By Barbara Palmer

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Trump International Hotel&Tower Chicago www.trumpchicago hotel.com

Aprofoundly serene palette—shades

of dove-gray, slate,and cream—makes the luxurious public spaces and guest rooms at the Trump Chicago more Zen than glam.The 339 rooms and suites take full advantage of the proper- ty’s prime downtown location with floor-to-ceil- ing windows—which are also featured in the 20,000 square feet of meeting space on the 16th and 17th floors.

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Millennium Park www.millennium park.org

The billowing,

stainless-steel Jay Pritzker Pavilion,designed by architect Frank Gehry, is the centerpiece of this 24-acre downtownpark, which opened in 2004. An inventive blend of architecture,sculpture, and landscape design, Millennium Park hosts more than 500 free events—and millions of visitors—each year.

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ROOF www.roofonthe wit.com

In the city that invent- ed skyscrapers,what

better perch than a rooftop bar? One of Chicago’s liveliest sky- high saloons is the glitzy indoor/outdoorROOF, atop the playfully designed, 27-story theWit hotel.Look for the char- treuse lightning bolt on the hotel’s façade.

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Chicago Cut Steakhouse www.chicagocut steakhouse.com

Chicago’s historic Union StockYards

secured the city’s reputa- tion as a leading supplier of prime beef.There are none better than the steaks dry-aged on the premises at Chicago Cut Steakhouse,which opened in 2010.The restaurant’s modern take on the classic steakhouse includes sushi appetizers, vegetarian options,and a power breakfast menu. It’s already a prime spot for celebrity spotting: Recent diners have includedRahmEmanuel and KanyeWest.

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John G. Shedd Aquarium www.shedd aquarium.org

HThe beluga whales, sea otters, penguins,

and other marine animals are backhomeat Shedd Aquarium’sAbbott Oceanarium after a reno- vation of the world-class marine-animal pavilion. The 80-year-old aquari- um,housed in a historic BeauxArts building overlooking Lake Michi- gan, is Chicago’s most- visited attraction.

www.pcma.org

pcma convene April 2011

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MAP BY JIM McMAHON

June 10–12, 2011

ChicagoBluesFestival www.chicagobluesfestival.us Blues andjazz are synonymouswithChicago,which gavebirthtothe electric style knownsimply as the “Chicagoblues.”The city’s annualblues festival, nowinits 28thyear,annuallydraws 500,000blues fans toGrantPark.Andcome LaborDayweekend, the 33rdannualChicagoJazz Festivalwillbring local andinternational jazz greats tostages inthree locations, includingMillenniumPark.