Obama adding umph to the Land of Lincoln and Winfrey

Barack Obama's new status as the president-to-be has added a boost to Illinois tourism. Already tourists are showing up to frequent the places Obama has frequented. Want to see where he used to get his haircut before the Secret Service said, "No way," to the large plate glass windows? Head to Hyde Park Salon and Barber Shop. Even though Obama won't be there, (the barber now goes to him) you can see the chair where he once sat.

If eating where Obama heads with Michelle on date nights is what you're after, head to Medici on 57th Street in Chicago. There you can join the 3,000 other folks who have bought "Obama Eats Here" T-Shirts.

For some inspiration, tour the Old Statehouse in Springfield where Obama gave two campaign speeches, or stand in Grant Park in Chicago and imagine the crowd on election night when history was made.

The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau's homepage has been changed to reflect the flurry of tourists interested in Obama travel. There's a link to "Presidential Chicago" that highlights the places Obama has frequented and provides addresses and contact information. One of them is Maria Pinto Boutique, the designer who is a fave of both Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.

For more Obama travel ideas and information, check out this AP article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It's where I found out about these details, except for the info about Obama's barber. I read about that in an article earlier this week about how Obama has had to change his patterns for security reasons. If you see a gaggle of Secret Service members, Obama might be close by. Keep an eye out.

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