Posted February 24, 2009 by Kate Hamman
With a fairly large Irish population, Chicago doesn't dye its river green every St. Patrick's Day for the pretty color alone. However, you can visit any time of year to tap into the luck of the Irish. Come learn about Irish-American culture at a heritage museum, explore authentic pubs, and eat in a contemporary Irish bistro—all without spending a pot of gold.
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Irish American Heritage Center: Pay a visit to this heritage center, where you can learn more about the literature, art, and music of the Irish in America. The center hosts many events and discussions highlighting the achievements of Irish-Americans. Check its calendar to see what's happening while you're there. Admission is free and many events are, too.
Drink
Chicago's Irish Pubs Northside Crawl: With such a high concentration of pubs in the area, it can be difficult to choose where to enjoy a pint of Guinness. However, you won't have to worry too much about where to go with this free handy-dandy map. Follow the trail, and "crawl" between several authentic Irish bars, where you will hear the brogue of native tongues and can sip on imported Irish brews. It's free to wander, but beer prices depend on the bar.
Eat
Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro: Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro has and added a dash of sophistication to traditional Irish dishes. The restaurant serves contemporary entrees such as bacon confit risotto or oat crusted rainbow trout. If you prefer the old standbys, you can also order shepherd's pie or beef-and-Guinness stew. Entrees start at $12.50.
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(Photo: iStockPhoto.com/Lise Gagne)
Posted February 28, 2008 by Zak Patten
I’ll be the first to admit it—I’m extremely anti-smoking and always have been. So I don’t have a lot of sympathy for people who want to light up in their hotel rooms, rooms that I might have the misfortune of staying in someday. But according to USA Today, the Swissotel Chicago is now taking its anti-smoking measures a step further by turning its staff into bounty hunters who are financially rewarded for catching smokers in the act.
Employees who bag a live smoker are given $10 for their service. Perhaps my high school principal should have utilized this technique instead of spending his time sniffing outside the boys’ bathroom. Our hall monitors could have made more money catching puffers than they did slinging fries at Mickey D’s.
Swissotel Chicago general manager Jack Breisacher insists he doesn’t “want this to sound like a police state,” but "One person having one cigarette is really a big deal," as it costs around $500 to completely clean a room.
I’m with Breisacher. But I hope he expands the program so that guests can turn in other guests. I wonder how many smokers I’d have to nab to earn a free night at his hotel.
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