Chicago tips

Dodo For Breakfast. Lunch Too.

food and drink

We love Dodo.  Our son, our out of town guests, us too.  The breakfasts are especially good. 
The other day I had a seasonal fruit composition and instead of the makeshift fruit one would usually be offered this time of the year, I enjoyed raspberries, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries and more all attractively presented on an ample plate.

Bacon was very crispy, just as ordered and the jam proferred for my whole wheat toast appeared to be homemade, not those tasteless generic foil packets.  If you'd like you may order just one pancake or one piece of French toast.  I've never seen that quantity on a menu before, have you?

One of my friends ordered the Daily Dodo Hash Bowl which consists of a choice of eggs and a special "hash of the day" announced by your waitperson.  There's a pic right here but I was in such a hurry to take it and not disrupt him further that I left the fork akimbo on his plate.  You understand.

The mystery woman pictured is an out of town visitor who may seem familiar from previous posts.  She's a great booster of chicagoTips nevertheless and a nascent newscaster herself.

In addition to this delightfully intimate dining spot, there's a gallery right on the premises.  My favorite things there are the "life" casts of rabbits and occasional other animals.  Peek through the fence to the north and you'll discover a huge, magnificent horse.  For the complete story  put "Chicago Reader - Art Imitates Meat" (without the quotation marks) in Google and you'll find their relevant lead story from 9/29/06,  bypassing their archive in the process.  No, this is not a PC story, sorry.

Dodo, 935 N. Damen, 773.772.dodo.  On weekends go early to avoid the line.

Homage To Franz Schubert

current calendar, music

AmerKlavier, a specialized piano program in the music department of DePaul University continues with their seasonal offerings.  You can easily expand your musicial horizons at these free performances and join the groups' expanding audience.

On Thursday, February 15 an outstanding group of pianists along with other musicians will offer an homage to Franz Schubert (1797-1828) including the Fantasy in F minor, 'The Shepherd on the Rock' and the Quintet in A Major, the 'Trout Quintet'.

The concert is organized by Eteri Andjaparidze, the coordinator of keyboard programs at DePaul.  Ms. Andjaparidze will participate in this program along with her students and colleagues.  It's a fine way to spend a winter evening!

Homage to Franz Schubert, Thursday, February 15, 8PM, DePaul Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden.  Admission is free.

This Is Lula!

food and drink

An inauspicious entrance in an unlikely neighborhood (Logan Square) belies the marvel within.

Lula's is a civilized treasure of a restaurant that is known but not known and I recommend it highly.  Its' owners, Amalea Tshilds and Jason Hammel are self-taught but gifted cooks and the menu at their restaurant cafe changes according to both whim and season.  It's heaven for vegetarians and meat eaters alike with multiple choices for both.

Our dinner entrees lately were grilled duck and hanger steak but if you order such fare you should be careful to specify degree of doneness.  Both were delicious but red to raw, requiring a return visit to the kitchen.

Another  special feature of Lula's is the choice of more formal serious dishes and lighter fare.  Breakfast and lunch are served too and I dare you to find many quality lunch places outside the central city.

It does get crowded in the evening so if you don't want to wait in the bar an early arrival is advised.  Weekends of course are most difficult.  Recently we arrived about 6:30 on a wintry Thursday night;  a half hour later is dicey. 

The noise level was ok, lively but not raucous.  (Some friends who entertain European visitors frequently reported to me that they were quizzed about the American phenomenon of requisite noise.  They found it a puzzle but we all know it's supposed to mark a "happening" place.  Ugh.)

I'm not a bad cook but I do like to go out with friends to participate more easily in the conversation.  A quiet restaurant is a necessity. Recently my husband and I clamped down completely,  issuing an anti-big noise fatwah for the places we patronize.

PS.  I also love to share this place with its' patrons because they are refreshingly devoid of affectation.

Lula's Cafe,  2537 N. Kedzie.  773.489.9554. Opens at 9AM; closed Tuesdays.  No reservations.

 

New Crowd, Old Statesman

art, culture, parks

A new sculpture to add to my favorites list.  Magdalena Abakanowicz'  "Agora" or meeting place is a riveting assemblage of iron figures recently installed at the southern-most edge of Grant Park, at the confluence of Roosevelt Rd and Michigan Av.

I went to explore on a cold sunny day and because of this I was alone at the site but I felt observed because of the crowd already assembled.  I've noted real people coming for a closer view in recent weeks and this day there were tracks in the snow so it's clear the city has a welcome addition.

If you're lucky enough to be there when the sun is out you'll enjoy the interplay of light and shadows but a somber day will have its' own allure.

What does it mean?  Different things to different people, so visit and let me know what you think.

An old favorite of mine but virtually ignored except for art historians is the magnificent statue of Abraham Lincoln at the south end of Lincoln Park, east of the Chicago History Museum and just north of North Avenue at the end of either Dearborn or State, I forget which.  It's by the famed sculptor Augustus Saint Gaudens who used a life mask of the statesman made in 1860 by Chicago sculptor Leonard Volk in his work.

Walk all around and you'll note that it holds its' integrity from all angles.  The statue was completed in 1887.  The enormous chair adds to the monumentality of the work.  You'll have fun finding it because it's more or less hidden away.  So much so that an occasional homeless person finds refuge on the bench area that surrounds The Great Emancipator.

Real, Not Retro. Manny's Deli Carries On

food and drink

Do you know Manny's Deli (and steam table)?  It's a Roosevelt Road institution, having opened in the area in1942. 

Here you can enjoy an enormous corned beef, pastrami or tongue sandwich for $9.95.  More mundane sandwiches are much less.  There's a steam table, a definite throwback to an earlier time and the place is efficiently run using the tried and true cafeteria line.

Among the specialties not easily obtained elsewhere are stuffed cabbage, prune tzimus, potato pancakes, gefilte fish and calves tongue.  Also, Hungarian goulash, oxtail stew, "American" chop suey, liver and onions and soup "de" jour.  Main courses are accompanied by potatoes, a vegetable and bread and butter.

The ambiance of this place is like no other I can think of.  Clientele are multi-ethnic and the affluent mix easily with the working class.  The decor is more or less non-existent or "getting down to business" which, of course is eating.

Manny's reputedly got its' name by thriftily utilizing the sign from Sonny's, the preceding restaurant at this location and changing its' first two letters, thereby honoring Emanuel or Manny, the teenage son of Jack Raskin, the original owner.

Manny's, at 1141 S. Jefferson, just north of Roosevelt Rd. is open Monday-Saturday from 5AM-4PM.  There's a parking lot in back and free valet parking at the door.

Practically One Stop Shopping Near Roosevelt Road

services, shopping and culture too

Yesterday I took a package to the main UPS shipping facility at 1400 S. Jefferson.  The service is great and it's less expensive than those UPS/Kinko places.  Did you know that it's also cheaper if you ship to a business address?

While in the neighborhood I realized I could do a group of errands in a very concentrated area rather than in the much larger northside sphere I usually use.  A huge plus is the plentiful parking and the lack of crowds.

After UPS I went to Staples for office supplies, then to the large and super well-stocked Jewel on Roosevelt.  After that I thought I'd try the Target on the north side of the street which I'd never noticed before but which has been there since the fall of 2004.

This Target has a large fortress-like appearance and there's lots of indoor parking, accessible by ramp and with an indoor elevator  The whole place seems a bit daunting and apparently I was not alone in my assessment since there were only a few customers at 10:30 AM, quite a contrast to the always busy store on N. Elston.  Once you go there, though, it's easy to navigate a return visit.

In addition to clothing for the whole family, electronics and items for the home, there's an expanded grocery (no produce) selection at very good prices;  some items are dramatically lower, such as Yoplait yogurt in small containers for 57 cents as opposed to the 75 in most grocery chains.

Additionally, I could have gone to my choice of two (one east of the bridge and one west) Walgreens, a Dominicks, a number of banks including mine, purchased gasoline at a decent price at the BP or Marathon station, and had lunch at the famous Manny's Deli and steam table, a large cafeteria-like place at 1141 S. Jefferson.  There are also a Starbuck's and a forthcoming Home Depot, to complete my list of large chains in the area.  Plenty of smaller businesses too.

On the way home, heading towards Lake Shore Drive, I got a fine glimpse of the newly installed Agora sculptures by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz,  at the southwest corner of Grant Park at Michigan Av. and Roosevelt Road.

"Winter Delights" Nixes Hibernation

culture, current calendar

Chicago Winter Delights is going on right now and will continue through February.  The city has divided hundreds of programs into 10 major categories including food, dance, ethnic celebrations, family entertainment, fashion, handmade projects, history explorations, jazz, blues and gospel rhythms, opera and classical performances and theatre discoveries.

To explore all these options just log on to www.cityofchicago.org/Tourism.  You'll be deluged with possibilities right away because of the multitudes of links.

For visitors there are discounted hotel and airfare rates, all accessible through this site.

You might want to stop off at the Chicago Cultural Center Visitor Information Center at 77 E. Randolph or at Chicago Water Works Visitor Information Center at 163 E. Pearson which are open from 8AM to 7PM, Monday-Thursday and until 6PM on Friday; Saturdays 9-6 and Sundays 10-6.  Ask for the free booklet pictured above.