Edition: Kidding Around Chicago
Celebrity Concierge: Stephanie Izard
Author:
Winner of Bravo's "Top Chef" program, Chicago's chef Stephanie Izard plans to open a new restaurant here in 2009, location to be decided (she formerly operated the critically regarded Scylla). "I'm glad I could bring it home to Chicago, especially since it was filmed here," says Izard, who kept the drama with her fellow contestants to a minimum. "I went on the show to cook food, not start trouble." One thing for sure, she knows how to spend a food-filled day in the city.
8 a.m. My perfect Saturday would include getting up early and going out for a bagel and cappuccino at Violet. They have these big awesome cappuccinos and it's really happy inside and in their cute little outside area.
9 a.m. Then, I'd try to do something nice outside, like visiting the Green City Market (located at the south end of Lincoln Park between Clark Street and Stockton Drive; only open Wednesdays and Saturdays). I like to bring my coffee and wander around. You can get these breakfast crepes there, which I love, and then watch the chef demonstrations they have going on.
11 a.m. I usually spend most of my day eating or preparing for it, so at this point I'd head to Northwestern Cutlery & Supply. People go to other places and spend five times as much as they have to as it seems like mostly chefs use this place, bt anybody can go.
12:30 p.m. For lunch, I mix up food and shopping by hitting Chicago Food Corp's Korean market, the Joong Boo Market. It's awesome: you get a cart full of stuff for $50 you'd have paid $300 for at the grocery. I'm always like, 'Really?' It's an experience.
2 p.m. Besides food, shoes are my only shopping vice, so I'd stop in at City Soles. They have funky, different shoes; I have to admit, I like shoes that are sort of ugly, but cool to me.
3:30 p.m. Back to eating, I'll start with an early dinner at Avec. You can go in early to miss the crowd and the food is just amazing! THis also leaves the possiblity of a late dinner at San Soo Gab San, a great place to go with a group of friends.
5 p.m. Between meals, I like the little things. If it's a rainy day, I'm likely to head to the Museum of Science & Industry or the Shedd Aquarium. I love the aquarium's new shark exhibit. Or, I'd take advantage of Lincoln Park Zoo being free and stop in there.
6:30 p.m. For a snack, stop at Piccolo. They have all these different flavors of gelato and I like every one of them.
11 p.m. After all the food and good times, we'd probably end up at either The Map Room or Gold Star Bar. The former is laid back with a really good beer list and the latter is kind of a dive, but the kind of dive everyone loves. The Metro is good for live music depending on who's playing.
Lincoln Park Zoo
2200 N. Cannon Dr., Chicago, IL 60614
Lincoln Park Zoo, located in Chicago, is among the oldest zoological gardens in the country (established in 1868) and is also among the most modern. Generations of Chicago kids and visitors to the city alike take the time to stand face to face with apes and even go palm-to-palm with them through the glass. Human-to-animal interaction is mixed with the heavily scientific- and research-based initiatives here.
