Chicago Nesties
rumdrinx
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Yo ladyC !and everyone! boat tours?
every person that i know has told me to take the architectural boat tours . but we're gonna be tehre this weekend and from The Google, I cannot find one that is open yet? Am I misled? HELP!
also, we've been advised to go to The Violet Hour. Thoughts (we love fancy cocktails with homemade syrups etc)
Anything about The Map Room too?
What is "the best" neighborhood to hang out in at night, for walking, bar hopping. I don't need the best as in the best people watching or fancy pants stuff...just the best in , say, like best 'hood feel and general friendliness. does that make an ounce of sense?
and, we are staying at the Renaissance hotel.
OMG - how best to get from the O'Hare to the hotel? suck it up and cab it?
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Re: Yo ladyC !and everyone! boat tours?
We were just there this weekend. The boat tours don't start until April 1st.
( However, we did the Hop On/Hop Off Bus tour and it was GREAT! A one-day pass is all you need.
Ask 20 different people and you'll get 20 different answers to which is the best 'hood. ?What types of places do you normally enjoy? ?There are obviously plenty of options, so with a little more info we can probably steer you towards the right place. ?
I haven't been to the Map Room yet but have never heard a bad thing about it. ?Same with Violet Hour, but that's because I'm a low-key neighborhood pub kind of girl so it's not really my scene. ?
truth; Violet hour isn't our every day scene - we wouldn't do that in philly. but since a friend recommended and knows the owner/mixologist, then I think we may endeavor to pop in.
our style: low key, pub, friendly, good juke box, or maybe live music (but not live music as in big fat cover charge). better than crapp pub fare - we in philly called it "gastro-pub" which means innovative twists on pub fare. I don't know if that stuff is happening in chicago, its everywhere here. We love italian and asian (of which there seem to be a ton of things).
i will check out the bus action. thanks.
Gotcha. ?It's always fun to try something new on vacation, and the drinks are supposed to phenomenal.
Might I suggest Hopleaf? ?It's a bit of a trek but the food is delicious (LOVE the mussels and pomme frites) and the beer list is extraordinary. ?There are a couple cute places around it but it's definitely more of a destination place.
Another nice spot is Uncommon Ground. ?There are two locations, and the one on Clark is just a block from Wrigley Field. ?The food and drinks are great, and it's a nice spot for a low-key romantic date night. ?Plus, there are TONS of other bars to hit just down the street that. ?
Both are slightly pricey, but not unreasonable, and my experiences with both have always been wonderful. ?Be sure to check out metromix.com, and Time Out Chicago for more ideas. ?Have fun while you're here!?
I agree with PP's comment on Hopleaf (the mussels are SO GOOD!!)- great beer/food selection, especially if you're looking for a Pub atmosphere. It's also in the Andersonville neighborhood, which can be a fun on a weekend night if you're looking for pubs, and as long as you're open to mingling with a diverse crowd that includes alternative lifestyle representation.
Other places you might want to check out if you end up in Andersonville: Charlie's Ale House (also pub atmosphere with great bar food), and Hamburger Mary's for brunch (lots of burger options and a FAB bloody mary).
Another neighborhood that can be fun is the Southport Cooridor 'hood (really anywhere on Southport between Belmont and Irving Park). Throwing out a couple of options in that area: Coobah, Mystic Celt, and Cullen's (all on Southport). Check em out on yelp.com and see what you think! You could really bar hop on Southport and have fun all night... and it's not going to be QUITE as jam packed with drunkards as, say, the Clark St area by Wrigley field gets.
Have fun!!!! And let us know what you end up doing.
excellent. duly noted. and yeah totally down with diverse hoods!
any comment on getting from airport to hotel?
also - someone else shouted OMG YOU HAVE TO HAVE RIBS in chicago. is this true???
edited: i will indeed report back on our findings...it won't be til after april 4 as we go to MN after chicago for a family visit.
Can't help on the ribs since I'm vegetarian...
A cab from the airport to the city runs about $40, or you could take the CTA Blue Line in for $2.25/person into the loop and then catch a quick cab to the hotel. ?The train will run you about 45 minutes to get into the city and depending on time of day/traffic a cab could run close to the same so it's all about how much you want to spend.?
No clue on the ribs either - sorry!
Re: transportation - What time of day do you get in? If it's during rush hour (anywhere from 6:00 am - 10:00 am, 3:30 - 7:00 pm), you may end up sitting in some traffic in a cab, but that balances out with the pain of dragging suitcases onto the train. Ditto what PP said about costs/time (40ish for a cab from the airport, or 2.25 for the train plus maybe 10 from the train to your hotel). It really is more of a cost decision than anything.
Personally, I usually take a cab from the airport when I travel, just because I feel like after getting off of a plane, the last thing I want to do is get into another crowded metal box.
That's just me though!
ribs in chicago? say what? i am from the south. ribs is the last thing i think of when i think chicago, except for Rib Fest every june which is held a block from my house where all the rib restaurants in the city come out and overcharge you for a quarter rack. chicago is known for it's excellent cuisine, however i'd save the ribs for a southern day.
also, if you don't have a lot of luggage, want to save money and experience the El, take the blue line. but beware, it is a pain in the ass lugging your suitcase on there, especially in rush hour when there is barely any standing room.
ok. we'll take a cab (do the same thing in Philly.) we get there tomorrow midday.
i am printing out so much of what you guys ahve said and just got an iPhone ! so I shld have access to The Google and metromix etc.
despite all your hardwork, i still feel so unprepared for this trip. I think we are going to get to the hotel, check , go for a drink, a walk, and end up at Hancock bldg for more drinks. we may go up to Lincoln Park afterwards.
thanks ever so much!