January 20, 2004

Tuesday, 01 20 2004

Chicago Charlie

The Salt Lake Tribune tells the colorful story of Chicago Charlie, a Greek immigrant known for tall tales, eccentric stunts and prolific correspondence with soldiers during World War II. Hundreds of his letters were recently found in a buried time capsule in Copperton, Utah.

- ls | 20.01.04 ~ People/Sightings

Does he drive a minivan now, too?

Meet Chicago's newest suburbanite: Billy Corgan. He paid $7.5 million for a beachfront mansion on the North Shore, the 10th highest price for a Chicago-area home and the most by a Chicago entertainer. [Trib login: gapers/gapers]

- ls | 20.01.04 ~ Music/Clubs

Family Fun!

America's Most Fun Family (according to the makers of the boardgame Cranium) is the Wagners of Elgin. What makes them so fun? They throw pies in each other's faces on birthdays and celebrate holidays with color-themed meals. Fun!

- ah | 20.01.04 ~ People/Sightings

Introducing the Orange Meadowbrite

Researchers at the Chicago Botanic Garden have created the Orange Meadowbrite, a new coneflower that has a scent, which is apparently very rare for the genus. So rare, in fact, that they're planning to sell 40,000 of the plants this year, at $17-20 per plant. The Sun-Times has the story.

- jma | 20.01.04 ~ Outdoors/Environment

Dr. James Watson Lecture

Interested in genetics? Head down to the Museum of Science and Industry tonight at 7pm to hear one of the founding fathers of genetics, Dr. James Watson, reflect on the history of DNA science, his seminal role in discovering the DNA double helix and recent breakthroughs in genetic science. Before and after the lecture, explore the Genetics: Decoding Life exhibition, featuring live cloned mice, transgenic frogs and mutant fruit flies. Tickets are $20 for non-members, $8 for members; reservations required at 773/684-1414.

- ah | 20.01.04 ~ Offbeat/Misc. Events

West Side Film Studio?

A major Hollywood group is still looking to transform a mountain of debris into a West Side movie studio complex. With no major studio located off either the East or West coasts, it's only natural to pursue the opportunity on Chicago's West Side. However, Ald. Michael Chandler (24th) is getting tired of waiting. ''This is like the last shot. If it's not alive, we need to move on. We can put a Home Depot or a Wal-Mart in there. We need to do something else that's going to generate traffic and create jobs for our people and we need to do it quick,'' Chandler said.

- eh | 20.01.04 ~ Film

And the Nominees Are...

The Bloggies, the longest-running weblog awards presentation (not that that's much of a boast), have announced the nominees, and there are two from Chicago in the running. Bookslut, a recent emigre from Austin, is nominated for Best Topical Weblog, and Sabrina Faire is up for Best Tagline. Go vote! Alas, Gapers' Block was not nominated. Oh well, maybe next year.

Incidentally, Nikolai Nolan, the creator of the Bloggies, also codeveloped the Chicagobloggers blog map. Pretty nice of him, considering he lives in Michigan.

- ah | 20.01.04 ~ Weblogs

We'll always have haggis...

So what if Fannie May is closing up in Chicago? Stahly Quality Foods, a Scottish food producer, is starting production of tinned haggis in a Chicago facility, in the hopes of tapping into that lucrative North American haggis market. Right now, the plant produces only two types of haggis, traditional and vegetarian haggis (?), but the company hopes to expand to other products such as whiskey-flavored haggis (!) and clootie dumpling (!?). Amazing quote from company founder Ken Stahly: "Our working relationship with the Americans is excellent even though there is the odd translation quirk, such as the fact that, in the US swede is known as rutabaga."

- jma | 20.01.04 ~ Eating/Drinking

A Prize for Studs

The National Book Critics Circle will be giving its lifetime achievement award this year to Chicago's favorite oral historian and national treasure Studs Terkel. [Trib login: gapers/gapers]

- ac | 20.01.04 ~ Books/Authors

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