Chicago's O'Hare International Airport might be known as one of the country's most congested airports, but thanks to the arrival of a new shop in Terminal 1 (B Concourse), ORD is also on the map for something else: designer chocolate.

The terminal has a Vosges Haut-Chocolat (pronounced "voge") shop, and although it was installed before Christmas last year. it's better late than never to pass on any chocolate news, especially with another round of holiday travel looming. Vosges, a Chicago-based company started by a world traveling woman inspired by the flavors of the world, now has two shops in NYC and one in Vegas in addition to the Windy City, and the treats continue to evolve.

Bacon and chocolate, after the jump. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-10-16T13:44:34-05:00 41.9794704 -87.906472 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/6/145740/0672

We love airplanes, you love airplanes, so let's go look at airplanes! In our Prime Plane Spotting series, we'll let you in on all the best spots to whip out your cameras and binoculars for a piece of the aviation action.

Next up in our burgeoning series of Prime Planespotting Locations, we take you to the city of Chicago, where United Airlines rules the skies and it's easy to watch most takeoff and landings at O'Hare Airport from the comfort of the ground.

Actually, it's the comfort of a parking lot; Allstate Arena, which hosts ice hockey games and major concerts, sits just on the other side of the expressway from one of O'Hare's main runways. Parking in its lot during an event—the lot is closed if nothing is going on at Allstate—gets you as close as possible to the tarmac without being a threat to the flights. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-08-06T15:26:25-05:00 42.0041383 -87.884479 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/31/93136/2750

It takes a serious stretch of imagination to think up anything more gruelingly frustrating than having to wait out a snow delay at Chicago's O'Hare Airport while resisting the temptation to purchase the Boingo wireless in the terminal. These days, the good old crossword puzzle is replaced by iphone checkers and thankfully, some airports are recognizing this and installing new technological entertainment outposts in their concourses.

Now instead of impulse buying a Tom Clancy paperback for your 45-minute flight, you have the option to chill in "Explore Chicago" lounges at O'Hare, equipped with new HP TouchSmart PCs and a plethora of Windy City-specific activities for passing the time. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-03-31T10:47:21-05:00 41.9812107 -87.907736 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/17/122541/315

There is possibly nothing more annoying than having to get all the way out to Chicago's O'Hare Airport early in the morning for a domestic flight, and then trudging out to the furthest gates while whiffs of McDonald's McGriddles come at your nostrils from every angle. If the carriers soon get their wishes to shuffle down a few gates, then this may be a problem of the past as you'll be at the gate in no time.

According to the Chicago Tribune, falling passenger counts and airline alliances are about to cause an earthquake amongst the gates at O'Hare as airlines give up a few jetways and shuffle in closer to their comrades. Among those most affected are Delta and Continental, whose future vacant gates are already drawing greedy glances from American Airlines and (finally!) Virgin America, who had abandoned Chicago as a destination because of gate occupancy issues in the past.

Look O'Hare, all we ask of you is a little space for Virgin America and perhaps some closer gates for JetBlue, whose two current jetways are practically way out in Minnesota. Perhaps maybe then we'll stop ditching you for Midway...perhaps.

Related Stories:
· Gate crashers: O'Hare Terminal Moves Expected [Chicago Tribune]
· Carriers poised for major moves at O'Hare [SmartBrief]
· Airport News coverage [Jaunted]

[O'Hare from the air: caribb]]]> JetSetCD 2009-02-17T12:58:39-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/11/94429/4943

It just may be the original airport photoshoot: Chicago's Architecture Foundation is paying homage to O'Hare Airport, that great hub on the city's western fringes that usually only receives bad ratings for security wait times. The FREE show, "ORD: Documenting the Definitive Modern Airport," is displaying the vintage photographs from O'Hare's shiny past, before it became the bottleneck it is now.

On display through May 1, the exhibit wants you to get a feel for the buildings of O'Hare free of the departing flight bustle. Influenced by Mies van der Rohe (wasn't everything in Chicago in the '50s and '60s?) yet conceived by Helmut Jahn, O'Hare is known as "Chicago's Versailles," even though we think it's more akin to Chicago's Grande Arche de la Défense; something through which many people pass, but few stop to recognize.

Since nothing excites us more than the combination of free and vintage airport art, we recommend getting down to 224 South Michigan Ave. They've even got a pair of the Eames O'Hare tandem sling seats on display, as well as historical documents and an acoustic installation of airport sounds. Checking out the exhibit may not get you to your flight any faster next time you're at O'Hare, but perhaps it will make you look up and around, quieting your anxiety, and that makes all the difference.

Related Stories:
· ORD: Document the Definitive Modern Airport [Official Site]
· O'Hare Having a Party, No One Coming [Jaunted]
· Architecture Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Hedrich Blessing]]]> JetSetCD 2009-02-11T10:46:03-05:00 41.8788960 -87.625067 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/12/8/91514/9958

Just three days after scrapping plans to touch down at Chicago O'Hare, Virgin America has announced it will start flights to Boston Logan on February 12, 2009. Three flights a day will connect BOS and LAX, and two round-trips daily will link Boston to San Francisco. Sorry, New York: No shuttle flights for you just yet.

While hyping low fares (starting at $149 each way for BOS-LAX) and the fact that this is the carrier's eighth city (!), Virgin also managed to get in a few digs at Chicago, the city that apparently couldn't bully the majors into giving up a few of their precious gates at O'Hare. Says CEO David Cush:

We thank the state, city and airport for their support and warm welcome, and we can’t wait to introduce our upscale, high value service to Boston travelers--especially on the SFO-BOS and LAX-BOS routes that until today offered no low fare competition.

So while Boston will likely now see fares drop, passengers flying out of O'Hare will continue getting hosed. If you're looking for someone to send those angry letters to, Chicago, your Department of Aviation commissioner is Richard Rodriguez--and here's how to get in touch with him!

Related Stories:
· For Lack of Gates at O'Hare, Virgin Cancels Chicago Flight Plans [Jaunted]
· The History of Virgin America's "Expansions" [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-12-08T09:17:56-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/11/17/85812/707

After announcing big-time plans to crack a market not on the coasts, Virgin America says it may decide not to fly into Chicago O'Hare. If the carrier can't work out a way to lease gate space at the airport soon, it may give up the effort, despite having already secured the right to five takeoff and landing slots.

CEO David Cush told the Chicago Tribune:

I'm guessing we're a couple of weeks away from making a tough decision. ... There is a solution to this problem. I just don't know how we get there.

City officials say they're doing their best to broker a deal, but it seems United, American and Delta, all of which have cut back service to ORD over the past few years, aren't ready to rent gates to the competition. If Virgin can't crack the legacies soon, Cush says his airline will simply grow its operations on the East Coast instead.

Related Stories:
· No Gates at O'Hare Leaves Virgin in Lurch [Chicago Tribune]
· Virgin America Pushing First Flights to 2009 [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-11-17T08:59:33-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/