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Old 03-24-2013, 02:27 PM
 
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
590 posts, read 1,013,036 times
Reputation: 941

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Oh, yes, I am coming back!

After my visits in 2009 and 2011, I was planning to come back this year and well...it's happening. My best friend from Italy, who normally comes down to Florida to visit me every 2 years with wife and daughter, thought that maybe we can meet in another city.
Of course, I suggested Chicago.

This will be a different trip though, as they travel with an 11 year old daughter so because in the USA you can't take kids in bars, our nightlife will be limited. I'll still have 2 nights just with my buddy because he is a blues fan, so I have to take him to Buddy Guy's Legend!

They were (my friends) a little surprised when I proposed Chicago, but I told them...just wait, be ready to be surprised. I'll have to do a little of the touristic things as they never went to CHI, so yeah, Navy Pier is in and a few museum, like Science Museum, Field and Art Institute (which I am fine with as Field and Art Institute are great and I can go any time).

Buddy's wife is an avid shopper, so Macy's is obvious (I know, I know, you people hate them, but give e a break..). Filene's basement is another place where I know the wives will get lost for hours (good thing there are several bars nearby for my buddy and I).

Then I am planning to take them around with the EL system and visit a few areas. Uptown, Clark and stuff, during the day, Little Italy (I MUST go back to Francesca and have a nice lunch!), Chinatown and up north, Little Saigon, Lincoln Square so I can go back and visit my friend Giovanni at the Trattoria Trullo and a few beers from local breweries in Andersonville.

Honestly, I am happy but I am also a little sorry that I will have to give up plenty of the Chicago nightlife for obvious reason (the kid), but it's okay, they are great friends and it will be a great time anyway, even without the jazz at night..

I look forward to it and I can promise that by the time they leave they will also have a different idea of what Chicago is and how beautiful are the neighborhoods.

I guess I'll take them also to Shedd (so my wife will also be happy, as we never went) and Adler.

Pilsen will also be part of it, as I never included it in my tour (you have to understand that in a week in Chicago I used to normally miss of mornings due to hangovers...).

This time the hotel is the Millennium Knickerbocker, which I booked mostly because it's the first time for them and they are with a kid, so I thought of booking in a nice area, east and near River north. (personally, my wife and I enjoyed a lot the last time we had the hotel down in Printer's Row, but I know that for the first time in CHI, they might have felt a bit uncomfortable walking in the evening around Printer's Row, although it is a very safe area in my experience).

Well, yes, I'd give up a few of the places I like to go (jazz showcase, Redhead, Duke Of Perth, Green Mill, M-Bar, The Joint etc..) but what matters is I'll be back and I can't wait. Trip is in June, a full week.

I can't quite say Sweet Home Chicago because I am not from there, so I don't have the right..but it's still sweet every time I can go back to this beautiful, rough around the edges, but real, no BS city!
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Old 03-24-2013, 06:44 PM
 
Location: CHICAGO, Illinois
934 posts, read 1,441,390 times
Reputation: 1675
Sounds like a good time! I've often heard that Chicago is the most "American" of cities from international tourists. I know I see it as the Great American City.
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Old 03-24-2013, 07:44 PM
 
Location: River North, Chicago, Illinois
4,619 posts, read 8,170,326 times
Reputation: 6321
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoItaly View Post
...
Filene's basement is another place where I know the wives will get lost for hours (good thing there are several bars nearby for my buddy and I).
...
Filene's went out of business - the national business went bankrupt - but there are other, similar places, including Nordstrom Rack's large location on the corner of Rush St and Chicago Ave.
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Old 03-25-2013, 04:00 PM
 
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
590 posts, read 1,013,036 times
Reputation: 941
Wow, can't stay away a couple of years that something happens... my wife will be in mourning tonight when I tell her.
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Old 03-25-2013, 04:03 PM
 
Location: Chicago
4,688 posts, read 10,106,669 times
Reputation: 3207
Hey Mo - when in June?
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Old 03-27-2013, 04:59 PM
 
Location: Chicago
2,884 posts, read 4,989,184 times
Reputation: 2774
Hey Mo, have a great time!
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Old 03-27-2013, 06:39 PM
 
486 posts, read 863,353 times
Reputation: 619
If you have time & if their child will be with you or not, don't forget the only free zoo
in the US - Lincoln Park (great area too).
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Old 03-28-2013, 10:15 AM
 
14,798 posts, read 17,685,669 times
Reputation: 9251
Glad to see you coming back for another trip. Your write ups are the best!
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Old 03-28-2013, 12:13 PM
 
8,276 posts, read 11,917,264 times
Reputation: 10080
Probably the most enthusiastic tourist Chicago has ever head..should have a spot in Rahm's administration..
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Old 03-28-2013, 04:52 PM
 
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
590 posts, read 1,013,036 times
Reputation: 941
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdiddy View Post
Hey Mo - when in June?
I leave SUN 6/23 and will come back on SAT 6/29. Had the flight back at 6:45 p.m. (which was great), then AA changed it to 10: a.m., now 9 a.m....I hate them! spoiled my last night and last day..
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