Chi-town advice, anyone?

[DrBandMe]

He and I are traveling to Chicago next month for CS; I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of fun things we can do/see/eat while we are there. We fly in on a Saturday morning and leave Tuesday morning for Oregon. Monday I'll be spending alone exploring. We are staying near the testing facility so I imagine we will be taking public transit everywhere we go.

Any of you ladies have some tips or tricks for this first timer?

[HouseofWool]

If you have the opportunity, I HIGHLY recommend eating brunch at the Bongo Room. It sounds like a swingers club and the food is porn like...

[diggitydot]

He and I are traveling to Chicago next month for CS; I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of fun things we can do/see/eat while we are there. We fly in on a Saturday morning and leave Tuesday morning for Oregon. Monday I'll be spending alone exploring. We are staying near the testing facility so I imagine we will be taking public transit everywhere we go.

Any of you ladies have some tips or tricks for this first timer?

In which part of town will you be staying? The El is pretty easy to use. Do you want to do touristy crap, shopping, museums? You can get all three if you're staying near the Magnificent Mile.

Where are you heading in Oregon? PDX?

[DrBandMe]

If you have the opportunity, I HIGHLY recommend eating brunch at the Bongo Room. It sounds like a swingers club and the food is porn like...

You speak my language. That is for sure on the list now.

[poky]

You speak my language. That is for sure on the list now.

Go early; the line can get crazy. The red velvet pancakes are worth it, though!

[DrBandMe]

In which part of town will you be staying? The El is pretty easy to use. Do you want to do touristy crap, shopping, museums? You can get all three if you're staying near the Magnificent Mile.

Where are you heading in Oregon? PDX?

We are staying near the testing facility at a hotel on Higgins Road. From what I understand it is about 40 mins to downtown on the subway. If there is something shopping wise that is super splendiforous then I'm in for that but otherwise we really don't have the cash to buy a bunch of stuff we don't need. So I'd guess touristy crap and museums. But I also really like to do what locals do and eat where they eat.

Yep! PDX is our destination; we are visiting my in-laws-to-be until the next Sunday. First time I'll be there as well.

[HouseofWool]

Go early; the line can get crazy. The red velvet pancakes are worth it, though!

Pretty much everything was worth it, Sandy! The chocolate french toast? To.die.for.

[reciprocity]

Like out near ORD (which is where I think you're talking about staying, I'm not clear) there's not a ton to do, although the blue line will take you straight into the city.

Depending on what kind of stuff you enjoy, there's quite a bit right on the Blue Line:

Logan Square (name of the neighborhood and the Blue Line stop) has some great food, and I've heard it has awesome shopping, but I haven't really delved into that much. For food there's Lula Cafe which is like farm-to-table new american. Great ingredients, great breakfast, great service, but there can be a wait at busy weekend times. Longman & Eagle is a great restaurant with an awesome bar. I've only been for brunch, but it was awesome, and I've heard their dinners are just as good. Telegraph is a wine bar, but they also have really good food and drinks. All of these places are within a block of the el stop. There's also an amazing restaurant a few blocks away called Fat Rice that just got some national press and has been pretty packed lately, but man it was worth the wait. It's Macaoan cuisine, so think Portuguese plus SE Asian. Awesome. So good.

The Damen el stop drops you at the six corners (the intersection of North, Damen, and Milwaukee also less affectionately referred to as "the crotch") in Wicker Park/Bucktown. lots of great boutique/vintage/thrift shopping around here. Generally speaking if you go north on Damen you are heading more toward the nicer boutiques and such, if you go SE on Milwaukee you are heading more in the vintage/thrift direction. East on North Avenue also has a bunch of shops. Food here includes the aforementioned Bongo Room SE on Milwaukee (a different location than the one everyone here went to I think, but just as tasty! (same long lines though)), Big Star for tacos and whiskey, Piece pizzeria and brewpub (not chicago-style pizza, thankfully!) and a ton of other stuff.

The next el stop on the blue line is Division. From that stop you can go west on Division for some more good shopping, mostly boutiques. Food around here includes our current favorite place to eat Mott Street where the food is inspired by a Chinese night market supposedly (crab brain fried rice anyone?) also great bar and stellar service, and a ton of other places further down on Division.

Sorry this doesn't tell you a lot about museums and such. I guess you can tell where my heart lies...

[diggitydot]

If you don't have a lot of time to get into town and explore, you'll have LOADS to check out in PDX.

I absolutely love Museum Campus, but it's a good distance from ORD.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Get a torta and churros with dipping chocolate at Xoco...to die for!

[MarissaNicole]

They just opened a new outlet mall right by there. I believe the test center address is "Chicago" but it's not the city. It's close to the airport but really in the burbs.

Fashionoutletsofchicago.comfashionoutletsofchicago.com

There is also a comedy club in that area. Rosemont.zanies.comrosemont.zanies.com

Wife to PGY4

[DrBandMe]

Depending on what kind of stuff you enjoy, there's quite a bit right on the Blue Line:

Sorry this doesn't tell you a lot about museums and such. I guess you can tell where my heart lies...

This was awesome information!! THANK YOU!!!! We won't really have a ton of time to do things so it's okay on the museums - I'm not sure we'll have time anyway.

Attached are photos of my breakfast

*drools* Those look delish!!!

If you don't have a lot of time to get into town and explore, you'll have LOADS to check out in PDX.

Yes, I believe his parents have a TON of stuff planned for us while we are there. So much so I had to remind her that it was a vacation and we sorta hoped to sleep and have some time to ourselves too. We're even heading out to Seaside for a night's stay.

Get a torta and churros with dipping chocolate at Xoco...to die for!

Those sound amazing.

They just opened a new outlet mall right by there.

Thank you! Those are excellent suggestions!!!