The Summer of Satellite – Chicago, IL.

I’ve been to Chicago once. (I’m not going to include the trip I had when I was about seven years old, as I don’t remember it.)  It was in January so it was cold. I’m talking bone chilling cold.  But this is summer, which even though it’s about 80+ degrees right now, still makes it an ideal hot (no pun intended) spot for our Summer of Satellite tour.

So let’s load up your Satellite hard drive to get you in the spirit of a visit to the (hopefully not so) Windy City.  (And special thanks to my blogging partner in crime, Mark Wojtasiak, for these recommendations)

Let’s start off with the films that really put Chicago on the “Hollywood” map.

• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – The ultimate film about having a little “Me” time.
• The Fugitive – A clever thriller based upon an old TV series. You can’t go wrong with either one.
• The Blues Brothers – Simply a classic. If you haven’t seen this film, stop reading and go watch it right now.
• The Untouchables – I dare you to think about Chicago without thinking about Al Capone. This film has one of my favorite performances by Robert DeNiro. A must see.
• About Last Night – Like the poster says, it’s about “men, women, choices, ambition…” nevermind. Just go watch it.

Now that you’ve set the tone visually, let’s tickle your eardrums with some Chitown tunes.

• Sweet Home Chicago – The Blues Brothers
• My Kind of Town – Frank Sinatra (Bonus if you add Robin and the 7 Hoods to your movie watch list.)
• Tonight Tonight – The Smashing Pumpkins
• Take Me Back to Chicago – Chicago

Ok, movies and music was easy, but what about hot spots for pictures? Let’s keep things simple this time around and hit the hot spots.

• Willis Tower – Formerly Sears Tower, at 110 stories high, if you get any higher, you may need wings and a halo.
• Wrigley Field – While not the Yankees, it is summer and this also means baseball. So give it a go this seasons.
• Grant Park – Get a taste of the great outdoors…in the city.
• Art Institute of Chicago – Slow things down a bit, stop by the museum and get some culture. Swing through the Roy Lichtenstein exhibit for another bonus.
• The Miracle Mile – One word: Shopping. ‘Nuff said. Besides, you need souvenirs.

As an extra bonus, let’s throw in some food spots. Being on the West coast, I always feel like “Chicago” style places here don’t do it right. They are close, but there is nothing like the real thing. So whether it’s Portillo’s Italian Beef, Geno’s East Pizza or Harry Caray’s Steakhouse, you won’t be disappointed. Just leave your diet at the door.

The Summer of Satellite tour is just getting started. What better way to fill up 500GB of space with pictures of places you’ve been, things you’ve seen, food you’ve eaten or baubles you’ve bought.  I’m not sure yet where we’re headed next, but if you have a suggestion, leave it in the comments below, on Facebook or Twitter. Or share your own summer vacation pictures with us through these channels.

Until next time…