RATE IT! Ferris Bueller's Chicago

A week ago today, I was in Chicago. It was my first time in the windy city and to be honest, most of what I knew of this metropolis I had gleamed from Ferris Bueller.

That's right -- Ferris Bueller of John Hughes' '80s teen movie fame. The flick owes many of its most memorable moments to the wonderful city of Chicago where it was shot. See the beautiful painting to the left - it served as the centre piece to one of the most gorgeous scenes of the film. Remember Cameron, Ferris' best friend falling under its dotty spell?

When I travel, I want to feel like I really know a place before I get there. Who wants to waste time bumbling around lost and confused? While I was knee-deep in Chicago facts and info for my trip, I pitched an article idea to The Toronto Star newspaper and the result is my Ferris Bueller's Chicago - 25th Anniversary Edition story.

It appeared in print on the front page of the Toronto Star's weekend travel section back on July 23 - as luck would have it, I was actually *in* Chicago at the time. Seems quite fitting actually. It may not include all of the delights Chicago has to offer but my story will help you find many of the places that Ferris conquered. Enjoy the online version here!

(Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte at the Art Institute of Chicago ~ photo by: Jackie Middleton)