Show Us Your Town

The Windy City, the City of Big Shoulders, —no matter what you call it, the 1,900 alumni in love to show o≠ their town.

By Maya Dukmasova ’12

As the air turns crisp in the early days of fall, Chicago’s beaches close for the season—but even if she’s not going for a swim, Brittany Hopkins ’14 frequently visits the strip of sand between one of the world’s largest lakes and the rearing skyscrapers of American’s third‑larg‑ est city. On some days the lake stretches out in a placid sheet, the water a turquoise; on others it roils in tattered, gun-metal gray waves. “In Chicago, people are very in tune and engaged with the lake,” she says. “It’s just such a beautiful view.” Chicago’s lakefront has been almost exclusively reserved for public recre‑ ation since the early 20th century. Roughly 26 miles of parkland and beaches separate development from the waters along the city’s eastern edge. And whether you’re someone like Hopkins, with roots in the city stretching back three generations, or you’re a newcomer, the lake is a continual draw. As Javaree Walker ’12S (MS), ’15S (MBA), a recent transplant from the East Coast, sees it, Chicago’s “Riviera” rivals the city beaches of Miami—and defi‑ nitely surpasses those of New York. He often recommends that people come in the warmer months not only to enjoy them but also to truly acquire a taste for Chicago.

30 ROCHESTER REVIEW Winter 2019 JIM PRISCHING FOR ROCHESTER REVEW

rr_Winter2019.indb 30 2/4/19 11:34 AM HOME IS WHERE THE SKYLINE IS: Captivated by the Lake Michigan “Riviera” that he says rivals any American beachfront, Long Island native Javaree Walker ’12S (MS), ’15S (MBA) fell in love with Chicago after moving to the city in 2013.

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41 Palos Worth rr_Winter2019.indb 32 2/4/19 11:34 AM 12 21 41 New Trier Northfield Wilmette Ave G re e n Ba Ryan

N Wolf Rd N Wolf y Field Rd M Skokie “If you come in the summer, you’ll fall in love with the city. CLASSIC ORIENTATION i lw G 14 a Hospital u K k e d e There’s just so much going on,” Walker says.

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Family e Emerson St University- I couldn’t agree more. I came to Chicago for the first time the v

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v 12 C d onto , the vastness of the lake stretching end- to know what the beaten path is, right? Our R A Dempster St r 58 e d 43 t Chicago Ave 14 or Evanston f list of recommendations comes with the d Mccormick Blvd lessly toward the horizon. Why had I never heard about how en R N Greenwood Ave

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h e r Windy City, you should by no means neglect in Lake Michigan sional circumstances led me here quite unexpectedly, and within

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t e o E Oakton St12 R s D Asbury Ave o the classic attractions: i days I knew I wanted Chicago to be my forever home. v 21

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S 41 University– 72 N N Devon Ave No W Devon Ave W Devon Ave “I think if it was warmer, it would be an even more popular museums in the world by experts and rt Chicago hw

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N University–Chicago More Than a Museum W Lake St This is the city’s main commercial drag, 294 41 Malcolm X College Sure, there’s the Art Institute of Chicago, but the city also has with both luxury and mainstream retail, Garfield 290 University horse carriage rides, and the historic water of Illinois Park a vibrant contemporary art scene and a world of museums that

56 Rush University at Chicago combine social activism with the visual arts. tower. e

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88 r connect with the work of many living artists and is a testament the pier offers a delightful walk. Turn a

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S to the growing diversity in the world of high art. The museum ke S t W 31st St Burnham

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C ho Park Illinois has a permanent collection, but rather than displaying pieces all breathtaking view of the skyline. The S r e W 35th St Institute of D 55 r the time, curators tap the collection for a rotating stream of ex- 3,300-foot pier is also home to a Ferris Mckinley Park Technology W Pershing Rd 94 hibitions. The museum also hosts temporary shows with loaned wheel, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater,

90 works. “There are more pop artists, things I can appreciate in an IMAX, and the Children’s Museum. It’s 83 d e

R Av E 43rd St er W 43rd St ki h the departure point for boat tours on the 294 s rc a different way versus some things from the 17th century—that

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S Blvd V S Kedzie Ave Kedzie S W Garfield he says. Among the monumental canvases on show was a paint- Skydeck at Willis Tower University 55th St of Chicago ing of a black family picnicking by Lake Michigan. Last year it 233 S. Wacker Dr.

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le A le set a sales record for a work by a living African-American artist. What visit to any city is complete without a

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S n W e g Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center around? Located at the top of the building m 67th St S

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S t formerly known as the Sears Tower (now W 69th St h 9603 Woods Dr., Skokie Chi W 71st St ca E 71st St go A Rainbow Park “It’s not exactly an uplifting place but it’s an important place,” the second-tallest building in America), the ve and Beach W 74th St says ’74M (MD), ’78M (Res). “It’s actually one deck lets you appreciate the city and the Downers Grove r E 75th St Philip Greenland Ave 94 D s W 76th St r 55 mbu of the biggest Holocaust museums in the .” The vastness of the lake from 1,353 feet.

e J ng Colu i v W 79th St K E 79th St W 41 A

e —Maya Dukmasova ’12

s museum complex opened in 2009 and though it’s an impressive S Jeffery Blvd Jeffery S

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41 Palos Worth rr_Winter2019.indb 33 2/4/19 11:34 AM building designed by one of Chicago’s star architects, it traces its roots to a storefront. There, local Holocaust survivors organized a foundation and an education center in the late 1970s, after -Nazis threatened a march in the middle of the town. After World War II, thousands of survivors settled in Skokie, making it a place where not only contemporary Jewish culture but also memory could thrive. “They say that at one time one in every six residents of Skokie was a Holocaust survivor,” Greenland says. On Stage Chicago has vibrant theater and scenes, and there are venues large and small, for every taste and every budget.

h Goodman Theater 170 N. Dearborn St. Located in the heart of the Loop, the Goodman is home to one of the oldest theater companies in Chicago. Performances range from Shakespearean classics to productions by up-and-coming playwrights. “They have an experimental side and a [second stage] with bigger pieces,” says Suzanne Sawada ’73, an avid theater-goer. Chicago has an “amazing wealth of aspiring actors and actresses and playwrights,” she adds, “it has an incredible theater community, and if you look in the paper or go online, there are all kinds of interesting plays to go to.”

i 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. One of Sawada’s favorites among the myriad storefront theaters that pepper the city is the Victory Gardens Theater. Housed in the historic Biograph movie theater—where John Dillinger was shot by FBI agents in 1934—the company has focused on devel- oping and staging new work and fostering diversity in the the- ater scene since its founding in 1974. Sawada says that “there are a lot of theaters that start with a handful of people . . . they start out small,” but over time Chicago’s storefronts have produced some of the nation’s leading dramatic actors and playwrights.

j Second City 1616 N. Wells St. While Chicago’s theater scene may always compete for the lime- light with New York, the city is the undisputed cradle of impro- visational comedy. Think of any famous comedian who’s been part of —more likely than not, they got their start with Second City. Today the nation’s aspiring comedians— and even ordinary people who want an unusual challenge—still flock to Chicago to learn the art of improv. Walker discovered the comedy theater through taking a six-week class. “Every year I try to do something that’s a little out of my comfort zone,” he says. He’s loved bringing visitors to shows ever since. There are nightly performances. “It’s a really cool thing that’s unique to Chicago,” Walker says.

k North Shore Center for Performing Arts 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie This may seem like an out-of-the-way venue, but Greenland insists it’s worth a visit. “They have theater events there, music events there, and there’s a repertory theater company that

SEEING THE SIGHTS: Access to Chicago’s wide-ranging network of parks, including the Lincoln Park and the beaches along Lake Michigan, is free, a notion that often astounds visitors to the city, says Brittany Hopkins ’14.

34 ROCHESTER REVIEW Winter 2019 JIM PRISCHING FOR ROCHESTER REVIEW

rr_Winter2019.indb 34 2/4/19 11:34 AM has about eight plays a year,” says Greenland. There are also Meet Your Guides regular dance performances and a symphony orchestra. With free parking and public transit connections from Chicago “it’s The Chicago Regional Network, cochaired almost like being in Rochester, [given] how convenient it is [to by Eric Weissmann ’10 and Suzanne get there],” he adds. Sawada ’73, plans reunions and network- ing activities for alumni in Chicago and Parks and Beaches throughout the Midwest. Philip Greenland ’74M (MD), ’78M (Res) Between the lakefront, the riverfront, and dozens of square miles Skokie, Illinois of picturesque parks, the city’s got your nature fix. Having lived in Chicago for nearly 30 years, Greenland—a cardiologist and faculty l North Avenue Beach member at ’s 1600 N. Lake Shore Dr. Feinberg School of Medicine—has come to With nearly 30 miles of public land alongside Lake Michigan, appreciate the quieter charm of the sub- Chicago has a beach to fit every taste—from vast, uncrowded urbs. There’s as much cultural and culinary stretches of sand, to rocky natural waterfront, to the bustling diversity just outside the city limits, he beaches at the heart of the city. Hopkins prefers those, especially says, as in the trendiest parts of town. the one at North Avenue, which abuts her Lincoln Park neigh- borhood. “It’s so nice to have that amazing resource,” she says. Brittany Hopkins ’14 “When my friends are visiting, I love to have them go on a walk Chicago along the lake path.” Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the Hopkins, a third-generation Chicagoan, beach is open daily and has rows of volleyball nets, a restaurant, returned to her hometown right after and easy access to the biking and walking trails And even in the graduating from Rochester to begin a PhD winter, the beach makes for a scenic destination. program in neuroscience at Northwestern University. In addition to working with the m Lincoln Park Leadership Cabinet, she is the national 2021 N. Stockton Dr. cochair of Rochester’s Young Alumni Though Lincoln Park is the name of one of Chicago’s 77 officially Council. recognized “community areas,” it’s also the name of the city’s Suzanne Sawada ’73 largest park, running for 1,208 acres along the lake. The section Evanston, Illinois of the park that gave the neighborhood its name includes a zoo, Born in Chicago, Sawada and her family a large conservatory, and a nature walk with native flora and moved around the Midwest and East Coast fauna. “Coming here it’s so easy to forget that you’re in the city,” throughout her childhood. Eventually says Hopkins. “It’s a bit of an escape from the hustle and bus- she made it back to her roots to forge a tle.” She gets a kick out of visitors’ amazement that all of this is corporate legal career. She’s now retired as free and open to the public. “People are always astounded that an assistant general counsel at BP, cochairs you can just walk through the zoo.” The park is also home to the the Chicago Network Leadership Cabinet, Chicago History Museum, a rowing canal, a garden landscaped and chairs the Chicago branch of the by Alfred Caldwell Lily, a theater, and a weekly farmer’s market. George Eastman Circle. n Riverwalk Javaree Walker ’12S (MS), ’15S (MBA) Chicago “The Riverwalk is an off-the-beaten-path type of place but has to- Originally from Long Island, Walker moved tally become a central part of the city,” says Eric Weissmann ’10. to Chicago to join his fiancée (now his Neglected for decades as a polluted commercial thoroughfare, in wife), Alana Biggers Walker, after complet- recent years the city has directed tremendous resources to clean- ing his MBA at Simon. He lives in the city’s ing and beautifying the waterway that flows from the lake to the burgeoning South Loop neighborhood and heart of the city, turning it into a year-round attraction. “You see develops brand partnerships at Pinterest. people of all ages, tourists and locals. There are places to drink Eric Weissmann ’10 beer and wine and places to drink coffee.” Weissmann used to Chicago live in the neighborhood, and the walk was a regular part of his Arriving in Chicago for business school in routine. “You go on a leisurely walk along the river and then you 2015, the D.C.–area native found his home. turn the corner and look out and you see what looks like a vast Though his job for an industrial printer ocean—Lake Michigan.” manufacturer takes him out to a suburb near O’Hare airport, Weissmann’s home Eating & Experience base is the Wicker Park neighborhood, where he lives with his wife, Colleen, and Chicago’s restaurant scene has become world famous, but there newborn son, Jonah. are also plenty of lesser-known and beloved neighborhood spots. —Maya Dukmasova ’12 o Big Star 1531 N. Damen Ave. A legendary taco joint in Weissmann’s home neighborhood of Wicker Park that’s open into the wee hours and pitches itself as

Winter 2019 ROCHESTER REVIEW 35 a purveyor of “whiskey and honky-tonk,” too. In the summer, its large patio is a particular draw for locals. “Seven nights a week and all day Saturday and Sunday, that patio is packed,” he says. “I would say it’s the greatest spot ever to burn through a week- end day with tacos and margaritas and friends.”

p Tel-Aviv Kosher Bakery 2944 W. Devon Ave. Located on the far northern edge of the city, the family business is both beloved by locals who’ve been here for generations and celebrated by out-of-town foodies for its delectable babkas, ru- gelach, and doughnuts. Greenland says the bakery has embraced the changing nature of the old Jewish neighborhood around it, adding central and South Asian pastries and breads to its rep- ertoire. “You have a combination of traditional Jews who shop there and Indian and Pakistani Muslims,” he says. “It’s not only a kosher bakery, but it [also] really has this broad ethnic appeal.” Closed on Saturdays for Shabbat.

q Elizabeth 4835 N. Western Ave. A farm-to-table restaurant run by a self-taught chef nestled in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. The place is known for its themed dinners and has a very vegetarian-friendly menu. “They did several months of a Wes Anderson–themed dinner, and that was fascinating,” says Sawada, referring to the film director. “Ev- ery course was based on a different movie.” Vantage Points Chicago’s a flat city, and we have our fair share of skyscraper observation decks to marvel at vast expanses of the lake and the city’s grid. But the view isn’t always best from the top.

r Cindy’s 12 S. Michigan Ave. The drinking and dining establishments of the Chicago Athletic Association—a once-exclusive men’s club that has been remod- eled into a hotel—range from a Shake Shack to a six-seat cocktail bar with $50 drinks. Cindy’s falls somewhere in between, and it offers a glass ceiling and a panoramic view of the skyline and the lake across Millennium Park. “You have great food, cocktails, beer, and then you step outside onto the all-season patio and you look out and see the most iconic views of the city,” says Weiss- mann. The restaurant is also a favorite destination to take visi- tors to because “the association itself is so iconic.” The original men’s club was built in 1893 to coincide with the World’s Fair. The façade takes the form of a Venetian palazzo turned into a modern high-rise, and many of the carved wood and marble in- terior design elements have been meticulously preserved. “There are so many secret tucked-in bars and restaurants around the building,” Weissmann says.

s Architectural Boat Tour Southeast corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive One of the best ways to see the architectural jewels of the city is a boat tour along the Chicago River. Be sure to go with the one offered by the Chicago Architecture Foundation, whose passionate volunteers give the best on-board lectures in town. “I’ve been here four years and I’ve probably been on it eight or POPULAR PLACES: Chicago is filled with restaurants and bars that offer nine times,” says Walker. “I think that’s one of the most beautiful perspectives on the city’s history, says Eric Weissmann ’10 (top), while things to see.” Though pricey ($47), the tour is well worth the Suzanne Sawada ’73 (above) says Chicago’s thriving theater scene has a views and educational immersion in the city’s most cherished long history of influencing the nation’s dramatic and comedic culture. The landmarks.r two cochair the Chicago Network Leadership Cabinet.

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rr_Winter2019.indb 36 2/4/19 11:34 AM HISTORIC CENTER: The Illinois Holo- caust Museum in suburban Skokie is one of the largest such centers in the country, says Philip Greenland ’74M (MD), ’78M (Res) (right).

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rr_Winter2019.indb 37 2/4/19 11:34 AM Meet Maya Maya Dukmasova ’12 I’m a staff writer at the Reader, Chicago’s alterna- tive weekly newspaper. My work has taken me to every one of the city’s 77 community areas. I live in Andersonville—once a Swedish village on the city’s far north side—and work in Bronzeville, Chicago’s historic Black Metropolis. For all its beauty and attractions, Chicago is also known as one of the most racially segregated cities in America—white people are concentrated on the north side, while the south and west side are pre- dominantly African American. Latinx communities are clustered on the northwest and southwest sides of town, and there’s a historic Chinatown and Asian neighborhoods on the near south side and far north sides of the city. The divisions are at the root of a lot of social and economic problems, and they’re also a barrier to get- ting to know the place, even for locals. People tend to stick to their neck of the woods. I wanted to suggest places to visit that might be farther from the main tourist hubs but will definitely show you a side of Chicago you won’t hear about on the news.

t Garfield Park Conservatory 300 N. Central Park Ave. One of the largest indoor botanical gardens in the world, the conservatory was designed by famed land- scape architect Jens Jensen. It’s especially lovely in the colder months, when you can soak in the warm humidity of the tropical plants under the vaulted dome of the Palm House and the arid heat among the cacti and succulents in the Desert House. The crown jewel is the Fern Room, with a waterfall and lagoon designed to replicate the marshy landscape of Chicago before human settlement. There are also seasonal floral collections, and acres of gardens out- side the conservatory. And best of all, like all attractions—it’s free!

u National Museum of Mexican Art 1852 W 19th St. The museum was born in the 1980s with a social mission: to create an institution to honor artistic and cultural production from both sides of the southern border, thereby educating the public about Mexican art and uplifting the neighborhood around it. Locat- ed in the Pilsen community on the west side (once home to Czech immigrants), the museum is free and boasts a permanent collection spanning 3,000 years. It also hosts special exhibits, lectures, music, theater, and dance performances on a regular basis. You’ll find a plethora of fascinating books and col- orful handicrafts in the museum store, and a world

HOMETOWN HIGHLIGHTS: A reporter for Chicago’s alternative newspaper, Maya Dukmasova ’12 says the city’s many neighborhoods are often overlooked when visitors—and even some locals—put together itineraries.

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rr_Winter2019.indb 38 2/4/19 11:34 AM of fabulous Mexican food and countless breweries in the neighborhood just outside. Wisconsin Network Region v Plein Air Café 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave. Really, this is a plug for a little cluster of attractions Chicago on the campus in the heart of Aurora Hyde Park. Plein Air is a light-filled, all-day type of eatery, where you can get sandwiches, salads, and Gary grain bowls made with farm-fresh ingredients. It’s attached to one of the best book stores in the city— the cavernous Seminary Co-Op. You can get lost in Illinois Indiana the cleverly designed stacks for hours. The build- ing was designed by Tigerman McCurry (who also created the Skokie Holocaust Museum) and is right next door to another jewel of modern architecture: NETWORK CONNECTIONS Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House. Chicago: This Network’s for You w Stony Island Arts Bank Eric Weissmann ’10, who became a father last August, is already 6760 S Stony Island Ave. dreaming of connecting his family to his alma mater. “I want to see In 2015, Theaster Gates, one of the most influen- the University community grow and flourish so that when Jonah, my tial sculptors and installation artists of his genera- son, enrolls in the Class of 2040, I want the University to be a better tion and a tireless advocate for the economic revival place than when I was there.” of Chicago’s African-American neighborhoods, re- As a cochair of the Chicago Network Leadership Cabinet, Weiss- opened this former savings and loan building as a mann is bringing a similar sensibility to his work to celebrate a strong museum and community center. On any given day Rochester community in the Greater Chicago area. He and cochair there are temporary exhibitions, concerts, lectures, Suzanne Sawada ’73 lead the cabinet, part of a strategic initiative to and film screenings. The center—whose past as a highlight Rochester connections in cities such as Baltimore, Boston, bank is woven into its interior design—also houses San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Rochester, and New York City. a library and media archive. Gates and his Rebuild “I’ve been actively engaged as a University of Rochester advocate Foundation have other outposts throughout the and volunteer since my freshman year, and I never stopped,” says south side, so perhaps make a day of appreciating his Weissmann. “The reason I give back with my time is one part selfish impact by grabbing lunch at the Currency Exchange and one part responsibility. The part that’s selfish is I love spending Café and seeing a performance at the Dorchester Art time with Rochester alumni; I like learning from the Rochester com- + Housing Collaborative, too. munity. The responsibility part is I believe I will be forever indebted to the University based on my experience and time there.” x Chinatown Philip Greenland ’74M (MD), ’78M (Res) says that the network Cermak Road and Wentworth Ave. helps dispel the myth that most Rochester alumni are on the East Chicago’s Chinatown may not be as famous or large Coast. “I’ve had an opportunity to meet with undergraduates from as New York’s or San Francisco’s, but it packs blocks Chicago who are going to U of R, to meet their parents, and it’s really of delightful restaurants at every price point, the best been very heartwarming because the students that are going from karaoke bars in the city, and lots of small shops. To Chicago are really happy and doing really well.” get there you can actually take a water taxi to the For more about the regional networks, visit Rochester.edu/alumni/ park on the northwest edge of the neighborhood, as regional-network. well as the El or numerous buses from downtown. —Maya Dukmasova ’12 Chinatown was established in the early 1900s along several blocks of Wentworth Avenue; there’s also a Metro Chicago Network newer, two-story plaza on Cermak Road. My favorite The Chicago Regional Network includes alumni, parents, volunteers, spots are there: Chi Café (very affordable, don’t miss and others on the shores of Lake Michigan. the salt-and-pepper squid); Lao Sze Chuan, a Chica- go institution; and an outpost of Kung Fu Tea, which 1,911 alumni 248 current parents serves up any kind of bubble tea you can imagine. 212 students 87 volunteers Open House Chicago Citywide Alumni by School If you happen to be in Chicago in October, you might 935 School of Arts & Sciences happen upon this weekend of events hosted by the 304 Eastman School of Music Chicago Architecture Foundation. Completely free 235 Simon Business School of charge, you can enter some of the most iconic sky- 222 School of Medicine and Dentistry scrapers, houses of worship, and private residences 159 Hajim School of Engineering in the city and receive a guided tour. The city is & Applied Sciences known for its buildings, and this event lets you dis- 60 School of Nursing cover their interiors, taking you far off the beaten 47 Warner School of Education path into every nook and cranny of Chicago.r 29 Eastman Institute for Oral Health

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