Chicago, Chicago, A Wonderful Town

“By ‘eck it’s ‘ot in this suit,” said the man to his wife. “That sounds like a South Yorkshire accent,” I commented, as the express lift shot upwards with all its might, leaving our stomachs at the ground floor. “Aye, it is. Sheffield,” said the elderly chap, more surprised than offended by my observation.

“Well, I’m from Leeds,” I indicated, as if to create some kind of regional connection and put him at ease.

“Well, bugger me,” came the reply as he sharply exited the lift not wanting to miss the doors, adding quickly “enjoy yerself,” as they snapped shut with the efficiency of a great white, at level six.

Nothing unusual there, only on this occasion we were both staying at the Monaco Hotel on Wabash Avenue in Chicago, 3,800 miles from our home county! What were the chances of bumping into someone just down the road from Leeds? It took me all of 20 minutes to find out.

That was the time it took me to depart the hotel and cross the busy highway, Wacker, down to the River Chicago just across from the Monaco.

“We’re from York,” said the woman, adding, after a pause, “Strensall,” as if the upper middle-class area accorded her greater status. We were part of a long queue now lined up outside the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center and, by then, it was clear that I was struggling to find any Chicagoans!

“We’re staying at Trump International,” she confided in a semi-hushed voice, “but we daren’t tell my sister.” The retired lady, probably in her early 60’s, was travelling with her somewhat aloof and balding husband who had a non-executive directorship with a large organisation; I knew because he’d told me in the first 30 seconds of our meeting!

They were in Chicago for a couple of weeks as part of a 700 mile drive around Lake Michigan.

“She lives in Toronto and when we originally booked a stay at one of Trump’s hotels in Canada, she refused to visit us so we had to change properties to keep the peace. This time we opted for Chicago’s Trump International because it’s next to the river and right in the heart of Midtown near all the attractions and activities. We just haven’t told her!”

Four of us were queuing to board Chicago’s First Lady, one of several boats that traverse the principal river throughout the day, promoting one of the Windy City’s top tours: architecture river cruises.

At worst Chicago’s architecture is spectacular and, considering that it has been decades in the making, it stands as witness to the philanthropists, industrial giants and tech billionaires who have all played their part in shaping the look of a city that can fairly boast buildings that are both big and beautiful.

The 1924 Wrigley edifice at Michigan Avenue is a European-Renaissance-inspired structure clad in white terra cotta tiles. Its clock tower is modelled on the Giralda Bell Tower in Spain’s Seville Cathedral but, of even greater note, was that it was once home to the original inspiration for Juicy Fruit…..the famous gum that first encouraged the world to start chewing!

Like so many US cities Chicago is based on the ubiquitous ‘grid system’ and, once you have managed to navigate east and west – best measured by the location of Lake Michigan which sits to the east of the city – it slowly starts to reveal itself in and among the nooks and crannies of its numerous skyscrapers, which keep large chunks of downtown in semi-shadow, helping the city’s bustling population avoid the searing heat of sunny mornings and hot afternoons.

But, as well as providing daytime shade, those very same skyscrapers have become the talk of the town. The Willis Tower with its Skydeck on Jackson stands at 1353ft according to top floor signage as you exit the building’s super-fast elevators (some literature put it at 1,450ft, probably including the mast!) and was the world’s tallest building for 424 years.

“My ears popped when we went up in the elevator,” said a mother to her child as they entered the lift to descend, just as we were exiting to the top floor Skydeck, eager to give the little boy some unwanted information. “Mummy,” came the reply, “where does all the wee go from the toilets at the top?” It was a fair question but, in the absence of any structural engineers, silence remained the better part of discretion. Mom ignored the question!


We stepped out onto the glass platform at the top of the Skydeck, looked down, suffered vertigo, made many jokes about brown trouser experiences and, thereafter, returned to street level for a mid-morning coffee.

It didn’t take Tony long to find us!

The tall, amiable black guy was carrying a shoeshine box. “It’s ok,” he said, “I ain’t no bad guy. They’re all gone.” He laughed and pitched his trade to the two of us, only one of our number was wearing suede loafers and the other canvas trail shoes. Nevertheless he was determined to escort us to Cloud Gate, known locally as The Bean and, for his troubles secured a $5 tip whilst our non-leather shoes were spared boot polish and brush treatment.

British artist, Sir Amish Kapoor’s iconic metal sculpture shined brightly in the sun as dozens of people walked up to and beneath his stainless steel ‘bean’ structure, eager to capture distorted images like punters at a fairground hall of mirrors. Millennium Park is a beautiful area and, somehow, a gateway to a range of ‘must sees’ in the vicinity including the spectacular Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain…….


Playing its beautiful tune!

…..which you pass en-route to the Shedd Aquarium to the south – named after benefactor John G Shedd, one of Chicago's major philanthropists, who contributed extensively to city charities, universities and museums and, in the early 1920s, provided $3 million to build the spectacular aquarium which was the biggest in the world for most of the 20th century…….

………..or the Art Institute of Chicago which is in near touching distance. The Shedd has an array of aquatic animals from around the world with highlights including the Wild Reef shark habitat and the Caribbean Reef exhibit where divers hand-feed fish and sharks in a 90,000 gallon aquarium.

But, in a city with so much on offer and where attractions vie for tourist attentions with more determination than ladies of the night in sixth century Genoa, curators need to be smart, non-more so than at the Art Institute. There they have distilled an army of works down to just 12 of the world’s ‘must see’ paintings, for those in a hurry, including Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks…..

……and Grant Wood’s American Gothic.

In between aquarium fish and artistic culture, there is also culture of a different variety: food. Portillo’s on Ontario Street has been a Chicagoland tradition since 1963 and is home to one of the finest fast food experiences the Windy City has to offer, namely the hot dog. Chicago ‘dogs’ are unique and come with many toppings so, if you want the lot, just ask for your ‘dog’ to be ‘dragged through the garden’!


Nearby on Ohio Street is Uno’s Pizzeria, original home to the deep-pan pizza. A starter will fill you up whilst the pizza will probably finish you off! In true American style, each plate of food is guaranteed to feed a small army!

State Street’s Latinicity at Block 37 indoor mall, is a mega food hall and the Latin street food answer to Italian-focused Eataly. It includes eight different kitchens, a coffee cafe, bar, market and lounge.

Then there’s music…..and cab drivers!

“I used to work for the United Nations and I have lived in Pakistan…..and London….Chicago and Madrid.” Asif’s stories seemed to get bigger and bolder with every breath he took!

But our UBER driver was such a lovely man and kept us entertained for the entire journey, even if he did have a tendency towards the Walter Mitty. Within minutes of picking us up at the Monaco Hotel he had ferried two of us to Kingston Mines at Lincoln Park

…..probably Chicago’s most famous blues club boasting seven nights a week music across two stages that are rarely quiet. An Uber will cost you around $12 each way from Midtown.

But, if jazz is your thing then simply walk to Winter’s Jazz Club at 465 N. McClurg Ct. Either way you will finish the evening humming your way home!


“Chicago is a tough city,” a local had told us earlier, “mainly on the south side and there are a lot of killings each week.”

That’s maybe, goes the saying, but the Windy City has a lot to be proud of; wonderful architecture, a clean, dynamic river area, bars, boats and eclectic food outlets.

The south side may be tough in the same way that London has its challenging areas, so the moral is simple; don’t go there. Stick to the nice bits, do your homework and Chicago will prove herself a welcoming lady who is eager to share a kind heart and great American hospitality.

Fact Box
Chicago’s First Lady Cruises – www.architecturecruise.com
Hot Dogs with a difference: www.Portillos.com
For a taste of Latin cuisine: www.latinicity.com.
Fish of a different kind: www.sheddaquarium.org
Art Inst. Of Chicago:www.artic.edu
Blues at: www.kingstonmines.com
Jazz at: www.Wintersjazzclub.com

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For more information on the breadth of experiences found across the USA, please visit www.visittheusa.co.uk