The heart of the city. Better and less crowded than the Bean…read more This fecal fountain is a fun little photo op when you're in the city, and it's right down the street from Kasama, making them an unlikely but excellent pair.

Exactly what you'd expect: a statue that looks like poop. There was also a super friendly outdoor…read moreorange cat nearby named Mister that made my entire day. He was so cute and so worth the visit to the Shit Fountain. It's also near Kasama, so you can definitely make a trip out of this or take a quick detour if you're in the area.

I absolutely LOVE Old Town!…read more Why? Here are just a few out of MANY reasons... Numerous and diverse restaurants Close to Lincoln Park and the Zoo Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Lincoln Park at Green City You can hear the Church Bells toll during the day on the hour Bike Path along Lake Michigan is close by The Chicago History Museum Annual Festivals...Greek, Hot Dog, Wells Street, etc. A few blocks from North Avenue Beach Fantastic Public Transportation Options via 22/36/73/ and other CTA Buses Close to the Brown Line and Red Line Trains Jewel Osco, Plum Market, Potash, and Aldi Supermarkets within a mile or less walking Unique family owned shops, restaurants, and establishments .... Also amazing sunsets from the West Side toward Chicago O'Hare Airport on a nightly basis!

It's the kind of place where you can catch incredible up-and-coming bands one night and seasoned…read moreindie legends the next. The sound quality is excellent for such an intimate space, and the atmosphere is pure rock-and-roll -- raw, unpolished, and full of energy. Drinks are affordable, the lighting sets the perfect underground vibe, and the crowd is always lively and diverse. It's a place that celebrates real music and creativity without the pretension, making every show feel like a genuine Chicago experience.

October-April. It is…read morethe second Saturday of the month. noon to 4:00 PM free to the public 21+ and parents with kids (same goes for sellers) Parking: Street Transit: #49 Western bus - http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/busroute.aspx?RouteId=198 Transit Chicago - http://www.transitchicago.com Handmade Market is a unique event to connect the makers of beautiful things to people who appreciate the unique and handmade. Featuring more than 30 amazing sellers at the market, selling jewelry, purses, knitted items, clothing, paper crafts, and more! The Empty Bottle starts serving at noon, so feel free to shop with mimosas in hand. (We do encourage relaxed shopping.) You can also grab brunch at the tasty Bite Café next door. Markets include funky jewelry, glass pendants, knitted items, handbags, clothing, paper crafts and more. Did you know that in the city there are many makers who create jewelry, clothing, scarves, handbags, journals, greeting cards, and more? Do you want your money to go directly to the people that make the things you buy? Here you can establish a personal connection, and our makers are even encouraged to demonstrate or make their products during the event. Sustainable crafterness this is a regular monthly event. We strive to create a crafter's market, with affordable handmade, mostly local items. There are a ton of crafters in the city, and we try to make this accessible to up and coming designers, jewelry makers, and others. Come out and help support your monthly crafter's market.

Logan Square is a continuously gentrifying area of Chicago. It's one of the "hip" neighborhoods in…read moretown. Lots of restaurants, some concert venues and the like. It's got several notable parks, such as Palmer Square Park, Unity Park, and Kosciuszko Park. What makes Logan Square special is that it's part of the boulevard system, and it has these beautiful wide boulevards which have large, park-like medians. I've seen people having gatherings, picnics, barbecues and the like here in the medians along Kedzie. I don't actually spend much time in Logan Square or its environs, but probably should. There's Emporium or Fireside Bowl if you're looking for fun (and I think Pink Squirrel is in the area, if you want to try duckpin bowling); more than one brewery, I think, though Revolution Brewing is the big one I think. Lots of great public art, from the Greetings from Chicago and Robin Williams murals to the most amazing mosaic commemorating L. Frank Baum and the land of Oz that you've ever seen (Oz Park can suck it). Worth a stroll, and get some Puerto Rican food.

Logan Square is an area on the northwest side of Chicago that is dear to my heart. Southeast of…read moreLogan Square is the gateway to downtown Chicago. Northwest of Logan Square is the gateway to the most Polish neighborhood in the United States - almost like a little Warsaw. East of Logan Square leads you into the old German part of Chicago, which once covered over a dozen square miles, had 6 German newspapers, and over 100 German stores, restaurants, bars, bakeries, dancehalls, & cultural centers. And west of Logan Square opens onto a seemingly endless stretch of ethnic neighborhoods and faceless buildings that were flung up in grids during the first half of the 20th century. Once, Logan Square was an affluent neighborhood, a rich area of the city one might say, like a late 19th century suburb on the outskirts of Chicago's center. Even today, one can find the occasional stretch of old stone mansions with carriage houses left standing, tucked in between the many 1930's three story brick apartment buildings where other even older mansions once stood, some stretching back to the Gilded Age. Logan Square offers a bittersweet memory of the glory days of Old Chicago, when Speakeasys dotted the city, Sicilian Gangsters drove the streets, and European Immigrants from Sweden, Saxony, and other cities far and wide were pouring into town daily, enriching our lives with their many cultures and their absolutely delicious cuisines. Now Logan Square is just another place among the many spots in Chicago where it's specific history has been lost. Logan Square has become a Subway Station and a Bus Depot. Today Logan Square is just a big Pillar in the middle of the street.

I asked him to print a poster on glossy paper, and the quality turned out excellent. The price was…read morethe lowest I could find in Chicago, which was a great bonus. He even replied to my email over the weekend, which I really appreciated. Highly recommended!

Highly recommended. The business made me static-cling vinyl race car number decals. They came out…read moreperfect, within the tight deadline I needed, at a very reasonable price, and pickup time was super flexible.

If you're visiting Chicago and don't know where to start re: exploring, the magnificent mile is…read morewhat you're looking for. It's a long street that runs straight through the heart of downtown Chicago and is near to most of the cool visitor spots and shopping areas. The starbucks roastery is here, and the navy pier and park with the cloud gate statue are very nearby. The free Chicago zoo is on the north end of the mile as well; you could walk if you're in really good shape/like a long walk from the south part of downtown by the river, or you can take the bus etc. The river walk intersection with the MM is very busy, there are restaurants, bars, and lots of foot traffic in this area. Overall it's really nice! Overall, if you're new to Chicago, you definitely have to come to the MM at least once, even if just to go to a couple specific spots.

The Magnificent Mile is one of those icons of Chicago. It's the stretch between the Chicago River…read moreon the south end and Oak Street on the northern end, and is the dividing line between River North (west of Michigan) and Streeterville (east). The southern end, at Michigan and the Chicago River, is the earliest epicenter of Chicago; home to Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, the founder of Chicago, as well as Fort Dearborn. Along the mag mile you'll find upscale restaurants, luxury shopping, fancy hotels, and more. There are multiple malls along the strip; The Shoppes at Northbridge are on the south end, and both the 900 Shops and Water Tower Place flank the north end Michigan Avenue. Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, as well as Burberry's flagship store in the United States and the largest Ralph Lauren in the world. There's also a cafe in that store called Ralph's, and I don't know if it's all for the 'gram or they put something in their coffee but it often has a line out the door. Starbucks Roastery, the largest of their stores worldwide, is on the corner of Erie and Michigan. If you are interested in an afternoon tea, you'll want to see if the Drake is hosting. This hotel has the distinction of hosting many heads of state and other dignitaries, including Princess Diana when she visited in 1996. Some of the cultural landmarks of the city are found here as well. Tribute Tower and Wrigley Building are right at the southernmost end of the Mile. 875 Michigan Avenue, more commonly known as the Hancock Building before that company relinquished the naming rights, boasts one of the city's observation decks (I think it's the better of the two). The Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station, two of the most prominent and among the few buildings that survived the Chicago Fire, are at Pearson and Michigan on opposite sides of the street and the pumping station is a cool place to check out. You can even visit one of the city's ensemble theaters here, as Lookingglass Theatre is located in the lower levels of the pumping station. You might be surprised to find that there's even a playground right off this famous stretch of road; Seneca Playground is steps from Michigan Avenue if you have kids that need to burn off some energy. There's plenty to do that doesn't include spending money, too. You can catch water taxis near the Wrigley Building to visit other areas along the river (well, I guess that does cost a bit of cash). And there are sometimes events along the street, such as the Lights Parade that happens each Thanksgiving weekend or the art installations that are often found in the green planters along the street. If you're visiting, it's certainly worth a visit as you check out Millennium Park or take an architectural boat tour.

A Must-Visit for Fans of "You Are Beautiful"!…read more If you love spotting You Are Beautiful installations around Chicagoland, you have to check out their storefront/gallery! I stopped in today with limited time and was blown away by how many awesome things they have for sale--way more than I expected. From inspiring artwork to unique gifts, everything in the space radiates positivity. The staff working today were incredible--so friendly and welcoming. I only had time to grab a keychain (and a whole lot of excitement), but I'll definitely be back for more. Highly recommend visiting to learn more about the movement and bring a little extra beauty into your day!

What an AWESOME, unique, and inspiring store that brings to surface the artwork of The owner,…read moreMatthew's, works! The staff was beyond polite, and my time and art I purchased were unforgettable! If you Consider supporting a local artist, do it here!

Wonderful tour with Rick and his gardener. We had plenty of time to explore and ask questions and…read morethe margaritas were delicious. Highly recommended.

Here is my formal 5-step introduction of Rick Bayless: 1…read more Rick Bayless is a genius. 2. He has six restaurants, mostly in Illinois. Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and XOCO are three of them. 3. His show, on PBS, "Mexico: One Plate at a Time" is very earnest and detailed. He travels often to his favorite spots in Mexico and then comes back to his house (WHICH I WAS JUST AT, YOU GUYS... see below) to cook a variation or a copy of the dish he ate or loves from that area of Mexico. 4. He makes my favorite salsa of all time: Frontera Salsa Hot Roasted Habanero. 5. His brother is Skip Bayless from ESPN's "First Take". Two very successful brothers in one family. Nice job, Mom and Dad Bayless! Now, my husband watches "First Take" EVERY MORNING, which I call "Sports Shouting" because of 30 Rock. (Tina Fey is a GENIUS.) In summary, we are big fans of the whole Bayless clan. ANYWAY, I heard that you could take a tour of the garden that supplies some food and herbs for his restaurants. Doing a very quick google search, I found that YES you can tour the garden for $20, but that it is THE garden behind his house where he also films the "Mexico: One Plate at a Time" show. Done and done. I signed up immediately. Although, usually, you have to wait to do the tour. A LONG TIME. Some people who signed up last year just recently got into the garden tour. I signed up months ago and just squeaked into the last Wednesday tour of the season that happened last night. Coincidentally, my husband happened to make reservations at Topolobampo for this Friday. How serendipitous is that?!? Bill Shores and his wife, Lori, run the tour. Bill has been Bayless' gardener for five years. They opened the garden gate about 10 minutes early and gave us Italian Soda while they encouraged us to walk around. Everyone seemed as excited as I was to be there. Gently touching leaves, awkwardly holding our tiny glasses of Italian Soda... you know, the things one is known to do in a garden. The garden is beautiful, but it is also USED. It is a festive, eye-catching garden that Bill describes as "a show garden that is also productive". There are traditional and raised beds with other small and large containers around. Some of the growth is 15 years old, like the concord grapes on the arbor. Ok, I have never typed anything like "concord grapes on the arbor" before. I had a stuffy English accent in my head when I typed it. Although, this arbor isn't stuffy at all. It's just sometimes word combinations have their own personalities and head-accents are quick to follow. Obviously, there is an extensive outdoor kitchen. It has charcoal, gas and wood (grape wood is typically used) fuel capabilities. There is also a pig pit. Sometimes (I've been told), Bayless will just take a huge paella pan, pull some bricks together and cook right on the patio. Awesome. Although it was hot outside, there was a nice breeze in the garden. That could be because of the delightful energy of the Bayless Family OR it could be because of the giant concrete wall on the north side that keeps it cooler in the garden than outside on the sidewalk. I am inclined to believe it is the Bayless Family. There was a koi fish pond and multiple seating areas for entertaining. The deck is built around some boulders because OF COURSE it is. Native prairie grasses, Chinese dogwoods, and papyrus soaked in water are around the porch near marigold that is used for the Day of the Dead celebrations. They also have edible flowers! Prepare for an education... ALL of the following are edible flowers: Garlic, Chive, Sage, Basil, Marigold, Cilantro, Lavender. Did you know that you could eat all of those flowers? I realize some of them are traditional spices, but you can eat more than just the leaves. Interesting. Don't say I never taught you anything. A heated green house is where many of the plants are moved during the winter and there is extensive composting (1 1/2 TONS a year!). In addition to running this garden, the major composting effort and the greenhouse, there is a container roof top garden at the XOCO restaurant that grows tomatoes, herbs and chili peppers. The garden is 1000 sq. ft. and can produce as much as 650 pounds of salad greens a year with their April to November harvest. There is also an active beehive. By "active", I mean that I was standing right next to it and that box was humming. It can produce 60 pounds of honey a year. There are also chickens that produce... you guessed it: eggs. Overall, the garden produces about $20,000 worth of food for Bayless' restaurants a year. Is this tour worth the $20? Absolutely, if you want to go visit heaven for a while. The one down side: I got REALLY hungry. I think seeing the outdoor kitchen made a sense-memory-thing happen for me where all I wanted were chips and salsa. Oh, well.

The zoo lights are beautiful some of them are synchronized to music. This is a very nice experience…read morethat I think every Chicago visitor should see. There is plenty of places to pick up a drink or two and some light food. While you are there you can also stop by the lion house or the reptile house and visit with some animal and warm up if it's a very cold day.

I had an amazing time at Zoolights at the Lincoln Park Zoo! This is a fun Chicagoland holiday…read moretradition and there is so much to experience ! From the ferris wheel to the sparkling holiday light tunnel, there is something for everyone! Perfect holiday outing!!

Like John said, seven deaths ain't shit these days. That makes this dingy landmark a hard sell…read more Example: When I moved here 10 years ago I went on a mob-themed tour of Chicago with a friend who swore up and down that it had "Four Stars" from all the reliable city guides (the idiot). This purported tour was run by a pair of Second City has-beens who spoke in hammy Blues Brother accents yet inexplicably wore white styrofoam hats and off-the-rack Navy sport coats. No kidding. White styrofoam hats - the kind that people wore at summer fairs in the towns that Norman Rockwell used to paint. When the half-assed tour guides took us to the site of the massacre, one of them put a Hank Williams CD in the bus stereo, played "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," then asked everyone for a moment of silence. Some old lady raised her hand, like we were in grade school: "Why are you playing country music?" she asked. The guide gave her a menacing glare until she slowly lowered her hand back to her lap and looked nervously out the window. At the next light I got off the bus and took a cab home.

A massacre is never a good time. People getting killed over something that it totally irrelevant…read moretoday is just sad, but it's a great piece of Chicago's history. I would love to see someone build an old fashioned speakeasy on the site. The empty lot just looks kinda lonely amongst all the cool buildings.