My well-traveled daughter, Jenny, was back in Chicago for just five days after her Europe sojourn  before she and her good friend Emily took off for their final spring break trip. The two seniors gave themselves a graduation gift (with a generous kick-in from Mom and Dad) of a five-day trip to New York City. It was a first-time trip to the Big Apple for both, and they were extremely excited to experience as much of the city as they could. Her trip triggered memories of my own college graduation trip to New York with my roommate Diane, 30 years ago.

Jenny believes one of the best parts of the trip was their accomodations at the Duane Street Hotel in the TriBeCa neighborhood. She had had her fill of youth hostels and the YMCA after her two months overseas, and she and Emily spent plenty of time researching to find a nice place that could accomodate their budgets. Located conveniently not far from Wall Street and the financial district and in a trendy area with great restaurants and shopping, the Duane Street Hotel sounds like it would meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers. The girls appreciated the fact that they could hop on the subway just two blocks from the hotel  and get to the myriad sites on their extensive list of “to-sees.” With only 45 guestrooms, this was a good choice for them, and they found the staff friendly and very helpful with tips and directions. They also appreciated the property-wide free Wi-Fi, warm cookies available 24/7, plush bathrobes in the room and a spacious, well-appointed bathroom.

I got a kick out of Jenny’s Facebook posting on her first morning in New York: “You know you’re in NYC when: they are filming Law & Order right outside your hotel.” Another New York moment (on the other end of the thrill scale) was spotting rats on the subway platform, but it seems everything else was pretty much a thumbs-up. Both girls were moved to tears at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum (just blocks from their hotel) but were glad to have experienced it. They also visited MOMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, took the ferry to Liberty and Ellis islands, stopped in at a jazz club on the Upper West Side and saw The Lion King on Broadway. They wandered around Little Italy, compared New York pizza with the Chicago variety they know well and, of course, enjoyed the shopping (”Mom, no sales tax on clothes!!!”). One disappointment: They weren’t picked up by Cash Cab.

Arriving back in Chicago late Friday night, Jenny now looks ahead to her final months of school. She will graduate not only with her formal degree but also some great real-world experiences gained on her travels. Best of all, she’s grown in confidence in herself and her ability to navigate a big new city (even if she mistakenly ends up in Brooklyn at some point!) and has gained a grand appreciation for the world and its peoples. 

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Isn’t it great when you go to a restaurant and everything from beginning to end is great? Last Saturday we had just that experience.

We had been craving goat cheese pizza for a few weeks. I also desperately wanted a good bowl of soup. We knew that Graziano’s would satisfy both needs.

We called on our way there and were put on the wait list. About a minute after we arrived, our “wait” was up and we were seated. Our server was with us quickly, and our big bowls of mushroom soup soon followed. On a damp, cold Chicago evening, few things are as good as a bowl of soup with fresh rolls for dipping.

As we finished our soups, one big goat cheese pizza landed on our table. It also had roasted red peppers (an ingredient added, despite not being on the menu). The pizza was crispy and hot and tasty and just what I needed as a meal for that cold, damp night.

Our server was prompt, attentive and helpful. She was so good we felt compelled to compliment her and the entire experience to Steve Demet, co-owner. Demet was grateful for our words, but not surprised by his server or the meal.

Graziano’s has been one of my favorite places for years (I even reviewed it last year for eFlyer). Places like Graziano’s need to be applauded, especially during these tougher times. They do not scrimp on anything. No corners are cut. The service, the food, the atmosphere and even the prices are as good now as they have been throughout the years.

I believe there is a lot to be said about that idea. If more businesses followed that practice, things would be better. Too many businesses start to cut quality to save costs. This can become a never-ending cycle. Every business needs to watch its costs, but quality must not be taken for granted.

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

On Monday, my friend Jim and I had lunch at Paradise Pup in Des Plaines, IL. On one wall was a write-up that Guy Fieri had done for his show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. We started to discuss our opinions of Chicago’s best diners, drive-ins and dives. Hey, if Fieri can make a living off of it, I can do a blog on it (and my hair was funky and out of control long before his was).

Superdawg first opened in May of 1948 on the far northwest side of Chicago. It is still there, still a drive-in and still serving hamburgers, hot dogs, shrimp baskets and other such fast food items. They also serve battered and deep-fried mixed vegetables, a rarity for fast food places. The fountain creations such as malts, shakes and blackkows are delicious. Superdawg has been known to cause traffic jams.

Hot Doug’s (the sausage super store and encased meat emporium) is a great dive. Nestled in the gritty northwest side, this simple brick establishment has outstanding and unique sausage dishes. Ribeye steak sausage, blue cheese pork sausage and curry lamb sausage are just a few delights served here. Arrive early and expect a line because the secret is out about Hot Doug’s.

Hienie’s Shrimp House is located on the far southeast side of Chicago. They were one of my childhood favorites and I still make the 30-mile drive for their unbelievable sauce. Their shrimp, chicken and fish are fresh and flavorful, especially when slathered in their original sauce. For an extra treat, get a heaping order of their fresh French fries (also slathered in their sauce).

Another southeast side favorite is the Mexican Inn, home of the tastiest burritos and tacos I have ever found. The Cornejo family opened it in 1961 and still run it. I have been going there almost as long. They are minutes off of the Skyway and from Indiana, but the flavors are pure Mexico.

Hamburger Mary’s is located a couple miles north of Wrigley Field. They have a large selection of appetizers and sandwiches, but their burgers are off the hook (to quote Fieri). The Big Kahuna Hawaiian Burger, served with a slice of grilled pineapple, cheddar and jack cheeses and Mary’s sauce, is my favorite. Of course, I opt for the turkey burger, but chicken breast, black bean burger and buffalo are also available. They offer ever-changing home brews, nightly amusement in “the attic” and relaxation in the “rec room.”

Well folks, that’s it for this edition of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives of Chicago, Johngy style.

– John Wroblewski, distrbution specialist

Earlier this week, my favorite publisher, Fran Gallagher, discussed Hawaii’s questionable marketing strategies. It is a bit surprising that marketing for something as important and big as Hawaii would be so misguided, but I have seen many inept plans on a smaller scale.

When I worked at (the now defunct) Lerner Newspapers, one of my responsibilities was the distribution of Visitor Guides for certain areas. These guides were jointly produced by Lerner and various Chambers of Commerce or Tourism/Visitors Bureaus.

I would think these guides were meant to attract others to these areas. Instead, most times, The Powers That Be felt the guides should be distributed only in the areas covered. This certainly made distribution easier and quicker, but I doubt it did anything for the economy of the area. Ironically, The Powers That Be would often complain afterward that they didn’t receive any response from the guides, nor did they see any spike in tourism.

Another failed project involved a shopper publication. The newspaper consisted entirely of ads for local stores, many including coupons. I was shocked to learn that The Powers That Be wanted the entire run of the publication to be delivered to local businesses. After a few minutes of this pointless exercise, the project was abandoned based on the lack of consumer response.

How does this happen? I understand there are knuckleheads in every walk of life, but why didn’t someone see the silliness in these two examples?

Of course, on their resumes and in their minds, these projects were probably classified as successes. They probably bragged about their brilliance in promotion and marketing. They might even have parlayed these experiences into better jobs, like maybe at the Hawaiian Visitors Bureau.

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

New Year’s Day is a college football fan’s dream day. Unfortunately, I am not much of a college football fan. However, since 2008, the NHL has given me something to watch. The Winter Classic is a yearly outdoor NHL hockey game played on the first day of the new year.

The first Classic in 2008 saw the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres in Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo (home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills). The game drew 71,217 fans, an NHL game attendance record.

The second Classic was held at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Unfortunately, my Blackhawks lost to the Detroit Red Wings. This game drew more than 40,000 and had the highest TV ratings for an NHL game in 33 years.

On Friday, the Philadelphia Flyers will face the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park in Boston. This is assured of being another success.

This is such a great event for hockey fans. Watching a hockey game played outdoors is very interesting. Sunlight, wind and temperatures all create situations not found in games indoors. By keeping the event to one game per year, the NHL is keeping it special.

This morning I heard sports talk radio guys saying the Classic would eventually fail. The only real reason they gave was lack of future possible locations. This is a ridiculous argument. The NHL has 30 teams, with only 10 teams in weather warm enough to possibly make the game unplayable (although technology might make it feasible).

Of course, another possibility is playing in a non-NHL city. There are plenty of colder weather cities who would have enough fans to support the Classic. This might even be a good way to market the product in other cities.

The NHL doesn’t need me to help them with the Winter Classic. They are doing a great job all by themselves. In an era of excess and flamboyance, the NHL is enjoying the success by bringing the game back to its outdoor roots.

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist