r/AskChicago

For me it was when my brother saw earnie banks asked him for his autograph and was told “get outta here kid leave me alone”

Hell i cant blame a celebrity for that im sure it gets invasive…

Just heard a story about someone who met Ditka back in the 80s, said “hey coach good luck Sunday” and got a mundane “yeah yeah yeah” back in response. Classic

EDIT: loving the responses, the stories, thanks everyone! Posted this last night trying to sleep with all the bittersweet excitement, wasnt expecting all the responses

EDIT2: also loving how this thread has switched itself to telling the good stories. I didnt expect so many responses and legitimately started feeling m

I’m 23 and have lived in Toronto my whole life, but will be relocating to Chicago next summer to start law school so I’ll be there a while, possibly longer if I enjoy it.

Im very much the type of person who needs to be in a buzzing atmosphere with things constantly going on, lots of foot traffic and events, and good public transportation. I love Toronto in that it feels massive, has an insanely diverse population with constant things to do (at least in the downtown core)

I constantly read that Chicago is Toronto’s sister city as they have a very similar population and vibe. I’m just hoping to get some insight into how they compare to each other? Maybe some points on what one of the cities does better or worse than the other? I greatly appreciate it

A homeless women with clear severe mental health issues (talking to herself all day and night) has set up a makeshift lot of trash (using all the trash from our alley?) at the end of our alley. All of our alley neighbors are uncomfortable and several 311 calls have already been made to no avail. Any tips?

Hey, I'm looking to get involved in some volunteer opportunities in Chicago. I'm a female in my early 30's and live in Lincoln Park, would be willing to branch out to other neighborhoods. I would rather help communities that need it most.

I work in healthcare, but I'm open to different types of volunteer opportunities, overall enjoy more hands on things rather than independent work where you're not interacting with other people. It would be a bonus for something that I could do with friends or meet other people around my age. Any ideas?

Hi all! Freshly single and looking to expand my circle with fellow women who enjoy watching Bears football.

I’d love to find a few people (or join an existing group) to hang out at a bar on game days, grab some wings/beers, and watch the games together. I’m in my early 40's and live on the northside.

Leave a comment or shoot me a DM

hey! so I'm going to the boystown parade this year and taking my customary stroll around graceland (fascinating place. last time I went I saw that somebody had lined up dog treats over edith rockefeller's grave), but I still feel like I want to do something else in the days leading up to halloween.

I tried (and regretted) jack's pumpkin patch, I've taken a pendulum to 2122 n clark (just for kicks, as I don't believe in ghosts), and I've checked out the alley near the biograph, but this year I'd like to do something less ghost-oriented and more nostalgic and kitschy.

so what halloween-y things are you guys getting up to this year? I'd especially love to hear from folks who don't have a car— it'd be cool to go to a big old rural pumpkin patch but I don't drive.

Hi There,

I’m a Single, African American Female in her 30s.

As of lately and over the years I have been considering moving back to Chicago.

I am currently living in the Caribbean, I am in Finance (No Formal Education) but I also have experience in the hospitality sector (Concierge/Guest Services, Hostess & Server).

I believe I’ll need temporary housing until I can afford my own place.

I have lived in Chicago before but unfortunately my mother has passed away which is the main reason why i never pushed to move back and I am not close with my previous friends due to the long distance.

So I’ll essentially be starting over and I genuinely want a fresh start.

Any advice?
Neighborhood recommendations?

I'm looking to buy a chess set as a gift for someone. I'd like to shop local. It doesn't need to be a one-off handmade thing, but I'm not closed to that idea either. I'm not interested in mass market plastic.

I'll just ask it this way: If you had to live in Chicago without a car on a moderate income, how would you go about it?

🤔

Visiting Chicago and just tried to go to the Apple Fest in Lincoln Square. It was shoulder to shoulder shuffling with massive lines, couldn’t even get close to the vendors. Is this normal for this event?

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I went out to west loop with a buddy of mine and we felt like all the bars and restaurants were comparatively empty and there weren’t that many people out. That’s out of character for a Friday night. Or did I miss a memo..

Hi everyone,

me and some buddies are taking a day trip up to chicago for the day next weekend, and was wondering if anybody has experience with the best spots we have to hit for fragrances.

since it’s a day trip, we’re on a time crunch, so one area/around it would be helpful. it can be anywhere in chicago doesn’t necessarily have to be downtown.

we’re looking for stuff more on the niche side as well.

any help would be appreciated! thank you!

I have a car, but don't want to drive into the deep suburbs every time I want quiet time in a wooded area.

I would love somewhere that isn't so loud that you can hear the regular whooshing of busy roads. Would love suggestions! Thanks :)

I moved to Chicago from the Northeast about 2 years ago and am missing hiking a lot. I don’t currently have a car in Chicago so I’m wondering if there’s any decent hikes that are accessible by Amtrak for a long weekend trip? Willing to do a longer train ride

I have been looking for houses on the south side of Chicago. The ones I am looking at are in very poor shape because I myself am poor. I am hoping to buy a house with a reno 204k loan. I've gotten approved before, I know what it takes, I know how it works, and I know my limits.

There is a house I like. I reached out to the realtor through realtor.com and I got nothing. I emailed them directly, nothing.

I know they aren't going to make a huge commission on me. I'm not an investor or a flipper. I want to buy an old house and bring it back to life. I want to live in it.

So. Are there any realtors out there who are willing to help me out?

I’m asking this because I just started a new job at a long-standing Italian restaurant in the city, and already 3 people have made very casually racist comments (one of them very frequently) about people in the restaurant or about racial groups in general. One guy said something to the effect of “Minnesota is shit now because of all the Somalians,” one said what I believe was an Italian racial slur about black people and said they were crazy and smash your shit, and another kept calling the back of house workers “lazy, you know those people” (all of them are Hispanic), as well as a host of other things, even about other Italians.

There is also a very clear skin color and language divide between FOH, BOH, and even bussers. The bussers are treated as second class FOH and not tipped out their full amount—I was trained to do the same.

I have been serving in another state, and none of the restaurants I’ve worked in have been like this. Sometimes people work BOH who don’t speak English, but I haven’t noticed them being treated or spoken about disrespectfully.

Anyway, is this something you’ve recognized as a service worker? Is this something endemic to Chicago Italian restaurants? Is it just this place? It’s struck me by how casual it’s been—I’m not in these people’s confidence at all, it’s my first day. I have responded mostly by going “um, I don’t think that’s true,” but I want to say more, only of course saying more does nothing if every single FOH person holds these beliefs. I definitely don’t want to work here long term anymore, so I’m hoping this isn’t a common thing. I don’t want to leave because of racism only to find it is everywhere.

Edit: it should be noted that I’m white, so I’m unsure if these comments are being made directly to POC, but I doubt it’s always subtle. I’m offended that just by being white, my coworkers seem to think I’m racist too. That’s what makes me think it might be industry- or even city-wide.

I’m in MN and the 4th Trimester Postnatal Retreat in Chicago is the closest postnatal retreat to us. My husband and I are seriously considering booking, but I’m having a hard time finding reviews from anyone who has actually stayed there.

They’ve been operating in Chicago since 2024 and have a pretty large social media presence, but I can’t find Google reviews or much firsthand discussion from former guests — mostly just people saying online that it looks amazing.

Has anyone here actually stayed there, or know someone who has? If so, what was your experience? We’d especially love to know whether you felt the care and experience were worth the cost.

Hey everyone, As the title says I’m looking for a Cat behavioralist in Chicago or Chicago land that can do at home visits. My cat has been having extreme behavioral issues. Im unable to get near her let alone put her in a carrier. Any recommendations would be great. Thank you!

My friend has never been to Chicago and this is a bucket list trip for her. I just moved back to the area and realized that the Signature Lounge is closed. What are some alternatives where she can have a great experience and get a fantastic view? This will be her last night and it can be a little pricey but we don’t want to completely break the bank. Thank you for the suggestions!