re: Chicago Trip Journal

Thanks. Can't wait to be up in Chicago again.

Chicago's First Lady was who we did the tour through as pictured in the OP. Definitively recommend them.

Also, as for G&TG dish recommendations, the pork shank is my recommendation. Everything was good, but that pork shank may have been the best thing I've ever had. The empanadas were my least favorite dish, but were still delicious.

I second kadillak on the pork shank. I still don't know how they do it. It's perfectly crispy on the outside, but it melts when you cut it with a fork. It's outstanding.

Also, if you are an OT baller, you should absolutely look into Alinea.

I just booked an October reservation at Girl and the Goat--those motherfrickers were booked up.

finally got one- monday at 4:30PM. I didnt feel like eating at 10:30PM/

Added to sticky

Is Girl and the Goat really that hard to get a reservation?

I was in Chicago back in Mid June. About a month before the trip we changed some plans for our nights so we moved our Gibsons reservation from Thursday night to Saturday night for 9pm. I called G&G and changed the Saturday reservation which was for 930 or 10 to Thursday night 730 just like that on the phone.

Were we just incredibly lucky that it worked out this way about 3 and a half weeks before?

Well it was 4 people not 2, but I'll go with lucky then.

The city of Chicago just has the most incredible layout. It's like the city was designed specifically for tourism. I never really had any interest in "big city" vacations - I'd much rather do things like Universal or Disney in Orlando. But a coiple years ago we had to go to the Chicago area for a karate tournament, so we went a week early and stayed in the theater district before jumping over to the tournament site at the end of the week. It was probably my favorite vacation ever. Just an incredible city to visit with so much to do - and everything is so convenient to get to. Can't wait to go back, and it has me wanting to visit New York as well.