For some reason I have always wanted to do this. Perhaps due to my Dad's birthday, St. Patrick's Day, we must be part Irish?? From Only Illinois: If you visit Chicago during St. Patrick’s Day, you will undoubtedly witness one of the strangest traditions in the country: the river dyeing. For five decades, Chicago has transformed the waterway into a shade of bright emerald green by dumping 100 pounds of environmentally friendly dye right into the Chicago River. This year will mark the 61st anniversary of this unique event. According to url=https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchicagoist.com%2F2016%2F03%2F16%2Fst_patricks_day_history.php&data=05%7C01%7C%7C642b22acf1294e103bda08dbee197842%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638365565398023001%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7... read more

Illustrious url=https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alinearestaurant.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7C5b80405382664132672108dbed0bf451%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638364407827473449%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rGTbjg0dZGLpophQFGxxOnmRsiLmXumlYKdiO3%2FlMA4%3D&reserved=0Alinea takes the art of cookery and dissects it to a molecular level, turning raw ingredients into amazing dishes using physics and chemistry. Everything on the menu is carefully planned by Grant Achatz, the restaurant's chef and co-owner, and a master of molecular gastronomy. Meals here are an assault on the senses, with each dish presenting a different thrill. Expect to see things like spherified dips, distilled liquids made from green chilis, and marzipan frozen with liquid nitrogen. Don'... read more

Some history from Far and Wide: On Chicago's South Side, Italian immigrants first started making Italian beef sandwiches in the ‘30s. Juicy and flavorful, these sammies are now available all over Chicago, but purists run to url=https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alsbeef.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cbfbf2ceefb734bfee33608dbb7e96c24%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638305985403362906%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=LZFGTZp0KpjmAi6VsQJmGwHeaF3nsIufI8Bo7BPzDJo%3D&reserved=0Al's, which still claims to be the originator of this classic sandwich. The chain still uses its original recipe to prepare dry-roasted beef coated in a secret blend of spices, topped with peppers and served inside a thick roll. Most connoisseurs opt for their sandwich "wet," with extra ... read more

Google says: Chicago, on Lake Michigan in Illinois, is among the largest cities in the U.S. Famed for its bold architecture, it has a skyline punctuated by skyscrapers such as the iconic John Hancock Center, 1,451-ft. Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) and the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower. The city is also renowned for its museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago with its noted Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. I started visiting Chicago in business back in the 80s. I much prefer Chicago to New York City, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Rome, or Moscow. For me, it is a big city but very manageable. Public transportation is very good, though O'Hare is a trek to and from downtown. The famous "El" can get me almost anywhere, along with an extensive bus system. I did not know: The ... read more

How many of you know who Dr. Ann Noble is? She was a U.C. Davis sensory chemist and (retired) Professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology. She is widely credited with the discovery of the Wine Aroma Wheel, which as an official website. Here is the wheel: img=https://cosmicpimg-prod.services.web.outlook.com/proxy/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwinefolly.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F08%2FWine-Aroma-Flavor-Chart-Wheel.jpg&t=eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCIsImtpZCI6InhnTVBsQk1oWTVlbCtsWUlYTVA5VGhXM1lTcz0iLCJ4NXQiOiJ4Z01QbEJNaFk1ZWwrbFlJWE1QOVRoVzNZU3M9IiwiaXNzbG9jIjoiU0ExUFI4NE1CMzU0MyIsInNyc24iOjYzODQ1MzEwMjU5OTE0Njk1MX0.eyJ1dGkiOiI0OTFlMzBiOS1mZTE0LTQyNTctOWYyZS01OWU4NTU4MzNiNTIiLCJpYXQiOjE3MDk5NTIzMjAsInZlciI6IlNUSS5Vc2VyLlYxIiwic2FwLXZlcnNpb24iOiI4IiwiYXBwaWQiOiJmMjA0MTUwNC0yZjgxLTQ5M2QtYWY4ZC1iNGIzNTBjZWZlNTciLCJpc3NyaW5nIjoiV1ciLCJhcHBpZGFjciI6IjIiLCJ0aWQiOiI4NGRmOWU3ZmU5... read more