"My Kind of Town" a Chicago Travel Page by antistar

And each time I leave
Chicago is tuggin' my sleeve.
Chicago is the Wrigley Building,
Chicago is the Union Stockyards,
Chicago is one town that won't let you down;
It's my kind of town.

Ah the Wrigley Building. That's going to be one special memory from my trip to Chicago. Not only did I get to spend my week working on its 20th floor, looking from my studio chair out over Lake Michigan, but I also had the special privilege of going all the way to the top floor, into the offices of the plush Patent Lawyers who occupied it, and then up into the clock tower itself. An amazing and uncommon experience.

Amazing as that experience was, the Wrigley Building is just one of an incredible array of buildings that allows Chicago to boast of having the best modern architecture in the world. While cities like New York may argue, it's hard not to be impressed, if not completely bowled over, by the architecture on show. There's everything from the enormity of Sears Tower, to the tiny turn of the century buildings on Ontario. Then there's the castellated ostentation of the Water Tower juxtaposed against the monolothic black modernity of John Hancock Center.

The Water Tower is central to the essence of Chicago, a city that could just as well be known as Phoenix. When wandering along the world famous Magnificent Mile, with your head in the clouds, agape in amazement at the mass of concrete and glass, allow yourself to remember that the Water Tower was the only building left standing after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The city pulled itself up by its boot straps to become a modern megalopolis. The population of the city ballooned from a mere 100 in 1830, to contain a metropolitan area with an eye-popping population figure of nearly 10 million.

And you can bet with all those people, there's a whole host of culture, exhibits and entertainment to support them. There's world class art at the Art Institute and the Museum of Contemporary Art. There's a great performing arts community based around such respected institutes as the Steppenwolf Theater and the Second City comedy club. And as for sport, man, even if you don't care for American sports, you can't fail to have heard of teams like the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Bulls, and Chicago Cubs. Stadiums like Soldier Field and Wrigley Field are so famous, and steeped in so much history, they are worth a visit even if you don't catch a game.

Then there's food galore, and it's great, especially if your a big fan of meat. I rarely eat meat, but Chicago turned me into a ravenous carnivore almost overnight. After foolishly avoiding the steak at the Drake, I soon filled my belly with what must have been a pound of burger meat in a single day, by eating at every good burger joint I could sink my teeth into, including a cheezborger from the bizarre Billy Goat Tavern. That's to be expected, being as Chicago is such a famously meaty town, but don't forget other specials, like the Deep Dish Pizza.

But above the food, the culture, the entertainment, and the amazing architecture, what struck me most about the city of Chicago was how friendly its people were. It was a genuine warmness, not the "have a nice day" insincerity some of my American friends complain about. There was a relaxed, conversational, friendly attitude from almost everyone I met in the city. It was something that made me feel that I could take Chicago home with me and it would settle in just fine with all the other cities in Europe, just because it is so damn friendly... and you know, cultured, fun, cosmopolitan and just plain stunning to look at. Just about everything I could like about a place...

My kind of town, Chicago is.

My kind of people too... people who... smile at you.

Things I Loved

The architecture, the food, the people, the theaters, the variety of fun things to do, the shopping, Hancock Center, the Magnificent Mile, Millenium Park, Lake Michigan, oops didn't mention the lake...

Surprises

An incredibly friendly and relaxed city for its size.

Disappointments

The weather: One minute it is sunny and warm, next icy cold, the next foggy and damp, the next rainy and windy. Take a brolly!