The Adventures Of A Valley Center Girl In Chicago

By: Amy Rojas

It was a pleasant 79 degrees and sunny in Arlington Heights, Illinois on Aug. 29, when I went to visit a fellow Valley Center friend, Rebecca Henry (formally known as Rebecca Sale). With big plans to spend the afternoon and evening milling about the streets of downtown Chicago and to take in everything I possible could in a one day tour I decided the best beginning for such an excursion would be to spend the morning relaxing at a local Starbucks.
The town of Arlington Heights is full of friendly neighbors, great places to eat a nice meal and brick buildings much older than a majority of its current residents. I picked up a copy of the Chicago Tribune newspaper and read about a man named "Alligator Bob," a town celebrity who is famous for his valiant and also very successful volunteer efforts at trapping and relocating rogue alligators who find their way into the civilized lives of the Arlington Heights citizens. While I read, I overheard two men sitting behind me having coffee and one said to the other who came out after he did, "Hey aren't you--" and then the other man finished his sentence for him "Yes, I am the alligator man, yes."
What a gem for that morning.
My next stop downtown via my first trip on the Metro station, Chicago’s number one mode of public transportation. A pleasant, air-conditioned 40 minute trip where riders have the option of riding at ground level or up top. There are a number of other boarding stations along the way but once you get to Ogilvie station it’s time to get off the train.
Here's the thing about Chicago. If you want to see a busy, exciting, skyscraper-ruled, ethnicity-laden city -- this is your place. And yet as I walked down the city sidewalks and tried my best not to look like a tourist (And why not? I am a tourist!) I was warmed with a feeling of nostalgia by the sight of large flower pots hung from traditional style lampposts being watered by a city worker. The timeless, wholesome Andy Griffith flavor of a suburb like Arlington Heights is laced throughout this seriously uptown city, making a small town resident like me feel a little more familiar in a city of new faces.
For my dining experiences I was privileged to try a Chicago style beef sandwich at Portillo’s restaurant. Ribbon thin slices of roast beef marinated in its own juices, with sweet peppers and served a toasted hoagie roll. Hands down the best beef sandwich I have ever had. And also one of 3 of the most well known foods you should eat when you're in Chicago. The other two are deep dish pizza from Giordano’s and a Chicago style hot dog which seemed available in any casual restaurant or hot dog stand. Being in the city for only one day only allowed for the sandwich, which is the least popular among the three but not any less tasty.
After Rebecca got off work we met on State St. and walked down to Millennium Park, a beautiful park filled with various food areas with tables, children playing in the Crown Fountain that features two 50 ft. high towers that spray water onto a reflecting pool where children and their parents splash and play in the sun. There are also many free concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavillion during the summer months. I had the pleasure of listening in on a children’s piano recital featuring the works of composer Chopin. After a rest from walking around, I went to check out what is affectionately referred to as “The Bean.” It’s a giant chrome bean shaped art exhibit where tourists can see their reflections in, around, and under. We then crossed the park over to Lake Michigan. If one didn’t know where they were, it could easily be mistaken for the ocean, because you can’t see the other side. Complete with yachts and small boats covering the harbor. We strolled along the Chicago river that Rebecca informed me is dyed green every year in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. At night fall we walked to Buckingham fountain. In the day time it looks every bit as regal as its name would imply but at night multi colored lights that correspond with classical symphonic music and varying degrees of water pressure at strategic calms and crescendo’s transform the regal calm into a magnificent performance to behold. And when it was finished we made our way toward the sparkling Chicago skyline, back to the Metro train.