Seven Step Guide to Enjoying the Chicago Blues

Tourist Guide to Enjoying the Chicago Blues

Follow these seven rules for a genuine, unforgettable Chicago Blues adventure

1. Go out to the neighborhood clubs. The people in the neighborhood clubs are much more gracious and friendly and the prices will be lower. The downtown clubs employ the same musicians but the show is always much better when everyone is relaxed and there’s a chance that you will meet some real local Chicagoans. The downtown clubs are full of other tourists.
2. Plan to stay until the last set
Sleep late or take a long afternoon nap (you’re on vacation, right?)
There are usually three sets. The first set is a good time to get a seat, but the crowd and the band are not warmed up yet. The second set is the most crowded. The third and final set is the best. The crowd thins out a little and this is when the bands call up their friends and local talent to jam. This is the best part of the show.
3. Talk to the people at the tables around you, tell them where you’re from and I guarantee you’ll have a better time. You will go back home with great stories about warm, quirky and welcoming Chicago natives
4. Buy CD’s directly from the musicians, they will be pleased to give you an autograph. (Bring a felt tipped pen). You can’t buy a better souvenir at the airport or Navy Pier.
5. Bring your camera or camera phone; if you just bought a CD they will be very happy to pose for pictures.
6. Arrange for a cab or limo to take you back to your hotel.
You don’t want a DUI ticket to ruin you vacation and possibly your life.
And you don’t want to get lost; Chicago’s a big, spread out town.
7. Stop at an all night diner on the way back for some really great food and more low cost entertainment

For specific information about club locations and places to eat, send me an email at porkchop@chicagobluescookbook.com

Now We're Takin' Sides

Chicago is divided. If you ask a Chicagoan where he’s from he has the option to answer in many ways. If the, “Where are you from?” comes from someone from another state he’ll just answer, “Chicago.” Actually, I’ve heard people from far away suburbs claim to be from Chicago, even when there town resembles Springfield. If the query comes from someone from Chicago, he answers with the side of town: North side, Southside, Westside. If the question comes from someone from the same side, he may answer which side of the train tracks or viaduct, unless it’s a Catholic from the same side of the city who is asking, then he will answer with his parish. If it’s a political gathering the correct answer is your ward number and your precinct number. If it’s a community police meeting, then we identify ourselves by area number and beat number.

And Chicago is divided in many other ways. Margie's ice cream or Gertie's? Are you a Cubs fan or a Sox fan? Anyone who professes to be both a Cubs fan and a Sox fan is considered a weenie.
Now, weenies, that’s another way that we are divided. Hot Doug’s or Fat Johnnies?

Thick or Thin Pizza? Now the real infighting begins. Chicago has the best pizza every in every category. It’s the one food that we can all agree on. And it‘s a food everyone can disagree on. The main argument falls into categories ‘THIN VERSUS THICK” Every neighborhood has their favorite joint.

If you love thin and you’re from the Southside, your heart probably belongs to Vito and Nick’s. If you don’t know pizza from corned beef and cabbage you probably like Fox’s.
Everyone can love Uno’s and Due’s thick stuffed pizzas because they are really not in anybody’s neighborhood. It used to be easy to love Lou Malnati’s but now they have grown to resemble a chain restaurant. Nobody from Chicago admits to loving a chain restaurant, even if they have really good pizza.

After we are finished dividing ourselves up by sides, parishes, areas, beats, wards, sports clubs, fast food favorites, and pizza joints then we segregate ourselves by race.

I wonder if those other people have anything good to eat in their neighborhood?