By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
September 4, 2000
It was a summer of fluctuating temperatures. But Chicagoans made the best of it. Even the city’s notorious humidity didn’t dampen our spirits, not when we could ensconce ourselves in a state-of-the-arthouse theater.
And the weather didn’t stop us from hitting the hot spots–whether it was for some a newly discovered party zone like Weed Street, or a rediscovered one like Rush Street. The unique boutiques, trendy eateries, interactive arenas, the visiting celebrities — urbanites basked in the glory of it all.
Here’s where we indulged our favorite pastimes:
Movie-house madness
We watched arthouse flicks in modern day comfort at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark. This North Side theater offered easy access, $4 validated parking and a selection of buzz films such as “The Tao of Steve,” “I’m the One That I Want” and “Psycho Beach Killers.” The popcorn’s pretty good, too.
Tastes like fish
Sushi Wabi, 842 W. Randolph, is one of the best places for its namesake dishes or people watching. At lunch time, diners hungrily eye each other’s exotic selections of sushi and sashimi. On weekends, they eye each other as they try to mill around in the packed space waiting for an opening at the bar or one of the tables. It’s not cheap, but it’s oh so chic.
What a rush!
Back in the day, Rush Street was the place to see and be seen. Then grunge took over and Wicker Park and Bucktown became de rigueur for the trendsetters. But what goes around comes around. Rush Street is hot again, with clubs like Jilly’s, 1009 N. Rush, leading the pack. The crowd dresses up and vogues into the place for a peek at the past–and the present.
Dance, dance, dance
If you want one-stop clubbing, head over to the Weed Street district, which offers several clubs within walking or dancing distance of each other: Zentra, 923 W. Weed; Biology Bar, 1520 N. Fremont; and Circus, 901 W. Weed. Also nearby is Glow (1615 N. Clybourn), where some of the city’s best DJs scratch nightly. And for those who can’t fake another dance step, just head down the street to North Beach, 1551 N. Sheffield, where patrons can kick their shoes off and play a game or two of beach volleyball.
Wanna see stars?
City folks have been making food pilgrimages to Tempo, 6 E. Chestnut, for years. The 24-hour-diner is the perfect place to grab a bite after a night of clubbing, breaking up and then making up. The food is hearty and reasonably priced. And yes, if you get there on the right night, you might be seated next to famous eye candy such as Keanu Reeves.
Boutique chic
Wanna get your favorite gal something impossibly cute and unique? p.45, 1643 N. Damen, proves that Wicker Park still has it. The store, owned by Jessica Darrow and Tricia Tunstall, exhibits a keen eye for designs that you won’t find at department stores–which is why rocker Liz Phair and actresses Laura Dern and Yasmine Bleeth all are fans. Diane Lane, who’s in town shooting “Hardball,” also stopped by recently to have a look at the clothes and promised to return.
Mr. Mayor’s neighborhood
Can you say “loft”? Hizzoner knew what he was doing when he moved to the South Loop. The area has risen from the ashes to become one of the city’s hottest residential neighborhoods, where trendy lofts are being snapped up as quickly as they’re converted. It boasts a proximity to downtown, the beautiful museum campus, and recently, the emergence of some ballyhooed restaurants–Jerry Kleiner’s Gioco (1312 S. Wabash) was just named one of the city’s best by Bon Appetit magazine.
A taste for adventure?
Have you been on East Ohio lately? DisneyQuest, 55 E. Ohio; ESPN Zone, 43 E. Ohio; California Pizza Kitchen, 52 E. Ohio; and Big Bowl, 60 E. Ohio, are making it one of the liveliest blocks in the city. Forget about being a couch potato, all the fun you can stuff into one day can be had on this one block.
