{"id":38946,"date":"2022-07-29T11:31:17","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T15:31:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/?page_id=38946"},"modified":"2022-07-29T11:31:17","modified_gmt":"2022-07-29T15:31:17","slug":"show-us-your-town-chicago","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/explore\/show-us-your-town-chicago\/","title":{"rendered":"Show Us Your Town – Chicago"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” background_image=”38966″ padding_top=”300″ padding_bottom=”175″ css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” background_color=”#ffc70a” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Show Us Your Town – Chicago<\/h1>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]The Windy City, the City of Big Shoulders, the Second City\u2014no matter what you call it, the 1,900 alumni in Chicago love to show us their town.<\/em><\/p>\n

As the air turns crisp in the early days of fall, Chicago\u2019s Lake Michigan beaches close for the season\u2014but even if she\u2019s not going for a swim, Brittany Hopkins \u201914 frequently visits the strip of sand between one of the world\u2019s largest lakes and the rearing skyscrapers of American\u2019s third\u2011largest city. On some days the lake stretches out in a placid sheet, the water a Caribbean turquoise; on others it roils in tattered, gun-metal gray waves.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Chicago, people are very in tune and engaged with the lake,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s just such a beautiful view.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chicago\u2019s lakefront has been almost exclusively reserved for public recreation since the early 20th century. Roughly 26 miles of parkland and beaches separate development from the waters along the city\u2019s eastern edge. And whether you\u2019re someone like Hopkins, with roots in the city stretching back three generations, or you\u2019re a newcomer, the lake is a continual draw.<\/p>\n

As Javaree Walker \u201912S (MS), \u201915S (MBA), a recent transplant from the East Coast, sees it, Chicago\u2019s \u201cRiviera\u201d rivals the city beaches of Miami\u2014and definitely surpasses those of New York. He often recommends that people come in the warmer months not only to enjoy them but also to truly acquire a taste for Chicago.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” background_color=”#e7e7e7e7″ css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Meet your guides<\/h2>\n

The Chicago Regional Network, cochaired by Eric Weissmann \u201910 and Suzanne Sawada \u201973, plans reunions and networking activities for alumni in Chicago and throughout the Midwest.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”39076″ img_size=”” mkd_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Philip Greenland \u201974M (MD), \u201978M (RES)<\/h3>\n

Skokie, Illinois<\/em><\/p>\n

Having lived in Chicago for nearly 30 years, Greenland\u2014a cardiologist and faculty member at Northwestern University\u2019s Feinberg School of Medicine\u2014has come to appreciate the quieter charm of the suburbs. There\u2019s as much cultural and culinary diversity just outside the city limits, he says, as in the trendiest parts of town.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”39086″ img_size=”” mkd_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Brittany Hopkins \u201914<\/h3>\n

Chicago<\/em><\/p>\n

Hopkins, a third-generation Chicagoan, returned to her hometown right after graduating from Rochester to begin a PhD program in neuroscience at Northwestern University. In addition to working with the Leadership Cabinet, she is the national cochair of Rochester\u2019s Young Alumni Council.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”39096″ img_size=”” mkd_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Suzanne Sawada \u201973<\/h3>\n

Evanston, Illinois<\/em><\/p>\n

Born in Chicago, Sawada and her family moved around the Midwest and East Coast throughout her childhood. Eventually she made it back to her roots to forge a corporate legal career. She\u2019s now retired as an assistant general counsel at BP, cochairs the Chicago Network Leadership Cabinet, and chairs the Chicago branch of the George Eastman Circle.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”39106″ img_size=”” mkd_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Javaree Walker \u201912S (MS), \u201915S (MBA)<\/h3>\n

Chicago<\/em><\/p>\n

Originally from Long Island, Walker moved to Chicago to join his fianc\u00e9e (now his wife) after completing his MBA at Simon. He lives in the city\u2019s burgeoning South Loop neighborhood and develops brand partnerships at Pinterest.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”39116″ img_size=”” mkd_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Eric Weissmann \u201910<\/h3>\n

Chicago<\/em><\/p>\n

Arriving in Chicago for business school in 2015, the D.C.\u2013area native found his home. Though his job for an industrial printer manufacturer takes him out to a suburb near O\u2019Hare airport, Weissmann\u2019s home base is the Wicker Park neighborhood, where he lives with his wife, Colleen, and newborn son, Jonah.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]Photos:\u00a0Jim Prisching for\u00a0<\/em>Rochester Review[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”40px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_single_image image=”39156″ img_size=”full” mkd_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]\u201cIf you come in the summer, you\u2019ll fall in love with the city. There\u2019s just so much going on,\u201d Walker says.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t agree more. I came to Chicago for the first time the day I moved here, in August of 2013, and fell in love as I cruised onto Lake Shore Drive, the vastness of the lake stretching endlessly toward the horizon. Why had I never heard about how beautiful this city was? A combination of personal and professional circumstances led me here quite unexpectedly, and within days I knew I wanted Chicago to be my forever home.<\/p>\n

I discovered festivals, and art fairs that stretched for blocks, theater performances, farmers\u2019 markets, and community barbecues that pop up in parks that punctuate our flat city grid like colonies of moss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if it was warmer, it would be an even more popular city,\u201d Walker says with a laugh. \u201cEveryone would want to come here.\u201d<\/p>\n

But much of what makes Chicago worth a visit is always in season: a thriving performing arts and restaurant scene (more to eat here than deep dish and ketchupless hot dogs!), dozens of neighborhoods with their own architecture, museums of all stripes, and professional sports teams for every superfan.<\/p>\n

As members of the Chicago Regional Network, Walker and Hopkins work to connect the University community in the Midwest through events and outings, often centered around city treasures.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gratifying to meet other alums, especially in a city that\u2019s not as well known for its Rochester population,\u201d says Hopkins, who was recently named as a national cochair of the Young Alumni Council. \u201cI think a lot of alums, when they graduate, if they\u2019re not moving to D.C., or New York, or Boston, they feel like they\u2019re the only one who\u2019s moving to Chicago\u2014but that\u2019s really not the case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, there are 1,900 of us working, playing, and parenting in this City of Big Shoulders. And we love showing Chicago off.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Classic orientation: Chicago you say?<\/h3>\n

Before going \u201coff the beaten path\u201d one has to know what the beaten path is, right? Our list of recommendations comes with the stipulation that if it\u2019s your first time in the Windy City, you should by no means neglect the classic attractions:[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]A. Art Institute of Chicago<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

111 S Michigan Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

Consistently rated as one of the best art museums in the world by experts and tourist websites alike, the museum is at once expansive and manageable, with collections spanning antiquity to contemporary art. It\u2019s also a short walk from the larger \u201cMuseum Campus,\u201d where you\u2019ll find the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and Shedd Aquarium.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]B. Millennium Park<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

201 E. Randolph St.<\/em><\/p>\n

Take a stroll across the street once you\u2019re done at the Art Institute to get your obligatory photo with the Bean\u2014the shiny, stainless steel sculpture by Anish Kapoor that\u2019s technically called Cloud Gate. All summer you can catch free concerts and film screenings in the vast amphitheater designed by Frank Gehry, too.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]C. Magnificent Mile<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Michigan Avenue, between Oak Street and the Chicago River<\/em><\/p>\n

This is the city\u2019s main commercial drag, with both luxury and mainstream retail, horse carriage rides, and the historic water tower.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]D. Navy Pier<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

600 E. Grand Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re brave enough to face the crowds, the pier offers a delightful walk. Turn around once you get to the end for a breathtaking view of the skyline. The 3,300-foot pier is also home to a Ferris wheel, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, an IMAX, and the Children\u2019s Museum. It\u2019s the departure point for boat tours on the lake and the blast-off site for fireworks twice a week all summer long.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]E.\u00a0Skydeck at Willis Tower<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

233 S. Wacker Dr.<\/em><\/p>\n

What visit to any city is complete without climbing up to the highest place for a look around? Located at the top of the building formerly known as the Sears Tower (now the second-tallest building in America), the deck lets you appreciate the city and the vastness of the lake from 1,353 feet.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

More than a museum<\/h3>\n

Sure, there\u2019s the Art Institute of Chicago, but the city also has a vibrant contemporary art scene and a world of museums that combine social activism with the visual arts.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]F. Museum of Contemporary Art<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

220 E Chicago Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

Chicago\u2019s premier modern art museum offers the opportunity to connect with the work of many living artists and is a testament to the growing diversity in the world of high art. The museum has a permanent collection, but rather than displaying pieces all the time, curators tap the collection for a rotating stream of exhibitions. The museum also hosts temporary shows with loaned works. \u201cThere are more pop artists, things I can appreciate in a different way versus some things from the 17th century\u2014that really doesn\u2019t excite me,\u201d Walker says. One of the highlights of the last several years for him was a major survey of the works of Kerry James Marshall. \u201cThat particular exhibit was a big deal,\u201d he says. Among the monumental canvases on show was a painting of a black family picnicking by Lake Michigan. Last year it set a sales record for a work by a living African-American artist.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]G. Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

9603 Woods Dr., Skokie<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not exactly an uplifting place but it\u2019s an important place,\u201d says Philip Greenland \u201974M (MD), \u201978M (Res). \u201cIt\u2019s actually one of the biggest Holocaust museums in the United States.\u201d The museum complex opened in 2009 and though it\u2019s an impressive building designed by one of Chicago\u2019s star architects, it traces its roots to a storefront. There, local Holocaust survivors organized a foundation and an education center in the late 1970s, after neo-Nazis threatened a march in the middle of the town. After World War II, thousands of survivors settled in Skokie, making it a place where not only contemporary Jewish culture but also memory could thrive. \u201cThey say that at one time one in every six residents of Skokie was a Holocaust survivor,\u201d Greenland says.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

On stage<\/h3>\n

Chicago has vibrant theater and comedy scenes, and there are venues large and small, for every taste and every budget.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_column_text]H. Goodman Theater<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

170 N. Dearborn St.<\/em><\/p>\n

Located in the heart of the Loop, the Goodman is home to one of the oldest theater companies in Chicago. Performances range from Shakespearean classics to productions by up-and-coming playwrights. \u201cThey have an experimental side and a [second stage] with bigger pieces,\u201d says Suzanne Sawada \u201973, an avid theater-goer. Chicago has an \u201camazing wealth of aspiring actors and actresses and playwrights,\u201d she adds, \u201cit has an incredible theater community, and if you look in the paper or go online, there are all kinds of interesting plays to go to.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_column_text]I. Victory Gardens Theater<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

2433 N. Lincoln Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of Sawada\u2019s favorites among the myriad storefront theaters that pepper the city is the Victory Gardens Theater. Housed in the historic Biograph movie theater\u2014where John Dillinger was shot by FBI agents in 1934\u2014the company has focused on developing and staging new work and fostering diversity in the theater scene since its founding in 1974. Sawada says that \u201cthere are a lot of theaters that start with a handful of people . . . they start out small,\u201d but over time Chicago\u2019s storefronts have produced some of the nation\u2019s leading dramatic actors and playwrights.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_column_text]J. Second City<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1616 N. Wells St.<\/em><\/p>\n

While Chicago\u2019s theater scene may always compete for the limelight with New York, the city is the undisputed cradle of improvisational comedy. Think of any famous comedian who\u2019s been part of Saturday Night Live\u2014more likely than not, they got their start with Second City. Today the nation\u2019s aspiring comedians\u2014 and even ordinary people who want an unusual challenge\u2014still flock to Chicago to learn the art of improv. Walker discovered the comedy theater through taking a six-week class. \u201cEvery year I try to do something that\u2019s a little out of my comfort zone,\u201d he says. He\u2019s loved bringing visitors to shows ever since. There are nightly performances. \u201cIt\u2019s a really cool thing that\u2019s unique to Chicago,\u201d Walker says.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_column_text]K. North Shore Center for Performing Arts<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie<\/em><\/p>\n

This may seem like an out-of-the-way venue, but Greenland insists it\u2019s worth a visit. \u201cThey have theater events there, music events there, and there\u2019s a repertory theater company that has about eight plays a year,\u201d says Greenland. There are also regular dance performances and a symphony orchestra. With free parking and public transit connections from Chicago \u201cit\u2019s almost like being in Rochester, [given] how convenient it is [to get there],\u201d he adds.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Parks and beaches<\/h3>\n

Between the lakefront, the riverfront, and dozens of square miles of picturesque parks, the city\u2019s got your nature fix.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]L. North Avenue Beach<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1600 N. Lake Shore Dr.<\/em><\/p>\n

With nearly 30 miles of public land alongside Lake Michigan, Chicago has a beach to fit every taste\u2014from vast, uncrowded stretches of sand, to rocky natural waterfront, to the bustling beaches at the heart of the city. Hopkins prefers those, especially the one at North Avenue, which abuts her Lincoln Park neighborhood. \u201cIt\u2019s so nice to have that amazing resource,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen my friends are visiting, I love to have them go on a walk along the lake path.\u201d Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the beach is open daily and has rows of volleyball nets, a restaurant, and easy access to the biking and walking trails And even in the winter, the beach makes for a scenic destination.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]M. Lincoln Park<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

2021 N. Stockton Dr.<\/em><\/p>\n

Though Lincoln Park is the name of one of Chicago\u2019s 77 officially recognized \u201ccommunity areas,\u201d it\u2019s also the name of the city\u2019s largest park, running for 1,208 acres along the lake. The section of the park that gave the neighborhood its name includes a zoo, a large conservatory, and a nature walk with native flora and fauna. \u201cComing here it\u2019s so easy to forget that you\u2019re in the city,\u201d says Hopkins. \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of an escape from the hustle and bustle.\u201d She gets a kick out of visitors\u2019 amazement that all of this is free and open to the public. \u201cPeople are always astounded that you can just walk through the zoo.\u201d The park is also home to the Chicago History Museum, a rowing canal, a garden landscaped by Alfred Caldwell Lily, a theater, and a weekly farmer\u2019s market.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]N. Riverwalk<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Chicago Loop<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Riverwalk is an off-the-beaten-path type of place but has totally become a central part of the city,\u201d says Eric Weissmann \u201910. Neglected for decades as a polluted commercial thoroughfare, in recent years the city has directed tremendous resources to cleaning and beautifying the waterway that flows from the lake to the heart of the city, turning it into a year-round attraction. \u201cYou see people of all ages, tourists and locals. There are places to drink beer and wine and places to drink coffee.\u201d Weissmann used to live in the neighborhood, and the walk was a regular part of his routine. \u201cYou go on a leisurely walk along the river and then you turn the corner and look out and you see what looks like a vast ocean\u2014Lake Michigan.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Eating and experience<\/h3>\n

Chicago\u2019s restaurant scene has become world famous, but there are also plenty of lesser-known and beloved neighborhood spots.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]O. Big Star<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1531 N. Damen Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

A legendary taco joint in Weissmann\u2019s home neighborhood of Wicker Park that\u2019s open into the wee hours and pitches itself as a purveyor of \u201cwhiskey and honky-tonk,\u201d too. In the summer, its large patio is a particular draw for locals. \u201cSeven nights a week and all day Saturday and Sunday, that patio is packed,\u201d he says. \u201cI would say it\u2019s the greatest spot ever to burn through a weekend day with tacos and margaritas and friends.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]P. Tel-Aviv Kosher Bakery<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

2944 W. Devon Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

Located on the far northern edge of the city, the family business is both beloved by locals who\u2019ve been here for generations and celebrated by out-of-town foodies for its delectable babkas, rugelach, and doughnuts. Greenland says the bakery has embraced the changing nature of the old Jewish neighborhood around it, adding central and South Asian pastries and breads to its repertoire. \u201cYou have a combination of traditional Jews who shop there and Indian and Pakistani Muslims,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s not only a kosher bakery, but it [also] really has this broad ethnic appeal.\u201d Closed on Saturdays for Shabbat.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]Q. Elizabeth<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

4835 N. Western Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

A farm-to-table restaurant run by a self-taught chef nestled in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. The place is known for its themed dinners and has a very vegetarian-friendly menu. \u201cThey did several months of a Wes Anderson\u2013themed dinner, and that was fascinating,\u201d says Sawada, referring to the film director. \u201cEvery course was based on a different movie.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Vantage points<\/h3>\n

Chicago\u2019s a flat city, and we have our fair share of skyscraper observation decks to marvel at vast expanses of the lake and the city\u2019s grid. But the view isn\u2019t always best from the top.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]R. Cindy\u2019s<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

12 S. Michigan Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

The drinking and dining establishments of the Chicago Athletic Association\u2014a once-exclusive men\u2019s club that has been remodeled into a hotel\u2014range from a Shake Shack to a six-seat cocktail bar with $50 drinks. Cindy\u2019s falls somewhere in between, and it offers a glass ceiling and a panoramic view of the skyline and the lake across Millennium Park. \u201cYou have great food, cocktails, beer, and then you step outside onto the all-season patio and you look out and see the most iconic views of the city,\u201d says Weissmann. The restaurant is also a favorite destination to take visitors to because \u201cthe association itself is so iconic.\u201d The original men\u2019s club was built in 1893 to coincide with the World\u2019s Fair. The fa\u00e7ade takes the form of a Venetian palazzo turned into a modern high-rise, and many of the carved wood and marble interior design elements have been meticulously preserved. \u201cThere are so many secret tucked-in bars and restaurants around the building,\u201d Weissmann says.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]S. Architectural Boat Tour<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Southeast corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the best ways to see the architectural jewels of the city is a boat tour along the Chicago River. Be sure to go with the one offered by the Chicago Architecture Foundation, whose passionate volunteers give the best on-board lectures in town. \u201cI\u2019ve been here four years and I\u2019ve probably been on it eight or nine times,\u201d says Walker. \u201cI think that\u2019s one of the most beautiful things to see.\u201d Though pricey ($47), the tour is well worth the views and educational immersion in the city\u2019s most cherished landmarks.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]T.\u00a0Garfield Park Conservatory<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

300 N. Central Park Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the largest indoor botanical gardens in the world, the conservatory was designed by famed landscape architect Jens Jensen. It\u2019s especially lovely in the colder months, when you can soak in the warm humidity of the tropical plants under the vaulted dome of the Palm House and the arid heat among the cacti and succulents in the Desert House. The crown jewel is the Fern Room, with a waterfall and lagoon designed to replicate the marshy landscape of Chicago before human settlement. There are also seasonal floral collections, and acres of gardens outside the conservatory. And best of all, like all Chicago Park District attractions\u2014it\u2019s free![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]U.\u00a0National Museum of Mexican Art<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1852 W 19th St.<\/em><\/p>\n

The museum was born in the 1980s with a social mission: to create an institution to honor artistic and cultural production from both sides of the southern border, thereby educating the public about Mexican art and uplifting the neighborhood around it. Located in the Pilsen community on the west side (once home to Czech immigrants), the museum is free and boasts a permanent collection spanning 3,000 years. It also hosts special exhibits, lectures, music, theater, and dance performances on a regular basis. You\u2019ll find a plethora of fascinating books and colorful handicrafts in the museum store, and a world of fabulous Mexican food and countless breweries in the neighborhood just outside.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]V. Plein Air Caf\u00e9<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

5751 S. Woodlawn Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

Really, this is a plug for a little cluster of attractions on the University of Chicago campus in the heart of Hyde Park. Plein Air is a light-filled, all-day type of eatery, where you can get sandwiches, salads, and grain bowls made with farm-fresh ingredients. It\u2019s attached to one of the best book stores in the city\u2014 the cavernous Seminary Co-Op. You can get lost in the cleverly designed stacks for hours. The building was designed by Tigerman McCurry (who also created the Skokie Holocaust Museum) and is right next door to another jewel of modern architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright\u2019s Robie House.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]W.\u00a0Stony Island Arts Bank<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

6760 S Stony Island Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

In 2015, Theaster Gates, one of the most influential sculptors and installation artists of his generation and a tireless advocate for the economic revival of Chicago\u2019s African-American neighborhoods, reopened this former savings and loan building as a museum and community center. On any given day there are temporary exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and film screenings. The center\u2014whose past as a bank is woven into its interior design\u2014also houses a library and media archive. Gates and his Rebuild Foundation have other outposts throughout the south side, so perhaps make a day of appreciating his impact by grabbing lunch at the Currency Exchange Caf\u00e9 and seeing a performance at the Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative, too.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]X. Chinatown<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Cermak Road and Wentworth Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n

Chicago\u2019s Chinatown may not be as famous or large as New York\u2019s or San Francisco\u2019s, but it packs blocks of delightful restaurants at every price point, the best karaoke bars in the city, and lots of small shops. To get there you can actually take a water taxi to the park on the northwest edge of the neighborhood, as well as the El or numerous buses from downtown. Chinatown was established in the early 1900s along several blocks of Wentworth Avenue; there\u2019s also a newer, two-story plaza on Cermak Road. My favorite spots are there: Chi Caf\u00e9 (very affordable, don\u2019t miss the salt-and-pepper squid); Lao Sze Chuan, a Chicago institution; and an outpost of Kung Fu Tea, which serves up any kind of bubble tea you can imagine.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]Open House Chicago<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Citywide<\/em><\/p>\n

If you happen to be in Chicago in October, you might happen upon this weekend of events hosted by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Completely free of charge, you can enter some of the most iconic skyscrapers, houses of worship, and private residences in the city and receive a guided tour. The city is known for its buildings, and this event lets you discover their interiors, taking you far off the beaten path into every nook and cranny of Chicago.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\"MayaMeet Maya<\/h3>\n

Maya Dukmasova \u201912<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a staff writer at the\u00a0Reader<\/em>, Chicago\u2019s alternative weekly newspaper. My work has taken me to every one of the city\u2019s 77 community areas. I live in Andersonville\u2014once a Swedish village on the city\u2019s far north side\u2014and work in Bronzeville, Chicago\u2019s historic Black Metropolis.<\/p>\n

For all its beauty and attractions, Chicago is also known as one of the most racially segregated cities in America\u2014white people are concentrated on the north side, while the south and west side are predominantly African American. Latinx communities are clustered on the northwest and southwest sides of town, and there\u2019s a historic Chinatown and Asian neighborhoods on the near south side and far north sides of the city.<\/p>\n

The divisions are at the root of a lot of social and economic problems, and they\u2019re also a barrier to getting to know the place, even for locals. People tend to stick to their neck of the woods. I wanted to suggest places to visit that might be farther from the main tourist hubs but will definitely show you a side of Chicago you won\u2019t hear about on the news.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]This article,\u00a0written by\u00a0Maya Dukmasova \u201912, originally appeared in the\u00a0w<\/span>inter issue\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Rochester Review<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>magazine.<\/span><\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” background_color=”#e7e7e7″ css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_single_image image=”34636″ img_size=”” mkd_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”15px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Chicago: this network’s for you<\/h2>\n

Eric Weissmann \u201910, who became a father last August, is already dreaming of connecting his family to his alma mater. \u201cI want to see the University community grow and flourish so that when Jonah, my son, enrolls in the Class of 2040, I want the University to be a better place than when I was there.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a cochair of the Chicago Network Leadership Cabinet, Weissmann is bringing a similar sensibility to his work to celebrate a strong Rochester community in the Greater Chicago area. He and cochair Suzanne Sawada \u201973 lead the cabinet, part of a strategic initiative to highlight Rochester connections in cities such as Baltimore, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Rochester, and New York City.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been actively engaged as a University of Rochester advocate and volunteer since my freshman year, and I never stopped,\u201d says Weissmann. \u201cThe reason I give back with my time is one part selfish and one part responsibility. The part that\u2019s selfish is I love spending time with Rochester alumni; I like learning from the Rochester community. The responsibility part is I believe I will be forever indebted to the University based on my experience and time there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Philip Greenland \u201974M (MD), \u201978M (Res) says that the network helps dispel the myth that most Rochester alumni are on the East Coast. \u201cI\u2019ve had an opportunity to meet with undergraduates from Chicago who are going to U of R, to meet their parents, and it\u2019s really been very heartwarming because the students that are going from Chicago are really happy and doing really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more about the regional networks, visit\u00a0rochester.edu\/alumni\/regional-network<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” background_image=”38966″ padding_top=”300″ padding_bottom=”175″ css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” background_color=”#ffc70a” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text] Show Us Your Town – Chicago [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]The Windy City, the City of Big…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"parent":9306,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full_width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-38946","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38946"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39216,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38946\/revisions\/39216"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}