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[ChuckDickens]

I can't remember who it was who was looking for hotel recommendations a while back, but I'm assuming it was swallowed up by the wrath of Ratto. In any case, I'm coming to Chicago on Monday, March 3rd to take my girlfriend to see one of her favorite artists (Griffin House) at Schubas for her birthday. I need some recommendations for a place to stay. I'd like for it to be some place relatively nearby. She also likes watching monkeys eat their poop at the Lincoln Park Zoo, so any recommendations for lodging that's clean, cheap, and relatively near both locations would be good.

Edit: I just remembered, we also need to head back to Iowa City bright and early on the following morning (likely sometime around 6:30-7). Will traffic be a problem? Would it be wiser to stay somewhere out in the 'burbs to beat a possible Tuesday morning inner-city exodus?

Edit #2: There's also a show on Saturday, March 1 which is her actual birthday. Ticketmaster is sold out on that date, but since we both have class on Monday/Tuesday, that date would be ideal as it would reduce a lot of travel problems. Schubas appears to be a smaller venue; am I shit out of luck, or is it possible to purchase a ticket at the door the day of?

[Chuckosan]

I can't remember who it was who was looking for hotel recommendations a while back, but I'm assuming it was swallowed up by the wrath of Ratto. In any case, I'm coming to Chicago on Monday, March 3rd to take my girlfriend to see one of her favorite artists (Griffin House) at Schubas for her birthday. I need some recommendations for a place to stay. I'd like for it to be some place relatively nearby. She also likes watching monkeys eat their poop at the Lincoln Park Zoo, so any recommendations for lodging that's clean, cheap, and relatively near both locations would be good.

The Says Inn on Diversey and Clark is a sure thing.  Ask Tonks.

Edit: I just remembered, we also need to head back to Iowa City bright and early on the following morning (likely sometime around 6:30-7). Will traffic be a problem? Would it be wiser to stay somewhere out in the 'burbs to beat a possible Tuesday morning inner-city exodus?

Traffic will suck, but not enough to deal with the drunk driving back the the burbs after Schubas.

Edit #2: There's also a show on Saturday, March 1 which is her actual birthday. Ticketmaster is sold out on that date, but since we both have class on Monday/Tuesday, that date would be ideal as it would reduce a lot of travel problems. Schubas appears to be a smaller venue; am I shit out of luck, or is it possible to purchase a ticket at the door the day of?

That I can't help with.  Schubas is tiny.

[Timmy B]

Chuck, you're in Iowa City? Let me know the next time you travel through Dubuque, I'll buy you a beer.

[Tonker]

I can't remember who it was who was looking for hotel recommendations a while back, but I'm assuming it was swallowed up by the wrath of Ratto. In any case, I'm coming to Chicago on Monday, March 3rd to take my girlfriend to see one of her favorite artists (Griffin House) at Schubas for her birthday. I need some recommendations for a place to stay. I'd like for it to be some place relatively nearby. She also likes watching monkeys eat their poop at the Lincoln Park Zoo, so any recommendations for lodging that's clean, cheap, and relatively near both locations would be good.

The Says Inn on Diversey and Clark is a sure thing.  Ask Tonks.

Edit: I just remembered, we also need to head back to Iowa City bright and early on the following morning (likely sometime around 6:30-7). Will traffic be a problem? Would it be wiser to stay somewhere out in the 'burbs to beat a possible Tuesday morning inner-city exodus?

Traffic will suck, but not enough to deal with the drunk driving back the the burbs after Schubas.

Edit #2: There's also a show on Saturday, March 1 which is her actual birthday. Ticketmaster is sold out on that date, but since we both have class on Monday/Tuesday, that date would be ideal as it would reduce a lot of travel problems. Schubas appears to be a smaller venue; am I shit out of luck, or is it possible to purchase a ticket at the door the day of?

That I can't help with.  Schubas is tiny.

I couldn't get a reservation at the Says Inn, so I had to stay at the Days Inn instead.  It was indeed clean and cheap, the staff were fantastic, and it's pretty much exactly where you want to be.  Highly recommended.  By Chuck, and me.

[Kwyjibo]

I can't remember who it was who was looking for hotel recommendations a while back, but I'm assuming it was swallowed up by the wrath of Ratto. In any case, I'm coming to Chicago on Monday, March 3rd to take my girlfriend to see one of her favorite artists (Griffin House) at Schubas for her birthday. I need some recommendations for a place to stay. I'd like for it to be some place relatively nearby. She also likes watching monkeys eat their poop at the Lincoln Park Zoo, so any recommendations for lodging that's clean, cheap, and relatively near both locations would be good.

The Says Inn on Diversey and Clark is a sure thing.  Ask Tonks.

Edit: I just remembered, we also need to head back to Iowa City bright and early on the following morning (likely sometime around 6:30-7). Will traffic be a problem? Would it be wiser to stay somewhere out in the 'burbs to beat a possible Tuesday morning inner-city exodus?

Traffic will suck, but not enough to deal with the drunk driving back the the burbs after Schubas.

Edit #2: There's also a show on Saturday, March 1 which is her actual birthday. Ticketmaster is sold out on that date, but since we both have class on Monday/Tuesday, that date would be ideal as it would reduce a lot of travel problems. Schubas appears to be a smaller venue; am I shit out of luck, or is it possible to purchase a ticket at the door the day of?

That I can't help with.  Schubas is tiny.

I couldn't get a reservation at the Says Inn, so I had to stay at the Days Inn instead. 

I stayed at Cey's Inn.

[Old Style Man]

I agree with the recommendation to stay at the Days Inn on Diversey. Book it as soon as you can. Parking isn't the best. You probably have to park at the mall's garage around the corner, but it isn't that big of a deal. The hotel is pretty decent, and the rooms are quite a bit bigger than at a lot of places in the city. The location is great. After you're done at Shuba's you can cab it to Weiner Circle, about a half block south of the hotel. Good times. And getting out of the city that early shouldn't be that big of a deal. Just take Diversey all the way back to the Kennedy (90 West).

[TJ]

I agree with the recommendation to stay at the Days Inn on Diversey. Book it as soon as you can. Parking isn't the best. You probably have to park at the mall's garage around the corning, but it isn't hat big of a deal. The hotel is pretty decent, and the rooms are quite a bit bigger than at a lot of places in the city. The location is great. After you're done at Shuba's you can cab it to Weiner Circle, about a half block south of the hotel. Good times. And getting out of the city that early shouldn't be that big of a deal. Just take Diversey all the way back to the Kennedy (90 West).

Or zip down Lake Shore Drive to the Stevenson.

[Mike Douche]

If you stay at Ron Cey's Inn at Clark, Diversey and Broadway, you needn't worry about parking, because you're only going to park the car when you arrive.  Schubas is at Belmont and Southport, which is only about 7 blocks as the crow flies.  Depending on how long you're staying, ChuckD, you may want to get an all-day CTA card.  If not, then throw about 10-12 bucks into a card and the #22 Clark Bus will be your lifeline.  Take it north to Belmont, where you can catch the #77 Belmont west 4 blocks to Schubas (or, if no bus is coming up Belmont, jst walk it, as it's only 4 1/2 blocks from where the Clark Bus will be dropping you off).  You can also take the #22 Clark south to Lincoln Park Zoo.  You would get off at some point after Fullerton, and again you'll be about 3-4 blocks from the zoo's main entrance.

Check out the CTA's website for more info.

Since all of your activities are in the city, it makes no sense to lodge in the 'burbs just to save yourself a 1/2 hour and a little bit of traffic.  Keep in mind that outbound morning traffic is never as bad as inbound, as that's more of a reverse commute.  It may not be a picnic, but it should only be rough until you get out to O'Hare.  As someone pointed out, the entrance ramp for I-90 is only about 3 miles west of where you're staying (near Diversey and California--you'll see signs).  If you're taking I-88 back to IA, it could be a little bit rougher, as you'll be part of the morning commute heading downtown so as to get on I-290, which takes you to I-88.  You can always skip out of town on I-90 and drop down to I-88 on I-294, which you will pick up around O'Hare.  These are all toll routes (except for I-290) so bring plenty of change.  Hell, with all of the tolls you'll be hitting back and forth, look into getting yourself an I-Pass.  You only pay 1/2 of what the cash-paying suckers pay at the toll, and it should put a sgnificant dent in your travel time.

[Kwyjibo]

Time for me to put in another plug for our upcoming charity event...

http://dancingwithchicagocelebrities.org/

The tickets ain't cheap, but there's a good time to be had...a fine way to do some good with any newfound Super Bowl Box Pool money.

[RedBeard]

Calling everyone with cable

The Drake Bulldogs (my alma mater (and the Carp's), and my employer) are expected to play Butler in the ESPN Bracket Busters at the end of the month - however, I don't know WHEN they are making the announcements. It is today at some time - but the espn and espn bracket buster sites are less than helpful (as usual). I was hoping if any of you have seen ads for the announcement time, you could help a brother out.

Thanks!
Teh RedBeard

[Corn-fed]

Calling everyone with cable

The Drake Bulldogs (my alma mater (and the Carp's), and my employer) are expected to play Butler in the ESPN Bracket Busters at the end of the month - however, I don't know WHEN they are making the announcements. It is today at some time - but the espn and espn bracket buster sites are less than helpful (as usual). I was hoping if any of you have seen ads for the announcement time, you could help a brother out.

Thanks!
Teh RedBeard

It doesn't look like they've announced an actual time for the announcement.

Every source simply says match-ups will be determined Feb. 4, times and networks announced Feb. 11.

[EG]

So, it's tax season, and I was wondering if people had any experience with the big tax prep companies like H&R Block and Jackson-Hewitt.

I've done my taxes on my own in the past because they've been as simple as possible, but this year I worked six months in Illinois, moved to Kansas, but worked across the state line in Missouri.  With three states involved, I'm afraid I'll screw everything up and I was thinking of taking it to a prep service.  Anyone have any recommendations, etc.?

[Oleg]

So, it's tax season, and I was wondering if people had any experience with the big tax prep companies like H&R Block and Jackson-Hewitt.

I've done my taxes on my own in the past because they've been as simple as possible, but this year I worked six months in Illinois, moved to Kansas, but worked across the state line in Missouri.  With three states involved, I'm afraid I'll screw everything up and I was thinking of taking it to a prep service.  Anyone have any recommendations, etc.?

Just make sure the accountant is Jewish.

[Gil Gunderson]

So, it's tax season, and I was wondering if people had any experience with the big tax prep companies like H&R Block and Jackson-Hewitt.

I've done my taxes on my own in the past because they've been as simple as possible, but this year I worked six months in Illinois, moved to Kansas, but worked across the state line in Missouri.  With three states involved, I'm afraid I'll screw everything up and I was thinking of taking it to a prep service.  Anyone have any recommendations, etc.?

Yeah, I had the same problem with Illinois and Pennsylvania a year ago, but I just filed in both Illinois and Penn.  I ended up getting a refund from both the feds and the two states.

[The Ghost of Desipio Past]

We've done H&R block before.  I didn't want the hassle of dealing with stock sale, a home purchase, a new kid....  Fairly painless.  Got a refund and it was pretty cheap (if you consider the value of your own time).  I don't think they're anything special and if you've got a simple return you should do it yourself (for the others reading this).  For you, pick out someone close and throw your tax docs at them.  I don't think it matters which branch you use (unless someone here has a specific person they recommend).