For the third consecutive weekend, I found myself in downtown Chicago. This was an unplanned trip with a visiting friend, and we decided to make a day of it.

Since it was around lunch, I suggested we take a short drive south and eat lunch at Just Turkey. The menu is loaded with great turkey options (burgers, jerk burgers, ribs, pasta, sausages, chili and more). Just Turkey has quickly become one of my favorite places.

ID 23792301 © Songquan Deng | Dreamstime.com

After lunch, we parked and walked through Millennium Park. My friend has never seen Cloud Gate (otherwise known as the Bean) in person. Cloud Gate is a seamless stainless steel structure 66 feet long and 33 feet high, which resembles a giant bean (hence its nickname). While I am unimpressed by it, mobs of people pose with it daily.

We walked up Michigan Avenue (the Magnificent Mile). I took pictures of my friend with the statues of Chicago’s legendary broadcasters Jack Brickhouse and Irv Kupcinet. This required a quick side trip to the nearby Trump Hotel, formerly the home of the Chicago Sun-Times.

As we meandered north, I showed him the Elysian Hotel, one of the area’s newest and best hotels. The Elysian is a few blocks off of Michigan, tucked into the Gold Coast neighborhood, but it stands out in a grand way. It is magnificent and elegant but almost serene. It is a contrast to some of the other hotels, while still maintaining every bit of luxury. Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago’s only cathedral, was our next stop. Rebuilt in 1874 after the Great Chicago Fire destroyed the first one, this is truly a beautiful structure. This is one of the most-visited tourist spots in Chicago.

We finished the day with a big dinner at Rockit Bar and Grill. We started with a bunch of appetizers, including a lobster avocado martini, tuna tartar and a goat cheese salad. My friend enjoyed the wild mushroom burger, while I devoured a lobster burger. We also had an order of the sweet potato fries. I love this place and someday hope to meet its owner, Billy Dec. I have walked the downtown streets hundreds of times, but it is always interesting to accompany a first-timer. It is fun experiencing Chicago through a new set of eyes.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist