CHICHAGO

Nightlife in Chicago 

By Stanley Sobari

# The lights of Chicago rise high above the shores of Lake Michigan

UNDAUNTED by the weather or the working week, Chicagoans turn out en message at night. Blues icons echo in clubs city wide, DJs spin eclectic sounds, and improve and comedy clubs unleash edgy, experimental performers.

Late Bar is off the beaten path on a forlorn stretch of Belmont Ave, though it’s easily reachable viathe Blue Line train. A couple of DJs opened the club in 2010, and its new-wave vibe draws fans of all stripes: mods, rockers, punks, Goths and more. Saturday’s 80s night are popular (latebarchicago.com; 3534 W Belmont Ave, Avondale; 8pm-4am Tue-Fri, until 5am Sat).

Smart Bar a couple of blocks north of Wrigley field, this downstairs adjunct to the Metro (known for loud rock) is a dance and music lover’s dream. The Djs here are often more renowned than you’d expect in such as a small, intimate venue, with a veritable who’s who of forward-looking break artists, house and trance Djs holding down the turntables (smartbarchicago.com; 3730 N Clark St, Wrigleyville; 10pm-4am Wed-Fri & Sun, until 5am Sat).

Debonair Social Club it’s mostly a younger, hipster crowd dancing their butts off at Wicker Park’s Debonair. The main action takes place on the upstairs floor, which draws big crowds for the can’t-sit-still oldies mash-ups, hard rock and new electro. The downstairs floor is less hot and packed, though still lively. Reggae and burlesque shows entertain on other nights (debonairsocialclub.com; 1575 N Milwaukee Ave; 9pm-2am Wed-Sat).

Blues this veteran blues club in Lincoln Park draws as slightly older crowd that soaks up every crackling, electrified moment. As one local musician put it: ‘The audience here comes out to understand the blues.’ Local stars like L’il Ed and the Blues Imperials grace the small stage (chicagobluesbar.com; 2519 N Halsted St; 8pm-2am, until 3am Sat).

Green Mill sit in Al Capone’s favourite spot at this authentic cocktail lounge, complete with curved leather booths and colourful tales about mobsters who owned shares in the place (a trap door behind the bar leads to tunnels where they hid their bootlegged booze). It’s also a great venue for jazz acts (greenmilljazz.com; 4802 N Broadway; 12pm-4am Mon-Fri, until 5am Sat, 11am-4am Sun).

Hungry Brain the Sunday Transmission jazz series is the best time to get a feel for this unassuming, comfortable Roscoe Village dive that’s full of well-worn, thrift-store charm. On that and other nights, some of the city’s best young jazzers drink cheap and let loose, often resulting in inspired sessions (umbrellamusic.org; 2319 W Belmont Ave, Lake View; from 8pm, closed Mon).

Comedysportz the gimmick? Two improve teams compete with deadly seriousness to make you laugh hysterically, in a Whose Line is it Anyway? Style showcase of comic invention. The bawdier late show excepted, it’s all family friendly-but no less entertaining for that (comedysportzchicago.com; 929 W Belmont Ave, Lake View; Thu-Sat).

IO Improvolympic founded in the 1980s, this theatre teaches and hosts performances of improvisational comedy. Notable alumni include Tina Fey, Mike Myers, Vince Vaughn and many others. With performances on two floors, shows hinge entirely on audience suggestions, and each turn can run 40 minutes or longer (ioimprov.com/Chicago; 3541 N Clark St, Wrigleyville; open daily).

Second City this club is best symbolized by John Belushi, who earned a place in the Second city improve troupe before moving on to fame and fortune. Second city’s shows are sharp and biting commerntaries on life, politics, love and anything else that falls in the crosshairs off the comedians’ rapid-fire, hard –hitting wit. An offshoot, Second city Etc, has riskier and lower-cost acts (secondcity.com; 1616 N Welss St, Old Town; open daily).

The Days Inn has perks such as free Wi-Fi, health club access and hot waffle breakfasts. Avoid the standard doubles if you’re claustrophobic – kings are significantly roomier (daysinn.co.uk; 644 West Diversey Parkway, Lincoln Park).

# The Burnham is situated right in the heart of the Loop

Housed in the landmark 1890s Reliance Building, rooms at the superslick Burnham have gold and blue striped silk draperies, mahogany desks and chaise lounges (burnhamhotel.com; 1 W Washington St).

One of Chicago’s newest luxury hotels, the Waldorf Astoria Chicago models itself on the style of ‘20s Parisian glamour. The handsome rooms are large and very well appointed (waldorfastoria3.hilton.com; 11 E Walton Street).

Chicago’s Top Record Labels Chess Record The original home of the blues in Chicago, Chess Records helped launch the careers of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, and served as a catalyst for early sessions by Chuck Berry. Bloodshot Records at the heart of the left-of-centre American roots genre that fuses punk with old-school country music (bloodshotrecords.com). Delmark Records America’s oldest independent jazz and blues label, Delmark has produced artists such as junior Wells and Otis Rush, Sun Ra and Dina Washington (delmark.com). Thrill Jockey made famous by ‘postrock’ bands of the ‘90s, Thrill jockey has consistently introduces new genres and styles (thrilljockey.com).

From Bill Murray to Steve Carell, many of America’s finest comedians launched their careers at Second City, Chicago’s world famous comedy club. Discover more travel tips on the hoteltravel.com

American Airlines, BA and United fly direct from London Heathrow to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ba.com). The airports is 17 miles northwest of the city. There’s a 24-hour train service on the Blue Line to and from the Loop, but you’re better off using a shared shuttle van service such as Airport Express (to Loop hotels; airportexpress.com). Taxis cost around £25. The ‘L’ train system, together with the bus network, is an efficient way to get around. Ventra tickets are ideal for visitors – a single, which includes two transfers, while a day pass (transitchicago.com).

Eating and Drinking in Athens

By Stanley Sobari

#Monastiraki Square, with the Acropolis rising in the background

Ancient monuments may draw the crowds but night out in lively tavernas and bars, sipping ouzo with meze, make for a memorable trip.

#Brettos began distilling tis own ouzo, brandy and liquors in 1909

Brettos A Plaka distric landmark, this delightful bar and distillery (the oldest in Athens) has a stunning backlit wall of colourful bottles and old wine barrels, and an old-fashioned character. It’s a quiet spot for a nightcap with a tempting range of homemade wine, ouzo, brandy, and other spirits (brettosplaka.com; Kydatheineon 41; 10am-3am daily).

Barley Cargo This fantastic bar offers more than 150 different beers, many of them from Greek microbreweries, others from around the world, including Belgium, Germany, the UK and US. Sip a Trappist ale at one of the wooden-barrel tables or as part of the crowd spilling out on to the street – it’s conveniently located in the heart of Syntagma’s bar-heavy area (facebook.com/BarleyCargo; Kolokotroni 6; 11am-3am Mon-Sat, 7pm-3am Sun).

Nixon Bar More suave than most local establishments in the district of Keramikos, Nixon Bar plays host to film showings and premieres in its 60-seater cinema, plus live music and evening shows. A young ,culture-hungry crowd lounges in the dimly lit bar, complete with marble floor and impressive chandelier, and make the most of the decent burgers and mean martinis on offer (Nixon.gr; Agisilaou 61b; 8pm-3am Mon-Sat, 1pm-3am Sun).

Café Avissinia Hidden away on colourful Plateia Avyssinias, in the middle of the flea market in Monastiraki, this bohemian tavern specializes in regional Greek cuisine, from moussaka to warm fava, and had a great selection of spirits .tehre is often acoustic live music too. Snag fantastic Acropolis views upstairs (avissinia.gr; Kynetou 7; 11am-1am Tue-Sat, until 7pm sun).

Kanella Homemade village-style bread, mismatched retro crockery and brown-paper tablecloths set the tone for this modern tavern in the Gazi neighbourhood serving regional Greek cuisine. Friendly staf serve daily specials such as lemon and oregano lamb with potatoes, and an excellent zucchini and avocado salad (kanellagazi.gr; Leoforos Konstantinoupoleos 70; 1.30pm-late).

#Moussaka and tzatziki are among the specialities at Paradosiako

Paradosiako For great traditional dishes, you can’t beat this inconspicuous, no-frills tavern on the periphery of historic Plaka neighbourhood, with a few tables on the pavement. There’s basic menu, but it’s best to choose from the daily specials , which include fresh seafood, such as prawn saganaki. It fills up quickly wit hlocals, so arrive early to get a table (Voulis 44a; from 10am daily).

Tzitzikas and Mermigas This bright, cheery, modern mezedhopoleio (place serving meze) sits smack in the middle of central Athens. It’s particularly popular for its delicious and crative mezedhes, such as the manouri cheese wrapped in ham and drizzled with honey (Mitropoleos 12-14, syntagma; open for lunch and dinner, closed Sun).

Flistron It’s wise to book a table on the rooftop terrace of this excellent Thisio mezedhopoleio, which enjoys excellent views of the Acropolis and Lykavittos. Specializing in regional cuisine, it has a great range of mezedhestry the grilled vegetables with haloumi or the onions stuffed with rice and mince (fillistron.com; Apostolou Pavlou 23 12pm-12am weekdays, until 1am weekends).

#Pastel shades and tiled floors characterize Yiantes’ courtyard

Yiantes This modern eatery, with its plain tables and freshly cut flowers set in a lovely garden courtyard, is an up market establishment in Exarhia, near the centre of Athens, and the food is superb and made with largely organic produce. Try dishes such as courgette croquettes, baby eel with chilli oil, calamari and stuffed vine leaves (yiantes.gr; Valtetsiou 44).

Cecil Hotel is a charming old hotel in a Neoclassical building on busy Athinas, with beautiful moulded ceilings, timber floors and an original cage-style lift. The simple rooms are tastefully furnished (cecilhotel.gr; 39 Athinas Street).

With views over the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the refurbished Athens Gate Hotel is a great find. Rooms are well equipped, staff are friendly and breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace (athensgate.gr; 10 Syngrou Avenue).

Hotel Grande Bretagne ranks among the grandest hotels of the world. Though its renovation is a few years distant, it still retains and old-world grandeur. The rooftop restaurant and bar are must visits (grandebretagne.gr; Syntagma Square).

#ouzo

GREEKS eateries like to specialize-you’ll find tavernas that only do pork or dedicated pita stores or souvlaki hole in the walls. The tavern has many specialist variations: a psarotaverna specializes in fish and seafood, a psistaria or hasapotaverna in chargrilled or spit-roasted meat.

Greek like to eat late restaurants don’t fill up until after 10pml. Lunch is still the big meal of the day, and does not start until after 2pm. Greeks are generous and proud hosts. Try not to refuse a drink-it’s a gesture of hospitality.

Greece’s aniseed-flavoured liquor, ouzo, has come to embody a way of socializing, and is best enjoyed with mezedhes during and extended lunch. It’s sipped slowly to cleanse the palate between tastings.

Aegean Airlines, BA, Cyprus Airways, easyjet, JAT Airways, Pegasus Airlines, SAS and Swiss fly direct from various UK cities to Athens International Airport. Half hourly blue-line metro trains run between the city centre and airport (5.30pm-11.30pm), and the bus service X95 connects the airport to Syntagma 24 hours (every 30 mins; journey time approx 1 hr). Athens has an inexpensive integrated public transport network of buses, metro, trolleybuses and a tram (oasa.gr). Metro tickets cost £1.20 and are valid for 90 minutes on all modes of transport.

Follow in the footstep of ancient athletes and run on the track of the Panathenaic Stadium, home to athletics since the 4^th century BC. Discover more things to see and do in the city of Athens on the HotelTravel.Com.

THE TRADITIONAL ONE

By Stanley Sobari

‘Railway termini…are our gates to the glorious and the unknown,’ wrote novelist E M Forster in 1910, capturing a sense of the romance of train travel that the average peak-time commuter may struggle to relate to. But once upon a time train travel was a luxurious prospect that came with a frisson of glamour and adventure, not to mention fine dining, grand surrounding and impeccable service.

It’s this Golden Age of rail travel that Orient-Express company seeks to evoke on its train services, most famously in its namesake Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) service that runs from Paris to Venice, and once a year as far as the traditional terminus of Istanbul. The same group also runs day trips in the UK on the sister trains of the VSOE – the British Pullman and the Northern Belle, which recreate the same Agatha Christie-era atmosphere without the need for a pair of tickets.

Some of the Pullman’s ‘20s carriages were used by the royal family, including steam-hauled signature journey is suitably stately. Within Art Deco interiors kitted out in wood paneling, mirrors and mosaics, guests are served a five-course dinner with wine and champagne; beyond the window, the rolling downs of the Surrey countryside speed past. On the steam-less alternative, the train winds instead through the countryside of Kent to Whistable and the sea before returning home.

The 1930s-style Northern Belle, which tours the north on a varying schedule of routes, offes a similar experience, with the addition of strolling musicians who serenade passengers as they dine. As well as food-based signature journeys, both trains run day trips to specific destinations, from a visit to Loch Lomond to a day exploring Bath. And there’s one trip that goes even further in conjuring the spirit of the Orient-Express – a murder mystery lunch on the British Pullman.

The Ghan, Australia

The luxury One

By Stanley Sobari

The Australian outback is a place that’s hard to grasps: a vast, ill-defined area mapped by Aboriginal people not on paper but in song. It was a mystery to European settlers until they started crossing it on camel, and its loose demarcations – the Red Centre, the Never Never, the Top End – still sound mysterious and remote. That it’s now crossable by train is something of marvel; that the train navigates this extreme, other-worldly land in a degree of luxury is the icing on the cake.

The train is the Ghan, a long-established service that runs up (and down) the centre of Australia from one coast to another on a three-day trip of almost 2,000 miles. Though named  after 19^th-century out back camel drivers who hailed from Afghanistan, it’s a far cry from their tough desert treks. Dinners in the smart onboard restaurant have an unmistakably out back flavor, with kangaroo fillet on the menu, while Platinum service and breakfast in bed. they could, in theory, never leave their cabins, which are decked out with en suites and oversized windows framing the passing landscapes.

The scenery is worthy of large windows indeed. On the northbound route from Adelaide, plains and russet mountains cede to the arid Red Centre, the outback’s heartland of cobalt skies, rust-red earth and haphazard fistfuls of scrub. For its first 75 years, the Ghan ended in the desert city.