ON BUSINESS IN... CHICAGO
DEPARTURES CHICAGO
LONG AFTER Frank Sinatra sang the praises of Chicago in his 1960s hit, My Kind of Town, the home of the skyscraper continues to charm visitors with its vibrant arts and design scene, live jazz and blues, top shopping and a plethora of tranquil public parks and waterfront walks. As the third biggest city in the US, it is also a major business hub in particular for the finance, technology, telecoms and railroad freight industries.
COOL HOTELS
Two new hotel brands have marked their debuts in Chicago this year. Richard Branson brought North Wabash Avenue to a standstill at the official opening of the very first (and very cool) Virgin Hotel (
virginhotels.com) in April. In addition, the Hyatt hotels group has launched its first Hyatt Centric property (
theloopchicago.centric.hyatt.com), also in the Loop, a ‘lifestyle brand for modern explorers’.
HIP RESTAURANTS
Those keen to sample one of the city’s many steakhouses should consider David Burke’s Primehouse (
davidburkesprimehouse.com), with its modern interpretation of classic dishes and a good wine list too. One of the most prestigious restaurants in the city, if not the
country, is Alinea (
alinearestaurant.com). With its three Michelin-stars rating you’ll need a generous expenses account and a major client to justify the splurge. A more casual option is Avec (
avecrestaurant.com), serving Mediterranean cuisine at communal tables.
HAPPENING BARS
There are live music venues aplenty in Chicago, but the city is best known for its excellent blues scene. Buddy Guy’s (
buddyguy.com) is a popular option and is located in the central Loop district. For a wide choice of bars, head north to trendy Wicker Park.
GETTING THERE
British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Chicago twice a day, United flies three times a day, and American flies 15 flights a week. Virgin operates a daily service from April to October.
GETTING DOWNTOWN
Chicago Transit Authority trains from Chicago O’Hare Airport cost $5 to downtown and taxis are in the region of $30-40 for the trip.
THE DETAILS
Chicago is GMT -6hrs. The currency is the US dollar: £1=US$1.51. See
choosechicago.com.
MUST-SEE SIGHTS The city has a rich pedigree
in the arts, design, music and architecture. To get your fix, head to Millennium Park and gaze at Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate monument (pictured below) and Frank Gehry’s Pritzker Pavilion, before strolling over to the Art Institute of Chicago, home to the likes of Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks and works from Matisse, Picasso, Dali and Monet.
CARBON COST A return flight from London
Heathrow to Chicago covers 13,843km and produces 1.21 tonnes of CO2. Offset this with The Carbon Neutral Company from £24.20.
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THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 85
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