[ot] Weekend trip to Chicago-restaurant reviews as requested

[pensiv]

Actually, I find Chicago Comics, 3244 N Clark (a couple blocks north of Belmont) to have a much larger selection than Graham Crackers. Quimby's, their sister store at 1854 W. North Ave is also a geek's book heaven.

 

[Enforcer]

on 57th street, IIRC, there is a good Italian/Student place called Medici. In my experience, the food is good and the service is less so.

And finally, visit the Oriental History Musuem. It's one of the best/the best Near-Eastern history museums in the country. It's largely exhibits of University of Chicago archeological expeditions.

My girlfriend goes to the University of Chicago, and the Medici (called the Med by students) is within walking distance from the campus. It's a drive from downtown though. Still, good food, better apple pie. But, there are better restaurants downtown, in my opinion. The Oriental History Museum is cool. And yes, both are very close to the Museum of Science and Industry.

 

[johnsemlak]

My girlfriend goes to the University of Chicago, and the Medici (called the Med by students) is within walking distance from the campus. It's a drive from downtown though. Still, good food, better apple pie. But, there are better restaurants downtown, in my opinion. The Oriental History Museum is cool. And yes, both are very close to the Museum of Science and Industry.

Of course I would agree that the Medici is only a place to eat if you happen to be in the area. It's a good place though.

Do you know how the used bookshops are nowadays? I remember the place being heaven for used book lovers, but I have this fear that that business is on the decline. I remember there was this one bookshop that was 100 years old, and it closed.

My favorite memory is when one of the clerks in that shop pulled out some Old High German texts he had studied. (I couldn't read them but the calligraphy was cool.) He said, 'they're not for sale, but I show them to people sometimes.'

 

[johnsemlak]

Isn't there a museum dovoted to radio and tv history somewhere? I remember it described as 'couch pototo heaven.' It was a place where you could go through archives of famous broadcasts.

I've wanted to visit it and go through some classic radio broadcasts; famous sports and history memories.

 

[BOZ]

yes there is, it's right by Michigan avenue, i think by Washington...?

 

[pensiv]

Isn't there a museum dovoted to radio and tv history somewhere? I remember it described as 'couch pototo heaven.' It was a place where you could go through archives of famous broadcasts.

I've wanted to visit it and go through some classic radio broadcasts; famous sports and history memories.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications (http://www.museum.tv/) is located within the Chicago Cultural Center (http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Tourism/CulturalCenter/) at 78 E Washington St

 

[BOZ]

that's the one i was thinking about.

 

[Chun-tzu]

Could well be. GC also has locations in Wheaton, Bloomingdale, Naperville, Geneva, St. Charles, and three or so others I can't recall. Stumbled on the one in Bloomingdale when we first moved back to Chicago. Unfriendly staff, decent selection.

There's a relatively new Graham Crackers Comics in Lincoln Park, that I prefer to both the downtown GC and Chicago's Comics. Selection is good (although Chicago Comics probably has more action figures and the like in-stock, but not by much), it's less cramped than the downtown location, and the staff is pretty friendly.

 

[Buttercup]

Looks like you've got a lot of good advice. If you could give us some more info on what sort of things you like to do, perhaps some more specific advice could be given?

Well, we've been to Chicago perhaps half a dozen times before, usually to visit the Art Institute. We've also been to the Museum of Science & Industry and the Natural History Museum. We both like history and art, good food & wine, and digging around in used book stores. I like shopping, my husband doesn't so much, but he humors me. (Sak's 5th Ave!!!! Yipee!) If there are some obsucre museums, like the broadcasting one mentioned earlier, that's the sort of thing we'd like, I think. We're not interested in nightlife, particularly.

Tentative plans so far, some of them based on advice here are:
The Art Institute
Watertower Place (shopping & Foodlife)
Bookstores in Hyde Park
Fogo de Chao
Planetarium
Erawan Royal Thai restaurant (Zagat's says it's excellent)
???

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

i thought comic relief went out of business! you mean there's another comic store in the same spot? but if it's not as good as CR was, then i might not bother with it.

Just as an aside, in my Saturday game I play with Gene (the manager of that Comic Relief location) and Terry (one of the main employees - the dreadlocked one).