Illustrator Tom Bachtell's ideal day in Chicago
Today, the acclaimed artist creates his distinctive brush and ink illustrations for magazines, album covers and books while also finding time to dance and perform chamber music around town.
What's up: We recently caught up with Bachtell as he accepted a posthumous Studs Terkel Award for his longtime partner and arts reporter Andrew Patner.
We asked the Chicagoan of four decades to describe his ideal day in the city.
☕️ Breakfast: " Pastore's, a cheerful and bustling breakfast place in my Lincoln Square neighborhood. The owner is from Guanajuato in central Mexico.
"I always order oatmeal and traditional café de olla, and just soak in the atmosphere."
🕺🏽 Morning Activity:"I like to burst out of the gate by Zoom swing dancing and improvising with my hooping, dancing friend Denise E Williams."
"✍️ Then I take the el train (along with a stop at my neighborhood farmers market) to my studio office in the Monadnock Building and draw and draw and draw."
🥙 Lunch: "I go to the Oasis Cafe in the back of a jewelry mart at 21 N. Wabash, and order an eggplant sandwich. Or to the Walnut Room (yes!) at Macy's and order chicken pot pie.
🖼️ Afternoon Activity: " A stroll in the Loop, back to my studio in the Monadnock Building — to get back to my drawing pad."
"If there's time at the end of the afternoon, I'll head over to the Art Institute or go for a quick workout at LA Fitness."
🥡 Dinner: "It's an easy subway ride to Chinatown to grab a Cantonese seafood dinner at the Golden Bull, but not eat too much, because I plan to go swing dancing afterwards."
💃🏼 Evening Activity: "In my dream world, I head to the Green Mill every night to pretend I'm Fred Astaire, and dance every number during the Cellar Boys ' first set from 8 to 9pm."
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