If the nation is in the throes of a massive economic downturn that is reshaping the way we spend and save, it was hard to notice it Saturday night along Chicago's Rush Street.

      While a lot of Illinois was coming north to enjoy Wisconsin's woods and Milwaukee's Summerfest, my wife and I swam upstream to see a play starring the brother of one of our son's closest friends (confusing, no?).     The show was in Highland Park, and we figured we'd make a night of it by staying in the Windy City if we could do it on the cheap.

      Thanks to William Shatner and Priceline.com, we pretty much stole a spot in a four-star hotel along the Magnificent Mile.    After checking in, we hit Rush to see if there was a place that would feed us.    Our concierge got us a reservation at an Italian place at nine--in Milwaukee, most chefs have probably called it a night by then, but the Windy City eats and drinks late.    You still need to make a call for a table at a late hour, and you'll have to wade through crowds on the sidewalk to where you're headed.      All this, with Taste of Chicago going on at Grant Park.

      I didn't know what to expect during our 20 hours south of the state line (the crappy construction traffic lived down to billing), and I guess I was heartened to see Rush Street the way it was before the economic winds started blowing in from off the landfill.        The Muellers did their part at bargain prices.       We just had to stand three-deep at the bar to do it.