Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Impressions
He glances at the new Civic Center, a tower of russet steel and glass,
fronted by a gracious plaza with a fountain and a genuine Picasso-
designed metalwork sculpture almost fifty feet high. He put it all there,
the Civic Center, the plaza, the Picasso. And the judges and county offi-
cials who work in the Civic Center, he put most of them there, too.
Wherever he looks as he marches, there are new skyscrapers up or
going up. The city has become an architect's delight, except when the
architects see the great Louis Sullivan's landmark buildings being ripped
down for parking garages or allowed to degenerate into slums.
—Mike Royko,
Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago,
1971
Malkovich, Joan Allen, and John
Mahoney are still listed as part of
the Steppenwolf “company,” don't
count on seeing them on stage.
Steppenwolf 's productions are
now a combination of new works
and imports from New York,
some impressive, some so-so. But
hardly revolutionary. See p. 258.
•
Most Overrated Attraction:
The
view is stunning from the
Sears
Tower Skydeck—
once you finally
get there. But long lines and
crushed-together crowds can make
you feel as if you're ready to hit the
road by the time you finally reach
the top. You'll enjoy the same vis-
tas from the top of the John Han-
cock Building, which is usually less
crowded and in a more tourist-
friendly location. See p. 171.
•
Most Overrated Store:
When it
opened,
Niketown
was something
new, a sports-as-entertainment
retail complex. Now it no longer
feels so fresh; it's really just another
sporting goods store with a more
limited selection than most—a
fact that doesn't stop the crowds
from streaming in. See p. 245.
don't expect anything special. See
p. 87.
•
Most Overrated Restaurants:
The
Cape Cod Room
and the
Pump Room
are two venerable
old restaurants in venerable old
hotels (The Drake and the Omni
Ambassador East, respectively).
Chicagoans who have been dining
there for years have a soft spot for
these places—understandably—
but they don't offer visitors any
dishes that can't be found at
dozens of other places—for much
more reasonable prices. See p. 128
and 129, respectively.
•
Most Overrated Entertainment:
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
deserves much of the credit for
making Chicago a thriving theater
town. Its in-your-face perform-
ances in the 1970s and 1980s—
featuring future stars such as John
Malkovich and Gary Sinise—were
truly revolutionary. Going to see a
Steppenwolf show meant a guar-
anteed thrill ride on an emotional
roller coaster. Alas, the actors that
gave Steppenwolf its edge are now
focusing on their movie careers.
Although names such as Sinise,
