What I’ve learned

Living in Chicago, this is what I’ve learned...

If you live on the North side, own an Acura Integra, and park on the street, sell it before it gets stolen. And don’t purchase another one after the first one gets stolen, because that one will get stolen too.

A bicycle is the fastest way to get around in Chicago, especially when dealing with weekend car traffic. Just be sure your bike lock does not have a round key, or you will be shopping for a new bike.

On the weekends, buses never come in the direction you want to go, but four go by traveling the other direction.

The popcorn salt at City North 14 on Western is terrible, so bring your own salt. Also, movies on Tuesdays are $5 and parking is free.

After midnight on a weekend, you are guaranteed to see something disturbing in the vicinity of Belmont and Clark.

Never ever order pizza from a pizza chain restaurant. We live in the deep-dish pizza capital of the world. Try Pequod's on Clyborne and Webster.
— Mike Florczak

The Seward Park Field House (on Division and Orleans near Old Town) offers a boxing class and open gym to learn boxing fundamentals and continued workouts for $20 a season. The Chicago Park District has a ton of programs worth looking into. Sure beats paying high membership dues and specialized class fees just to see if you like an activity.

The Backstage Bistro, 180 N. Wabash Avenue, is a great place to enjoy multi-course fine dining without the white-glove price. This is a culinary student-run restaurant with a “graded” emphasis on first-class service and meal preparation. It’s a wonderful place to go during business hours, but make sure to call ahead for availability. Backstage follows the Illinois Institute of Art’s student calendar and is closed during holiday and seasonal breaks.
— Jesse Alejos

Putting Italian beef on an Italian sausage is called a “Combo.”
— Heather Werner

There is an awesome burrito/taco place at the corner of North and Ashland called Taco Cafe. Get the “Cafe Taco.” Yum. Also, Las Pasidita at Ashland and Division is great. There are three of the same restaurants right near each other. The one you want is the northwestern most one. InnJoy has a large pizza and any bottle of wine for $25 every Tuesday, as far as I know.

Hilary’s Urban Eatery (HUE) is awesome for brunch, and they have good pie. It’s on Division, east of Ashland.

The best hot chocolate in the city is at a little nameless cafe around 1660 W. Ogden or so. I think the girl’s name is Cassie if she still works there. The weekend lady doesn’t make it as well.
— Matt Donnelley

American flies out of both O’Hare and Midway now (this is quite useful to know, as I have known people to miss flights at Midway because they just assumed their flight was at O’Hare).

The Matchbox has the best cosmopolitans in the city, and Oberweis has the best chocolate milkshakes anywhere.

There are still real old fashioned cabarets in town!

Even years after moving here and after all the business trips I’ve gone on, I still feel happy every time I first glimpse at the skyline coming back in the taxi from O’Hare.

The cold weather is a blessing in disguise. It weeds out the weak and whiney and has helped give Chicago its reputation as a nice, hardworking kind of town.
— Michelle Seagraves

When you’re a non-smoker, the smoke will always find you, and only you — be it at a table, at a bar, heck, even when walking outside, you’ll always be behind the smoker who just lit up. It never fails.
 
When you have your car broken into, and your CD case is not stolen, you’re grateful. When your car gets broken into a second time a year later, and the same CD case is still not stolen, you should feel insulted.
— Debbie Podmore

Got something to contribute to What I’ve Learned? Send it to info@TheRealChicago.org. It better be good.

Click here for more What I've Learned