The Near North Side
The Newberry Library is located on the Near North Side of Chicago, just north of the Loop, south of Lincoln Park, and a quarter-mile west of Lake Michigan. It is conveniently located within walking distance of many of Chicago's most famous attractions. The web portal A9 has developed a map service with block-by-block photographs of major streets in Chicago; using it, you can virtually stroll around our neighborhood to get a sense of it.

East of the Library are the restaurants and bars of Rush and Division Streets, the elegant shops of Michigan Avenue, the Oak Street Beach, and the beautiful Victorian brownstones of the old Gold Coast. Due north is Lincoln Park, home of the Chicago History Museum (formerly the Chicago Historical Society) and of Chicago's public zoo and a pleasant place for walking.

South of the Newberry is the Loop. Now primarily a business district, it is also an architectural gold mine, with the contrasting edifices of Louis Sullivan's Carson Pirie Scott department store and Auditorium Theatre, to name only two, and impressive steel and glass skyscrapers such as the Sears Tower and the First National Bank Building.

View a map of the Near North Side and the Newberry Library.

Chicago Street System
Chicago is an easy city to navigate, because it was built on a grid system with a "major" street every ½ mile—equal to four blocks. The starting point is at the intersection of State and Madison in the heart of the Loop. State Street runs north/south. All of the other north/south streets are numbered as so many blocks east or west of State, with the addresses increasing by 100 for each block (except downtown, where streets do not always correspond to a full block). Similarly all east/west streets are numbered as north or south of Madison, which runs east/west. The street that runs parallel to Madison eight blocks to the north (Chicago Avenue) is referred to as 800 North, and is one mile north of Madison.

Transportation — Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
From the Library you are close to most attractions, and good transportation is available to all areas of the city. The nearest subway stops are at Chicago Avenue and State Street and at Clark and Division Streets. The 22 bus stops at the front entrance to the Library and goes north (through Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville) to Howard Street and south to Polk Street (South Loop). The 70 bus also stops in front of the library and heads west as far as Oak Park. CTA trains and most buses are $1.75 at all times, and $.25 for a transfer using a transit card ($2 using cash). You can buy transit cards at any El stop, or at most currency exchanges and grocery stores. Buses stop only at locations marked by signs. During rush hours and for destinations farther than downtown, the subway is faster than bus transportation even though it is less convenient. CTA travel information is available by calling (312) 836-7000 or online at www.transitchicago.com. The web site has a trip planner that will give you several options for using transit if you enter your beginning and ending address.

Entertainment and Recreation
The most comprehensive resources for entertainment information are TimeOut Chicago, a weekly magazine, and The Chicago Reader, a free weekly paper that can be found in cafés, convenience stores, and bookstores. Both feature listings for film, performing arts, museums and galleries, and events and have better and more comprehensive reviews than the daily papers. I like the blog Gapers Block for an opinionated guide to goings on. Also try www.metromix.com (affiliated with the Chicago Tribute) for extensive listings and reviews, and centerstagechicago.com/virtual-el for a helpful orientation to city entertainment organized by the El stop.

Free Trolley
A Free Trolley runs between the Loop's most popular attractions and its major train stations all summer long. Look for signs near major attractions for routes and times. Do not confuse the free trolley with the expensive city tour trolley! This is a fun way to get around and see the city at the same time, but it is not always the most efficient form of transportation.

Dance and Theater
The improv troupe Second City is famous for having spawned nationally renowned comedians, and there are many more excellent improv and skit comedy venues. Most improv shows happen later at night. Major "legitimate" theater companies include Steppenwolf, The Goodman Theater, and the Shakespeare Repertory on Navy Pier. Smaller theatres include the Neo-Futurarium, Briar Street Theatre, and the Atheneaum. Dance troupes include the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance, the Joel Hall Dancers, and the Chicago Moving Company among others. Call the Hot Tix Hotline (312-977-1755) for a recorded message listing all shows for which reduced price tickets are available on that day.

Film
First-run movie theater closest to the Newberry is 600 N. Michigan. The many art film and repertory houses include Facets Multimedia, the Music Box, Doc Films, the Gene Siskel Film Center, Landmark Century, and the Three Penny. The Chicago Film Festival happens in October. Grant Park hosts a free outdoor film festival in July and August.

Museums
Larger museums include: The Art Institute (Chicago's grand art palace), The Chicago History Museum (Chicago and U.S. history), The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Adler Planetarium, The Field Museum (natural history), The Shedd Aquarium, The Museum of Science and Industry. All are easily accessible either by foot or public transit from the Newberry. The Reader also lists galleries, which are mainly concentrated downtown and on the north side.

Music
Classical — Major classical venues include The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera of Chicago; chamber groups include the Music of the Baroque, the Chicago Sinfonietta, and Newberry's own Consort. There are outdoor classical music concerts in Grant Park downtown during the summer and at the music festival at Ravinia in Highland Park. Call the Classical Music Alliance (312-987-9296) for current events.

Jazz and blues — Some of the best-respected, best-known clubs are the Green Mill (where Al Capone used to hold court), the Jazz Showcase (for purists), and Green Dolphin Street. Blues clubs include Buddy Guy's Legends, Blue Chicago, House of Blues, BLUES, and the Checkerboard Lounge. The Blues Festival is in June; the Jazz Festival is in late August. Try the jazz hotline-(312-427-3300).

Rock — The independent mecca Lounge Ax is gone, so try the Metro, Double Door, Schubas, Elbo Room, Empty Bottle, Hothouse (world music), the Vic, Wild Hare (reggae) and Phyllis' Musical Inn. Larger venues include the Aragon Ballroom, Park West, Rosemont, New World Music Theater, and the Skyline at Navy Pier.

Radio Stations
WBEZ (91.5 FM) Chicago Public Radio / Jazz; WFMT (98.7 FM) classical music; WLUP (97.9 FM and 1000 FM) rock and roll; WXRT (93.1 FM), traditional and alternative rock; WTMX (101.9 FM) top 40; WPWX (92.3 FM) or WGCI-FM (107.5) urban / R & B.

Architecture
Chicago is justly renowned for its architecture. The Chicago Architecture Foundation runs many walking tours and a great riverboat tour in downtown Chicago. There's a Frank Lloyd Wright building in Hyde Park on the south side, the Robie House, which offers tours; you can also tour Wright's home and studio in Oak Park, about 30 minutes away. Also of interest is the unique community of Pullman, the model town George Pullman built for his rail car workers.

Chicago Cultural Center
Located in the old Chicago Public Library Building on Michigan and Lake, the Chicago Cultural Center is a wonderful resource. They offer many free programs and exhibits, and they are a great resource to find out about what is going on in the city. Visit their brochure room for boundless information and coupons.

Outdoors
The lakefront in the warmer months teems with runners, bikers, skaters, swimmers, and sunbathers. Lincoln Park, north of downtown, has the liveliest beach, but there are beautiful beaches all along the shoreline, and the lakefront path runs all the way from Evanston in the north to 79th Street on the south. You can rent bicycles at Navy Pier, in-line skates at the North Street Beach, and sailboats at various harbors. It's worth the expedition to visit the Brookfield Zoo, the Morton Arboretum, and the Chicago Botanic Garden (these require a car). Millenium Park and Grant Park are Chicago's downtown parks. In the winter, there's ice-skating in Millenium Park right in front of "Cloudgate", the shiny metal sculpture affectionately known as "The Bean." Throughout the summer, these parks teem with music, food, film, dance, and art festivals.

Food
Chicago magazine features excellent restaurant listings and reviews (and The Reader has begun to review restaurants as well; their thorough listings are available at www.chireader.com). Zagat's Chicago is a helpful reference for phone numbers and addresses, but ratings tend to reward trendiness and atmosphere over good food. You will receive a list of restaurants near the Newberry with your orientation packet.

Shopping
State Street was the great street, but now it's mostly nice to visit for the big old-fashioned department stores, Carson Pirie Scott and Marshall Fields. Michigan Avenue north of the river-just a few blocks from the Newberry-is the place for shopping now, with everything from Tiffany's to Niketown.

Sports
The Cubs and the White Sox are Chicago's two major-league baseball teams. Wrigley Field, where the Cubs play, is one of the few remaining old-fashioned ballparks and an easy Red Line El ride north from the Newberry; take the Red Line the other way to see the Sox at Comisky Park. The Chicago Bears football team plays at Soldier Field, just south of downtown, and the Chicago Bulls play basketball at United Center, west of downtown.