Jinja

Professional songwriter, www.utahcarol.com, married with three boys, was born, raised, and currently lives in the Hyde Park neighborhood. 

What is your favorite thing about Chicago?
It’s a comfortable place to live and work and easy to make friends. The music scene is rich and diverse, the food is great! It’s clean too for such a big city.

Where do you like to go for fun?
With my family, Crown Fountain at Millennium Park. Date night: Schuba’s for live music.

Favorite pizza?
Brick oven organic pizza from Crust, regular thin crust from Bacino’s on Wacker Drive, and stuffed from Giordano’s.

What is your favorite restaurant?
Habana Libre (312-243-3303) on Chicago Avenue in East Village for an authentic Cuban meal, (their shrimp cerviche is so delicious and fresh) or Park Grill at Millennium Park for a little more upscale, but not out of reach.

Where do you like to bring visiting friends or out-of-town guests?
Downtown to Millennium Park or the park at Wicker Park.

Describe your favorite Chicago Urban Adventure.
Checking out an exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center, then take a long walk through the gardens at Millennium Park through Grant Park to the Field Museum, along the lakefront while watching the boats. Stop at the Bobtail Ice Cream stand at Buckingham Fountain, cross over to Printer’s Row for a turkey burger at S.R.O.

A second favorite: Going to the Division Street Festival in the summertime to see tons of great live bands, sample food from some local restaurant booths and people watch.