Help me introduce someone to Chicago.

So I recently met someone brand new to the city and living in Pilsen/Back of the Yards. She seems very cool and I'm trying to think of things to do and see. In particular I'm looking for a first date place one night this week.

Ed's Potsticker House, MSI, Field Museum, Oriental Institute are all contention for future visits. What is there on the near Sout' Side that will be cool and interesting? I'm a far N sider all my life so I'm a bit out of my element. I'd like to combine food with Chicago history/oddities that will be intriguing yet not come across as a history lecture.

Ed's is probably my first choice for food but I'm open to suggestions.

If I sound nervous or unsure, it may be the fact this is my first "date" in many many years.

I would suggest Bruna's. The atmosphere of Oakley, as well as the dining room at Bruna's, is romantic without being overly sappy or obvious. Here's some more about the food at Bruna's:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1567

Best,
Michael

1. Lunch on 18th Street (perhaps carnitas chez Don Pedro or Uruapan or birria at Reyes de Ocotlan), visit to the Mexican Fine Arts Museum, post-museum pick-me up at Mi Cafetal or the Jumping Bean or an adult beverage at Zientek's and a chance to assess dinner options.

2. Field Museum, leisurely walk through the Museum Campus over toward Printers' Row, stop for gelato chez Canady, then an adult beverage at Kasey's or Hackney's where you can decide what you're in the mood to eat for dinner.

Information (in some cases minimal) on these and other places can be found at the following forum destinations:

Uruapan:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=1786#1786

Reyes de Ocotlan:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=31325#31325

Mi Cafetal & Jumping Bean:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=3936#3936

Zientek's:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=18832#18832

Canady:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=26100#26100

Kasey's:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=17315#17315

Hackney's:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=7492#7492

Antonius

Antonius has given you some great ideas for daytime dates. And I agree with Michael's suggestion of Bruna's for dinner, too.

Maybe after a dinner at Bruna's, if it's not too late, you could work in one of Antonius's suggestions: a coffee at Cafe Jumping Bean? (They close at 10, though.)

Click here for a picture of the outside of the cafe.
http://www.stucombi.org/images/jumpingbean.jpg

And there is a short write up halfway down the page here:
http://www.casalocafurniture.com/recommends.html

Or, as Antonius also mentioned, Mi Cafetal (open till 10:30, I believe).

http://www.micafetal.com/

I think Mi Cafetal has live music (acoustic guitar?) on Fridays.

Mi Cafetal
1519 W. 18th Street
312.738.2883


Cafe Jumping Bean
1439 West 18th Street
(312) 455-0019

Let us not forget the Dynamic Duo: Al's and Mario's, and then wandering up to Hull House.

Also, a lot is happening in Bronzeville these days: Blu 47 and the Negro League Cafe in particular. Both have music and food. I'm told that the food at NL is not all that great (it is, as the name implies something of a sports bar), but it is a happening place. Blu 47 is better for dining options.

Blu 47
4655 S. Martin Luther King Drive
773-536-6000

Negro League Cafe
301 E. 43rd St.
773-536-7000

At one point Back of the Yards and Bronzeville were worlds apart, but today it's all One City.

Thanks! I will admit I was hoping you would see this Antonius, you have a great knack for putting things together imho. It looks like we will do dinner one night this week and see what happens.

hey, what about May St. Cafe? I haven't been but I've read some raves about it here and my friend whose palate I trust deeply, said it was a place I had to try. Or you could take advantage of the lovely late summer weather and eat somewhere in Pilsen, head over to BomBon, grab a couple of desserts (any of the tres leches or a slice of their cheesecake or Tia Martita cake . . . ) to go then hike back to Harrison Park and eat them al fresco. You might want to check to see if there are any evening offerings at the Mexican Fine Arts Museum, it's such a great little museum. And also, the park district is still doing Movies in the Parks and Concerts in the Parks, they start at dusk and tend to be family friendly but heck, they're free.

You could also make a meal eating from vendors around the park, tamales, tacos, fresh fruit etc but this would be riskier. Maybe that's good for the second date you'll be sure to have.

bjt

I think May St. Cafe is still closed for vacation/remodeling/who knows what.

As I was driving down Lake Shore Drive today, it occured to me that a perfect Chicago first date might be to go to Millennium Park. If you pick the right day, there may even be a concert going on in the Ghery Bandshell. Study up first, there are lots of fun facts to share about the bandshell, the "bean" scuplture, the crown fountain, the Lurie Ganden, etc. Plus, what a great showcase of her new city. After that, take her to Unos or Gino's East for a deep dish, our trademark pizza. Love it or hate it, everyone who lives here should at least sample this Chicago-centric food at least once.

Thanks for all the info. We are going to a live performance of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me tomorrow night, then Bruna's afterwards. Should be fun

There's a Harold's Chicken Shack in Hyde Park (1208 E. 53rd Street) that makes THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN EVER!!! Served with bread and some hot sauce (if you want), the chicken is so tender and buttery and juicy! Nothing better than some hot stuff for a hot date. However, I must say that the atmosphere is less than appealing; what with no waiting staff (it's self-service) and with the bullet-proof pane separating the customers from the staff. What you could do for a romantic date is to purchase the delectable chicken (+ beverage of choice) and bring them to the lakeside Promontory Point for a beautiful picnic Romance galore!

Octarine wrote:Thanks for all the info. We are going to a live performance of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me tomorrow night, then Bruna's afterwards. Should be fun

So, how'd it go?

Sounds like you have a great evening planned. If you don't want to sound like a lecturer but want to throw in a little of the city's lesser known history, you could point out that Bruna's is just down the street (north) of what was once one of Chicago's major industrial employers -- International Harvester's two mammoth plants, McCormick Works and Tractor Works. Close to 10,000 people worked at those plants at the height of production, in the 1940s -- one can just imagine how different the streets around Oakley Avenue would have been during those days when the shifts changed. Many of the Italian immigrants who once lived in that neighborhood worked in those factories, some of whom were Italian socialists who helped to form the original very left-wing union that bedeviled IH for many years -- the Farm Equipment Workers union. One of the city's only sit-down strikes took place in 1952 just across Blue Island; workers occupied the Twine Mill when IH wanted to move that operation down to the non-union south (capital flight, 1950s style.) The union hall was in what is now, I think, an abandoned restaurant (it was Alfo's for many years) at the corner of Oakley and Blue Island. Union, company, and most of the Italians are gone now -- all that's left are the good restaurants.

It's also, I believe, in the 25th Ward, the home turf of the late lamented Vito Marzullo who served there as alderman from 1953 to 1986. Here's a quote, very much in the tradition of an old Chicago pol:

"I ain't got no axes to grind. You can take all your news media and all the do-gooders in town and move them into my 25th Ward, and do you know what would happen? On election day we'd beat you fifteen to one. The mayor don't run the 25th Ward, Neither does the news media or the do-gooders. Me, Vito Marzullo. that's who runs the 25th Ward, and on election day everybody does what Vito Marzullo tells them. . .

My home is open 24 hours a day. I want people to come in. As long as I have a breathing spell, I'll got to a wake, a wedding, whatever. I never ask for anything in return. On election day, I tell my people, 'Let your conscience be your guide.'"

jbw wrote:"I ain't got no axes to grind. You can take all your news media and all the do-gooders in town and move them into my 25th Ward, and do you know what would happen? On election day we'd beat you fifteen to one. The mayor don't run the 25th Ward, Neither does the news media or the do-gooders. Me, Vito Marzullo. that's who runs the 25th Ward, and on election day everybody does what Vito Marzullo tells them. . .

My home is open 24 hours a day. I want people to come in. As long as I have a breathing spell, I'll got to a wake, a wedding, whatever. I never ask for anything in return. On election day, I tell my people, 'Let your conscience be your guide.'"

Ahh. The good old days.

Bruna's was great, I had fresh rigatoni with tomatoes and cheese, she had the ravioli. She had never had tiramisu before, it was a big hit:)

Thanks for the tips everyone, more dates are in the works!

Vito Marzullo, the alderman who so believed in the Chicago tradition of the dead participating in the Democratic process that he continued serving in office after the Tribune ran his obituary!*

* Marzullo was off at a summer cabin or something with family members when a cousin, also named Vito Marzullo, dropped dead. The Tribune ran his obituary, and had to run it again when he actually did die a year or so later.

Amata wrote:Maybe after a dinner at Bruna's, if it's not too late, you could work in one of Antonius's suggestions: a coffee at Cafe Jumping Bean?

Amata,

Found myself on 18th St last week with a little time to kill, vaguely remembered the LTH posts about Cafe Jumping Bean. Very cozy, food looked good, student/artist/local clientele and friendly owners.

I had Mexican Hot Chocolate, rich with a powerful, verging on overpowering, cinnamon flavor. I liked the place and will be back.

Enjoy,
Gary

Cafe Jumping Bean
1439 West 18th Street
312-455-0019