Chicago, first week of December—shopping and food
 

Hi, folks! I’m treating myself to a Chicago trip for the holiday season. I’d really, really like a new , gorgeous cashmere or merino wool scarf. Does anyone have a favorite ladies’ boutique where I might find that? Budget $200-400.

also, I’d love some can’t miss food recs. It’s been several years and with Covid, obviously there’s been a lot of changes in food scenes everywhere. I don’t have a great food scene where I am currently, so I’m really looking forward to some fabulous dining. Anything from hole in the wall to fancy!

If relevant, staying in the River North area, and probably would prefer a shorter trek to dinner, in case the weather is nasty.

I used to live in Chicago and bought some beautiful cashmere sweaters at Nordstrom on Michigan Avenue on sales. Take a look!
A favorite of mine for many years is Le Colonial, French Colonial inspired Vietnamese dishes. Oak Street.
River North- in or near: Topolobambo, Bistromic( French bistro)
On Halsted, Cafe Ba-Ba/Reba( Spanish tapas)
The Fulton Market area has lots of great dining.Take a taxi or Uber.
Wells Street between North Ave and Division St has lots of good casual dining choices too.

My favorite restaurant in Chicago is Volare at Grand & St Clair. I don't think that it would be considered "food scene" food but it is delicious Italian. I am planning a trip for Christmas. Girl and a Goat is just south of the river. I have not eaten there but have hear good reviews from friends.

Our whole family loves to dine at Volare; it’s just north of the river in Streeterville.

Have a wonderful time in my hometown! We will be up visiting in the same time frame so we might accidentally rub elbows!
For your cashmere, take a peek at Bloomingdales, Neiman's, Saks, and Nordstrom.

For dining, the Fulton Market area is a great suggestion. We love Stephanie Izard's (first female winner of Top Chef) Girl and the Goat or Cabra.
Also, Rosemary, Aba and Monteverde are in the area.
In your area are Beatrix and Bavette's.
Topolobamba is an excellent suggestion, it was the James Beard award winner for best restaurant in 2017, it is authentic Mexican food.It's little sister, Frontera Grill is right next door and also good, and a little more wallet friendly.

For cocktails with a view, The John Hancock Signature lounge, Cindy's or London House.

For experiences,
Macy's on State Street, (sorry to me it is still Marshall Fields.) It has the Walnut room for lunch, with its huge Christmas tree, and the nearby Tiffany ceiling.
Christkidlmarket in Daly Plaza, Sugar Plum flower show at the Lincoln Park Conservatory,(free but need reservations,) Zoolights($5 and need reservations. If you did do Zoolights, go to the J. Parker on top of the Lincoln Hotel for a casual dinner and killer views, or our favorite restaurant in the area, Gemini.

I think it is great to get a CTA daily pass for $5 if you are going to venture out at all, or if the weather isn't great, or if you get weary by the end of the day and want to hoop the bus and sit down and enjoy the views. I only ride the bus these days, I don't recommend the subway. The buses now have the credit card tap feature which is very easy for just a single ride.

Happy Trvlr, we also loved Baba Reba and it was one of our go to restaurants for years, we recently took friends from out of town there and it was embarrassingly bad. I don't know if it was an off night, but since it is not inexpensive, I don't know if we would go again.

Sorry to hear about Baba Reeba. We loved Stephanie Izzard’s take on Chinese, Duck Duck Goat also in Fulton Market.

Oh, thanks for the recs!! Please keep them coming. Italian is one of those things I’m great at cooking, but I’m so tempted by Volare.

Ate at sushi-San tonight—may be a little loud for most folks here—90s hip hop and their decor is…possibly too hipster even for me. But! Killer food and cocktails. I’m sure I’ll top it, but it’s not feeling like anything could!

le colonial and Fulton mkt hopefully a for sure. Tempted to go to Bavette’s, but I’m not sure if it could live up to my memories. 😭 I still dream about that dinner, and I think it’s been more than a decade!

Mini trip report—

Volare’s—hilariously, I’ve been there before! Pretty sure it was before my Goodman show the first time. Still mainstay Italian, still good. (I’m a darn good cook but I don’t have the patience for their special that evening.)

little goat diner—delicious. Walk through sugargoat on your way out!

Bavette’s—thankfully, just as good as I remembered. Nearly bailed because 1045 is so late. But I’m glad I went, still the best steak in Chicago.

little goat impressed me so much that I went to duck duck goat for dim sum. All of it was good, but definitely go for the soup dumplings and steam buns and shishito peppers.

highlight this trip was Glessner House. Perhaps the best house museum I’ve been too—I think I would’ve loved to be friends with both Mrs Glessner and her daughter.

the “new” Sue exhibit is fantastic. (I don’t know how new it really is—I think Sue herself was off exhibit when I visited. So it’s been a while. But so amazing!

le colonial—I have a reservation, but if I continue to feel rough, I won’t make it😭 probably going to book a nice hotel and hang out in the lobby for the evening.

Did you end up at Le Colonial? It is usually our first choice.

If you are up to fabulous dining, I cant't help but recommend Monteverde. It's an upscale Italian restaurant
Check out the Trivoli Tavern as well. Delicious old fashioned, Gilded Age decor...you'll love the place

I was so disappointed to miss my reservation, Happytravlr, but I was sicker than a dog, and even if I had been able to enjoy it, I was worried about exposing the staff. It was not a fun trip home, though I’m feeling so very pleased that I at least wasn’t caught in the southwest kerfluffle.

trivoli sounds glorious, will definitely have to check it out next time! Thanks!