Chicago food: beyond dawgs, pizza, Bayless
Jazzed-up hot dogs, deep-dish pizza and any product with chef Rick Bayless’ thumbprint are among the foods that make Chicago famous. Add wiener schnitzel from […]
Illinois
Chicago travel: beyond the Magnificent Mile
For years, I’ve headed to Chicago for day trips or quick overnights – usually taking in the obvious sites and sticking to places tourists congregate. […]
Private doors open in Milwaukee, Chicago
Almost underneath Interstates 43/94, one mile west of Milwaukee’s trendy Third Ward retail/nightlife district, illuminating work happens daily. Inside an 1890s building of red brick, […]
Lurie Garden, in Chicago’s Millennium Park
I did not expect much when meeting Jennifer Davit, to take a look at her garden. Spring had barely arrived, and the last snow had […]
Chicago hospitality: outstanding to ugly sides
Use Google when in search of the “lost art of customer service,” and 10,000 references pop up within two seconds. Balance this against economic predictions […]
Sea otters, belugas at Chicago’s Shedd
Rain tends to drive tourists indoors, but that’s not entirely why the soggy line to enter Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium was a block long on a […]
Woodstock, Steel Bridge tunes rewind clocks
Save a bridge, build a bridge. This is what has happened in Sturgeon Bay. What began as a fight to rescue the aging Michigan Street […]
Oak Park: churches, good food, bargains
Although a Frank Lloyd Wright fascination lures many travelers to Oak Park, Ill., this brilliant but eccentric man’s legacy is not the only reason to […]
Oak Park: Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision lives
Consider the distinguishing features: open floor plans, lots of natural light, strong geometric patterns and constant reminders of nature, as seen through the panes of […]
Low-price, high-end fare at Kendall College
To Debbie Schwalenberg of New Holstein, it was a final exam. To me, it was an unusual, scrumptious and good-looking meal. Eating someone else’s homework […]
American Girl Place thoughtful, excessive
Here are three little secrets: I pay $16 for a haircut, $20 if you include the tip. I rarely shop anything but sales racks and […]
Finding authentic Japan in/near Rockford, Ill.
One of the great things about group travel – when done well – is that strangers sometimes become friends. Fond memories of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, when […]