I Spent 10 Hours at Chicago’s 350K-Square-Foot East Bank Club

When I first came up with the idea for this column, spending 10 straight hours at Chicago’s famous East Bank Club, I thought I was being a little silly. Honestly, I thought by the third hour I’d be scratching the rubber floor mat trying to do something other than scroll through Instagram and walk slowly on the oval. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Instead, my day at East Bank Club went by quickly thanks to a protein smoothie. The massive health club, whose members included former President Barack Obama, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Oprah Winfrey, won’t be fully experienced in a day or a week.

That’s because this mecca is more than just a fitness club. This is a full-fledged community. It’s basically a small town that spans two city blocks. Yes, we have the state-of-the-art gym equipment you would expect from the city’s most prestigious fitness center. However, there are also restaurants, coworking spaces, dry cleaners, and car washes.

We did our best to make the most of just 10 hours.

1st hour: 8am to 9am

Read more as soon as you enter the EBC lobby. white lotus than planet fitnessI saw the wrong Louis Vuitton duffel bag left next to my baby’s grand piano. I was a little worried for a moment, wondering what kind of place I had walked into with my Costco leggings, but I was soon greeted by a friendly staff member. This is a theme throughout my day. The club may be exclusive, but it’s incredibly welcoming from both staff and members.

I get an oat milk latte at the market (hopefully that’s the breakfast of all great athletes), One of the few dining outposts, the rest of the hour is spent exploring the 350,000 square foot fitness club. Yes, that’s an exaggeration. But when you see it in person, it’s somehow even more gigantic. You’ll pass a boxing gym, an indoor tennis court, a cardio room the size of an airplane hangar (more or less), two basketball courts, and even an indoor golf center.

By chance, I met my friend Jeremy Mandel. He is a member of EBC since 2021. “The Eastbank Club gave me the courage to never compromise,” he says. “Why do all these 60-year-olds look like 19-year-olds?!”

He is never wrong.

2nd hour: 9am to 10am

I had a small job to do (read celebrity gossip), so I secured a spot in the club’s co-working space. The room looks like a fancy office, with plenty of places to sit, a dedicated phone room around the perimeter, and a few massage chairs in the corner.

3rd hour: 10am to 11am

First class of the day: Beginning Yoga with Maria Rosner. I’ve always been wary of yoga classes. Probably because I’m not flexible and can’t physically relax. But Maria’s class is everything.

she’s funny and charming karate kid She walks around the room, affectionately calling the students “darlings” and “cuties” and adjusting them without embarrassing anyone.

Yoga is one of East Bank Club’s most popular activities, with more than 50 classes offered per week, as well as streaming options for members to watch from home.

4th hour: 11am to 12pm

I grabbed a smoothie from the juice bar and caught up with Hon. Carol Bellows (my husband’s cousin) and Janie Morris have been having breakfast together at the East Bank Club since the ’80s. Both women have been members of the gym for over 40 years and spoke about the gym’s past and why they still love going there.

“People think I’m crazy for commuting to work twice a week during rush hour,” Carol told me later. “But now, 44 years later, I understand why.”

5th hour: 12:00 to 13:00

Time to take a class at Showtime Studios. Showtime Studio is a new cycling area with state-of-the-art bikes and a high-definition LED video wall that will make you feel like you’re in a nightclub instead of pacing around holding your breath. Good result.

This class, called Beats Ride, is taught by the amazing Asia Mele. He manages to maintain his energy while giving one-on-one attention to each person. and It’s so much fun that you hardly think about your hamstrings as you load up. barely.

6th hour: 1:00pm to 2:00pm

I snuck into the club’s sundeck, a 60,000-square-foot outdoor space, during the summer. (If I walk through a clearly marked, unlocked door, is that considered sneaking?)

During the warmer months, enjoy the sun deck with multiple outdoor pools, chaise lounges, restaurant, and of course, a pool bar. But today, there’s just one cold Chicagoan living there who desperately wants a guest pass for July.

7th hour: 2:00pm to 3:00pm

On what will definitely be remembered as one of my toughest work days ever, I received a wonderful massage from Hadid Santana, a masseuse who has been working at the spa for two and a half years.

She said many members receive weekly massages and are keen to share their health benefits. “I love it here,” Hadid says of EBC. “I love telling people about the benefits of massage.”

EBC has spas in the men’s and women’s locker rooms, offering a wide range of treatments from massages and facials to reflexology and full-body wraps.

8th hour: 3:00pm to 4:00pm

During my eighth hour at the gym, I head to the cardio room and begin a 15-mile brisk run.

Just kidding. Spend a full hour in the locker room with steam room, sauna and jacuzzi and Area to just sit and watch TV. It’s heaven.

9th hour: 4:00pm to 5:00pm

Back at the spa, I had a lavender manicure done by the amazing Angie Perez. As we chatted, she told us more about the club’s close-knit and welcoming community. “I always tell people who are new to town that they should join the East Bank Club,” she said, adding that some clients have gotten engaged to people they met there.

My nails have never looked better.

10th hour: 5pm to 6pm

The East Bank Club has an on-site full-service restaurant simply called The Grill, with an extensive and delicious menu (not just “gym delicious,” but actually really, really delicious) and a list of every member’s name. We have a staff that knows everything. Then memorize it and order. I eat a superfood bowl at the bar while the rest of the group around me chats with each other, works, drinks wine, chugs smoothies, and sometimes all of the above.

The grill also has a full bar for those looking for a glass of Cabernet to soothe their treadmill days. Hey, we both have healthy hearts, right?

10.5pm: From 6pm to 6:30pm

I took a final slow trot out of the truck and reflected on my day. Is EBC a great gym?Of course it is. But what surprised me the most is that it’s also great community. At a time when we are more isolated than ever, this center offers members not only great training and state-of-the-art amenities, but also an opportunity to connect and feel included. Something bigger. That’s why members come back year after year, decades after decade.

I’m already looking forward to going home.