Best Day Ever: J. Ivy

Chicago hip-hop poet and author J. Ivy is out with a new album called "The Poet Who Sat By the Door."

• The album features music and poetry from artists like John Legend, Slick Rick and Sir The Baptist.

Backstory: Ivy has his fingerprints on several iconic Chicago projects, including Kanye West's "The College Dropout."

• He was featured in the recent Netflix documentary series "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy."
• And Ivy was nominated for a 2022 Grammy in the Best Spoken Word Category.

Must watch: The poet just appeared on SiriusXM with Sway and did an a capella performance displaying his undeniable talent.

🙌 We asked J. Ivy to let us in on his perfect day in Chicago.

🥞 Breakfast: "We have to sit down at one of my favorite spots in the Chicago area: Hidden Manna in Matteson out in the South Suburbs."

• "Their shrimp and grits is hands down one of the best around. That with some avocados with sea salt, fresh tomatoes, toast with the best strawberry jelly, grapes, watermelon, oranges, and fresh pineapple. And yes, fresh juices."

🚲 Morning activity: "Since I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do is to go for a bike ride on the lakefront. There's something so peaceful about being the bridge between the water and the most beautiful skyline in the world."

🥗 Lunch: "Anything at Girl & The Goat. So good!! The shrimp & gotham greens salad. The oysters. The wood fired branzino. The sauteed green beans. I know. Green beans? But trust me, you will not be disappointed."

• "Oh and the drink called "the one with the carrots" is crazy."

🛥️ Afternoon activity: "I've been meaning to be more of a tourist in my hometown, and I hear the architecture boat tour is amazing."

• "Then take a walk on the Chicago Riverwalk, followed by one of my favorite places: Soho House to chill out on the roof by the pool. Again with the skyline, but it never fails."

✈️ Dinner: "I would swing by Virtue in Hyde Park to get some salmon and Brussels sprouts, then fly down to Anguilla to this restaurant called Sandbar for the most delicious seafood salad you'll ever have. And the drinks … my God! So good."

🍷 Evening activity: "The breeze in Anguilla is too amazing to leave. A hammock on the beach with my beautiful wife, Tarrey Torae, a bottle of Pinot Grigio for her and a bottle of Cabernet for me would be all that's needed. Welp, it's grown folk time. Night, night."