Hello all!

I had an incredible whirlwind time in Chicago last weekend to celebrate my best DC friend’s birthday! She’s a huge foodie and art aficionado just like me, so thankfully we got to hit up a bunch of really cool places and experience a lot of the city! Here’s the rundown of where I went and are over the 48-hour period.

Where I Ate

Alinea – this outstanding experience was for my friend’s birthday dinner. This restaurant certainly lived up to the hype and I am still in awe of the culinary feats we tasted during our meal! For reference, be sure to watch Season 2, Episode 1 of Chef’s Table on Netflix to learn about the inedible journey of the chef who created this restaurant.

Quartino – Italian food but make it tapas! Located conveniently in the heart of the city, this small plates Italian restaurant has a lively, casual vibe and delicious food.

Lady Gregory’s – I loved the old fashioned ambiance of the restaurant paired with it’s delicious food! The cauliflower and cheese curd starters were incredible and so was the impossible burger!

Stella’s Diner – the cutest brunch spot! It’s affordable and you get a lot of bang for your buck – I’d recommend the breakfast skillets!

Cescas – delish tacos and margaritas galore at this Mexican restaurant!

Three Dots and a Dash – a go-to Speakeasy Tiki Bar located downtown – the vibe of this bar can’t be beat and the drinks were out of this world!!

City Winery – located along the Chicago Riverwalk, it’s central location makes it perfect for people watching on a hot summer’s day!

Dollop Diner – a lovely retro diner that serves a mean selection of coffees!

 

What I Did

The Bean/ Millennium Park – Hitting up tourist attractions, seeing the iconic “Cloud Gate” was truly worth it! You can also use it as an excuse to walk around the Chicago downtown city area.

Art Institute of Chicago – a must-see museum located a short walk from the Millenium Park. They have a huge selection of works from ancient Rome to impressionism to contemporary art. I also got the chance to see the current Manet and Modern Beauty exhibit that runs through September 8.

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago – truly a gem in this city, this contemporary art museum has such an incredible array of exhibitions that are thought-provoking and engaging. I was so happy to see the Victor Abloh “Figures of Speech” exhibit that’s running through September 22.

Even though I had a short time in the city, I really enjoyed exploring Chicago and trying to get as much out of my time there as possible! I hope this synopsis of my activities helps my fellow foodies and art nerds who may be headed to Chicago in the future or already live there and are looking for new places to explore!

XOXO

Parisa