Alas I will not be in the windy city.... But just thinking about it makes me hungry.

Have a Chicago-style pizza at Giordano's or Edwardo's. (The Spinach Soufle pizza really is good at Edwardo's)

Charred Flesh... Morton's if you are on a VERY large expense account. (There are no prices on the menu, because if you have to ask...)

If the Thai Star Cafe is still open (on Illinois Ave just of Michigan Ave just north of the River) it used to be one of the the best Thai restaurants in the country. I haven't been there in years.

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba for Spanish Toppas. Also not cheap.

"Cheeseburger Cheeseburger - no Coke, Pepsi" Billy-goat's is harder to find, but I think it is still down there in the sub-streets between the Tribune and the Sun Times. (Don't expect the food to be good.)

Just about any of the truly Greek restaurants - Diana's or Greek Isles for example - is good. (I recommend going easy on the ouzo.)

Cajun? Try Heaven on Seven. 111 N. Wabash, up on the 7th floor. They may only be open for lunch...

German - Burghoff's (south loop)

True Chicago-style hot dogs... relish, onions, mustard, tomato, Cerrano peppers (known locally as little green bullets from hell), celery salt.

I could eat my way across Chicago.....

This time of year neither the opera nor the symphony will be session - but the Jazz fest starts Aug 30.

Theater - there was a service to get tickets to shows not sold out for a last-minute discount. The Concierge should know about it.

Consider a trip to Second City. (Saturday Night Live without network censors.) Call and find out which shows are followed by true improv.

The Blue Man Group. Do I need to say anything else?

House of Blues, B.L.U.E.S., Blues Legends.

Wild Hare and Singing Armadillo Frog Sanctuary (reggae)

I don't suppose you will have an afternoon free, but there is an architectural tour of the city by boat - run by the architects' foundation and the water taxi company. Many of Chicago's buildings are designed so that they face the water, and when you approach from the street you are only seeing the back.

If you decide to try a museum, try the Art Institute. It really is one of the great museums. If not that, the Field Museum of Natural History is popular, though I always found it dull.

The Misspent One will be there in attendance as well.

Two words - "Twin Acres"

Ribs, baby, and I mean RIBS! Old town, near Lincoln Park. You can thank me later.

You can't get good ribs in the loop....

Robinson's Ribs in Oak Park .... Maybe.

Leon's Ribs at various places on the south side ... definitely.

Ribs and Bibs in Hyde Park ... now you are talking ribs.

(Except I try not to send suburbanites or out-of-towners anywhere near the south side.)

I see from the APSA website that the convention will be downtown, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, so maybe there's no point in suggesting restaurants outside the downtown area. But just in case, I'd like to suggest another German restaurant, Mirabell, on the North side, on Addison Ave just East of the Kennedy expressway (I-90/94). But the Berghoff is still good although its menu is much reduced from its former glory days. Be sure to wander around and peek into the other rooms to see what the restaurant used to look like. It's possible that there is still a blow-up of a hundred-year-old Berghoff menu on the wall--interesting. Berghoff's is on Adams street, just a couple blocks straight West of the Art Institute.

Regarding Greek restaurants: Greek Town is on Halsted St., just the other side of the freeway that runs North-South on the West side of the Loop. A short cab ride. Lots of great restaurants.

Chinatown is a couple miles South of the Loop. Lots of great restaurants.

If you're interested in history and archaeology, and have extra time, the Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago is fascinating. And fully open after an extensive renovation.

I agree that the architecture tours, run by the Chicago Architecture Foundation (store on Michigan Ave, across the street and a bit South of the Art Institute) are very good. There are walking tours as well as boat tours.

And of course the Art Institute. I like to stop by on my lunch hour now and then, just to spend a few minutes in a randomly-chosen gallery. Thursday and Friday evenings are free admission.