West Randolph Street in Chicago’s West Loop has become a new home to the city’s culinary talents. Stephanie Izard first drew crowds cooking dishes like roasted pig face at Girl & the Goat (pictured). She recently opened Little Goat, a retro diner, across the street. Graham Elliot Bowles keeps it simple at his casual g.e.b, where each dish has no more than three ingredients. On a more elegant note, the prix-fixe menu at Grace, from chef Curtis Duffy, features dishes such as kampachi with coconut, lime, basil, golden trout roe, and pomelo presented in a cylinder of frozen ginger water. Photo by Huge Galdones. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.

A primo sourcing grounds for picnic provisions or a casual cafe meal, Publican Quality Meats is the latest food enterprise by the never-miss restaurant team behind Avec, Publican, and Big Star. Billed as a contemporary American butcher shop, its sleek counter beckons with house-made salumi, sausages, and terrine, as well as artisan cheeses and homemade breads and pastries. Pack your basket accordingly. 825 W. Fulton Market, (312) 445-8977.

Chicago is the king of comedy, hot dogs, and extreme Midwest weather. But since the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the city has been reinventing itself. Today, clever design projects (such as “Color Jam,” shown) top the list of reasons the “Second City” is now second to none. Photo courtesy of Color Jam. This appeared in the September, 2012 issue.

100+ stories, on top of the world, at the skydeck of the Willis Tower in Chicago. The city is extremely beautiful, and especially awesome from up here. On a pretty clear day like this one was, you can see quite far in all directions. This is a must for anybody visiting Chicago.

Stephanie Izard knows puts together a great restaurant. The Girl and the Goat is hard to get into even now 2 years later and Little Goat had a 90 minute wait when we went last month. 90 minutes for diner food! That's impressive. Other things that were impressive? The Fat Elvis Waffles with crunchy bacon bits, sliced bananas, peanut butter sauce and big enough for 2 people, but who wants to give up any of that deliciousness?? Little Goat is totally worth a visit but let the newness wear off a bit before you go.

For anyone interested in the best beer bars in the city, this should set you in the right direction. http://www.chicagobeermap.com/details.html

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. ~ Marcel Proust. For my inaugural highlight on AFAR, I am starting with my wife's favorite quote, and a local sight in Chicago. Sometimes people feel they must jet off to some far off exotic place in order to 'travel.' However, if you gaze anew at your immediate surroundings with fresh eyes, you will discover an entire host of wonderful surprises. Here we have Cloud Gate, located down in Millennium Park, back before they buffed out the seams. The contrast between the organic form of 'the bean' and the structured grid lines, along with the warped fun house mirror quality of the city, makes this a truly unique destination.

Chicago’s beloved South Side hat shop, Optimo, recently opened a downtown location in the historic Monadnock building. A favorite of Johnny Depp and former Mayor Richard Daley, the new shop sells handmade felt fedoras and porkpies that appear to float inside custom display cases. (312) 922-2999. Image by Dani Vernon. This appeared in the September, 2012 issue.

The architectural boat tour of downtown Chicago is the single best way to see this city in a whole new way. From first-timers to lifers, it doesn't matter how long you've been in town, this perspective is going to be new to all. There are many different tour companies that will take you through the winding waterways of Chicago, you just have to pick the one that is right for you. Tours can range from 30 to 75 minutes, and some boats have no roofs while others have bars where canopies used to be attached. Here are my recommendations for getting the most out of your adventure. First, I'd pick a tour that is at least 60 minutes long, since that will give you all the key sites. Second, if you want to get an unobstructed view (and take the best photos) find a boat with no bars overhead. Third, to get the most educational (and interesting) tour you should use a company that focuses on just that. Chicago is rich in history, and a knowledgeable guide can make all the difference, and I speak from experience on this. The link below is the only boat operator that has a department dedicated solely to education. And fourth, go during good weather and make sure to bundle up if it's cold. This boat tour is always the first thing I recommend to visitors, even before the Willis Tower and all its skyline impressiveness. And while some enjoy looking down on a city, I think that Chicago is one that we can all truly look up to.

For their roving, event-based Volume Gallery, Claire Warner and Sam Vintz pluck contemporary American designers like Thaddeus Wolf and Rich Brilliant Willing and set up short-run installations at galleries all over Chicago. One of Chicago’s own, designer and metalworker Jonathan Nesci, created a collection for Volume called The New, which recalled banal forms like curbs and street lamps.

If you fancy an epic place to stay while visiting the Windy City, The Peninsula, located in the heart of downtown, can cater to your every desire. If it's fancy digs you require, any room that you request will be top notch. For unwinding and getting pampered there is The Spa, which was rated by Health Magazine as 'American's Healthiest Hotel.' And if it's cuisine that you crave, you have a plethora of choices including: Shanghai Terrace, The Terrace, Pierrot Gourmet, The Bar and The Lobby, which is pictured above. Saturday night is the best time to visit this wonderful place, as they have an insane chocolate bar and a live string quartet that plays their version of modern rock from bands such as Cold Play and The Verve to name but a few. Welcome to decadent downtown Chicago.

Tesori is a new Italian restaurant located in the heart of the Loop. It features a wonderful bar area to pop in for a quick drink, or a large dining room for a more in-depth food experience. But the real treat is that it's located in the same building as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which makes it the pitch perfect spot to have a pre or post-orchestra beverage of your choice. Come for the music, but stay for a drink.

GT Fish & Oyster is a standout on Chicago’s seafood scene. Run by Michelin-starred chef Giuseppe Tentori, the restaurant serves elevated versions of many classics, including clam chowder with housemade oyster crackers and beer-battered cod with hand-cut steak fries wrapped in a newspaper cone. The small plates-style dishes are also inventive, adding kimchi and peanuts to an oyster po’ boy slider, for example. On the raw side, you can order an iced tray of East and West Coast oysters or the decadent caviar service. GT focuses as much attention on its sweets as it does its seafood, so don’t pass on pastry chef Sarah Jordan’s dessert menu. The salted caramel tart crowned with bananas foster and chantilly cream is a must. Tip: If you can’t get a dinner reservation, try GT for a weekday lunch or weekend brunch.

Chicago has a wonderful lake front path that stretches 18 miles alongside Lake Michigan. Cruising the path on this vintage bicycle, named Hercules, is an ideal way to enjoy a beautiful summer afternoon in Chicago.

Housed in an old bank vault, The Bedford affords you a glimpse into the world of finance, old school style. Inspired by the era of Al Capone crime and tommy gun holdups, this throwback lounge in Wicker Park puts a contemporary twist on old time cool. Slide past the red velvet rope, down the stairs, and enter a world unseen by anyone without a key to a safety deposit box with at least a mil to kill for back in the day. No worries though, as the hostess will quickly usher you to a booth, with a wall of steel behind you to ensure safety from all angles. Order some food and drinks, and then take a quick peek at the original vault door which stands there, ironically, open for all to see. Then get ready for the crime scene to unfold. The loot is gone, nary a token, we've been robbed, the seal is broken!