A Day at the Zoo

I was blown away by the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Not because it's the best zoo I've ever been to or it had some crazy animal no other place does.  The Lincoln Park Zoo has two things going for it:  the location and the price.  It's a pretty big zoo (much larger than I was expecting anyway) and it's inside the even bigger Lincoln Park.  To have such a large zoo in an urban setting is really a unique experience.  You don't feel like you're in one of the largest cities in the country until you look above the animals and notice the city skyline in the background.  The fact that it's totally free is also awesome.  I can see myself coming back here again and again.

I was totally floored to see Flamingo's.  Reminds me of home...

In Search of Breakfast

I've been told of a few good breakfast and brunch spots, but one place that kept coming up is local Chicago chain Yolk.  I finally had the chance to check it out and wasn't disappointed.  It wasn't the best breakfast meal I've ever had, but it's definitely not even close to the crap you'd get at a Denny's.  We had some bad service unfortunately, but the food was pretty tasty, especially the french toast.  I really wanted to try the Red Velvet French Toast, but I couldn't man up.  When I go back I will definitely be trying it as I have deeply regretted it ever since and it is starting effect my mental well-being.

Cupcakes Are Good For Your Soul

Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique in the Loop makes some damn fine cupcakes.  I've also been to Sprinkles and I can tell you Sugar Bliss is better.  I've been here three times now and, speaking from experience, I will say that bringing these home has a magical effect on your loved one(s).  They will pretty much bend to your will.  If you aren't sure which flavors to try, they even make little mini two bite (one for me) cupcakes so you can try them all.  In my opinion, Pumpkin Patch, Red Velvet, and Vanilla Vanilla are the best!

My Heart Says No, but My Stomach Says YES!

Listen, there isn't a whole lot to say about Paddy Long's in Lincoln Park except that it's awesome.  If the words "bacon wrapped meat-loaf made of pork and beef" give you goose bumps than this is the place for you.  Huge beer menu?  Check.  Bacon on everything?  Check.  Seriously, if you love pork and beer you need to go here tonight and indulge your inner barbarian.  Better yet, bring 4 of your friends and eat a whole Bomb, or take the challenge yourself and spend the next week hating yourself.  Oh, and do yourself a favor and get the Bacon Grenades, you won't be sorry.

Sorry for the crappy picture, I was drunk on beer and bacon.

Is It Donut or Doughnut? Who Cares Just Eat It!

We recently visited the much talked about Doughnut Vault in Near North and damn was it good.  The special changes daily so be sure to check their site and follow them on Twitter for updates on what's left and how many people are in line.  I would probably avoid going on a Saturday unless you get there around 9 or 9:15am, or don't mind waiting awhile.  We showed up right around 9:30am and had to wait about an hour to get some delicious fried dough in our mouths.  It's a cash only place and you'll spend about $3 each, but they are huge.  Be ready for a nap after this morning meal.  Worth the wait/price and an accomplishment you can brag about!

A Hot Mess

There's not much to say about Mr. Beef's except that it's a Chicago must have.  It's not the biggest sandwich you'll ever eat and there's no selection of whacky toppings like at Hot Doug's, but what you will get is a delicious, tender Italian beef sandwich that guarantees to bring you back again.  It's messy and good.  What more do you really need?

Lightly dipped with sweet peppers, the only way to roll.

Don't Call Me a (Soda) Jerk!

Eleven City Diner is one of those places you go to when you aren't craving anything in particular.  It's just a magical place where everything tastes like awesome and the fun decor gives you a feel-good vibe as you try to take it all in while waiting.  You get seated by the smiling hostess, spend 10 minutes deciding between two or three options, realize they serve breakfast all day, spend ANOTHER 10 minutes debating if you really want challah bread french toast at 7pm, and then finally settle for a delicious patty melt.  Just as the waitress comes over to take your order you spot something.  What's that in the corner of the menu, a real deal soda fountain?  Damn right I want that soda jerk to make me a cherry cola!

Comedians I Now Know

We checked out the fantastic comedy show Comedians You Should Know last night in Streeterville.  For the price of a meal at most chain restaurants you can nab two tickets and see two hours worth of stand-up from up and coming comedians.  We really enjoyed Kat Radley talking about her butt whole (you had to be there) and Megan Gailey making fun of her home state of Indiana.  The intimate stage and seating area is in the back of Timothy O'Toole's bar (pictured below), which was quite busy for a weeknight.  If you like comedy and need something to do on a Wednesday night check it out!

Wabash Tap - A South Loop Secret

I almost don't want to post about this place, but it's too awesome to keep it a secret.  Wabash Tap in South Loop is a fantastic bar.  Craving $3 draft PBR's and some kick ass tater tots?  This is your place. The cheesesteak ain't bad either, and there's a good selection of other reasonably priced adult soda's.  Pool tables, plenty of TV's to catch a game, and friendly staff to boot!

I apologize for the poor photo, but I went there last night to support my FGCU Eagles in the NCAA Tournament and had one too many beers before I realized I needed a picture for the blog ;)  I'll be back there soon and will update it accordingly!

Hot Doug's, Hot Damn!

Today my wife and I went into Avondale to checkout the highly recommended Hot Doug's.  I've been craving a good hot dog since I got to Chicago and I wasn't disappointed.  We got there a little after 11am and ended up having to wait around an hour before we finally got inside.  We tried The Dog (grilled), The Dave Pound, The Norm Crosby, and one of the gourmet daily specials, a bacon cheeseburger beef sausage with Coca-Cola BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, and maple-smoked cheddar cheese.  Everything was really great, especially The Norm Crosby.  Let the record show that we also thought the duck fat fries were mind-blowingly awesome.

Hellllooooooo Chicago!

I just moved to Chicago last month and already I'm in love with the city.  I've been trying to see and do as much as I can each week while my running list grows longer every day.  I decided to chronicle my adventures throughout Chicago on this blog for my own, and hopefully your, entertainment.  The goal is to put up a post or two each week with a brief summary of my experience with some neighborhood, restaurant, landmark, or other point of interest around Chicago.  I'll try to be less of a critic and more of a storyteller.  Though I'm no photographer, I'll include something visual with each post that best represents where I went.

I think it's only appropriate to first post about something that's right across the street from me - Grant Park.  I took a chilly stroll through the park last Saturday taking some pictures while listening to music. It was very relaxing and somewhat serene because there were hardly any other people out and about.  It's probably pretty rare to see a nearly empty Grant Park so I used that opportunity to take a really nice panoramic of Buckingham Fountain with the skyline in the background.