The Chicago Traveler

July 3rd, 2008

Independence Day Fireworks 2008

Tomorrow, the United States will celebrate Independence Day, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. There are several fireworks displays all across the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs:
• At Navy Pier, the Fourth of July Fireworks are a ten-minute display accompanied with inspirational music. (9:30 p.m. – 9:40 p.m.)
• […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

June 26th, 2008

Taste of Chicago 2008: Taste’s Better Every Year

It’s that time of year again. The Taste of Chicago is an annual food festival, where dozens of restaurants from across the city gather along Columbus Drive. Millions of locals and tourists sample hundreds of dishes from every cuisine imaginable, from hot dogs to ravioli to veggie gyros to pad thai to empanadas to omelets… […]

By Matt B -- 5 comments

June 12th, 2008

Weekend Stuff

• Meet other cyclists at the Daley Plaza for the Bike to Work Rally, which includes live music, free t-shirts, and raffle prizes. (June 13)
• Celebrate Puerto Rican culture at the Fiesta Puertorriquenas in Humboldt Park, featuring crafts, food, live music, and dancing. The festival’s high point is the Puerto Rican Day Parade on Saturday […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

April 29th, 2008

Gordon Ramsay’s New Bleep-Free Book

For a few weeks now, I’ve been posting about the reality tv series, Top Chef: Chicago. Another culinary show I enjoy is Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen. The U.S. version of this cooking competition stars Gordon Ramsay, the incredibly successful and foul-mouthed British chef.
Ramsay will be signing copies of his new cookbook, Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food, in […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

January 8th, 2008

My Gourmet Kitchen

See that picture? That’s actually my kitchen drawer, full of take-out menus. I actually don’t mind cooking, but I’m not big on grocery shopping, preparation takes forever, and then there’s the clean-up. It’s easier just to call someone else to do most of the work. But most take-out isn’t very good for you.
My Gourmet […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

August 1st, 2007

Olive Oil

I’m not much of a cook. It took me years to master macaroni and cheese. But even I know that when in the kitchen, a great olive oil can make all the difference. There are a remarkable number of olive-oil stores popping up all over the city.
At Oil & Vinegar on State Street, the name […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

June 29th, 2007

Taste of Chicago

One of the largest tourist attractions in Illinois begins this weekend: the Taste of Chicago. For ten days, over 70 restaurants from all over Chicago set up tents on a half-mile strip near Grant Park, allowing millions of people to sample an incredible amount of food from several cultures. Whether you like fast food or […]

By Matt B -- 2 comments

May 16th, 2007

Kids’ Party Time

Kids deserve great parties. So if you’re looking for something beyond the cheesy magician for hire, Chicago has plenty to offer.

Liz Isaacs and Juliet Greene created Kiddy Cuisine to help promote children’s healthy cooking and eating. Cooking can be an excellent way for kids to find confidence and self-esteem. The two chefs take advantage of […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment