Apparently, he got the idea from the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.

Part of me thinks this is a silly idea, but it makes me glad knowing our mayor supports the arts.

The other part of me thinks this is a gigantic waste of time.

Is living in Chicago really that miserable?

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:07:00 +0000

According to Forbes.com, Chicago is the 3rd-worst city in America. Do people in Chicago really feel that way? I certainly don't. The reasons for Chicago's poor ranking:

Lousy weather
Long commutes
Rising unemployment
High taxes
Government corruption

I'll be honest... I can't argue with most of those reasons. In fact, the only thing I really disagree with on that list is the weather -- Chicago has (in my opinion) great weather for a lot of the year. Winter is cold and we get a fair amount of snow, but Spring, Summer and Fall are generally pretty nice. I think it's unfair to label Chicago as having bad weather when we get more sun than Seattle and Cleveland, we don't have natural disasters like L.A. and Miami, and the weather is far less extreme than cities like Denver. In particular, I'm angry that some cities (I'm looking at you, Cleveland) scored better. Name me one legitimate reason why Cleveland is a better place to live than Chicago! I'll do you one better... I've already listed 10 reasons why Cleveland is a worse place to live than Chicago. Seriously though, Chicago has way more to offer than most of the cities on that list. If I can't argue with the reasons why Chicago is a bad city... I'll present 5 strong reasons why it is a good city:

Chicago is home to many world-renowned museums, which is good for both education and tourism.
Chicago has more than 5 professional sports teams. Most cities are lucky if they have 3.
Chicago has a PUBLIC waterfront. Most cities sold theirs to private entities.
Chicago is home to major corporations and industry. While unemployment may be down right now, Chicago will have an exploding job market when the economy finally turns around.

5 Romantic Dates under $20 for Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Looking for something romantic to do in downtown Chicago with your special someone this Valentine's Day? If you're anything like me, you want to do something romantic -- but the sagging economy is less-than helpful. Here's a list of dates in Chicago for under $20 per person:

Garfield Park Conservatory - FREE!!!
Ice Skating at Millenium Park - $10/person
Museum of Science and Industry - $13/person
Art Institute of Chicago - $12/person
Shedd Aquarium - $18/person

Who says Chicago isn't affordable? An afternoon in the city doesn't have to cost a fortune... you just have to know where to go!

Chicago - City of Dog Lovers

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:52:00 +0000

More than a year ago, I posted about a news story dealing with Chicago dog lovers. Here's another story about the love many Chicago residents have for their dogs. Sadly though, the story doesn't have a happy ending.

Chicago's Olympic Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:27:00 +0000

I saw a report on the news last night saying that the city of Chicago was considering buying the land currently owned by Michael Reese Hospital to use as the (possible) Olympic campus for 2016... assuming of course Chicago gets to host the 2016 games. While I don't know all of the facts, I think it sounds like a great idea! Chicago already has one of the best waterfronts of any major US city, and having the Olympic campus on the waterfront would only add to its impact. Since I'm a north-sider, I didn't even know that the hospital was scheduled to close in the not-too-distant future. That being said, I'm glad that land won't sit around unused. Even if Chicago doesn't get to host the Olympic games in 2016, at least that land will benefit the city when sold for later development. Overall, I have to say I'm impressed with the idea - and I look forward to hearing more details.

The Police - Live in Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:15:00 +0000

You want to know what I love about Chicago? Cool bands like to play shows in our city when they go on tour.

Back in May, my wife and I were offered some free tickets to see The Police. "HELL YES!" was my response to the question "Do you want to go?" Not many things are better than free music, particularly when it's a band you've actually heard of.

Not only are The Police (arguably) one of the greatest rock bands ever, but they have a reputation for phenomenal live performances. Needless to say, I was psyched for the concert.

I took some video on my crappy digital camera... You can see that The Police sound great and look really bad-ass on stage.

The Joys of Commuting

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:03:00 +0000

When describing the weather in Chicago to friends around the country, I've often come back to one familiar saying: Chicago has two seasons - Winter and Construction. Even though the snow hasn't completely stopped for the year (it snowed again Saturday night), construction season has definitely begun. I recently moved out of the city into the northern suburbs, and I've been forced to commute to work every day. Listening to the traffic reports on the radio, it's obvious that all of the Chicago-land highways are congested. Interstate 94 (the Edens Expressway / Tri-State) is my lifeline into the city, and it has really started to suck the past few weeks. Granted, the fact that I have to commute at all is my own fault. I'm the one who moved out of the city, away from useful Metra stations. Nevertheless, driving into the city is becoming every day more and more frustrating for me. I think the worst part is that construction on 94 isn't going to get better anytime soon... in fact, it's probably going to get a lot worse. I'm beginning to wonder how much longer I can take this. My question to all of you is this: Is the commute into the city actually worth it? I'm really confident that I can find a job making as much or more money closer to home - and the 4 hours I spend sitting in traffic each day can easily be spent doing something else. Not even considering the cost of gas, I really have to ask myself why I bother commuting... I do love being in the city, but I'm finding the costs are beginning to outweigh the benefits.

It's F*cking Cold and Snowy!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 01:59:00 +0000

Chicago has been friggin' cold this winter! Including last night's snowstorm, CBS2 reports that this is the twenty-fifth snowfall of the 2007-2008 winter - making it the fourth-snowiest winter of the past quarter century. All I can say is that I'm sick of clearing the snow off my car and sitting in slow traffic. Any thoughts?

Phantom of the Opera

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:01:00 +0000

Last night, I went down to the Cadillac Palace Theatre to see Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. I am still shocked about how bad an experience this was. 1) Parking was $30. Are you kidding me? The only parking lot open within blocks charges an arm and a leg - and they don't even direct traffic leaving the lot. 2) The Palace Theatre didn't open its doors until 7:30, when the show starts at 8:00. It's bad enough that we froze our asses off outside waiting for the doors to open, but with so many people rushing in you didn't have time for a cocktail. Poor planning. 3) The theatre seats are not comfortable. 4) Jason Mills (who plays the Phantom) has a decent voice - but should absolutely not be playing the Phantom. As the lead role in the musical, the Phantom should have the strongest and best voice in the play. Jason Mills wasn't even close. 5) Sara Jean Ford (who plays Christine Daae) was phenomonal. She was about the only bright spot of the night. 6) Great job production team. 7) I was disappointed by the orchestra. They actually played fine, but I have no idea why anyone chose to have synthesized guitars and drums instead of the real thing. That was a really bad idea, and the music really suffered as a result. I don't know if Andrew Lloyd Webber was in town to see this show, but I hope for his sake he wasn't. I can only imagine how fantastic this play would have been on its debut night... but last night's show couldn't possibly compete.

6 reasons I hate Macy's and Martha Stewart

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:54:00 +0000

This past weekend, I had the *pleasure* of eating dinner at Macy's Walnut Room restaurant on State Street. This was not my first trip to the Walnut Room, but I have to say that I was really disappointed. My thoughts:

If Martha Stewart decorated anything in the Walnut Room (she was supposed to have decorated the tree), then she needs to be sent back to prison. It looked okay, but it's pathetic to have a celebrity design something with no pizazz.
I loved waiting 2 hours for our table to be called... and then having to wait another 1/2 hour in the line to actually get seated. I loved it.
The service was sssslllloooowwww.... our waitress was great and knew the menu, but it took her forever to get ketchup, drinks, and our check. Maybe she had 20 tables, but come on now.
The windows outside of Macy's are a far cry from what Marshall Fields used to put up.
Macy's is retarded if they don't keep up with tradition of excellence in decorating both the Walnut Room's tree and the windows on State Street. Thousands of tourists and locals come each year to see them... which probably benefits the store with extra sales. Lackluster decorations will not keep the tourists coming.
While waiting for our table to be called, we walked around the 8th floor to look at furniture. I really want to know who buys furniture from this store - so I can kick them in the groin. Wow is that stuff over-priced!

I'm just plain disappointed with Macy's. Marshall Field wouldn't have stood for this, and the Chicago public shouldn't either.

A collective "Boooooo" for Macy's!

Thanksgiving Travel and the Media Spin Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:28:00 +0000

Did you hear how Chicago O'Hare Airport did such a great job getting planes out on-time this year for the Thanksgiving holiday? Q: How did they get all those planes out on-time? A: They didn't put the bags onto the planes! I travelled home to Philadelphia on Thanksgiving day via US Airways, and just about our entire flight was missing bags. We arrived in Philadelphia, walked to baggage claim, and were told our bags didn't make the flight. Keep in mind we arrived more than 2 hours early for our flight to deal with security, lines, and other nonsense... So great job everyone at O'Hare and US Airways! You got us to our destination on-time - just don't mention our bags were 12 hours late.

Halloween Burritos

noreply@blogger.com (Art) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:59:00 +0000

What was your costume this year? As I was walking through Rogers Park last night looking for dinner, I passed hundreds of children and their parents who were trick-or-treating. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't somewhat jealous... if there's one thing I've always loved about Halloween, it's the free candy. I happened to turn a corner onto Sheridan Road, and I saw a long line of college students coming out of Chipotle. Normally I would have kept walking to find food with a shorter line. However, upon seeing two hundred college kids dressed in tin foil, I was a little intrigued. Apparently, Chipotle had a promotion for Halloween - dress up in tin foil, and get a free burrito. As I laughed at the silly (and pathetic) costumes, one of the students offered me some tin foil so I could get my free burrito. "Free" is a word I have a hard time saying no to. We waited in line for about a half hour before finally getting to order... well worth the wait for a free meal. I don't know how much this promotion pays off for Chipotle - particularly on a college campus. But on Halloween, I won't argue with free food.