I understand you based it on reader input but I wish you’d made all of the food categories more general. I don’t think that eating a hot dog at one of those places is a “ quintessential “ Chicago experience. But eating a Chicago style dog is. (I’d also argue deep dish pizza but I hadn’t thought about food when the original question was posed).
The argument againt the Mayor started off by saying it was a big mistake to replace Dr Arawady (now, apparently canonised) and morphed into HOW the decision was communicated. The mistake, if it was one, was indisputably the Mayor's to make, but the manner was, apparently, oafish and a legitimate source of criticism. Just look at how the two are mixed in the many adverse comments you list.
I think the pro-Vallas, anti-CTU, Illinois Policy Bureau forces were poised to beat the Mayor up on every issue they could. He has given them an opportunity.
By the way, it has been said that everything in America was about race or money and, often, both.
Interesting that the Bud Billikens parade was not listed. It is huge, goes back a long way and is a very unique Chicago event.
It sort of signals the start of the school year for Chicago kids.
Also eating pineapple pizza?? I think every tourist tour pushes deep dish Chicago pizza as the Chicago thing to do.
Finally visiting “gangster locations” was not mentioned - I think Chicago folks want to forget that part of their history. When I first came to Chicago many years ago I was told to take a gangster tour - get to know the city.
Great Visual ToTWs this week - I had a hard time picking between the winner and the R2D2/Musk one. I would have thought the "Quintessential Chicago Things to Do" would have higher percentages for some of the activities. What does "pineapple on pizza" have anything to do with Chicago? I noted particularly that none of your suggestions included "attending a Sox game" or "eating deep dish pizza". "Eating at Superdawg" and "eating at Weiner Circle" probably would necessarily include "eating a Chicago-Style Hot Dog", but that should have been a specific call out. Back when floor trading still existed, seeing floor trading at the CBOT or CBOE would have been on the list. (But I am dating myself.) Going to the Art Institute of Chicago not on the list?
I voted but was sorry the choice for attending Second City didn’t appear on my list as I would have chosen it. I agree with others that Chicago style pizza was missing, as were The Art Institute and the Museum of Science and Industry, and pineapple on pizza was a wasted option.
There are a ton of hot dog places that are just fine. Going to those 2 works if you happen to be near them, otherwise go to another one. As far as I'm concerned, the quintessential Chicago hot dog has anything but ketchup on it.
My favorite Chicago experiences were spending the day on Promontory Point barbecuing and then watching the July fireworks, and dancing under the stars at the Chicago Summer Dance. But I don’t think either of them qualify as a quintessential Chicago experience.
Regarding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s firing of Dr. Alison Arwady... people need only look at the documentary “LOCAL 1: THE RISE OF AMERICA’S MOST POWERFUL TEACHERS UNION” to see CTU's work to create a mayor that won by 16K votes.
Eric should be ashamed of himself. The picture of the church with the caption about God is not funny and is offensive. I'm glad the church survived the fires. Now ask the people whose loved ones died and all the property owners that lost everything how they feel about the way they were treated by God. God had nothing to do with the saving of the church.
Traffic Court. "Picasso'" sliding. Goodman's 'Christmas Carol' & Christkindlmarket. Old Town School class/event ('Songs of Good Cheer'?). "Opa!" at Athena's or Greek Islands. Big lunch at Manny's or steam table at Valois. Jazz Showcase. Fried seafood under the Skyway at Calumet Fisheries. Berghoff and Italian Village....
I misunderstood, thinking you wanted a list of what I have not done. Chicago has many quintessential experiences, many listed. Missing: drive Lake Shore Drive and drive Lower Wacker; neighborhoods; attend neighborhood festivals; enjoying ethnic food; Marshall Field's holiday windows; walk the Loop & Mag Mile when it's snowing; walk or bike the lakefront; ride the el; Frango Mints (or other favorite candy, which for me is Vosges); have a favorite local restaurant; Mario's Italian Lemonade; Manny's; Valois; bookstores in Hyde Park; holiday concerts; nitrates; gospel music. All Chicago's great museums combined, together with the performing arts, make up a huge part of what makes Chicago great. Reading a daily newspaper might have qualified once upon a time. I would not consider Lollapalooza, invented elsewhere, as quintessentially Chicago. And pineapple pizza? Did Zorn add that as a red herring just to see if people were actually reading?
Pineapple on Pizza is NOT Chicagoan, it is Californian. Should not have been on the list. Instead what should have been was a Chicago style hot dog, Maxwell St, Polish, Italian Beef, a Deep Dish pizza restaurant,, and a Chicago style diner with the preceding dishes. There is a Milwaukee diner that advertises itself as a Chicago style diner serving all the Chicago dishes, plus bratwurst for the local folks.
What are the quintessential Chicago experiences?
I understand you based it on reader input but I wish you’d made all of the food categories more general. I don’t think that eating a hot dog at one of those places is a “ quintessential “ Chicago experience. But eating a Chicago style dog is. (I’d also argue deep dish pizza but I hadn’t thought about food when the original question was posed).
The argument againt the Mayor started off by saying it was a big mistake to replace Dr Arawady (now, apparently canonised) and morphed into HOW the decision was communicated. The mistake, if it was one, was indisputably the Mayor's to make, but the manner was, apparently, oafish and a legitimate source of criticism. Just look at how the two are mixed in the many adverse comments you list.
I think the pro-Vallas, anti-CTU, Illinois Policy Bureau forces were poised to beat the Mayor up on every issue they could. He has given them an opportunity.
By the way, it has been said that everything in America was about race or money and, often, both.
I can’t believe that shopping along Michigan avenue and eating Chicago style pizza was not on the list for must-do Chicago experiences!
Interesting that the Bud Billikens parade was not listed. It is huge, goes back a long way and is a very unique Chicago event.
It sort of signals the start of the school year for Chicago kids.
Also eating pineapple pizza?? I think every tourist tour pushes deep dish Chicago pizza as the Chicago thing to do.
Finally visiting “gangster locations” was not mentioned - I think Chicago folks want to forget that part of their history. When I first came to Chicago many years ago I was told to take a gangster tour - get to know the city.
Read a great quote elsewhere (sorry, don't know the author)"Jesus couldn't win the Republican primary."
The "Putin on the Ritz" visual tweet isn't labeled or credited to the contributor.
Best crop of visual tweets ever! The Thursday crowd will miss out as they only get one of them.
Great Visual ToTWs this week - I had a hard time picking between the winner and the R2D2/Musk one. I would have thought the "Quintessential Chicago Things to Do" would have higher percentages for some of the activities. What does "pineapple on pizza" have anything to do with Chicago? I noted particularly that none of your suggestions included "attending a Sox game" or "eating deep dish pizza". "Eating at Superdawg" and "eating at Weiner Circle" probably would necessarily include "eating a Chicago-Style Hot Dog", but that should have been a specific call out. Back when floor trading still existed, seeing floor trading at the CBOT or CBOE would have been on the list. (But I am dating myself.) Going to the Art Institute of Chicago not on the list?
I voted but was sorry the choice for attending Second City didn’t appear on my list as I would have chosen it. I agree with others that Chicago style pizza was missing, as were The Art Institute and the Museum of Science and Industry, and pineapple on pizza was a wasted option.
There are a ton of hot dog places that are just fine. Going to those 2 works if you happen to be near them, otherwise go to another one. As far as I'm concerned, the quintessential Chicago hot dog has anything but ketchup on it.
My favorite Chicago experiences were spending the day on Promontory Point barbecuing and then watching the July fireworks, and dancing under the stars at the Chicago Summer Dance. But I don’t think either of them qualify as a quintessential Chicago experience.
Regarding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s firing of Dr. Alison Arwady... people need only look at the documentary “LOCAL 1: THE RISE OF AMERICA’S MOST POWERFUL TEACHERS UNION” to see CTU's work to create a mayor that won by 16K votes.
Eric should be ashamed of himself. The picture of the church with the caption about God is not funny and is offensive. I'm glad the church survived the fires. Now ask the people whose loved ones died and all the property owners that lost everything how they feel about the way they were treated by God. God had nothing to do with the saving of the church.
Quintessential Chicago:
Traffic Court. "Picasso'" sliding. Goodman's 'Christmas Carol' & Christkindlmarket. Old Town School class/event ('Songs of Good Cheer'?). "Opa!" at Athena's or Greek Islands. Big lunch at Manny's or steam table at Valois. Jazz Showcase. Fried seafood under the Skyway at Calumet Fisheries. Berghoff and Italian Village....
I misunderstood, thinking you wanted a list of what I have not done. Chicago has many quintessential experiences, many listed. Missing: drive Lake Shore Drive and drive Lower Wacker; neighborhoods; attend neighborhood festivals; enjoying ethnic food; Marshall Field's holiday windows; walk the Loop & Mag Mile when it's snowing; walk or bike the lakefront; ride the el; Frango Mints (or other favorite candy, which for me is Vosges); have a favorite local restaurant; Mario's Italian Lemonade; Manny's; Valois; bookstores in Hyde Park; holiday concerts; nitrates; gospel music. All Chicago's great museums combined, together with the performing arts, make up a huge part of what makes Chicago great. Reading a daily newspaper might have qualified once upon a time. I would not consider Lollapalooza, invented elsewhere, as quintessentially Chicago. And pineapple pizza? Did Zorn add that as a red herring just to see if people were actually reading?
Pineapple on Pizza is NOT Chicagoan, it is Californian. Should not have been on the list. Instead what should have been was a Chicago style hot dog, Maxwell St, Polish, Italian Beef, a Deep Dish pizza restaurant,, and a Chicago style diner with the preceding dishes. There is a Milwaukee diner that advertises itself as a Chicago style diner serving all the Chicago dishes, plus bratwurst for the local folks.