We're home from Chicago! (Brookfield, Forest Park: hotel, neighborhoods, buy) - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

BlsdMama · 10-04-2007, 10:15 AM

Thank you all for your help! Chicago was wonderful! So the rundown:
We took six kiddos (11, 8, 5, 3, 2, and 1) and "did" the City. We used CTA for two days and drove our van the first and fourth days. BTW, parking at Navy Pier is obnoxiously expensive.

First impressions - I can't believe how CLEAN your city is. The only other major cities we've been to have been Vegas, San Diego, and L.A. L.A. and Vegas are dirty and crowded. Chicago had a lot of people (obviously) but you didn't feel crowded. It wasn't dirty. Even the trains and buses were pretty clean. The people are AMAZINGLY friendly. I'm certain it was because we had six very excited children with us though! Everyone smiled and talked to the babies and were helpful with directions. I was surprised, very pleasantly.

We went to Brookfield and the Lincoln Park Zoos. I have to say, hands down, Lincoln Park wins. With LITTLE kids, we appreciated the smaller zoo... everything was closer together and since the exhibits were smaller, we actually got to SEE the animals. With little kids, I'd recommend Lincoln Park over Brookfield any day of the week!

Chinatown was the favorite stop (by vote) of the family. (Though two children preferred swimming at the hotel!) Went to Joy Yee's and the food was FANTASTIC. Took someone's suggestion and got takeout and took it down to Ping Tom Park. That was the best suggestion we got from anyone. The kids played, it was really quiet, and we got to sit still, in peace, for a little while. Also a very inexpensive place to get souvenirs! The fourth day we went back and ate at Won Kow's. It was okay, though not as good as Joy Yee's, but the girl who was our waitress, was SO sweet and SO friendly, that the service made it worth it. Oh, and yes, the validated, lol, so our parking was only $2. It was definitely a perk!

Had pizza at Giordano's. I LOVED it. DH didn't. He hates the "real" tomato taste. I thought it was fabulous. We had Chicago style hotdogs, complete with celery salt and NO ketchup. AWESOME! It's completely changing the way we eat hotdogs, lol.

Museum of Science & Industry- both dh and I had been there years ago. Great, but not the best place for YOUNG children. I wish we had done the Children's Museum instead - it would have been free this last Monday too.

We did the Park & Ride from Forest Park - as suggested here. Worked out great!

I'll be honest that I'm a country girl. Give me twenty acres and some goats and I'm all set. But, I will say that I can definitely see the attraction of Chicago. Ya'all have a great city. What we definitely noticed the most of everything was the people! SO friendly and helpful and sweet.

Thank you for a wonderful trip Chicago!
Blessings,
Kelly

BlsdMama · 10-04-2007, 10:23 AM

Oh and I read this here:

There is NO difference between Chicago pizza and anything you buy anywhere across the country. I don't know why Chicago is famous for its pizza, it is nothing special. Actually I've had better in Kentucky, and I've tried many pizza places in Chicago.

Same with the hotdogs. Who can't get a hotdog anywhere else in the country that tastes good? Stupidity at its max.

Can't say that I agree. The hotdogs WERE the best I've ever had and I can't get the pizza around here.... maybe it's just Iowa? But definitely can't get the food the same here.

UnderTheLiveOaks · 10-04-2007, 10:31 AM

Glad you liked it! You guys are WAY brave to tackle this trip with all of those kiddies. Kudos!

As for the pizza and hot dogs, it isn't just Iowa. It's really hard to find true Chicago style pizza and dogs outside of Chicagoland or in random spots where the Chicago diaspora is thriving.

cdc3217 · 10-04-2007, 08:54 PM

Sounds like you had a blast!

So true about the MSI. (I've nicknamed it the Military Industrial Complex.)

jak88 · 10-05-2007, 06:12 AM

Yeah, there are a lot of fun things to do in Chicago. I love Chinatown. Its a great place to come and vacation for a couple days.

But, I still won't get the whole pizza and hotdogs thing. I've tried deep dish from Giordanno's and don't really care for it as much as thin crust. And a hotdog is best cooked on a grill, with real chilly, onions, chives, cheese, etc. Believe it or not, Chicago is definetely not famous for their chili, which ruins the hotdog for me.

Navy Pier is a lot of fun, I especially love some of the shops like that popcorn place and usually they have the Russian shop set up. I got my girlfriend some ornaments from there.

I personally love the Science Musuem, we went when they had the body exhibit, it was weird but cool.

I'd disagree with the Lincoln Park zoo though. I think Brookfield has more to offer, and as a kid I would appreciate that a lot more when going to some of the zoos in Texas and Iowa. But last time I went to Lincoln Park, they had petting areas where you could touch some of the animals, which is a great perk for going there.

As for Chicago being the cleanest city, that is debateable but I think Chicago could win the debate. The mayor prides himself on spending as much taxpayer money as possible doing services for the city, especially before the Olympics Committee. It is amazingly clean for a city (well, until you get out of the heart of it and into some of the more downtrodden areas).

via chicago · 10-05-2007, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jak88

It is amazingly clean for a city (well, until you get out of the heart of it and into some of the more downtrodden areas).

Chicago neighborhoods are still infinitely cleaner than most big metros across the country. Im not even talking downtowns. And the big reason? We put our trash here:

A city like New York? They put it out front:

Which leads to...

When I see a sheet of newspaper on a street or sidewalk in Chicago, I almost have to take pause because its so unusual.

Quote:

The mayor prides himself on spending as much taxpayer money as possible doing services for the city

Um, isnt that what taxes are for? We get our snow plowed in record time for a city of its size. Our trash pickup is regular. We have crews cleaning the river. Streetsweeping takes place on a weekly basis. Thats how a city is supposed to run. Taxes may be higher, but the proof is in the pudding.

UnderTheLiveOaks · 10-05-2007, 07:31 AM

It's also an investment, in a way. If you keep the city clean, people are less likely to mess it up. In NYC, to continue that analogy, I'm always shocked by how many people just litter. Just drop trash on the ground as they walk. I see it happen all the time when I'm in NYC, but there's already trash on the sidewalk, so it doesn't seem like as big a deal, I guess. I don't see that often in Chicago.

via chicago · 10-05-2007, 07:36 AM

I'm not even joking when I say I still see people going out with brooms and sweeping their sidewalks and the gutter in front of the curb. I have never encountered that level of dedication in other parts of the country.

jak88 · 10-05-2007, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by via chicago

I'm not even joking when I say I still see people going out with brooms and weeping their sidewalks and the gutter in front of the curb. I have never encountered that level of dedication in other parts of the country.

That's quite true. Frequently I visit my girlfriends grandparents, they live near Midway airport. Not exactly in Chicago but surrounding it. All the people around there take amazingly good care of their lawns. It is something I admire and respect. I used to live in a dirty town outside of Houston, Texas, and no one mowed their lawns or recycled, it was disgusting.

j33 · 10-05-2007, 08:31 AM

I occasionally sweep my stoop off, my neighbor (and elderly lady who speaks mostly Spanish) sweeps her stoop and sidewalk almost every day.

What I really find amusing though is that she sweeps the snow in the winter too. I've never seen her out there with a shovel after it snows, somehow she finds a way to remove it all with that little broom of hers.