Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/109585
ON THE TOWN Chicago Flower & Garden Show���s producer Tony Abruscato calls Table 70 at Harry Caray���s his own. Harry Caray���s steakhouse lures in passersby on the corner of Kinzie and Dearborn. IN BLOOM First-timer: ���The first flower show I went to was the one I produced, so I still have that childlike wonderment about it.��� Flower power: ���I enjoy a single red rose in a vase in the bathroom. You brush your teeth and there���s a rose���it���s uplifting.��� The bar offers great sports memorabilia, drinks, and food. garden variety I n his heyday, legendary baseball broadcaster Harry Caray would come into his eponymous River North restaurant and hold court at Table 70, a round corner table looking out into the main floor dining room. Now, Table 70 belongs to regular Tony Abruscato (a framed photo of him with the famous bust of Harry on the wall bears proof of that), the president and owner of Flower Show Productions, which produces the annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show (this year March 9 to 17). Over drinks in the dining room (Belvedere up with olives is Abruscato���s libation of choice: ���It���s quick, easy, smooth, and straight to the point���), we talked about the enormous task of producing the Flower & Garden Show and making time for 82 friends and drinks at Harry Caray���s Italian Steakhouse & Bar. MICHIGAN AVENUE: You definitely appear to be friendly with everyone here. What makes Harry Caray���s your favorite spot in the city? TONY ABRUSCATO: I met [CEO] Grant DePorter through the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, and we became friends. I found that this was a great place to bring clients for lunch and friends for dinner, so I just started coming more and more. It���s kind of my Cheers, where people know who I am. It���s a nice feeling. MA: Do you ever come in alone? continued on page 84 PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP HARRY CARAY���S REGULAR TONY ABRUSCATO RAISES A GLASS TO THE CHICAGO FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW. BY ELLE EICHINGER MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 082-084_MA_Flavor_OntheTown_Spring13.indd 82 2/8/13 2:20 PM