Chicago

606 trail bike ride

Elevated rails-to-trails across the northwest side. Sunset direction west.

Architecture river cruise

Ninety minutes of world-class buildings from the water. Docent-led boats only.

Art Institute lions visit

Chagall windows, Thorne rooms, lions out front for photos.

Blues night in Chicago

Kingston Mines till late. Two stages, no bad seat.

Chicago lakefront PR attempt

Dead flat, screaming crowds, personal best territory.

Deep dish knife-and-fork

Lou Malnati's buttercrust. Forty-five minute wait, zero regrets.

Deep dish vs thin crust day

One of each, no fence-sitting. Riverwalk stroll between rounds.

Garfield Park conservatory

Palm room in January beats everything. Free, warm, enormous.

Italian beef dipped in Chicago

Al's number one, hot peppers, stand-up counter only.