Seasoned Chicagoan has One Week Staycation...Advice?

Cafe Society
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Hello fellow Chicagoans and those with Chicago know-how. I have a week’s vacation come the end of May followed by Memorial Day Weekend. I have some ideas how to spend it, but I wonder if others here on the Dope have some clues to Chicago things I’m not aware of. Some lesser known attractions if you will. On my Itinerary already are the Aire Spa, which is inspired by ancient Roman baths, a trip to the Field Museum to see “First Kings of Europe”, a traveling exhibit. and possibly the Chicago Botanic Gardens. I will be flying solo for everything, so no couples or family deals.

Is a stop at the Drake’s High Tea worth it? Other restaurants? I can spend a little but nothing outrageous mind you. The Aire Spa is $ 275.00 and that’s about as high as I can go for stuff.

Any thoughts to help me out?

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Maggiano’s Little Italy has wonderful Italian food. There is one downtown at 516 North Clark Street. If you like really good Italian food which, by the way, is seemingly harder and harder to find, you will love this place.

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If you like a ball game, I bet they’re just about giving away White Sox tickets.

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Do you live in the city? Enjoy live music? You could probably find a rock, blues or jazz show at one of Chicago’s smaller venues every night, spending less than $75 for an Uber ride, your ticket and a couple of drinks. And you don’t have to worry about getting up early the next morning!

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I’ve been to Fitzgeralds, in Berwyn, a couple of times, but I have friends who are big fans of live music, and for them, it’s one of their go-to venues.

Here’s their show schedule for the upcoming weeks:

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Fitzgerald’s is awesome – I’ll be there for the American Music Festival in July – but not convenient for every-night shows for someone who lives in the city. I was thinking more in terms of Metro, the Vic, Thalia Hall, Schuba’s, the Empty Bottle, Space (OK, it’s in Evanston, but right off the El), the Green Mill, or any number of blues bars. Or slightly bigger and maybe pricier venues such as the Riviera or Chicago Theater. (Even the Aragon if you’re not fussy about sound quality.) I haven’t been to the Salt Shed yet but hear great things.

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Ed Debevic’s re-opened in 2021, after closing back in 2015. Might be worth a visit.

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Yeah, it’s in a different location now – I walked by it last Thursday and was like, hey, where the hell did this come from? It’s fun if you haven’t done it before. More fun with a group of people, I think.

But in that same neighborhood, you can always check out Eataly, which is an amazing Italian marketplace with various shops and restaurants inside. I picked up a couple harder-to-find cheeses when I was there last week, plus a slice of Roman style pizza. They also serve beer and wine there. If you’re into that sort of thing, it’s definitely worth visiting.

And, along those lines, there’s stuff like The French Market (131 N. Clinton) or all the various food halls that are downtown these days, like Revival at 125 S. Clark. You can find a good list of them here. That kind of stuff is my playground, but I don’t know what your likes are. I would also suggest walking around Chinatown, Tom Ping Park – oh, and you can take a water taxi from downtown to Tom Ping Park or vice versa. They run on the weekends. That’s a beautiful view of Chicago, and it’s like $6 each way.

That “First Kings of Europe” exhibit is an excellent choice. I photographed the opening for the Field, and I was extremely impressed by the range of artifacts and the sheer work and cooperation to gather all these artifacts from different countries and museums all in one place. There is also a Native Truths exhibit that is relatively new (less than a year ago) that is also worth checking out.

If you want off-the-beaten path stuff, there’s an International Museum of Surgical Science (1524 N. Lake Shore Drive) that is what it says it is. I found it entertaining. We always talk about the Architectural Boat Tour, so even for a local, that’s worth doing.

That time of year, nothing to me says the beginning of summer like grabbing an Italian Beef at Al’s on Taylor and walking directly across the street to Mario’s Lemonade.

Give us a little more idea of your interests and we can help you out a bit more.

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Thanks, everyone, for the responses so far. As for my interests, I tend to quieter pursuits. Food, history, the arts. Akaj mentioned the Green Mill, and that’s only two short bus rides away, so that gives an idea of where I live. I get everywhere on public transportation, by the way, and yes, you can get to the Botanic Garden that way.

I once attended a poetry slam at the Green Mill, and I wouldn’t mind trying their music scene. The place is close to Tank Noodle or Sun Wah BBQ, which I like.

Eataly is a good suggestion. I haven’t tried that yet.

Feel free to add ideas. Can’t have too many to choose from.

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Most of the other places I mentioned are in the same vicinity, so if they’re your cup of tea you can try them, too.

I forgot to mention the Old Town School of Folk Music, which in addition to excellent concerts offers classes on lots of arts-related topics.

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I’ve seen Hot Tuna and Steve Earle And The Dukes each a few different times there. Wonderful venue without a bad seat, and the nicest, coolest people running the place.

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Have you ever walked down the 16th Street murals in Pilsen? There’s a few other interesting ones within the neighborhood, too, that I could point you to, but if you’re into urban art, it’s definitely worth a look.

And a lot of great Mexican food to be found there, especially along 18th Street.

Like this building is pretty cool. I forget the name of the artist who lives there, but it’s one of the muralists.

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Cool murals.

One thing I have thought about, aaannnddd this could be a separate thread on its own, but I have thought about using cannabis for the first time on my staycation. I would like to try edibles because smoking is unappealing to me. There’s a dispensary in Andersonville which I can easily reach. Totally legal now. Any advice for a pot newbie?

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It’s absolutely famous and well-known, but how do you feel about the Museum of Science and Industry? Then get some food near the UC area, which has outstanding, local-people-oriented food without all of the touristy flourish. Okay, maybe some touristy flourish, but not nearly like you’d get near the river.

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Yes, and I’ve heard that there’s a Pompeii Exhibit there now. Strange material for a science museum but still, no doubt, first rate.

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The people working at the dispenseries are very helpful and will help guide you if needed. I would say if you’re going to go the gummy route, be a bit careful and conservative: the gummies should usually come in a pack of about ten 10mg THC for around $25 with tax. The first time you try it, take 1/2 of one (5 mg) and wait two hours to assess your feeling. If you don’t feel much, take the other half then. Where people get in trouble with gummies is that they sneak up on you. You think nothing is happening, so you take more, then more, and all of a sudden, you’re way higher than you want to be.

Also, there is a chance you might not get high the first time or two. I know back in college, it took me to my third try with weed to get properly high. I’m a rank amateur compared to others when it comes to this stuff, but that much I can talk about. The vapes are also worth checking out. Those you can get the effects much quicker and it’s a bit easier to judge how much you’ve done, and it wears off a bit quicker.

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And while you’re in Andersonville, I recommend stopping by Lost Larson bakery/cafe. Cinnamon rolls are fantastic, but my rec is the cardamom buns. Really, you can’t go wrong with anything there, but that’s my go-to. Open Wed thru Sun 7am-3 pm.

If you haven’t been, Hop Leaf is a must-visit for Belgian beers and bites. Plus plenty of middle eastern joints to peruse if you walk around. I don’t have specific names on those—I just walk around the neighborhood when I’m there and pop into whatever strikes my fancy.

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Asking for a friend: are gummies safe to take if you have a family, say, a five year old and two year old? I refer to behaviour of the person taking them, rather than any possibility of the aforementioned enfants taking them.

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That question is beyond my pay grade and probably best answered in a different thread with people who are more experienced than me in this regard. Overall, I would always err on the side of caution. Do the gummies when you don’t have kids to take care of. The worst that’s ever happened to me with weed is slipping into a panic attack. I definitely would not want to go through that with two kids in my care. Just use common sense. You don’t want to be drunk round your kids, so don’t get stoned.