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Chicago – city of bridges
This content uses referral links and contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. There’s nothing more spectacular than standing somewhere along the Chicago River on a beautiful day while the bridges are raised to let the boats with tall masts pass by. Well, except if you are driving, walking, or on the ‘L’ train & late for an appointment maybe. Good thing there is a schedule that you can keep in mind. Usually, it’s Spring & Fall on Wednesdays & Saturdays. Not sure about the current state of things, but I believe that even if one…
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biketropolis – graffiti & gears
In early August, my friend Susan & I signed up for one of Tom Limon’s Biketropolis biking adventures called Graffiti & Gears. We traversed through the city, seeking out hidden treasures of cool graffiti. It was a beautiful day for a bike ride, and once again, Tom did not disappoint. We started downtown at Daley Plaza, then wound through parts of the city that I have never been to, and I am a Chicago native! We discovered very cool, sometimes bizarre, but always interesting works of art. It depends on who you ask, but I found it all pretty amazing. We headed through downtown streets & alleys to the south…
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the monadnock – cac tour
This content uses referral links and contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. The majestic Monadnock (Jackson & Dearborn) is one of my favorite buildings in the Chicago Loop. The Loop refers to the central business district. The elevated train (the “L”) follows around the loop and is over a hundred years old. This first line ran to Jackson Park and was a people mover bringing them to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition aka The White City. A very important event that I’ll write about another time. Read Devil in the White City by Erik Larson…
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qxy dumplings in chinatown
Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings • 2002 S Wentworth Ave #103, Chicago, IL 60616 • rsvp recommended • byob Minimalist, BYOB nook with an open kitchen preparing artisanal Chinese dumplings with many fillings. Are you on the hunt for the best dumplings in Chicago? Your search is over. Go to QXY Dumplings in Chinatown. You’re welcome. Last Saturday on a chilly but beautiful fall day, my byob group & I headed to Chinatown for some of the most delicious dumplings we’ve ever tasted. This is turning into an annual thing. Last time we were here was in February. We should probably make it quarterly, they are that good. They are fresh &…
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biketropolis – pothole tour
It’s been a really, busy summer between giving tours and my office job so I’m a little behind on posting. Back on a very hot day in July, my friend Kristie & I signed up for the Pothole Bike Tour operated by Tom Limon of Biketropolis. Yes, you read that correctly, it was a bike tour searching for & admiring potholes in the city. Why the heck would you want to do that you ask? Because the potholes are filled with really cool mosaics (inspired by a trip to Pompeii) created by graphic designer turned mosaic artist Jim Bachor. And it’s a great way to explore the city. Actually Jim…
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cho sun ok – korean bbq in north center
Cho Sun Ok Restaurant • 4200 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 Authentic, cozy Korean BYOB offering a cook-your-own-meat BBQ option plus traditional noodles & bibimbop Finally! This Korean bbq byob has been on my list for YEARS. Seriously, there is always a line out the door. Really, always. So my byob pals and I decided to check it out early on a Saturday evening in early June. To beat the crowd we arrived around 5:30, which turned out to be a good plan since we were seated right away. My friends brought champagne (their usual) & I brought some Schofferhofer Hefeweizen Grapefruit Beer which is similar to a Radler. Though…
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logan square arts festival, pride parade & tacos
It’s a beautiful summer day, but geez, it’s the end of June already! Good reason to go on an adventure and check out the one of many festivals that Chicagoans cram into a very short-lived season called summer. When we are hibernating and trying to get through the winter we are really conserving all of our energy for summer! logan square arts festival My plan for today is to ride my bike to the Logan Square Festival then heading to brunch at a friend’s house before the Pride Parade. Before heading out, I check out google maps to figure out the best (safest) route via bike. When you plug in…
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dragon lights
On one of the first really beautiful days that we have had in a long time, my friend Lani & I went to Dragon Lights at Soldier Field (south parking lot). Dragon Lights was an International touring exhibit that has excited millions of people around the world. Chinese artisans travel to the event site to hand make all of the exhibits. They are custom built for each venue and the combination of light and art both thrill and illuminate. Dragon Lights was an opportunity to explore the culture of China. Besides seeing the really amazing, colorful, handmade, structures they had Chinese acrobats, dancers and tents set-up showcasing traditional Chinese crafts including…
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kimonos & tacos in lakeview
It’s almost May and we are still waiting for Spring to arrive in Chicago. Though some will disagree winter really wasn’t all that bad this year. Ask anyone from out East, they really got slammed. I feel a little better now since the weather forecast says the 70s or 80s in a few days. Geez, I’d be happy with the 60s but as a lifelong Chicagoan, I’ll take what I can get. japanese cultural center in lakeview Today’s adventure despite the 44 degrees, was a visit to a kimono exhibit at the Japanese Cultural Center in Lakeview (1016 W. Belmont). I read somewhere that this neighborhood once was a historic,…
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BienMeSabe
Did you know Chicago has over 6,000 byobs? Insert emoji with heart eyes here. So my goal besides exploring the 77 neighborhoods, sharing fun, random adventures is also to find the BEST byobs in the city and share them with you. Tough job but I’d be happy to do it. So next time you are at the grocery store grab an extra bottle of wine, champagne/prosecco/cava (seriously! it goes with everything) or a six pack of whatever for your next byob experience. BienMeSabe cafe & restaurant • 1637 W Montrose Ave • rsvp required Fri & Sat nights • kid friendly • outside seating • byob • Sunday – Thursday…
