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26 | January 31, 2019 | The Mokena Messenger life & arts
mokenamessenger.com
get out of town!
Looking for warmth in all the right places
Enjoy fine art, high tech,
and molten glass amid
winter in Chicago
Bill Jones, Managing Editor
You braved the elements of winter
in Chicago. Now what?
First and foremost, get inside.
While I love the city in winter, I’m
not a fan of frostbite (or even a lingering
chill), so I try to find prolonged
indoor activities.
And I always recommend a prolonged
visit to the Art Institute
of Chicago. While the museums
can feel touristy for someone who
grew up around these parts, and
certain ones lose their luster after
the childhood field trips, I only
grow fonder of the Art Institute
with time.
I find myself there time and time
again, passing a day or breezing
through some favorites from 5-8
p.m. on a Thursday (when it’s free
to Illinois residents). I always stop
by the Modern Art wing for Salvador
Dali, but if that type of weirdness
isn’t your cup of tea, there
are countless styles on display in
the permanent collection. The exhibitions
bring through wonderful
pieces, too, from the likes of Roy
Lichtenstein (my favorite in recent
years).
When I’m looking for something
more lively, Chicago is home to a
ridiculous number of barcades (bar
+ arcade). They vary in size and
quality, but my current favorite is
Logan Arcade in Logan Square.
It’s not the biggest, but I’ve found
it to be a lively spot filled with true
game enthusiasts as opposed to
trendier spots. And it’s inside the
Logan Hardware building, which
stokes fond memories of a record
store that previously inhabited the
space.
Getting ‘warmer’
Fun Fact: Drinking alcohol
doesn’t actually make your body
warmer; it only makes you feel
warmer and increases some risks
in the process. But don’t tell that
to the Bears tailgating crowd.
That said, a cozy spot and a good
drink feel right in the dead of winter.
And Chicago is lousy with options
for the drinking type.
For those with a penchant for
beer, a great deal of care went into
Off Color Brewing’s Mousetrap
Taproom, from the tiled designs
on the bathroom walls to speaker
boxes featuring some otter artwork.
And the beer is always a
good mix of traditional and experimental
brews that highlight
wild ales, but my favorite remains
the standard Dino S’mores stout.
Plus, it has a formidable cocktail
list, fun events and a wonderful
staff. And while they don’t serve
food, you can order from nearby
businesses.
Beyond that, you can’t go wrong
with Goose Island’s Clybourn
Brewhouse (despite the Anheuser-
Busch takeover). Moody Tongue
has beer, but go there for the German
chocolate cake (bring a friend
to help eat it). Lagunitas is a mustvisit,
if only to walk down the halls
to the tune of “Pure Imagination.”
And Revolution Brewing remains
my spot if I’m looking for good
food with my beer.
For the cocktail folks, there is
nowhere better (or more expensive,
fair warning) than Alinea
Group’s Office (if you like the
speakeasy vibe) or Aviary (if you
want wild creativity in a trendy setting).
Three Dots and a Dash also
makes wonderful, sweet drinks,
and descending into it from its alley
entranceway transports you
somewhere warmer, with the help
of a tiki vibe.
Make sure to grab a bite
Yes, I eat outside of the Alinea
Group, too, but find me a better
spot to be than at the kitchen
counter around the hearth at
Roister (next door to the group’s
aforementioned Fulton Market
cocktail spots), and I’ll check it
out. Until then, I’m getting the
hearty lasagne or splitting the
whole chicken and chamomile
entree with someone.
Keep it interesting for Valentine’s
Day
If Chicago is lousy with drinking
options, it is absolutely rotten with
romantic possibilities for Valentine’s
Day — but most of them are
restaurants. You can do better.
My favorite was taking my wife
to Ignite Glass Studios, a West
Town glassblowing space that also
offers classes. They do a date night
on which you can make a colorful
heart as a couple while learning the
basics of a unique skill, and pick
up your finished product by Valentine’s
Day.
Get out of Town! is a monthly travel
column focusing on relatively local
destinations and activities, with helpful
tips, readers’ stories and more.
This is Part II of a two-part winter fun
in Chicago entry.
Another Perspective
We asked readers on social media
about their favorite things to
do in the city during the winter.
They said…
“Garfield Park
Conservatory. Each
section, especially
the Fern Room,
offers a nice respite
from the cold.”
—Felicitas Camacho
Cortez, of Orland Park
“Drive to the airport
to fly somewhere
warm.”
—Lucas Engel, of Tinley
Park
Sarah Jones (left), this week’s contributing columnist and wife of Bill
Jones, works with molten glass at Ignite Glass Studios in Chicago, with
the help of instructor Josh Laabs. Bill Jones/22nd Century Media
From a small town to the big city
Sarah Jones
Contributing Columnist
From elementary school to
my sophomore year of college,
my brother and I joined my dad
and his chapter of the Antique
Automobile Club of America on
a trip from Iowa to Chicago every
other year in February. We
came primarily for the Chicago
Auto Show, but we usually
spent one day at the show and
another elsewhere.
I always looked forward to
our other excursions.
I have fond memories of the
Field Museum and Shedd
Aquarium. I remember seeing
the Lunar New Year Parade
in Chinatown and walking
through in awe of whole ducks
hanging in the windows.
Then, the club would get back
together at Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding
or Tommy Gun’s Garage.
And, of course, Medieval Times
in Schaumburg. That was a particularly
fun show, and we had
to eat everything with our hands
— something I’d never get away
with at home.
We also bundled up against
the Chicago winter to visit swap
meets. And there was a small
concession stand at the meet
that had one of the best burgers
I’ve ever eaten. I still remember
it more than 20 years later.
It was simple but there was
something different about it —
maybe pickle juice mixed into
the meat? I’ll never know.
These trips were always
something we marked on the
calendar and looked forward to.
For someone who did not grow
up around the city — or any big
city — Chicago has so many
hidden gems. And they made a
huge impact on some of the best
family trips we took.