Straight Dope Message Board

[dalej42]

Well, it is official. I just accepted a job in Chicago. I should be there around April 15th. I've been browsing apartments online for a while in anticipation of this job working out, so I guess it is time to get serious about it.

I think I'll be living in Lake View or perhaps Lincoln Park and working for a brokerage firm in the Loop.

I can't wait!

[Sarahfeena]

Welcome! I think you'll like it here, we're nice folks.

[Tim R. Mortiss]

Congrats! Time to starting studying your Chicagoisms.

[Asimovian]

Originally Posted by Tim R. Mortiss

Time to starting studying your Chicagoisms.

Hilarious. And after spending my seven weeks living there, I nearly cried in agony when the girl sang that effing Luna jingle.

Dale -- congrats and good luck! Planning to adopt the Cubs?

[Musicat]

Condolences.

[Rand Rover]

Welcome aboard, duder, it's awesome here (for most of the year . . .) . Start a Chidope thread when you get here.

[Kolak of Twilo]

Welcome! This fall will be my 25th year as a transplant.

Obviously, I love it here. I hope you do as well!

[Rachellelogram]

Stay away from the suburbs! Except you might wanna check out Shikara in Downer's Grove if you like Indian food. And H-mart in Niles if you like sushi, bubble tea, green tea ice cream, or jade beds without mattresses. And Gene's and Jude's in River Grove for classic Chicago dogs (cash only!).

[Lochdale]

Welcome. Great city. Have lived in Lakeview and Lincoln Park for 16 years. If you're single it's very easy to meet people.

[Cheryl44]

I-Go http://www.igocars.org/

Zipcar http://www.zipcar.com/chicago/find-cars

My personal choice is I-Go, but they have cars closer to me than Zipcar does. See what's in your neighborhood and look at the various pricing options. Obviously, you are not marrying either one of them. Also most Jewel supermarkets deliver for roughly 10% of your total bill.

[Tim R. Mortiss]

Speaking of supermarkets, if you are telling someone that you are going grocery shopping, you DO NOT say "I'm going to Jewel." You say you are going to "the Jewel." Subtle but important distinction.

[Man With a Cat]

Originally Posted by Sarahfeena

Welcome! I think you'll like it here, we're nice folks.

Sarahfeena, i already have mandated a welcome to Chicago gathering. You in?

[Man With a Cat]

Also, this is good to see this today. I'm FB friends with dalej42 and got the news there and told The Wife "dammit now I can't even remember his Doper name!"

[Coup Fourre]

Originally Posted by Tim R. Mortiss

Speaking of supermarkets, if you are telling someone that you are going grocery shopping, you DO NOT say "I'm going to Jewel." You say you are going to "the Jewel." Subtle but important distinction.

Actually, it's "the Jewel's."



And to make sure you look like you belong, pronounce Chicago:

She-Caw-Go.

not

She-Cah-Go.

[dalej42]

A couple more questions.

1. Any sports bar suggestions in Lake View or Wrigleyville area to watch the NHL playoffs?

2. Mexican restaurant suggestions? I love, love, love Mexican food.

[Tim R. Mortiss]

1. I'm not a sports fan, but I would think Cubby Bear, or Sluggers, or any of the sports bars on Clark Street near Wrigley Field would be ideal.

2. Far too many to count! You'll be trying them until the day you die. My personal fave is Fiesta Mexicana, not far from the aforementioned Sports Bars. El Jardin (also nearby on Clark) is also excellent. Also, www.yelp.com is your friend.

[Lochdale]

Lots of sports bars but Clark street has a good few both by Wrigley and down by Fullerton. Lincoln Ave has loads as well (along with lots of young, attractive women). Southport is a bit older but Schoolyard is a good sports bar.

[Wheelz]

Originally Posted by Coup Fourre

Actually, it's "the Jewel's."

I usually hear either "Jewel's" or "the Jewel" but rarely a combination.
But what do I know, I prefer Dominick's.

[Rand Rover]

Originally Posted by dalej42

Mexican restaurant suggestions? I love, love, love Mexican food.

Here are my recommendations:

1. Cafe Adobo in Old Town. Table-side guac, really good margaritas shaken table-side and served up in a martini glass.

2. Uncle Julio's Hacienda. It's a chain, but it's really good. Gets rather loud though.

3. Lalo's. Has several locations but it's not a national chain. I used to always get Lalo's Ultimate Skillet (steak, chicken, chorizo, bacon-wrapped shrimp, grilled veggies on a fajita skillet) before I apparently got old and couldn't eat greasy stuff like chorizo anymore. Lots of good stuff that's different than the usual Mexican fare (wife likes this soup that's basically a whole ocean reduction).

4. The town (? or area/neighborhood/something) of Pilsen has several Mexican restaurants. I've been to one but don't remember much about it. I believe they are all BYOB, but there's a close liquor store.

[Rand Rover]

Originally Posted by Coup Fourre

Actually, it's "the Jewel's."



And to make sure you look like you belong, pronounce Chicago:

She-Caw-Go.

not

She-Cah-Go.

She? I've never heard anyone say "she." More like a schwa sound in there.

[MeanOldLady]

Oh shit. I've been calling it "Jewel" all this time. Sorry, guys!

[Tim R. Mortiss]

Heretic!!!

[Ferret Herder]

Eh, I say "Jewel" and so does my husband, and he's a native here. (Then again, I got him calling it "soda" instead of "pop.")

Mexican: Don't forget one of Rick Bayless's restaurants: Xoco, Frontera Grill, or Topolobampo (in ascending order of cost and difficulty in getting in); they helped get Mexican food in the US considered worthy of being called a cuisine.

[dalej42]

Originally Posted by Rand Rover

Here are my recommendations:

2. Uncle Julio's Hacienda. It's a chain, but it's really good. Gets rather loud though.

You just made my day! I loved Uncle Julio's in Dallas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GrandWino]

Originally Posted by Rand Rover

Here are my recommendations:

1. Cafe Adobo in Old Town. Table-side guac, really good margaritas shaken table-side and served up in a martini glass.

2. Uncle Julio's Hacienda. It's a chain, but it's really good. Gets rather loud though.

3. Lalo's. Has several locations but it's not a national chain. I used to always get Lalo's Ultimate Skillet (steak, chicken, chorizo, bacon-wrapped shrimp, grilled veggies on a fajita skillet) before I apparently got old and couldn't eat greasy stuff like chorizo anymore. Lots of good stuff that's different than the usual Mexican fare (wife likes this soup that's basically a whole ocean reduction).

4. The town (? or area/neighborhood/something) of Pilsen has several Mexican restaurants. I've been to one but don't remember much about it. I believe they are all BYOB, but there's a close liquor store.

I heartily second all of these recommendations.

[Kolak of Twilo]

Originally Posted by Rand Rover

4. The town (? or area/neighborhood/something) of Pilsen has several Mexican restaurants. I've been to one but don't remember much about it. I believe they are all BYOB, but there's a close liquor store.

Nuevo Leon may be where you went. Probably one of the better known in the neighborhood and very good. And you are right, they are BYOB.

[Ferret Herder]

Seconding the Lalo's recommendation - my coworkers and I are fond of going out to a nearby location now and then.

[GrandWino]

Originally Posted by Kolak of Twilo

Nuevo Leon may be where you went. Probably one of the better known in the neighborhood and very good. And you are right, they are BYOB.

Nuevo Leon is possibly my favorite mexican place in the city (though I think I might give the edge to Cemitas Pueblas on North Ave).

[dalej42]

I was reading the Nuevo Leon website, do they still have smoking sections in Chicago restaurants? Somehow, I thought the city passed a smoke free ordinance?

[Tim R. Mortiss]

Originally Posted by dalej42

I was reading the Nuevo Leon website, do they still have smoking sections in Chicago restaurants? Somehow, I thought the city passed a smoke free ordinance?

The city did, and so did the state of Illinois. You can forget about smoking in restaurants or bars around here.

[Joey P]

Originally Posted by Tim R. Mortiss

Congrats! Time to starting studying your Chicagoisms.

I'll have a three hundred and twelve. (Yes, we get Goose Island in Wisconsin, but you can't have our New Glarus )

[dalej42]

More questions.

1. Where are these great used book stores in Chicago? While packing, I hate that I've had to donate a lot of my classics to the library just because of the bulk.

2. I'm going to stay at a hotel by O'hare for my first week or so. I'll have my car, so where is the easiest place to park and ride the blue line?

[Cheryl44]

1. There's a bookstore on Lincoln just south of the Western Brown line stop. I don't know the name of it, but I've found some really great used books there.

2. http://www.transitchicago.com/parking/#blueline

[Tim R. Mortiss]

We had a thread awhile ago on used bookstores. Oops, here it is:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=516203

[dalej42]

Originally Posted by Tim R. Mortiss

We had a thread awhile ago on used bookstores. Oops, here it is:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=516203

Thanks so much, that thread is a godsend. I hated donating many of my good condition books. However, I just don't have the room in my car to move them.

[enalzi]

Originally Posted by Cheryl44

1. There's a bookstore on Lincoln just south of the Western Brown line stop. I don't know the name of it, but I've found some really great used books there.

Ravenswood's Used books. Which the first time I walked to, I thought "This is what those old used book stores you see in movies must be based off of." I half expected to find some huge old book that would transport me to a magical land.

[Phil W]

Originally Posted by Coup Fourre

And to make sure you look like you belong, pronounce Chicago:

She-Caw-Go.

not

She-Cah-Go.

Originally Posted by Rand Rover

She? I've never heard anyone say "she." More like a schwa sound in there.

Yep, that’s news to me! I’m 65 and have been living in Chicago all my life. I’ve never heard anyone say; She-Caw-Go! That is unless you didn’t mean “She” to be pronounced like the pronoun for female. More like “shi” with a soft “i”.

Other than that; welcome to Chicago if you can afford it! We have the honor of ranking high as paying some one of the highest gas prices and taxes in the U.S. Also, watch out for those red lights. Big brother is watching and one wrong innocent move while making a right turn on a red and you’ll get a nice welcome in the mail that will cost you $100.00! Also, parking in the city is no problem as long as you always carry a crap load of money on you. Chicago is a great city…..if you can survive the financial drain it will impose on you.

[zookies]

I agree with the shi instead of she, and watch out for the black helicopters (see yahoo news)