Going to conventions in Madison and Chicago in a couple of weeks and looking for some adult friendly places for food and drinks. I don't know either city much so I'm looking for suggestions.

I'm driving to both cities so I will have a car. In Madison I'm staying close to the Wisconsin campus and in Chicago I'm close to the Art Institute of Chicago.

Not much hope for something vaguely adult friendly in Madison, but hoping Chicago has a bar or something that's CF friendly.

You might try poking around 'The Reader' for some good spots in Chi -

As example -
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/our-favorite-restaurants-of-2014/Content?oid=15926416

Or the Tribune. Both of these have 'food' and 'night life' sections.

I live in Chi, I'm a Boring Person who doesn't go out that much.

If you are driving - do keep in mind that the traffic in Chi is a nightmare.

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and in Chicago I'm close to the Art Institute of Chicago.

This is the 'downtown' area. Park the car and walk or take public transport (full of scum bags) or a cab (piloted by a dangerously unhinged scum bag.) Hey - it's cheaper and actually less dangerous than driving, if you are not familiar with the traffic. Parking is also hard to find, and pay lots - you'll basically have to sell an organ to come up with what they want eyes2

"Downtown" is the biz area and there are some nice restaurants, but they are expensive.

You may spot other places to go to - think it through. From 'downtown' you cannot walk to 'the north side'. 8 blocks to a mile. Remember that. Divide by 8. You see some place you'd like to go that's 5600 N? That's 7 miles N of downtown. Chi Town is big and "The Greater Chicago Metro Area" is even bigger. Now classed as a 'Megalopolis' which stretches from WI to MI - this is HUGE and confusing area. I saw some guy on CL looking to meet people - he came from New Jersey - however he put it, he said he was baffled and confused by this 'big and bewildering place', did seem almost pannicky. Which is understandable.

Watch your step. Be careful of where you go. Also? Suburbia does not conform to Chi's fairly easy to understand street numbering system.
Get lost in the Cul De Sacs of Naperville? Even the Non Religious will pray for the sweet release of death.

Where are you coming from?
If you are hardened for it - you can take it.

IMO this *entire area* is like one big lunatic asylum. Do you have to come here? Is killing yourself an option? That might be the better choice.

Thanks, Zzelda, was hoping you would reply.

Skipping the conference is not an option, as part of the contract we get 50% off parking each night. Instead of $75/day we're paying $35/day. The plan is to park when we check in and the car stays in the garage until it's time to leave. The reason we're driving is we're visiting MiL in rural Wisconsin before Chicago.

I'll spend 95% of the time in Chicago hermetically sealed in the hotel, I know I'll reach the point where I just need to get away from the hotel and people before I go nuts. When that happens I'll bite the bullet and grab a drink somewhere close to the hotel.

I'm from Washington DC so I'm used to a different level of crazy. Pretty good at judging neighborhoods and playing good block/bad block. In the late 90s I lived briefly in a neighborhood that Marine buddies avoided, they said it was safer in Bosnia.

Thanks for the heads up about the city, Zzelda.

You know it's very weird ~

I thought about this and was thinking 'I hope I was not too negative about the traffic'. Or - was this another of my "psychic moments"? Because I nearly bought it today in traffic :goggle

This happened in the 'burbs though, where the drivers are often *worse* IMO. Basically what happened is I had to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. And then came 'the squeaking'. Accompanied by me muttering to myself - about the driver next to me which was some parts hauler for a car dealer. WTF? You work at a car shop and can't get your fekkin brakes fixed?

But it wasn't him - it was me. Which I figured out when I went to use the brakes again - and there weren't any. ERG. And then I had to drive apx. 20 miles *back home*. With no brakes. Yes, I did it. No, it was not fun. I do have a bit of braking left also, but not much. Lord was that a white knuckler!

Getting tired of Near Death Experiences. It's funny too, that I wrote this yesterday, and 'kill yourself instead of coming here' is yes just sarcasm, I am rather cynical and sarcastic, but it's not *that bad* here and this is not language I would normally use. And the other day I was also thinking of someone here on BF who was talking about cars, I was musing on cars and for some reason thinking about one I thought had been mentioned and trying to remember if I'd ever driven one, and for some reason the idea of 'hitting the brakes and there aren't any' popped into my head.

ERG. I get these 'weird flashes' at times, it's so strange. I *do think* you will have a good trip - maybe that's a plus, eh?

If you can take DC you will be fine

Watch the traffic.

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