Even brand new freshman have probably taken their first trip into Greektown for a gyros at some bizarre hour of the night.  If you didn’t know, there’s more to Greek food and culture than just pitas and sliced lamb.  While this activity’s a little close to campus to use your U-PASS, U-PASSPORT doesn’t want to discriminate just because something’s a couple blocks from campus.

This weekend is the annual Taste of Greece festival in Greektown.  It features live music, belly dancers, acrobats, and food from all the restaurants in the area.

USE YOUR U-PASS: You really should just walk, but if you’re coming from somewhere other than the East Side of campus, you could use Google Maps to get there.

Taste of Greece

Summer is almost over (and it may already feel over with the weather and you being in a classroom all day) but that doesn’t mean some of Chicago’s best summer festivals/activities are over.  There’s a little time left for one of the cheapest, but best programs the Chicago Park District has to offer: Movies in the Parks.

Your best bet is seeing E.T. at Skinner Park.  E.T. is an absolute classic and a movie everyone should see.  E.T. is playing at Skinner Park tomorrow night, August 27th at 8:30 PM.

Another good bet would be Casablanca at Jonquil Park in Lincoln Park.  It’s basically straight up Halsted.  That is being shown this Saturday at 8:30.

USE YOUR U-PASS: You could probably just walk there, but you might as well use your U-PASS to get you closer.  See what Google Maps has to say.  Here‘s how to get to Jonquil Park for Casablanca.

Welcome to UIC and Fall 2009.  U-PASSPORT started over the summer as a trial to give students a resource for exploring Chicago.  We talked with all the orientation groups this summer about the UIC Experience and how it’s important to supplement your classroom education with the culture and activities that our city offers.

Read our initial welcome post here.

U-PASSPORT will be updated regularly over the semester.  We have a bunch of content from over the summer listed by date and categories.  Look through the old posts, too.  You made find something perfect for you.

Please comment and visit regularly.  For those inclined, click the links to our Facebook and Twitter pages on the left side or stick us in your RSS Reader.

We, here in the U-PASSPORT offices, can’t be the only ones who know the very best places in Chicago to experience our world-class city.  Let us know where you like to go using your U-PASS in the comments.  The very best commenters will win  U-PASSPORT t-shirts.  Make sure to include your actual e-mail address so we can find you to get you a t-shirt.

If you feel like there’s a lack of posts on the site, you’re definitely right.  We, here, in the U-PASSPORT offices have been working to redesign the site, gear up for Fall, and prepare for a lot of interactivity…we hope.

For those visiting the site now, thanks for visiting, and while we’ll still post, make sure to check in on August 18th when things will really kick into motion.