Activities, Events, and Local
Information
Please
join us to discuss Alliance plans for the Annual Meeting and beyond. If you
have ever wondered what the Alliance is or does, then this meeting shouldn’t be
missed.
We
have planned a very special event to mark the opening of the 80th Annual
Surgical Update! All registered attendees & paid guests who reserved tickets
are welcome to an evening cruise of the Chicago river. Appetizers, an open bar
and tour guide to highlight the sights will be on hand. The tickets in your
registration folder will provide instructions on how to get to the dock please
refer to that information or contact ICS staff for any questions.
(all
attendees must have paid either the registration fee or the guest supplement
fee.)
HONORS LUNCHEON
Please
join us as we induct our Section’s new Fellows into the College and honor those
who have contributed to the success of our meeting and our Section.
CHICAGO ART INSTITUTE TOUR
Meet
at the museum for a special guided tour of the Art Institute. The tickets in
your registration folder will have complete information on getting there. After
the tour you will be free to view the rest of the collection at your leisure.
$37/person Tickets must be ordered in advance. (Event may be cancelled if there
is not enough interest.)
CLOSING DINNER
Join
us as we come together for one last event before we bid farewell until next
year. Francis J. Podbielski, MD and W. Craig Clark, MD invite you to attend the
combined closing dinner of ICS-US and the AANOS. The black-tie optional event
will feature complimentary wine at your table, award presentations and live
entertainment. Price: $150 each. Tickets must be ordered in advance.
Restaurants Near the W Chicago Lakeshore
Hotel
4.5 Stars
$$ · American · 500 N Michigan Ave
Foodie-friendly Mediterranean dining
Opens at 11:30 AM
(312) 698-5000
4.4 Stars
$$ · Italian · 626 N State St
Italian eatery with big & small
plates
Opens at 11:30 AM
(312) 642-0001
4.5 Stars
$$ · American · 671 N St Clair St
Modern dining, bar & coffee
complex
Open 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
(312) 284-4990
4.6 Stars
$$$ · Steak · 66 W Kinzie St
Modern steakhouse fare & glitzy
digs
Opens 11:00 AM-Midnight
(312) 642-0001
4.4 Stars
$$ · American · 519 N Clark St
Modern dining, bar & coffee
complex
Open until 10:00 PM
(312) 377-2002
4.5 Stars
$$$ · Mediterranean · 615 W Randolph
St
Mediterranean fare in hip
surroundings
Opens at 11:30 AM
(312) 938-4303
4.2 Stars
$$$ · Steak · 180 N Field Blvd
Chophouse with an impressive setting
Opens at 4:00 PM
(312) 661-1434
4.4 Stars
$$ · Mexican · 445 N Clark St
Popular Mexican eatery
Opens at 11:30 AM
(312) 482-8800
4. Stars
$$ · Italian · 200 E Chestnut St
Italian dishes in an upscale
environment
Opens at 11:00 AM
(312) 888-3041
4.7 Stars
$$ · Italian · 1020 W Madison St
Modern Italian kitchen with fresh
pastas
Opens at 5:00 PM
(312) 346-3500
4.4 Stars
$$$ · Seafood · 35 W Wacker Dr
High-end seafood, steaks & bar
food
Opens at 11:30 AM
(312) 521-8700
4.4 Stars
$$$ · Restaurant · 43 E Ohio St
Vast Italian food complex
Open until 10:00 PM
(312) 698-7111
4.1 Stars
Grill · 225 N Michigan Ave
Upscale tavern fare & lots of
beer
Opens at 11:00 AM
(312) 644-3524
4.4 Stars
$$ · American · 535 N Michigan Ave
Southwestern cuisine & live jazz
Opens at 11:30 AM
(312) 944-6664
4.3 Stars
$$ · American · 676 N Michigan Ave
4th-floor American brasserie with
views
Open until 9:00 PM
(312) 262-5310
4.2 Stars
$$ · New American Restaurant · 435 N
Michigan Ave
Plush, spacious gastropub with patio
Opens at 11:00 AM
4.5 Stars
1524 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL
60610
(312) 642-6502
Paintings, sculptures &
exhibits help tell the history of surgery from ancient times to the present. A
Division of the International College of Surgeons.
Opens at 10:00 AM
4.6 Stars
1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL
60605
(312) 922-9410
State-of-the-art museum of science
& invention, with the world's largest Tyrannosaurus Rex.
9AM–5PM
4.5 Stars
700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-1000
Family museum on Navy Pier with lots
of hands-on-exhibits, including many for young kids.
10AM–8PM
4.6 Stars
40 E Erie St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 482-8933
Restored 19th-century mansion with
notable Gilded Age architectural features & antiques.
Open 10AM–5PM
4.4 Stars
806 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
60611
(312) 742-0808
Chicago-focused gallery,
specializing in photos, inside a 19th-century Gothic limestone landmark.
10AM–6:30PM
4.5 Stars
756 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL
60642
(312) 243-9088
Museum focused exclusively on folk
& outsider art, also offering performances & lectures.
Opens at 11:00 AM
4.8 Stars
111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
60603
(312) 443-3600
10:30AM–5PM
4. Stars
220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 280-2660
Downtown museum show casing
post-World War II paintings, sculptures, photos, videos & performances.
10AM–5PM
4.1 Stars
820 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
60611
(312) 915-7600
Medieval, Renaissance & baroque
art collections that reflect the faith of various cultures.
Opens at 11:00 AM
4.3 Stars
99 Chicago Riverwalk, Chicago, IL
60601
(312) 977-0227
Exhibits on the city's river &
movable bridges & their significance to the city.
10AM–5PM
4.3 Stars
5550 S Greenwood Ave, Chicago, IL
60637
(773) 702-0200
Museum specializing in Asian,
European, Contemporary & Modern Art, with over 12,000 objects. Good for
kids.
10AM–8PM
4.4 Stars
Observatory on the 94th floor of the
John Hancock Building with a tilting glass lookout 1000 ft. up.
875 N Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
60611
(888) 875-8439
Open 9AM–11PM
4.2
Stars
Interactive exhibits & high-tech
sky shows entertain stargazers, lakefront views are a bonus.
1300 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL
60605
(312) 922-7827
Open 9:30AM–6PM
4.5
Stars
State-of-the-art indoor aquarium,
famous for its variety of habitats & views of Lake Michigan.
1200 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL
60605
(312) 939-2438
Open 9AM–6PM
4.7
Stars
Popular recreational area with
winter ice skating, a climbing wall & playground equipment.
337 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 552-3000
Open 6AM–11PM
4.7
Stars
24.5-acre green space with a video
display, the reflective "Bean" sculpture & an outdoor theater.
201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 742-1168
Open: 6AM–11PM
4.6
Stars
Small, free zoo with lions,
primates, reptiles, a children's area & an interactive farm exhibit.
You visited 3 years ago
2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 742-2000
Open: 7AM–4:30PM
Divvy is a bicycle sharing system in
the City of Chicago and two adjacent suburbs operated by Motivate for the
Chicago Department of Transportation.
Join:
Become an Annual Member or buy a
24-Hour Pass from a Divvy station kiosk or Transit App.
Unlock:
Find an available bike nearby, and
get a ride code or use your member key to unlock it.
Ride:
Take as many short rides as you want
while your pass or membership is active.
Return:
Return your bike to any station, and
wait for the green light on the dock to make sure it's locked.
600
E. Grand Ave. Chicago,
IL 60611
Historic Navy Pier® is Chicago's lakefront playground with over 50 acres of parks, shops, restaurants, entertainment and attractions. Navy Pier is the Midwest's #1 attractions with more than 8 million visitors a year. Enjoy a ride on the Ferris Wheel, musical carousel, Wave Swinger and miniature golf course. Visit the Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago Shakespeare Theater or the Navy Pier IMAX® Theatre. Take a ride on a tour boat or dining cruise ship. Fireworks on Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 10:15 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
From gourmet to street, Italian to Taiwanese, the culinary fusion taking place in Chicago is astounding, and there are over 5,195 restaurants to eat your way through. From Michelin star restaurants and 40+ James Beard Award medalists to an overflow of four- and five-diamond winners every year, the dining scene has never been so hot and happening.
Take a culinary tour of Chicago's diverse — and delicious — ethnic neighborhood eateries. Hot dining districts like “Restaurant Row” on Randolph Street and neighboring Fulton Market in the West Loop boast some of the nation's most respected chefs, including Top Chef alum Stephanie Izard and her concepts, Girl and the Goat, Little Goat and Duck Duck Goat. Meanwhile, areas like Logan Square and River North continue to add buzz-worthy, hip restaurants and bars to their lists.
Savor Chicago’s top 3 classic foods: Chicago-style hot dogs, deep-dish pizza and Italian beef; and visit one of the city’s bustling farmers markets: Green City Market and Logan Square Farmers Market are two top picks.
There's a brewing renaissance happening in Chicago, and beer-drinkers are the happy beneficiaries. The craft beer explosion is one reason why GQ Magazine named Chicago the "Greatest Drinking City in America." A host of Chicago breweries and beer-centric bars leave craft brew fans intoxicated with options, from the sprawling Lagunitas Brewery and hip Fulton Market tap room to famed Goose Island.
Specialty beer tours are a ready-made primer, while over 30 annual beer festivals and tasting events include Chicago Craft Beer Week (May) and the sell-out Festival of Barrel Aged Beer (September).
Also, during the summer months, Chicago Friday Night Flights highlight the best of the Chicago craft beer scene through a bi-monthly tasting event showcasing neighborhood breweries.
One of Chicago’s greatest achievements is its skyline, complete with architectural stunners such as the Wrigley Building, 875 N Michigan (formerly the John Hancock Center) and Tribune Building (with its famed facade punctuated with stones from historic buildings around the world, such as the Taj Mahal and Parthenon).
Float down the Chicago River on an architectural boat tour by kayak or cruise ship, or go sky high via helicopter to take it all in. The Chicago Architecture Foundation, for one, offers 85 tour options an astonishing 6,000 times a year.
Alternatively, thrill-seekers can venture onto the glass-bottomed Ledge at Skydeck Chicago, 103 floors up in the Willis Tower. Or they can take in panoramic views from the 94th floor of the TILT experience at 360° CHICAGO (formerly John Hancock Observatory).
It's not all about skyscrapers, though. Venture to suburban Oak Park, just 10 miles from the downtown Loop, to see more examples of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright than anywhere else in the world. See the evolution of his famed Prairie style by tour with the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.
The lakefront is hopping in the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), as Chicagoans take to 26 sandy beaches to worship the sun, workout and picnic. Kick back with a cool beverage at Montrose Beach, play volleyball at lively North Avenue Beach, let the kids run wild at 31st Street Beach or soak up the sun at peaceful 63rd Street Beach.
Tip: Rent a Divvy
bike on Chicago’s
18-mile long Lakefront Trail to see even more, or take a more leisurely
stroll and snap skyline pictures along the way.
SPORTS,
SPORTS & MORE SPORTS!
Chicago
is Sports City. Just Ask a Cubs Fan
Chicago's sports history runs as deep as its fans' passion. This baseball season, take in 100+ years of history at Chicago Cubs stadium Wrigley Field, and catch the 2016 World Champions at a game; or venture to Bridgeport, home of Guaranteed Rate Field and the Chicago White Sox. Get here to catch playoff season for the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. Or watch the Chicago Fire play at Toyota Park all through the spring and summer.
Chicago is a city of green spaces, whether you're wandering the lakefront or venturing into the city's diverse neighborhoods. In fact, there are over 500 gardens to explore.
In hip Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square and Humboldt Park, for instance, you can trek the The 606, an innovative 2.7-mile elevated park trail born of a disused train track. Set above the city streets, you can make stops all along the way to experience the vibe of the city's trendiest neighborhoods.
Heading to the lakefront, Grant Park's grand boulevards and cultivated expanses make it a must-see. Its newest addition, Maggie Daley Park, is an imaginative 20-acre green space, complete with its own mini-lighthouse, a life-sized ship, two climbing walls, 30-foot Suspension Bridge Towers, a quarter-mile long skating ribbon, an Enchanted Garden of upside-down trees, and several Picnic Groves.
Millennium Park is an architectural and art-filled jewel, thanks to the iconic Cloud Gate sculpture (aka The Bean), the whimsy of the interactive Crown Fountain, and the surreal beauty of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, where free summer concerts are performed and movies screened.
Further north lies Lincoln Park, which at 1,200 acres is larger than New York’s Central Park. Attractions include Lincoln Park Zoo and Lincoln Park Conservatory, not to mention Chicago's secret garden, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, a tranquil oasis filled with prairie plantings and birdsong. At South Pond, walk the boardwalk for insight into the regions ecology, and to snap nature in action.
SHOPAHOLICS
NOT SO ANONYMOUS
465 Stores in Just One
"Magnificent" Shopping District!
The 13-block
stretch of Michigan Avenue, dubbed The
Magnificent Mile or Mag Mile, is home to three indoor malls and 50 flagship
stores, among them high-end designers (Burberry, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Chanel),
major retail chains (Banana Republic, Disney Store, Nike) and renowned
department stores (Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom).
In between bouts of shopping, stop off for Afternoon Tea in the grand Palm Court at the Drake Hotel, or make like you're in Ralph Lauren's living room at RL, one of only four Ralph Lauren restaurants in the world. Sip on cocoa at Ghirardelli or stop into the Museum of Modern Art for an artful bite at Marisol.
No stranger to nightlife, Chicago is quite the tippling town. You can go on a never-ending craft cocktail crawl through the city (we mean that figuratively, of course). Some favorite Chicago cocktail bars: underground, tiki-inspired Three Dots and a Dash, splashy, Art Deco-style Celeste, “speakeasy” The Violet Hour, and local distilleries CH Distillery and KOVAL.
You can also sip wine like a sommelier at swanky wine bars, shake your tail feather (or whatever else you like to shake) at dance clubs, revel the night away with your pals at after-hours bars, or share a toast to a local team at a sports bar.
For drinks with a view, there’s no shortage of rooftop bars. Try NoMI Lounge on The Magnificent Mile, the party scene at ROOF at theWit Hotel, and the Cerise Rooftop at the flashy Virgin Hotel Chicago (rooftop is closed over the winter months).
Music emanates from every corner of the city. Chicago's history is steeped in jazz and blues, with noteworthy venues like Buddy Guy’s Legends, Kingston Mines and Green Mill Jazz Club (founded in 1907), on every music-lovers wish list, not to mention the annual Jazz Festival (celebrating its 40th year in August/September), Blues Festival (June 8-10) and World Music Festival (September 7-23). Newer venues adding to the music landscape include Thalia Hall, a Pilsen landmark and indie haven, and The Promontory, home to jazz, R&B, folk rock, soul and more in Hyde Park.
Head outside to Millennium Park for lunchtime and evening performances at the nation’s only free outdoor classical music series, Grant Park Music Festival (June-August). The Millennium Park Music Series draws eclectic crowds for its alfresco summer shows — also free! — which showcase electronica, indie rock and jazz. Best of all, they perform at Millennium Park's jewel in the crown, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Mega fests Lollapalooza (August 2-5) and Pitchfork (July) both recently celebrated 10 years in Chicago; on the opposite end of the spectrum, there's the Grammy Award-winning Chicago Symphony Orchestra; while the Chosen Few Picnic & Music Festival a.k.a. the "Woodstock of House Music" honors the Chicago-born genre.
Chicago is a city that celebrates everything from fine art to the fringe movement, craft beer to cultural heritage — and it does it with festivals and parades!
From spring to fall, neighborhood street festivals welcome you every weekend. Bring your appetite, especially if you're going to the Roscoe Village Burger Fest (July) or the Pilsen Food Truck Social (June).
Salsa and swing through Chicago SummerDance (June 28-August 25), the largest annual outdoor dance series in the United States. Or scan the sky for jets at the oldest and largest free air exhibition of its kind, the Chicago Air & Water Show (August 18-19).
2018 also sees the launch of a year-long City of Chicago initiative, Year of Creative Youth, which will include a Year of Creative Youth Festival across the Millennium Park Campus (September 22), showcasing youth artists in dance, theater, music, spoken word, the visual arts, and more.
Having been voted the "Number One Museum in the World" by TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards, the expansive Art Institute of Chicago woos art lovers who revel in its permanent collection of 300,000 works, spanning centuries and cultures. Meanwhile, the Museum of Contemporary Art gives the visual arts center stage, with groundbreaking shows such as Picture Fiction (April 28- December 30) and I Was Raised on the Internet (June 23-October 14)
Nearby, Chicago's Museum Campus brings an impressive trifecta of attractions to the lakefront: Beginning February 28, witness the painstaking installation of Titanosaur, possibly the largest land dinosaur known to man, at The Field Museum, meet the beluga whales at Shedd Aquarium and journey through the expansive universe at the Adler Planetarium. Further south, the Museum of Science and Industry is the biggest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Grapple a tornado, see a U-boat and go deep down into a coal mine, among other unique experiences.
Gallery spaces are lined with rotating exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, a piece of art itself worth a visit (for one thing, you'll see the world's largest Tiffany stained-glass dome). And at 90 art galleries and 20 art centers, discover the innovative work of local, national and international artists.
Not only that, but you can take to the streets to see 700+ public art works, including a Picasso, a Calder and a Miro. Arts districts such as River North, Pilsen and Bridgeport pack in multiple stops, while you can use special open house events like First Fridays to build your itinerary
Most notable in 2018, the city hosts ArtDesign Chicago, a year-long "spirited celebration of the unique and vital role Chicago plays as America’s crossroads of creativity and commerce."
With five regional Tony Award®-winning theaters (Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theater Company and Victory Gardens Theater), Chicago takes center stage in theatrical productions. Blockbuster musicals by Broadway In Chicago, acclaimed touring productions, independent stories from emerging playwrights — it's all here, with 200 theater companies to entertain you.
For an evening of laughs, turn to the comedy masters at The Second City, ComedySportz Theater, or iO Chicago Theater, watch stand-up routines at Zanies Comedy Night Club, or opt for a multi-sensory interactive experience at Blue Man Group. Want a little theater with lakeside views? Add the new and improved Theater on the Lake to your list.
The heart and soul of Chicago lives in its many vibrant neighborhoods. The city's 77 distinct communities showcase their own flavors, customs, festivals and attractions. From the diverse, family friendly Edgewater to the north, to the historic cultural institutions of Hyde Park to the south, and the Mexican-influenced Pilsen to the west, there are so many unique neighborhood highlights to explore.
Chicago is a melting pot of hundreds of different
ethnicities and cultures. Enjoy the booming cultural scene in traditionally
Irish-American Bridgeport, explore the shops, restaurants and bars of
LGBTQ-friendly Boystown and Swedish-influenced Andersonville, delve into Chicago's rich
African American history in Bronzeville, browse the Chinese and Vietnamese shops on
Argyle Street in Uptown, or
grab samosas and try on a sari in "Little India" on Devon Avenue
in Rogers Park.