This is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's first domestic structure in the United States, and it is a beautiful example of Minimalism. The house is located outside Chicago, but is worth the drive and the tour guides are pretty great. Due to flooding, the house and the property will undergo major preservation changes beginning in the next decade, so it's hard to tell how long the house will remain in it's current state.

This is my favorite music venue in the city. It's on a unassuming strange corner, has the perfect amount of dirty-ness, good beer, and great music. I've spent many nights here watching some of my favorite bands.

The South Gardens at the AIC are magical––go in the middle of the summer when the whole gardens are lush, the flower pots are overflowing, and the leaves have came in on all the trees to form a sun-dappled canopy. Make sure to look at the Fountain of the Great Lakes––each woman in it personifies one of the Great Lakes of the region, and when the water is turned on, their seashell basins flow into one another in the same direction of the real lakes.

The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance is Chicago’s primary residence for music and dance, connecting diverse audiences with outstanding artists from across the city, the nation, and the world.

Open 6 days a week (closed on Saturdays), La Trailita (it's a food truck, but before their current truck, they were just a small trailer) serves some of the best tacos and quesadillas in Chicago, including tons of vegetarian options. They are open year round (even when it gets cold!). There is another taco truck across the street at the intersection, so make sure you're going to the right one (it's in front of a convenience store). I believe it's run by some ladies from the church it parks near. Recommend their tacos al pastor and potato quesadillas. Salsa is very tasty but very spicy!