Korean BBQ is both a meal and an event.  It’s a culinary experience that absolutely must be shared with a large group ready to try new things and experience food like nothing they’ve probably had before.  It’s probably not the best option for the vegetarian in your life, but pork, chicken and beef lovers will rejoice.  So will those of you who enjoy marinades.

One of the most popular choices in the city is San Soo Gab San.  While it’s generally filled to capacity on Friday and Saturday nights, a line forms and customers get in fairly quickly.

USE YOUR U-PASS: I’d just stick with Google on this one.  There’s a few ways to get there.

The foodie folks over at LTH Forum also have a number of other options for quality Korean BBQ in our fine city.

Looking for a low-key ‘market’ with everything from jewelry to illustrations to housewares?  This Saturday is the second annual India Arts Market at Schubas on the north side.  From 11-4, you can check out all the creations for free.  For those familiar with Schubas, it’s in the concert room.

USE YOUR U-PASS: Schubas is within walking distance from the Southport Brown Line stop.  It’s also a short bus ride or walk from the Red Line Belmont Stop.  See what Google says.

Indie Arts Market

While there’s no official start to Chicago’s summer festival season, the Lincoln Square Maifest generally seems like the right time and place to declare it started.  Lincoln Square is one of Chicago’s most historically German neighborhoods, and Maifest doesn’t disappoint in providing some German music, dance and food.

Because it’s May and a German fest, the dancing isn’t just your average dancing, but there will be some Maypole dancing.  On Sunday between 1-4, there will be some German-American ethnic programming throughout the festival grounds.  If ethnic food is more up your alley, make sure to try some schnitzel, various wurst, or even just good ole’ reuben.

Best of all, it’s free to get in and walk around.

USE YOUR U-PASS: The Brown Line’s Western Stop is your ultimate destination.  Consider taking the Blue Line to Clark/Lake and transferring to Brown there, or heading into the loop on a bus that’ll hit one of the many loop Brown Line stations.  You could also follow Google’s directions.

Lincoln Square Maifest

As part of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs’ UIC Experience program, we have launched U-PASSPORT, a guide to using your U-PASS to explore Chicago.  The UIC Experience promotes Urban Exploration, as such:

UIC is unique; it is a major research university in a world-class city. Like major urban areas around the globe, Chicago offers much to do and endless possibilities for learning. UIC has many programs that provide opportunities to experience all that a great city can offer. Aside from its many cultural, artistic, and sporting venues, Chicago is a living laboratory for learning about the challenges of urban life and for the discovery of new solutions to make life better in Chicago and in cities around the world. Try new foods, make new friends, attend campus athletic events…in short, take advantage of this world-class university and this world-class city.

U-PASSPORT is a blog.  As such, while there’s some content today, the majority of content will come on a daily and weekly basis in the form of constant updates.  Check back often or add us to your favorite RSS Reader, like Google Reader.  You can also get your updates via Twitter.  Follow U-PASSPORT for tweets on all of our posts.  You can also become a fan of us on facebook.  Just type ‘u-passport’ (without the quotes) into your search box to find us.

We hope you’ll find the posts on U-PASSPORT helpful towards your exploration of this world-class city.  We also hope you’ll interact with us and help us provide useful information to all UIC students.

Thanks for visiting.

To explore the city, your U-PASS is vital.  The Summer 2009 U-PASS becomes valid on May 13th for all full-time summer students.  Visit the ID Center’s website to get all the information you need or keep an eye out for a campus MASSMAIL.

On U-PASSPORT, we’ll have a number of Open Threads.  An Open Thread encourages readers to comment on places they go with their U-PASS, especially if they’re aware of current events that other students should know about.

Comment away on your favorite restaurant on Devon or a little known museum on the South Side.

US Cellular Field, home of the White Sox

For those students taking summer courses, you have the great opportunity to enjoy any one of a number of baseball games being played on either side of town.  Both stadiums are a great place to grab a hot dog, sit in the sun, and enjoy America’s pastime.

You can see the Cubs’ schedule and buy tickets here, as well as the same for the White Sox here.  For the budget conscious, the White Sox offer 1/2 price tickets on most Monday home games.

If you’ve never attended a game at Wrigley Field, it’s time to do so.  Not only does it offer a great place to watch baseball, but it acts as a museum, with so much of it seemingly unchanged since early last century.  In the same breath, if you’ve never (or not recently) been to US Cellular Field, it’s become a terrific baseball experience.  The food is as good as ballpark food gets, and fans in the lower deck can walk around and explore many of the shops and stands in the stadium.

USE YOUR U-PASS: Both stadiums are accessible via bus and train.  From campus, you can take the blue line to the red line and head north towards Howard for Wrigley Field.  The exit is Addison.  For US Cellular, head towards 95th and get off and Sox-35th.  The Halsted bus can also get your close to both stadiums.  A short walk down 35th or Addison will put you right in front of either stadium.

White Sox

Cubs