Chicago Review, an American Woman’s Review of Her City

I welcome Katie today, an American who will give you her opinion on the city of Chicago.

Opinion on Chicago, the third largest city in the United States!

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To put all this into context, I met Katie during Polyglot meetings in Paris and we became good friends!

&nbsp ; Me: Hello Katie! Her: Hi Stefannn!! Me: We’ll start the interview, simply. &nbsp ; Can you briefly introduce yourself? &nbsp ;

I am Katie, originally from Poland. I have lived in Chicago since I was six years old and I love Chicago, it is my favorite city in the United States!

Ah! What is your opinion on Chicago! Can you introduce us a bit to your city?

Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. There are many ethnicities in Chicago. We have several beaches, very good restaurants, and many museums. The city is very cosmopolitan and multicultural through art in the streets (Street art), sculptures, and theater.

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What are the must-see tourist spots in Chicago?

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There are many tourists downtown (where the main tourist spots are located). You can see many tourists on the river boats that cross the city. You can also take boats for an architectural tour or use them as a ‘taxi’.

There are many people at Millennium Park, Willis Tower, Navy Pier, and Museum Campus.

Comparison	Chicago	NYC
Studio rent downtown	~1,500 USD	~3,000 USD
Subway	~3 USD	~3 USD
Public beaches	26 km	Distant beaches
Population	2.7M	8.3M

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Can you detail each of these tourist spots in Chicago in one sentence?

• Millennium Park is a large public space between the lake and the tall buildings where there are gardens, sculptures (like the ‘bean’), an open-air theater (where you can see free concerts during the summer).

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• Willis Tower is the tallest and largest building in the United States. There are even glass floors and windows where you can walk and see the streets below. I recommend going there during the day because at night you can go to the “Hancock Tower” where there is a bar. If you want to do this visit, they tell you the history of this tower which was the tallest tower in the world for several decades.

• Hancock Tower is a tall tower in Chicago with a bar at the top where you can relax a bit and watch the sunset quietly in the late morning. They say the best view of Chicago is found in the women’s bathroom. “American expression”.

• Navy Pier is a port with shops, and here you can take a ‘water taxi’ or go for a boat ride. You can take the ‘water taxi’ to the Chicago River or to Museum Campus.

• Museum Campus is a place with museums: an aquarium, a planetarium, and a natural history museum. From the planetarium, you have a very good panoramic view of Chicago.

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I want to go out at night in Chicago, what place do you recommend?

To go out at night in Chicago you can go downtown, there are nightclubs and places to dance/drink like “Soundbar”, “Level”, “Berlin”, “Excalibur”, “Rumba”, “Funky Buddha Lounge”, “Spy Bar”, etc.

The neighborhoods where the bars are located are Boystown, Wrigleyville, and the neighborhood where Weed St. is.

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I remember it was very cold when I visited you in Chicago 2 years ago, what is the best time of year to go? What is the weather like in Chicago?

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The best and only time to visit Chicago is during the summer…!! There are many concerts at Millennium Park and parties in the different neighborhoods. You can go to the beach and see all the buildings calmly.

In winter it is too cold. The city is beautiful for Christmas, but you see more people and the city in summer.

&nbsp ; There are beaches in Chicago! Amazing! Which beach do you recommend?

I recommend:

• Oak Street Beach, it is right next to the Hancock.
• North Avenue Beach, it is very close to Oak Street Beach, and it is very well known for sports.
• Montrose Harbor Beach, it is a bit further from the others, but there is parking and more space to walk around.

&nbsp ; Which neighborhood do you recommend for its authenticity away from the tourist areas of Chicago? &nbsp ;

The neighborhoods you can visit are Wicker Park or Lincoln Park. There are many students and young people in these neighborhoods, so you can find good bars and many different people.

What is the culinary specialty in Chicago? What do you recommend tasting? &nbsp ; Chicago is best known for hot dogs (Chicago style), deep dish pizza, and Garrett’s popcorn. &nbsp ; Hot dogs, isn’t that New York too?

NOOO. Chicago-style hot dogs are very famous! The well-known restaurants to eat hot dogs are Portillo’s, Hot Doug’s, Superdawg, or Gene & Jude’s.

&nbsp ; What is the image of a French person in the USA? What is the most well-known phrase Americans say in French? &nbsp ;

The image of the French seen by an American is of an arrogant person, who likes fashion and does not like Americans very much. But my friends and I really like the French and all things French!

Americans are well aware of the phrase ‘voulez-vous coucher avec moi’…

 M : I suspected it was that phrase 😀 Finally, what is the essential advice you would give readers about your city Chicago?

It is very important that you come to Chicago in the summer! Many people have told me they prefer Chicago to New York… If you want to have that same experience you must visit in summer, because you will be able to enjoy it more.

M : that is how we conclude this interview, thank you for presenting your city to us.

If you are preparing for your departure, take a look at our guide on Chicago Windy City which complements the topic well. The feedback on most beautiful cities also provides useful benchmarks to avoid unpleasant surprises. And for further inspiration, the article on focus on the is worth a detour.

E : You’re welcome, Stefan.

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We might have another collaboration with Katie on one of our other articles.

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And you, have you been to Chicago and what did you like the most?

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