Posted on Nov 30, 2016 in
FEATURES
Cloud Gate, also known as The Bean, is the centerpiece of AT&T Plaza in Chicago.
Community Culture | By Zeenat Kassam Mitha –
With its diverse culture, astounding architecture and so many places to see and visit, Chicago during the holidays is a picturesque scene out of a postcard. The city is filled with cultural holiday celebrations, décor, music, people and delicious food! Chicago is known for all kinds of wonderful cuisine, one of the most popular of which is Italian.
A very traditional Italian celebration is a grand meal known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. For many Italians, Christmas Eve is traditionally a day of fasting from red meat, so a rich quantity of seafood is part of the spread of Christmas Day. The meal consists of seven different seafood dishes that can include fish, shrimp, calamari, tuna, crab, oysters and lobster. The most popular of the fishes is salt cod with tomatoes and capers known as Baccalà alla Vesuviana. This feast originated in Southern Italy, where it is known simply as The Vigil (La Vigilia). There are many hypotheses for what the number seven represents in the feast. One popular theory is that the number represents completion as shown in Genesis 2:2: “By the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.”
Sheri Hammonds and Zeenat Mitha visiting The Art Institute of Chicago.
“Food is a big part of people coming together,” said Ron Brandani of Missouri City’s Brandanis Restaurant and Wine Bar. “Everyone is in the kitchen together celebrating family, especially during the holidays.” Fort Bend has many connections with Italy and Chicago, and Brandani began his own restaurant with several recipes from his grandmother and Italian father.
“Italian food is a staple in Chicago,” said Julie LaBarge Simmons, a Fort Bend resident from Chicago. While in Chicago, consider trying the deep-dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s. It is one of the best, and they deliver nationwide! Al’s Italian Beef Sandwiches should also be on the list. For authentic Italian food, there are fabulous eateries at different price points, including Eataly, Rosebud and Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse. Each meal features a distinct flavor with Italian herbs and seasoning and is tantalizing to the palate.
Some of the top places to visit while in Chicago are The Art Institite, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, Wrigley Field, The John Hancock Center and the Wendella Lake and River Tour through Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Things to do are limitless in this cosmopolitan city for art lovers. The Art Institute of Chicago is a world-class museum. As an art lover, The Institute was my go-to place. It is known for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings including Renoir’s 1879 Acrobats at the Cirque Fernando, Georges Seurat’s 1884 A Sunday Afternoon on La Grand Jatte and several paintings by Chagall, Picasso and Claude Monet.
A deep-dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria.
“I recently moved to Chicago to be closer to family,” said Sheri Hammonds, a former Fort Bend resident for over 13 years. “Chicago has so much to offer, including the beautiful lakefront, gorgeous beaches, culture, endless things to do, fabulous food and the Chicago Cubs!”
The Wendella boat tour navigates around the 26 mile skyline and invites guests into the history of groundbreaking architecture. The Chicago Fire of 1871 burned for two days and destroyed thousands of buildings. Thereafter, architects from around the world came to build the city. Chicago has a global reputation as a focal point of 20th century architecture and art, with prominent architects such as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright.
The Chicago Riverwalk area, which was finished recently, allows visitors to walk from one end to the other with beautiful views. Millennium Park is another visitors’ hotspot that includes the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, an outdoor concert venue; the interactive Crown Fountain; Lurie Garden and the Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza also known as The Bean, created by Indian born British artist Anish Kapoor. Another attraction is Navy Pier, which is 50 acres of gardens, amusement park attractions, shops, restaurants and concert venues. Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, was built in 1914 and is the second oldest ballpark in the majors. Chicago attracts all kinds of sports lovers, with the Chicago Bears in football, the Chicago White Sox and Cubs in baseball and the Chicago Bulls in basketball. Chicago, in every way, is a beautiful travel experience!
As the holidays approach, whether you are around the bend or any part of the world, I wish each of you a safe and blessed holiday season. May your celebrations be filled with love, delicious food, merriment and peace!
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