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What the hell is there to do in Chicago?

 
 
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 06:39 pm
I have just found out that I have to go to Chicago in the near future. I will have at least two days of leisure time on my hands.

Please give me some suggestions as to where to go or what to see. I've been through Chicago a half a dozen times, but have never stopped.

Do they have pizza?
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sozobe
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 06:55 pm
They do.

What sort of stuff do you want to do? Like, are you looking for nightlife suggestions (I'm limited there) or sightseeing sorts of things?

I can't wait to go back to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum, myself.

But there is a ton to do.
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gustavratzenhofer
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 06:57 pm
What is the Shedd Aquariam?
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Mr Stillwater
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 06:59 pm
I'll alert the authorities. Don't want another total disaster like Noo'Awluns again!!
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Green Witch
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:00 pm
Pizza? - Yes, deep dish.

Check out the Institute of Asian Art (that is probably not the exact name)- they have a wonderful Syrian collection. Don't forget the Chicago Institute of Fine Art - excellent Impressionist wing. Also some nice Frank L. Wright domestic architecture near the Asian museum.
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sozobe
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:02 pm
http://www.sheddaquarium.org/

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/images/exh_wildreef_top1.jpg

Also dolphins, and giant weird carp, and sea turtles, and a ton of other weird stuff, and it's in this cool old building on the lake, and it's generally super-cool.
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ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:03 pm
I might try to get on a tour of Jens Jensen gardens..

I hear the Art Institute is good..

take a downtown architectural tour..

or a Frank Lloyd Wright architectural tour..
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gustavratzenhofer
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:10 pm
That Shedd Aquarium sounds interesting.

Thanks, soz.
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littlek
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:12 pm
Someone go find him and photograph him.
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gustavratzenhofer
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:14 pm
osso wrote:

take a downtown architectural tour.



I'll be walking around, osso, and will check out the architecture, but I sure as hell won't be part of any damn tour.
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panzade
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:21 pm
http://www.acepilots.com/ohare.jpg


I always stop in at O'Hare airport to pay my respects to Butch O'Hare, Medal Of Honor winner and the namesake of the airport. One of the Wildcats that he flew was dredged up from the lake and now sits in the B concourse.


http://www.flychicago.com/images/ohare/about/exhibit_lg_2.jpg
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edgarblythe
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:22 pm
The stock yards should be open.
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Mr Stillwater
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:23 pm
gustavratzenhofer wrote:
That Shedd Aquarium sounds interesting.

Thanks, soz.



A whole new meaning to 'he sleeps with the fishes'.....
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ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:24 pm
I hate tours too, I am very bad at moving along at requested pace when I want to be looking... or very bad at listening, or very bad at having to wait for people. I might want to stop if a cafe looked neat. And so on. Haven't been on a tour since I nearly freaked at my extreme boredom on a neon tour of Los Angeles... about fifteen years ago.
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sozobe
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:26 pm
Field Museum has Sue the Enormous Tyrannosaurus Rex, a passel of other dino skeletons, a reconstructed pyramid with mummy, and various other cool, weird things.

If you haven't noticed, I like cool, weird things.

Must be why I like Gus so much.
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littlek
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:26 pm
Maybe there's a self-guided architectural tour in chicago.
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ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Sat 15 Oct, 2005 07:30 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jens_Jensen_(Landscape_Architect)

early proponent of native/natural landscape

I dunno where the gardens are, just that there are a bunch around Chicago. Late october might not be the primo time to see them, even if you were so inclined.



edit - I see by further looking that few of the gardens survive intact.
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Sun 16 Oct, 2005 03:06 pm
We were in Chicago a couple of summers ago for a wedding and had a great time downtown. We'd been to the Field Museum before so we didn't go there this time, but it is surely worth seeing. Even though you said no tours (and I agree in principle) I highly recommend this River Cruise. It's a tour but it is definitely NOT an annoying tour. If the weather is half-way good, then it's a nice ride gliding along the backwaters of downtown Chicago.

Quote:
Architecture River Cruise
Marvel at Chicago's soaring towers while enjoying a 90-minute, narrated river cruise. This tour spotlights more than 50 architecturally significant sites where you will discover a new perspective on the city. Come aboard either of our well-appointed vessels,Chicago's First Lady or Chicago's Little Lady, where both open-air and climate-controlled indoor seating will make your journey comfortable. Snacks and beverages are available.

Fall Season: October 3 - October 30
Monday-Thursday: 11am, noon, 1pm, 2 pm, 3pm
Friday-Sunday: 10am, 11am, noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm


The Chicago Art Institute is huge but a good place to spend some time. It's got two restaurants so you can have lunch there and the gift shop has great stuff if you need to bring some trinkets home to the swamp critters. I particularly liked their European art -- fantastic old stuff and some great impressionism pieces... this one, for example, is 10 feet across:

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/images/large/1926_224.jpg

You can't be in downtown Chicago and ignore Navy Pier -- running its mile-long length on the outside are plenty of things to keep you interested, and you can duck into the building at many entrances to warm up and check out an interesting museum of art glass...

Quote:
Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows at Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois.
The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows has over 175 windows on permanent display at Navy Pier, on Chicago's magnificent lakefront. The museum is open every day of the year, when Navy Pier is open, and best of all, it is free. See the only known window to survive from the Woman's Building of the World's Columbian Exposition, windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany, John LaFarge, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Franz Mayer and F.X. Zettler of Munich and many others, all fully labeled, easy to understand, and in beautiful installations. Free guided tours of the Museum are available by appointment. Please call 312.595.5024 for further information.


If you end up renting a car, the Bahai Temple north of Chicago in Wilmette is worth seeing and then you'll be able to check out the amazing homes along the lakefront. Just follow your nose heading north and west along the lake.
http://www.us.bahai.org/images/USHouse01.jpg
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gustavratzenhofer
 
  1  
Reply Sun 16 Oct, 2005 03:10 pm
Thanks for that, piffka. That painting is one of my favorites, by the way.
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Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Sun 16 Oct, 2005 03:16 pm
You're welcome, Gus. I'm fond of that Seurat image, too. I was thrilled to see it in person.
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