The Chicago Traveler

• After enjoying cocktails at Plan B, hop on a bus for a tour of four allegedly haunted bars as part of Boo & Brew. (Oct 30)
• Traverse the Trails of Terror, a half-mile of wooded trails in Peterson Park filled with creepy characters. Not suitable for small children. (ends Oct 31)
• ‘The Fear’ at Navy Pier is a tented, outdoor haunted house aimed at teens and adults, featuring zombies, werewolves, vampires, and more. (ends Nov 2)
• The Halloween Bash at Murphy’s Bleachers includes food, drinks, live music, a costume contest, and raffle prizes. Proceeds benefit the North Side Housing …read more

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Chicago may be known for its warm and friendly Midwestern ways, but the city has plenty of spooky tales and creepy locations. Here are just a few that have been featured right here on The Chicago Traveler.
• The site of the Eastland Disaster is marked by a historical plaque, but some visitors to the historic location have reported hearing screams and cries for help coming from the Chicago River. In addition, the old armory building where most of the dead bodies were stored is still in use today. Many of its inhabitants have reported unexplained voices, sounds of crying, and …read more

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The Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company brings together two things Chicago is famous for: pizza and Capone.
The Company is located across the street from where the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929 occurred, and rumor has it that the three-story brownstone served as a lookout point for Capone’s gangsters.
The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere, created by the pine paneling and wooden booths packed with tourists and locals alike. Despite the eatery’s name, you won’t find “Chicago pizza” here. Instead, the kitchen doles out a “pizza pot pie.” The creative dish includes a blend of cheeses, huge fresh mushrooms, homemade …read more

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There was a bit of dispute over my last Best Pizzas list, as I expected there would be. It is a Chicagoan debate that has gone on for generations and will continue probably forever. So, just to add more fuel to the fire, here is another list of Chicago’s ten best ‘pies’ (courtesy of Citysearch and Yelp).
Honorable Mention: Gino’s East. If you enjoy reading, the walls here provide plenty of material.

10. Pizzeria Uno. The one, the only, the original. Loosen your belts now.
9. Piece. These very non-Chicago-style slices are simply delicious.
8. Home Run Inn. This old neighborhood tavern offers the …read more

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In college, I earned my degree in English, and now I appreciate anything with an interesting literature twist. I was intrigued by the opening of Purgatory Pizza, and I thoroughly enjoy the performances by the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. But one of my favorite places to visit by far is the Bourgeois Pig.
You might be a bit disoriented upon first entering ‘the Pig.’ The coffeehouse is cluttered with an array of trinkets and charms: crystal chandeliers, hanging washboards, gas lamps, an old sewing machine, etc. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the various accoutrements, yet they all fit …read more

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Can you name the seven key ingredients for a Chicago-style hot dog? Here are ten great places to conduct your research (courtesy of Citysearch and Yelp).

10. The Wiener’s Circle. Love it or hate it, this greasy spoon has got a “charm” all its own.
9. Gold Coast Dogs. All ten locations follow the Chicago-style recipe to the ‘T’.
8. Superdawg Drive-In. The winking hot dogs on the roof will be a sight you won’t soon forget.
7. Huey’s Hot Dogs. While serving up great dogs and burgers, this eatery is also well-known for its vegetarian-friendly dishes.

6. Portillo’s Hot Dogs. Both the nostalgia and …read more

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Who doesn’t like pie? Better yet, who doesn’t like free pie?
The mobile Pie Hole restaurant is traveling the country this month, giving away free pie to celebrate the season premiere of ABC’s Pushing Daisies. Today, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, you can stop by for free pie, pie-cutters, spatulas, balloons, and more. Be sure to get there early, as supplies are limited.
For more information, visit PushingDaisiesTour.com or follow them on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/abcpiehole.
Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) www.YoVenice.com

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It has been some time since I last visited Pequod’s Pizza, but it was an experience I won’t soon forget. I actually used to work near the restaurant, and I’m surprised (and saddened) that I didn’t dine here sooner.
T-shirt-and-jeans types (many of them students at nearby DePaul University) enter beneath the blue awning and enjoy a contemporary setting with exposed brick and a casual atmosphere. Your mouth will water instantly upon arrival, as the smells of delicious pizza fill the room. You can tide yourself over with appetizers like chicken wings, breaded mushrooms, and jalapeño poppers.
Pequod’s makes both thin …read more

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• Fall is coming, and with it arrives the Berghoff Oktoberfest, an outdoor celebration of food, drinks, and live music. (Sept 17-19)
• Filthy Pervert Seeks Same is a risqué comedy (directed by Michael Hampton) that explores how gay men find love—or lust—using today’s technology. (Fridays and Saturdays, Sept 19 – Oct 18)
• No, you’re not seeing things. The RedBall Project is a traveling art exhibit of a 15-foot (4.6 m) inflatable, shape-shifting sphere, stopping on bridges, in alleys, and at other specified locations. (ends Sept 25)
• The fourth annual Lincoln Park Fall Festival features live rock music and beer and …read more

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• The African Festival of the Arts is Chicago’s largest neighborhood festival, featuring three music stages, ethnic cuisine, and more than 300 vendors selling everything from fine art to skin care products. Presentations include book discussions and dance workshops. (Aug 29 – Sept 1)
• The 30th annual Chicago Jazz Festival is the city’s longest-running lakefront music festival and features local, national, and international performers on several stages. (Aug 28-31)
• Get your fill of pierogi, Polish sausage, and sauerkraut at the Taste of Polonia, where you can listen to live bands play everything from rock to polka. (Aug 29 – Sept …read more

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