cova

Hi all,

I am going on a business trip to Chicago next Thursday. The trip has been postponed so many times that I haven´t really had the time to think of anything to do during my free time. I am a fairly savvy traveller and love to prepare, investigate and organize my trips. Here in Europe I usually only have to check the weather forecast, find out the best transport methods (I prefer to use public transportation and my Oyster Card lives inside my wallet) and grab my maps and guidebooks just in case.

So ... strangely enough, I am feeling that the States for me is "Terra Incognita". I have many friends here in Spain that keep going and going to New York, in my case it´s more London the place I keep going around twice or three times a year. I know that I will be OK, but nevertheless it is kind of "OMG, am I going to be able to move around and be free to do whatever I want?". It is a silly feeling, but nevertheless ...

Work days should be OK, because my colleagues will be picking me up at the hotel and dropping me back, but I will have this weekend free for myself.

Our office is located in Arlington Heights, and the hotel will be in that area.

I don´t want to rent a car, and I would prefer to use public transport. Do you know if it will be very complicated to do it, if I want to go downtown? I have seen that there is a train line, but I wonder if the main station in Chicago will be far away from the most important tourist sights.

Is it difficult, just in case, to hail a cab in case I need to get back to the train station?

The places I am more interested in are the Art Institute, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Oak Park. Is it easy to get there? My coworkers say that they also like the view from the Hancock Building and the Planetarium. Would you agree?

I must go shopping, because my friends have asked me to bring back a few small things. As most of them are books, some kids clothing and make-up ( Nars and Kiehls ), I suspect the best place would be a big shopping mall or a store? Where would you go? I would love to treat myself to a nice handbag, and I think I´ll have to check the Nine West shoes in case they are cheaper than in Spain. Another thing that one of the girls has asked for is to bring back something from Spanx ... my suitcase is going to look most peculiar ...

I have read about the InstaGreeters, and it sounds as something I would really enjoy (after all, I usually end up doing something similar when friends come visiting me in Madrid). Do I have to sign up in advance, or can I simply drop there and join a tour?

And now food, let´s leave the most important part for the end. When I´m in places like London, I usually like to have lunch at one of the museums because food is good, I don´t have to wait a lot and I can continue my visits. I am more of a vegetables and fish person, and I don´t really love burgers or hot dogs or pizza (although I eat them). As I don´t think that I will be have time to stay late and have a formal dinner with reservations and the whole thing, I was wondering if eating at the museums would also be a good idea. I wouldn´t mind a nice champagne bar with some appetizers or small dishes.

I am feeling quite out of my depth with this trip, and I really don´t get it. This summer we are going for a week to Tuscany, and I already have planned in my head the best way to drive out of Fiumicino, and the list of churches and wineries and places to visit ... including a day trip to the Isola dell´Giglio to check the Costa Concordia

Thanks a lot to everybody, Cova

Queenie

Welcome to Chicago Cova!
To get from Arlington Heights inot the city you have 2 options:
Metra train. www.metrarail.com Your train line would be Union Pacific Northwest from Arlington Heights station to the Oligivie Transportation Center. Ask at the hotel how to get to the Arlington Heights station - it is not far. One you get to the city, it is easy to get a cab or really you can just walk to the Art Institute from there.

You can also take the blue line from OHare to the city. www.transitchicago.com. The blue line will also take you to Oak Park where the Frank Lloy Wright neighborhhod and home are. You can walk from the station to his home, but it is over a mile. Not sure how you feel about walking.

Fraon the Art Institute you can take the 151 bus to the Museum of Contemporary Art (or you can walk - its about 1 mile). The Museum of Contemporary are is 1 block from the Hancock Building so you can easily stop in there and take the elevator ride to the 95th floor and see the view.

For shopping from Arlington Heights ask at the hotel how to get to Woodfield Mall. That is the closest and biggest mall. Note there is no book store in the mall (however there is a Kehils store, Nine West and Nordstroms for Spanx and handbags). Bookstores seem to be a thing of the past these days.

Remember there is a 9.25% tax on your purchases - its one of the highest in the nation. Even so clothing should be much cheaper than in Europe. There is also a tax on food.

Not sure if you like sushi or Japanese cuisine, but there is ahuge Japanese population in the Arlington Heights area with some great Japanese restaurants. You may want to check that out.

Also it has been very warm here, so plan to be very hot outside (34C or so) and very cold inside (lots of air conditioning).

cova

Queenie, thanks a lot !

I was told about the heat, and here at the office we also suffer with the extremely cold AC, so I´ll be ready.

I do walk, lots and lots, so it is not a big problem as long as it is safe. I have walked from Les Halles to the Arch de Triomphe or from Hyde Park to Little Venice, so I am not really afraid of all that.

Good to know about the taxes. It´s a pity about the bookstores, though. There is nothing I love more than a good bookstore. My favourite here in Madrid is not huge, but they have a good selection and you can sit at one of their tables with a glass of wine and check their travel guides and organize your trips. I always end up buying the most ignote poetry book or the last bestseller.

I like japanese, so it sounds like a good idea.

Thanks again, Cova

sf7307

When you are in downtown Chicago, shopping on North Michigan Avenue (called the "Magnificent Mile") is one of the "things to do". There is a large Nine West store at 701 North Michigan Avenue, a Kiehl's store at 520 North Michigan Avenue, and several department stores and boutiques that carry Spanx) nearby (including an urban mall, Water Tower Place). There are all the chain stores, the usual department stores, and "around the corner" (on Oak Street), the finer stores. I'd do your shopping in the city rather than at the local mall.

Be sure to visit Millenium Park (behind the Art Institute to see the "Bean" and the Frank Gehry designed outdoor music pavilion. You can take a walk along the lake from there.

Queenie

Cova,
I have been thinking about this as I know what its like to have a laundry list of shopping from others.

Just a suggestion, but what we do for folks from my husbands company who come from europe is mail order what they want beforehand, and then when they arrive they simply pay for it.

This only works if you have an office colleague willing to use their US credit card - so if you feel awkward asking for this favor forget this post.

You can order the Spanx and Nine West items from www.zappos.com. It comes in 2 days (it would come to your US colleagues home), and there is no tax or shipping cost.

For the books, I would use Amazon.com (there would be the 9.25% tax on this). You can probably also get some of those cosmetics on amazon too.

The thought of spending your precious time shopping for others, and then having to lug all this heavy bulky stuff around in hot weather on public transport is not pleasant.

cova

Queenie, actually... i am right now using my new samsung tab that i ordered in amazon and asked to be sent to our office. I have been able to use my spanish credit card, no problem at all, and one of the engineeers brought it back. It is quite normal for us to do so.
I am seriously thinking of stopping the wish list, because it is growing with the most outrageous requests.
And yes, sf, i usually prefer to buy in town instead of in big malls. Thanks a lot for the Gehry rec, sounds good.
Bye, Cova

shutterbug85

Hi Cova.... some more recommendations from a Chicagoan:

Renting a car - Not necessary. Public transportation is very easy to use and goes almost everywhere. It might take a while, but it's usually the same amount of time as sitting in traffic in a car. Plus parking in the city is extremely expensive ($25+ per day).

Cabs - You can get a taxi almost anywhere. If you go somewhere off the beaten path you may need to call one. As long as you know where you are, they'll find you.

InstaGreeters - I haven't used them but my friends have and loved it. Walk-ins only. They have a Greeter program you can sign up for in advance (still free). http://chicagogreeter.com/instagreeter/

Museum Food - Not recommended. It's usually fast food type or food court. It'll be worth the time to eat somewhere else. Tons of sushi restaurants and also many seafood places.

Sights:
Hancock - Great view, especially at sunset. Don't do the observatory (pricey entrance fee), go to the Signature Lounge. Go early on the weekends because you might have to wait for a table. Drinks are on the expensive side, but you're paying for the view.

Museum Campus - Your friend liked the view from the Planetarium. It is the best view of the skyline. Gorgeous day and night. Just walk along Museum Campus (starting at the Lake Front Path) toward the planetarium (out at the end).

Art Institute - Really great museum. In Millennium Park, so in the Loop and easy to get to.

Museum of Contemporary Art - Pretty cool (and kooky) museum. In the Near North area, so easy to get to.

Navy Pier - I'd skip it. Not very exciting and packed with families over the weekend. They do fireworks every Wednesday (9:15PM) and Saturday (10:15PM) evening. You can watch them from anywhere along the lake front south of the Pier.

Willis (AKA Sears) Tower - Pretty cool, has the Ledges where you stand on glass high above the road. If you go, go first thing in the morning when it opens to avoid the crowds.

Enjoy your trip!

MikeT

Arlington Heights is quite a distance from the Chicago you want to visit. Have you considered switching hotels and getting a hotel in the city over the weekend. It would be a lot more fun and more convenient than going back and forth from Arlington Heights.

andrews98682

I agree with MikeT. I would also spend the weekend in the city if possible.

cova

Mike, Andrew, thanks for the recommendation. It´s not really in the plans, because I might have to work over the weekend and forget about visiting any place.

As long as the distance is around an hour or so, and with decent transport options, I should be OK. I am not planning on staying late, and I will try not to overdo it.

Thanks again, Cova

cova

First of all, I want to give a big thank-you to all the people who sent suggestions.

I did manage a few things, no matter the short time left and the long hours working. Of course, I had to prioritize, so there were things dropped from my list, but it gave me an idea of Chicago and I decided that I quite liked it.

We had to work on Saturday morning, so in the afternoon, after a hot dog at Superdawg, I went into town with one of my coworkers. We went first to the Hancock Tower (I wasn´t sure if my semipatological heights problems would let me enjoy the Willis), and I didn´t get frozen, but only almost There was a lady who couldn´t move from near the lifts, so that was OK. Great views, and I was explained things around the city that came helpful. Afterwards I did a quick shopping for the babies in the family, and we walked to Navy Pier. Kitsch, but there are times where you need a bit of kitsch, and I did enjoy the walk despite the heat.

On Sunday I joined my spanish coworkers and we checked out Woodfield Mall for a bit trying to find part of the shopping list. I don´t really enjoy shopping for others unless they are really close to me, specially when they want things that you can get easily in Spain, just for the sake of saying they were bought in the States. At least I wasn´t "forced" to go to an Abercrombie & Fitch store or to bring back 3 pairs of Levi´s ...

We opted for not having lunch, and managed to get to the Art Institute for the Lichtenstein exhibition. I liked it, but I had enjoyed more the Hockney two weeks before at the Guggenheim. I felt it was dated. I am not a big art connoiseur, but I guess that everybody has its favourites. But it was good, being able to see it. And afterwards we walked, and walked and walked all over the place, from the Board of Trade up to the Hancock, walking along every interesting place around. One of the guys has been coming to Chicago for work during more than 10 years, so he knows many places and many stories, and it was great ... although I managed to surprise him by finding Pops for Champagne and stopping there to have a nice glass of bubbly. We ended having dinner at the Cheesecake Factory ( I wasn´t fancying it, but I was told that I should go there at least once), it was OK, and then grabbed a taxi, got again on our car, drive around, and got some nice pics of the skyline from the Observatory.

The week was just work and more work, having dinner out in places around Arlington Heights and Wheeling (The crab legs in Bob Chinn´s were funny), and I cannot really complain. People were nice, food was good and I controlled myself and ate lots of vegs and fish ... and I brought back the heatwave into Spain

And before I forgot, security queues coming in were a pain, but security when leaving was a breeze and far more polite than what it has been lately at the T2 and T1 in Barajas.

So thanks again.

Cova