Yeah!!!!!! Locals what should I do my first summer in Chicago? (Skokie: appointed, neighborhood)

[tanzall]

Okay, locals. Give me your best. I'm moving to Oak Park in pure excitement on March 2nd. I want to hear about the most exciting spots in Chicago. In particular, the "off the beaten path" spots. I'm not really a bar person, but I like jazz poetry, comedy or blues clubs. Also, love to bike, roller skate, read, and explore anything. Best book stores, restaraunts and must try foods, and anything I might have a hard time finding on the internet. Please let it all hang out!!!!!

[surlycue]

If you like Vietnamese food go to Argyle/Lawrence area uptown. That is the little Chinatown area that is populated mostly by Vietnamese. In regular Chinatown try Joy Yee on China Place/Princeton.

For vegetarian and new agey food try Earwax on Milwaukee and Damen or Kumas on Elston and Belmont.

Good luck and enjoy. You'll have a great time here.

[Venom]

You can rollerblade/bike through the long park strips that start around Lawrence ave. in Albany park by the Chicago river and bike/skate all the way to Skokie. It's more for the exercise and scenery since there's nothing special at either end... But I like scenery so...

And for food the only place that stands out to me is some chicken wings on Lawrence and Spaulding in Albany park. The restuarant is the Great Sea China restaurant.

Mannnn If I had to chose a food to eat the rest of my life, I'd chose that.

[SgtDonut]

go see the neo-futurists! so funny!

[oakparkdude]

Welcome to Oak Park!

[thiqued]

First of all, bike down the lakefront path. You can get from one end of the city to the other without having to deal with cars.

Some of the best restaurants:
Palace Gate 4548 N Magnolia -- Ghanaian restaurant that serves some insanely spicy food. Just ask them for whatever is the best and you won't be disappointed.

Kuma's Corner 2900 W Belmont -- 10 oz burgers named after heavy metal bands. If you go anywhere near a meal time, you will have to wait like 2 hours, but the burgers are THAT good. Try going at like 4:30 on a Tuesday and you'll have the place to yourself.

Szalas 5214 S Archer Ave -- Upscale Polish place on the southwest side.

Army and Lou's 422 E. 75th St. -- Best soul food in the city, and I'm becoming quite the expert. Smothered steak + gin and tonic = happiness.

Pupuseria Restaurant Cuscatleco 3125 W Lawrence Avenue -- Salvadorian place that sells greasy and delicious food for cheap.

Taste of Peru 6545 N. Clark -- So good, huge portions. There is another Peruvian place called D'Candela Peruvian Restaurant that has been getting some hype. That place sucks. Go to Taste of Peru instead.

Maxwell St. Depot 411 W. 31st St. -- Ok, I had to include this. 24 hour burger and hotdog shack in Bridgeport. This place gets hopping around 2:30 am and tends to be packed with the hefty and drunk. Everything comes with fries, including the fries. So... if you order a "cheeseburger with fries" you get triple fries.

Good luck, enjoy. I have many more where that came from.

[k.smith904]

The parks are a must. Playing baseball/frisbee or just eating lunch between the city and the lake, on a warm day with a cool breeze....Theres nothing better.

Man I can't wait to move back there

[Mister Mappy]

There are free concerts most of the summer in Grant Park, plus they show movies outdoors in late July and August, plus many neighborhood parks do that also. There's also different outdoor neighborhood fests practically every weekend.

[Costa Rica Chica]

For great Blues, go to Kingston Mines.

[tanzall]

I'm so excited. So many options, I can't wait to try them all. Thanks all.