jacksonbart Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Just got back from Chicago and I have to say its a great town. I had been there once before for a NAVA conference, but this time it was pure vacation with the wife. We probably averaged 7 miles of walking a day, although the Red line was very easy to use. We ate at great places like Spiaggia and Chicago Rib House on Dearborn. Watched the White Sox beat the Red Sox (took the redline for that), walked around Millennium Park and took an architecture tour on the river. It was hot for sure, but the lake breeze helped. I dragged my wife out to Buddy Guys Legends to see Joel Peterson open up for Chick Willis. The staff there was great, when we arrived all the tables were taken, so when my wife asked if we could move a seat from the bar, they allowed us to sit in the VIP section. I really enjoyed the live blues, we both had a blast. Chicago is a great city. The amount of landscaping that has been done is amazing, no doubt the locals pay for it the park and recreation crews do a real nice job. You have to realize I am coming from Philadelphia, (lived down town for 2years, worked downtown for 7) a city that really has squandered its history does not compare in so many ways, yet historically it had so many things going for it. I know Mayor Daley is facing corruption charges, but the FBI bugged Mayor Streets office. Two of Streets close associates have been convicted and sentenced to long jail terms. Center City Philly has some great things, but Chicago is really a great town. The Cubs were out of town so I will have to hit Wriggly next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Wait till they build that new sky scraper! I agree that Chicago is a great town. We get down there five to six times a year and always have a good time. Where you from outside of Philly? I grew up in Bucks County. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted July 29, 2005 Author Share Posted July 29, 2005 We now live way west of the city in Glenmoore. Since moving out of the city, I have lived in Wayne, Devon, Exton, and then after I stopped working in the city/inconjuction with meeting my now wife we brought a house in Glenmoore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 When I'm east, I go between Chalfont and Wilmington so I'm somewhat familiar with your area. Have an aunt that lived in Devon but recently moved to Exton. You have way too much traffic in that area for me to ever consider moving back. King of Prussia is awful to get through. Thank goodness for the Blue Route, especially during off hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 ---------------- On 7/29/2005 1:08:15 AM jacksonbart wrote: Just got back from Chicago and I have to say it’s a great town. ---------------- Thanks for your post. Interesting comments. I love live blues too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted July 29, 2005 Author Share Posted July 29, 2005 ---------------- On 7/29/2005 1:48:34 AM boomac wrote: When I'm east, I go between Chalfont and Wilmington so I'm somewhat familiar with your area. Have an aunt that lived in Devon but recently moved to Exton. You have way too much traffic in that area for me to ever consider moving back. King of Prussia is awful to get through. Thank goodness for the Blue Route, especially during off hours. ---------------- Agreed, I now work in KOP, so I agree with your assessment, when I don't work from home, but when I do work in the office I head west on the PA turn pike going home. The whole congestion issue is big, hence why we chose Glenmoore, but of course, its changing too. The traffic along with the house prices keep increasing, but we are in a good area, the traffic in our neighborhood is low (no pass through). All the lots are an acre, which is increasingly unusual. My brother and his wife live in Wayne in a huge house (5500+ sq ft/triple the $) on a quarter acre. While we live on a modest 2900+ sq on an acre with full growth trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Bart---Yeah, Chicago is a great town but Daley has built a fancy facade to cover the rot. Condos for yuppies where there used to be businesses that employed masses of people. Daley is goin' down, I look for Jesse Jr. as the next mayor. Anyway look me up next time, I'll show you real Chicago. Schaller's or Sheehan's after a Sox game (forget the Cubs, even on the North Side true baseball fans like the Sox), The Green Mill on tuesday to see Patricia Barber, The Red Lion, Puffers. We'll eat real Chicago thin-crust pizza and Italian beef sandwiches. Go to Manny's for corned beef and latkis. Get a steak at Gibsons or the Mexico Steak House. If you like Gay bars I'll take you down the street to Big Chick's; everybody is welcome there. I'll show you the bullet holes in the cathedral from when Capone killed Hymie Weiss. I'll show you where Dillinger was killed and the Pony Inn where McSwiggin, an assistant states attorney, was killed by Capone's guys while he was hanging with Klondike O'Donnel's boys. I'll show you where Frankie McErlane did the first gangland murder ever with a Tommy gun. I'll show you Sam Giancana's house where he was shot while cooking Italian suasages and peppers in his basement. And where the Kickapoos and Pottawattamies massacred the Americans evacuating Fort Dearborn. I'll show you the Blues Brothers Bridge on 95th St. We'll listen to some Altecs, JBLs and Paul's insane 4-way dipolar all horn-loaded EVs. We even have a Philly expatriate that does better cheesesteaks than Pats and Genos. My wife thinks the place is any as good as in Philly and she's from there. I'd invite old Boomac but I don't think he'd like my neighbors. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumpelstiltskin Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 That reminds me....... "Gas station neon sign, orange and white Winks an eye and it whispers, Goodnight. Drunk on the train to Chicago, I feel alright Half-pint of Dewar's White Label still half-full The train lurches left, lurches right Drunk on the train to Chicago, I feel alright I left a New York Of gas bills and cigarette burns Wasted days of whiskey And As the World Turns Train driver, hit the gas, shovel coal, move your *** We've got a schedule to keep Drunk on the train to Chicago, I fall asleep And in my dreams, we're careening drunk Down the streets of my hometown The man in the moon is on benzedrine Merrily spinning around Bells ring and lights flicker Old girlfriends, good liquor Hold my hand all through the night Drunk on the train to Chicago, I feel alright I feel alright" One of my favorite songs. Rick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardiride69 Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 hey TB im not far from you in the quad citys and read what you have wrote about chicago i enjoy comeing up there to at about once a year but to see what you have wrote about to see more of chicago would be nice. when we come there we end up going down town and enjoying the lake and the big city life but for me i like the past and enjoy learning more about it i hope we see you up there some time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capo72 Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 I'm headed in to the Museum of Science and Industry tomarrow. May hit the Field Museum too, if we have time. Gotta stop in Skokie and check out a Subwoofer 1st though. Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 ---------------- On 7/29/2005 2:18:59 AM TBrennan wrote: ......Yeah, Chicago is a great town but Daley has built a fancy facade to cover the rot. Condos for yuppies where there used to be businesses that employed masses of people. Daley is goin' down, I look for Jesse Jr. as the next mayor........... ---------------- What city, or place for that matter doesn't have rot? My kind of town, Chicago is......... mine kind of town... Chicago is.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Tom said much to my surprise? "North Side true baseball fans like the Sox..." Wow, your kidding right"?? The Cubs rule Chicago. Before, during, and after game stuff to see and be a part of. Absolutely nothing better than an afternoon good cold beer, a brat or whatever you like to eat, a little breeze and a win at Wrigley. Ok, so I will admit it, most Cubs games are social events. The cubs a few years ago came close.. I still hope in my lifetime I will see it someday, you never know. Don't even say the women at white sox games look better. We all know better too. Maybe it is the beer your drinking on the south side, do you have your beer goggle glasses on? Oh, and welcome back. We missed you. Figured married life had taken up all your time? Personally, I would love the guided tour someday. Maybe we can go to a Cubs game one day, the White Sox the next and compare notes? A fan of history, your tour sounded like fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Long reply eaten by cyberspace. I'm out'a gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 ---------------- On 7/29/2005 2:45:45 PM IndyKlipschFan wrote: Tom said much to my surprise? "North Side true baseball fans like the Sox..." Wow, your kidding right"?? The Cubs rule Chicago. Before, during, and after game stuff to see and be a part of. Absolutely nothing better than an afternoon good cold beer, a brat or whatever you like to eat, a little breeze and a win at Wrigley. Ok, so I will admit it, most Cubs games are social events. The cubs a few years ago came close.. I still hope in my lifetime I will see it someday, you never know. Don't even say the women at white sox games look better. We all know better too. Maybe it is the beer your drinking on the south side, do you have your beer goggle glasses on? Oh, and welcome back. We missed you. Figured married life had taken up all your time? Personally, I would love the guided tour someday. Maybe we can go to a Cubs game one day, the White Sox the next and compare notes? A fan of history, your tour sounded like fun! ---------------- Cub fans suck. If you like baseball, go to a Sox game. If you want a drunk frat party, head to Wrigleyville. This is from a guy who lived his life to date from 3000N to 7500N and never west of Harlem AND a Cubs fan who won't go to the games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmdridq Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 I've lived in the Chicago area all my life, and TBrennan's assessment pretty much hits the nail on the head. Daley has created an expensive money machine downtown for the conventioneers, tourists, and local yuppies with money to blow. The cost to go downtown, park, eat, and visit some kind of social event has skyrocketed in the past few years. The museums, ball games, restaurants, night spots, and parking lots are all fast-becoming unaffordable for the average family. How about $8 for a draft beer at the United Center? WTF? And Wrigley Field always has been a "social" event, or excuse to party. BTW Tom, is the Green Mill very crowded when Pat is there? I've been wanting to catch her; I haven't seen her since the Gold Star Sardine Bar went under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 Well it has been about 4 years since I have been physically to a Cubs game if you include this season. Yes, wrigley is a social event, I agree. But what is so wrong with that too? Lots of people, lots of excitement, it feels good to take the transportation from downtown in the subway to go above ground and walk right down those steps and be a what a block away from history! Some teams have trouble filling seats... Seems to me something kinda cool that year in, year out, in that very palace of a baseball field... The game as we know it is still basically unchanged and a great pastime in person. Besides, under dogs always fun to watch and cheer on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 The problem is one of expectations. Tribune Co. never has to pay more to do more because Cubs fans have been happy with whatever crap they put on the field as long as they can get an Old Style and a Sammy home run. Thankfully, that seems to be changing a bit of late... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 ---------------- On 7/30/2005 1:10:12 AM cmdridq wrote: I've lived in the Chicago area all my life, and TBrennan's assessment pretty much hits the nail on the head. Daley has created an expensive money machine downtown for the conventioneers, tourists, and local yuppies with money to blow. These are the same area's that were some of the worst places to live and raise a family.Serious crimes and violence were an everyday way of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmdridq Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 " Well it has been about 4 years since I have been physically to a Cubs game if you include this season. Yes, wrigley is a social event, I agree. But what is so wrong with that too? Lots of people, lots of excitement, it feels good to take the transportation from downtown in the subway to go above ground and walk right down those steps and be a what a block away from history! Some teams have trouble filling seats... Seems to me something kinda cool that year in, year out, in that very palace of a baseball field... The game as we know it is still basically unchanged and a great pastime in person." You are correct, it is a lot of fun. Period. Just don't confuse it with serious baseball. Cubs fans are more interested in cold beer than a hot team. They reward the Trib Co every year by filling the seats, so Trib don't need to spend any money on building a good team. The fans don't really care, they just keep coming, like lemmings, as long as the bar is open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 cmdridq Very true..and I agree.. Just hope someday I can sing the national anthem up there too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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