Chicago

[NYTomcat]

Ok ... Please note I'm not posting this in the deli...I'm not looking for an escort... got those plans all covered. Nor in the traveling section cause hey I want responses. LOL

 

Im planning a last minute trip to Chi. and just wondered from our local members and our traveling members who visit alot. What are the fun things to do, what are the better restaurants, where are the better clubs, bars, etc...

 

Any suggestions on things to do in CHI would be appreciated

[+ Tygerscent]

1). national Museum of Mexican Art. http://www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

2). Blackbird Restaurant, http://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com

3) topolobambo restaurant http://www.opentable.com/topolobampo

4). Bars: Circuit, (Dance club in boy's town), Hydrate on 3458 Halted, (you can guess what that is all about), North End for recovery brunch and tavern like atmoshphere, Halted's, (biggest beer garden in boy's town, Lucky Horseshoe on 3169 Halsted, Side Track video bar on 3349 Halsted. Lots more in the area. Gentry, (lounge and Bar), Roscoes leather bar, (boys town again.

5). Allerton Hotel: strange entry but comfortable rooms and great suites. TheAllertonHotel.com

6). You missed the Windy City Gay Rodeo. Great fun though~!

7). Millennium Park and the Museum of Natural History and Art Museum.

8). Wildfire restaurant for Jazz wildfirerestaurant.com, Catch 35 for Jazz catch35.com... Alex & Johnnies or Stanleys for karaoke.

9).Billy Elliot, Chicago Broadway.

10). Hot Man in the hotel with you~

11). Steamworks... ;0

No problems finding fun things to do, places to go and great food~ Need more referrals? Write to me Tom`!

 

Tyger!

[email protected]

503.719.9274

http://www.tygerscent.biz

http://www.daddysreviews.com/area.ph...tyger_portland

http://www.maleescortreview.com (Tygerscent in Portland, Oregon)

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678662]Ok ... Please note I'm not posting this in the deli...I'm not looking for an escort... got those plans all covered. Nor in the traveling section cause hey I want responses. LOL

 

Im planning a last minute trip to Chi. and just wondered from our local members and our traveling members who visit alot. What are the fun things to do, what are the better restaurants, where are the better clubs, bars, etc...

 

Any suggestions on things to do in CHI would be appreciated

[rvwnsd]

I've received several recommendations for the Knickerbocker Hotel on the Magnificent Mile. Sometimes the historic, albeit in need of a face-lift, Ambassador East Hotel on the Gold Coast has inexpensive rooms.

 

The natural history museum is called The Field (after Marshall Field, the department store magnate) and the art museum is called The Art Institute of Chicago. The new Modern Wing is stunning. The Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium are also fun and they are located adjacent to The Field Museum in the museum campus. Several CTA buses serve the area.

 

Simply walking around the Loop, Magnificent Mile, River North, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and Lake View areas can be fun. Lots of great architecture and public art. Everyone loves the Picasso at the Daley Civic Center, but you shouldn't overlook Miro's "Miss Chicago" across the street, the two Calder sculptures: Flamingo in the Federal Plaza (between Adams and Jackson on Dearborn in front of the Federal Building), the Four Seasons at Chase Plaza (between Madison and Monroe on Dearborn...2 blocks north of Federal Plaza. While you are there, walk to the south end of the plaza and check out the clock from the original First National Bank of Chicago building. I believe it pre-dates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871), and the Calder mobile at the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower). Buckingham Fountain might still be operational (they shut it off sometime in autumn before it gets cold). Federal Plaza is actually significant in itself, as the entire block was designed and planned by Mies Van der Rohe.

 

A great way to take in the Loop's architecture is to ride the "L." The Brown, Pink, and Orange Lines all run around the Loop. The station at Quincy and Wells has been restored and looks similar to the original station built in the 1800's. Note that the Green line does NOT circle the loop, it only runs along the Lake and Wabash portions. You can see some stunning city views on the ride in from Midway airport on the Orange Line. The ride from O'Hare on the Blue Line is almost as scenic. Any of the express buses that run on Outer Lake Shore Drive provide a beautiful view of Lake Michigan, Lincoln Park, and the high rises that line the drive. LaSalle Street/Drive/Boulevard (the designation changes as you travel north from the Loop) is one of my favorite streets for seeing old architecture.

 

If you like shopping, don't miss Michigan Avenue, Oak Street, and Rush Street. Macy's on State Street (the old Marshall Field's) is a beautiful store. Frankly, it makes the Herald Square location look like a K-Mart clearance center. Water Tower Place is the first vertical mall in the country and has a nice food court called FoodLife. The food is good with a lot of variety. It is run by a local restaurant group called Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.

 

As Ty pointed out, the Boystown area of Lake View is one of the gayborhoods. Clark, Halsted and Broadway are the main north-south streets. If you feel adventurous, travel north to another gayborhood, Andersonville (north Clark street between Foster and Bryn Mawr, approximately 6 miles north of the Loop and 2 miles north of Lake View). Lots of good restuarants, eye candy, and architecture. Reza's, one of my favorite Middle Eastern restuarants, is located here.

 

The New York Times recently ran a story about things to do in Chicago. Although the original story contained several errors (damn New Yorkers), the online version is now correct.

 

A few things to remember:

 

1) Michigan Avenue is called "The Magnificent Mile," not "Miracle Mile."

2) Chicagoans do not refer to their city as "Chi-Town."

3) The lake is always east. Remember this and you will always find your way.

 

Have fun on your trip.

[NYTomcat]

Thank you both. Now I have a day and night Time itinerary. Actually im staying in the loop so that works well

 

Promise no Chi town or miracle mile.

 

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

 

Tyger I emailed you for Some specifics

[leigh.bess.toad]

Thank you both. Now I have a day and night Time itinerary. Actually im staying in the loop so that works well

 

Promise no Chi town or miracle mile.

 

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

 

Tyger I emailed you for Some specifics

 

Tomcat -- If you like Mexican food, would second Ty's recommendation for Topoloblamo. Actually, depending on your style, any of Rick Bayless' restaurant's would be winners. The man is a national treasure. He won the first Top Chef Masters. He is the Obama's favorite chef in Chicago. He did the State Dinner for the Mexican President at the White House a few months back. So Topoloblamo, Frontera Grill, XOCO, The amazing thing is he fell in love with the cuisine while living in Mexico while doing some of his doctoral work on Anthropological Linguistics. And in case you didn't know, his brother is one of the most annoying sports guys around, Skip Bayless.

 

http://www.rickbayless.com/

[NYTomcat]

Lol actually emailed ty that frontera was probably perfect. Not looking to be to formal. Monkey suits are for court dinner was made for denim and bars were made For leather IMHO.

[raulgmanzo]

Ty's suggestion of the Mexican museum of art is a good one. The neighborhood in which it is located, Pilsen (many spanish speakers call it diez-y-ocho) got it's name from when it was filled with immigrants from Bohemia is a fun neighborhood with some great food art, and architecture especially east of Ashland. The 'L' stop closest to the Mexican Museum (18 street on the Pink line) has a lot of cool murals in it.

 

...4). ...Roscoes leather bar, (boys town again....

 

Roscoes is not a leather bar nor do they claim to be.

[NYTomcat]

 

 

Roscoes is not a leather bar nor do they claim to be.

 

Well Raul I think you should correct this by taking me to a proper leather bar yourself... and we can bring Tyger along just to educate him on the proper leather establishments of the windy city.

[leigh.bess.toad]

Well Raul I think you should correct this by taking me to a proper leather bar yourself... and we can bring Tyger along just to educate him on the proper leather establishments of the windy city.

 

Raul and Tyger in a leather bar together. If that doesn't get everyone on these boards vivd imaginations running in hyperdrive I don't know what would. Damn the building would explode from that heat. Damn.

[NYTomcat]

Raul and Tyger in a leather bar together. If that doesn't get everyone on these boards vivd imaginations running in hyperdrive I don't know what would. Damn the building would explode from that heat. Damn.

 

If Boystown is left with a giant crater... Know I got my wish.... went with a smile on my face... fill the crater with bubbles and have a party in remembrance. LOL

[raulgmanzo]

If Boystown is left with a giant crater... Know I got my wish.... went with a smile on my face... fill the crater with bubbles and have a party in remembrance. LOL

 

Tomcat I'm sure you will have a meteoric time in boystown. There are 15 - 20 gay bars in or near boystown and while that is probably only a third of Chicagos gay bars they are however concentrated mostly on several blocks of Halsted street. But inspite of several interesting gay, fetish, novelty businesses, Steamworks bathhouse and the impressive gay and lesbian center Boystown can be a bit dull during the day. It lacks the commerical buzz of some nearby streets and neighborhoods, and most of the funkiness has long been priced out of Boystown and the rest of mostly gentrified Lakeview. But late at night Boystown is fun. Especially if you don't mind the eye candy young and drunk.

 

Cell block is probably the only leather bar in Boystown though what is or isn't a leather bar - or even a gay bar - is not always clear and sometimes changing.

 

I'm thinking you might make, incite or at least watch craters form also in a few other gay or just fun, funky or sexy neighborhoods.

[billhu]

Just there and had a great time - if you like seafood Shaw's downtown is a must. A bit pricey and classy but the staff are as hot as the sword fish.

[Steven_Draker]

Another recommendation for dining out: ALINEA http://www.alinea-restaurant.com

was voted best restaurant in the US by the annual San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/27/alinea-best-restaurant-in_n_553260.html

[NYTomcat]

Very good thank you guys. I will need one business formal meal and alinea would be a winner for that. Now ill have to try and focus a bit as for gay Chicago. With any luck This should be the first of many visits. Actually may have some quarterly work dragging me out there.

[raulgmanzo]

... Now ill have to try and focus a bit as for gay Chicago.

 

Well Chicago can be pretty gay. And I mean that mostly in a good way.

 

Maybe goto the neighborhood of Rogers Park and check out the Leather Archives and Museum in Rogers Park http://leatherarchives.org. Have a tasty dinner at one of the dozens of Indo-Pak restaurants on Ghandi Marg or Mohammed Allah Jinnah Way. Then fool around in The Hole (the basement "backroom" of the Jackhammer. Update your leather or fetish wardrobe next door at 6410 leathers before heading to the backroom at Touche. For you kinky convenience both Jackhammer and Touche (and sometimes 6410) are open till 4am (5am on Saturday night). You could then get a leather themed room at the Ashland Arms bed and breakfast complete with a sling or someother themed sexy room.

 

Edgewater has IMHO become the gayborhood. Doesn't have nearly as many bars as Boystown/Lakeview and maybe that is whay it seems that so many residents are online looking for hookups or out shopping/cruising. There is also in Edgewater the Gerber Hart GLBT library http://gerberhart.org. Stop in a couple doors away at the Granville Anville which I think has been there forever (at least looks that way) or better yet grab a Redline Espresso at Metropolis cafe which is my favorite coffee roaster. Then walk over to Chicago's gayest beach must be Kathy Osterman beach (known as Hollywood Beach because it is at Hollywood Avenue). Even if one wasn't looking for guys in speedos I recommend a visit to the beach and a swim if the water is nice.

 

Andersonville, partly in Edgewater and partly in Uptown has a number of gay and lesbian shops, a few bars and at the southern end one finds Eagle Leathers, and a few other spots. Sadly the Chicago Eagle leather bar has still not got permits to reopen and in the meantime the owner is operating a pretty cool 24 hour cafe Winstons, perfect for an espresso before heading next door to Manscountry (Bathhouse) which has several kinky rooms with slings and things and nude strippers on weekend nights.

 

Maybe my next post I'll mention some gay highlights of Uptown, or Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park/ Bucktown.

[NYTomcat]

Dear God Raul I said focus. Hell I could be all over the map. Good thing I'm getting a 7 day pass

[rvwnsd]

...Hell I could be all over the map. Good thing I'm getting a 7 day pass

 

I told you that you have to stray out of the gayborhood. Chicago is a big city...get around!

[+ deej]

I told you that you have to stray out of the gayborhood. Chicago is a big city...get around!

 

Chicago is a magnificent city. Get out and enjoy it! (I'm homesick reading this thread!)

[+ azdr0710]

Christ...what happened to the wholesome, midwestern-values, all-American city I used to know?!!!.....

[+ deej]

Christ...what happened to the wholesome, midwestern-values, all-American city I used to know?!!!.....

 

It's still there. But so are the remnants of the Al Capone speakeasy era.

 

The greatest thing about Chicago is that it knows what it is and makes no apology. Shaw's Crab House is a great place for a fine dining experience, but if you come in with a rowdy crowd they'll find a good time too.

 

Chicago has big shoulders and welcomes everyone, and is proud of it.

[leigh.bess.toad]

I guess in the end my only question is this: who is going to end up doing more damage to Chicago: a Tomcat or Mrs O'Leary's cow?

 

Tomcat, I hope you have the time of your life out there. Keep us up to date on the debauchery and the defilement quotas -- if you even remember any of it.

[NYTomcat]

OMG what town. Seriously I didnt think NY could possibly have a gay rival... Ok it doesn't but its damn close

 

I could easily live in this setting and I rarely (hell never, I am a nyer) say that about anyplace I visit.

 

A great town, nice people and for a couple of days a great home away from home.

 

Thank you all for the advice, took what I had time to use and really had a blast. Can't wait to go back again... soon

 

And to all the wonderful forum people I met while there (Romann, Raul, Tbinchi, Oliver) Thanks for the best time

 

As for the non-forum people ... well I said thank you to them in person

[+ Oliver]

...A great town, nice people ... And to all the wonderful forum people I met while there (Romann, Raul, Tbinchi, Oliver) thanks for the best time ...

 

Likewise ...

[Guest greatness]

Had a nice sunday brunch at Four Seasons with Firsttimer last May and it was nice. I was so full that I didn't eat dinner. They serve complementary unlimited Bloody Mary.

[NYTomcat]

Had a nice sunday brunch at Four Seasons with Firsttimer last May and it was nice. I was so full that I didn't eat dinner. They serve complementary unlimited Bloody Mary.

 

Didn't get to the four seasons but there is a tapas restaurant at the Blackstone which just cannot be missed. The cheese and balsalmic strawberry dish, the rabbit pasta and the caramelized Bacon wrapped dates are to die for. Im sure tbinchi knows the name. The only thing missing was the spicy sausage with creme en glace. But I was able to find that later at the horseshoe.