Travel Report: Chicago Nostalgia.


Chicago Nostalgia.
May 2012.
It’s hard to say what my overriding emotion was as I rattled through the streets of downtown Chicago towards my hotel. I reckon I was fifty percent beside myself with unfiltered excitement. But also fifty percent dog tired following the long and exhausting flight from Amsterdam.
It didn’t take long to reach my lodgings from O’Hare International Airport. In fact, it was a brisk, uncomplicated twenty five minutes in the taxi. For my latest trip to the U.S., I’d decided it was high time to treat myself to a really nice place. And the Central Loop Hotel proved to be just that. A handsome four star joint located in the business district, it sits right in the heart of downtown Chicago. Just minutes away from the city’s star attractions.

Chicago Nostalgia: The Central Loop Hotel.
After checking in, I realised just how ridiculously hungry I was. But I certainly didn’t want to travel far. As luck would have it, there was a decent restaurant right on the hotel’s ground floor. I had to laugh when I saw it was an English style pub called Elephant & Castle.
Bypassing the temptations of Pie and Mash, I went for a bunch of their Mexican dishes. And so arrived a tasty round of Quesadilla and some manner of beef sandwich with caramelised onions and fries. It was all excellent.
Chicago Nostalgia.

Chicago Nostalgia: The Elephant & Castle Pub.
Despite the fact that I was ready to collapse into bed, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of a brief, post-dinner stroll. For reasons unknown, the police had sealed off car access into the surrounding streets. As a result, I found myself with the unique opportunity of exploring a few deserted roads, home to some of Chicago’s finest 1930s Art Deco architecture.

Chicago Nostalgia: Board of Trade Building.
First, I stopped to admire the stunning Chicago Board of Trade Building on West Jackson Boulevard. Opened in 1930, this 184 meter Indiana limestone tower stood as Chicago’s tallest building, until The Daley Center dwarfed it in 1965.

Chicago Nostalgia: Bank of America Building.
Next, the lampposts buzzing into life, I took a shot of The Field Building (Bank of America Building) on South La Salle Street. Completed in 1934, historians say it was the last major office block built in Chicago prior to The Great Depression.
Unfortunately, at this point I was little more than a trudging zombie. Hence I decided to return to the hotel and claim the twelve hours of sleep I so badly needed. When I awoke the next day, I literally jumped out of bed and opened the curtains. It was a beautiful Chicago morning, which brought to mind a particular line from a certain movie.
“How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?”

Chicago Nostalgia: Lincoln Park.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has been one of my favourite movies ever since I first watched it as an impressionable twenty year old. Consequently, one of the main reasons I’d come to Chicago was to tick off a bunch of sights featured in this classic 1986 teen comedy.

Chicago Nostalgia: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Directed by the influential filmmaker John Hughes, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off tells the story of a high school slacker who calls in sick in order to enjoy the perfect day’s sightseeing around Chicago.
Accompanied by his girlfriend Sloane and best buddy Cameron, they proceed to have a blast. However, what they don’t realise is that villainous Dean of Students Ed Rooney is also out in the city trying to hunt them down.

“Wake up and smell the coffee Mrs. Bueller. It’s a fool’s paradise, he is just leading you down the primrose path”.
With its winning blend of goofy comedy, coming-of-age drama and infectious 80s pop rock, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is an endearing movie about friendship. And how it feels to be young and lost at one of life’s major forks in the road.
Furthermore, it stands as a charming love letter to Chicago, its sights, sounds, smells and people. Keen to retrace the steps of Hughes and his cast, I headed for Willis Tower, where Ferris, Sloane and Cameron gaze out across the city.
Chicago Nostalgia.

Chicago Nostalgia: Willis Tower.
Back in the mid 80s, the skyscraper was known as Sears Tower. Completed in 1974, this 108 story structure was, at the time, and in Ferris’ words, “the world’s tallest building”. In the movie Ferris asks Sloane and Cameron to stand up on the ledge, bump their heads against the window and breathe the city in.

“I think I see my dad. That son of a bitch is down there somewhere”.
Today Willis Tower is the 3rd tallest building in The United States, the 23rd highest in the world. They say about a million people visit its 103rd floor observation deck every year. Though you can no longer climb up onto the ledge like Ferris and friends did back in 1985.
Rather, I hit the Skydeck Ledge with its glass floor, a similarly if not superior experience that got the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. I’m sure Ferris would’ve approved.

Chicago Nostalgia: The Skydeck at Willis Tower.
For those who can’t deal with the ledge, there are more sweeping views from all four sides of the Skydeck. Although, I have to say, I was surprised and disappointed with how dirty the windows were. Really, they were so filthy I had trouble editing out all the grime.
Chicago Nostalgia.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Ferris and co also enjoy a baseball match at Chicago’s legendary stadium Wrigley Field. Home to the Chicago Cubs since 1916, this is America’s second oldest majors ballpark and home to some of the sport’s most historic moments.

Chicago Nostalgia: Wrigley Field.
This is where Babe Ruth’s legendary called shot took place in the 1932 World Series. And where Ernie Banks made his 500th career home run in 1970, in addition to Pete Rose’s 4191st career hit in 1985. Which tied him with Ty Cobb for the most hits in baseball history.
“Hey batter, batter, batter, batter, swing batter!”

Chicago Nostalgia.
In September 1985 John Hughes shot scenes for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off inside the stadium in the left field stand. They took place during an actual game between The Chicago Cubs and the Montreal Expos.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Naturally I was keen to see Wrigley Field for myself. Which is no problem, because there are guided tours available most non match days. Priced at a considerable $30 per person, a knowledgeable local expert talks tour groups through the stadium’s long and colourful history.

Chicago Nostalgia.
There were all kinds of stories that day about Wrigley Field’s best loved players and staff. I didn’t realise, for example, that the stadium’s name is connected to the world famous Wrigley chewing gum. The wealthy businessman William Wrigley Jr was part of a syndicate that bought The Cubs from baseball executive Charles Weeghman in late 1915.

William Wrigley Jr (1861-1932).
Wrigley subsequently took a controlling interest in 1918. Later, in 1927, he finally got round to changing the name of the stadium from Weeghman Park to Wrigley Field.
That afternoon our guide took us right around the field and into the dugout. We could also sit on the bleachers and climb the upper deck. I’ve never been into baseball, but there was definitely a palpable sense of history to the place.
Chicago Nostalgia.

Chicago Nostalgia.
One of my favourite Ferris Bueller scenes plays out at Chicago Art Institute, one of America’s oldest and largest art museums. Founded in 1879, it is home to around 300.000 pieces of permanent artwork. And that’s before you even consider the thirty or so special exhibitions it puts on annually.

Chicago Nostalgia.
John Hughes admitted that the scenes he shot at Chicago Art Institute were a “self indulgent homage” to the place that had been his refuge as a young man. With a mission to cram more art into his movie than had ever been done before in a single film, Hughes has Ferris, Sloane and Cameron gleefully explore the place.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Soundtracked by The Dream Academy’s instrumental cover of The Smith’s Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want, they skip through the halls hand in hand with a school group. The trio check out countless paintings and perform mock heroic poses in the sculpture gallery.

Chicago Nostalgia: America Windows.
Ferris and Sloane kiss passionately in front of Marc Chagall’s gorgeous, stained-glass America Windows. Cameron meanwhile, the movie’s heart and soul in many ways, finds himself completely consumed by Georges Seurat’s 1884 masterpiece Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

Cameron (played by Alan Ruck) at Chicago Art Institute.
Lost in life, uncertain of the future and desperate to escape his unaffectionate parents, Cameron stares so hard at one of the girls, it’s as if he’s trying to find his own identity within her.
Chicago Nostalgia.

Chicago Nostalgia.
I had a great time that afternoon tracking down all the art from that scene. While I didn’t find them all, I managed to cross off plenty of big hitters. Such as Grant Wood’s American Gothic and of course the majestic Nighthawks by Edward Hopper.

Chicago Nostalgia.
The scene where Ferris jumps aboard a parade float to lip-synch to a pair of musical numbers, stands as the movie’s flamboyant centrepiece. He starts off with Wayne Newton’s romantic Danke Shoen, before morphing into The Beatles’ rasping Twist and Shout.
It’s an intoxicating scene. Locals of all ages dance and groove. Brass band players shimmy, babies bop and construction workers shake their hips from the scaffolding of nearby skyscrapers.

“You know you twist, little girl, You know you twist so fine”.
Amazingly, part of the footage relates to an actual city celebration, the annual Von Steuben Day Parade. This German-American holiday takes place in honour of Baron Friedrich Von Steuben, a Prussian general who helped George Washington train American troops to fight the British during The Revolutionary War.
Even more impressive is that Hughes and his crew managed to squeeze their own float into the parade, unbeknownst to even the organisers themselves!
Memorial Day Parade.

Chicago Nostalgia: Memorial Day Parade. May 26th, 2012.
Imagine my delight when I also got to see a grand city parade during my visit to Chicago. As luck would have it I was on hand to witness that year’s Memorial Day Parade, which honours the men and women who’ve served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
I caught some of the festivities as they proceeded down State Street. The atmosphere was obviously a lot more solemn than in the movie and certainly nobody felt moved to sing Twist and Shout.
Nevertheless, it was cool to see all the various floats dedicated to those who served in World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and The Gulf War, among others.

Chicago Nostalgia.
That Chicago trip wasn’t just about Ferris Bueller. It also served as a wonderful reunion with my old friend Steve from England, my buddy Jon, who travelled from Nashville, and the lovely Bill and Mary, who drove over from Iowa. It makes me smile to recall that many of our adventures revolved around food. And boy oh boy is Chicago a foodie’s haven!

Chicago Nostalgia: At Giordano’s.
I couldn’t leave without trying some of the city’s world famous pizza. Thus we made time for lunch at Giordano’s, one of the city’s most respected pizza joints. Home to the Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza, this place is special due to the fact that there’s an additional layer of dough separating the cheese from the rest of the deliciousness.

Chicago Nostalgia.
They also say that Giordano’s has the cheesiest Chicago Pizza, which immediately had me sold. Elsewhere, the tomato sauce is beautifully rich and the crust is flaky, like a soft Parisian bakery croissant. So, so good.
Chicago Nostalgia.

Chicago Nostalgia.
One evening we took a leisurely saunter down to Greektown for a fulsome feast at Santorini Restaurant. Sadly, I’ve read that much of Greektown has been decimated by the effects of the pandemic. Indeed I see that Santorini is one of many not to have made it through after 31 years in business.

Chicago Nostalgia.
There was another giant feed at House of Blues, where our all-you-can-eat buffet brunch came accompanied by a passionate, live gospel performance. The food was crazy, a vast array of southern style dishes including roasted chicken, spare ribs, pulled pork, omelettes, waffles, macaroni cheese and more.

Chicago Nostalgia.
They certainly know how to pack in the customers at House of Blues. So much so that it was hard work squeezing myself between the tables to get to the buffet station and back. Still, it made for a great atmosphere, with people singing along, standing up to dance and, at the request of the performers, swinging their table napkins in the air.

Chicago Nostalgia.
The sights came thick and fast over those memorable Chicago days and nights. I took in the exquisite architecture and public art at Brunswick Plaza and browsed through the vinyl at Reckless Records. One afternoon, feeling drained, we opted to crash out at Millennium Park with a picnic. It was lovely, especially with live orchestral music sailing elegantly from the stage of Frank Gehry’s stunning Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Millennium Park.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Nearby, just a minute away on foot, stands the otherworldly Cloud Gate Sculpture by the acclaimed Indian born British artist Anish Kapoor. Affectionately known as The Bean, it was built between 2004 and 2006 from 168 welded stainless steel plates. Not that you can see those seams, they were all removed in order to create its perfect sheen.

Chicago Nostalgia: The Bean.
According to Kapoor himself, The Bean’s design owes a lot to the form of liquid mercury. Right enough the sculpture’s mirror-like surface reflects and distorts the city around it. Like it or loathe it, it’s not your typical park sculpture. My friend Steve and I were quite impressed and made sure to pass under the large twelve foot arch for an interior selfie.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Towards the end of my stay, I spent an afternoon exploring Ohio Street Beach, a popular swimming, canoeing and boating spot on Lake Michigan. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago in the city’s Streeterville neighborhood, the beach dates back to the 1960s.

Chicago Nostalgia: Ohio Street Beach.
Weirdly, the beach formed naturally following the completion of the Jardine Water Purification Plant. Extending out into Lake Michigan, the plant created a bay that stops sand from moving along the lakefront. There are numerous Chicago Beaches on Lake Michigan, but this is the only one that faces north. Which makes it ideal for long distance shallow water swimming.
Chicago Nostalgia.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Last, but definitely not least, I took an Architectural Cruise along The Chicago River on my final day. This ninety minute tour expertly guides visitors past the city’s most impressive buildings, encompassing the most modern skyscrapers alongside some of the oldest Art Deco delights.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Among the fifty plus structures featured in the tour, I particularly liked the 53-story North Riverside Plaza, Merchandise Mart (the largest commercial store in the world) and the glossy smooth facade of West Wacker. The latter, incidentally, served as Mr. Tom Bueller’s office in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Chicago Nostalgia.
Chicago is a stupendous city. As much as I managed to cover in my five days, I know I could go back, do another five days and have a completely different article. With its world class architecture, food, green spaces, history and art, it truly is a metropolis that has everything.
What’s more, it’s a city that simply begs you to explore, learn and appreciate the finer things in life. Actually, it’s Ferris Bueller himself who sums up my feelings best.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.”
For more on my adventures around the country, check out my travel articles from across The USA.
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47 Comments
A wonderful reminder of my own brief visit to Chicago where we just had a couple of nights stopover on our way to San Francisco. Our children were small at the time so we took them to the zoo, aquarium and if I remember correctly, a brilliant science centre and of course a trip up to the top of the then named Sears Tower. I’d like to return and visit some of the sights you suggest too. Incidentally, when we spent a week in NYC four years ago we also stayed in a Club Quarters Hotel just off Wall Street and found it to be very good. Hope your weekend is going well. Did you watch England win last night? Marion
Thanks Marion, I’ve heard that those hotels have a pretty solid reputation right across the country. I did watch the England game last night and, to be honest, couldn’t quite believe what I was watching. While I was fairly confident we would win, I certainly didn’t foresee that performance. Two more games and we could achieve the unthinkable.
My husband’s birthday coincides with the next match and we’d booked a meal out that evening which I’ve now had to re-arrange!
Oh right, that’s certainly going to be a night to remember, one way or another. Actually my birthday is on the 8th and Sladja’s on the 9th. I’m so happy that neither of our special days coincide with the game. We are just setting off on a short road trip across Serbia for the week. Hope his day is a good one for all of you!
Have a great time and look forward to reading about Serbia when you get back. Both my son’s birthdays are also in July so it’s a busy month! Birthday greetings to you both. M.
Love the architectural mélange of Chicago
Absolutely, a really handsome city, especially the Renaissance buildings in The Loop.
😎
How fun was that?! Reading about one of my favorite cities. I especially liked the art institute section. Love that place. It is debuting a Tiffany window in the next few days. This has nothing to do with your wonderful blog post but my first visit to Chicago was as a child. My dad used to transport cattle to the Chicago stock yards via train. That allowed me, as a child to visit Chicago and have my first train ride.
Amazing memories Mary of taking a train to Chicago as a child. How old were you? Love how you keep track of what’s going on at The Art Institute. There was a Lichtenstein exhibition that day but I had to cut it from the piece for some semblance of brevity.
Excellent post on a great city Leighton. I have never been and may never get there. Thanks for taking us along. Loved the Ferris Bueller tie in. Have a great Sunday. Allan
Ta, Allan. It was fun “kinda” being Ferris for the day, though we didn’t eat pancreas, nor indeed did I commandeer one of the parade floats for a singsong. Thanks for reading.
You brought good memories to me. I love Chicago and the architecture there strong and beautiful. Thanks!
Thanks for reading Angela, glad you loved Chicago as much as I did.
My favorite American city never fails to entertain me. You’re right, while you crammed an amazing amount into five days, it will be worth a trip back after you start revisiting old top spots. The Art Institute is one of the best and right on the edge of the lake front. Make sure you see the Navy Pier and the aquarium. Come to think of it, let me know when you’re going back and I may tag along.
It’s a deal Memo. And more pizza! Perhaps try out Lou Malnati’s next time to see how it compares.
I love that you recreated Ferris’ stops in the city! I haven’t seen it in years but the scenes came flooding back with this post! Maggie
Thanks Maggie. Ferris is always worth a rewatch, and it’s pleasing just how many spots from the movie are still so recognisable 35 years later.
After all these years, we can easily take our dvd of Ferris Bueller out and watch it on a weekend (and still laugh at all the silly scenes 😄). I’ve enjoyed seeing you walking in Ferris’ footsteps … I was waiting for Ferris himself to walk up to you at some point!
And my goodness, that pizza … cheese galore!
Thanks Leighton, it was a great stroll through Chicago’s streets on a late Sunday evening.
Awww, what lovely messages today from people. Makes all the work worthwhile. Delighted to hear that you guys are also big Ferris fans.
Great post!! Wow. Makes me really miss Chicago (and Giordano’s pizza too 😊)!
Hey Jackie, thanks for getting in touch. Glad you liked the piece. I’ve also enjoyed following your adventures, as Italy is a country I’ve seen criminally little of. One of these years…
I’m so glad that you combined your trip to Chicago with reference to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a classic that I also enjoy! I’ve never been to the Windy City, but it’s a place that I’m dying to check out in my home country. Chicago is also a solid introduction to the Midwest, a part of the US which is like a different culture from the West Coast that I’m from. Very happy (and relieved) that you got to taste Chicago’s deep-dish pizza: I was worried you didn’t get to it as I continued reaching your post, as it’s my preferred type of pizza (NYC’s got nothing on Chicago’s!). Thanks for sharing your adventure in the US, and I hope you enjoy today, as it’s the Fourth of July here in the US!
Hey Rebecca, yay another Ferris fan! Good to know your pizza preferences. From my albeit limited experience I’d also give Chicago the thumbs up. Happy 4th of July! We certainly have enjoyed today, as we’ve just embarked on a weeklong joint birthday trip across eastern Serbia and its key Danube towns. Have a great day!
Hi Leighton, well unlike lots of the other comments, pretty much everything in this post was new to me: not been to Chicago, don’t know much about Chicago, never even heard of the film! So for me it was all doubly enjoyable as it was such fresh ground. Another great read.
Ah great, not sure what your tolerance levels are for goofy comedies, but there’s some real depth and charm to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Oh, and the city’s not bad either 😉 Thanks for reading!
Errrr…well…slight source of embarrassment for me, as I’ve somehow managed to reach my 60s without seeing more than a handful of movies in my whole life. I don’t really have an explanation; films/movies weren’t part of my childhood and I just never got round to picking it up as an interest. Consequently the only short period I ever saw any was whilst my children were growing up and I sat with them to watch some. So apart from only ever having seen a handful, last time I watched a movie at all was probably over 30 years ago. It’s an enormous gap in my general knowledge!
Wow! Well… if you ever need a very carefully compiled list of say Top 50 films you absolutely “must see before you die” (as the book series goes) I would be happy to put together such a list for you. Just say the word.
I am loving your nostalgia posts. I’ve never been to Chicago but this wants to make me visit even more. And that deep dish pizza – wow!
Thank you Hannah, just a few more posts and that’s the series wrapped up. I shall of course need to do some more U.S. travel at some point.
What a great article. My husband absolutely loves this movies and has seen it so many times. I know he would take me to all the places you mentioned. Seriously though, that deep dish pizza??? OMG I think it’s worth the cost of the plane ticket just to eat a slice of that!
Hey, so cool to hear of yet another Ferris fan. The pizza was just ridiculously delicious. I’ve seen a few blogging threads where people get very snooty about what is the best Chicago pizza spot. Much of the debate centre around Lou Malnati’s and Giordano’s. But I’ve seen passionate cries for several other places too. Thanks for reading!
Looks like you just about covered all the major landmarks in 5 days! I forgot about Ferris Bueller as a classic Chicago set movie.
Thanks for reading! I love how John Hughes fought against studio pressure to have his films set in NYC.
This day is off to a fantastic start with reading your post! Ferris Bueller will forever be one of my all time most favorite movies. I love the parade scene- no one can quite match singing Twist and Shout like Ferris 🙂
Aww glad you liked it! You’re right, and for me it’s one of the all time great musical movie scenes. Thanks for reading Meg!
I was hoping Giordanos would be in the post, it’s my fav Chicago style pizza! Also I love your Save Ferris shirt, so funny!
If Giordano’s is good enough for Lyssy in the City, it must be doing something right!
I loved reading this! Chicago is on my list for 2022 – I hope to stand on the Skydeck at Willis Tower, take an architectural cruise and soak up the atmosphere, among other delights 🙂 I hadn’t thought of specifically checking out sights linked to Ferris Bueller – that’s a great idea!
Thanks for checking this out Sarah, I’m sure you’re going to have a great time in The Windy City.
We have been there about 10 years ago. We walked the along the Magnificent Mile and stopped at Buddy’s Guy’s Blues Club. I remember the Skydeck at Willis Tower …. fun visit.
Ah yes Buddy Guy’s! We didn’t get round to visiting, that one is on the list for “next time”. Thanks for dropping by!
Happy Monday..
You did a great job of hitting the big sights of Chicago! I spent four days once staying with a friend in a suburb and going into the city every day. She was there to help her ailing father, so I wandered solo. The Art Institute was my main destination (and pizza). I took the el and got off in various neighborhoods just to poke around and get a bit of a feel of the rest of the city. I’m going to have to watch that movie again for the Chitown sights!
Art and pizza, sounds about right! Thanks for reading Ruth and adding to the various U.S. threads.
I miss my home Chicago very much this was nice to read.
I’m glad the article resonated with you. Thanks for reading and hope you can get home soon!