Residents often say, “Thank God Chicago isn’t warm for 12 months a year or else everyone would live here.” An immaculate city from spring to fall, particularly pristine in the summer months, winter in the Windy City can get cold and nasty, if you’ll excuse the lack of discretion. Still, Chicago is like no place else on earth, blending first rate amenities, global capabilities and a friendly, hardworking Midwestern attitude, all of which fails to vanish when temperatures drop below freezing. While its wintry reputation may be less than pleasant, Chicago is a great place to visit year round, as long as you bring your coat, with a full calendar of events sure to leave tourists and locals in need of a little diversion smiling and satisfied. Here are the highlights this January:NHL at Wrigley (New Year’s Day) Experience hockey as it was meant to played, outside, as your Chicago Blackhawks take on the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Though perhaps a frozen Lake Erie would be most appropriate, the home of the Chicago Cubs serves as a fan friendly environment, with plenty of seating and no danger of thin ice for players.Ice Skating at Wrigley (until February 27) If perhaps you’re not quite good enough to lace it up with the pros, anyone can skate in the shadow of arguably Chicago’s most hallowed grounds, at least according so some Northsiders. Set up outside the stadium, the rink is open 7 days a week from 2 p.m. until 9 p.m., opening at 10 a.m. on weekends and closing an hour early at 8 p.m. on Sundays.