Mention the Windy City to anyone who’s ever been there and chances are they’ll reply with an enthusiastic, “I love Chicago!” We totally get it. From fantastic food to the gorgeous waterfront and architecture, this midwest charmer offers much to adore—here are a few things (new and old) that make us heart Chi-Town, too.
stay: The newest outpost of the Soho House has transformed a circa-1907 six-storey warehouse into a rustic-chic haven for public and private members alike. The suites mix twinkling chandeliers and plush beds you’ll never want to get out of with handsome plank flooring and clawfoot tubs (we made good use out of the signature Cowshed bath products). Because the Soho tends to attract a model-esque crowd, we appreciated the ability to get beautified (and pampered) at the Cowshed Spa downstairs, plus work on our bod at the gym, which is decked out with an impressive Horween Leather Company boxing ring. Soho House, 113-125 N. Green St., Chicago, 312-521-8000 www.sohohousechicago.com
dine: Not into deep-dish pizza? Get a satisfying, wood-oven-fired Neapolitan-style pie at Soho’s dimly lit and buzzy Pizza East. Or, after a long day working up a big appetite trekking to the Bean and through multi museums, head to Mott Street for an eclectic menu of everything from kimchi and oaxaca empanadas with chimichurri creme fraiche to chili-marinated pork jowl and tofu. If you can snag a seat at one of the communal tables, do; Chi-Towners are an exceptionally friendly bunch. Mott Street, 1401 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, 773-687-9977, www.mottstreetchicago.com
sip: If you love craft cocktails, you’ve hit the motherlode in Chicago. There are possibly more spots to get a delicious drink in this city than there are architectural gems (don’t quote us on that, though). On your first night as a guest at the Soho, be sure to answer the room-service knock on the door as it’s a bartender with a bar cart there to make you a cocktail. And, should you find yourself in Wicker Park, knock back a solid Moscow Mule while perched in a tufted leather banquette at The Revel Room. Next day, get back to alkaline at Jus Juus at the back of jewelry and art shop The Silver Room—the Collard Ale was exactly the green juice pick-me-up we needed. Jus Juus, 1442 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, 312-818-8006, www.facebook.com/JusJuus
see: Call us creatures of habit, but the standard, popular tourist spots in Chicago are ones we just can’t get enough of. With kiddies in tow or not, Shedd Aquarium offers an impressive range of under-the-sea life: adorable penguins, jellyfish that mesmerize and smiley beluga whales. For a grand view of the city, you can’t beat 360 Chicago (formerly the John Hancock Observatory)—go an hour before sunset to enjoy a day and dusk perspective. (Planning on visiting several sights? Invest in a CityPASS to save dough and bypass the general admission lines.) Finally, the Chicago Architectural Foundation’s superb 90-minute river cruise will give you phenomenal views plus a historical background of the buildings you’ve been gawking over. www.architecture.org
Maginificent Mile, magnificent city. Chicago, we’ll be back. —Karen Kwan
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