It’s scary to think that the Chicago Cultural Center was almost demolished so that a dull mid-century office tower could have a spot on Michigan Avenue. What–or rather, who–saved it? The petite wife of Mayor Richard J. Daley, the...
Chicago Architecture Center: More Than the River Cruise
Visiting the Windy City? Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) should be high on your list. You probably know its famous Architecture River Cruise, considered one of the top tours in the United States–and the most popular in Chicago. Founded in 1966,...
Christkindlmarket in Chicago: An Old World Tradition
Christkindlemarket in Chicago is only 23 years old…an infant, compared to the market in Nuremberg, Germany. Nuremberg’s was established in 1545 and still serves as the inspiration for Christmas markets around the world. Christkindlmarket translates from German as “baby...
The Original Brownie Recipe–From Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel
The Original Brownie Recipe’s “birthplace” may be a surprise for many people. It didn’t come from someone’s sweet grandmother, a quaint bakery, or the home of a chocolatier. No, it was a business decision. First…Chicago gets the Fair. Too...
Hot Dog Throwdown: Sorry, Quebec City!
A hot dog throwdown? Why would this humble–and often maligned–sausage need to be compared? Especially since everyone knows the best hot dogs come from Chicago. Most of the world agrees, right? Okay, maybe not. And certainly not the good...
Italian Beef Sandwich–The Pride of Chicago
The Italian Beef sandwich: what Chicagoans crave when they move away. And what tops their “must have” list when they return. It’s a simple food: beef in its own seasoned juice–called gravy–and served on Italian rolls or crusty bread....
Chicago Columbian Exposition Fair Foods We Still Love
Some of the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition fair foods that rocked the world are still with us today. We take them for granted, but they caused a sensation among fairgoers. When I travel, I like to find foods that...
Chicago: Millennium Park Is the Perfect Public Space
Updated 28 February 2019 Chicago is not a shy city. It shoves Millennium Park right in your face. And why not? The park is a magnificent public space, meant to be used. It’s Boston Common, 350 years later…as then,...