All quiet on the western end
nothing happening on State Street as regards NATO
05/19/2012 1:23 PM
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Quiet as a mouse at Roosevelt and State
After a trip out of the neighborhood yesterday afternoon (and a run-in with the NATO law) on the Blue Line to Wicker Park and back; and then a trip last night out of the neighborhood on the Brown Line to Ravenswood and back, I can say authoritatively, that there's not much happening from the south end of the Loop, and on into the South Loop proper. Not yesterday--or so far today. Whether this will change and evolve over the next couple of days, we shall see. My neighbors are saying it's a pleasure to go to Jewel with no crowds, the health club without a Saturday morning din, and so on.
There is, however, a constant droning (no pun intended, NATO) of helicopters in the air. Exactly what they are doing I don't know. Looking for trouble to sweep down on? Transporting various NATO visitors? Whatever it is, it is now an official part of the background noise of the South Loop.
The streets are akin to a major holiday in terms of traffic and pedestrians. The only clue to NATO was a duo of African gentlemen--perhaps part of the UN delegation?--brightly and nattily dressed, with colorful shopping bags, speaking a pretty foreign language around Wabash and Van Buren last night as my daughter and I scurried to the "L" station at Adams. I would bet anything they were here for NATO--and just ending a bit of shopping downtown.
In honor of the peace and quiet, I thought I would relay information from two local articles that were rather naively written recently--both dealing with where to eat during NATO. Exactly who the audience for these articles would be, I don't know. Chicagoans apt to read these articles aren't exactly going to be rushing into the eye of the storm for a meal out; and would dignitaries from other countries be reading either the Chicago Tribune or Crain's last week for restaurant reviews in the NATO area?
In any case, Crain's recommends Shor (in the McCormick Hyatt--a no brainer), South Coast on South Michigan Avenue and Zapatista on Wabash, just south of Roosevelt; a restaurant that they don't seem to like too much--so why they included it beats me.
The Tribune also recommends Zapatista, as well as Epic Burger and Tapas Valencia on South State, Mercat a la Planxa in the Blackstone, Manny's on South Jefferson, Chicago Firehouse at 14th and Michigan, Brasserie by LM--the new place in the Essex Hotel on South Michigan--and Gioco on South Wabash.
Happy eating--to whoever!
--Bonnie McGrath