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    24 Hours in Chicago: So Much to Love

    Chicago has been one of my favorite places to be since I first set foot within city limits during Labor Day weekend of 1999. I was a wide-eyed college kid then, and I was beside myself with giddiness when I discovered I loved, loved, LOVED Chicago.

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    But time has passed – much more than I’d like to admit – and while I still profess my love of Chicago, I haven’t been there in some time. A trip to Chicago now includes a lot of painstaking plan-making. Where do I park?  How expensive are the hotels?  Where’s the nearest CTA stop?  Can I walk to the places I want to visit?  

    Adulting sucks, but Chicago is still as impressive as ever. 

    I most recently visited Chicago on my way home from hiking in Wisconsin. Instead of driving all day and night, I went through all of the painful strategic steps so I could spend a full day out and about in the city that had charmed me so much in my youth, doing all the things I love the most.

    A delicious spicy giardiniera-stuffed deep-dish pizza from Giordano's. Photo by Mer Farrar
    A delicious spicy giardiniera-stuffed deep-dish pizza from Giordano’s.

    The very first thing I like to do in Chicago is order deep-dish pizza. Is it a pizza?  Is it a casserole?  I’m not sure, but I know it is utterly delicious. Every time I find myself in Chicago, rest assured I’m ordering a delicious deep-dish pizza from whatever restaurant is within walking distance and gorging myself on its obscene cheesiness in my hotel room. As an added bonus, a police procedural video was being filmed in the alley behind my hotel while I ate.

    Filming a police instructional video behind my hotel room. Photo by Mer Farrar
    Filming a police instructional video behind my hotel room.
    Time to rise and start exploring! Photo by Mer Farrar
    Time to rise and start exploring!

    In the morning, I awoke early enough to catch the clean-up crew trying to get movie blood out of the alley. Perfect! I had plenty of time to explore some of my favorite haunts of yore.

    My first stop was the Adler Planetarium. Despite all of the hours I’ve logged in Chi-Town, I had never visited the Planetarium. So, I plotted my course and headed up Michigan Avenue toward the museums.

    Early morning tourists congregate at "The Bean." Photo by Mer Farrar
    Early morning tourists congregate at “The Bean.”

    Along the way, I observed folks scoping out “The Bean” for the first time, checking out their warped reflection in the curved surface of Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate sculpture. I cut across the park past Buckingham Fountain, which was turned off, but still surrounded by tourists looking for a photo op. I also managed to find myself in a Breast Cancer Awareness walk that was parading up Lake Shore Drive to much fanfare. There’s always something happening in Chicago, even at 9 am.

    For those who are planning to go museum hopping in Chicago in the near future, I cannot stress enough how helpful it is to purchase your tickets ahead of time, especially if you have a smartphone. You can cruise through the lines, make decisions about add-ons without hundreds of anxious people breathing down your neck, and spend more time actually checking out the cool stuff.

    Outside the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, IL. Photo by Mer Farrar
    Outside the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, IL.

    I enjoyed Adler Planetarium immensely. Not only did I get to peek through a variety of very old telescopes and learn how an astrolabe works, but the price of admission included a fun movie-type feature that shot the audience through space to learn more about our galaxy.

    That being said, the Art Institute of Chicago has owned my heart for decades, and I was eager to spend a significant amount of time wandering through its exhibits.

    The faithful lions guarding the Michigan Avenue entrance to The Art Institute of Chicago. Photo by Mer Farrar
    The faithful lions guarding the Michigan Avenue entrance to The Art Institute of Chicago.

    I honestly can’t tell you my favorite part of the Art Institute. I’m captivated by the Thorne Miniature Rooms. I’m a Contemporary art junkie. Surrealism takes my breath away. I have spent countless hours in the Asian Art section. And yet every single time I visit, I see something new. This time, I detoured through the Textiles and Egyptian exhibits for the very first time.

    As museum closing time approached, I hustled through a protest for Iranian Women’s Rights to the nearest L platform and took the Red Line to Addison. I then hopped off the train and strode confidently through the throngs of Cubs fans who gather at Wrigley Field year-round. I had a reservation at the Lakeview location of The Chicago Diner, and I did not want to be late for vegan yumminess.

    While I’m not vegan, I am vegetarian. Back in 1999, there were very few options for folks who didn’t eat meat, and I remember practically crying when I discovered I could eat ANYTHING at The Chicago Diner. 

    All of the vegan delights at The Chicago Diner. Photo by Mer Farrar
    All of the vegan delights at The Chicago Diner.

    Though times have changed, I still exercised absolutely no restraint as I ordered a delicious cocktail, an appetizer of BBQ seitan “wings,” a Cuban sandwich with Mac ‘n’ Teese, and a large wedge of their famous pumpkin cheesecake. My spouse, who was struggling with the idea of a truly meat-free restaurant, ordered and promptly demolished the original Radical Reuben.

    Even public transportation is friendly in Chicago.

    If you’re wondering what’s new in Chicago, I have no idea. But I do know that the things I’ve loved to do over and over again remain just as enjoyable as always. With just 24 hours to spend in the Windy City, my favorite things stand the test of time.

    We don’t generally think of big cities as a place to do comforting things, but as I walked through some of my favorite city scenes, stood in front of my favorite painting for the umpteenth time, and ate at a restaurant I’ve loved since I was a teenager, it occurred to me that some adventures are worth repeating.

    Comfort is comfort, after all, no matter where you are. And though the years have flown by and I’ve changed in many ways, it’s great to know that a piece of my heart still beats warmly in Chicago, Illinois.

    All photos by Mer Farrar.

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    Mer Farrar
    Mer Farrarhttps://www.columbusunderground.com/
    Mer Farrar is a freelance writer who reports on the world as she explores it. A graduate of Denison University's Creative Writing program, she enjoys finding exciting things to do in Ohio and beyond. When at home, Mer can be found with her menagerie of rescued horses and cats.
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