Wow ... I thought I'd come to know Chicago pretty well over the past few years - have my eyes been opened! I love to walk, I'm a librarian (no bun, no twinset ) and it's time I saw a game of baseball - interspersing the architecture! So thank you all for each suggestion - I guess I won't be going for a discount carrier to fly elsewhere - I now have a pretty full schedule - and looking forward to it all (especially the cafes/restaurants etc ) Again, many thanks for the great ideas! I hope I can return the favour/s one day ...

In addition to the suggestions given, I'll add

Devon California Area-The former Russian-Jewish neighborhood is now the heart of Chicago's Indian and Paksitani Communities. Where else will you see a kosher bakery and Arabic language bookstore side by side.

Shopping in the Lincoln Square Area (Western-Brown Line)
including Merz Apothecary and Cafe Selmarie

The same day as the Museum of Science and Industry visit, stroll over to the gothic/modern architecture mix of the University of Chicago. You can also check Robie House off your FLW list, just watch your head if over 6-1. And shop at the seminary co-op bookstore.

Or in my hood, check the smaller shops from Belmont/Clark -/Halsted-/Broadway and the polysexual crowd at Berlin nightclub

See chicago-style comedy at IO (near wrigley) or Second City, and more great theater at Steppenwolf or Victory Gardens (recently relocated to the Biograph Theatre where John Dillenger was killed) or check the Reader or TimeOut for a small storefront company doing interesting work (mine may have a show up then)

Catch a band at Double Door or dine and drink at the other joints in Wicker Park (Damen CTA Blue).

If you're going to Sox Park (chicagoans avoid the corporate name, check out the bungalows on Lowe Street (where Mayor Daley grew up, the Healthy Food Lithuanian restaurant or dig up info on new artists in Bridgeport, or go west to see the contemporary architecture of the IIT campus and the gradual renaissance of Bronzeville.

Or wander along the north branch to contrast the old industries and new retail and residential development.
(Too bad finkl steel doesnt have tours).

All good sugestions. Some more info on this general area:
- World-class art in Bridgeport: link
- Clarification: IIT and Bronzeville are just EAST of Bridgeport / Sox Park
- Other quality places to eat & drink: Bridgeport Restaurant (diner), Cobblestones (tavern with food), Connie's (pizza), Franco's (Italian), Freddie's (pizza / sandwiches), Pancho's (Mexican), Pearl's Place (Soul), Ricobene's (pizza / sandwiches), Schaller's Pump (Chicago's oldest tavern), South Side Shrimp House (fried shrimp), Scoops (ice cream), Wing Yip (Chinese), and Chinatown (just one el stop North of Sox Park).

If you want prototypical Chicago though, I'd say Connie's, Ricobene's or Schaller's. I didn't emphasize Chinatown as much since I presumed, perhaps incorrectly, that since China is closer to OP's homebase in Oz, than the US...

But it is convenient by El. The prices go down and the menus go more native the further you wander down Wentworth. But if you do go, my secret love is the Dong Kee trading company (say it aloud for the easy mnemonic), which sells big bags of malformed-but-still-tasty fortune cookies for $2 or so.

In the same boat - getting to Chicago a few times a year now - and have been to most of the places. Have family tthere to visit, but also now trying to branch out and really take in the city.

Last trip I went out to the Mexican Fine Arts Center Musuem. Not a big palce - but there was a really interesting exhibition there.
http://www.mfacmchicago.org/

Other thing I am now getting to do is check out all the restaurants. Chicago dining is really impressing me. Two trips ago went to a place called Le Lan which I highly recommend.

Last trip, also went bowling at Lucky Strike downtown - Lucky Strike is in other cities too, but the Chicago scene on a Thursday night was cool. Also took a day trip to Milwaukee - some interesting places there and also stopped to shop at Gurnee Mills on the way back.

And did anyone mention grabbing a meal in Greektown?

Just an FYI, the Lucky Strike in Elmhurst, IL partcipates in Idine. I've never been there, but I've always wondered if you'd get miles for the bowling in addition to the food & drinks.

As for The Mexican Fine Arts Museum, this reminds of a field trip I went on in high school. I went to Immaculate conception High School in Elmhurst. As the name implies, it's a Catholic High School. We took a field trip to the museum for Spanish class to see the Dia de Los Muertos exhibit. When we got done with the exhibit we came upon a table that was promoting the Safe Sex campaign. There were free condoms available and dental dams. I even recall one of my classmates asking what the dental dam was for and I remember the attendant strenching out the sample dental dam to explain it's purpose.. Most of you probably know that the Catholic Church is against all forms of birth control except the rhythem method. Obviously, parents and school administrators wouldn't have approved. I always thought it was funny that the table happened to be there the day our class visited.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if there are tours of old mob homes? River Forest (next to Oak Park) used to be a pretty big mob place, but a bunch of 'em died, and Tony Accardo moved further out, after which I think most of the guys moved out, too. The houses look pretty much like all the rest of the houses, so maybe it wouldn't be much of a tour. Although, a couple of 'em if you went inside had some big refrigerators next to reinforced doors in the basement, reportedly to stop bullets.

-Hayden

Not sure if they go to any homes, but there are a few mob/ganster tours. I wrote this one down (Untouchable Tours) last time for a future trip.
http://www.gangstertour.com/

Along similar lines, some of the best city tours I have done in other places are haunted tours. Here were two I saw information for/wrote down for a future Chicago trip:
http://www.chicagohauntings.com/
http://www.ghosttours.com/

A few follow up thoughts:

1) I'm a huge fan of the Chicago Architecture Foundation boat tours as I think were mentioned. If you're a walker, though, they also have dossent led walking tours of downtown. I haven't been on one, but my understanding is that they're tremendous and much more comprehensive than my beloved boat rides.

2) Uno's (29 E Ontario - this location, and this location ONLY) or Due's (619 N Wabash) for the pizza. Other suggestions are servicable, but inadequate. With all due respect to my fellow FTers, don't listen to them.

3) You can go to a Sox game if you want, but doing so to the exclusion of a Cubs game (and by definition, a visit to Wrigley Field) is an unforgivable transgression.

As always ElmhurstNick has produced some of the most interesting suggestions. You might also consider a trip to one of the visitors' galleries at either the Chicago Board of Trade of Chicago Mercantile Exchange if either of them are open at that time. The two are merging and they plan to consolidate floor trading at the CBOT. There's a good chance that down the line, however, they may close floor operations altogether. If you've never seen this kind of thing, it's worth doing so before it's all gone.

Have a great time!!

Lincoln Square, stop at the Brauhaus for very good German food. There are quite a few neat shops along there too. You can walk across the street to Sal Marie (sp?) for great desert anytime of the day too. The brown line Western stop drops you right there.

If you're going to Andersonville, the big Ann Sather's is there if you like Cinnamon Rolls they're the best IMHO.

Going up the Sears Tower or John Hancock on a nice day out is a nice touristy thing to do. A block from the Sears Tower is my favorite downtown Pizza establishment - Giordano's. Personally I don't much care for Uno's. Right next door is one of my favorite Italian Beef places - Luke's. My favorite downtown Hot Dog place is a couple blocks northwest at the River and Washington (Big Herm's).

The Ann Sather's in Andersonville has closed - the owner is only doing catering now. The Ann Sather on Belmont, next to the Red/Brown lines stop, is open however.

I'm now wishing I'd waited until closer to the time to post my queries - I'm getting 'itchy feet' and can't wait to be there and see if I can manage each of the brilliant suggestions you've all offered. Clearly I'll just have to try all those pizzerias to see which is the best - and won't that be hard work Thank you all again for all your ideas.

Maybe you can share a "trip report"?

More generally, this thread is/remains useful, and I'll look forward to applying some of the ideas on my next trip.

Some attractions that I'd add include:

1. In the Hyde Park area, there's a free art museum on the University of Chicago campus that's pretty good (not huge, but free)... There's also (located near the very-big and free Oriental Institute Museum on the UC campus)... the Seminary Bookstore Co-op, which is a must-visit for any bibliophiles given its _very_ creative use of space, eclectic inventory, ....

2. Outside of Chicago... the Brookfield Zoo can be added to the list of worthwhile places to visit (e.g., the very-big indoor gorilla habitats, ...).