Shopping in Chicago!

ATTENTION ALL SHOPPERS!!! Cook County, IL has approved the tax increase in Chicago.  You can thank a Cook County commissioner who wanted to increase the county's portion of the sales tax.  The approval now has the sales tax increasing to 11 percent.  This tax increase also applies to restaurants and hotel bills.  For any of you who thought traveling, dining and shopping in Chicago was expensive before; you had better watch out this fall.

Dave and I were in Chicago on March 18 - 20.  Dave attended GlobalShop, the world's largest annual retail design and in-store marketing expo, at the McCormick Place West Convention Center.   He attended with his colleague Zack who in turn brought his wife Andrea; who had never been to Chicago.

We stayed at the Hotel Sofitel on Chestnut Street.  Our hotel sits on Chestnut; across the street from the Archbishop Quigley Prepatory Seminary. It's a beautiful building with a statue of the Archbishop. Andrea and I shot some photos of the building but. The Seminary closed in June 2007. After our arrival on Tuesday morning; we checked in then went to Pizano's for some Chicago deep dish pizza for lunch.   Dave and Zack then made their way over to the convention center while Andrea and I made our way up Michigan Avenue; the Magnificent Mile!  I pointed out various landmarks and shopping to Andrea.  While I am not the world's authority on Chicago; I have been there on numerous occasions.  Andrea and I went in and out of shops and then made our way to Garrett's Popcorn.  As we had a pretty early flight that morning out of San Antonio and it was cold and rainy; we decided to call it an early afternoon.

That evening we attended a hosted private vendor event at Bin 36.  After our evening there we found ourselves wanting more than passed hors d'oeuvres and tried to eat at Harry Caray's but they had stopped serving.  Andrea was tickled that she was "carded" to get in; especially in light of the fact we only wanted to eat. We instead opted to have a late bite at the bar at the hotel.

The next day I met my girlfriend Cherai for lunch and caught up with her.  Cherai is my industry girlfriend whom I first met in Chicago seven years ago when she was working for the New Orleans CVB and I was working for the San Antonio CVB.  She now works remotely from her home in Chicago for Projection Presentation Technology.

After lunch I walked through the city popping in and out of stores.  I made my way to the Chicago Public Library to the Harold Washington Library Center where I viewed their exhibit on bridges, "Spanning Chicago: Bridges in the City of the Big Shoulders".  Chicago is known as the "Movable Bridge Capital of the World."  This exhibit relates Chicago's efforts and successes in spanning the Chicago River, eventually developing the trunnion bascule or "Chicago Bridge".

After touring the library I walked back to the hotel.  That evening we had a dinner planned with another vendor.  Each time we travel to Chicago we make a point to visit with my other girlfriend Claudette.  Claudette and I go back to our Hyatt days and she is an owner in her family funeral home business.  She joined us that evening as March. 19 was one week from her actual birthday of 3/26.  We had dinner at Phil Stefani's; an Italian Steakhouse.  After a night of dining and visiting we made our way back to the hotel.

On Wednesday (our departure day) we prearranged a late check out.  We packed and made our way to breakfast.  We toured stores to include a Whole Foods and a Trader Joes.  As Dave, Zack and Andrea had never been to the Sears Tower we made our way over for the tour.  After touring we returned to the hotel to check out and then off to Midway for a 7:00 pm departure.  We wanted to be sure to avoid the snow Chicago was speaking of getting and as we checked in we were told our flight was delayed but it turned out to be delayed just 30 - 45 minutes.

It was a quick trip in and out to Chicago but always worth the food and shopping.  I do believe though that any future trips will try to be at off-peak times and with coupons!

Next stop?  New York for a lovely spring wedding in April. Thanks for reading!

p.s. for the North Easterners who know the "Holy Cow" expression? Well; even though I was pretty confident that Phil Rizzuto coined the phrase while he was a commentator for the NY Yankees; I learned that Harry Caray started it first. Google Rizzuto and Caray to learn about their backgrounds if you are a baseball afficianado! Pin It Now!