Posted by Spoc on May 24, 2005, at 7:42:11
In reply to That'd be a delight. » Spoc, posted by Dinah on May 23, 2005, at 17:47:38
> If you send Dr. Bob or (if you trust me) me, your info, I'll let you know what is planned Saturday if you miss Friday. Or you can always decide to come Friday before Friday evening, and have the info sent to you. It might even be that a more detailed itinerary will be available by then. There is less than two weeks, but that's longer than two days. :)
>Ok Dinah, sounds good. Something or another should work out. I anticipate that I'll know more before you leave for Chicago, and either way will probably also send my contact info before then.
As you can well imagine, I am fighting the compulsion to find 1,000 links to photos of the exact areas I think would give you the best feel and most help you decide on activities. But I am beating it back! A quick (well, not so quick really) look showed me that it isn't so easy to find shots of precisely what I wanted, or more than one great one on the same site. Even many of the dedicated attraction websites don't have very impressive photos, IMO.
I am often wimpy about "risking" making firm suggestions for things, but if relative serenity while experiencing a taste of both the urban and natural beauty of Chicago are mainly what you want, an architectural cruise followed by a jaunt through north Lincoln Park (Zoo, *Conservatory, pond & lagoon, lake/beach) may be the tickets. And as possible "bookends" on each side of town: kicked off with a swing through Millenium Park to add to the citified leg (if you want a more leisurely pace, maybe one or the other between cruise and Millenium). Or after north Lincoln Park, ending with a swing through the Park West Antiques Fair, to add to the quainter, city neighborhood leg. (FYI, Lincoln Park is a huge neighborhood in the city, unfortunately for web surfers it just happens to have a sprawling *actual* park by the same name.)
And on/around Michigan Ave. between the two sides of town, could duck into Giordano's, then maybe Cheesecake Factory (I think someone mentioned that) at the base of the Hancock building. (CF is much noted for its whole menu.) At that time of day, probably don't need reservations either. Right here you'd be in the middle of the must-see Magnificent Mile shopping area too.
* The gardens and atrium outside the LP Zoo I have been referring to is actually called the Lincoln Park Conservatory. (That and the zoo are both free. And over there is the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum too. None of this would feel at all like the boonies btw, just an amazing oasis in the city.) Maybe Dr. Bob and/or All Done could comment on that area, and whether they -- with their much greater familiarity with y'all -- could envision the group strolling, sitting, chatting, relaxing best there. Absolutely, downtown 'proper' is known worldwide for being stunning, just thought some may not want to be amongst the bustle and commotion for too too long (of course for those not used to big cities, it will *all* feel like bustle and commotion). But! I may be thinking too much like someone who has forgotten the specific thrill of that. Bottom line, listen but don't listen! ;-)
Oh, for those still around and still up, Saturday night at 10:15 PM there will be fireworks on Navy Pier. That may be a convenient time to swing by and fit in that pretty sight.
Oh, shut me up. I sure talk a lot for someone who doesn't like to "risk making suggestions." ;-)
poster:Spoc
thread:5509
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050517/msgs/502164.html