Why I Love The Second City

There's something about Chicago I love. If I could live within a few miles of Lakeshore Drive, I think Chicago would prove one of the few big city downtowns within which I could reside.

To the south you have the world-class museums, the aquarium and Soldier Field. To the north you have more than ten miles of bike lanes (all with a tremendous view of Lake Michigan and Chicago's incredible skyline that's only going to get better with the construction of Calatrava's impressive twisting structure), Wrigley Field and the zoo. Just to the south are thousands of outstanding restaurants (oh but what will I do now to feed my Giordano's desire?).

Ultimately, though, I think it's the city's embracement of the bike that wins my affection. I was returning to Navy Pier Tuesday afternoon, after a brief sojourn up Michigan Avenue to The Apple Store and Niketown. I hit the farmer's market off East Pearson for a basket of fresh raspberries and was headed by the beach at Olive Park when I noticed the stream of cyclists headed home. Commuters, most all of them. Many with iPods. And several rode fixies. Beautiful and elegant in their simple functionality, the single speeds served only to further cement my love.