Contract Magazine – Foresight 2019 - 100

NEOCON 2019
PHOTOGRAPHY: MANDY LANCIA (TOP); ANDREW BRUAH (BOTTOM)

Insiders' Guide to Chicago
By Anna Zappia

Members of the local design community share
the city's must-visit restaurants, bars, shops,
and hidden gems.

A day with Sarah Kuchar, owner and
creative director, Sarah Kuchar Studio

hotel across the street with great restaurants,
a new great lawn with Jumbotron to watch games,
and all-new food at the ballpark. I highly recommend
getting tickets to a game.
EAT
The interiors of Momotaro are among my favorites in
Chicago, designed by AvroKO. There is a beautiful bar
up front that is great even if you're just grabbing a drink.
In my opinion, they have the best sushi in the city (get
the Momomaki). Pro tip: go to the basement bar
for a more casual feel or if you can't get a reservation.
If the weather is nice during NeoCon, head
up to the Wicker Park area for some of the city's best
DO
restaurants and shopping. Big Star is one of my (and
For any members traveling from afar, the Soho House
many Chicagoans) favorite taco spots. Their huge
rooftop pool is a great break from the city. I feel like
I'm on vacation every time I'm there. On the weekends, outdoor patio is THE place to be in the summer.
Cindy's at the Chicago Athletic Association
you need to get there by 8 am to get a bed. The food
Hotel is a rooftop restaurant and bar that is SO
and drinks will keep you there from morning to well
beautiful. Designed by Roman and Williams, it has one
into the night!
of the best views of our lovely Grant Park. It's mostly
The Cultural Center is the city's old library and
is very unassuming from the outside. You would never covered so it's okay rain or shine, and the covered area
guess that the interior is filled with some of the biggest is mostly glass so it has that summery feeling
installations of Tiffany ceilings around. Really explore
throughout the year.
the building-with room after room of hand laid tile
SHOP
floors, glass ceilings and metal decorative guardrails.
Topdrawer carries a perfectly curated collection
It's my favorite building in Chicago.
of pens, pencils, notebooks, travel goods, and other
This might seem like an obvious recommendation, items. This concept store started in Japan so naturally
but Wrigley Field and its surroundings have been
everything is beautiful and useful. I never walk out
greatly changed over the last few years. There is new
empty handed.

An old-school Chicago apothecary that has
been here since 1875, Merz Apothecary carries so
many beauty brands from around the world. Although
there is a location downtown, I highly recommend
the one in Lincoln Square. They have the best offering
of perfumes anywhere in the city.
Andersonville is a really great neighborhood
to walk around if you have time. There are great antique
shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. Martha Mae Art
Supplies & Beautiful Things is a great art supply shop
that is so beautifully designed and curated. They have
stuff there you didn't know you needed, but you do.

100

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FORESIGHT 2019

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