MORNING
Behold the fried egg, over easy: the bright yellow center encircled by a whitish aureole, terminating in a crispy brown edge. Behold the towering stack of wheat toast. These humble works of culinary art are on constant display at DeMar’s, 1701 W. Chicago Ave., in the Ukrainian Village area. Open 6 a.m.-6 p.m., DeMar’s (312-666-4317) is not burdened with fancy trappings or intimidating waiters. It’s strictly a linoleum-and-Naugahyde joint featuring functional yet fundamental breakfast food: eggs, cereal, flapjacks. The only cutting-edge moment comes when you reach for your butter knife. Celebrate the simplicity.
AFTERNOON
If books are what you worship, here’s your church: The Seminary Co-Op Bookstore at 5757 S. University Ave., in the catacombs of the Chicago Theological Seminary building on the University of Chicago campus.
OK, so they aren’t technically “catacombs”; they feel like catacombs, because you walk down winding steps into a lower level. You can spend many happy hours here, choosing between massive tomes on one esoteric subject or another.
Founded four decades ago, the co-op currently has about 50,000 members, each of whom buys three shares of stock (currently priced at $10 per share) to join. Members receive a 10 percent discount on books, and the same discount on books at affiliated stores: 57th St. Books, 1301 E. 57th St., also in Hyde Park, and the Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.
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If the co-op makes a profit at the end of the year, dividends are distributed. But the real payoff is in the noggin, not the pocketbook.
EVENING
Views of the city skyline are varied and numerous. Some will cost you money. Some require airline travel. Some require you to possess wealthy friends who live on the upper floors of strategically placed condos. To see the city’s nocturnal splendor on the cheap, however, try the parking garage adjacent to the Loews Cineplex, 1471 W. Webster Ave. The upper floors provide a lovely vantage point from which to gaze and sigh, as you reflect upon the grandeur of architectural designs and the ephemeral nature of human achievements. And then hustle next door to catch a movie.