T O P 3 P L A C E S T O S E E

I N C H I C A G O

J A S O N T I C U S

3 . S I D E K I C K S

3 . S I D E K I C K S

• Back before karaoke was cool, there was Sidekicks. Start by pretending

that the vintage marquee outside is glowing with your name rather then

“Open Till 4AM” and “Karaoke Every Night”. When you arrive, open the

big bright red door and prepare yourself for a time warp. You’ll expect to

see the Blues Brothers jump onstage with you to sing a Bon Jovi song .

If you come to Sidekicks to celebrate a special event, like a birthday, call

ahead. It will give the bar a heads up, and they’ll tape you and your

friends for free — at the end of the night, you’ll get a copy on video

cassette. In addition, the bar also has a serious dart-playing contingent; If

you are hungry looking at the framed pictures of pizza and onion rings,

Italian Beef, don’t worry: There’s a walk-up counter where you can order

food until late. Karaoke starts at 8 p.m sharp and goes until about

midnight during the week, 2 a.m. on Friday and 3 a.m. on Saturday.

2 . P A S E O B O R I C U A A N D H U M B O L D T

P A R K

2 . P A S E O B O R I C U A A N D H U M B O L D T

P A R K

• With the huge threat of gentrification from the east,

leaders in the Humboldt Park neighborhood worked to

help keep of its Puerto Rican community. Two huge,

arching, Puerto Rican flags mark both ends of the

district known as Paseo Boricua. This pair of

engineering feats bookend a murals, gauntlet of salsa

music and vibrant street life. Enjoy a guava-cheese

pastry from Cafe Colao. Visit Coco Restaurant to try

the passion fruit martini with fresh-squeezed juice.

1 . J U D Y I S T O C K B U T T E R F L Y

H A V E N

1 . J U D Y I S T O C K B U T T E R F L Y

H A V E N

• Before you enter the the Peggy Notebaert Nature

Museum, you’ll encourter a different museum itself:

The rooftop gardens and solar panels, extensive

prairie, and water conservation systems make this one

of the city’s best examples of green technology. The

inside of the building showcases kid-friendly interactive

displays and workshops for adults such. The real

reason to pay the $9 admission is the year-round Judy

Istock Butterfly Haven.

J A S O N T I C U S

• For more information on

Jason Ticus, check out

http://jasonticus.com