Cubs tickets questions - National

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Posted By: Glen V

The Cubs started selling spring training tickets today. Anyone know when they start selling regular season tickets or how easy tickets are to get? Do they have group ticket sales? Are group tickets sold before individual tickets go on sale?

The Cubs are playing the Giants then the Diamondbacks the week of the National. Does the vintage board get a group together for a game or two? Too early to think about tickets, or would now be the time to talk to the box office about a block of tickets?

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Posted By: Josh A.

I live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, and have easy access to Cubs tickets. I would be happy to pick some up for the members on here for their visit to the City of Big Shoulders.

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Posted By: Bill Cornell

Never too early to talk about the National, which is a mere 6 months and change away. The last few years, we've had the dinner on Thursday night. The Cubs are home on Friday, but it's a 1pm start, unfortunately.

Bill

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Posted By: Aaron

The wife and I definitely plan on attending. I've already explained to her that in addition to following me around the convention center (carrying my purchases) for a couple of days, attendance at one afternoon game at Wrigley is mandatory.

Thursday at the National, followed by a Friday afternoon game at Wrigley sounds about perfect.

As a trade-off, which of Chicago's "nice" hotels would locals recommend?

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Count me in on the friday game, assuming everything works out and I can make the trip this year.

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Posted By: Scott M

I haven't firmed up plans yet but I'm about 90% sure I'm going to make the trip to my first "National" this year... If so, I would definately like in on the chance to see a game at Wrigley.

Scott

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Posted By: Bill Kasel

When my wife, son and I are in Chicago (live in Madison) we always stay at the Hotel Intercontinental on Michigan Ave. Through priceline or expedia you can generally get a room for about $130 (and those are summer/July rates). They have guaranteed parking if you are driving or renting a car, and curbside drop off/pick up right on Mich Ave.

Bill

For a great steak dinner, try Shula's at the Sheraton Hotel. Best steak I've ever had, and dessert at the Cheesecake Factory at the base of Hancock Tower. Must be 6 or 7 years ago that we were there on a Saturday night sitting outside eating cheesecake on the steps and Randy Johnson sat down right next to me. The Astro's were playing the Cubs that weekend. I'm 6'3" with two 6'7" brothers and he was huge!

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Posted By: Josh A.

The Hotel Intercont. is great, and so is the Marriott, next to the Sheraton. For dinner, Shula's is ok, but if you want a real Chicago steak house, I suggest either Morton's or Gibson's. Both require reservations, but treat you right.
I would love to put faces to names for the members on the board. Even though I am relatively new here, and really only collect 33 Goudeys, the people here are kind and generous with their time. I appreciate that.

Any another questions about Chicago, please let me know, I'm happy to help out.

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Posted By: Greg Ecklund

I'll second the recommendation of Gibson's - both the steaks and the service are top-notch.

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Posted By: Anonymous

There's a pic of many of the regs in Old Cardboard #1.

I failed to know the show is in Rosemont. Unless you rent a car, I'd stay at one of the connected hotels. Rooming along Michigan Avenue or anywhere in the Loop is not that convenient to Rosemont.

Maybe one of the locals knows whether a train line is connected into the public transportation system and provides easy access between Chicago and Rosemont.

Mike

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Posted By: mike

Based upon my experiences, I think you're safe with these suggestions:

Lunch: Bergoff's (German, in the Loop - mt brother likes the food; I like their beer)
Hotdogs: Portillo's
Pizza: Ginos East or Lou Malnati's

Carson's for ribs
I second the Cheesecake Factory, even for a meal

My mom loves Oberweis Dairy for ice cream

If you're a beer lover, among others, Chicago has Old Style & Special Export

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Posted By: jay behrens

Bill, sacrelidge!!!! You dare claim someone has a better steak in Chicago than Morton's?

Just kidding. I'm not a steak fan and personally think Morton's very overrated. When I go out to eat, I prefer to eat some place where I can food I cannot make myself at home. And I am pretty fair cook when it comes to Chinese, Mexican, Italian, German, Greek and Armenian. Sadly, since moving to MN, I cannot find freash ingredients for Greek and Armenian food around here, so I seriously jonesing for some of the real stuff and not all gyros.

Jay

Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

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Posted By: Aaron

Hey, guys, apparently in between the National and the Cubs game, we're going to have to schedule time for Ryan from Cubanbaseballcards to try and beat me up.

I guess he's still feeling a tad ashamed of the way I publicly humiliated him a few months ago and hasn't been able to let it go, so since he learned I'd be attending the National he's taken to sending me threatening e-mails again.

I tell ya, Network 54 is great. Not only is it a great resource for learning about vintage baseball cards, but you can also pick up your very own cyber-stalker.

BTW, has anyone received their new issue of Old Cardboard??

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Posted By: Scott

well, I think someone was going to beat me up in Atlantic City, then someone else was going to do the same in Cleveland. Leon also was supposed to get his butt kicked in Cleveland...I think everyone lived though.

So, Aaron - maybe we can all get together in Chicago, drink heavily, and beat up a herd of small weakling post-war card collectors?

For food, I suggest Blackie's for a fantastic lunch, and Cafe Iberico for happy hour/dinner tapas.

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Posted By: Robert

I grew up in chicago.
You can't go wrong with food anywhere you go!
Well...stay away from Wal-Mart cafeterias, but besides that you're ok.

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Posted By: Scott

maybe Robert knows a good one, but I've eaten in about 5 different ones, and they were all horrible.

Also, for a good steak without having to make a reservation or wait in long lines, I go to Houston's and sit at the bar.

edited to add: there are certain advantages to being in the same place week after week after week...on an expense account.

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

Aaron,

You're dumber than I thought if you think I'm going to threaten you in a public forum. Or via e-mail for that matter. In fact, I'm surprised you didn't post my entire e-mail here like a 4 year old tattling on his big brother the way you did with every other e-mail I've sent you.

Since you think the board loves to hear about when I e-mail you, I'll post the exact message I sent you:

"I'm excited to hear you'll be attending the National
in Chicago. I look forward to meeting you in person."

I'm sure you've already forwarded my e-mail to the Chicago police department and the Department of Homeland Security asking for an escort for your stay in Chicago, but I have a feeling they might not view it as the most threatening e-mail they've seen.

I was just saying how excited I am about your attendance. I'm guessing you haven't been to prison though so you probably didn't understand what I meant by "excited."

Looking forward to meeting you in person.

-Ryan

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Posted By: Pete Z.

The Star of Siam is EXCELLENT -
Address: 11 E. Illinois Street
City: Chicago, IL
Telephone: (312) 670-0100
Type of Cuisine: Thai
Price Range: US$10 - US$20
Attire: Casual
Reservations: N/A

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Posted By: Aaron

Ah, Ryan, don't you want to maintain just a smidgeon of your dignity? (Or was that exhausted when you flashed the postman hoping it would entice him into delivering your Old Cardboard faster?)

In the future I'll be sure to post all of your threatening e-mails right here on the site so everyone can enjoy your psychotic, yet comical, cyber-stalking. (Although apparently you'd like to "cross-over" into real life violence. Or maybe I'm taking your "excitment" the wrong way. Are you looking to hook up with me??) Why deny the world such insight into your mind's inner-workings?

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Posted By: Bill Cornell

Virtual brawls are always so unsatifying, especially rematches. Maybe you could continue this by email.

Bill

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Posted By: warshawlaw

try the Food Network's web site for Chicago restaurant tips. Also Zagat's. Food Network turned me on to the best ice cream I've ever had (and being a fat SOB whose father owned an ice cream store, I know my butter fat) at last year's national in Cleveland.

Don't know if these are still around, but I really enjoyed the New Otani hotel downtown while I was in Chicago for a wedding and had a really fun meal at Harry Caray's bar (good sandwiches, many beers, Cubs on the tv and lots of baseball atmosphere). Of course, we're talking 16 years ago...

I heard the food is so-so, but the sports celeb sightings are good at Ditka's place.

I'm gonna stay at one of the national host hotels--make life easy on myself.

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Posted By: Scott

I have eaten there, and I have to disagree. But it's been 7 years (you only fool me once when it comes to food), so maybe it's undergone an ownership change. "Star of Siam" may very well be the best Thai in Chicago - it was the first one I ate at, and things did not get much better after that. My eating partners agreed.

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Posted By: Rhys

Decent seats will set you back about $100 each for a decent game like the Giants with Bonds. You can go out into the bleachers for about $65 per ticket. I went 2 years ago and had to pay about $125 per seat(and that was a good deal on ebay) for box seats about 40 rows up from first base for a Giants game. It is well worth it, but just to let you guys who are not familiar with Chicago know, the tickets are VERY pricey, and I hear they are going up about 12-15% this year. Buy early because the Giants game will sell out!

Rhys

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Posted By: Bill Cornell

Scott-

Chicago does have 1 great Thai restaurant - Arun's. I ate there once years ago and it lived up to the hype. It's in the north of nowhere, though.

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Posted By: Robert A

I'm not familiar with Thai in chi-town.
I'm spoiled now with great thai cuz I live in seattle, but I meant the "chicago" food.

Ya know...the food that really kills you, but tastes like no other.

BY THE WAY, I'D BE HAPPY TO SPLIT HALF OF THE VIRGIN MARY GRILLED CHEESE THAT I WON ON EBAY WITH YOU GUYS.

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Posted By: Glen V

Sounds like food is not a problem in Chicago. Thanks for the info on Cubs tickets. Do they have group sales before individual tickets go on sale? Could we get a block of 20-40 tickets for a Net54 group? If tickets are hard to get, dumping a few extra shouldn't be a problem...

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Posted By: andy becker

i don't think you can do a block that big at wrigley.
this group would be big enough for a rooftop across the street. i'm no expert, but i think i could set that up....if enough people are interested.
dinning near the show.
gibson's or rosebud, both located in rosemont.
neither cheap, both spectacular.

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Posted By: tbob

I am going to my first national in 10 years (since the '95 National in Saint Looie) and looking forward to meeting everyone and going to Wrigley. I don't care how much I have to pay, I am going to Wrigley damnit! (And Fenway also).

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

Andy,

Count me in for the rooftop. How much does it cost to rent out a rooftop? Great idea!

-Ryan

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Posted By: jay behrens

I'd be game for the rooftop too. I've been to a lot of games at Wrigley, but never a rooftop. And it's definately one of those baseball Holy Grail things.

Jay

Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

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Posted By: Elliot

Scott, now I know why you were a no-show in AC and Cleveland.

Count me in for the Cubs game.

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Posted By: Scott

I have to make sure all of my enemies have forgotten me by June, so I can "safely" attend the Chicago show! Otherwise I will have to dress up as someone I know won't be there...I was thinking of gaining about 80 pounds, dying my hair grey and greasing it down, stooping over and carrying around a binder and a bottle of vodka...I might have to start studying copies of the "New Yorker" from the '60s though or my ruse won't work.

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Posted By: Elliot

Don't do that....somebody will confuse you for a dealer.

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Posted By: mcavoy

Off topic, but I couldn't help it; I don't know the board members, but I know Thai food lovers are here from reading the posts.

I just spent the weekend in Chicago. I thought Red Ginger was pretty good. In the 3100 North Naragansett block (it's on the right if you're going north - it looks like a nice building and it has an awning) across from the library branch.

Get a lunch special for $6, it's the same portion size as the regular orders, and includes sizzling rice soup, thai salad, and some sort of appetizer. My old lady ordered some Cajun Catfish (not a special - a thai version of the New Orleans style) and delightful squeals could be heard that I haven't since, well, maybe 1997. As a starter, the salmon sticks, or whatever, appetizer were wonderful, too, with a great peanut sauce. Not that I noticed, but the waiter was cute, with an enthusiastic disposition thowards Thai food, and she made great recommendations.

On the west side sort of in a Mexican/Polish/Arab neighborhood. Forget about public transportation - it's on the west side. Lots of street parking, though. Also, since I grew up in the burbs, it's a neighborhood I would go to only when the sun shines. Probably OK at night if you watch your back or are from out of town.

Also, at O'Hare or Midway, if you're willing to hoof it to the CTA train, there is a Rosemont stop. I think the one-way charge is $1.75, and of course there are weekend and 5-day visitor passes. I have no idea what type fo setup exists from the Rosemont stop to the Rosemont hotels and convention center. The short of the long is Rosemont is very accessible from anywhere in Chicago with a CTA train/subway stop.