Culture and Cocktails in Chicago

Trip date: October 2015

My girl friends and I started day four in Chicago (earlier posts are here and here) at the neighborhood gem Lula Cafe in Logan Square. The weather was cloudy and a bit chillier but we joined the locals and had our brunch outside. This is a super fun and casual spot, another winner in the 'hood!

We had two days left and they were going to be packed full of fun! Forest and I left Kate to her own devices after brunch and headed to the Art Institute to see their miniature rooms gallery. We walked through Millennial Park on the way and took the obligatory selfie with the Bean as well as wandered the outdoor sculpture exhibits of Juame Plensa.

Housed downstairs in the museum there are 68 little rooms of amazing European interior design. We absolutely loved this! They are so tiny and perfectly put together. I believe this is a permanent exhibit; definitely worth checking out!

 Additionally there was a special exhibit of paperweights that had some absolutely gorgeous items!

And the cherry on top was an exhibit of Degas' work, At the Track, On the Stage. Some of my favorite pieces were on display.

This museum has such an amazing collection, there's always something new to discover! We headed over to the bar at the nearby Kimpton for a glass of wine before grabbing the train to meet up with Kate and another friend and start our evening cocktail crawl at Lost Lake Tiki.

This place is so much fun! Fantastic tiki drinks, cool themed space, fun and friendly. We loved everything about it, including the "bang bang" chicken wings that come from the little hole in a wall next door (which I hear has closed now.)

Next up were elegant cocktails had in the polished space of The Violet Hour. I've been here before (strangely was even seated at the same booth!) and it still lives up to the excellent service and quality drinks after almost 10-years in business. When our waitress heard we were doing a bar crawl she even brought out some little snacks on the house. Class act.

Stop number three, the gorgeous Scofflaw. I love gin drinks, and that is their focus, so I really thought that this would be my favorite stop of the evening, but our service was both snobbish and aloof which turned us all a bit off on them.

We decided to only have one round because of this and headed out to our final stop, Best Intentions. We had so much fun here! It's a casual/divey looking place with a menu of retro drinks, all made exceptionally well. It's lively, and fun, and delicious!

They also have a great outdoor patio that would be awesome in warm months. Be sure to check them out while in town! Excellent day and evening in Chicago!

All Chicago photos here.

Other posts from this trip:
Easing into Chicago
A Night at The Aviary
Chicago Cocktail Crawl

Drink, Eat, Baseball

Last month we went to Chicago for the weekend to visit our friend Judy, catch up on the food and cocktail scene and take in a ballgame. We used miles to fly and stayed at the Monaco Hotel thanks to a great $81 per night deal! A quick ride into town on the train, free since our friend Dino had sent us some unused train tickets, and we were ready to hit the town.


We met Judy and her friends Amy & Andreas for dinner at Mado in the Wicker Park/ Bucktown area. Dinner was casual and fun and there were lots of new things for me to try since the kitchen pretty much sent out the entire menu (that is what happens when you go out with Judy, everyone knows her!) Of the things I was brave enough to try: grilled pork heart with radicchio, pecans and saba (excellent!) also blood pudding (ok but not a good texture for me). The food here was all quite good, I thought they needed to cook their beans a bit more in the porchetta dish and the octopus dish but overall a good "farmer" style of meal.


After dinner we walked a few blocks to The Violet Hour. Passing the line at the door (another Judy perk) we were seated in a gorgeous room, at a huge booth. The rooms were much prettier than I expected having only been to Bourbon & Branch and Milk & Honey as far as "speakeasy" style bars go. We each had 3 excellent cocktails in our 2 hours spent there, and a shot of chartreuse on the bartender. But when 2am comes, it doesn't matter who you are- the lights come on and you need to get out! So home we went...

Doesn't this look like a Suntory ad?

We had tickets the next day for the Cubs vs. the Marlins at Wrigley Field, a field we hadn't been to before so I was super excited. More excited when we picked up our tickets and were told they moved us 2 rows and a section closer to home plate. The game was action packed with the Cubs winning 6 to 1 and the weather was perfect. What wasn't exciting was the food, ugh!! You'd think in Chicago you could at least get a proper dog at the game. Blah, we are so spoiled by the food at Safeco Field!

Andreas and Amy had also been at the game so we hooked up with them after and had HUGE German beers at Uberstein in Wrigleyville. I like saying Wrigleyville, it's funny! At Uberstein you and your friends can do a "ski shot". They bring over a snow ski that has 4 shot glasses glued to it and you and your buddies all hold the ski and tip it up and do your shot. If you are the shortest you will get drenched with your shot. Ah youth... :p

Before heading to dinner we met up with Judy at her new penthouse apartment for cocktails. Penthouse + cocktails = awesome! Check out the view

Judy, her friend Scott, Dayne and I were dining at Blackbird that night, I had been wanting to go since it first opened! We were given a very nice table right in the front window and pretty much tasted the entire menu between the four of us ordering and the extras that the kitchen brought out (again...Judy!) The meal (and wine, thanks Scott!) was stellar but I really think they shine the brightest with their appetizers. Now I need to get to sister restaurant Avec!

After dinner we headed to The Drawing Room, I had heard about their tableside cocktail service and sure enough once we ordered we were offered either drinks done fast at the bar and brought over or each made individually in front of us from the cart. This is so much better than tableside Caesar salad! And then out came a platter of wonderful crudo (on the house because of "you know who again!"). I thought the drinks here were really good, the only drawback was that there is a disco in the next room and you could hear the bass going. I'd recommend it though!

Dayne and I finished our quick trip the next morning with brunch at Perennial. Dayne picked the place from some menus I showed him based on the fact that they had breakfast sliders! It was a good brunch- inexpensive, pretty inside, little patio outside, good food. And bonus running into my friend Kyle (Hi Kyle!)


The weather all weekend was just gorgeous! Thanks again to Judy for all her hospitality and wonderful to meet Amy, Andreas & Scott!

Full set of photos here