The International Museum of Surgical Science sounds a little creepy at first. Don’t get me wrong, there are some items on display that will leave you grateful to be alive in the most recent era of modern medicine. However, the IMSS is actually a beautiful and sophisticated mausoleum for early anatomical illustrations and painting, studies of surgical procedures, and medical inventions–some genius, some terrifying. There is even an original “iron lung” once used to help polio patients breath. One of my favorite features of the museum is a recreation of an old apothecary, like a frontier-age Walgreens Pharmacy, filled with old pill bottles and medicines viles.The artwork surpasses medical illustrations of the Gray’s Anatomy sort (referring to the book, not the show of course). Rather, the IMSS can feel like a exhibition of Body Worlds in the style and craft of Leonardo Da Vinci.
This past spring I was able to go to a show called Flux: Responding to Head & Neck Cancer, which was a multidisciplinary, contemporarty art show commenting on how people deal with the scars of life-saving, but often disfiguring surgeries. Another great collaboration of the IMSS includes regular exhibitions featuring work by graduate students of the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Biomedical Visualization program, which I would describe as a biomedical MFA program.
The museum is located on Lake Shore Drive, overlooking lake Michigan. CTA busses stop right near the museum, and it’s also a quick and picturesque walk from the Red Line Clark/Division stop.
Find your way with 116 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Founded in 1948, "Superdawg" is THE quintessential Chicago hot dog place - they'll bring your order right to your car, like they did in the '50s!
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The lentils are filling and creamy; the veggies are lightly cooked and nourishing; the injera bread is the perfect balance of slightly tangy and spongey.
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OMI has many good menu options, but their Japanese dessert toast is their all-star. Think of it as a fluffy French toast served with vanilla ice cream.
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Choose from multigrain sourdough, their house sourdough and miso rye sourdough; pastry choices include croissants, morning buns, and fruit danishes.
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Momos are bite-sized dumplings from Nepal and Tibet, usually filled with meat that is seasoned with spices like turmeric, garlic, cumin, and chili peppers.
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Their bread that has the perfect ratio of chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. The 1979 multigrain sourdough is some of the best bread I've had!
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They are arguably most known for their "Kurdish breakfast" an elaborate spread of cheese, jams, fried cheese, olives, fries, cucumbers, tomatoes and bread.
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The tent is run by Adan, who mans the booth entirely alone. His ingredients are kept fresh in coolers which are grilled on the spot in front of customers.
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There are many pastry options like croissants, an assortment of macaron flavors, fruit danishes, quiches... My favorites are the fruit-stuffed beignets!
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While most croissants are buttery and flakey, the ones at Hendrickx are denser and chewier. In my opinion, this makes them even better.
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BULSHO serves a traditional Somalian breakfast that is comprised of seasoned meat or veggie stew served with anjero - a fermented flatbread.
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Start with a freshly steeped cup of sweet mint tea, a staple of any Senegalese meal. Then order fataya, triangular fried pastries with a savory filling.
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