Well I'll be. My boys just went there for a Boy Scout spring trip. I was supposed to go, but ended up in trial instead. I was distracted and must not have been paying attention to exactly what it was they were doing. They must have visited the sub and Navy Pier on the same day. I assumed they were in the same place.

They did, however, report loving the Jelly Belly factory, Navy Pier, the train into downtown (yes, they got off at the wrong stop once, but had only a small and relatively tame adventure) the museums and Pizza Uno. When they get older they'll find Rush Street.

find out what all the fuss is about with those Chicago Hotdogs.

Go to Wrigley Field, pay some scalper some outrageous amount of monies for a ticket to watch the Cubbies. Buy a beer and a hot dog and enjoy what baseball is all about, in a stadium built for the fan.

maxwell street flea market on sunday morning.

Go to the 95th floor of the Hancock building and have a couple of cocktails. Great view.

Since I grew up in Schaumburg, I'll comment. Note I've been gone 20+ years, but can't be too far off.

Nothing in Schaumburg but woodfield mall, once the world's biggest. But these days it's no big deal. go to Chicago.

Resturants - Chez Paul if the company is paying. If you're paying, check out the the Burgermeister.

Best Dogs - the Weiner's Circle, side order of insults no charge

Pizza - Uno's, Duo's, Lou Malnotti (in Schuamburg). My favorite is the stuffed spinach at Giordano's.

Italian beef - anywhere

Bars - Division street

Daytime - Check the museums, they are all good. Science and tech, field, art museum.

Mall - watertower place

Yes, do go up the Hancock. Check the observatory.

Reminds me of a story of my misspent youth.

21ish, my buddy Dan was working maintenance at the standard oil building. It's one of the tallest buildings in Chicago, 100ish stories, straight up and down.

We had been to the bars on Division, maybe 2:00 am and he suggests we go to the roof of the building. He has keys to the back hallways and hidden support network for the building.

We are working our way to the roof, and we get stopped in one of the back service hallways by a security guy. My buddy tells him he works there and came back for his forgotten wallet, throws out a few names, and the guy let's us on our way.

I remember it took a couple elevators and stair or two to get out onto the first level of the open roof. Then a final climb straight up what I would call a wire ladder to reach the top part of the roof.

Understand, this is not a public observatory. It is the open roof, with a border about 12 inches tall seperating us from 100 stories down.

I decide I needed to stick my head over the edge. I remember approaching the edge very slowly, and getting down on my knees as I got close. Then I put my hands on the 12 inch perimeter wall and stuck my head over the edge, looking straight down 100ish stories.

The wind is blowing. My buddy Dan is behind me as I lean over the edge, and the only thing I can think of is "Did Dan bring me up here to kill me, he's not the most stable person".

Seriously. My attention was divided between keeping an eye on Dan , and taking in a spectacular sight.

That's a blast from the past.

Chez Paul has been closed for at least 15 years.






Tim

He did stated that he's been gone for 20 years.

Isn't there a Frank Lloyd Wright tour in Chitonw?

Yeah, in Oak Park--9 miles west of downtown.

LOL

You quoted me before I incorrected my typo.

Yes. Any hotel concierge should be able to help you with this.

...

Chez Paul closed. Too bad.

First time I went there I was early 20s. I took my girlfriend, now wife. I was intimidated because I thought it was a famous and snobby french restaruant. Didn't think I belonged there and expected to be treated as such.

What a awesome experience. The staff treated these two kids like we owned the city. The food was great. I still remember the duck salad.

Agreed. It was a beautiful room.

I think it was somewhat killed when they filmed the exterior shots there for The Blues Brothers and later Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Lots of tourist trade for years, but abandoned by the local foodies, which became a problem when the tourists stopped coming.








Tim

Hot Dogs - Gene's and Jude's. or Jimmy's (Grand & Pulaski) if you want to brave the ghetto. These places offer the real deal.

Abe Froman used to eat there.

Of course. He was The Sausage King, after all.







Tim

Tappas at Cafe Iberico

Andys jazz club.

you could try this.......

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