{ City Life: sidelight }

Visitor centers

Overwhelmed by everything the city of Chicago has to offer? Sometimes it’s easier to start your exploration at one of the visitor centers. Try the Chicago Water Tower Visitor’s Center (163 East Pearson Street) or the Chicago Cultural Center Visitor Center (77 East Randolph Street, 312-744-6630).

Arun Sampanthavivat, AM’79

Arun Sampanthavivat, AM’79, is the owner and self-taught executive chef of Arun’s restaurant in Chicago’s working-class neighborhood of Albany Park. His Thai haute cuisine has won raves: four-star reviews in the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, and a four-star rating in the Mobil Guide.

All things Chicago

Several online guides can help you find places and events to go to in the city. Try these:

Jason Shaw, AB’95

Clean-cut good looks and a little luck have landed Jason Shaw, AB’95, in ads for Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Gianni Versace, and Karl Lagerfield fragrances. He has walked the runways in Milan, Paris, and New York. But his Chicago degree won’t go to waste—after a few more years of modeling, he plans on going into business with his two brothers or going to graduate school.