The birthday girl, Heather, wanted fresh oysters so we tried a fish house in the North Chicago neighborhood of Lakeview that turned out to be a keeper. Heather liked her oysters and everyone else liked their picks (lightly battered perch, a salad with Cajun-seasoned shrimp, my tuna tartare).
Then we walked along nearby Southport street which as forewarned has gotten more “bougie” (as in bourgeois or what was once called yuppie) than when I was there last, several years ago. Some pricey name store (bonobos, free people, Hanna Anderson) but also some small boutiques with reasonable (sale) prices.