Chicago is a blend of what's great about New York and what's great about Los Angeles — it's forward thinking with a real casualness. What makes it different is the Midwestern sensibility: the people are warmer, and there's a cosiness about the city. It's where I was born.
There are lots of magical things about Chicago. If you stand on one of the bridges in the morning you can smell chocolate from the nearby chocolate factory.
Any place where you're staring at the water is a good place to be in Chicago. It's a huge part of the city. People jog by the lake, go sailing, and some of the best restaurants are down by the pier. It's a beautiful place. Millennium Park is lovely — that's where they hold Taste of Chicago every summer. Every restaurant in the Chicago area serves food in the park. It's incredible.
Chicago is always either cold or humid, so you always want to find somewhere cosy. Art Smith's restaurant is wonderful place to eat, and you'll definitely spot some of Chicago's famous residents. The pizza in this city is incredible. Everybody else makes a thin crust pizza, but Chicago pizza is a pie. It's like the city itself: there are layers to it. It takes an hour to cook but it's the best hour of your life because it's so good.
For great views, go to the rooftop bar at The Dana Hotel. It's better than The Wit and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
The shopping is incredible. Start at Water Tower Place and work your way up the building. Between there and Michigan Avenue, you can get anything. For boutique shopping, go to Wicker Park/Bucktown. There's Fluevog Shoes there that I adore. Every time I take my daughter, we visit American Girl. If you're a girl under the age of ten in the USA, you'll own an American Girl doll, and the store in Chicago is the first one they had. It's a great mother-daughter experience: you can have tea with your doll, get its hair done, or get a matching outfit for you and your doll. It's the best day out for a kid.
Shonda Rhimes is the creator and executive producer of Grey's Anatomy
