The Chicago Traveler

June 23rd, 2008

Auditorium Building Settles into History

The Auditorium Building of Roosevelt University, completed in 1890, is the oldest (surviving) high-rise in Chicago. It is both a Chicago Landmark and a National Historic Landmark.
Several of Chicago’s biggest historical and architectural names were involved with the construction of this structure. Ferdinand Peck, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, was a founding member of the […]

By Matt B -- 2 comments

June 16th, 2008

The Play’s the Thing at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Navy Pier is a major tourist attraction in Chicago, offering a multitude of activities, including shopping, live music, virtual rides, restaurants, and cruises. You can even take in a bit of theatrical culture at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
This non-profit, professional theatre company was founded in 1986, when it performed on the roof of the Red […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

June 2nd, 2008

Cadillac Palace Theatre

The Cadillac Palace Theatre, another beautiful piece of Chicago’s historic Theater District, first opened its doors in October of 1926. Although the theatre may not look like much on the outside, it more than makes up for that inside. Visitors then and now saw breathtaking design inspired by the palaces of Fontainebleau and Versailles, both […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

May 8th, 2008

Weekend Stuff

• Jim Jeffries, an Australian comedian whose R-rated humor has headlined the Edinburgh Fringe and Just for Laughs, performs at the Lakeshore Theatre. (May 8-9)
• At the new exhibit Smart Home: Green + Wired, visitors can explore a real, three-story sustainable “green” home in the Museum of Science and Industry’s backyard featuring energy-saving techniques and […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

February 25th, 2008

Oriental Theatre

The Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre opened in 1926 to much fanfare on the site of the former Iroquois Theatre. It was the first theatre Balaban and Katz had built in the Loop since the opening of the Chicago Theatre in 1921.
The theatre’s Asian-influenced décor may be over-the-top, but it has never […]

By Matt B -- 5 comments

December 14th, 2007

Wintry Weekend

• Follow a trail of flour, chalk, and toilet paper on the Sixth Annual Great Chicago Anthrax Scare/Santa Hat Run. This four-mile run (for $44) includes a Santa cap, a hazmat suit, and four hours of food and open bar with the Chicago Hash House Harriers afterward. Meet at the Hidden Shamrock by 2 p.m. […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

December 3rd, 2007

The Chicago Theatre

One of the most recognizable and memorable Chicago landmarks is the legendary Chicago Theatre. Located on State Street in the Loop, the theatre is home to stage plays, comedy performances, concerts, magic shows, and speeches. For several decades, it was the city’s primary motion picture theatre and now focuses on live performances of popular music.
The […]

By Matt B -- 3 comments

November 22nd, 2007

Weekend Quickies

A huge 90-foot-tall (27-meter) “tree,” made up of more than 130 individual Balsam Firs, is the centerpiece for the 94th Annual City of Chicago Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. Musical entertainment begins at 4:30 p.m., lighting at 5:00 p.m. (Nov 23)
The Sparrow, an award-winning musical, is back by popular demand at the Apollo Theater for an […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

September 27th, 2007

Weekend Events

“If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”
–John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

June 25th, 2007

Navy Pier

It’s impossible to talk about Chicago attractions without talking about Navy Pier. It’s the place to go when you can think of absolutely nothing else to do. There’s always something going on there.
This 3,000-foot attraction on the shoreline of Lake Michigan was originally opened to the public in 1916. It was known as “Municipal Pier […]

By Matt B -- 16 comments