Summertime Chi
KD to the Golden State Warriors!!! That will always be the initial memory that comes to mind when I reminisce over my first time in Chi-Town. My girlfriend and I were waiting for our table at the jam packed Wildberry Pancakes & Cafe fresh off our flight from NYC when the news of KD joining the Warriors to create one of the deadliest mega teams the NBA would ever see broke. This being my first time in Chicago (I’ve been once before but only for 8 hours due to a delay on a connecting flight when I was 18) my taste buds were craving the famed Chicago style pizza, but it was 9am and I had to settle for breakfast food which wound up being some of the best pancakes I’ve had in a while. After scrafing down stacks of flufy pancakses top with stawberries, whip cream and maple syrup I was ready to tackle the Windy City.
I didn't know much about the city outside of its iconic figures that are synonymous with the city; Kanye West, Oprah, Obama, Common and of course his airness Michael Jordan. Before booking the trip to spend 4th of July weekend in Chicago some of the things everyone told me were “be careful”, “are you sure thats a place you will be safe at”, “why do you want to go there?”. The concerns of friends and family were valid ones, based off the news reports that we hear coming out of Chicago one would think the city was a war zone. Nicknamed Chi-Raq by rappers like Cheif Keef, parts of Chicago have been ravaged by murders, crime, drugs, gang violence and more. According to a report published by CNN Chicago registered 762 murders in 2016, the highest rate the country has seen in nearly two decades. But coming from Far Rockaway and living in Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn for years the one thing I’ve learned is that things are never as bad as they appear to be from afar and I was sure the city had great people and activites to offer. I planned the trip for the 4th Of July weekend so that we could attend the Taste Of Chicago Festival which was an event I had been dying to experience. Great food & music go hand and hand with a great time so at the very least I knew Chicago would satisfy my love for food and music. I left the city finding out that Chicago had so many greats things to offer and should be a place everyone visits.
The accent of the people from Chicago was a surprise for me, as we made our way through the scenic greenery at Millennium Park I overheard a distinct slang from those around us. It was like a sped up mix of deep south and west coast slang. Everyone was pleasant and eager to help us out when asking for directions to the nearest attractions in the area. We even got a fun fact from a native Chicagoan that a-lot of action movies are shot in downtown Chicago including Transformers which was shot on Magnificent Mile. Being there you could see how the city would be a great backdrop for movies with its historic architecture, rivers and open spaces. After touring the strip of luxury shops along the mile it was time to dig into the world famous Chicago style pizza at Giordano’s. This was by far the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life (no exaggeration). Before taking a bite I first had to marvel at the masterpiece that was laid out in front of me with cheese and sauce oozing from the seams. I advise setting aside 2–3 hours for a much needed nap after Giordano's, its instant sleep medicine. If you can resist the urge to sleep I suggest checking out the rest of the Navy Pier area where Giordano’s is located. Its great for anyone to go and catch the fireworks, ride the ferries wheel and to enjoy the atmosphere with the city lit up in the background.
Chicago is well known for its impact on the music culture with some of the greatest jazz, hip hop and rock artist hailing from the city. Every city I travel to I make sure to check in with my cab/uber driver to find out the best places to party, they have a real knack for knowing the ins and outs of the cities they drive around everyday. We were informed about great house clubs that played a version of Chicago go go but were told by the driver “its not the safest place to be after hours”. We took his advice and checked out lougnes in the downtown area instead which offered great late 90’s early 2000’s hip hop tunes. the energy was upbeat and good vibes flowed through Thewit which makes for a great night. This was probably the only occurance when we were forced to alter our moves due to concern over the safety of the location.
To wrap up a great 4th of July weekend we attended The Taste Of Chicago festival. This was a great way to feel the pulse of the city with residents from all walks of life in attendance. Music & food are best things to bring people together and make for the best experiences. To really capture the vibes from the festival I decided to put together a montage of clips and images from the day. Enjoy the clips then make sure you ignore all the rumors about ChiTown and book your first trip to the windy city 🌃 ✌🏾
