TMLMTBGB is fantastic! At least, it was 10 years ago when I was the OPs age and went at least once a month. I’m sure they still are.
I’ll try to explain, but I concur - you just have to go.
It’s a show of very short shows. The fun starts when you show up, and admission is a crap shoot. Literally. You roll a die and pay $7 plus the roll of a die (so anywhere from $8-$13). The show itself is (an attempt at) 30 shows in 60 minutes. Lots of comedy, some drama, some political, some personal, some traditionally staged, some weird abstract stuff - it’s constantly changing. There are a row of numbers and each number is associated with a show. The audience chooses numbers, the actors run around to prepare as fast as they can and perform, then do another number. At the end of the night, a die is cast, and that’s how many new shows they write for the next weekend.
Anyhow, it’s awesome, it’s fun and I once stopped the entire show in its tracks when they dragged me up for an audience participation comedy thing and I took off my shirt. You had to be there, but trust me, it worked in context. Actors literally ran off stage laughing and had to be rounded up again to go on. (Hey, they dared me to. Got the biggest laugh of the night from the audience, too. That’s what they get for picking on a former theater major!)
I just got back from my first trip to Evanston, and was surprised at what a nice walking city it is. I love cities that are good for walking in, and hadn’t expected anything like that in Chicago’s urban area. Downtown Evanston seems very urban rather than suburban and I had a nice time just walking around, shopping, enjoying the remarkable richness of restaurants and things within the space of a few blocks.
Ow.
Ow.
OW, stop hitting me!
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! How was I to know? Yes, it’s totally my fault that our first big snow (still coming down) is the heavy wet sticky stuff that covers all the vertical surfaces and the whole city looks like an accident involving a flocking machine and a goat! I can’t even read the No Parking Plowing signs on my street to figure out which side I’m not supposed to park on! Damn.
Uh…“I don’t usually win $50,000,000.00 in the lottery and Joseph Fiennes’ undying love on the same day!”
Don’t know how long your folks have been in Naperville, but Naper Settlement is a kinda neat little exhibit if you haven’t seen it.
And just south and west of Naperville is the new Midewin Prairie national park - previously the Joliet Arsenal. If you want to experience something uniquely midwestern, can’t get much moreso than prairie and oak savannah - tho midwinter may not be the best time to appreciate them.
Not too much big ticket Civil War stuff happened around here. More like an old house here or there that someone lived, slept, or gave a speech in.
The new history museum is supposed to be uber neat. Used to be the Chicago Historical Society, but recently underwent a major redo. Haven’t been since, but am planning on a visit when my kid comes home from college over x-mas break.
I’d probably recommend taking in a show at one of the neat old theaters - either the Auditorium, or one of the rehabbed movie palaces like the Chicago downtown, or the Paramount in Joliet, or the one in Aurora. If you like history, just being in a theater that beautiful can be just about as thrilling as whatever is going on onstage.
Fermilab is also very close to Naperville. Prairie, buffalo, and the currently largest particle collider in the world.
I just opened this now because I was out canceling school this morning due to snow, but let me say this:
You should make effing sure you call me when you’re in Naperville, seein as how I live no more than 10 minutes away and if you’re sorry ass is that close to here and you fail to manage to see me, I’ll never be your friend again.
Yeah, how crazy is that? I am dreading the thought of walking to class already. On the other hand, it’s good for making snowballs.
DiosaBellissima, if you want someone to show you around Hyde Park when you’re here, I’d be happy to do the honors. Hyde Park is a nice neighborhood. Too bad I can’t take you to the bar where Dylan Thomas and Kurt Vonnegut supposedly killed half their brain cells. Maybe next time.
We went there when we were in the Chicago area last spring. WONDERFUL place. Damn shame we had to keep an eye on the kids, it meant we couldn’t explore nearly as much as we’d have liked
My son’s favorite part was riding the commuter train into the city and back for one of our 2 days of sightseeing.
My daughter’s favorite was the Children’s Museum and wandering around the Navy Pier. They were playing ‘V for Vendetta’ at the IMAX there and Typo Knig and I joked about taking the kids: “What? It’s a movie about the Letter V, like on Sesame Street, right???” I don’t think you’d enjoy the Children’s Museum that much though, it’s really targeted at the elementary school crowd.
Lissa- you know the way to my heart- burgers! Last time we went to the restaurant in Chicago that’s owned by Bruce Willis or something. . . the Ocean Club. . . Yacht Club. . . Oceany Yachty Mc Club? I don’t know. It was a bit expensive, but I had a Kobe beef burger that was pretty much the most delicious thing ever. I’d very much like to return there.
WhyNot- I sorta figured snow wouldn’t defy the laws of gravity (although, now you have me questioning that assertion), but I just meant that when the snow piles up, if it is moved out from in front of the tombstones by the caretakers. So you can see what the tombstone says. Or maybe I’m misunderstanding how much it snows there- I’m under the assumption that I will be buried up to my chin, amirite?
DoctorJ, I’m not sure how up for plays my family will be, but I’ll certainly make the suggestion. Thanks!
Random, thank you for looking up those threads. I did a search for Chicago and it just brought up every thread that someone from Chicago posted in. My search-fu is weak. Graue Mill looks right up my lame and nerdy ally, so I’ll definitely take note of that and find out if they’ll be open. And this flag ship Old Navy you speak of. . .is it giant? Because if so, I may die of happy.
Dinsdale- that Naperville Settlement thing sounds familiar. Is it sort of like a pioneer village sort of thing with authentic-y buildings and people that dress up? I want to say we went there before when they were doing some reinactment. And the oak savannah thing- is that the giant huge super giant tract of preserved land? If so, I think my grandma’s house is right up against to that.
Mr Bus Guy, everyone wants to kidnap me during my Chicago trip! Maybe we can all figure out something to do (me, you, whynot, HazelNutCoffee, and everyone else who has made the suggestion). It would probably have to be around Naperville, rather than the big city itself. I could probably sneak away for an afternoon.
About the aquarium, here are some of the highlights.
– starting with just the building itself, architecturally pretty neat. Lots of steps and columns and such.
– the main gallery has a 30,000 gallon Coral Reef exhibit, full of fish, eels, turtles and sharks. Scuba divers enter the tank a couple of times a day to feed everyone.
– There are six side galleries, each devoted to a particular part of the world. Some of the habitats are fairly impressive little micro-environments. One of the galleries is specfically devoted to the marine life of the Great Lakes.
– the Oceanarium area is a huge indoor re-creation of a Pacific Northwest rainforest. It houses Pacific white-sided dolphins, Beluga whales, sea otters, harbor seals, tidewater creatures (anemonies and whatnot), and penguins. (Not sure why they built a penguin exhibit in a Pacific Northwest environment, but they’re still cool). The 3-million gal. dolphin tank was the largest indoor marine mammal environment in the world when I worked there in the early 90’s. The whole back wall of this massive exhibit is glass, overlooking Lake Michigan, which makes it look even larger. They also do dolphin shows (I mean, “marine mammal behavioral demonstrations.”)
Ah, that makes more sense. No, accumulation (what we call how far snow stacks up) doesn’t get very deep here. We got a lot of snow last night and this morning, so right now it’s a good bit above the ankles. But snow settles, melts a bit, gets blown around, etc. It’s rare that even the really big stuff stays piled up for long around here.
Do try and find waterproof footwear to bring, even if you don’t own winter boots. When there’s not snow, there’s slush and when there’s not slush there’re puddles and when there’re not puddles there’re poodles, so you don’t want open-toed sandals here in January.
I forget who mentioned the Lake and the frozen waves, but I was probably down there with you! It was so surreal (and I hate the general overuse of that word).
If you’re 20, you can certainly go to some all-ages shows at Metro or Double Door. Mostly bands who are either big locally, ready to click nationally, or just plain suck. Great places, though.
It’s not bad to hit Michigan Ave once in a while. Make sure to see the Water Tower…neat histoy there, and recently featured on the Amazing Race.
Go to Geno’s East on Superior for deep-dish…just do it. If for some reason you’re out kinda late, go to Weiner’s Circle in Lincoln Park for a great burger and unbelievable amounts of profanity from the staff. You have to see it.
Top of the Cock (Signature Room) also does great brunches. As does House of Blues, which is Gospel-stlye…kinda neat if you haven’t seen somethign similar before.
I think the Architectural Boat tours are still running…if you’re geeky for buildings like I am, it’s an absolute must.
Skammer- that actually sounds really neat. Aquarium added to my list! Are there any exhibits where I can touch anything? Look, I know that makes me like a five year old, but touching sea creatures can sometimes be fun. Here in Bakersfield, a lot of us go to Camp Keep in the 6th grade. The coolest part was getting to touch this big. . . sluggy thing that lived in the salt flats. I can’t remember what it was exactly, but I know it shot out ink if you pissed it off (I want to say purple). Anyway, it doesn’t matter if I can touch things or not, it would just be a little cooler.
WhyNot- you bring up a good point: clothing. I literally own two pairs of closed toed shoes. Hell, it’s (what I consider) freezing outside (ok, it’s like, 45) and I’m wearing flip flops. Last night I went to Target and picked up some scarves and gloves. Next week, I plan to pick up a jacket, but I’m not sure what to get. I also need some boots, but again, no idea what’s good or bad. Any suggestions are welcome!
Oh, we’ve actually moved the trip up one week- so I’ll be getting there on my 21st birthday. So, drinking is no longer out of the question! Hooray for getting boozed up with the family (hey! Maybe this will make them tolerable! ).