Chowhound is a good source for restaurant recs across the country, and if you're coming to Chicago, I suggest LTHForum, especially their Great Neighborhood Restaurants list. (That's how I found Podhalanka, the Polish restaurant that shrift, tommyrot, MFNLaw and I went to in February.)
About the Chicago deep dish pizza vs. thin crust pizza debate, I do somewhat agree with Laga in that the pizza type that is sold most often in the Chicago limits is actually the thin crust variety. Usually, I only eat deep dish if I go out to a restaurant; delivery is always thin crust. I love Chicago thin crust--the sweet/spicy sauce in great profusion, sausage and cheese floating on top, ready to come off with the first bite of the small square, and the extra-crispy corner pieces that are always my favorite bits. Yumyumyum.
Same thing with walking slowly in a group of 3-5. Don't do it! I don't care if you're getting a drink after work!
This wouldn't bug me so much if any of these groups ever had the awareness of their surroundings to detect when someone walking faster is behind them, and made room to be passed.
Instead, it usually seems like they think there's no one else one the sidewalk except themselves. Or, if they are aware of other people, they not only don't make room, they go out of their way to make it
impossible
to pass. Like "How
dare
you try and pass our slow-moving group taking up the entire sidewalk!!!"
I totally gaffed in Buenos Aires when I refused to eat until the rest of the table had been served. I am hardwired to wait, it seems. I was told later that it definitely wasn't part of their culture, and that it caused stress for the others at the table (who didn't say anything to me at the time) when I waited. Who knew? Javachik didn't.
Have no fear, even my sister forgot about this when my cousin was visiting. She was going on and on about how rude she was for not waiting for everyone. And I was like, why would she wait? I had forgotten how long it had been since my sister was in France.
I have no problem with tourists who are confused by the subway, because quite often it just doesn't make any sense
The NY subway has never made as much sense to me as I was sure it should have. I could navigate London quite well, but I grew up there. Thinking on it, I dove into Moscow subway with less apprehension than my last solo NY trip. There's an aura.
It could be worse. I can't even get the "natives" here to move out of the way so I can get on the train. Le sigh.
God I loved Moscow so much. Everyone moves so quickly and briskly, and if you stand in the way you'll get bumped out of it right quick.
Moscow subway's pretty easy. It sets a new bar for crowds, but because of the above it doesn't get annoying the way they can here. IME, anyway.
And now I want to visit Moscow!
Crap. Bo Diddley died.
Same thing with walking slowly in a group of 3-5. Don't do it! I don't care if you're getting a drink after work!
This wouldn't bug me so much if any of these groups ever had the awareness of their surroundings to detect when someone walking faster is behind them, and made room to be passed.
This, so very much. I grew up in an area that was almost entirely tourist-dependent. I'm very familiar with the love-hate dynamic that is present in such situations. And I know I live and work in the most tourist-heavy parts of SF, but STILL. The worst part about my entire rehearsal process has been the fact that the theater is near Union Square, and so the entire area is clotted with oblivious groups of people.
I'm so sorry for your loss, askye.
