From educational panels for the business travel industry and breathtaking architecture to a rooftop party at the iconic The Godfrey Hotel, great food and even greater people, it’s safe to safe my first visit to Chicago was a success.

To welcome August, part of the Global Traveler team headed to Chicago to attend the 51st Global Business Travel Association convention and also celebrate The Trazees 2019. In a short but sweet stay at The Claridge House in the Gold Coast, we made the best out of the four days we were in town. While there are a few things I would like to share with all of you, here are my top takeaways from our leisure time in Chi Town.

I arrived early afternoon on Sunday; after checking in and dropping my bags off, I joined my colleague Stephanie Makowski for a quick brunch at Eduardo’s Enoteca — a cozy café just down the street from our hotel. I enjoyed a spicy but delicious seasonal grilled chicken kale salad and a refreshing Indigo Summer cocktail — a hip twist on a gin and tonic.

Later that evening, we made our way to the Convention Arena at McCormick Place for the Welcome Kick-Off Session with Jon Taffer — needless to say the enthusiasm of the speaker was there. After performances by the Chicago Boyz and The Blue Brothers, we made our way to The Capital Grille for dinner, where we were joined by Chicago natives and crucial members of our team, John Wroblewski and Lou Atsaves. Besides the lovely time had by all and the delightful dry-aged NY strip I chose as my main course, my favorite thing was the amazingly fresh tuna tartare that I paired with a nice and crisp Rosé.

We couldn’t leave without trying an all-time Chicago classic: deep-dish pizza. After an amazing event on Tuesday night, the team made its way to Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria where we all shared and enjoyed the staple dish. Although our choices were filling, I liked how flaky and buttery the crust was — yes, I am one of the few people who loves pizza crust — not to mention the amazing sausage blend and rich tomato sauce.

The Gold Coast definitely left me craving more — more time to explore Chicago like a local, more time to learn about its history and people. I see myself going back in the near future; do you have any suggestions for me?

— Yasser Ogando, production & advertising coordinator