World Wide Nate brings you Chicago

theGRIO - Chicago, is the largest city in the midwest sitting along Lake Michigan.

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Chicago is the largest city in the Midwest, sitting along Lake Michigan. It was first settled by Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a free black man from Haiti who arrived in the late 1770s. Chicago is known as the Windy City because of the winds Lake Michigan produces. Those same winds produce treacherous lake effect snow during the winter months, holding its residents hostage. The captivity of the winter months creates an explosion of energy during the summertime.

Summertime Chi is a city-wide experience where residents get outside and tourists fill the city streets to enjoy all the events and festivals the city offers. During the summer, every week, across various parts of the city, you can find a variety of events to enjoy. The main event that gets most of the attention is the Taste of Chicago, the world’s largest food festival. Since 1980, restaurants have showcased their menu items at the beautiful downtown Grant Park, complemented by music and activities for everyone. The list of events are endless: a few bigger festivals are the Gospel Fest, Blues Fest and Jazz Fest, which also take place at Grant Park.

The Chicago Air and Water show is a sight to see as airplanes and fighter jets perform aerial acrobatic demonstrations. Millennium Park is another downtown attraction, notably hosting the bean, a silver, reflective, bean-shaped object in the park. The park also offers free music in the park every Monday and Thursday, showcasing a variety of music from contemporary, indie rock and pop bands.

The opportunities to entertain yourself downtown are endless, and the shopping options are equally robust. Michigan Avenue, also known as the Magnificent Mile, is home to flagship stores of brands like Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo and Nike town. There are more shopping options on side streets like Rush and Oak St. which houses brands like Barney’s, Prada, Marc Jacobs and Saint Laurent.

When it comes to food, Chicago has the best, and a good place to start your food journey is Batter and Berries (located at 2748 N Lincoln Ave). It’s a breakfast and lunch spot which serves a delicious french toast super flight, a sampler plate with blueberry, strawberry, lemon and caramel toppings with maple butter. The Cluck-N-Gaufre (Goof) chicken-stuffed sweet potato waffle topped with delicious fried chicken breast and drizzled in a nutmeg hot sauce and maple butter is a requirement when visiting. Giordano’s Pizza is one of the most popular deep dish pizza restaurants, with locations spread across the city. Harold’s Chicken Shacks are more concentrated on the south side of the city and are a great option for a quick meal on the go.

Summertime Chi is my favorite place to be on the planet during the summer, and you should come check it out!

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