Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wrote most of the Chess hits. Staff give tours of the premises. It's pretty ram-
shackle, with few original artifacts on display. Still, when Willie's grandson hauls
out the bluesman's well-worn standup bass and lets you take a pluck, it's pretty
cool. Free blues concerts rock the side garden on summer Thursdays at 6pm. The
building is near Chinatown and about a mile south of the Museum Campus.
Logan Square & Humboldt Park
When artists and hipsters got priced out of Wicker Park, they moved west to the Latino
communities of Logan Sq and Humboldt Park. For visitors, these are places for small,
cool-cat eateries, brewpubs and music clubs. Take the CTA Blue Line to Logan Sq or -
California.
Near West Side & Pilsen
Just west of the Loop is, well, the
West Loop
. It's akin to New York City's Meatpacking
District, with chic restaurants, clubs and galleries poking out between meat-processing
plants. W Randolph St and W Fulton Market are the main veins. Nearby
Greektown
runs
along S Halsted St near W Jackson Blvd. The areas are about 1.25 miles west of the
Loop and easily reached by taxi.
Southwest lies the enclave of
Pilsen
, a festive mix of art galleries, Mexican bakeries,
hipster cafes and murals on the buildings. The CTA Pink Line to 18th St drops you in the
midst.
National Museum of Mexican Art
MUSEUM
( 312-738-1503;
www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org
;
1852 W 19th St; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun;
Pink Line to 18th St)
The largest Latino arts institution in the US. This museum's
vivid permanent collection includes classical paintings, shining gold altars, skeleton-rich
folk art and colorful beadwork.
Pilsen Mural Tours
WALKING TOUR
( 773-342-4191; per group 1½hr tour $125)
Local artist Jose Guerrero leads the highly re-
commended tours, during which you can learn more about this traditional art form; call
to arrange an excursion.
