Culture

The taste of Chicago July 2008!

I make it a point to go to the ‘Taste’ each year. Last year I went with my sister and her friend Genia. This year I went with my Mom and my Auntie. It was tight like it is each year and there was plenty of food and drink to be had. We took the Milwaukee/Ashland Ave (Dusty Groove territory!) bus downtown and got off around State St & LSD (Lake Shore Drive-HWY 41 North). We took a short walk from the bus stop to the entrance of the taste and plenty of Obama supporters were present asking people to make campaign contributions and register to vote. This year I actually ate more than just fish. I had turkey sausage & spinach stuffed pizza from two different vendors, it was good! I also had a couple Stella Artois brews, some jerk chicken, vegetable fried rice, and some chicken tacos. All the food I tried was good, but I knew most of the places and had eaten there before. I don’t gamble with my stomach much.

There’s a lot more to the taste than just a week long period of eating food from Chicago eateries. Every year big name music/recording artists host free concerts in Grant Park that coincide with the Taste. This year the roster included: Chaka Khan, Angie Stone, Plain White T’s, Josh Kelley, Broadway In Chicago, Joss Stone, Ryan Shaw, Fantasia, Estelle, Gomez, OLD ‘97’s, Alejandro Escovedo, Bonnie Raitt, Dave Barnes, Aly & AJ, A Cursive Memory & Keke Palmer.

I didn’t see any of the ‘famous’ performers but I did see the local street artists. A crew consisting of 2 Black males, 1 White Guy and a Black Female did a tap dancing set that was really good. They reminded me of Savion Glover with their youth and the fact that they could tap beats out with their feet that were recognizable hits from the present and past. My Mom and Auntie really enjoyed watching them. I guess to them it was nice to see young people trying a legal hustle. I can definitely feel that. Another group of about 7 individuals, males and females did a tumbling routine that was pretty tight.

Other highlights were the Ferris wheel and a few small carnival rides. Of course major marketers and distributors were there like Procter & Gamble, Bounty & T-Mobile. Several non-food related vendors were there selling everything from cultural dresses to baseball caps. I picked up a couple tee shirts for a friend and I that were sold by the Taste of Chicago event organization. After a good walking around, mad food and two grogs, I was ready to head back home. I passed my last couple unused tickets to a brother sitting near the entrance/exit and boarded the bus. Before we left I made it a point to hit up Garret’s Popcorn (line was too long) and Reckless Records to pass the waiting time.

The taste has much to offer to the native Chicagoan/Illinoisan, occasional visitor or the everyday tourist. Music, food, apparel, rides, street performers, scenery, and major marketers are just of few of the Taste’s experiences. Try to make it there at least once in your life. It’s takes place at the end of June through the 4^th of July holiday every year. So if you make it to Chicago a couple days before the 4^th, the Taste is going on. Make sure you bring your appetite too cuz the food is abundant.

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