Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP1 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

Chicago

CHICAGO, THE BIRTHPLACE OF SKYSCRAPERS, ASCENDS EVER HIGHER INTO CITY STARDOM WITH ITS CULTURAL REACH, CULINARY FIREWORKS, AND ARCHITECTURAL ICONS.

Its relatively short history spans less than

two centuries, but the city has thrilled and

thrived over the years, becoming a first-

rate destination for its world-class food

and drink, jazz and blues, comedy, art,

culture, sports and the great outdoors.

Though the city may be frigid in winter, it

is glorious in summer, and with its prime

position on the shores of great Lake

Michigan, its iconic downtown skyline, and

some of the friendliest inhabitants in the

land, Chicago is everyone’s kind of town.

The cult pocket city guides and mobile

apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler

www.luxecityguides.comCITI PRESENTS LUXE CITY GUIDES

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP2 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

• Mid-spring to mid-autumn (Apr-Oct)

is the best time to visit; during the

winter your freezer will be cozier.

• O’Hare International Airport to

downtown by cab: $35-40 (meter) /

30 mins to 1 hour, but fares can add

up in rush hour.

• The city has a grid system starting

at Madison and State, where it is

0/0, and goes up in either direction

(e.g. 10 E Madison, 10 W Madison, 10

S State, 10 N State).

• There’s no subway, it’s the ‘El’ and it

runs (mostly) overhead, but cabs are

easier, quicker and plentiful.

Blah blah• It’s the conservative Midwest, many

establishments still require blazers

and slacks, and forbid trainers.

• Go beyond the Gold Coast and head

out to Bucktown, Lincoln Park etc.

to really get to know the city.

• Lake Michigan is beautiful and is the

reason that many people live in (and

love) Chicago, so get out there.

• The Windy City is also convention

central, making it impossible at

times to get a room or dining

reservations.

• Major league baseball Apr-Sep =

Wrigley Field, Cubs, bleacher bums,

fanatics and crazed alcoholics.

• Intl country code is +1. 773 and 312

are the two main area codes, which

you must dial even when calling

local. 847 is the code for the north,

630 and 708 for the west and south

suburbs. And, in an emergency,

dial 911.

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP3 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

Editor-in-Chief of luxury lifestyle

magazine Chicago Social, Korey is also

Group Editor of the Modern Luxury

Chicago ancillary titles, including The

Men’s Book, CS Interiors and Front

Desk magazines. She also hosts trend

segments on Chicago’s local ABC affiliate

(WLS), and has written for Chicago

magazine, the RedEye edition of the

Chicago Tribune and Glamour.

LUXE INSIDER

Korey Karnes Huyler / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP4 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

1) WHAT’S THE ONE THING EVERY VISITOR TO YOUR CITY MUST DO AND WHY?

Run or walk on the lake path! It gets

really crowded in the summer, but

provides the best city views, as well as

great exercise and people watching.

There are underpasses throughout

downtown to get there, but the area

around Fullerton has the best views

looking south.

2) WHEN YOU WANT TO SPLURGE, WHAT RESTAURANT DO YOU GO TO?

If you want to splurge, you go to

Alinea, Grant Achatz’s 3 Michelin-

starred restaurant that is one of the

best in the world. This multi-course

molecular gastronomy restaurant

is an entire night’s experience, but

foodies from around the globe

flock to Chicago to try his

cutting-edge cuisine.

www.alinea-restaurant.com

3) WHERE WOULD YOU GO FOR A COCKTAIL AND WHAT WOULD YOU ORDER?

There are tons of great rooftop bars

in Chicago, but the one with the best

view is The Terrace at Trump Tower.

I tell everyone to go have a glass of

wine there. It’s spectacular.

www.trumpchicago.com

4) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD TO VISIT FOR A DAY OF SHOPPING?

Damen Avenue in Bucktown has

independent boutiques alongside

bigger names, for kids, women and

men. Some of the best local boutiques

for women include p.45, Tangerine,

Helen Yi, Michelle Tan, The Edit, Roslyn,

and Robin Richman.

www.p45.com

www.shopattangerine.com

www.helenyi.com

www.shoptheedit.com

www.roslynboutique.com

www.robinrichman.com

5) WHERE DO YOU GO FOR A PAMPER SESSION IN YOUR CITY?

Though there are lots of amazing

spas in Chicago (The Peninsula, The

Spa at Four Seasons, Trump), my

opinion is that the Elysian Spa &

Health Club at the Waldorf-Astoria

hotel is by far the best spa in the

city. Since the hotel is still just a few

years old, it still has a new feel and

is so luxurious. The spacious lounge

areas offer steam rooms, saunas,

hot tubs, and the waiting area—

where you sit in your robe before

your treatment—is so relaxing and

beautiful. I recommend you go at least

30 minutes early just to relax. Lastly,

the hotel has a no tipping policy,

which is hard to beat!

www.waldorfastoria.com

LUXE INSIDER

Korey Karnes Huyler / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP5 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

LUXE Loves

PUBLIC CHICAGO Accommodation

First in a new generation of hotels

from über-hotelier Ian Schrager, this

ultra modern abode is cool, calm

and collected, with 285 all-white

minimalist rooms and suites. Star chef

Jean-Georges Vongerichten oversees

the menu at the revamped Pump

Room restaurant.

DOUGHNUT VAULT Dining

Not your neighborhood Dunkin’, this

hole in the wall on Chicago’s North

Side sells hundreds of handmade

doughnuts to hordes of busy locals

every day, with flavors ranging from

home-style classics like buttermilk old-

fashioned to inventive chestnut-glazed

and red velvet. Go early.

NEXT Dining

Alinea’s chef extraordinaire Grant

Achatz gives the masses a chance

to try his quarterly rotating, cuisine

or period-themed menus with a

revolutionary online ticket booking

system (plus same-day tickets

released via Facebook) that has all the

foodies flocking. Ready, set, click!

1301 N State / Gold Coast /

+1 888 506 3471

www.publichotels.com

4011/2 N Franklin / River North / from

8:30am Tue-Fri, from 9:30am Sat

www.thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com

Best to follow @DoughnutVault on Twitter

for up-to-the-minute updates.

935 W Fulton Market / Fulton Market

/ online ticket system with payment

made at time of booking, price

includes food and tip, with or

without drinks.

www.nextrestaurant.com

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP6 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

LUXE Loves

THE VIOLET HOUR Bar

Slip past the unmarked door into this

modern day speakeasy, and you’ll

be amply rewarded, with one of

Chicago’s most impressive artisanal

drinks list, featuring hand-cut ice

and hand-produced syrups and

bitters. This temple to fine drinking’s

set of house rules also means

you’ll be in a blissfully peaceful,

mobile phone-free environment.

THE MODERN WING AT THE ART INSTITUTE CHICAGO Activities

Spend a day with some of art’s

greatest visionaries at the Renzo

Piano-designed home for the Art

Institute’s collection of C. 20th-21st

modern Euro painting and sculpture,

contemporary art, architecture, design

and photography, then graze on the

fabulous summer terrace at Terzo

Piano restaurant.

CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION Activities

The non-profit CAF has architecture

tours fit for any skyscraper gazer and

Lloyd Wright buff, but don’t miss the

90-minute river cruise, which covers

over 50 architectural landmarks

and is a top spot to catch Chicago’s

stunning skyline.

1520 N Damen / Wicker Park /

+1 773 252 1500 / from 6pm

daily / no res

www.theviolethour.com

Art Institute Chicago / 111 S Michigan

/ The Loop / +1 312 443 3600 /

10:30am-5pm daily, until 8pm Thu

www.artic.edu

+1 312 922 3432

www.architecture.org

GOOSEFOOT Dining

Chris Nugent’s offbeat hideaway

swiftly seduced the city’s gastronomes

with just one 8-course contemporary

American menu and 34 coveted spots

each night. The low-key environment,

local ingredients, BYO and great service

all add up to a delightful experience.

PICCOLO SOGNO Dining

‘Little dream’ in Italian, this charming

restaurant lives up to its name. The

lovely patio is unbeatable in the

summer, attracting sun-seekers like

bees to honey, but even in freezing

weather the cozy interior and hearty

Italian fare hits the spot.

AVIARY Bar

This cutting-edge cocktail lab from the

Alinea team serves up flavor-packed bar

bites like tempura-fried crab croquettes

or rhubarb-jelly-and-foie-gras bonbons

alongside exquisite handcrafted drinks

– the Ginger (with shaved ginger and

chillies) and Oolong (infused pear

brandy and gin) are must-tries.

Online reservation.

955 W Fulton Market / West Loop

/ +1 312 226 0868

www.theaviary.com

464 N Halsted / River East / +1 312

421 0077 / lunch Mon-Fri,

dinner daily

www.piccolosognorestaurant.com

2656 West Lawrence Ave / Lincoln

Square / +1 773 942 7547

www.goosefoot.net

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP7 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

LUXE LovesDOSE MARKET Shopping

The city’s savviest shoppers pack the

aisles at this monthly pop up market

of Chicago’s finest purveyors of food

and fashion. The rotating vendors list

is curated with local, artisanal, and

high-design standards in mind, so

there are new standouts to sample

and savor with each visit.

DRUMBAR Bar

At cocktail haven Drumbar, set on

the rooftop of the Raffaelo Hotel,

the low-lit interiors are reminiscent

of a speakeasy, while the two patios

brings to mind a sunny day in Miami.

With fabulous Lake Michigan views,

a swish menu of small plates and

signature cocktails (try the Smoke,

an earthy melange of scotch, lapsang

tea and black walnut bitters), Drumbar

is the hands-down hippest place for

sundowners in summer.

GIRL & THE GOAT Dining

The confit of goat belly is just one

of the things that is always good at

hometown star (and Top Chef Season

3 winner) Stephanie Izard’s bustling

rustic-urban spot, that serves a

broad and delicious small plates, new

American menu to eager crowds of

locals and visitors alike. It’s extremely

popular, so book well in advance.

River East Art Center / 435 E

Illinois St / 10am-4pm

www.dosemarket.com

201 East Delaware Place / Gold

Coast / +1 3123 932 5000

www.drumbar.com

809 W Randolph / West Loop / +1 312

492 6262 / 4.30pm-11pm Sun-Thu,

4pm-midnight Fri-Sat

www.girlandthegoat.com

RSVP GALLERY Shopping

Where the city’s cool kids flock for a

curated selection of of-the-moment

brands, from hipster staples like

Comme des Garcons and A.P.C. to

fashion-forward labels like 3.1 Phillip

Lim and Christopher Kane.

1753 N Damen / +1 773 770 6666

www.rsvpgallery.com

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP8 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

LUXE LoathesARCTIC WINTERS

Brrr… All the Vicuna in the world won’t

help when that North wind blows.

SALES TAX

At an exorbitant 9.75%, Chicago has the

highest sale tax in the US – say goodbye

to that extra pair of Choos.

O’HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Queuing, queuing, and more queuing, and

home to what may well be the slowest

baggage claim in the land.

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP9 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

Fab vs. Drab

ARCHITECTURE

Seeing Chicago’s legendary skyscrapers

from the pavement only gives you half

the story, get an even better view by

taking in the Chicago skyline aboard one

of Chicago Architecture Foundation’s boat

tours, with docents who bring the historic

landmarks to life. (see LUXE Loves).

JAZZ BABY

Dropping by any of the city’s various

jazz and blues bar in search of the city’s

legendary live tunes is all very well, but

for maximum vibe single out The Green

Mill, a historic venue with its preserved

1920s atmosphere, and also the former

hangout of notorious gangster Al Capone

and his henchmen.

www.greenmilljazz.com

MOLECULAR MAGIC

Coming to Chicago and trying to get

a last-minute table at Grant Achatz

and Nick Kokonas’ fabled Alinea or

Next restaurants can often lead to

disappointment, so try your luck instead

at Aviary, the high-concept cocktail

kitchen by the same culinary wizards, but

where you email your reservation request

ahead for one of their thrice nightly, two-

hour slots. (see LUXE Loves).

INSIDER GUY

Attempting to navigate the city’s wealth

of museums and art galleries on your own

can be a daunting prospect, so call up The

Peninsula Hotel’s go-to cultural guide Rolf

Achilles for personalized museum, art and

architecture tours.

+1 773 447 8138 / rachilles@saic.edu

BIRD’S EYE VIEWS

Jostling with all the tourists atop the

crowded Sears (Willis Tower) for Chicago

city vistas can easily be avoided by

enjoying drinks along with bird’s-eye views

at the John Hancock Center’s sky-high

Signature Room (not the also-crowded

observatory).

www.signatureroom.com

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP10 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

Following the brutally cold Chicago winter,

the spring and summer months unveil a

city so beautiful it has everyone out in

the streets and on the great lake’s shores.

On a balmy day, begin with breakfast at

Ann Sather, a Chicago staple serving

sweet and savory Swedish favorites, plus

a standout cinnamon roll whose aroma

alone will have your mouth watering

the minute you sit down. Following

your decadent breakfast, hop aboard

a 1920s-style boat for a 90-minute

architecture tour led by docents from

the Chicago Architecture Foundation

(see LUXE Loves). From the lake, you’ll

be treated to jaw-dropping views of the

iconic skyline, so just sit back and bask

in the warmth and romance of it all. Hop

LUXE ITINERARY

Romanceoff and take lunch at Mercat a la Planxa,

where you can share palate-tickling

Catalan tapas and cerveza before heading

off to antique paradise at Salvage One,

for 10,000 sq foot of homeware treasures

like vintage clawfoot tubs and Corinthian

columns. If you’re after something a

little smaller but with equal wow-factor,

try Whitney Abrams for high-carat gold,

glittering gems, and other girls-best-

friend pieces. Now the sun is setting, and

it’s time for a picturesque walk along

the lakefront. Follow the mini-bridge

over South Pond and admire the darling

downtown views, or take the Lakefront

Trail through the underpass to Palm Court

for afternoon tea by the fountain. Dinner

is at North Pond, for seasonal American

fare and waterside romance (if you’re

here in the winter, there’s a crackling

fireplace indoors). Later, have a night of

laughs together with a sketch comedy

and improv show at the legendary Second

City, launchpad for the likes of Tina Fey

and Bill Murray. When the show’s over,

retreat for nightcaps on the balcony of

your elegant suite at the Waldorf Astoria

Chicago. Sweet dreams!

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP11 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

With its foot firmly placed at the forefront

of the style scene, Chicago has forever

put to bed the notion that America’s most

fashionable citizens live only on the East

and West Coasts. Start a day soaking up

Chicago’s style and flock with the city’s

fashionistas and foodies to monthly

pop up Dose Market (see LUXE Loves),

featuring 40 artisan vendors selling

delicious eats alongside top fashion and

design finds. After browsing the labels

and sampling the nibbles, head for a

culture fix at The Modern Wing at Art

Institute Chicago (see LUXE Loves), a

264,000 sq foot, Renzo Piano-designed

haven for all manner of C.20-21st

contemporary art. Familiarize yourself

with works by modern masters like

Picasso, Matisse and de Kooning before

LUXE ITINERARY

Style

enjoying a late lunch of modern Italian

flavors on the fabulous summer terrazza

at the museum’s restaurant, Terzo Piano.

Throw in a Gold Coast shopping spree

next, with gents’ stops at George Greene

for suits, shirts and shoes, and upstairs

Shrine Haberdashers for rare and unusual

men’s ties and cufflinks. Ladies, keep the

purses out for Lester Lampert’s cast-

gold and diamonds, and Sofia for an

eclectic mix of high-end vintage and hot

new designers. Time now for a relaxing

spa session at one-stop zen den Exhale,

with its top-notch treatment menu and

extras like yoga and acupuncture. With

the kinks worked out of your shopper’s

shoulders, it’s a short stroll to DrumBAR

(see LUXE Loves) for sundowners on the

rooftop patio, which affords an evening

of cocktails and lake views. Later, make

for Chicago’s trendiest table at Nellcôte,

named after the French chateau where

the Rolling Stones famously recorded, and

which combines sultry décor, a too-cool-

for-school atmosphere and well-executed

modern European fare. Head back to

your luxurious, all-white, minimalist suite

at Public Chicago (see LUXE Loves), but

not before one last stop at the bar at

Pump Room.

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP12 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

LUXE ITINERARY

Business

Chicago is alive with ambition – a city

that pulls from the past and pushes to

the future, a center of historic industrial

might packed full of modern day social

entrepreneurs. Get inspired and put

your feet to the pedals with a morning

cycle along the lakefront, and watch the

priceless city views unfold before your

eyes. Next, bike over to the Doughnut

Vault (see LUXE Loves) on River North

and get in line with the rest of the

sweet-toothed locals for the city’s best

doughnuts, fresh from the oven. Wrap up

the morning meetings, then a lunchtime

protein fix is in order at Chicago Cut,

a steakhouse frequented by the city’s

movers and shakers, and for good reason

– all the signature cut steaks are certified

USDA prime and dry-aged for 35 days on

site. If you’re in Chicago on an extended

stay, schedule an afternoon appointment

at Balani Custom Clothiers for razor-

sharp bespoke suiting, or if you’re on a

tight schedule, try Paul Stuart for quick

top-to-toe custom clothes. Spending the

afternoon with a client? You can’t go

wrong with a baseball game in this sports-

mad town, so taxi to Wrigley Field to catch

the Cubs (or see the White Sox at the US

Cellular Field) and bear witness to the

undying Chicagoan devotion. After the

game, enjoy pre-dinner drinks at cutting-

edge cocktail kitchen Aviary (see LUXE

Loves), from Chefs Achatz and Kokonas,

the same molecular magicians behind

three Michelin-starred Alinea, where

you’re headed next for an inventive multi-

course dinner to remember. Be warned

the restaurant is insanely – and rightly

– popular, so plan at least 2 months in

advance; it’s a great ice-breaker for client

meetings too. Finally, settle in a sleek

suite at the riverside skyscraper Trump

International Hotel & Tower, where you’ll

enjoy a private kitchen, a butler, and jaw-

dropping city vistas. Good night!

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP13 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

LUXE ITINERARY

The Essentials

• Ann Sather / 909 W Belmont /

+1 773 348 2378

www.annsather.com

• Chicago Architecture Foundation

(see LUXE Loves)

• Mercat a la Planxa / The Blackstone /

638 S Michigan / Sth Loop /

+1 312 765 0524

www.mercatchicago.com

• Salvage One / 1840 W Hubbard / River

West / +1 312 733 0098

www.salvageone.com

• Whitney Abrams / 9 E Huron /

River North / +1 312 337 6687

www.whitneyabramsjewelry.com

• Walk along the lakefront / Start at

corner of W Armitage and N Clark /

Lincoln Park, walk in to N Stockton,

bear right then left at N Ridge

to South Pond

• Palm Court / The Drake / 140 E Walton

/ Gold Coast / +1 312 787 2200

• North Pond / 2610 N Cannon /

Lincoln Park / +1 773 477 5845

www.northpondrestaurant.com

• Second City / 1616 N Wells / Old Town /

+1 312 337 3992

www.secondcity.com

• Waldorf Astoria Chicago / 11 E Walton /

Gold Coast / +1 312 646 1300

www.waldorfastoria.hilton.com

• Dose Market (see LUXE Loves)

• The Modern Wing at Art Institute

Chicago / see LUXE Loves

• George Greene / 49 E Oak / Gold

Coast / +1 312 654 2490 / and upstairs

Shrine Haberdashers / +1 312 675 2105

www.george-greene.com

www.shrinestyle.com

• Lester Lampert / 57 E Oak / Gold

Coast / +1 312 944 6888

www.lesterlampert.com

• Sofia / 72 E Oak / Gold Coast /

+1 312 640 0878

www.sofialivelovely.com

ROMANTIC ITINERARY STYLISH ITINERARY

• Exhale / 945 N State / Gold Coast /

+1 312 753 6500

www.exhalespa.com

• DrumBAR (see LUXE Loves)

• Nellcôte / 833 W Randolph / West

Loop / +1 312 432 0500

www.nellcoterestaurant.com

• Public Chicago (see LUXE Loves)

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP14 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

• Cycle along the lakefront / Nine bike

pick-up locations along the trail from

Foster beach to Millennium Park /

+1 312 729 1000

www.bikechicago.com

• Doughnut Vault (see LUXE Loves)

• Chicago Cut / 300 N La Salle / River

North / +1 312 329 1800

www.chicagocutsteakhouse.com

• Balani Custom Clothiers / 55 W

Monroe / The Loop / +1 312 263 9003

www.balaniclothiers.com

BUSINESS ITINERARY

• Paul Stuart / 107 E Oak / Gold Coast /

+1 312 640 2650

www.paulstuart.com

• Wrigley Field / 1060 W

Addison / Wrigleyville /

+1 773 404 2827

www.cubs.com

• Aviary (see LUXE Loves)

• Alinea / 1723 N Halsted / Lincoln Park /

+1 312 867 0110

www.alinea-restaurant.com

• Alinea / 1723 N Halsted / Lincoln Park /

+1 312 867 0110

• Trump International Hotel & Tower /

401 N Wabash / River North /

+1 312 588 8000

www.trumpchicagohotel.com

LUXE ITINERARY

The Essentials

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP15 / LUXE CHICAGO

Citi PrestigeSM

Your LUXE notes