Chicagoans! Need info, please!

Oh, you guys are making me miss Chicago so much. I still dream of the Fathers' Day Brunch we had at NoMi on Michigan Avenue. $60 per person and totally worth it.

Denver has crap restaurants

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[alison]

Congratulations on the UofC interview!

[Lo]

Congratulations on the UofC interview!

DITTO!

[alison]

Great! I'm glad you'll have ample time to scout out the city. Dress warmly - hat, gloves, scarves, the whole 9 yards.

As far as transportation, the first time you go to Hyde Park, please please please don't try to get to the UofC campus using public transportation. Instead, take a cab from wherever it is you're staying. You don't want to get lost (for safety reasons), and it's better if you make it to the campus without having the lost tourist look on your faces the first time and *then* see what the area around it is like. My brother is in school at the UofC, so in Hyde Park, for food, he likes to take us to the Dixie Kitchen and Cedars. We love those spots.

As far as Loyola, maybe CityChic can help you out with that one. On a map, the Red Line would be the line that could get you between the two areas, but... the stop in Hyde Park is iffy. Really iffy. If you're bent on getting to Hyde Park via public transportation, then I would take the Metra. The one that stops at the Randolph station in downtown and the 55th/56th/57th stop. There's an express train that gets you between downtown and Hyde Park in something like 10 minutes. You can easily get to downtown via bus or Red Line from Loyola and from there do the Metra to Hyde Park.

You'll find that Chicago is made up of neighborhoods. Literally, one block to the next can be totally different worlds as far as flair, restaurants, and activities. It depends on what you like.

I totally agree w/Alison re: Hyde Park. My cousin's BIL/SIL live there b/c they're both docs at UofC. Clearly their house is in a fantastic chi chi neighborhood ... go a couple streets either way and it is SCAR-EY. Get yourself there via cab -- and explore in daylight. You just need to know where you're going.

I know the area around De Paul pretty well. I love, love, love Uncle Julio's - great margaritas and food. There's more - I just can't think of it at the moment.

[Momo]

I know the area around De Paul pretty well.

Jen did you go to DePaul??...I was there( Lincoln Park Campus) my freshman year 88/89!

Jen did you go to DePaul??...I was there( Lincoln Park Campus) my freshman year 88/89!

No. I have friends that live in Lincoln Park and have spent a decent amount of time wandering around there over the years.

[alison]

We live in Lincoln Park, pretty close to DePaul. There's a nice hole-in-the-wall cafe (with panini, salads, coffee) called Bourgeois Pig (Fullerton/Halsted).

Lily, if you let me know what part of town you'll be staying in, I could give you some tips for restaurants and whatnot.

Old Town (just south of De Paul) has some nice restaurants. Also, Second City, if you're interested in comedy clubs. My parents are architects, so we've done the Architectural Walking Tour (I'm not sure if they have those in the winter) and have visited the Robie House in Hyde Park. My mom also likes the Art Institute. Right now they've got the King Tut exhibit going on at the Field Museum (book early!). If you like shopping, there's N. Michigan Ave. Plus it's close to Northwestern (law and medicine!) It's like any other shopping street in the US--just a bunch of chains and very touristy.

I like the boutiques on Southport better, where more locals shop, but that's just me. You'll get a better feel for Chicago neighborhoods if you pan out a bit from N. Michigan/Loop core into the neighborhoods.

[Lo]

I'll add more later because I have to leave for mass in like 10 minutes and am still in my pajamas BUT as far as loyola goes (the law school that is) it is RIGHT off the redline chicago stop.

Places to eat around there...I would HIGHLY recommed Johnny's on state and chestnut, it is a little hole in the wall place that is always crowded with "locals" but they have the best gyros (mmmm), fries, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc... BUT they only take cash so be prepared for that if you guys decide to go. Also, Griller's Cafe on pearson and wabash is a step up from johnnys but i really like their grilled chicken pitas and their salads with their house dressing mmmm...umm breakfasty places, i would try Tempo Cafe on state and chestnut (kiddy corner from johnnys) really good omlets!

ok i'll post more later about the loyola stuff but i gotta go get ready, im down to 8 minutes now haha never going to happen...

[Momo]

When we were in college and wanted to splurge we would go to Anne Sather's for breakfast!!!
http://annsather.com/restaurants/locations.shtml

[reciprocity]

I went to U of C law, and my gf went there for undergrad, Hyde Park is its own little world, so you should take a day just to see if you like the neighborhood, because if you end up there, it is tough to get out (not the least of which because of the sub-par mass transit options there - alison is right, the south side el lines are far from hyde park and are not safe)

While you're in Hyde Park, I'd have lunch at the Medici on 57th - known as "Teh Med" - this si the quintessential U of C dining experience.

My favorite place to eat in Hyde Park is the Calypso Cafe - you must try the plantain nachos if you go.

The iconic Hyde Park bar is Jimmy's Woodlawn Tap(refered to as "Jimmy's" despite the name "Jimmy" not being visible anywhere)

AS for getting the experience of the rest of Chicago, there's anything you could want, so I'm not really sure how to capture it.

I live south of the South Loop - still populated by high-rises, but not dominated by them. However, I don't think you could get a 3br for <$2k (I pay $1.5k for a 1k sqft 1br 1.5bath w/ garage parking).

As for West Egg, despite the fact that my girlfriend lives a block away, we've never been - the lines are always so long. We always end up at Eppy's deli a great little deli a half a block west of West Egg for breakfast, or we head closer to where I live and get food at Bongo Room or Yolk down near Roosevelt and Michigan.

I could go on and on about the food here, so I'll spare you for now, but if there's anything I touched on that you'd like to know more about, feel free to ask!

Also, if you want to talk about the whole "going to school/living in hyde park" experience I'd be happy to discuss too.

(Oh, cost of living in Hyde Park is much more reasonable than in the city, especially bigger places - but you run the risk of college apartments. When I was there, we rented a house from the University, not sure if they still do that, but it was a great house - 6 bedroom for only like 3000)

[alison]

Why don't you have your dh ask at his NW interview - see where residents live and what they say is doable.

[reciprocity]

We lived in the South Loop at 18th S/Michigan Ave. I really didn't like the neighborhood after a while. It lacks a unique personality or sense of community. There's constant construction/traffic/litter. But it's reasonably priced compared to some of the more established neighborhoods and definitely just straight shot down Michigan Ave. I wouldn't move back there, though, but that's just my experience.

I'm not sure how long ago you lived there, but it's changed quite a bit. It has definitely evolved into a more residential neighborhood, as opposed to Bucktown/Wicker Park which, to me, both feel like destination neighborhoods (which is great if you want that, I didn't - too many bars, never any parking, loud crowds, late nights, etc.)

[alison]

If you're from Seattle, particularly the fabulous neighborhood in which Annie lived, the South Loop has to be a huge shock to the system. I've been living in Chicago for several years by now. We looked into South Loop condos/townhomes, and there's so little IMHO that is charming/cute/appealing about so few people walking the sidewalks, and people pulling in and out of gated communities.

I do agree with you about Wicker Park/Bucktown.

[reciprocity]

I live back on Prairie, and there are tons of townhouses and plenty of people walking the streets, I guess the "gated communities" you're talking about are the ones to the north of the tracks, I'm not really sure.

I'm just saying that while it certainly doesn't have the charm of a more residential neighborhood, it is a sight better than, say, Streeterville.

But then again, when I lived in Seattle I was ridiculously poor and had to crash with a friend in Factoria, so I guess my background experiences don't quite hold up.

I did spend my weekends out in Poulsbo though, I dunno if that gives me enough Pac NW cred or what.