Category: Travel

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One of the best ways to see the best of what Chicago has to offer is on a guided tour. This is especially true if you’re a first-time visitor looking for ideas on top things to do. Yet by the same token, these public tours can be quite informative for repeat visitors like me. In fact, I just experienced each of these following attractions, whether it was a guided tour or of the self-guided variety. As much as there are others to consider during your visit, the following are my favorite and most recent tours of Chicago.

American Writer’s Museum

If you love American literature, you might want to put the American Writer’s Museum (AWM) on your itinerary. Just a short walk from Millennium Park, AWM isn’t a large museum, covering 11,000 square feet on a single floor. However, AWM is the first of its kind in the U.S., full of interactive displays and family friendly. At this time, public tours are not available on a regular basis. Nevertheless, you won’t have any trouble going on a solo tour, while admiring the permanent and temporary exhibits. Better yet, each of the exhibits are included with your paid admission. Among the highlights you can enjoy are the Nation of Writers Gallery, chronicling American writers across over 400 years. In addition, you may also like the Wintrust Chicago Gallery, featuring leading Chicago writers like Roger Ebert, Ann Landers, Carl Sandburg and Richard Wright.

Art Institute of Chicago

If you’re an art lover, you must absolutely visit the Art Institute of Chicago. After all, it’s one of the world’s finest art museums, as well as one of the oldest and largest. Moreover, you probably already have it on your itinerary. Although you can certainly go on a self-guided tour, with or without using the museum’s free app, you can also take a tour. For example, the most practical tour to consider is the Visitor Welcome tour. These tours last just 30 minutes and will cover artwork you shouldn’t miss, like the large collection of Monet paintings and Grant Wood’s “American Gothic”. However, you shouldn’t miss other notable pieces of art, like Andy Warhol’s “Elizabeth Taylor” and Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks”. That’s also not to mention Marc Chagall’s stunning “American Windows”. In this case, you may have to ask for assistance to find Chagall’s beautiful stained glass windows as its location can be tricky to find.

Bobby’s Bike Hike Chicago

Are you interested in a foodie tour? Bobby’s Bike Hike Chicago has it. What about a scenic bike tour of famous Chicago landmarks? Yes, Bobby’s has that and walking tours too, not to mention kayak tours. In other words, Bobby’s Bike Hike Chicago has a wide variety of affordable tours, with options for adults only, families with children and more. Although you can choose any tour, a Chicago Favorites Walking & Food Tour is quite popular. In this case, you get to try out some of Chicago’s most famous food items, like Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dog. Similarly, your tour guide will lead you to famous landmarks like the Wrigley Building and the River Walk.

More With Bobby’s Bike Hike

If that’s not enough, you also get to savor an Italian beef sandwich from Bongiorno’s and a brownie at the historic Palmer House hotel. Incidentally, the Palmer House was the first to create a brownie for guests attending the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Among the best in the nation, Bobby’s is led by Jeremy Lewno, who named the thriving small business after his father Bob.

Chicago’s First Lady Architectural River Cruise

Of all the many Chicago tours and attractions, the top recommendation might be a Chicago architectural river cruise. Although you have a few tour operators to choose from, I was fortunate to connect with Chicago’s First Lady Cruises. Even though any tour operator can offer you a splendid experience, First Lady Cruises definitely stood out. That’s because of its association with the prestigious Chicago Architecture Center, which also happens to be nearby. Another key point is that First Lady is listed among TripAdvisor’s Top Ten Tours in America. Furthermore, Chicago’s First Lady is also USA Today’s No. 1 boat tour in North America.

Length of the River Cruise

The 90-minute Architectural River Cruise will take you across all three sections of the Chicago River. During this time, your tour guide will point out famous architectural landmarks like Willis Tower, Tribune Tower, Marina City and the historic Montgomery Ward Complex.

Color Factory

As far as Chicago attractions go, the top thing to do at Willis Tower is walking onto the Edge at Skydeck Chicago. Indeed, what can be more thrilling than walking onto a small glass platform on the second tallest building in North America? Be that as it may, Skydeck isn’t the only thing you can do at Willis Tower. Indeed, there is the new Catalog, a 300,000 square foot addition featuring dining and attractions like Color Factory Chicago. The latter is a family friendly, interactive art museum that’s quite popular amongst Instagram and TikTok social media influencers. Indeed, Color Factory Chicago features several art installations across multiple rooms with eye catching imagery. In detail, you may find one mirror maze room while another room features an enormous green ball pit that’s perfect for your selfie. In all, it will take you about a half hour to an hour to see everything.

Inside Chicago Walking Tours

Chicago’s river tours are outstanding, with boats taking you to see several famous buildings representing multiple architectural styles. However, you just see the exterior of these landmark structures, thus missing the oftimes dazzling interior design. In this case, Inside Chicago Walking Tours is the small business I recommend. Not only did I receive a personal invite from owner Hillary Marzec, but the tours itself are phenomenal. Of the public walking tours available, I was fortunate to be part of The two-hour World Within (1) tour. In detail, a tour guide takes you to see some of the most stunning interiors within the Chicago Loop area. For instance, you get to see the lobby of the Rookery, noted for its Frank Lloyd Wright redesign. In addition, you’ll make stops inside the historic Chicago Board of Trade building, Marquette building and the Palmer House. Your tour concludes inside the Chicago Cultural Center, formerly the Chicago Public Library. It is here that you can see what may be the world’s largest dome made of Tiffany glass.

Rock Bottom Brewery Tour

Chicago is home to several outstanding breweries offering tours of its brewing facilities. However, most of these are not in the heart of Chicago, e.g the Loop and Magnificent Mile. Indeed, for you to visit a brewery like Lagunitas, you would have to travel about four miles from the city center. Some other popular brewery tours are even further away. Fortunately, you can visit Rock Bottom Brewery, which happens to be in the vibrant Magnificent Mile section. What’s more, there is easy subway access, since the Grand subway station on CTA’s Red Line is right across the street. The brewery tour itself is just $20 and will be led by either head brewmaster Ray Gonzalez or his capable assistant Zuriel. Afterwards, you can try out their award-winning beers, like Stadtstrasse Kolsch, El Soltero, Mob Boos and Barrel Aged Naughty Scot. Of course you can also dine at Rock bottom, with a menu that features pizza, handhelds, salads, bowls and affordable main courses.

Wrigley Field Chicago Tours

Taking a tour of Wrigley Field is the the next best thing to going to a Chicago Cubs ballgame. After all, you’re inside this historic stadium, second oldest in Major League Baseball. What’s more, your tour guides will take you around the entire ballpark while talking about its storied history. You even get to see but not touch, the famous Wrigley Field ivy covering the outfield walls. In addition, your tour guides will lead you through the visiting team’s locker room, the press box and other select seats. Your tour concludes right at the Cubs dugout, where you can have your picture taken.

Famous Visiting Ballplayers

Although the visitor locker room is much smaller than the Cubs, can you imagine the people who have been here? For instance, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and even Michael Jordan when he was with the cross-town White Sox. In fact, Wrigley was the setting for Babe Ruth’s called HR shot during the 1932 World Series. That’s not to mention baseball icons like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and inter-league rivals like Stan Musial and Ken Griffey Jr.

Another excerpt of story

One of the biggest highlights of my recent trip to Chicago was dining at Michelin star restaurant Temporis, After all, Temporis is just one of only 23 restaurants in Chicago to hold this coveted distinction. What’s more, I knew going in that Chef Troy Jorge would create some of the most beautiful dishes I’ve ever seen. That’s because this elite chef and I follow each other on Instagram. As a result, I’ve seen quite a number of his masterful creations on his and the restaurant’s social media pages. With this in mind, please take a look at some of his most dazzling expressions of contemporary American cuisine. By the same token, you can see what you can expect from a Michelin star restaurant in Chicago.

Temporis

Chef Troy’s current seasonal tasting menu features 10 extraordinary dishes that push the boundaries of creation and taste. However, Chef Troy took my culinary experience at Temporis an even higher level, with not 10, but 13 dishes. That’s not to mention the complimentary wine pairing and some noticeable upgraded ingredients. Be that as it may, there is no doubt your dishes will be just as enticing as any of mine. In light of this, I’ll try to focus on items that appear on the current menu. On the other hand, there are a few that deserve additional merit. As much as this tasting menu will exceed your expectations, please know that a new seasonal tasting menu may appear very soon. Despite this, you will not be disappointed.

Reference: For additional information on this incredible Chicago Michelin star restaurant and Executive Chef Troy Jorge, please visit the link as shown below for a story I published last year.

Selections From Temporis’ Michelin Star Seasonal Tasting Menu

Canapés

Chef Troy kickstarts off your immersive Chicago Michelin star experience with a trio of canapés, in addition to a vial of hibiscus tea. Although my items were slightly different, you can expect a delicious morsel of wagyu wonton along with premium Osetra caviar. The hibiscus tea also had an intriguing presentation, with a chemistry lab-like vial supported from a metal stand and stone base. By all means, consider pairing these bite-sized gourmet items with the superb champagne blend from Champagne Louis Nicaise. Similarly, you can always check with the sommelier for any of your wine selections, whether you like elegant, opulent etc.

Foie Gras

There is very good chance that you have never tried foie gras such as this. In this case, you’ll have a delicate foie gras parfait that’s served inside of an eggshell. For this reason, you’ll have to be careful when placing your spoon through this delectable treat. Once you get past the thin blueberry powder, enjoy the incredible flavors of blueberry, granola and Yuzu fruit. There is no doubt that you’ll agree that it’s superb. In fact, it’s one of the more memorable highlights of this evening full of gourmet surprises.

Caviar

One dish that wasn’t on the seasonal menu but worthy of mentioning is Chef Troy’s Caviar. Indicative of the Michelin star quality of the cuisine, Caviar is a tantalizing variation of the Vietnamese dessert Chè chuối. Remarkably tasty and inventive, it’s a gourmet soup with Thai banana, tapioca, lime gel and splashes of coconut cream. It’s also coupled with a miso banana bread crouton, edible floral accents and of course, your caviar. Lastly it features a dash of chili oil, contributing to its savory edge. Caviar can be paired with Bourgogne-Aligoté, a white wine from the Bourgogne appellate region in France.

Tomato

Although each item is as delicious as it’s delightful, I’m hopeful that Tomato or its variation will appear in the next tasting menu. That’s because of its vividly colorful presentation along with an item that bursts with natural flavors. This offering is a yellow tomato gazpacho with a flavorful brioche, cucumbers and basil. On the other hand, it’s a supremely elevated version, precision crafted inside a lowball cocktail glass. Tomato pairs exceptionally well with the sweet, golden colored Kracher wine from Burgenland, Austria.

Corn

The simplicity of its name belies its true intentions. Indeed, corn is truly one of the Chef Troy’s signature dishes. Indeed, it’s so enticing, it’s the first dish lauded in the Michelin Guide’s Point of View in the section on Temporis. A very playful take on an American staple, your star chef will bring out this dish with a lather of butter amid sprinkles of Espelette pepper. But the proverbial icing on the cake is when the chef grates a generous amount of black summer truffle. Lastly, don’t forget to sample the husk as it’s deliciously edible as well.

Basil (Mousse)

The last of the 10 items from the seasonal tasting menu, but certainly not the least is the Basil dessert. Although Chef Troy came out with one last surprise dessert, Basil stood out among the dessert creations. A decadently delicious finale, Basil has dark chocolate, black mint, Meyer lemon gelée and chocolate crumbs. That’s to say nothing of the finely placed basil leaves and additional accents. After it’s brought to your table, the chef or your server will then pour warm dark chocolate across a portion of this delicacy. This lofty grand finale is another example of why Temporis has consistently been awarded a Michelin star in Chicago. In fact, you shouldn’t be surprised if a second Michelin star is eventually bestowed upon Temporis restaurant. After all, Chef Troy’s cooking is by all means, certainly worth a detour and maybe even a special journey. He is truly a master of gastronomy and someone worthy of further accolades.

Synopsis

As the syndicated national travel writer for CBS, I’ve had the pleasure of dining at several Michelin star restaurants, including another in Chicago. That’s not to mention several more that feature a James Beard Award-winning chef. However, in terms of quality of cooking and presentation, I have not had a better dining experience than at Temporis. Although my days with CBS have passed, I feel truly fortunate that I’m still able to dine at some of the finest restaurants in America.

Parting Gifts From Temporis

One last thing I want to point out is a black Temporis box brought to the table at the conclusion of the evening. This contained a list of the August 31 Seasonal Menu plus the three additional food items. Moreover, this box further had a list of the wine pairings as well as parting gifts. In detail, green tea from Chicago’s Rare Tea Cellar, a tasty mini chocolate glazed donut and Persian watercress seeds.

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