Just voted for the Chicago Reader “Best in Chicago” awards online! Figured I would share my answers since everyone asks me on Twitter and Facebook about my Chicago favs! (BTW, sorry did these fast, was in a rush, sorry if missed anyone!) You should vote too! (Especially for my places! haha) Voting ends this weekend so go to http://bestof.chicagoreader.com/ now!
Best car wash :: We’ll Clean
Best BBQ :: Fat Willies
Best Brewpub :: Goose Island
Best Coffee Shop :: Intelligestia/Aspire at home….chitowns peeps!
Best Cupcakes :: 3 way tie – Foiled (on twitter), Sweet Mandy B’s (near my house) or Swirlz (for boxes to friends!)
Best Fashion Designer :: Maria Pinto
Best Interior Designer :: Nate Berkus
Best Thrift Store :: Salvation Army
Best brunch :: Rockit on hubbard (live acoustic, gourmet bloody mary’s, mimosa kits at your table, amazing brunch menu… come on!) Or riverside café in bucktown
Best shoe store :: Niketown
Best garden store :: kinsella landscaping
Best gym :: HERO Fitness and equinox
Best home furnishings store :: smart rooms in merchandise mart
Best alfresco dining :: Patio at RBG Wrigley (in nice neighborhood, and can see Wrigley field scoreboard from table)
Best bagels :: ashkenaz
Best college :: U of I champaign urbana
Best gelato :: n/a, I eat peanut butter and chocolate skinny cows with extra crunchy peanut butter globbed on twice a day
Best grocery store :: whole foods
Best Indian restaurant :: vermillion
Best margarita :: que rico
Best Mexican restaurant :: el tapitio
Best Middle Eastern restaurant :: reeza’s
Best new restaurant :: kith kin
Best burger :: Rockit Bar & Grill (“good morning america” gave chitown the nationwide recognition for the rockit burger to beat all cities out- love it!)
Best seafood restaurant :: Joe’s
Best splurge :: avenue at peninsula
Best sushi :: Sunda (not many people get entire fresh fish anymore and cut them up right there and then, hands down best!) Best wine shop :: House of Glunz
Best liquor store :: Binny’s
Best pizza :: connie’s and malnatis
Best drink specials :: ½ off wine on Mondays at rockit (actually can get really nice bottles!)
Best cocktail list :: Sunda drink list is pure heaven- I invented the “bd superfresh sakitini” that should win this award in itself! Actually, they are all that good
Best dive bar :: Richard’s
Best 4 AM bar :: underground, not many places still packed at 4am, 5am saturdays
Best night of the week to go out :: Saturday, I know its so mainstream, but its just true, and I love people watching. Best smoking area :: far away from me
Best hotel for an in-town getaway :: Peninsula
Best record store :: grew up going to dr. wax
Best local music blog :: www.assault.it
Best dance club :: Underground, you know you are the best when don’t have an actual cheesy dance floor but can make everyone dance!
Best local band :: Plain White T’s & Lovehammers
Best local hip-hop artist :: kanye
Best local DJ :: Rock City
Best local tribute band :: South of 80 and elevation
Best bartender :: Andy Lee at Rockit River North
Best music venue to play :: Metro
Best music venue to watch :: House of Blues
Best music festival :: Lolla
Best movie theater AMC on Illinois
Best art gallery :: Carrie Seacrist
Best museum exhibit :: TRex Sue
Best public artwork :: art institute and mca
Best touring play :: lookingglass “alice”
Best off-Loop theater company :: Lookingglass
Best late-night theater experience :: wiener circle
Best stand-up comic :: Conan O’Brien
Best sketch/improv troupe :: improv olympic and second city
Best dance company :: Loveabulls count?
Best burlesque troupe :: Baton Club
Best antique store :: Golden Triangle
Best bike shop :: village cycle
Best mani/pedi :: hasn’t happened, yet!
Best massage :: Maria at Backup Therapeutic
Best mechanic victor castro at perillo on clark
Best movers :: Bill & Phil Movers
Best place to adopt a pet :: PAWS
Best Cubs bar :: Rockit Wrigley, can see scoreboard from table while watching our tv’s
Best Sox Bar jim beam club, great buffet
Best billiards :: rockit river north baby! The best.
Best bowling alley :: lucky strike
Best canoe/kayak rental :: Lincoln park
Best golf course :: Medinah Country Club
Best dance class :: Arthur murray and dance center chicago!
Best music teacher :: Scott Arkenberg at St. Clement
Come out to celebrate the first annual Cycle for Survival race in Chicago! Cycle for Survival began in 2007 by Equinox member Jennifer Goodman Linn, who had been diagnosed with a rare soft-tissue cancer. She credits her exercise regimen at Equinox gym with helping her get through her battle with cancer.
Over the past 3 years, the event has raised more than $2 million for cancer research with over 2,000 participants. Past proceeds have funded a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan-Kettering resulting in a new chemotherapy regimen that has proven more effective at shrinking tumors in patients.
The Chicago event will take place on Saturday, February 6 at the Equinox in the Loop and will consist of 100 teams, each with up to 8 members. I’m especially proud to say that the rockit ranch family will have its own team participating in the event! To donate to the fundraiser through our team click…….(KR get from the other email Ben sent? Make sure it’s a link we can use for raising money for our team) Hope to see you all there!
Come out to celebrate the first annual Cycle for Survival race in Chicago! Cycle for Survival began in 2007 by Equinox member Jennifer Goodman Linn, who had been diagnosed with a rare soft-tissue cancer. She credits her exercise regimen at Equinox gym with helping her get through her battle with cancer.
Over the past 3 years, the event has raised more than $2 million for cancer research with over 2,000 participants. Past proceeds have funded a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan-Kettering resulting in a new chemotherapy regimen that has proven more effective at shrinking tumors in patients.
The Chicago event will take place on Saturday, February 6 at the Equinox in the Loop and will consist of 100 teams, each with up to 8 members. I’m especially proud to say that the rockit ranch family will have its own team participating in the event! To donate to the fundraiser through our team click http://tr.im/MPjZ Hope to see you all there!