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PIUG 2003 Annual Conference
An International Conference for Patent Information
Professionals
Patent
Analysis
Saturday, May 3 - Friday, May 9, 2003
Holiday Inn, Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL
(Planes, Trains and Automobiles)
The easiest way to find the hotel on a map is to look where the Chicago River meets its south and north branches. The Holiday Inn Mart Plaza is just north of this junction and is west of the Merchandise Mart. Additional information available from the hotel website .
Please mention PIUG when making reservations at the Holiday Inn, Mart Plaza (meeting site) in order to get the conference rate of $159.00 per night. The hotel has promised to give the lowest published rate to PIUG in case a better rate is available. Please call the hotel at 312 836-5000 to make your reservations. All attendees are requested to make their reservations before Feb 1, 2003. Thanks for your cooperation.
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Other Hotels Hotels in the vicinity of the meeting site are given below. Information about other hotels can also be obtained from Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Cityhotelfinder, Priceline, etc. Names and links to hotels and sites are provided for the convenience of attendees. PIUG does not endorse any of these hotels or sites.
Taxis In Chicago
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El Train From O'Hare Airport to the Holiday Inn, Mart Plaza
Purchase a train card at one of the machines in front of any train station. $1.50 will take you on any train, so you'll need a minimum of $3.00 if you are going downtown and back on the train. If you plan on taking public transportation around the area, you can get a $1 discount for every $10 you put on a card. Insert the card into the gate and when the gate opens, take the card with you! Though you don't need it to exit, you'll want to hang onto it for later use. See Public Transportaion..
General Instructions:
Take the Blue Line to Clark and Lake. Transfer to the Brown Line and take it one stop north to the Merchandise Mart. Walk through the Mart to the hotel.
Detailed Instructions:
Follow the signs from the luggage level in terminals 1, 2, or 3 to the underground train station. If you landed at the International terminal (5), take the free shuttle train to one of the other terminals and follow the signs to the basement (all well marked except on the elevators where the train station is indicated as "CTA" and will be the lowest level).
Take any train leaving the station as all trains go downtown (aka to the loop). This train line is called the Blue line (O'Hare) and goes down the center of the Kennedy Expressway where you can see the rush hour drivers sitting on the road. Smile as you go by, but don't wave at them. They'll still be there when you head back home. Take the train 16 stops, about 45 minutes, and get off at Clark and Lake. Exit the train and on the platform immediately turn to the same direction that the train is running (i.e., turn right) and take the escalator up one level to the basement of the Thompson Center. At the top of the escalator, turn left and take escalators to the second floor of the Transportation Building. Do not exit through the station gates as you are only transferring to another train line.
On the second floor platform take a Brown Line (Kimball) train north(away from the loop) only one stop to the Merchandise Mart. Note that both Brown and Purple Line (Linden) trains run on the same tracks. Exit the station at the Merchandise Mart and walk through (jog left upon entering) the Merchandise Mart one block to the hotel. Take the escalator or elevator down one flight to the check-in desk.
El train from the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza to O'Hare
General Instructions:
Take the Purple Line (or Brown Line when Purple Line is not running - see next paragraph) to Clark and Lake, transfer to the Blue Line to O'Hare.
Detailed Instructions:
To return to O'Hare via train, walk from the hotel through the Merchandise Mart to the train station (which is at the eastern door of the Merchandise Mart and take the Purple Line (Linden) south (towards downtown) only one stop to Clark and Lake. (The Purple Line runs only between the hours of 6 AM to 10 AM and 3 PM to 7 PM weekends only; there is no Purple Line service on the weekend. If you need to travel from the Merchandise Mart to Clark and Lake, take the Brown Line - same station as the Purple Line - around the loop to Clark and Lake). Take the elevator/escalator down two levels and turn right. Take the stairs next to the last escalator to get to the platform. Grab the next train going to O'Hare, which will be on your right after you go down the stairs. This is the Blue Line (O'Hare) and it does not share the tracks with any other line.
El train from Midway Airport to the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza
Purchase a train card at one of the machines in front of any train station. $1.50 will take you on any train, so you'll need a minimum of $3.00 if you are going downtown and back on the train. If you plan on taking public transportation around the area, you can get a $1 discount for every $10 you put on a card. Insert the card into the gate and when the gate opens, take the card with you! Though you don't need it to exit, you'll want to hang onto it for later use. Also see Public Transportation.
General Instructions:
Take the Orange Line to Clark and Lake. Transfer to the Brown Line and take it one stop to the Merchandise Mart. Walk through the Mart to the hotel.
Detailed Instructions:
At the airport, follow the arrows to the train station which is across the street from the luggage area. $1.50 will get you downtown, you might want to pay $3.00 to put your return trip on the card. Take any train (they all go downtown) for about 30 minutes. This line is called the Orange Line (Midway) and is a nice ride as it is all elevated. Exit at Clark and Lake and stay on the same platform and wait for the Brown line (Kimball). Take the Brown line north (away from downtown one stop to the Merchandise Mart. Walk through the Mart one block to the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. The main hallway is just to the left after you leave the train.
El train from the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza to Midway Airport
General Instructions:
Take the Purple Line to Clark and Lake. Transfer to the Orange Line to Midway.
Detailed Instructions:
To return to Midway from the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, walk through the Merchandise Mart one block to the Purple Line (Linden) Station. Head south on the Purple Line one stop to Clark and Lake. (The Purple Line runs only between the hours of 6 AM to 10 AM and 3 PM to 7 PM weekends only; there is no Purple Line service on the weekend. If you need to travel from the Merchandise Mart to Clark and Lake, take the Brown Line - same station as the Purple Line - around the loop to Clark and Lake). Catch the next Orange Line train which will take you directly to Midway Airport.
Rental Cars
Rental car agencies are located on the lower level near the baggage claim areas of Terminals 1, 2, and 3. From Terminal 5, rental car agencies are available by courtesy telephones located on the lower level. Many rental car agencies also offer courtesy buses to various automobile pick-up/drop-off areas. From the Airport follow directions to Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94 Eastbound) and proceed as given below .
Rental car agencies are located inside the terminal building. Rental car pick-up and drop-off points are located on Level 2 of the Midway Airport Parking Garage. >From the Airport follow directions to I-55 and then proceed as given below.
By Car - To the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza
From the south or the east:
Take the Dan Ryan Expressway (westbound I-90/94) to the Kennedy Expressway. Exit at Washington Street East (Exit 51C). Continue east five blocks to Franklin and turn left (north). Franklin becomes Orleans Street. Continue three blocks north and cross the bridge. The hotel is the first structure across the river and will be to your left.
From the north:
Take the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94 eastbound). Exit at Washington Street (Exit 51C). Continue east five blocks to Franklin and turn left (north). Franklin becomes Orleans Street. Continue three blocks north and cross the bridge. The hotel is the first structure across the river and will be to your left.
From the west:
Take the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) east and exit at Franklin Street. Head north on Franklin (which becomes Orleans Street) and cross the bridge over the Chicago River. The hotel is the first structure across the bridge on your left.
From the southwest:
Take the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) northwest to Chicago. Exit at the Kennedy/Dan Ryan (I-90/94 west) to Wisconsin. Drive north on the Dan Ryan and exit at Washington Street (Exit 51C). Continue east five blocks to Franklin and turn left (north). Franklin becomes Orleans Street. Continue three blocks north and cross the bridge. The hotel is the first structure across the river and will be to your left.
Taxis from O'Hare to downtown hotels cost about $35.00 plus $1 special tax and from Midway to downtown about $25 plus $1 special tax (make sure you tip at least 10% on top of the meter rate). You can also share a cab ride downtown for a fixed price of (xxxx) - just ask the taxi supervisor for such a cab. You do not need to reserve a taxicab anywhere downtown as you will be able to flag one down easily. A taxicab trip from O'Hare to downtown will take 30 minutes at odd hours and close to an hour during rush hour. Midway is about the same.
You can also take an airport bus to/from the hotel from/to the airports. Cost at Continental Airport Service is about $18.00 one way from O'Hare to downtown and at Omega Airport Shuttle the cost is $17 from Midway. Buy tickets and pick up the bus at the luggage level of any terminal but the International Terminal at O'Hare. (www.airwise.com/airports/us/ORD/ORDbybus1.html) It will take about an hour to get downtown, longer during the rush hour, but expect to stop by one or more other hotels. This is the cheapest way to get to the hotel if you do not want to take public transportation.
Limos cost $55 from either airport to downtown. ( www.bookalimo.com or www.allamericanlimo.com or www.chicagolimousinedirectory.com )
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) controls all the buses and el-trains in the city. You can buy a plastic card key at any train station and other locations and only need it to enter the train or the bus. Each trip is $1.50, but if you change modes or change to some el-train lines, there is only a 30 cent transfer fee and you can transfer twice as long as you do it under two hours from the time that you paid the $1.50. You can go from one side of Chicago to the other in some cases without transferring, so $1.50 will get you almost anywhere. El-train stations are about a half mile away from each other.. Buses are on all major streets and connect to el-train lines and stop every two blocks. You can add money to a card key anytime and get discounts based upon how much money you pay ($1 discount for every $10) and the card is good for a year. You can pass up to seven people through a train turnstyle or bus on one card, so, figure out how many times you will be using public transportation, buy one card (again, as long as you have seven or less people traveling) and put as much money as will cover your anticipated needs to get the best discount. If you won't be using the CTA too much, then don't worry about this.
You can also buy an unlimited pass which costs $5 for one day, $9 for two, $12 for three days or $18 for five days, but this is limited to one person and can only be purchased at selected locations, though these locations include both airports (you must bypass the machines and speak with an agent where you purchase the cards). Check www.transitchicago.com or call 1-888-YOUR-CTA for details.
The CTA help phone line is very useful. Just call it, tell them where you are and where you want to go and you will be told the best way to get there. You can also use the CTA website for the best way (walking, and also bus and el-train combinations) from anywhere in the city to anywhere else.
Ask for directions ( ron.kaminecki@dialog.com ) or 312-469-1707.
(Or why do dose guyz talk like dat, hunh?)
BY: Ron Kaminecki, Chicago
Suggestions and justifications of Chicago behavior and dialect.
Chicago has been called the "Vocabulary butcher to the world" for good reason. It is a mix of several languages, though most of the accent is due to a Germanic tongue. A Chicago accent is best exemplified by the Saturday Night Live skit on Da Bears.' Any word with a "th" is pronounced as a "d." or a "t." as in "I live on da soud-side." Same goes for "t" anywhere in a word which is pronounced as a "d" ("Adlanda" is a city in Georgia). One never pronounces the final "g" on any word using the gerund form of "ing" as in "runnin'" but the "g" in "bring" is pronounced. "Hey, bring dat ting over here and no peekin'" is proper Chicagoese.
Add a few "ay" sounds to any word with the vowel "a" in it. So, "Nancy" is pronounced
Nay-ancy, or better yet, Nay-ay-ancy. The longer the better. "No ch-ay-ay-nce dat Nay-ay-ncy got b-ay-ck yet" should take about three minutes to say correctly.
A typical greeting starts with "Hey" as in "Hey, how's it goin'?" To which the correct response is, "Hey, it's good, how's by you?" Then, the correct response to this comment is silence and a nod of the head.
"Ain't" is quite often inserted into any sentence, especially when the speaker means to be adament or is really scared, as in "Ain't no way dat I'm goin' in dere." The phrase "ain't got no" is used emphatically to state that the speaker really doesn't have any, as in, "I ain't got no more patience wit' dat guy."
The east coast "youse" is not heard too much, but "yas" (pronounced yaahhzz) can be heard. Don't say "Y'all" or the locals will know that you are from the south.
However, the word "you" is only singular; "you guys" is the plural.
Words in Chicagoese are usually run together. This is why Chicagoans prefer the "d" over the "th" sound as it is easier to slur when conversing. People in Chicago do not talk fast, they only skip the spaces and glottal stops between words. One office worker will walk up to another at noon and say, "D'jeet?" To which the correct response is, "No, D'jou?" Then they both go out to lunch having determined that neither had eaten as yet. If one then dawdles, the other will say, "Hey, s'ko!" which means "let's go, now!"
If you have trouble pronouncing any such words, just think like Chicago's Mayor Richard M. Daley (known locally as "Da Mare" or, more formally, "Hizzoner"), who has the best Chicago accent, though he has never finished a sentence in his life. Recall his father, the late Richard J. Daley who said during the 1968 Democratic Convention, that,"The policeman is not here to create disorder. The policeman is here to preserve disorder."
Chicagoese does not take to any difficult non-English pronunciations. The nearby river and suburb called DesPlaines is pronounced Dezz Planes; similarly, the suburb of Lyons is pronounced like the animal. The Chicago street called Goethe is pronounced more often as "Go-eth-ee" than the German "Guhrta." Either way, you may want to go to a different street.
Three words in Chicago that will get you anywhere: "Beer," "Piwo" (pronounced Pee'-vah), and "Cerveza." All will get you an Old Style beer in one of the predominant languages; Chicagoese, Polish and Mexican (known to the civilized world as Spanish). Old Styles sells 90% of its output in Chicago and is relatively unknown outside of the 606 zip code. Try it, you might like it. If you can't try Old Style, buy some Hamm's beer and filter it through steel wool. No got Hamm's? Too bad, it makes good Old Style.
One of the most difficult Chicagoisms to comprehend is a phrase that is spoken without actually opening one's mouth! The phrase is, "I don't know" and is mumbled with the mouth closed and the teeth unmoving. Try it while raising your shoulders and a look of confusion on your face.
Conversational No Nos
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IT IS: |
IT IS NOT: |
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O'Hare |
O'Hara |
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Soldier Field |
Soldier's Field |
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Cheesehead |
Wisconsinite (they get even by calling us flatlanders, or worse, FIBs (see, infra) |
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Hot Dog wid' everything |
With ketchup, ever |
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Ketchup |
Catsup (neither is put on a hot dog) |
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Wrigley Field |
Cub's Park |
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Comiskey or Sox Park |
Comiskey Park or worse, Kaminsky Park |
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Pop |
Soda (though if you ask for it, no one will flinch) |
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The Kennedy Expressway |
Kennedy Expressway (or worse, I-90/94 as no locals know the numbers) |
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The Dan Ryan Expressway |
Dan Ryan Expressway (actually the same road as The Kennedy, just south of the Ike (see, infra) |
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The Eisenhower or The Ike |
Eisenhower Expressway (or very bad, Ike Expressway; you might as well choke yourself on a hot dog with catsup |
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Lake Shore Drive or LSD (yes, it's called that) |
The Lake Shore Drive, but you can call it The Drive. Confusing, hunh? |
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D'ja |
Did you |
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Hafta |
Have to |
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Gotta |
Both "have to" and "got to." If you really want something, add "hafta" as in, "You gotta hafta have a doctor look at dat." |
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Turdy-Turd |
33rd, tree streets after turdy-eth. |
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Wanna |
Want to |
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Dunno |
Don't know. Use frequently, usually pronounced as one word as "Idunno" or mumbled with the mouth closed. |
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Gunna |
Going to. As in, "We're gunna hafta go now if we wanna get dere, even if we dunno whether we gotta get gas or not." |
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Wanchuto |
No, it's not an Asian dish, this is Chicagoese for "want you to" as in, "I wanchuto gimme a call tomorrow, hunh?" |
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Doncha |
Don't you |
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sumpten or sump'en |
Something (rhymes with pumpkin) |
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Punkin |
Pumpkin |
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Dese guyz (close by) Dose guyz (further away) Dem guyzs (unknowns) |
They. Because no one would use "them" as the first word of a sentence, Chicagoans fix this by adding the word "guys" to make it right, hunh? |
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You |
You, singular only, pronounced yaah |
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You guyz |
Plural of "you." As in, "I'm going now, you guys lock up when you're done, hunh?" |
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Ant' Knee |
Anthony. Strictly two syllables with first one stressed. |
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Over by dere |
Far away. Used at the end of any geographic description,as in, "Dose guys drove all the way to the Dells, over by dere." |
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Hizzoner |
His Honor. Used when referring to the Mayor (da Mare). |
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Hunh? |
Exclamation point. Used at the end of interrogative or imperative statements to assure the speaker that the listener understands, hunh? |
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Eh? |
A question mark used when talking with someone from Wisconsin or Canada. |
Chicago Conversation topics
Chicago
The Northside pronounced "da nordside" of Chicago has many neighborhoods and the Southside has three neighborhoods (pronounced "da soudside has tree neighborhoods"), including Midway airport, The University of Chicago and Bridgeport. The latter is the birthplace of the Mayor Daley dynasty. Even if you are miles away from one or the other, that's the only way to identify Southside neighborhoods. The Eastside is miniscule as downtown State Street (the dividing line between east and west is only a few blocks away from the lake. The west side is extensive, though most of it is lumped together as simply the Westside.
Chicagoans never call it downtown - instead, they refer to the Loop. However, they will often call it downtown for uninformed outsiders, or worse, for local suburbanites. Technically, the Loop is that area bounded by the elevated trains (called "The El"), but almost any downtown area is referred to as the Loop. The conference hotel is in the area called River North which is just north of the Loop. Typical Chicago line: Does this bus go to the Loop? No, it goes Beep-beep.
Illinois
The State of Illinois consists of only two areas: (1) the greater Chicagoland area and (2) Downstate. Everything outside of Chicagoland is considered Downstate. Even Rockford, which is about seventy miles northwest of Chicago is considered Downstate.
Chicagoland consists of Chicago and, roughly, all of the suburbs within Cook County. However, it is a major faux pas to say that you lived in Chicago when in truth you lived in a suburb.
The Cheddar Curtain
Another favorite topic of Chicagoans is people from Wisconsin whom they lovingly call "Cheeseheads" in general, or by the honorific, "Cheddarheads." You don't want to know theWisconsinite response to this (well, okay, they call Chicagoans FIBs. - I'll give you a hint: the "I" stands for Illinois). Chicagoans vacation in Wisconsin, sometimes to the exclusion of all other areas of the world. This often leads to animosity between the Cheeseheads and the FIBs due to the weekend influx of flatlanders to the rural areas of the Badger State and thus is always a topic of discussion. If there is a lull in the conversation, ask someone from Chicago about the Wisconsin Dells or about the bass run in Steven's Point. Then, just nod your head as you hear in great detail about the person's best/worst vacation.
Sports
Though outside of Michael Jordan's several year run in the NBA before he left the city, Chicago has the sorriest sack of sports teams in all the Us. Chicagoans always talk about the Bears and the Cubs anyway. For those who don't know, the Bears is an American football (not soccer) team that has won only one Superbowl in 1985 and the Cubs haven't been in the World Series since during World War I. So, strike up a conversation with any Chicagoan by giving hope that there is a chance for future glory by saying something like, "Think the Bears will do it next year?" And, if you really want to get into it, add, "I think so, but only if those Cheeseheads would stay in Wisconsin." You don't have to make sense when talking about Chicago's brethren to the north.
Directions
Chicagoans love to give directions. If you are ever lost in Chicago, just ask anyone for help. You will no doubt be told exactly how to get where you want to go in excruciating detail. If the person keeps on giving you directions, be advised that he/she will probably show you or even walk you there.
After you get advice, it is proper to repay the person by saying, "So, tink those Bears are gonna do it next year?" Always refer to the future with any Chicago sports teams as they are all inevitably losing this year. Say that, and the person may buy you a hot dog and an Old Style (see Infra).
Winter Chivalry (this still applies in May as snow is known to fall then)
In the winter, Chicagoans subscribe to an unwritten and clearly illegal, though enforceable code. It is called the "Dinette in the Street Code of Law." To wit: Six inches of snow have fallen, and you shovel out a space for your car in front of your house. You move your car and to keep others from taking your spot which you dug out yourself, you place one of the following in it: a dinette chair, or better yet a dinette table, a milk crate holding up an ironing board, or a broken rake. This behavior is similar to what dogs do to mark their territory. No one is allowed to move any of these items except you, nor is anyone else allowed to park in the spot. The penalty for violating this rule has been to find the offender's car encased in ice, put there by the dinette-owner spraying water from the garden hose on the car until it is covered in several inches of ice. The fact that this would take all night is meaningless as this is the only solution to such egregious violation of a sacred code of honor. In past centuries, the disputing parties would draw pistols at dawn but here the offending party would not be allowed to have gunpowder.
Question: How many Chicagoans does it take to park a car? Answer: Seven. One to park the car. Six to move the dinette set. Don't ever touch furniture in the street.
Smelt Run
You are in town right around the annual smelt run along the lakefront. Here, fishers toss out nets on long strings in the hopes of catching hundreds of these nine-inch long, soft-boned fish, which are usually gutted, beheaded, betailed, breaded in beer batter and fried on the spot within minutes of being netted. The fishers cannot send out their nets before 7:00 pm and they hope that the small fish are running that night, which they do only a few nights a year. If the run is on, the fishers will net several hundred fish and they tend to be generous with their bounty. Stick around, volunteer to help pull out fish from the net, and get a free, fresh dinner. And, if you're really good, a beer (probably a can of Old Style). You'll need the beer to get over the mercury in the fish. Fun for all.
Typical Chicago Food Groups:
Chicago hot dog
A Chicago hot dog contains an all beef wiener (preferably a Vienna Beef brand) that is boiled and served on a steamed bun covered with poppy (never sesame) seeds. Condiments include bright yellow mustard, fluorescent green pickle relish, chopped onions, pickle slice, tomatoes and celery salt at a minimum. Hot jalapeno (called sport) peppers are optional. Never ask for or be seen putting ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago unless you are four years old. Gold Coast Hot Dogs or Portillo's are good sources.
Chicago Italian beef
Italian beef is quite good but somewhat messy. Spiced beef is roasted and then is sliced very thinly and is piled into a bun with the thin gravy that results from roaster. You will be asked "hot or mild"(usually pronounced as "hot-eh-mah" in about a tenth of a second, so be prepared) which refers to peppers; hot are jalapeno peppers and mild are strips of cooked green peppers. If you are asked "wet or dry" it means with or without gravy. Wet is the default. If in doubt, ask for mild peppers and use taste as your guide. You can also opt for no peppers, which is fine. The result will be a soggy beef sandwich with no roughage or vitamin C! You orders your beefs, you takes your chances! Good ones are at Portillo's or Al's Italian Beef.
Chicago Mexican food
Mexican food is very popular and is considered an art at many locations. Ask for tacos whenever and wherever and you'll be okay. Don't worry, the hot sauce is usually given to you in an separate container: the green sauce is the hottest. No, make that the red sauce. Ummh, oh, better ask the waiter. Best Mexican food is at Frontera Grill.
Chicago chili
Chili has beans like you get in soup (okay, Texans can wait to get home to have real chili) and no spaghetti like you get in Cincinnati. Deal with it.
Chicago fish
Fish in Chicago should only be consumed at the four star restaurants as fish in Chicago either came from Lake Michigan (unlikely, as it contains a lot of mercury) or else was imported from the coasts. Also, at cheaper restaurants, "fresh" seafood in Chicago has most probably been frozen, defrosted, breaded, deep-fried and then microwaved. Only the pricier restaurants can afford real seafood. Beef is more popular, mostly because until recently, Chicago was the main processor of western cattle.
Chicago deep dish, not thick crust, pizza
This is one food you should definitely try while you are in town. Pizza in Chicago is revered by Chicagoans who tend not to eat it outside the city because they are never happy with the results. That's not to say pizza outside the city is bad, but, well, outside Chicago, just microwave a frozen one and go watch some soccer. Chicago pizza can be confusing as there is thin, thick and deep dish (also called "stuffed"). Thin means thin crust which is usually crispy like a cracker. Thick means a breadlike crust with the same level of toppings as a thin crust pizza, like a New York style pizza. Deep Dish is just that, it is more like a pie. The thinnest deep dish pizza will be over an inch thick (from the worst parlors) and the best will be over two inches thick. Unlike pizzerias outside of Chicago, a real Chicago deep dish pizza will take 45 minutes to bake, so be prepared to wait. Don't ever buy pizza bread in the meantime because you will be stuffed before the real meal arrives and you won't be able to finish one piece. Better to munch on garlic bread or salad. For pizzerias to visit, check out the restaurant guide elsewhere on this site. A Chicago pizza with everything usually means sausage, onions, green peppers, mushrooms and cheese; it almost always means no fish. Ask first. Fish is not a real ingredient for Chicago pizzas. Only order exotic toppings like ham, pineapple, duck or such at the swankiest restaurants as these are frowned on at the real pizzerias. And, yes, it is proper to eat Chicago pizza with a knife and fork; indeed, it is often impossible to eat without utensils. You can also ask for bottles of flaked red pepper, Parmesan cheese and Italian spices to sprinkle on top, just in case you decided that you didn't need to sleep that night. Try a deep dish spinach pizza if you can.
We hope that you enjoy your visit to Chicago, especially now that you know why Chicagoans do what they do and sound like they do. Feel free to try out your Chicago accent by leaving me a voicemail at 312-469-1707 and leaving me your phone number so that I can comment on your work!. Ya gotta problem wid dat or sump'en? No? Well, whatcha gotta problem wit den, hunh?
Things to do in Chicago around the PIUG meeting
Destination Tours (Museums, etc)
Other Sources of Information
The Zero-Zero address that separates the east and west sides and the north and south sides in Chicago is the intersection of Madison and State Street. This is where north/south and east/west are determined. Blocks are numbered, though in the Loop, two or more blocks may still have the same hundred number. So, 600 west Madison may be twelve blocks away from State Street. Outside the Loop, each block has its own hundred.
Main east-west streets are four blocks apart (one half mile) and the ones on the Southside are odd numbered and are numbered as 39th, 43rd, 47th, etc., and are even numbered and named on the Northside as Chicago avenue (1200 north), North avenue (1600 north), Armitage (2000 north), Fullerton (2400 north), Diversey (2800 north). Though Chicago is platted on a grid system, several diagonal streets radiate outward from the loop and include Clark, Lincoln, Milwaukee, Elston and Archer (which is based on an old Native American trail) and where these intersect main streets are found the most interesting neighborhoods. Outside of the loop, the el trains are the easiest way to get around and since most of them are elevated (some are subways but they are still called el trains), you can see the tracks from a distance and while riding them you get a nice view.
The conference hotel is just north of the loop in an area called River North and is just northwest of the North Loop Theatre District. Most of the loop theatres have been renovated recently and are worth looking at, even if you don't like the show. You can get same day half-price tickets at the Hot Tix booth, in person only, at 78 West Randolph (near Clark) or at 163 East Pearson (Water Works Visitor Center at the Water Tower). Check www.hottix.org for details. Downtown theatres include the Shubert, Cadillac, Chicago, Auditorium, Goodman and are a 5-10 minute walk away.
Walking tours from the hotel in general
In case you're curious, the Merchandise Mart is just that. A market for merchandise that is limited to designers only; unescorted public is not allowed in as there are no sales clerks nor even cash registers as the merchandise is for display only. Each store within specializes in some type of home-related merchandise such as lamps or couches. Thus, designers can look for the latest art deco lamp or a particular type of seating arrangement without having to be pushed onto fire sale merchandise. One stop shopping in one of the world's largest buildings. Also, it is owned by the Kennedy family. If you really want in, check the American Society of Interior Designers to locate a designer to take you through (actually, it's worth it!). It is possible to sign up for a tour, however. The hotel concierge can give you details.
You may have heard about the time about ten years ago when a coal tunnel under the Loop flooded when a pile driven pier poked a hole into the tunnel under the river and it flooded the entire downtown area for weeks. That hole is near the bridge just west of the hotel, though there is no evidence of it anymore.
Luckily, you are one train stop north of the nearby major transfer point (Clark and Lake) and only two stops away from the Red line transfer point. PIUG picked a great location in which you are very close to the el trains but also within walking distance of many destinations.
Note that you should take the Purple (Linden) el-train from the hotel to the ;loop and the Brown line to the hotel from the loop if you want to avoid traveling around the loop, though if you do, it only takes another twenty minutes and is scenic. Most el-train stations, including Clark/Lake, and the Merchandise Mart as well as both airport stations are handicapped accessible and all are clearly marked.
Walking tour from the hotel - East
Head north on Orleans four blocks to Ohio and turn right (east towards the lake). You'll pass by Portillo's (100 West Ontario at LaSalle, great Italian beef, large salads, voted best Chicago hot dogs and French fries), the Rock and Roll McDonald's (you don't have to eat there, but walk through it to see the rock collections: there's even an ATM inside). You'll also pass by the corner of Ohio and Wells where each corner of the intersection has a restaurant (Al's Italian Beef, Ed Debevic's and Carson's for Ribs, Gino's East Pizza see separate reviews). You'll see the Greek restaurant Papagus at 620 N. State in the lobby of a hotel. Or, walk one block south on Clark to Fado's Irish Pub (100 West Grand and is one of the few bars in the city that can pour a good Guinness. At this point you can:
Keep going east to Michigan Avenue and turn left (north) to see the Gold Coast and Chicago's largest shopping area (see Shop til you drop (next tour)) or
Head south on upper Michigan Avenue to the Art Institute at Jackson and Michigan or,
Keep heading east about a mile and you'll be at Navy Pier (see Navy Pier review elsewhere).
Grab an el-train to somewhere as the Red Line station is on State Street. See the section on pub crawls for more information.
Shop til you drop tour
(The Gold Coast Shopping Area, aka The Magnificent Mile)
Starting at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River, about six blocks east of the conference hotel.
Consider the boat rides that are right below the Michigan Avenue Bridge in front of the Wrigley Building. Or, a nice walk is north (just look for the Water Tower in the middle of Michigan Avenue about a mile away to find north) on Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River (Nordstrom's is one block north of the river) all the way to the Hancock Building (875 N. Michigan). Need a map? Try the Rand McNally store at 444 N. Michigan, just north of the river. You'll pass by catalog retailer Hammacher-Schlemmer (in the Chicago Tribune Building), multi-storied upscale mall City Place (676 N. Michigan), NikeTown, Crate and Barrel (the building looks like a crate and barrel) and also Water Tower Place (on North Michigan, wedged between Nieman Marcus (aka Needless Markup) and the Hancock Building. Water Tower Place has eight floors of enclosed shopping in which you can take a glass elevator to the top and then escalators down. There is an upscale food court in Water Tower Place called Food Life which consists of about twenty scenic stands that feature various cuisines including traditional American food (hamburgers), but also Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Italian and many specialties in between. When you check in you are given a credit card and then you walk around until you find what you want, order and the price is encrypted on the credit card. Little pricier than a mall food court but it's great for variety and quality, especially if you are with a bunch of picky eaters who can't decide what they want. For dessert, check out the Cheesecake Factory in the basement of the Hancock Building. You can take an elevator to near the top of the Hancock Building, but consider going to the bar on the 96th floor which is outside of the restaurant on the 95th floor. There are also various side streets close to Water Tower Place that feature small boutiques. This area generates over a billion dollars in sales annually!
While you are near the Water Tower at Chicago and Michigan Avenue (the location of the Water Tower - the only local structure to survive the Chicago Fire of 1871), check out The American Girl Store, (on Chicago Avenue, one block west of Michigan Avenue) the only retail store in the country for this quality line of dolls. It is more than just a store as it features brunches, theatre and other activities. Also, there is a Visitor Center just east of the Water Tower.
If you are near Water Tower Place, and haven't had enough walking, head about two blocks west to Rush Street, known for its restaurants and bars. You can always take a taxicab back! A cab from Water Tower Place to the hotel should cost $8-10.
Walking tour from the hotel - south
The South, East, West and North Wacker Drive Tour
Walk south on Orleans, cross the river and go to Wacker Drive. At the corner is where North Wacker Drive meets West Wacker Drive. Confused? Wacker Drive follows the Chicago River and because the river turns, Wacker has all four directions, perhaps the only street in the world to have such problems. The green glass building in front of you (333 West Wacker) won an award for fitting into the spot so well. The glass even looks like the river water!
Want a cheap thrill? Go to the center of the bridge and straddle the two cantilevered sections. Wait for a bus or truck to go by and you will know how an earthquake feels.
Also reflect a bit on the fact that an excursion vessel, the Eastland, overturned in the river between Clark and LaSalle streets in 1915, killing many, and some believe the area that you are in to be haunted. Also, note that this river used to flow into the lake, but the flow was actually reversed a century ago because it was polluting Lake Michigan. Now it pollutes the poor folks downstream. Think about that when you drink downstream water.
Head south on North Wacker past Boeing headquarters (you didn't know they moved here last year, did you?) and the Civic Opera House, and find the Sears Tower (which you can't miss as it's the tallest building in Chicago and arguably the second tallest in the world). You will see the addresses go down and then up as once you pass Madison, you will be on South Wacker. You can take a tour elevator to the top and if it is clear out, you can see three states. There is a great deli (Mrs. Levy's) on the second floor of the tower. Note the building with the wedding cake on top just south of the Sears Tower. Work your way east on Adams two blocks to LaSalle, which is the financial and legal area of the city. Walk north on LaSalle and notice the canyon like effect of the tall bank buildings along the way. The statue atop the Board of Trade is Ceres, the goddess of grain. Head north on LaSalle and enter City Hall at LaSalle and Washington to note the lobby and then walk into the Thompson Center (as in James Thompson, former governor of Illinois, just across the street and which looks like it just landed. Note the canyon-like lobby in this building. Cheap food court in the basement, but also a place to sit for a bit.
From here head south on Clark one block to Daley Plaza where the large Picasso statue is located. Walk to the eastern side of the plaza and (at Dearborn) and find a spot just behind the statue and to the left, almost in the street and look at the statue from behind to see a profile of a woman's face which is something that Picasso was famous. Across the plaza to the south is a statue by Miro, which also looks like a chess piece. Or did the Picasso look like a dog?
Keep heading south along Dearborn to the First Illinois Bank Building, also called BankOne at Dearborn and Madison. Walk up to within inches of one of the sloped concrete pillars and look straight up. It will appear that the building is actually leaning over your head. There is a very nice wall of tile in the plaza to the south of this building.
Continue south to Adams where the Federal Court is located at Dearborn and Adams and you will see a sculpture that looks like an orange dinosaur between the Court building and the post office. Mies Van der Rohe designed this area and the boxlike plaza gives it a certain dignity. That is, if you like boxes.
From here head east and consider eating at Berghoff's on Adams between Dearborn and State Street. Not hungry? Berghoff has a nice bar next door. Head north a half block on State Street and enter the Palmer House Hilton (between Adams and Monroe) and take the escalator to the lobby to see what a real lobby should look like - you can also rest your feet here for a bit. Bathrooms can be found up the second set of escalators. Stumble north on State to the Atwood Cafi at the Burnham Hotel at 1 West Washington, (southwest corner of State and Washington) - if the prices are too high, just peek inside as it's worth the look! Cross State Street to visit Marshall Field's store, enter the store and look up to see some very nice tiled ceilings.
Keep heading south on State as you are in one of the original shopping districts in the city. As you will pass by the Carson, Pirie Scott store, try to find the initials of Louis Sullivan, the architect, in the intricately carved metalwork below the clock. Cross east to Wabash Street (aka Jeweler's Row - pick me up a Rolex, if you get a chance) and head east one block to see Grant Park which has been totally redesigned over the last several years and now features large gardens, an ice skating rink and various sports fields.
Or keep heading south on State to the Harold Washington (an ex-Mayor and avid reader) Library at State and Congress (the blocky red building with the green stuff on top). This library is a patent depository library, so go make yourself a paper copy of US Patent #1 from the microfilm, if you miss work already!
Or, turn around and head north and one block east to the Art Institute on Michigan and Adams which is known for its Picasso's and its French Impressionist's. The art, not the artists, as they're mostly dead. It's free on Tuesday, so it tends to get crowded with students on that date. This is a great place to get souvenirs as the gift shop (which you can enter without having to pay to get in) is to the just right of the lobby before you pay and sells many copies of art owned by the museum.
Head north on Michigan to Washington where the Chicago Cultural Center (officially at 77 E. Randolph) is located. Enter the south end on Washington and walk all the way up the grand staircase to the top floor to see a great arched room decorated with tiles. This is the old Chicago library which now resides at Congress and State Street. There are typically free exhibits in this building.
Continue north on Michigan Avenue to the Chicago River which will put you at East Wacker Drive. Look down to the street to find the outline of Fort Dearborn which was situated here when Chicago was still wilderness. From here you can see the Merchandise Mart several blocks to your left and the NBC Tower (the art deco miniature of the one in New York) to your right.
Don't worry, the ugly Chicago Sun-Times Building is coming down and will be replaced by a Donald Trump building yet to be determined. The bridge over Wabash was a movie site in which Dolly Parton leaned over the rail and fell over, though it was her stunt double who actually fell. One wonders how far she would have leaned before she would have had to fall over the rail anyway! The building behind you (360 North Michigan) is where Paul ("Page Two") Harvey broadcasts which explains why the street signs at this corner list his name.
The twin towers across the river that look like corn cobs are part of Marina City, one of Chicago's early attempts at riverside living. It also houses the House of Blues at 329 N. Dearborn (312-923-2000) and is very close to Smith and Wollensky's (see restaurant review). The well-lit white building across the river on Michigan is the Wrigley Building and across Michigan Avenue is the Chicago Tribune. Either continue north on Michigan (see Shop til You Drop tour above), or check out the boat rides (see below) or else head back along East Wacker Drive back to the hotel which is right next to the Merchandise Mart. You will pass by Bacino's Pizza at 75 East Wacker Drive (between Michigan and Wabash) which has a very good "heart healthy" deep dish spinach pizza or Catch 35 for fish (at, of course, 35 West Wacker (note that Michigan Avenue is east Wacker and Catch 35 is west - when you are close to the Merchandise Mart, the street turns to north Wacker ) or a really cheap lunch at Pot Belly sandwiches about one block south of the river at State and Lake. The building at 35 East Wacker is also called the Jeweler's Building and was made with elevators that would accommodate a jeweler's automobile so that the jeweler could drive all the way to the office, minimizing the chance of getting robbed. Al Capone used to use the large domed auditorium on the top floor.
Finally, when you get back to the hotel, recall the scene from the movie The Fugitive in Dr. Richard Kimbal's location was found when the train conductor yells the words "Merchandise Mart" and the police heard it on a phone call - yes, this is that station. Watch out for one-armed men.
Non-walking tours that take you somewhere.
The Museums tour
The Museum campus, which contains the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium can be reached by museum bus or taxi (about $8 cabfare from the hotel)
Take a museum bus (#10, pick it up on Michigan Avenue between Lake Street (200 N.) and Chicago (800 N.) or ten minute taxi to the museum campus located at the south end of Grant Park at Roosevelt Road (1200 South) and Lake Shore Drive. All museums and major attractions are handicapped accessible. Here you will find the following three museums:
The Field Museum of Natural History ($13) Featuring Sue, the most complete tyrannosaurus rex ever found - this is the real one that other museums have made copies. There are also several real mummies.
The Adler Planetarium ($7) Definitely consider the Star Show at the Planetarium. You will be seated in a very comfortable seat that faces upwards and, because you have probably been on your feet all day, you have to avoid falling asleep! The show is worth it, and the seats are soooo comfortable.
The Shedd Aquarium ($18) Hundreds of tanks flank a 90,000-gallon reef of fish that are hand fed by a scuba dive five times daily. Also, the Marine Mammals addition to the museum contains several Beluga whales and dolphins and, of course, a fish restaurant. Other areas are featured, like the Pacific Northwest, but the newest addition, only weeks old is the Wild Reef exhibit with 500 species of fish and coral. Note that the large marine mammal tank has glass at the end near the Lake, so that it looks like the tank continues into the Lake.
All three museums on the campus are within an easy walk of each other and at any of them you can purchase a CityPass ticket that gives a 50% discount for the three museums, plus the nearby Art Institute, the further away Museum of Science and Industry, and the furthest away Hancock Center for $39, cheaper for children. (www.citypass.net/chicago/).
The view of the city from Solidarity Drive, between the Aquarium and the Planetarium is worthwhile. South of the Field Museum you can also see the abomination that used to be called Soldier Field - it now looks like a flying saucer landed inside of it. Though most of these museums are open from 9-to 4:30 or 5, it is possible to visit all three museums in one day and still have time for more.
From the Museum Campus you can take the #10 museum bus south to the next stop which is the Museum of Science and Industry, or you can bus or cab it back to the hotel. Or else walk north back to the Loop. It's about three miles to the hotel, but if the wind isn't too bad (N.B. Chicago is known as the Windy City and though we have a lot of wind, the name stems from the Chicago braggarts of the last century who wanted to have a Worlds' Fair and various editors of newspapers said that the politicians were full of hot air. Chicago had the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893). If you walk, you will pass by Buckingham Fountain (which may not be operating yet) in Grant Park.
Feel free to cross Lake Shore Drive (but ONLY at a red light!) to the Park from the Lake to see one of the most beautiful parks in Chicago. Ahead of you along the lake lies Navy Pier (look for the Ferris Wheel, so named because a Chicago engineer named Ferris made one for the Exposition of 1893) in which you can spend some time. Else, drop off at Jackson to visit the Art Institute (you did get a Citypass, didn't you?).
The Museum of Science and Industry (5700 South Lake Shore Drive) ($15 plus some extra charges for special exhibits), youth (3-11) $10 (but 50% cheaper with a CityPass) including Omnimax Theatre (9:30 to 4:00) and is the next stop south on the #10 museum bus). The building is a reconstruction of the 1933 Fair and has one of the world's largest model railroads (3500 square feet, over 30 operating trains), an indoor Boeing 707 airplane, a coal mine, and especially, a captured WW II German submarine that you can walk through. There is also a space center with a real Mercury capsule, a real Apollo capsule, a moon rock and the backup Lunar Module, in addition to an Imax theatre (360 degree theatre featuring special shows in surround sound/sight - best to sit near the middle). Somewhat unusual, somewhat controversial, but fairly educational, are the preserved actual human fetuses from almost the moment of conception to almost birth. Also, several slices of adult humans. Tell the kids they are plastic, as, like the real mummies in the Field Museum, this is the fodder of childhood nightmares!
Also, the museum is on the north of a nice park that is thought to be inhabited by the ghost of Clarence Darrow (of the Scopes Monkey Trial fame), whose ashes were spread in the park and who reappears periodically dressed as a lawyer of the period in which he died. Also, just west of the museum is the campus of the University of Chicago, but it may be a bit more of a hike than you might want to do. This is also the southern terminus of the boulevards system throughout the city. A cab ride back to the hotel shouldn't cost more than $15-18 or else take the bus back to the loop to save money.
The Lincoln Park Zoo is a deal; it's free. (2300 N. Cannon Drive, south of Fullerton, one block east of Lake Shore Drive). It is very compact and easy on the feet. The collection of great apes is worthwhile as are the polar bears and penguins. There is even a milk farm onsite! While you are in the area, you can also visit the Chicago Academy of Sciences' Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 N. Cannon) which is known for its live butterfly collection.
You can take the northbound CTA 151 or 156 bus found along Michigan Avenue to get there. You will also be close to the Chicago Academy of Sciences at 2001 N. Clark, just three blocks west and two south and also the Chicago Historical Society at 1601 N. Clark. Mitchell's Original restaurant is a good, solid food stop, though not gourmet, and is especially good for breakfast. The serve breakfast anytime. Ask for eggs from The Renaissance. Here, you are two blocks east of Old Town (check the tour and pub crawl section of this guide for more details)
The Art Institute $10, youth (ages 3-11) $6
Great collection of French Impressionists and Picassos. Look for the blue guitar player by Picasso. Walk up close and a bit to the side to see that he painted this picture over a picture of a woman with large, almond eyes. The museum store (to the right just before you enter) is very large and is a good place to buy souvenirs. While you're here, go across Michigan Avenue and just to left are ArchiCenter, 224 S. Michigan (where many architecture tours start) or the Chicago Symphony store where you can actually buy a piece of legal ivory (recycled from an old piano). Go through the Archicenter store and check out the nice lobby of the building.
The Hancock Building Observation Deck $9.50, youth (3-11) $6
875 North Michigan Avenue
Visit the third tallest building in the world. It's the one that's black, has sloping sides and X-framing along the outside. Take the express elevators on the southside of the building to the 94th floor and see eight states. Great view at night. Cheesecake Factory restaurant is in the base.
Navy Pier (Free admission)
600 East Grand
A two mile long walk east and a few blocks north from the hotel, but an easy cab ($4-5) ride to this 1930's pier that has been rehabbed and is now quite the attraction. It is also the starting point of almost all lunch and dinner boat cruises on the lake.
The pier features a large Ferris wheel that rotates continuously and offers a great view of the city. There are many shops, restaurants, theatres, and museums, including the Chicago Children's Museum on the mile long pier that terminates in a large auditorium. Charlie's Ale House, the Billy Goat Tavern & Grill (not the original Billy Goat, though), the Smith Museum of Stained Glass, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre are along the way. Walk to the Grand Ballroom at the very tip of the Pier for a very good view of the city in an extremely safe environment. Check out Boston Blackie's at 164 E. Grand just east of Michigan for great burgers or a very large salad on the way back.
CTA.
Public Transportation
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) uses cards and some cash on all of its vehicles. You can purchase cards at any el train (for elevated train, even though many are subways) station easily. A ride is $1.50 and will take you anywhere along the line. If you get off and go to another line, a transfer will cost you only twenty cents, but you must transfer within two hours, with a maximum of two transfers before you have to pay another $1.50. You can cover the entire city for less than $1.70. Several lines, though, have free transfer points, most in the loop, thus increasing the bargain. So, it is possible to take a train somewhere, eat, and return along the same line for $1.70, less than 10% the amount that it would cost you to park a car in a lot. You can add money to a card at any time. If you anticipate taking a lot of rides, buy extra at one time as you get a free ride for every ten dollars. Note that one card can be used to let up to seven people into a train or a bus. So, if there are several of you, consider buying one card to get discounts or just get cards for everyone for convenience.
Pub crawls plus (more than just bars)
(Aka neighborhood walking tours via the el trains)
The following suggestions below have been compiled by locals who have listed interesting walki