Gapers Block : Merge : Author

Brown Paper Packages
The Reader has a lot of favorite things.
Friday September 21 2007 City Life/Cultural

Complain in Song
The Complaints Choir of Chicago is getting ready to rehearse for their performance this fall, and they need your help: "Detractors, muckrakers, grouches and all citizens of Chicago: this is your chance to unite and voice your concerns and complaints in a hilarious choir conducted by Jeremy Jacobsen." Send your complaint and contact info to: complaintschoir@yahoo.com.
Friday September 21 2007 Music/Clubs

Green Space, a Quarter at a Time
As we mentioned Monday, today is National Park(ing) Day! Head to Milwaukee Avenue, just east of Western, to visit several parking spaces turned temporary public parks. The Trust for Public Land is offering free info, cupcakes and even a wishing tree. (Thanks, Meghan!)
Friday September 21 2007 Outdoors/Environment

OMG! Lulzcon 2007!
Reader Dubi asks, "Can 15 minutes stretch over a weekend?"
Friday September 21 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Desk Work
E. Thomas Gimbel, owner of the LaSalle Network staffing and recruiting firm, is 6'6"; he's found that having a desk to stand behind instead of sit behind has improved his workday immeasurably. [via]
Friday September 21 2007 Business/Shopping

Archival Art
Photographer Ian "only-connect" Lorenzo (whose photo was featured in Rearview on Thursday) does some amazing things with his flickr account. Individual photos shine, but it's best to view his archives page by page by page.
Friday September 21 2007 Photography

Buyer Beware
As if the overbuilding, high prices and cookie-cutter looks of so many of the new condo buildings, the Chicago Journal's Alan Shannon points out some other drawbacks.
Thursday September 20 2007 Arts/Architecture

The Tequilia Fund
A donation fund has been set up for partially paralyzed Windy City Roller "Tequila Mockingbird," (previous coverage here, here) to help pay for her medical bills (she was uninsured). You can donate via PayPal to TheTahirahJohnsonTrust@gmail.com. All funds will be transferred directly into her North Community Bank trust account and are tax-deductible. (You can use that same address to send her well-wishings, too.)
Thursday September 20 2007 People/Sightings

On the Map
National Geographic is bringing its popular Festival of Maps to Chicago Nov. 2 -- spread out over nine museums, libraries and other locations.
Wednesday September 19 2007 Arts/Architecture

A Note of Business
Our text ad service is just shy of sold out into October -- $25 for a week's attention at the top of our pages is a good deal. Click on "more" for an even better deal for our last remaining September slot.

We like to have ads run from Sunday to Saturday, but next week we've got an ad ending on Monday. We'll cut a deal for whoever wants the remaining five days (Sept. 25-29): $15 and it's yours. ~~First to email ah@gapersblock.com with their ad (no longer than 100 characters, including spaces) gets it.~~ Sold. But we still have plenty of room in October -- get in there while you can!
Wednesday September 19 2007 Gapers

There Once Was a Team Called the Cubs...
Photos and limericks about our North Side team. (Thanks, Enrich.)
Wednesday September 19 2007 Sports/Recreation

Metro-Remix
Metromix launched a full redesign today, and divorced itself URL-wise from the Tribune. It sure looks slick, but does it work any better?
Tuesday September 18 2007 Found on the Web

Blogging North of Devon
Rogers Park is the fifth bloggiest neighborhood in the nation, according to Outside.in. [via]
Tuesday September 18 2007 Weblogs

Fix Your Windows
Local software startup Humanized released a set of beta products yesterday. Beta products are small, free apps for Windows that do things like control your music player without actually looking at it, or perform search, language translation or mathematical typesetting wherever you need it.
Tuesday September 18 2007 Business/Shopping

Vote for the Local Collecter
The Apartments.com Collection Obsession contest has reached the finals, and local collector (and former GB staffer) Brenda Janish is a finalist! Vote for her collection of pin-ups every day through Oct. 19 to help her win.
Tuesday September 18 2007 People/Sightings

Day in the Life of a CPS Principal
One in four of Chicago Public School principals are new this year. Chicago Public Radio's David Schaper followed an elementary school principal around for a day to see what challenges she's facing.
Monday September 17 2007 Schools/Education

7 Bids for the Olympics
Well, now we know who our competition is. And the local press is already giving Chicago the lead.
Monday September 17 2007 Sports/Recreation

Design Sense
Stitch is "a rigorously edited selection of sleek home and personal furnishings." A very beautiful selection.
Friday September 14 2007 Business/Shopping

Designers, Set Your Palettes!
If you're into creative competition and don't have much to do on Friday afternoons, you'll want to check out the new ~~Photoshop~~ Layer Tennis!
Friday September 14 2007 Weblogs

Where to Fish
Want to go fishing? Here's where to go, and what you might catch there.
Friday September 14 2007 Sports/Recreation

Thin Crust
Someday, we're going to lose this reputation for only eating deep-dish pizza.
Thursday September 13 2007 Eating/Drinking

Lost Dog
Do you know where Reba is? (Thanks, Ellen!)
Thursday September 13 2007 Found on the Web

Bachelor No More
Crain's reports that William Wrigley, Jr. -- just last month named Chicago's most eligible bachelor by Forbes -- just got married.
Wednesday September 12 2007 People/Sightings

A Life-Changing Report
Tribune science reporter Peter Gorner is being credited with changing the lives of at least 13 children with a story about a rare form of diabetes -- as he himself was dying from lung cancer.
Wednesday September 12 2007 People/Sightings

Big & Green & Closing
~~You have till tomorrow to catch the very cool Big & Green exhibit at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, featuring 15 green building projects in Chicago or by local architects.~~ Ugh, turns out the exhibit was from 2004. (Sorry, the pages included the date, not the year.)
Tuesday September 11 2007 Arts/Architecture

"My Bed Wasn't On Fire"
A footnote in Del Close's biography, Wasteland was an anthology of short comics written by Close and fellow actor (now comics writer) John Ostrander in the late '80s. Here's a sample story, a parody of both Harvey Pekar's popular American Splendor and R. Crumb's drawing style. (This thread on a comics forum includes a great anecdote about Close supposedly undergoing tests for the US space program.)
Monday September 10 2007 Books/Authors

Teen Sex
Not what you're thinking: The Midwest Teen Sex Show is a great video podcast put together, apparently, by some very funny folks in northwest suburban Woodstock. [via]
Monday September 10 2007 Found on the Web

More on Hans Peterson
Kevin Guilfoile posts more of his research on murderer Hans Peterson on The Outfit Collective blog.
Sunday September 9 2007 In the News

Cheetah Gym Saga Continues
Drive-Thru contributor Dana says, "I walked by the Andersonville location this morning and saw a sign in the window that said 'Cheetah Gym will be reopening under new ownership on Sept. 9.' Quick turn-around, huh?"
Friday September 7 2007 Sports/Recreation

Wanna Be the Next Nitro or Lace?
That's right: "American Gladiators" is returning to TV after an 11-year hiatus. And they're looking for both gladiators and contestants here in Chicago. Show up at the Windy City Fieldhouse Sept. 16 for your chance.
Friday September 7 2007 Radio/TV

Pick Your Favorite
American Express and the National Trust for Preservation have teamed up for Partners in Preservation, a very worthwhile contest: 25 Chicagoland architectural and historical landmarks vie for $1 million in grants for preservation and protection. Who wins is dependent on votes, so vote for your favorite -- and in classic Chicago style, you can vote more than once, every day in fact.
Friday September 7 2007 Arts/Architecture

Cheetah Gym Ex-Members, Unite!
Are you an abruptly ex-member of Cheetah Gym? You might be interested in joining this forum to discuss a possible class action lawsuit against the company. (Thanks, Robert!)
Thursday September 6 2007 Business/Shopping

Oh, Berny.
Berny Stone, our vice-mayor, is being investigated for absentee ballots cast in his favor in the hotly contested 50th Ward elections earlier this year. He says it's probably happening all over the city, but no other alderman report similar investigations. Meanwhile Stone's name is coming up a lot in the convoluted story surrounding the closing of the Lincoln Village Theaters at Devon and McCormick.
Thursday September 6 2007 Politics/Activism

Relive Meigs
The latest edition of GoogleEarth includes a flight simulator (controls here). GB reader Dubi Kaufmann noticed that "One of the 27 airports available in the flight simulator is Meigs Field - FOUR YEARS after it was closed."
Thursday September 6 2007 Found on the Web

The Face of Cornbleet's Killer
Author Kevin Guilfoile has been writing about the case of Dr. David Cornbleet, the dermatologist who was killed in his Loop office. Until now, nobody seemed to have a recent photo of Hans Peterson, the man who confessed to the murder and who took refuge in the French Territory of St. Martin, where he has avoided extradition. Guilfoile believes he's found one.
Wednesday September 5 2007 In the News

Now It's Official
You may have thought it was a done deal, but today Chicago was formally made the United States' nominee for the 2016 Olympics host city.
Tuesday September 4 2007 In the News

Where's Our WiFi?
Wired puts the recent failure of Chicago's municipal wifi plans into national perspective. (Thanks, Matt!)
Tuesday September 4 2007 In the News

Who's Reppin' Us?
Jim DeRogatis asks, who speaks for the local music scene? The answer, in part, is the Chicago Music Commission, which just released an economic impact survey of the city's music industry.
Tuesday September 4 2007 Music/Clubs

Block 37 Over Budget
The Block 37 project is millions over budget, to the surprise of nobody. Crain's reports that the city is now in talks with the same firm that leased the Skyway to privatize the CTA station below the block.
Saturday September 1 2007 Transportation

Rolling the Tollway
Following the great success of Bike the Drive, the Chicago Bike Federation has somehow managed to persuade the Illinois Tollway to give Route 355 over to bicycle traffic on November 11. Six lanes, nothing but bikes.
Friday August 31 2007 Sports/Recreation

Zone 6
Chicagoist answers a question I've been wondering the last week or two: What's up with the new "Zone #" stickers on all the parking meters?
Friday August 31 2007 Transportation

Jazzing in Up
We probably don't have to tell you that the Chicago Jazz Festival is under way; here's a schedule and guide if you need one.
Friday August 31 2007 Music/Clubs

Coming Soon... Cheese
A trailer for I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, starring Jeff Garlin, Sarah Silverman and the City of Chicago. (Thanks, Dubi!)
Friday August 31 2007 Film

Labor Day Get-Together
Kick off the long weekend right: join Gapers Block staffers tonight at the Green Eye Lounge, below the Western Blue Line stop, from 9pm on for our monthly GB Get-Together. Details here.
Friday August 31 2007 Gapers

News About the Other Mafia
The Trib profiled the Chicago Craft Mafia in today's paper, including GB's own Cinnamon Cooper. The article offers a bunch of tips for just-starting crafters toward the end.
Thursday August 30 2007 In the News

Jazz Showcase Returns
Jazz Showcase, the late lamented venue, will rise again at Dearborn Station this winter. (Meanwhile, the old Jazz Showcase space on Grand is La Madia, an upscale pizza and wine place.
Thursday August 30 2007 Music/Clubs

Super Happy Fun Slide
A couple in Lombard left their teenage son at home alone for a week earlier this summer. He and his friends took the opportunity to build a 60-foot waterslide in the backyard. Potential for serious injury aside, that's pretty frickin' cool.
Wednesday August 29 2007 Found on the Web

It's a Fave
Fave is a new "Chicago neighborhood browser." Unlike most search tools, this one is a downloadable browser that supposedly doesn't transmit your search to the Internet, which leads me to believe it has an internal directory -- so it's more like an electronic yellow pages, I guess? If you're curious, they've got a storefront at Clark and Fullerton where you can try it out and ask more questions.
Tuesday August 28 2007 Found on the Web

Lakeview is Burning with Boredom Now
YoChicago magazine lays out what we've all suspected for years: Lakeview is losing its unique and quirky businesses thanks to the wave of condo development that has brought chains in to fill first-floor spaces.
Tuesday August 28 2007 City Life/Cultural

Lone Surfer of Lake Michigan
Detroit surfer Joe Bidawid landed safely in Chicago yesterday after paddling about 60 miles across Lake Michigan on his board. He did it to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Monday August 27 2007 Sports/Recreation

BREAKING NEWS: Serious Injury @ the Derby
Gapers Block just received word that Saturday night's Windy City Rollers bout was cut short by an incident that left Fury player Tahirah Johnson, aka Tequila Mockingbird, with a fractured cervical vertebra. She was rushed to surgery to relieve pressure and hopefully save her from paralysis. We'll keep you posted as details come in (below the break -- click on "More"); The WCR message board is another good place to watch for updates.

Update 8/26 afternoon: No news on Johnson's condition post-surgery, but we've been told that she regained some feeling and control over her left arm before surgery, so there's hope that it means she'll have an effective recovery.

Update 8/27: WCR released this statement today:
"We understand and are grateful for everyone's concern regarding Tequila's injuries. At this time we'd like to respect Tequila and her family by not releasing any information without their permission, but please know that Tequila is in the best of care at one of the top hospitals in the city.

"As soon as we have information to make available, including where folks can send well-wishes, we'll do so.

"Thanks again for your concern, and please thank our medical staff when you get the chance. They truly did an amazing job making sure Tequila stayed safe and cared for."
Sunday August 26 2007 Sports/Recreation

Hef is Your Friend
Speaking of skin, Playboy has created a (non-nude) social network for colleges. Playboy U harks back to the good ole days of Facebook: a .edu address is required to join.
Friday August 24 2007 In the News

Skin Flicks
Chicago-based Mr. Skin is your number one source for who's naked in what movie; Business POV interviewed the founder, Jim McBride, and discovered it's also a $6 million-a-year moneymaker with 44 employees. (NSFW)
Friday August 24 2007 Business/Shopping

Of Boxers and Pit Bulls
The story of a former boxer and pitt-bull fighter from Freeport, IL. [via]
Thursday August 23 2007 Sports/Recreation

Conrad Noir
Noted without comment: Toronto Star photographer Lucas Oleniuk and columnist Jennifer Wells reflect on the Conrad Black trial. (Thanks, Charlie!)
Thursday August 23 2007 Print/Magazines

Saving the Point or Missing It?
Hyde Park's Promontory Point is the subject of much preservationist activism in the face of the Park District's plans to replace the limestone steps and lake wall with concrete. Hyde Park Progress looks at the changes to the steps and general upkeep since the Park Districts' plans were put on hold.
Wednesday August 22 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Taxi Cab Confessions
HACK is a blog by taxi driver and artist Dmitri Samarov, created as a companion to his pretty amazing website. Check out his other "Hack," a minicomic about his day job.
Tuesday August 21 2007 Weblogs

Is That a Ninja In Your Pocket?
Shawnimals is coming out with even tinier versions of its pocket ninjas, with a loop so you can have one guard your keychain. Sweet! In other art/craft news, two of Delicious Design League's Flatstock posters are now for sale on UrbanOutfitters.com.
Monday August 20 2007 Arts/Architecture

Downtown Poshness Poolside
Apartment Therapy Chicago let us in on a cool option for a downtown getaway: The Hotel Intercontinental offers access to its amazing Roman Bath-style pool and fitness center for just $15. (Check out the virtual reality tour of the pool in the Amenities section of this {unfortunately all-Flash} site.)
Sunday August 19 2007 Sports/Recreation

We're Tied for 9! We're Tied for 9!
The University of Chicago tied for ninth place with Columbia University on US News & World Report's annual list of America's best colleges.
Friday August 17 2007 Schools/Education

Come and Knock on My Door
Quick, what was the bar in "Three's Company" called? That's right, the Reagle Beagle. And now you can visit it and the rest of the Seventies and Eighties, right at Michigan and Grand.
Friday August 17 2007 Eating/Drinking

Pessimism Reigns Eternal
Got an overconfident Cubs fan in your midst? Here's a song to help bring them back to earth, courtesy of the Beachwood Reporter.
Thursday August 16 2007 Sports/Recreation

New Brew in Town
Half Acre Beer is a new brewing company in Chicago (although its beer is actually produced in Wisconsin). Looks promising; we'll track down a six-pack and review it in Drive-Thru.
Wednesday August 15 2007 Eating/Drinking

Hot Neighborhoods Are Impoverished Too?
Crain's reports that retail doesn't always follow rapid development of new neighborhoods. Some spirited discussion of the article at YoChicago.
Tuesday August 14 2007 City Life/Cultural

Hundreds of Channels and Nothing On
A moment of web zen: "TV DX Photos by Channel seen from Macomb, IL Since 1983" -- in other words screenshots from stations seen with a long-distance TV antenna. [via]
Monday August 13 2007 Found on the Web

Hacking the Menu
Over in Drive-Thru, we're wondering: what menu hacks have you come across?
Monday August 13 2007 Eating/Drinking

Don't Jenks It
Despite the White Sox' continued suckitude, closer Bobby Jenks has been a bright spot. On Sunday, Jenks tied Jim Barr's all-time record of 41 consecutive batters retired. (Here's a great little profile from back just before Jenks joined the Sox in '05.)
Monday August 13 2007 Sports/Recreation

Friday Fun: Astronaut
Our very own Felix has created a fun little time-killer: the Astronaut syncs random flickr photos to appear with key words from a song by Dan Frick.
Friday August 10 2007 Found on the Web

It's Hot. Watch Movies.
Looking for some movies this weekend? There's a ton to see, and none of it involves a major cineplex. Saturday is another night of Movies in the Park and is Home Movie Day, and Chopin Theatre is hosting a tribute to director Ingmar Bergman on Saturday and Sunday for $7 a show or $20 per day. See Slowdown for details.
Friday August 10 2007 Film

We're Now a One-Paperboy Town
The Tribune is going to deliver the Sun-Times.
Thursday August 9 2007 Print/Magazines

"Who Do You Love? You Love a Car!"
As reader Pat says, "if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."
Wednesday August 8 2007 City Life/Cultural

Nice Shirt
I'm digging the Chicago Shirt from Rock'n Clothing.
Wednesday August 8 2007 Business/Shopping

La Sardine, DesignRed, Lakeshore Theater
What do they have in common? They're all in Chicago Magazine's 2007 Best Of issue.
Wednesday August 8 2007 City Life/Cultural

Parody Songs & Sculpture
Via the Beachwood Reporter, the somewhat bizarre year-end gifts of Sam Zell. (It's copyright Saltator Sepulcri, which translates roughly to "dancer [of/on] graves," ~~so I'm gonna guess they're social satire, not real gifts.)~~ UPDATE: They're real!

GB reader Paula writes, "I wish they were social satire, but they are real and he does give them out as gifts every year. A friend of mine works at a financial company in Chicago that works with Zell and every year they get a bizarre moving sculpture piece that has a button to activate the movement and the voice of Sam Zell pontificating about something important to him. In her front office they have them lined up on shelves and they drive her nuts because guests love to push the buttons, but thereâ€™s no off switch so once you start the monologue youâ€™re stuck until it ends. Bizarre."
Tuesday August 7 2007 Found on the Web

Bloggers of the World... Unite?
Should bloggers unionize?
Monday August 6 2007 Weblogs

Things for Sale
FoGB Ron Slattery is selling some of his stuff. And what interesting stuff it is.
Monday August 6 2007 Weblogs

Say Hey, Let Me Play Too
The Cubs are for sale, and Ernie Banks wants in. Mr. Cub made an offer last year, before the Cubbies were available, and has talked to three of the investment teams getting ready to bid.
Sunday August 5 2007 Sports/Recreation

Shooting Racism
A University of Chicago assistant professor in psychology has devised a videogame which tests racial bias based on whether you shoot black or white men holding cellphones, wallets or guns.
Friday August 3 2007 Schools/Education

Scenes from a Movie Theater
Our former film critic Gordon McAlpin and his wonderful Multiplex comic got some attention from Boxoffice Magazine.
Friday August 3 2007 Film

Feeling Safe
If you're not one to read Fuel, you might want to make an exception -- the current thread about what people do to feel safe at night is interesting and pertinent.
Thursday August 2 2007 Gapers

A Body of Words
Dictionary editor and local blogger Erin McKean was the guest columnist for William Safire's "On Language" column in the NYTimes last weekend.
Thursday August 2 2007 Print/Magazines

Pillow Fight Today
I'm ruining this a little by telling you, but there's a pillow fight flash mob happening in Daley Plaza at 2pm today. Grab a pillow (maybe one from the couch in reception?) and look for people in red shirts.
Thursday August 2 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Your Attention Please...
The CTA Tattler runs down a list of some of the CTA's rules of behavior.
Wednesday August 1 2007 Transportation

If I Had a Million Dollars...
Guy goes to a bar and a Miller Beer promo girl hands him a game ticket. It says, "Nobody Knows I... Just won a million dollars." Guy gets excited -- and Miller Girl takes the ticket away. Guy starts talking to a lawyer.
Wednesday August 1 2007 In the News

A Garden Sprouts
In East Garfield Park, at Maypole and California, a community garden is taking shape in a formerly vacant lot.
Tuesday July 31 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Spare the Rod, Spoil the Blog
Zorn points to a blog panning our governor: BloggingOnBlagoBlog, from the Illinois Republican Party.
Tuesday July 31 2007 Politics/Activism

Lake Michigan Stories
Got a good story or photo involving Lake Michigan or another of the Great Lakes? HealthyLakes.org wants to hear/see it. They're running a photo and story contest through the end of August, with prizes awarded each month. (Thanks, Hugh!)
Tuesday July 31 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Want to Write About Comedy?
The Bastion is looking for writers.
Sunday July 29 2007 Weblogs

The Items We Carry
On Tuesday, Naz started a flickr group called The Items We Carry -- just pictures of the things you have in your pockets or on your person every day. As of this writing, three days later, there are 630 members and 320 photos of people's stuff. Join up, or just kill time on a slow summer Friday going people-watching in slightly different way.
Friday July 27 2007 Photography

Trump Marches On
YoChicago checks in on the progress at Trump Tower.
Wednesday July 25 2007 Arts/Architecture

Creative Loafing Buys the Reader
The Chicago Reader has been bought, along with its sister paper, the Washington City Paper, by Creative Loafing, an Tampa-based chain of four southern alt.weeklies. Here are two PDF press releases, from the Reader and one from Creative Loafing. UPDATE: Here's Michael Miner's take on it.
Tuesday July 24 2007 Print/Magazines

Hub to Hub
George Aye and Sara Cantor, the couple behind Hubwear, did a nice interview with Gridskipper.
Tuesday July 24 2007 Business/Shopping

Ask(About Chicago)MetaFilter
There was a flurry of Chicago-related questions on Ask.MetaFilter the last couple days:
• Does the mafia still exist in Chicago?
• "For a novice, what is a good bike route from Chicago's North Side to the loop?"
• Temping in Chicago?
Monday July 23 2007 Found on the Web

A Different Kind of Tour
The Residents' Journal has organized "ghetto bus tours" for folks interested in learning more about what it's like to live in the projects. Tickets are $20 if you're interested.
Monday July 23 2007 City Life/Cultural

Where to Get Leighed
Nerve.com has a neat interview with Karen Abbot, author of Sin in the Second City, about the famed Everleigh Club. (Thanks, Matt!) Medill News Service offers up a record of another recent interview.
Sunday July 22 2007 Books/Authors

Printers' Ball Busted
The aforementioned Printers' Ball was raided by the police last night. Reasons were not immediately clear. (More at Chicagoist.)
Saturday July 21 2007 Books/Authors

Steve@TheMovies-Spotting
Our own Steve Prokopy is a guest host on the latest episode of the popular local podcast Filmspotting. Adam Kempenaar and I discuss Rescue Dawn, which he reviewed last week, and Sunshine, which he reviews this week. You can download the episode here.
Friday July 20 2007 Film

Looking for Laughs
This weekend, the Music Box is being invaded by that other form of moving pictures: TV. The first-ever Chicago TV Pilot Competition showcases comedy television pilots based on ideas from Chicagoans. It even comes with its own commercial, by FoGB Steve Delahoyde.
Thursday July 19 2007 Radio/TV

You Should Have a New City Sticker By Now
...which means you've either added another one to the column, or you've removed the old one and have a sticky smear on your windshield. Here's a sure-fire method for removing the old sticker and the glue.
Wednesday July 18 2007 Weblogs

First, Do No Harm
Expanding her focus on the plight of the chronically ill in today's healthcare system, past GB contributor Kimberly Soenen and friends have launched Project Sin Alma.
Wednesday July 18 2007 Found on the Web

Critics find Fox Revolting, Boycott
The Chicago Film Critics Association (of which our own Steve at the Movies is a member) is slapping 20th Century Fox with a boycott, claiming the studio is discriminating against some of its member critics from less prominent media — specifically, Internet-based critics. (Thanks, Dee!)
Monday July 16 2007 Film

Smart in the Suburbs
The Smart Car is available in Chicagoland -- out of a tiny storefront on Route 14 in Palatine.
Monday July 16 2007 Business/Shopping

Bike Messenger POV
Ever wonder what it's like to be a bike messenger? Crain's tags along with Josh Corby, part owner of the Four Star Courier Collective, and shoots some first-person footage, slipping through traffic.
Friday July 13 2007 Business/Shopping

Trib2.0
The Tribune is previewing the upcoming redesign of its website, and it's ...well, boring. Nice web2.0 social networking-type features, but man, how 'bout a little pizazz?
Thursday July 12 2007 Print/Magazines

Three-Card Monte Tour
Apartment Therapy drew attention to City Walks Chicago, a tour ~~book~~ deck of cards, with which you can design your own walking tour of downtown.
Wednesday July 11 2007 City Life/Cultural

Jeff Tweedy <3 Chicago
Wilco's frontman tells American Airlines' magazine all about his city crush.
Wednesday July 11 2007 People/Sightings

CME+CBOT=?
Shareholders of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade agreed to their pending merger, which means Chicago will be the world capital of commodities for the foreseeable future. There's already speculation that the new "CME Group, a Chicago Board of Trade company" (official acronym TBD) may start looking for more acquisitions.
Tuesday July 10 2007 Business/Shopping

Little Italy: Mostly Mob-Free
Chicago Daily News tells the story of Dead Man's Tree, and finds Taylor Street is largely free of mob influence.
Monday July 9 2007 History

Last Chance for Pitchfork
We're closing entries in our contest for three pairs of three-day passes to the sold-out Pitchfork Music Festival at noon, so get in there now! UPDATE: We have our winners! Congratulations to Elizabeth Monkus, Matt Avery and Bob Atkinson!
Monday July 9 2007 Gapers

Kwik-E Mart Walk-through
Not willing to drive all the way to 63rd and Harlem for a Squishee? The Methods Reporter has your hook-up.
Friday July 6 2007 In the News

Hooping It Up Downtown
Looking for something a little different this weekend? How about a hula hoop dance party in Millennium Park? HooperPower and Chicago Hoopdance are celebrating World Hoop Day with an interactive performance tomorrow night from 7 to 9pm. Grab a hula hoop and join in for free!
Friday July 6 2007 Theatre/Dance

Read, Listen & Watch
Green Lantern is hosting a book launch/video screening/reading tonight from 7pm to 9pm at 1511 N Milwaukee, 2nd flr. Josh MacPhee will discuss his new book, Realizing the Impossible: Art Against Authority, our own Anne Elizabeth Moore will do a short reading and discuss the demise of Punk Planet, and Dara Greenwald will present her rotating collection of short videos that make you laugh and cry. It's free; BYOB.
Thursday July 5 2007 Books/Authors

Tastes of All Kinds
Over in Drive-Thru, we've got some companion coverage geared toward the Taste of Chicago: Christine Blumer provides tent-to-tent recommendations on the drinks of Taste to go with Tribune reporter Monica Eng's ratings of all the food choices. (No really, she tried them all; it cost $1100.) And David Hammond offers up an alternative Taste of his own -- a guide to eating cuts not usually found on American plates.
Thursday July 5 2007 Gapers

Delving into the Past
Once you're done poking around in Architectural Artifacts, head over to Urban Remains, which specializes in salvaged items from the turn of the century to the 1930s, primarily in Chicagoland. (Photography fans should check out this page.)
Thursday July 5 2007 Business/Shopping

Pitchfork Ticket Contest!
We've got three pairs of three-day passes to the Pitchfork Music Festival July 13-15, courtesy of Boost Mobile and Schubas, and we're giving them all away! To be entered in the drawing, send an email including your name, address and phone number to contests@gapersblock.com by July 9! Good luck!
Tuesday July 3 2007 Gapers

Chicago Infoporn
Crain's offers a treasure trove of information with its Market Facts feature this week. Check out maps of census data and an interactive skyline tour, and PDFs of all sorts of market information.
Tuesday July 3 2007 Print/Magazines

Beanbags Away!
Don't know how I missed this yesterday: Cornhole, aka Baggo, makes the front page of the Wall Street Journal.
Friday June 29 2007 In the News

Decorate Your Walls
Dan Grzeca (pronounced "Jet-sah") designs concert posters as well as fine art screenprints; he's now selling them on Etsy in addition to festivals and craft shows.
Friday June 29 2007 Arts/Architecture

Speaking of Tunnels...
The Tribune takes a tour of the tunnels below the Green Mill and other businesses at the Broadway/Lawrence intersection; watch a video here.
Thursday June 28 2007 History

Where to Stand in Line
A map of all the Apple and AT&T stores in Chicagoland: go get an iPhone.
Thursday June 28 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

H4x0r5 in T|-|3 N3VV5
Chicago magazine profiles Jeremy Hammond, the hacktivist founder of Hackthissite.org. Lots of links for further exploration in his Wikipedia entry.
Wednesday June 27 2007 Found on the Web

Interested In Some Literature?
Mimi Smartypants comes up with the best response to a religious tract pusher I've heard in awhile (last item).
Wednesday June 27 2007 Weblogs

An Oldie but a Goodie
We've linked to this site about the old freight tunnels under the Loop before, but I just came across a 1933 article in Time about them. "Bowels of Chicago," indeed! (You might also be interested in the Central Electric Railfans Association.)
Wednesday June 27 2007 History

Goodbye Girlie-Q
We just got a note from Bloody Belle of the Girlie-Q Variety Hour, letting us know that the infamous queer burlesque and variety show is no more. Is the timing coincidental to its usual home, the Hothouse, being in danger of losing its lease? Maybe, but more importantly Belle is moving to New York. She says a couple of performers, Backdoor Aly and Mae the Bellydancer, may be planning a new show, possibly to run in Hamburger Mary's upstairs cabaret. Stay tuned, and keep your eye on Ray's Guide for your general burlesque news.
Tuesday June 26 2007 Theatre/Dance

Phone Reader
The Reader now offers its restaurant, film, music and event listings in a mobile version for your phone. Could come in handy the next time you're planning with friends who "dunno, whadda you wanna do?"
Tuesday June 26 2007 Print/Magazines

Helping Our Allies
Kirk Johnson, a journalist whom we've written about before, has launched The List Project, an effort to help resettle Iraqi translators and others who have assisted American and British troops in the war and who are now targets of insurgents. (Thanks, Nate.)
Tuesday June 26 2007 Politics/Activism

Striking in the Conference Room
Jack Flash, singer-guitarist for the local band Bang! Bang!, has been wearing thrift-store ties cut into lightning bolts for some time -- and now you can too. Bang Bang Ties are professionally tailored (not by Flash) and are available online and at Strange Cargo. [via]
Monday June 25 2007 Business/Shopping

New York Swapping Times
Coudal Partners' awesome Swap Meat got a nice write-up in the New York Times Magazine. Its wild success has led them to keep the swap open till at least the end of the summer.
Saturday June 23 2007 In the News

A What Reuben!?
Over in Drive-Thru, we're discussing questionable and strangely named menu items -- such as the ill-advised tilapia reuben and the disturbing Porker McGee. Join us, won't you?
Friday June 22 2007 Eating/Drinking

Going Out Tonight
Going.com lands somewhere between Upcoming and Yelp -- a social network for actual socializing. They're throwing a launch party for their Chicago channel tonight at Debonair Social Club, 1575 N. Milwaukee, starting at 7pm. RSVP and more info here.
Thursday June 21 2007 Found on the Web

Norwood Park + Park Ridge = Norridge
Here's an examination of suburban naming trends in Chicagoland.
Thursday June 21 2007 Weblogs

Son of a Preacher Man
Chicago magazine has an interesting profile of the least-known son of Jesse Jackson, Yusef, who recently moved into publishing by investing in the resurgent Radar Magazine.
Wednesday June 20 2007 People/Sightings

Ze Frank Replacement
People who miss The Show with Ze Frank should check out the Wheezy Waiter, a video blog by Craig, the lead singer of Driftless Pony Club. It's not exactly the same, but hopefully it'll help with your jones. [via]
Wednesday June 20 2007 Weblogs

Kill Your Automated Operator
Bringo is a Chicago-based web company that helps you find a dentist. Even more useful, though, it'll get you past those annoying automated phone trees. Awesome.
Wednesday June 20 2007 Business/Shopping

Bat Suit Revealed!
As you know, the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight, is filming around town right now. An alert apartment dweller shot some photos with her phonecam of Batman doing some unsafe stuff on a back deck, revealing to the world the look of the latest costume. HollywoodChicago also has some video of filming in Buena Park.
Tuesday June 19 2007 Film

Punk Planet Closing Up
Punk Planet is ceasing publication. The 13-year-old independent magazine has fallen victim to the same distributor bankruptcy issues (though a different distributor) as McSweeney's, and find themselves with no option but to close down. PunkPlanet.com and the book publishing unit will continue on, but PP #80 will be the last.
Monday June 18 2007 Books/Authors

Cutting Out the Middle Man
Jim DeRogatis examines the stranglehold TicketMaster maintains over tickets for concerts, theater, sports and other events, and points out that LiveNation, TM's biggest customer, recently began selling tickets for all local venues (all the way out to Alpine Valley) at the House of Blues box office, without a service fee. The Metro and Schubas have long offered the same option. (DeRo runs down the fees, and also reminds us that the war on TicketMaster started here in '94.)
Monday June 18 2007 Music/Clubs

Preserve This City
Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois is holding a conference on preservation this weekend, starting tonight with free tours of the K.A.M. II Synagogue and Hyde Park Bank. Much more is planned throughout the weekend, and it's not too late the register.
Friday June 15 2007 Arts/Architecture

DIY Loop Tours
The Chicago Loop Alliance offers Loop the Loop, three free podcast tours of the Loop covering notable art, theatre and landmark destinations. Nice perspective renderings of key buildings, too.
Friday June 15 2007 City Life/Cultural

Messages from Space
Out in Palatine, there's a family whose baby monitor suddenly began picking up video from the Space Shuttle this week.
Thursday June 14 2007 In the News

Help Pay for the New Roof
If you live in a condo building, you might be interested in CondoPerks, a new service that lets condo association members earn money for the association by shopping online. Help defray that landscaping bill bit by bit!
Thursday June 14 2007 Business/Shopping

Hideout Block Party: -Metro, +Bird
The Hideout Block Party is no longer being curated by the Metro; they've moved their big 25th anniversary shindig to an as-of-yet unnamed elsewhere. (No hard feelings between the venues, apparently, just a change of plans.) But the show will go on; so far Andrew Bird is the only confirmed performer. (Speaking of Mr. Bird, he'll be on Conan O'Brien tonight.)
Thursday June 14 2007 Music/Clubs

Art of Protest
An ordinance to privatize the selection of public art, among other things, proposed by Mayor Daley and the Department of Cultural Affairs is being considered by the City Council this morning. Artists and activists will be protesting the silencing of artists' voices at City Hall starting at 10am. You can help keep public art meetings open by calling or emailing your alderman's office -- look it up here -- or head on down and join them.
Wednesday June 13 2007 Arts/Architecture

Aloha, Mr. Coates
Jim Coates, the Tribune's computer columnist, said farewell today with a column looking back on how he spent the last 14 of his 40 years at the paper. Whet Moser and Scott Smith offer rememberances.
Tuesday June 12 2007 Print/Magazines

Out of the Heartland, Into the Grid
Chicago magazine has redesigned its website, cleaning up the layout, doing away with their awful URLs and adding another blog: Jeff Ruby's Push, detailing his road to fatherhood.
Monday June 11 2007 Print/Magazines

Better Than Hands Across America
Student Films Across America is a collection of, you guessed it, short films by students from around the country, including one from Chicago. Head to the Lakeshore Theatre tomorrow night at 7:30pm to see An Open Door by local film student Sean Jourdan and others, all for the same $10 you'd spend watching another lame Hollywood blockbuster.
Friday June 8 2007 Film

Turning the Alleys Green
NYC's Streets Blog summarizes a new pamphlet from the Chicago Department of Transportation: The Green Alleys Program [PDF]. Some interesting stuff in there.
Friday June 8 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Four Stars at the Five Star
It's Transmission Thursday again -- stop by Five Star, 1424 W. Chicago, after 9pm tonight for drink specials and DJ Brad Owen. Make sure to say hi to Nilay; he's got a sticker for you.
Thursday June 7 2007 Gapers

Our Younger Cousin
Our good friends at Chicagoist are celebrating their third anniversary tonight at the Subterranean. If you're looking for a way to escape the heat after work, you could do worse.
Thursday June 7 2007 Weblogs

Lincoln Park Pirate Watch
ChicagoTows.com is a nearly real-time database of Chicago vehicle towing. Keep your eye on those pirates. (Thanks, Pat!)
Thursday June 7 2007 Transportation

Another Billboard Controversy
A billboard for a spa in Glenview diagramming a woman's physical flaws (and their cosmetic solutions) is drawing fire from local women. "I don't want to sound like a chauvinistic pig, but this is a man's world," the spa owner said, refusing to take the ad down.
Wednesday June 6 2007 Politics/Activism

That's Customer Service
The CTA may suck in a lot of ways, but at least there's one employee willing to retrieve the walkman you dropped on the tracks.
Wednesday June 6 2007 Transportation

Collaged Clothing
Check out the very interesting textile artwork of Marcy Sperry, who also blogs about Rogers Park life at Thank You for Your Submission.
Tuesday June 5 2007 Arts/Architecture

Yet Another Googlemap, Posting Edition
Outside.in is already an interesting place to check for posts about Chicago, but here's another neat tool they recently added: blogger maps. Now you can check out which places we and other local blogs have been writing about.
Tuesday June 5 2007 Weblogs

No Tank for 8 Games
The Bears' Tank Johnson has been suspended by the NFL for eight games next season as a result of his arrest on weapons charges last year. Which means, unless he gets time off for good behavior, we'll see him suit up for the first time Nov. 11.
Tuesday June 5 2007 Sports/Recreation

FeedGoogler
The rumor is now official: Feedburner has been purchased by Google. Here's Feedburner's official announcement.
Friday June 1 2007 Business/Shopping

Intersecting Cultures
Theatre, meet Radio: Chicago Public Radio's Sylvia Ewing has joined Steppenwolf as producer of "cultural intersections." The new position will oversee such projects as the CPR-Steppenwolf "Traffic" series of live performances recorded for radio, for which Ewing was one of the producers.
Friday June 1 2007 Theatre/Dance

Bring a Book, Take a Book
Looking for something new to read? Well, new to you, anyway? The Reader Book Swap is tonight at Nick's Uptown. Details in Slowdown.
Thursday May 31 2007 Books/Authors

Four Star Pie Chart
Chicago.Metroblogging's Fuzzy Gerdes has created our local entry into the very cool flags of the world as pie charts
Wednesday May 30 2007 Found on the Web

Listen to Something New
Chicago Public Radio's new station, Vocalo.org, is semi-live. DJs are streaming periodically on the site, and you can sign up to submit your audio clips.
Wednesday May 30 2007 Radio/TV

Does This Look Infected?
Drug-resistant staph infections are spreading through Chicago's population, thanks to the public hospital system, a study says. Yikes.
Tuesday May 29 2007 Health/Fitness

ORD to MDW
Hubwear has redesigned, and boy does it look good. Time to pick up a new travel t-shirt. (And speaking of t-shirts, Threadless is having another big sale this week.)
Tuesday May 29 2007 Business/Shopping

Endangered in the City: Newsstands
Crain's reports on a vanishing feature of Chicago: sidewalk newsstands.
Friday May 25 2007 City Life/Cultural

Out of Exoskeleton, Into Belly
The cicadas are finally arriving, at least in some places (I haven't heard any yet). The Trib has a great, surprisingly creepy time-lapse video of cicadas molting, and Drive-Thru's own David Hammond and some friends are getting some press for a cicada dinner they've thrown. They'll be on the Jerry Agar show, WLS 890-AM, at around 9am this morning.
Friday May 25 2007 Outdoors/Environment

School Lunch Program
The Reader takes a look at Chicago Public School's lunch program and efforts to improve it. You might also be interested in Lori Barrett's in-person take on the same, awhile back in Drive-Thru.
Thursday May 24 2007 Schools/Education

We're Four
We're pretty excited about our fourth anniversary party tomorrow night at the Hideout; you should come! For a little taste of the evening's fun, check out our musical guests the Heaven Seventies and Occidental Brothers Dance Band International on MySpace.
Thursday May 24 2007 Gapers

The Journalistic Code
The Knight News Challenge has been kind to Chicago. Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism received a grant to create scholarships for programmer-journalists -- such as Adrian Holovaty, creator of ChicagoCrime.org, who also received a grant and has left the Washington Post to start EveryBlock. Geoff Dougherty of (recently redesigned) ChiTown Daily News also received a grant to continue his citizen journalism project. UPDATE: Also, Daniel Sinker, co-editor and publisher of Punk Planet, received a Knight Fellowship at Stanford (thanks, Mark).
Thursday May 24 2007 Schools/Education

Sing Us a Song, You're the Cabbie, Man
Ross Wolinsky interviews Ray St. Ray, the Singing Cab Driver, over at Jargon Chicago. ~~Coincidentally,~~ St. Ray was interviewed in the Columbia Chronicle ~~not three weeks~~ a year ago. (thanks for pointing out the inaccurate dateline, Mark!)
Thursday May 24 2007 City Life/Cultural

"Harold's 6 Piece"
A musical tribute to Harold's Chicken Shack. [via]
Wednesday May 23 2007 Found on the Web

Furniture for Easy Living
Wickes Furniture opens its first downtown store this morning at 2606 N. Elston, around the corner from Target. Go check out the "urban innovations" furniture displays by WNUA and LITE-FM deejays and other noted hip, fashionable people.
Wednesday May 23 2007 Business/Shopping

Yet Another Googlemap, Duffer's Edition
Like golf? Crain's Chicago Business has the map for you, listing 191 courses in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Tuesday May 22 2007 Sports/Recreation

Gin and Openings
Over in Drive-Thru, we've got a looong list of openings that have just happened or will in the next month or so. And Tim Lacey recommends opening up a bottle of gin.
Tuesday May 22 2007 Gapers

Expect a TSA Weapons Advisory
A man in Marquette Park died last night after being stabbed -- with a house key.
Monday May 21 2007 In the News

We Go Together...
Did you know that the musical Grease was set in Chicago? The movie version wasn't -- it's in California -- but hey, it makes a good segue to the fact that "Sing-Along Grease hits the Music Box Theatre starting this Friday. The film's songs are subtitled in case you forget the words (as if), and there's a goodie bag and costume contest before the show. Get your tickets now, because the weekend showings are sure to sell out.
Monday May 21 2007 Film

Google Buying Feedburner?
Interesting rumors are popping up about Google purchasing local RSS feed company Feedburner for about $100 million in order to move into the RSS ad market. GigaOm isn't so sure the deal makes sense.
Saturday May 19 2007 Business/Shopping

Sad Spring for Local Papers
Sun-Times Media Group continues to suffer, and is now considering closing or selling 25 of suburban weeklies it spent the last decade consolidating.
Friday May 18 2007 Print/Magazines

Alt.Media Slam Jam!
At Schadenfreude's Rent Party tonight, a rare site: The Reader, Time Out, Chicagoist and Gapers Block duking it out in a three-round slam tournament. Just because we're all friends doesn't mean we can't bring it! Details in Slowdown.
Friday May 18 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Illinois Is Average America
Illinois is the state that most closely reflects the whole of America, according to US census analysis by the Associated Press.
Thursday May 17 2007 City Life/Cultural

Lurking in the Loop
Time Out Chicago's cover feature this week is a "Loop Survival Guide," and it's pretty good. The guides to dive bars and greasy spoons are of particular interest; the pedway piece isn't nearly as comprehensive as ours.
Thursday May 17 2007 City Life/Cultural

Blogging with Child
Thinking about parenthood? The recently Chicago Moms Blog should help give you a realistic look at life after kids.
Thursday May 17 2007 Weblogs

Anger... Rising... Must... Fight...
Despite our huge number of highways and interminable construction, Chicago only ranks seventh in road rage, according to the annual In the Drivers Seat survey.
Tuesday May 15 2007 Transportation

Swap Met
Man, we were all set to tell you about the awesome Jay Ryan poster that went on sale yesterday over in Coudal.com's Swap Meat, but they sold out before morning. So instead, go check out the equally awesome Brendan Dawes C-prints of 2001: A Space Odyssey and all the other cool stuff.
Monday May 14 2007 Business/Shopping

Take a Class
Looking for something to do this summer? How 'bout a project? Classes start soon for furniture making, book and paper making, figure drawing and other arts.
Monday May 14 2007 Schools/Education

Mature Audiences Only
A substitute teacher at a Chicago elementary school thought it would be a good idea to show the R-rated film Brokeback Mountain to an eighth grade class. Not surprisingly, the family of one of the students is now suing.
Monday May 14 2007 In the News

Two Weeks Away
Gapers Block is four years old. Isn't that crazy? We're celebrating at the Hideout on Friday, May 25, with bands, giveaways and more — you should come. Details in Slowdown. (Oh, and check this out.)
Friday May 11 2007 Gapers

Justice At Work ...Sorta
The jury took just one day to find Juan Luna guilty in the notorious Brown's Chicken Massacre case. Meanwhile, R.Kelly's child porn trial still hasn't started, five years after charges were brought.
Friday May 11 2007 In the News

Foodies, Start Your Engines
...And head up to Devon Avenue: the first shipment of Indian mangoes has arrived.
Friday May 11 2007 Eating/Drinking

Fancy Fillet-work
That red snapper you got at the sushi joint? Possibly not the real thing, the Sun-Times reports. Tilapia and sea bream are nice, but that's not what we ordered. (D'oh! Link fixed.)
Thursday May 10 2007 Eating/Drinking

First Person Shooter
Wafaa Bilal, an Iraqi-born artist, has set up a little target practice in Flatfile gallery -- and he's the target. Domestic Tension is an installation involving Bilal, a room and a motorized paint gun controlled by a webcam; line it up and try to shoot him. Follow his video diary and learn more on CrudeOil.us, or see it in person; the installation lasts till June 1.
Thursday May 10 2007 Arts/Architecture

Farm Project
Did you know there's a small organic farm on the edge of Cabrini Green? It's possible you've even eaten its produce at one of the city's top restaurants. [via]
Wednesday May 9 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Local Lit
City bookworms have another web destination in Literago, which intends to serve as "a portal to news and information about literary goings-on in and around Chicago."
Tuesday May 8 2007 Books/Authors

37signals' Business Philosophy
Those familiar with 37signals will have heard a lot of this before, but Business POV's interview with Jason Fried gets to the heart of the company in a pretty succinct manner.
Tuesday May 8 2007 Business/Shopping

The Artist's Guide to Making Money
1. Create art
2. Print guide
3. ???
4. Profit!
Monday May 7 2007 Arts/Architecture

Bug Watching Tips
Wondering about the best place to watch the 17-year cicadas emerge from underground? The Tribune's gardening blog has some helpful tips. You might also want to check out Cicadamania.com, which has plenty of info about the impending onslaught, and this map from UofI.
Monday May 7 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Back to School
A quick update on Allen Lee, the Cary-Grove High School senior arrested for an essay: he's being allowed to return to class Monday.
Sunday May 6 2007 In the News

Glasner House Renewed
Newsweek takes a look at the renovation plans for Frank Lloyd Wright's Glasner House, with not one but three videos explaining what will happen. [via]
Friday May 4 2007 Arts/Architecture

How to Open Someone's Wallet
How to Open Things is a new site that allows you to set up contests for ways to open ...well, whatever you want. The creator was recently interviewed on WindyBits.
Friday May 4 2007 Found on the Web

Save the Viking!
No, not the street artist -- the replica of the Gokstad Viking ship, which is weathering away in dry dock out in Geneva. It's on the Landmarks Illinois endangered list, and there's an international movement afoot for its preservation.
Wednesday May 2 2007 History

Sports in Five Heats Up
If you haven't read Sports in Five in awhile, now is a good time -- not only does Chicago have two teams in the playoffs, but we've just added coverage of the Windy City Rollers to the mix. (Sky in Five coming soon, and if you're interested in covering the Force, we'd like to hear from you.)
Tuesday May 1 2007 Gapers

Return on Investment
At the beginning of April, the Tribune profiled baseball card collector Lionel Carter, who was about to put his collection up for auction, fearing for his safety after home invaders stole some of it. The portion he's auctioned so far has earned $1.6 million. NPR interviewed him yesterday.
Tuesday May 1 2007 In the News

Crain's Overseas
Crain's Chicago Business' full Doing Business in India feature is now online. It's a pretty interesting look at how Chicago-based businesses are moving into India, such as how McDonald's is finding success in a country where cows are sacred, and how John Deere is changing the way road construction is done.
Monday April 30 2007 Print/Magazines

Writing On the Walls
Shawn Hazen moved to Chicago about a year ago, and almost immediately began taking pictures of the city's vibrant type. [via]
Monday April 30 2007 Photography

The Canyonization of Evanston Continues
While everyone is still abuzz about the Calatrava Spire (it just won approval for a zoning change, btw), developers have quietly pushed a plan for a 49-story condo tower in downtown Evanston that would become the tallest building ever in Chicago's suburbs. If you've visited Evanston lately, you know that it's gotten pretty tall in recent years, but this one would be twice as tall as what's there now.
Friday April 27 2007 Arts/Architecture

Nesting Time
This week's Reader is the "Nest Issue," taking a look at people who've transformed their rental apartments into thoroughly personalized spaces -- included GB friends Brandy Agerbeck and Derek Erdman.
Friday April 27 2007 City Life/Cultural

Profiling or Prevention?
An Asian-American student at northwest suburban Cary-Grove High School was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct over what he wrote in a homework essay that was apparently very violent but not aimed at anyone or anything in specific. The kid is a straight-A student with no known history of violence, so the question -- which will no doubt be argued in court -- is whether he was really a threat or if this is an overreaction in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre.
Thursday April 26 2007 In the News

"My Happening, & It Freaks Me Out."
Wonder how Roger Ebert's appearance at the Overlooked Film Festival went? Mark Caro has a report.
Thursday April 26 2007 People/Sightings

Best Olympics T-Shirt Yet
Whet Moser shares a 2016 t-shirt design I think in some circles would sell at least as well as the official one.
Wednesday April 25 2007 Found on the Web

Top Dog
They haven't got much attention from the local press, nor did they have a winning record in their first season, but the Chicago Hounds can at least claim one thing: Greg Puhalski was named UHL Coach of the Year.
Wednesday April 25 2007 Sports/Recreation

Watch It Happen
The Reader has posted the video documenting the point-blank shooting of an unarmed man by an out-of-uniform police officer mentioned in its current cover story.
Tuesday April 24 2007 In the News

Very Bloggy Up North
Outside.in recently surveyed itself to determine the bloggiest neighborhoods in the country -- and Rogers Park came in at #5. Nice shout-out for the 24/7 North of Howard Watchers.
Monday April 23 2007 Weblogs

No. 10 in Renewable Energy
That's where we rank in SustainLane Government's recent survey of major cities. The Chicago Center for Green Technology thinks we should be number 1.
Friday April 20 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Who Copied Who?
Interesting reading about TribLocal.com yesterday; in early March I learned about the Sun-Times' plans for something very similar: NeighborhoodCircle.com, which was top secret at the time. Wonder which came first?
Friday April 20 2007 Print/Magazines

1 Down, 59 to Go
Intelligentsia's Black Cat espresso is number five on Esquire's list of "60 Things Worth Shortening Your Life For." We also have a place to try number 35, "duck fat potatoes." [via]
Thursday April 19 2007 Found on the Web

Too Late, Slowpokes
If you were planning on running in the Chicago Marathon this year, I hope you signed up already: direct registration closed today, a bit earlier than usual. There are still limited spaces available through the Chicago Area Runners Association and a number of other organizations; check the list on this page. (Thanks, jaymce!)
Wednesday April 18 2007 Sports/Recreation

They're the Wirtz
As readers of Sports in Five know, the Blackhawks' season is over, finishing 13th in their division. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the man every Hawks fan blames: Bill Wirtz.
Wednesday April 18 2007 Sports/Recreation

Coffee on a Mission
Those wondering what will fill the java void left by Filter's eminent demise (you know, besides the several other coffeeshops in Wicker Park) can rest easy: Blend is ready to be your new fix-provider. YoChicago sheds some light on the "faith, hope and love" idealism on the shop's website -- safe to say you won't be meeting many one-night-stands there. (Thanks, Trish!)
Tuesday April 17 2007 Eating/Drinking

Small Birds, Collected
Diane Sudyka, best known for her concert posters and other printmaking, has been spending time at the Field Museum preparing bird specimens. The work has inspired her to draw birds to fill her own Tiny Aviary. (Thanks, Jennifer!)
Tuesday April 17 2007 Arts/Architecture

Looking for Lunch?
GrubHub, the food delivery search site, has redesigned. BusinessPOV interviewed the founders about it.
Monday April 16 2007 Eating/Drinking

Adrian Runs Free
Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation, the organization charged with returning "Adrian" the Quizno's coyote to the wild, blogged about his release. The photos are heartwarming. (Thanks, Dubi!)
Monday April 16 2007 Outdoors/Environment

Olympic Decision Pending
The decision of the US Olympic Committee comes down tomorrow, and I don't know about you, but I like Chicago's chances over LA a whole lot better now that Mitt Romney has thrown his support behind us.
Friday April 13 2007 In the News

Chicago in Videogames
Over on Ask.MetaFilter, there's a thread compiling videogames that are set, in whole or in part, in Chicago. The list includes "Duelin' Firemen," in which a jet and the Space Shuttle crash into the Sears Tower. (Fortunately, it was never released.)
Thursday April 12 2007 Found on the Web

Dollar Store on the Radio
The Third Coast Audio Festival has teamed up with the Dollar Store for this year's Shortdocs series: create a two- to three-minute audio story about one of three items found at a dollar store and send it in by Aug. 30. (I'm working on one for that sweet mug.)
Thursday April 12 2007 Radio/TV

Ebert vs. Black
Roger Ebert wrote a letter in 2004 in support of union workers at Sun-Times should they decide to go on strike, and got a chastising letter back from former Hollinger chairman Conrad Black. Ebert's reply pulls no punches. (Thanks, AZ!)
Wednesday April 11 2007 Print/Magazines

Casting a Wider Net
Chicago Sportscast already produces some of the best podcasts on our local sports teams (including one by our own Bears in Five columnists), but they're not satisfied. So they're launching networks in Atlanta, the Bay Area, Boston, D.C., Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Auditions are already taking place; if you know a sports nut in one of those towns, put'em in touch.
Wednesday April 11 2007 Sports/Recreation

Help Wanted at Coudal
From FoGB Jim Coudal: "We need some help with Swap Meat, Jewelboxing and some other projects this summer. We need an intern. We pay interns and we expect a lot from them. If you're the one, [email info@coudal.com] with the phrase "C'est Moi" in the subject line, and send us something to prove it."
Tuesday April 10 2007 Business/Shopping

Five Six-pointed Stars?
Over at Chicagoist, Benjy ponders whether the city would add another star to the flag if we win the 2016 Olympics. An interesting and relevant question considering the meanings of the other stars. He's giving us a lot of credit for staying power by saying we'll need to update our logo in nine years if it happens, but for the record: we'll change if the flag does.
Tuesday April 10 2007 Weblogs

C-O-Y-O-T-E!
Last Thursday, the Max Weinberg's band on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" performed an "improvised" song about the coyote who wandered into the Loop Quizno's. [via]
Monday April 9 2007 Radio/TV

Odd CraigsList Prostitution Bust
So wait, the 17-year-old daughter ran the prostitution ring!?
Monday April 9 2007 In the News

Records'n'Stuff
The WLUW Record Fair & Other Delights is next weekend, and there are still a couple booths available should you want to unload some of your music -- or posters, crafts, clothes, whatever. Get on it now!
Friday April 6 2007 Business/Shopping

Third Cop Fight Taped
There's a third cop fight caught on tape, and the cop doing the fighting in this one is allegedly the brother of Anthony Abbate, the cop who beat up the bartender last month. This time the victim is a visiting police officer from Washington, D.C. And Mayor Daley would really like it if the police would behave themselves.
Wednesday April 4 2007 In the News

Getting You Ready for the Big Weekend
Still haven't figured out what to do for Passover or Easter? Christine Blumer has you covered with this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Tuesday April 3 2007 Gapers

Really Old School Beats
It's not every day that we get to report on a concert consisting of the oldest song in recorded history (Tribune link, includes video of the performance).
Monday April 2 2007 Music/Clubs

The Trib Sells to Zell
The anticipated sale of the Tribune is official, and local real estate tycoon Sam Zell has bought it. In an interesting twist, Zell announced that he will sell the Cubs, leading immediately to speculation on who might buy them. Solid perspective from the Beachwood Reporter, of course.
Monday April 2 2007 Print/Magazines

Show Your Support
Free Hot Doug!
Monday April 2 2007 Eating/Drinking

Block 37 on Fire
Hungry Mag's Michael Nagrant alerted us that there's smoke rising from the Block 37 construction site. He sent in a photo; there's nothing showing up on the live webcam, although it doesn't show the area Michael photographed. We'll keep you posted if/as we learn more. UPDATE: More photos on Chicago Carless, and here's a story in the Trib.
Saturday March 31 2007 In the News

Neighborhood Focus
The Reader kicked off a new project focusing its attention on the city one neighborhood at a time. First up is Uptown. It seems to be the idea of the moment; we've been contemplating doing something similar, and YoChicago has been devoting days to specific neighborhood lately: today is Ravenswood Manor Day.
Friday March 30 2007 City Life/Cultural

Your Name in Lights
Good fun for a Friday: the Chicago Theater marquee generator. UPDATE: Dubi Kaufmann, the site's owner, has been asked by the theater's owner to take down the image.
Friday March 30 2007 Found on the Web

How to Get from Chicago to London
As explained by Google Maps. Step 20 is a doozy.
Friday March 30 2007 Found on the Web

GB Around Town
Join Gapers Block editor Andrew Huff (me) and contributor Daniel Tucker (also of AREA) as well as people from Optional Events, the New World Resource Center and Polvo, tonight for a talk about event calendars and listservs at A+D Gallery tonight at 6pm; more info in Slowdown. Also, for those with drinkin' on their mind, we'd love to see you at the Black Rock tomorrow night for our monthly GB Get-Together. We'll be in the back room from 9pm on; see you there!
Thursday March 29 2007 Gapers

Speaking of the Bears and eBay...
Reader Zach informs us that some of those Bears SuperBowl XLI Champions shirts that got sent to Africa have found their way to eBay. A must-have for the ultimate superfan.
Tuesday March 27 2007 Sports/Recreation

The Blues Line
Speaking of the NYT, the Grey Lady turned her attention to our glorious transit system this weekend, and noted its "precarious" funding situation and crumbling condition.
Monday March 26 2007 Transportation

Get Your Ghet On
Hey, did you hear? Oakland's Ghetto Gourmet is in town for a couple underground dining dates over the next couple days. More details -- and later this weekend, a report from the first dinner -- in Drive-Thru.
Friday March 23 2007 Eating/Drinking

Through Rain, Sleet or... Slowly
Chicago's postal service is the worst in the nation, according to a recent survey, and the Southwest Herald's Ray Hanania wants to hear your horror stories. You can even send them by mail, if you dare.
Friday March 23 2007 City Life/Cultural

Small Is Cool
Apartment Therapy: Chicago wants to see someone local win the 2007 Smallest, Coolest Apartment Contest. If you think your tiny pad has what it takes to beat all comers, enter by April 6.
Thursday March 22 2007 Arts/Architecture

Chicago 101
Gridskipper got it right when they called it "the Beginner's Guide to Chicago;" not many surprises on this list (though the shout-out to UIC's bowling alley is refreshing.) And hey, we're "twice as smart and half as nice as the folks in St. Louis and Minneapolis" here in the "capital of the Midwest." Great.
Thursday March 22 2007 Found on the Web

Plan Your Bus Trip
The RTA actually listened to a customer, reports the CTA Tattler: you can now choose "buses only" on the RTA Trip Planner. (Meanwhile, the RedEye now has a CTA blog of its own.)
Thursday March 22 2007 Business/Shopping

Button Up!
Hey, Busy Beaver is having a design contest for its next So&So button set! You could be famous in one-inch increments!
Wednesday March 21 2007 Arts/Architecture

Pretend You're in Third Grade...
...and go on a factory tour!
Wednesday March 21 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Put It in Your Little Black Book
Want to see a movie tomorrow night? There's an advance screening of Black Book, a WWII period piece set in Nazi-occupied Holland, tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 7pm at Landmark Century Center Cinemas, 2828 N. Clark St., courtesy of Nerve.com and Sony Pictures Classics. It's free, but you have to RSVP here to get in.
Monday March 19 2007 Film

Yet Another Googlemap, Gangsta Edition
In connection with the current Fuel question: If you don't know what gang claims your neighborhood, you should check out the handy googlemaps on the invaluable ChicagoGangs.org. I just found out that the kids in red and black on my block are members the Almighty Black P-Stones.
Monday March 19 2007 City Life/Cultural

Chicago's CFO Resigns
The city's chief financial officer, Dana Levinson, resigned today to take a job with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Even as he leaves, however, he insists that taxpayers won't be on the hook for the 2016 Olympics if we get it.
Friday March 16 2007 In the News

St. Patty's Shopping
Once you've had your fill of green beer (or better yet, beforehand), head over to the Empty Bottle for this month's Handmade Market, where you'll find everything from soaps to jewelry to accessories made of recycled bike tires. Details in Slowdown.
Friday March 16 2007 Business/Shopping

Check Your Email Before You Fly
O'Hare and Midway now offer a service that will email or text you with up-to-date flight information. That'll help, right?
Friday March 9 2007 Transportation

Passage to India
Crain's Chicago Business sent a team to India to examine how outsourcing and the rise of South Asia in the business world will affect people here. Great team coverage.
Friday March 9 2007 Print/Magazines

Visit Beautiful Woodstock
Northwest suburban Woodstock was named one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations for 2007. [via]
Thursday March 8 2007 Sports/Recreation

Last Chance to Win!
Hey! We're closing our reader survey tonight, so if you haven't told us a little about yourself, please take a minute to do so. You could win a $50 gift certificate to Threadless, who's having another $10 sale right now. (Or it could be for somewhere else if t-shirts aren't your thing.) It's anonymous except for your email, and if you're not interested in winning, even that's optional. UPDATE: Survey closed! Thanks for participating!
Wednesday March 7 2007 Gapers

Farwell Farewell?
Get ready for another fight over the Farwell Building: it's back up for review by the Landmarks Commission tomorrow. This time the odds of preservation are a bit slimmer, as the city's planning officials are throwing their support behind the plan to gut the building and slap its façade onto a new Ritz Carlton hotel and condo high-rise. Once again, Preservation Chicago and Lynn Becker are pushing for people to protest the proposal; the fight isn't just for the building now but for Hanig's Shoes, the ground floor tenant that will close after 30 years if the project is approved.
Wednesday March 7 2007 Arts/Architecture

Beasts! I Tell You
Several local artists contributed illustrations to the new book, Beasts!, and many of them will be at a release party/book signing at Quimby's this Friday. Read Kara Luger's preview and interview with Madison, Wisconsin's Little Friends of Printmaking over in the Book Club.
Tuesday March 6 2007 Books/Authors

Hello, Sports Racers
The second annual Chiditerod was this past weekend, and there are lots and lots of photos and video. Check them out here, here and, of course, on flickr. (Not to mention today's Rearview.)
Tuesday March 6 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Parenting 2.0
Chicago Parent magazine has redesigned its website, which now includes a whole bunch of blogs covering a variety of aspects of parenting, from feminist childrearing to being a working mom to just being a dad.
Monday March 5 2007 Print/Magazines

Quite a Building
Via Coudal and Edward Lifson: 360° VR photos of the Elks Veterans Memorial Building in Lincoln Park.
Monday March 5 2007 Arts/Architecture

Jump to the Front of the Line
No more waiting around outside for your cheap tickets. Hot Tix, the half-price ticket agency run by the League of Chicago Theaters, now offers ticket sales online.
Monday March 5 2007 Theatre/Dance

YouTube at the Bar
Tap.tv, a Burr Ridge-based technology company, has set up a YouTube-esque video jukeboxes at several area bars. To use LiveBar.net, you upload videos to the site, then text a code to the service when you're out at, say John Barleycorn or Moe's Cantina. The jukebox will then switch from whatever random video it was playing to yours, all for free. So far it's almost entirely commercials and "Family Guy" scenes.
Saturday March 3 2007 Business/Shopping

WBEZ2.0
Chicago Public Radio debuted a clean new website design this evening.
Friday March 2 2007 Radio/TV

Help Us Get to Know You
(This is mainly for the benefit of our RSS readers.) Gapers Block is currently doing a demographic survey of our readership. Please help us out by spending a couple minutes filling it out. Thanks!
Friday March 2 2007 Gapers

Don't Tour This Store
Medill News reporter Brad Flora took a tour of The Boring Store, 826CHI's new "not a secret agent supply store," and was nice enough to take photos.
Thursday March 1 2007 In the News

Robocop is Watching You
The Chicago Police have a new weapon in their arsenel: the automated license plate reader, capable of scanning thousands of plates an hour and checking them against stolen vehicle reports. And, one would imagine, expired plates.
Wednesday February 28 2007 Transportation

Tech Kind of Town, Chicago Is
Participate Media CEO Alan Warms has some thoughts about the benefits of being a tech start-up in Chicago.
Wednesday February 28 2007 Business/Shopping

Keep an Eye on the Election
You voted today, right? Keep an eye on the results for your ward and others on the Board of Elections site, and/or tune in to WBEZ, who'll be running special election night coverage tonight, including a live visit to Ald. Ed Bus' campaign headquarters.
Tuesday February 27 2007 Politics/Activism

Quick, Book a Flight
Are you headed to SXSW? Or are you a big enough fan of the Metro and Chicago music to fly to Austin for a great concert? Then we've got a contest over in Transmission that's just for you.
Tuesday February 27 2007 Gapers

The Language of Carnivale
Ever wanted to learn Portuguese? Casa de Cultura Brasileira has you covered. Opened in January, the school and Brazilian cultural center offers classes from beginners up to advanced levels, and the next round starts in March.
Tuesday February 27 2007 Schools/Education

A City Paved with Wood
Chicago once had 481 miles of wood-paved streets; only two small stretches remain today. YoChicago has a video of one of them: Wooden Alley, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. [via]
Monday February 26 2007 History

Haven't You Always Wanted a Monkey?
Well, think twice. "Imagine how agile a cat is and multiply that by a squirrel. This little thing bites. You name it — bitten: bite your hand, bite your ear."
Monday February 26 2007 In the News

Congrats, Jennifer Hudson
Chicago native Jennifer Hudson won the Academy Award for best supporting actress.
Sunday February 25 2007 People/Sightings

Presidential (Hopeful) Portrait
Big fans of Barack Obama may be interested in bidding on Southern folk artist Panhandle Slim's portrait of the senator and presidential candidate.
Saturday February 24 2007 Arts/Architecture

"ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU ARE LEAVING THIS TRAIN!"
Awesome story at CTA Tattler of someone kicking three drunk, obnoxious guys off the Brown Line.
Friday February 23 2007 Transportation

Oscars with Musical Accompaniment
Speaking of the Oscars, here's one of the more novel tie-ins I've heard of: The Delafields will be playing at Simon's Tavern, 5210 N. Clark st. -- but only during the commercials and "boring parts," allowing you to catch the awards and a concert.They'll also have an Oscar pool, with prizes like a massage and tax consultation -- from members of the band! How's that for service?
Thursday February 22 2007 Music/Clubs

Preview of Act One
This American Life, the TV Show, debuts in a month (March 22, specifically) on Showtime. Check out the trailer here. (Still tickets available for the live performance at the Chicago Theatre March 1, btw.)
Wednesday February 21 2007 Radio/TV

CTA Bother You? Call Blago.
The Tribune's Kyra Kyles recommends that instead of pissing and moaning about CTA problems, you call write and email Governor Blagojevich and tell him to support the RTA's budget requests. Here are his numbers: 217-782-0244 or 312-814-2121. You could take it a step further by looking up your local, state and federal reps at Civic Footprint and bugging all of them. (Thanks, Will!)
Tuesday February 20 2007 Transportation

Penn & Sagal
Friend of GB Greg writes, "Peter Sagal of Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me was a lively guest on the Penn Jillette radio show yesterday, talking about the foie gras ban, Jack & Jeri Ryan, his own show, and other things of Chicago interest. For those who missed it, it's now up on the podcast."
Tuesday February 20 2007 Radio/TV

Local Paper Does Good
Congrats to the Lakefront Outlook, an 11,000-copy free weekly covering Bronzeville, on winning a George Polk Award for outstanding journalism. Last month The Reader's Hot Type column covered the paper's investigative report on Dorothy Tillman and the blind intern who helped write it. UPDATE: The award-winning article in PDF format. (Thanks, Whet!)
Monday February 19 2007 Print/Magazines

Red Eye Rage
The Tribune is suing Fox News over the network's use of the name "Red Eye" for its late-night talk show — which is currently called "Gary Gutfield's Show" on Fox News' website, although the URL hasn't changed.
Monday February 19 2007 Print/Magazines

Designing Rearview
Wondering what those things are in today's Rearview photo? It's called "Pinch," a salt cellar and pepper shaker designed by GB alum Craig Berman. Pinch was awarded an honorable mention last night in Design Within Reach's Modern + Design + Function: Chicago Furniture Now competition.
Friday February 16 2007 Arts/Architecture

Don't Park Here
A sign of the times: A collection of parking space barricades, at Slats.org.
Friday February 16 2007 City Life/Cultural

Olympic Sized Donor Pool
Chicago 2016, the campaign to bring the Olympics here, is throwing its first public fundraiser March 1, and it already has $6 million in ticket sales.
Thursday February 15 2007 Sports/Recreation

Real Estate Resources
Blockshopper is a relatively new site that calls itself a "real estate news service for ... the residents themselves." However, in practice, it's more for the residents neighbors, not so much for the subject of the site's news briefs, which are written apparently without actually contacting the people involved. Speaking of checking on the neighbors, ever wonder how your rent compares to the rest of neighborhood? Check it on the Rentometer.
Wednesday February 14 2007 Found on the Web

Buy Art, Save Lung
Artist and friend of GB Phineas Jones caught pneumonia over the holidays, and ended up with fluid in one of his lungs. As you'd expect, he has some big medical bills, but he's uninsured, so he's selling art on his site, No Commercial Potential, to cover the costs of "lung reclamation." Help him out and get some beautiful art in the bargain.
Tuesday February 13 2007 Arts/Architecture

Drive-Thru Now Open
We're pleased to announce the launch of Gapers Block's newest section, Drive-Thru, devoted to the city's vibrant food scene. We'll be covering everything from restaurants and bars to businesses like Kraft and McDonald's to recipes to where to find some random ingredient. Oh, and foodporn, lots of foodporn. Be sure to check out this week's Detour feature, too, by one of the Drive-Thru contributors.

If that weren't enough, we've also redesigned the Gapers Block Book Club page, which has been quietly morphing into a blog on the Chicago literary scene.
Monday February 12 2007 Gapers

The City's 26th Sibling
Let's give a big family welcome to Lahore, Pakistan, the latest of Chicago's sister cities.
Monday February 12 2007 City Life/Cultural

The Anti-Valentine Store
Feeling not-so down with Cupid? Chicagoist and Apartment Therapy point us to a pop-up store from Altoids in Lincoln Park aiming to provide "the lovesick, lovelorn and Cupid-wary of Chicago ... a sanctuary from all the romantic overtures." Stop in between now and Valentine's Day and get free chocolate-dipped Altoids, coffee and cupcakes from Angel Food Bakery, anti-Valentine's cards and more. Yes, all for free. Open noon to 10pm at 912 W. Armitage Ave.
Saturday February 10 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Photoshop for Alderman
Speaking of Sandi Jackson, there's something fishy going on with the photo on one of her campaign billboards. (Thanks, Martha!)
Friday February 9 2007 Politics/Activism

Secret Benefactor
RIP Herb Linneweh, the frugal, mild-mannered retired janitor who stashed $700,000 away in envelopes around his house, to be given to seven charities after his death. Your feel-good story of the day.
Friday February 9 2007 People/Sightings

Yet Another Googlemap, Night Food Edition
Chicago Restaurants at Night, courtesy of Urbanspoon.
Friday February 9 2007 Eating/Drinking

From Buildings to Papers?
The latest news about the Tribune's potential sale: Billionaire real estate mogul Sam Zell is said to be interested in buying the company.
Thursday February 8 2007 Print/Magazines

No Need to Finish the Bottle
As of January 1, it became legal in Illinois to take home your leftover wine from a restaurant, provided the bottle is inside a clear, tamper-proof bag. Unfortunately, a Chicago ordinance contradicted the new law, keeping it illegal in the city. As of today, however, that ordinance's days are numbered, reports the Winediva.
Wednesday February 7 2007 Eating/Drinking

Tune Your TiVo to 11
Tonight's episode of "Chicago Tonight" will feature Chicagoist's Rachelle Bowden, CTA Tattler's Kevin O'Neil and Gapers Block's own, uh, me talking with Phil Ponce about news blogs. I can't promise it'll be riveting television, but tune in between 7 and 8pm tonight anyway.
Wednesday February 7 2007 Gapers

Single in the City
How far are you willing to go for a date? Chicago magazine is looking for people to profile in their annual singles feature.
Wednesday February 7 2007 People/Sightings

Mau's Massive Move
Bruce Mau, Toronto's star designer, is moving to Chicago. He was apparently wooed by the warm reception he received in connection with "Massive Change," the show he curated at the MCA last year. (Thanks, Craig.)
Tuesday February 6 2007 Arts/Architecture

Capping Our Bears Coverage For Now
You've probably had enough of the Bears for the time being, so we'll lay off until Sunday. Besides, the Beachwood Reporter has collected more than enough Bears-related links to last you the next couple days.
Friday February 2 2007 Sports/Recreation

Robuchon Comes to Chicago
Chicago magazine's Dish reports that the rumors are true: Joël Robuchon will open an outpost here in 2008. Foodies, prepare your palates and start saving now.
Thursday February 1 2007 Eating/Drinking

Snacks for Your iPod
AudioSnacks is a local company that produces audio tours for places around the world, downloadable to your mp3 player. They've got a handful for Chicago, including one narrated by Jewish hip-hop poet Kevin Coval.
Thursday February 1 2007 City Life/Cultural

It's Not Delivery, It's Charity
This week is National Take-Out & Delivery Week, and GrubHub has teamed up with Meals on Wheels to make it an extra-special nonholiday: for every meal ordered through the site through Feb. 4, GrubHub will donate one meal to Meals on Wheels.
Wednesday January 31 2007 Eating/Drinking

SexyRexy.com Was Taken
MidwestBusiness.com's Brad Spirrison proclaims his love of RexGrossman.com. It's a decent site, but you'll want to turn down your speakers, or you'll be treating the office to "Sexy Rexy's Back." (By the way, you *really* don't want to visit sexyrexy.com -- unless you want your IT department flagging you for visiting a pr0n site.)
Wednesday January 31 2007 Sports/Recreation

Get Your Tech News Here
Awhile back, I was talking to Tom Sherman about how there ought to be a site that covers the Chicago tech scene. Like Tech Social, but with news, too. A month later, he launches Windy Bits. Way to go, Tom.
Tuesday January 30 2007 Weblogs

Serving and Protecting Via the Web
Nice profile of Adrian Holovaty, creator of ChicagoCrime.org and master of the Google mash-up, in the American Journalism Review. What they don't mention is his fine guitar playing.
Monday January 29 2007 People/Sightings

Chicago, Still Bang Bang
We do have a love-hate relationship with Capone and The Outfit, don't we? On one hand the mob strengthens our tough big city image, and on the other hand it'd be nice if the tourists would just get over it.
Monday January 29 2007 People/Sightings

Humanized Launches Enso
Humanized, a local software start-up, just launched their premier product, and did it with a bang: the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg wrote a favorable review of Enso today. If you're on Windows, it's worth checking out. (Disclosure: I'm their PR guy, but I still thinks it's cool. Can't say that about all my clients.)
Thursday January 25 2007 Business/Shopping

Time on Da Mare
Ahead of next month's election, Time takes a look at Mayor Daley and the political environment that has allowed him to reign for so long. (Thanks, Dee.)
Tuesday January 23 2007 Politics/Activism

O'Donovan's Contract Asshattery
Over on Ask.MetaFilter, someone has posted about O'Donovan's canceling his friend's contract for a Super Bowl party without notice, even though it's been on the books for over a month. Keep that in mind next time you're looking for a place to host a party.
Tuesday January 23 2007 Business/Shopping

Borat Obama?
The Morning News thinks our local presidential candidate could do with a name change.
Monday January 22 2007 People/Sightings

Site Updates & New Features
Pardon our dust: we're making some small changes and rolling out some new features this week. First off, we've added an easier way for you to get to our blogs, Transmission and Book Club (and soon Drive Thru, our food blog!) You may need to refresh your browser to get it to show up correctly.

Second, we're proud to announce our new job board, part of the Chicago Job Board Network with MidwestBusiness.com, the Illinois IT Association and Chicagoist. Listings are free for the next 30 days, so be sure to try it out!
Monday January 22 2007 Gapers

Bears Win!
As you've no doubt heard, the Bears are going to the Super Bowl!
Sunday January 21 2007 Sports/Recreation

Seven on the Verge
Preservation Chicago has announced its seven most endangered buildings for 2007, and it's a doozy, including the recently-in-the-news Farwell Building and the Wicker Park commercial district along Milwaukee Avenue.
Friday January 19 2007 Arts/Architecture

Help Found
A quick note to those who've contacted us wanting to join the GB staff: We're working our way through the many, many submissions, and will be getting in touch with everyone very soon. (If you think you've got what it takes to contribute but have been hesitating to apply, you've still got a little time! Details here.)
Thursday January 18 2007 Gapers

Trib's Auction is Closed
The Tribune Company received just three bids in its self-auction, and none look all that appealing, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Chandler family, the former owners of the LA Times who own 20 percent of TribCo.'s stock, made the best offer, but it's just a little higher than the current stock price. Read the Chandlers' letter here [PDF]. One of the others was for just the broadcast division.
Thursday January 18 2007 Print/Magazines

Double Your Chair-Throwing Fun!
Feder reports that Jerry Springer "bodyguard" Steve Wilkos, a former Chicago cop, will be getting his own show on NBC later this year. It will be filmed in the NBC Tower studios, like Springer, and will feature Wilkos "offering advice and doling out his version of justice," i.e., headlocks.
Wednesday January 17 2007 Radio/TV

Beware the Hardhat Bandit
The Washington Post puts Chicago's 2006 bank robbery record into a national context, while sharing a few of the nicknames the police have given some of the more notorious bandits.
Tuesday January 16 2007 In the News

"Hi, I'm the Tribune, and I'm in trouble."
The Beachwood Reporter does a send-up of the Mac vs. PC commercials featuring our hometown papers -- the difference being that neither the Trib nor the Sun-Times comes out on top.
Tuesday January 16 2007 Print/Magazines

Obama: Announcing ~~This Week?~~
Barackwatch rolls on: rumor has it he'll announce his presidential candidacy on Oprah sometime this week. In the meantime, he delighted crowds yesterday with appearances at two MLK Day events as he tantalized politicos with why he's going to run. UPDATE Obama filed paperwork to form an exploratory committee today, which isn't quite announcing his candidacy, but darn close. Watch his video statement here.
Tuesday January 16 2007 Politics/Activism

Bobtail Salutes the Bears
The Bears won yesterday, which means we all win: report to Bobtail on Broadway between 5pm and 7pm today and receive a free ice cream cone or hot cocoa! (I'm going with the cocoa.)
Monday January 15 2007 Eating/Drinking

Your Bloggy News Fix
Chicago Magazine did a profile of several of the city's newsblog type things, including GB, Chicagoist, Metroblogging, The Beachwood Reporter and CTA Tattler. Fun to see your favorite editors in pixel form!
Monday January 15 2007 Weblogs

Now Hiring
Yep, Gapers Block is looking for a few new staff members; details here. Also, you might want to check out Transmission, our music blog, which just got a major facelift.
Monday January 15 2007 Gapers

Can't Bear It
With today's overtime win against the Seahawks, the Bears will face the Saints next Sunday for the NFC Championship and their first trip to the superbowl since 1985. Great news, to be sure, but does that mean we have to suffer through Mike Ditka singing "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" with CBS2's Vince Gerasole?
Sunday January 14 2007 Sports/Recreation

An Oyster Shucker's Manifesto
The Reader's cover story is a profile of Mark Mavrantonis, executive chef at Fulton's on the River and an oyster afficianado. He's writing a Kitchen Confidential-style "manifesto" about oysters; read some excerpts here.
Friday January 12 2007 Eating/Drinking

Ride That Tin Horse
Lowen & Navarro are playing tomorrow night at the Park West, and friends of GB Tin Horse are opening for them. The show is nearly sold out, but Tin Horse has your hook-up: enter their raffle by 3pm today and you could win a pair.
Friday January 12 2007 Music/Clubs

Zoom All the Way In
The Trib's Dave Wischnowsky gives a little background on this amazing panorama of the skyline.
Friday January 12 2007 Photography

Let's Hear About the El
CTA Tattler reports that Alderman Joe Moore will call for City Council hearings on the continued devolution of CTA train service. Full text of Moore's resolution here.
Thursday January 11 2007 Transportation

"Rome"-an Wine Hits Town
If you come across a bottle of this stuff in the next few days, be a sport and add a photo to the GB flickr pool. [via]
Wednesday January 10 2007 Radio/TV

Gender-Neutral Dorms?
The University of Chicago is contemplating gender-neutral undergraduate housing -- an idea the Maroon editorial board endorses.
Wednesday January 10 2007 City Life/Cultural

Food Briefs: Haute and Hot
Here's yet another review of Alinea -- this time in MIT Technology Review -- and Serious Eats included Skokie's Poochie's in a list of the best hot dogs in the country. (Thanks, Matt & Chicagoist)
Tuesday January 9 2007 Eating/Drinking

Mapping the City, Wiki-Style
Wow, since we last checked in, the WikiMapia of Chicago has really filled out. You should add to it yourself, before everything's tagged. (Sad to see the Wicker Park entry remains a battleground.)
Tuesday January 9 2007 Found on the Web

Alderman Troutman Hooked by Feds
This should make the 20th Ward aldermanic race a bit more interesting: Alderman Arenda Troutman was arrested by federal agents today, on charges that she took bribes related to a mall built in the ward.
Monday January 8 2007 Politics/Activism

Chicago Supernova
The University of Chicago's Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes was awarded a couple million hours of time on a government supercomputer to run supernova simulations. The simulations could shed light (heh) on "dark energy" and other little-understood phenomena.
Monday January 8 2007 Schools/Education

Moonrise Over Chicago
Here's an incredible photo of a moonrise over Chicago, circa 1985. Eerie and strange -- read the comments to learn how the photographer did it.
Monday January 8 2007 Photography

Oprah In the News
It's been an eventful week for Oprah Winfrey. First, a lawsuit was filed against her and her show by a woman who was injured in the stampede to get a good seat at a taping. Then she got ridiculed for her comments in a Newsweek story about her building a school in South Africa regarding why she didn't build one in the US. Then news broke that police had arrested a man who tried to extort $1.5 million from our resident billionaire.
Sunday January 7 2007 People/Sightings

The Trib's X-Files Experience
The Columbia Journalism Review reports on the unexpected popularity of the Tribune's story on the O'Hare UFO sighting [previously], which has gotten over a million pageviews and has turned editor John Hilkevitch into a sort of celebrity. (Thanks, Matt!)
Friday January 5 2007 Print/Magazines

From Slave to Priest
Interesting article on Augustine Tolton, the first black priest in America, who preached in Quincy and the South Side of Chicago in the late 1800s.
Friday January 5 2007 Religion/Spirituality

One a Day, Again
Speaking of song a day projects, the local band Beatnik Turtle just launched TheSongoftheDay.com, which, true to name, delivers a new off-beat song daily. (Thanks, Greg!)
Friday January 5 2007 Music/Clubs

Annual Bloggies Plea
It's Bloggies nomination time again -- take a moment or two and nominate your favorite blogs! (May we suggest Gapers Block as a fine nominee for best topical blog and best group blog?)
Friday January 5 2007 Gapers

Hungry for the Win
Hungry Mag, the local foodblog edited by Michael Nagrant, has been nominated for the Best Group Foodblog award at Well Fed Network. Vote by Jan. 9 to help this hometown blog do good!
Thursday January 4 2007 Weblogs

In Defense of the Farwell
Lynn Becker makes an impassioned case for why the Commission on Chicago Landmarks shouldn't allow a developer to move forward on its plans to tear down the Farwell Building on Michigan Avenue, build a parking garage, and then "skin" the garage with the Farwell's exterior. The commission is voting on the plans today at 12:45pm; the meeting is open to the public, should you wish to be heard on the subject. UPDATE: The building has been saved ...for now.
Thursday January 4 2007 Arts/Architecture

Still Champion, But Not a Record
Well, so much for that. Jason Pisarik made it 33 hours and 5 minutes in the ESPN Zone Couch Potato Contest, long enough to solidly beat the competition, but far short of the world record of 69 hours and 48 minutes.
Wednesday January 3 2007 Radio/TV

One a Day
Eight Forty-Eight interviewed musician and teacher Michael Droste this morning about his just-completed One Song Every Day project , which began as a New Year's resolution in 2006. Listen to the interview here (mp3).
Wednesday January 3 2007 Music/Clubs

If Only They Ran Simultaneously
The Museum of Science & Industry's 2007 schedule is kind of funny: Body Worlds returns for an encore Jan. 17 to April 29 -- followed in May by "The 'CSI:' Experience."
Wednesday January 3 2007 City Life/Cultural

Couch Potatoes Go for the Record
Over at the ESPN Zone, four guys -- including defending champ Jason Pisarik of Lombard -- settled into black leather recliners and got ready for some serious vegging. Their mission is to sit and stare at a television for as long as they can, getting up only for 15 minute breaks every eight hours. If one can last until 8am Thursday, he'll set a new world record.
Tuesday January 2 2007 Radio/TV

Barbershop Blues
The Hyde Park Hair Salon, which cut Harold Washington and Mohammed Ali's hair and still give Barack Obama a weekly trim, will be looking for a new home after the University of Chicago bought its building with the intention of selling it to developers.
Friday December 29 2006 In the News

Podcasting Your Muse
Add the Art Institute to your list of local cultural centers with podcasts. Musecast will deliver stories and info about the museum's current and upcoming exhibits and events every six weeks.
Friday December 29 2006 Arts/Architecture

Home-town Representin' -- and Not
Trib TV critic Maureen Ryan names Shawn Ryan (no relation) "Chicagoan of the year in television" for his role on "The Shield." In the meantime, Keep Going's Geary Yonker would like Jim Belushi to quit playing The Face of Chicago on TV.
Thursday December 28 2006 Radio/TV

Shop at Threadless
Fairly soon, you'll be able to shop at Threadless in person (besides stopping by their Ravenswood headquarters, that is). The first store has been spied at 3011 N Broadway, the old Leather on Leather Ltd. location in Wrigleyville.
Wednesday December 27 2006 Business/Shopping

Squatting on Hester
Devin Hester is a top contender for Rookie of the Year, but the contest to squat on his name on the web has already been won, apparently by these guys. At least second place, DevinHester.net, was nabbed by someone local.
Tuesday December 26 2006 People/Sightings

Holiday Choose Your Own Adventure
A seasonal diversion from Schadenfreude & AlphaZeta.
Friday December 22 2006 Found on the Web

Away in a Manger
Posting will be light(er) here on Merge for the next few days, as most of the staff is scattered to the winds, visiting family and friends. Hope you have a very happy holiday!
Friday December 22 2006 Gapers

The Nativity News
Hey, remember how the City decided not to show the trailer for The Nativity Story at the Christkindlmarket back in November? Well, a church group apparently decided it was important to take a stand, so it's now showing on a continuous loop at the fair, although with the sound off. And 32 Baby Jesuses, stolen from nativity scenes around the city, turned up in a St. Symphorosa Church parishoner's yard, sorted by design.
Thursday December 21 2006 Religion/Spirituality

"Good King Lovie Smith"
Some revised Christmas Carols for you, mostly Chicago-related, courtesy of the Beachwood Reporter.
Wednesday December 20 2006 Found on the Web

Go Green
Know anyone who's living the green lifestyle? Chicago Magazine wants to hear about them. Nominate people for the Green Awards.
Wednesday December 20 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Find A Spot
ParkWhiz is another site to help you find a parking spot, with a rating system and distance gauge -- find a parking garage within a five-minute walk of your destination, for instance. They're rolling out a new "marketplace" early next year, which will allow drivers to reserve and pay for parking spaces in participating garages online, well before they arrive at the ticket box.
Wednesday December 20 2006 Transportation

Night Life in Chicago
...circa 1959. [via]
Monday December 18 2006 Found on the Web

What Would Jesus Bomb?
Anybody else spot these anti-war posters mimicking T-Mobile's "Fave 5" campaign on the Red Line this weekend?
Monday December 18 2006 Transportation

City Spits on Crown Fountain
Mike at Chicago Carless noticed that, sometime recently, the City installed security cameras on top of Crown Fountain.
Monday December 18 2006 Arts/Architecture

They Beat Us To It
Some of you may know that Naz and I are the guys behind El Boton (limited edition pins make a great gift, by the way). We're a bit jealous, therefore, that Coudal Partners beat us to this great idea.
Friday December 15 2006 Stuff

Political Stock-picker
Via the comments on RotSC: Prediction markets for the 2007 aldermanic races, powered by locally based Inkling Markets.
Friday December 15 2006 Politics/Activism

In Memoriam
Chicago Bauhaus Studios master craftsman Berthold Schwaiger passed away this week. (Thanks, Brenda.)
Friday December 15 2006 Arts/Architecture

Chuck's Tree
Evanston-based Pop Matters has a great story about the making of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
Thursday December 14 2006 Radio/TV

Like MovieFone, But Faster
Jellyvision has launched the "Daily Dis or Dat," a quick flash trivia game based on their popular "You Don't Know Jack" series. Press buttons and win (virtual) cash!
Thursday December 14 2006 Found on the Web

The Last Four Miles
Friends of the Parks has proposed a plan to connect the chain of lakeshore parks along the South Side, buying property and creating an archipelago of islands where the lakefront is built up.
Wednesday December 13 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Scrum Over Scrabble
Hey, just a reminder that GB staffers will be getting together at the Black Rock this Friday for the holiday edition of our monthly Get-Together. Now that we know that the bar exists solely to support a rugby team, we'll be putting together a quick scrimmage in the back room. Join us!
Tuesday December 12 2006 Gapers

Rookie of the Year
Congratulations to Bears Safety Devin Hester, who now has two NFL records under his belt: a tie for longest return from earlier this season, and now the most returns for touchdowns in a single season. He ran back two in last night's win against the Rams.
Tuesday December 12 2006 Sports/Recreation

Forget That It's a School Night
Biannual publication AREA Chicago is holding a fundraiser at Danny's Tavern, 1951 W. Dickens, tonight from 10pm to 2am. It's free to get in, but 25 percent of the bar proceeds will go to AREA -- so drink up!
Monday December 11 2006 Print/Magazines

Super Bowl Mumble
Chicago Magazine has posted the lyrics and a video for "The Super Bowl Mumble," this year's smash-hit update of the "Super Bowl Shuffle."
Monday December 11 2006 Sports/Recreation

Vote Early, Vote Once a Day
The 2006 Weblog Awards nominees have been announced, and there are two local sites among them: Glorious Noise for Best Music Blog and The Becker-Posner Blog for Best Law Blog. You can vote for them and/or any others once a day from now until the 15th. (Thanks, Jake.)
Monday December 11 2006 Weblogs

Pop Over to Pops
Looking for something to do tonight? Head over to Pops for Champagne tonight after 9pm -- they're celebrating their 25th anniversary and the grand opening of their new location, 601 N. State in the Tree Studios building. Jazz Conspiracy performs, and lots of champagne will be served (duh).
Saturday December 9 2006 Eating/Drinking

Shooting Downtown
Three people were shot on an upper floor of the Ogilvie Transportation Center, leading to a lockdown of the building. If you take Metra from that station, you might want to dawdle awhile or take the CTA, which is honoring Metra passes. (Thanks, Carrie!)
Friday December 8 2006 In the News

Time for Another Vote
Looking for a time-waster? AOL Cityguide's Best of Chicago poll is open for voting -- go pick some winners.
Friday December 8 2006 City Life/Cultural

Valet Secrets
The Trib takes a look at valet parking. Apparently I've been undertipping for years.
Thursday December 7 2006 Transportation

Tracking the Tracked
From the team behind the political aggregator Real Clear Politics comes BuzzTracker -- as if you needed another way to keep up on celebrities. (To be fair, you can track lots of other stuff, too.)
Thursday December 7 2006 Found on the Web

Eating on Someone Else's Dime
Chicagoist did some investigating into the Channel 5's LeeAnn Trotter ~~departure from the station~~ "Good Eats" segments and ethical concerns regarding her restaurant "reviews." [Correction/Update: Trotter's not leaving the station, and Chicagoist has a follow-up story up now.]
Thursday December 7 2006 Radio/TV

Latin Kings King Collared
The Feds busted at least 21 members of the South Side Latin Kings gang -- including its "Supreme Inca," Fernando "Ace" King.
Wednesday December 6 2006 In the News

Aldermanic Debate
We don't normally carry a column over from one week to the next, but Richard Carnahan has the week off and his column from last week is still generating discourse -- including comments from one of the aldermanic candidates mentioned. So it's staying up.
Wednesday December 6 2006 Politics/Activism

Art in America
United States Artists, a new nonprofit arts organization, announced its first round of $50,000 fellowship awards, and two Chicagoans are on the list: Nick Cave (no, not that one, this one) and Chris Ware.
Wednesday December 6 2006 People/Sightings

The Reason for the Season
"Put Marduk back into Zagmuk."
Tuesday December 5 2006 Weblogs

Packing Them In
The New York Times continues its slow discovery of how great Chicago is with its latest installment, the West Loop.
Tuesday December 5 2006 City Life/Cultural

Attendance is Optional
Optional Events is a colorfully presented event calendar, with more of an activist bent to the listings.
Tuesday December 5 2006 Found on the Web

Posh Gifts
I miss its old location on Southport, and I wish it still carried more real restaurant china instead of reproductions, but I still love P.O.S.H. Where else in the city can you find a cat butt plate and a vintage Italian army belt?
Monday December 4 2006 Business/Shopping

CSO Returns to the Airwaves
Gramophone reports that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is recording albums again -- under its own label, CSO Resound. January's release of Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and mezzo Michelle DeYoung will be the first since 2001, and will be available on iTunes. The CSO also announced a return to radio broadcast in '07 with the debut of the BP Chicago Symphony Orchestra Radio Broadcast Series on WFMT. Read the official press release here.
Monday December 4 2006 Music/Clubs

Nice Holiday Cards
Picked out your holiday cards yet? If not, consider a set created by one of the students in Marwen's after-school art education program. (Thanks, Maureen!)
Friday December 1 2006 Business/Shopping

Unaccompanied Minors, Accompanied by TAL Host
Unaccompanied Minors, a feature film based on a This American Life episode, makes its Chicago premier Sunday, 12/3 at 1pm at the AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois St. TAL host Ira Glass will be on hand to talk about how radio translates to the big screen, and director Paul Feig will do a Q&A. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for kids 12 and under. More info and ticket purchasing at Chicago Public Radio.
Thursday November 30 2006 Film

Unspin Your City
Amazon just unveiled Unspun, a new ranking site where users rank such things as the best small live music venues in Chicago, best websites about the city, best coffee houses... lots here, and lots to do to clean up duplicates and typos. (It runs on Ruby on Rails, but this isn't the rumored Amazon-37signals collaboration.)
Thursday November 30 2006 Found on the Web

Sing, Sing a Song
You've been hearing about live band karaoke for years, but you've never tried it. Well, now that the holidays are here, there's no excuse: get up there and belt out "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" or "Jingle Bell Rock" to break the ice. You can blame it on the egg nog if you bomb.
Thursday November 30 2006 Music/Clubs

Keep Yer Movie Away from My Manger
There's room at the Christkindlmarket for a nativity scene (as well as Islamic and Jewish holiday symbols), but not for The Nativity Story. The movie was dropped as a sponsor because the City thought the marketing was "too aggressive."
Wednesday November 29 2006 In the News

Populated Street Photography
Photographer Lee Balterman shot Chicago in the '50s and '60s, and unlike many of his street photography compatriots, he included people -- lots of people. [via]
Tuesday November 28 2006 Photography

Wither the Rhino-topped Choco-apple?
Praytell where one might find this bizarre confection? It's in the Chicago Cuisine flickr pool, so it must be local. Shoot an email to inbox @ gapersblock if you can enlighten us. UPDATE: It's available somewhere in the Christkindlmarket at the Daley Center. (Thanks, Mary and Laura!)
Monday November 27 2006 Eating/Drinking

Electric Train to Peotone
Should the proposed Peotone airport ever get built, Metra is ready to provide service.
Monday November 27 2006 Transportation

A Big Guide to the Web
Big Fat Blog, a fat acceptance blog written by GB alum Paul McAleer, recently launched the Big Fat Index, a guide to FA websites and other resources.
Saturday November 25 2006 Weblogs

Thanksgiving Help
If you're scrambling for Thanksgiving dinner options and ideas, allow us to point you to last week's Detour feature, "Taking Care of Turkey Day," as well as One Good Meal this week and last -- and, for that matter, last year and the year before too! Good luck, and happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday November 23 2006 Eating/Drinking

Lupe Breaks Out
Lupe Fiasco's star just keeps rising: GQ named him the Breakout Man of the Year, and he'll be on "the Late Show with David Letterman" tonight. Check Transmission to find out how to see him free at the Park West Friday night.
Wednesday November 22 2006 People/Sightings

Reader Blogs Up
The Reader has added two more blogs to its growing stable: The Food Chain covers restaurants, while On Film covers -- well, you can probably guess.
Wednesday November 22 2006 Weblogs

An American Home
Over at YoChicago, they posted a photo of a $1.45 million Lakeview home with an American flag engraved on the address plate ...and all hell broke loose in the comments.
Tuesday November 21 2006 Arts/Architecture

Walt's Favorite Multiplex
Did you know Walt Disney grew up in Chicago?
Tuesday November 21 2006 Film

Catch a Chick Flick Tonight
Tonight's your first chance to catch the new improved Thax Douglas, Rock Star™. His band, Chicken and the Chick Flicks, performs at the Beat Kitchen tonight at 5:30pm (ahead of Pat McCurdy's regular Monday night gig.)
Monday November 20 2006 Music/Clubs

Gathered in the Agora
Edward Lifson, host of WBEZ's "Hello Beautiful," offers a wonderful play-by-play of the dedication of Magdalena Abakanovicz's Agora public sculpture in Grant Park.
Sunday November 19 2006 Arts/Architecture

Bars Raise a Red (or Blue, or Yellow) Flag
The Wall Street Journal reports that Chicago has more than its fair share of college alumni bars, and hypothesizes that it's because (sorry, Northwestern) we lack a local football powerhouse to root for.
Sunday November 19 2006 Eating/Drinking

What It Is
By way of again plugging the Crispin Glover movie and appearance at the Music Box this weekend, allow me to point you to an interview with the auteur on 848 this morning, and a review of the film by our very own Steve at the Movies.
Friday November 17 2006 Film

Still A-Spiring
In case you've been wondering, that Calatrava-designed "spire" building proposed for the lake shore is still in development, but the name has been changed from Fordham to Chicago after the original developer bowed out. Here's the whole team as it stands now. Still no start date for construction, though.
Friday November 17 2006 Arts/Architecture

Local Economy Flagging?
Jill Jaracz attended the City of Chicago's Sharing It Banner Auction, and notes that this year's bids were far lower than last year's.
Thursday November 16 2006 Weblogs

Bigots Rejoice! Craigslist is OK!
Follow-up from February: A federal judge ruled that Craigslist was not liable for running housing ads that discriminated against particular groups of people. The ruling stated that CL is a service, not a publisher, and therefore is protected under the 1996 Communications Decency Act.
Thursday November 16 2006 Politics/Activism

Blink and You'll Miss Him
Jay-Z will be swinging through Chicago for half an hour on Saturday as part of a seven-airport tour of the country in support of his new album, Kingdom Come. Anybody know exactly where he'll perform? Or even which airport he'll be at? Email us at inbox[at]gapersblock.com.
Wednesday November 15 2006 Music/Clubs

Make Rolly Fingers Proud
Ever want to grow a mustache, but afraid that people will ridicule you? Well, here's your opportunity: register to participate in Mustaches for Kids and when someone makes fun of your 'stache, you can say, I'm growing it for charity."
Wednesday November 15 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Pitchfork on Ritscher
Pitchfork has a long, thoughtful obit for Malachi Ritscher. Worth reading. (Thanks, Jen.)
Tuesday November 14 2006 People/Sightings

We Warned Them
The CEO of Federated Department Stores tells the Trib that the switch from Marshall Field's to Macy's has been tougher than expected. Duh. However, the former Field's stores helped Federated report its best months ever in September and October.
Tuesday November 14 2006 Business/Shopping

Busy Theater Schedule
Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks wrote 365 short works in one year and starting, er, yesterday, 52 theater companies are going to perform them all -- each is performing seven of the plays over the course of a week. Andersonville's Dog and Pony Theatre is first in line; check here for the full schedule. And, for more on the genesis of the project, there's this recent profile of Parks from the New Yorker.
Tuesday November 14 2006 Theatre/Dance

Cut Down Too Soon
The Bears may have won, but Chicago's bid for rock-paper-scissors supremecy was cut short this weekend. Local teacher Jason Kieronski lost in the first round of the world RPS championship in Toronto.
Monday November 13 2006 Sports/Recreation

Support Supportive Housing
Alderman Rey Colon will be meeting with Logan Square residents tonight at 7pm at the Armitage Baptist Church, 2451 N. Kedzie, to discuss a proposal to turn the building at 2800 N. Milwaukee into a supportive housing residence -- permanent affordable housing and social services for people who have been homeless and/or have disabilities. More info at the Logan Square Neighborhood Association's site. (Thanks, Jen!)
Monday November 13 2006 City Life/Cultural

Apartment Therapy's Top Choices
Apartment Therapy Chicago is putting together a best-of list with your help -- over the next few weeks, add your two cents for bests in a variety of categories; your first being shops for modern gifts.
Friday November 10 2006 Business/Shopping

Redevelopment Goes Both Ways
As a sort of companion piece to the NYTimes article about our city being overrun with condos, here's a story in the Wall Street Journal about the successful conversion of the old Montgomery Ward warehouse into the flourishing 600 West Chicago.
Friday November 10 2006 Business/Shopping

Chicago vs. LA for 2016?
Chicago's Olympic hopes may have gotten a boost this week, as San Francisco appears to be taking itself out of the running after the 49ers nixed plans for a new stadium there.
Friday November 10 2006 Sports/Recreation

See Bill Gates On Us!
Chopin Theatre is in the midst of I-Fest, its annual international solo theatre series. As a special offer to GB readers, the first 10 people to call or email and include the message "Gapers Block has me covered" will get a pair of tickets to this Sunday's performance of Windows, or Must We Imagine Bill Gates Happy? for free! (If you speak German, you might also be interested in Clemons Schick's performance Saturday in his native language.)
Thursday November 9 2006 Theatre/Dance

New On GB
There's a new feature in Slowdown: We've teamed up with local startup Planypus to allow you to quickly and easily make plans with friends to go to any event on our calendar. It's sort of a mix of Upcoming and Evite; we hope you like it. Also, we've launched text ads -- see the top of the page? -- as an affordable way to advertise concerts, plays, shops, etc. Learn more here.
Thursday November 9 2006 Gapers

No More Street Sweeping Tickets
An organization called Smarter Government aims to fix the city's ills -- but first they might want to fix their website. Only two pages are available right now, but one is a pretty darn useful to cityfolk with cars: sign up here and get an email alert letting you know when the street sweepers are coming by, so you don't forget to move your car. (Thanks, Atul!)
Wednesday November 8 2006 Resources

Martyred for Peace?
Malachi Ritscher, a local musician and peace activist, apparently set himself on fire on the side of the Kennedy last week as a protest against the Iraq War. I recall hearing a mention of this as a suicide on traffic reports, but never the political side of it. UPDATE: Peter Margasak has much more information on Post No Bills.
Wednesday November 8 2006 Politics/Activism

Early and Often
Y'all are voting today, right?
Tuesday November 7 2006 Politics/Activism

Following the Money Underground
The "underground economy" of the South Side is the subject of this great article in the Boston Globe.
Monday November 6 2006 Business/Shopping

Touring the Dead
Dan Kelly and friends made a day of visiting South Side cemeteries recently, and they came across many graves of famous folk, from politicians to bluesmen.
Monday November 6 2006 History

Hear the City
Hey, remember when we talked about our favorite sounds in the city? Well, those and many others have been recorded and shared with the world at Your Favorite Chicago Sounds. A sampling of what's they've collected is up on the site, including a great recording of the Lincoln Park Zoo's wolf pack howling along with a passing ambulance.
Sunday November 5 2006 Arts/Architecture

Display Receipt on Dashboard
Here's a downside to those parking meter kiosks that are popping up around the city: Where do motorcyclists affix their receipt to prove they paid?
Friday November 3 2006 Transportation

Oprah's Pizza Club?
Oprah may do for pizza what she's done for so many novels, with a little help from Chicago Magazine food writers Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby: on yesterday's show, her friend Gayle King began a quest for the best pies in the country, based on Pollack and Ruby's book, Everybody Loves Pizza. (Read our review and interview with the authors here.)
Thursday November 2 2006 Eating/Drinking

An Autumn Bloom
After a long wait, a new issue of Metroblossom has arrived.
Thursday November 2 2006 Arts/Architecture

Newsies on the Block
The Tribune isn't the only local paper that might be for sale: the Wall Street Journal reports that some Sun-Times Media Group investors are calling for that paper to be sold too.
Wednesday November 1 2006 Print/Magazines

All Hallow's Eve
Jim Coudal tells a touching tale, reminding us of the roots of this holiday.
Tuesday October 31 2006 Weblogs

Can You See Me Now?
Care to play a game?
Tuesday October 31 2006 Arts/Architecture

Obama 'n On'n'On
More Obama coverage, this time on the New Yorker's website. (Includes an mp3 of the whole 45-minute interview!)
Monday October 30 2006 Politics/Activism

Dropping Delivery
I wonder if the Tribune's falling circulation numbers have anything to do with the paper suddenly appearing unbidden (and unpaid-for) on my doorstep for the past few weeks.
Monday October 30 2006 Print/Magazines

Abrupt Trump
Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin describes a phone call regarding Trump Tower -- from The Donald himself.
Friday October 27 2006 Arts/Architecture

A Cinderella Story for the Cubs
A little old, but worth pointing to as the Tribune prepares to auction itself: An Open Letter to Bill Murray, in which it's recommended he buy the Cubs.
Thursday October 26 2006 Sports/Recreation

The Inside Scoop
Inside Chicago is a relatively new, really well done videoblog following host Ellen Fox's adventures around the city -- think "Wild Chicago" but less goofy. This site also runs the STOP Police! podcast, in which Darren Stephens covers highlights from the week's police blotter.
Thursday October 26 2006 Weblogs

DIY Holiday Cards
Hoping to stand out from the glut of generic "season's greetings" cards this holiday season? Try this: Sign up for the Chicago Center for Books & Paper's cheap papermaking class (Nov. 4 -- only $25!) and make your cards yourself!
Wednesday October 25 2006 Schools/Education

Kevin GuilfoiLets Play a Game
Kevin Guilfoile (this month's Book Club author) is running an interesting name game with some great prizes over at The Outfit blog.
Wednesday October 25 2006 Books/Authors

Outside Looking In
Outside.in is a really cool new blog & news aggregator organized locationally: you can search for posts based on your zip code or neighborhood name. Here's an explanation of its guiding principles.
Wednesday October 25 2006 Weblogs

Cantu Finds Another Edge to Cut
Homaro Cantu is known for some very experimental cooking techniques at Moto, but he's also on the forefront of another area of culinary innovation: the copyrighting and patenting of recipes. [via]
Tuesday October 24 2006 Eating/Drinking

They Are What You Eat
Menuism is a new website that invites diners to review restaurants -- not just overall, but menu item by item. Yum.
Monday October 23 2006 Eating/Drinking

Who Here Likes Pancakes?
The aptly named Illinois Pancakes blog has a simple goal: eat and review the pancakes of Illinois.
Monday October 23 2006 Weblogs

Supermodel (You Better Drink Red Bull)
The fabulous RuPaul will be performing at Circuit, 3641 N. Halsted, tonight. The doors open at 10pm, but the diva won't hit the stage until 1am and finishes up at 5am -- better hit those energy drinks! Tickets are $20.
Saturday October 21 2006 Music/Clubs

Color Your Space for Fall
Apartment Therapy is running a fall colors interior design contest; the winners receive a CB2 shop card for up to $2500. Go check out the Midwest entries, which are also running as they come in on Chicago.ApartmentTherapy.
Friday October 20 2006 Arts/Architecture

The Drum Beat Continues
Conservative NYTimes columnist David Brooks joins the chorus recommending Barack Obama run for president. Meanwhile, Oprah tried and failed to get Obama to commit, but she did get him to agree to announce it on her show ...if he does. (Meanwhile, somebody thinks that both of them should run.)
Thursday October 19 2006 Politics/Activism

Bears, Oil and the Mob
If I had the inside line on a conspiracy involving former Chicago Bears great Ed O'Bradovich, fraud, oil and the mob, I don't know if YouTube is the place I'd turn. But that seems to be the only place Joe Weinbender is telling his story.
Thursday October 19 2006 Found on the Web

"The Bears Are Who We Thought They Were"
Good luck finding a quiet spot where nobody's talking about last night's Bears game. Grossman sucked, but at least he admitted it -- and had the stellar defense and surprising special teams to back him up. My favorite soundbite is the one from Cardinals coach Dennis Green, who melted down at the podium and delivered that unintentionally ambiguous quote above; NSFW video accompanies MSNBC's story. (Also.)
Tuesday October 17 2006 Sports/Recreation

Buy! Buy! Buy!
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange is buying the Chicago Board of Trade for $8 billion, in a move to create a global derivatives exchange.
Tuesday October 17 2006 Business/Shopping

Help Bring Back Bell's
Bell's is one of my favorite microbreweries (mmm, Oberon), so I was dismayed to find out their delicious beers would no longer be available in Chicago because of a distribution dispute. In response, members of the Logan Square Draught Beer Preservation Society will be meeting at Weegee's Lounge, 3659 W. Armitage, Tuesday night at 9pm to develop a plan of action. If you're mad as hell and can't take it anymore, join in!
Monday October 16 2006 Eating/Drinking

TIME Backs Obama
Joe Klein joins the parade with a story on why Barack Obama should be the 2008 Democratic presidential candidate.
Monday October 16 2006 Politics/Activism

Share Your Secret -- Temporarily
Call 773/394-2017 and confess your secret. It will then be exposed -- but only for a day -- at One Day Secret.
Monday October 16 2006 Found on the Web

We're Bringing Spooky Back
Speaking of pumpkins, The Reader has a convenient list of haunted houses, ghost tours and other Halloween events from tonight through the big day itself.
Friday October 13 2006 Resources

Sears Tower in Olympic Flames
Chicago doesn't have the 2016 Olympics yet, but it does have a real nice logo. And Jordan.
Friday October 13 2006 In the News

The Metro Fights Poverty
Not doing anything Monday? The Metro, 3730 N. Clark, plays host to "Stand Up Against Poverty," a benefit for the international nonprofit Concern Worldwide's 2006 campaign to end world hunger. It'll be a night of great Irish music, with the legendary Scott Cleland (founder of the Drovers), Celtic band Baal Tinne and singer/songwriter Nancy Stone performing. Tickets are $10 in advance at the Metro box office or $20 at the door.
Thursday October 12 2006 Music/Clubs

Sox at 7:11
So you heard that weekday White Sox games will start at 7:11pm, right? Here's a story on how the team and sponsor 7-Eleven came up with the agreement, which will bring the Sox and extra half-mil a year for three years.
Thursday October 12 2006 Sports/Recreation

Johnny Apple's Favorite Pancakes?
The late R.W. Apple, legendary New York Times food critic, recommended the pancakes at Bongo Room in his last email message, Gawker notes. [Thanks, Jeb!]
Thursday October 12 2006 Eating/Drinking

Suburb Name Game
Coudal points to a post about suburban "mash game" names and localizes it: "Fox, lake, river, heights, grove, villa(ge), park, oak, lawn, lake, brook, hills, fields, forest, elk. Choose two or three at random, and chances are you've named a real Chicago suburb.
Wednesday October 11 2006 Weblogs

Realtor Building Sprouts Pipes
The Realtor Building, 430 N. Michigan, sprouted some fancy new pipes overnight -- anybody know what they are? Matt Maldre has a theory: it's a waterslide.
Wednesday October 11 2006 Arts/Architecture

Five Down, 11 to Go
The Bears are looking damn good this year. Think they can go all the way? Then this new shirt, created by Coudal Partners, is the one for you.
Tuesday October 10 2006 Sports/Recreation

Pileup in Grundy County
"The Midwest's Greasiest Hot Rod Show," the Hunnert Car Pileup, is this Saturday at the historic Grundy County Speedway and fairgrounds. Fast cars, fast women and fast music -- if you like traditional hot rods this is the show for you. (Thanks, Christian.)
Tuesday October 10 2006 Transportation

How Do You Picket a Virtual School?
Chicago's first virtual charter school, creatively named the Chicago Virtual Charter School, is a month into its first school year -- and just got served its first lawsuit. The Chicago Teacher's Union claim it's more like homeschooling than a true school, and therefore shouldn't get public funding.
Tuesday October 10 2006 Schools/Education

DailyKos is Coming to Town
YearlyKos, an annual convention for the Democratic blogsite DailyKos, has announced plans to hold next year's event at McCormick Place in August. [via]
Monday October 9 2006 Politics/Activism

MTV on Chicago's Block
MTV's "My Block," a show that takes viewers through the neighborhoods where artists came from, not just their nouveau-riche cribs, takes a tour through Chicago today. Here's a video preview of the episode.
Monday October 9 2006 Radio/TV

Navy Pier (dot com) for Sale
How long do you think it'll take the City to notice they forgot to renew navypier.com? [Update: They renewed it. Screenshot here for posterity.]
Monday October 9 2006 Found on the Web

Baboonfest is this Saturday!
I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that this is the premier baboon-related fundraiser of the year. You should go!
Friday October 6 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Local Language
A newcomer to the Chicago blog/webzine scene, Jargon Chicago looks like it might have some staying power. Check it out.
Friday October 6 2006 Weblogs

You Are a Beautiful Gallery Show
The You Are Beautiful public art collective's new show, "4 Years Later," opens at Ai Gallery, 676 N. LaSalle St., Friday night from 6pm to 10pm. Free stickers, posters and buttons, oh my! And if you pay close attention, you might be able to figure out who the anonymous artists are.
Thursday October 5 2006 Arts/Architecture

Is a $100 Pizza Worth It?
Barcello's in Bucktown offers a caviar-topped pizza for $100. Chris LaMorte at Metromix tries it out and delivers the verdict.
Thursday October 5 2006 Eating/Drinking

37 Gigs
A lot more than that actually: 37signals has launched a gig board to complement their popular job board. Get your résumé in shape!
Wednesday October 4 2006 Business/Shopping

We Still Want a Two-Way Communicator Watch
Dick Tracy turned 75 today. Check the funny papers for several tribute strips, order the TV series on DVD, or drive out to Naperville for the celebration.
Wednesday October 4 2006 Print/Magazines

Cubs Leave the City
No, not the lovable losers -- Cub Foods. The discount grocery chain is leaving the Chicago market, with its 14 stores being divvied up among several other companies. Meanwhile, Jewel is planning an expansion.
Tuesday October 3 2006 Business/Shopping

Fancy Footwork
The Tribune offers some video of Chicago's latest dance craze, footworking. Not enough for you? Try YouTube or MySpace.
Tuesday October 3 2006 Theatre/Dance

Did the Greeks Have Socks?
The theatrical genre of Sock Puppet returns with War Is Bad: Sock Puppet Euripides at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, tonight at 7pm. Is there any doubt that you should be there?
Tuesday October 3 2006 Theatre/Dance

Dusty No Longer Trusty
The Cubs made official what's been expected for months now: Dusty Baker will not be returning as manager. The hunt for a Mr. October is now on.
Monday October 2 2006 Sports/Recreation

Stripping for the Lord
Via Coudal, the website of a woman whose autobiography's title only tells part of the story: Kellie Everts: I Strip for God. Not safe for work, obviously, and I only post it here because of a lengthy book exerpt of her experiences at the Chicago Playboy Club in 1978.
Friday September 29 2006 Found on the Web

You Too Can Go-Go Dance
If you made it to the Bitch Magazine 10th Anniversary Party at the Hideout last night, you know how cool The Janes go-go dance troupe is. And even if you didn't, haven't you always wanted to learn how to dance like that? Well, you can: classes are Mondays and Tuesdays at the Flamenco Arts Center. $12 a class or six for $60; white boots not included.
Friday September 29 2006 Theatre/Dance

The Chicago Manual of Style is Now Online
We (mostly) follow AP style here at GB, but it's nice to know it's there when we need it. Alas, like many good things, it's not free.
Thursday September 28 2006 Books/Authors

Chicago History Museum Debuts
The Chicago History Museum (formerly known as the Chicago Historical Society) reopens this this weekend after an extensive renovation, and it's celebrating with free admission, performances by dance troupes, the Jesse White Tumblers and other acts, and more. This will be your first chance to see the first El train car, and Federated and Target just donated Norman Rockwell's painting of the Marshall Field's Clock to the museum, so you can see that too. Big crowds are expected, so you might want to make a reservation.
Thursday September 28 2006 History

A Short Tour for Short Films
The Chicago Short Film Brigade rises from the ashes of the late lamented Prime Shorts Film Festival to "present a wide variety of local and international short films to the public in non-academic, non-festival environments." Screenings start in January and will be quarterly (they're looking for submissions, btw). Andrew Bird is on the Brigade's board, and he's doing a quartet of shows to benefit it. Unfortunately, those shows will be in Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Minneapolis and Madison -- but what a great excuse for a road trip!
Wednesday September 27 2006 Film

Make Tallgrass, Not Bombs
Nice article about the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, an effort in southwest suburban Midewin to return a former military arsenal to the tallgrass prairie it was prior to the 1800s.
Tuesday September 26 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Murderers in Your Extended Network
Killers have moved into MySpace. The social networking juggernaut removed a profile for Laurie Dann, who shot six kids in a Winnetka school in 1988, over the weekend. Profiles of serial killers John Wayne Gacey, Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer are still up, for now.
Tuesday September 26 2006 Found on the Web

suntimes.com Redesigned
The Sun-Times launched a redesigned website Monday night; it looks swell, but they also changed the way their URLs are built, so any links to articles that worked yesterday are now completely useless. [Matt adds: I'm not sure how swell it looks, but it's not just the links that are obsolete -- the old RSS feeds are, as well, so you'll apparently need to resubscribe. Beyond that, here's the site tooting its own horn.] (Thanks, Mike.)
Monday September 25 2006 Print/Magazines

The Science of Free Tickets
Want a free pair of tickets to a preview screening of The Science of Sleep this Wednesday at 8pm? Be one of the first to email inbox@gapersblock.com and they're yours. UPDATE: We have our winners! Congrats, Nadia and Nicole!
Monday September 25 2006 Film

Chicago in HDR
Trey Ratcliff, CEO of a videogame company, has a fondness for high dynamic range (HDR) photography, and he's captured a number of stunning photos of our fair city.
Monday September 25 2006 Photography

Asshand and Other Stories
Learn the legend of Asshand, read a recounting of a visit to Lebanon, and other stories in the latest issue of Keep Going.
Monday September 25 2006 Found on the Web

Tales of an Axman
One of the most popular figures from Fuel now has his own column in which to tell his sad story: Tales of Blagg the Axman makes its debut in Airbags today, where it will appear every other Saturday. He's asked that interested parties send him questions from which to draw inspiration -- his email's at the end of the column.
Saturday September 23 2006 Gapers

Free Jet Show for MySpacers
Good news if you've got a MySpace account: This Sunday, Jet will be playing a free show at Schubas -- you can get in (if there's space) only ifyou bring a printout of your profile with "MySpace Secret Shows" among your top eight friends. (Thanks, Mike!)
Friday September 22 2006 Music/Clubs

Brad Lynch's Real Chicago
Lee Bey -- former Sun-Times architecture critic, frequent Rearview contributor and one-time Audible City interviewee -- talks with architect Brad Lynch of Brininstool + Lynch about Chicago architecture and his favorite places in the city in the October issue of Dwell. (Thanks, Dayna!)
Friday September 22 2006 Arts/Architecture

CTA Sucks in So Many Ways
On a day that saw part of the Red Line shut down by an electical fire in the middle of rush hour, the Beachwood Reporter summarizes the city's general dissatisfaction with the CTA, line by line.
Friday September 22 2006 Transportation

Cabbie Killer Sentenced
Update on an old story: The AIDS activist and former city health department official who ran over a cab driver with his own cab last year has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Thursday September 21 2006 In the News

Dinner Theater
Improv Kitchen's new season starts today; reviews have been mixed in the past, but hopefully the new show irons out some of the kinks. UPDATE: The new "flagship" show, "The Unfinishe... Project," doesn't premier until Oct. 4.
Thursday September 21 2006 Theatre/Dance

About, With and For Design
IIT's Institute of Design hosts its annual About, With & For conference October 6-7, and it's shaping up to be a good one. A few seats are left; bug your boss to get you in.
Wednesday September 20 2006 Schools/Education

Alinea on Top
Alinea is the number one restaurant in the country, according to Gourmet magazine, while Charlie Trotter's has dropped to 13th. Expect reservation waits to expand and contract accordingly.
Wednesday September 20 2006 Eating/Drinking

Cold Steel on Ice Tonight
The Blackhawks play their first preseason game tonight against the St. Louis Blues. Not up on your Hawks? Get a preview in the debut Pucks in Five column.
Tuesday September 19 2006 Sports/Recreation

Not Exactly Flying Wallenda
Right now (at 9am) Mario Wallenda is attempting to cross the Chicago River on a high wire near the Merchandise Mart. A member of the famous Flying Wallendas circus troupe, Mario was paralyzed from the waist down in an accident in 1972, so he's crossing in a specially made motorized wheelchair. It's all a stunt for The Loop's Brandemeier show. UPDATE: Felix Jung has lots of photos and commentary from the behind the scenes.
Tuesday September 19 2006 Radio/TV

George Ryan Joins the Nigerians
You've got to hand it to Nigerian scammers: they're on top of current affairs. The May Report published an email scam using the George Ryan corruption case as its set-up. [via]
Monday September 18 2006 Found on the Web

TECH Cocktail, the Sequel
TECH Cocktail, a social occasion for the Chicago tech scene, has announced its next event: pencil it in for October 12 at The Gramercy. RSVP here.
Monday September 18 2006 Found on the Web

6 Degrees of Bob Dylan
How well do you know your Dylan trivia? Well enough to connect, say, Sid Vicious to Robert Zimmerman in six steps or less? Find out with Coudal Partners' latest diversion and you could win some cool stuff.
Monday September 18 2006 Music/Clubs

Politically Incorrect with U of C Students
The Maroon, U of C's student newspaper, got edgy in their orientation issue this week with a series of "politically incorrect" restaurant reviews. Read'em here: Hyde Park A-M, N-Z and downtown.
Monday September 18 2006 Eating/Drinking

Admiring the Greenery
Speaking of green architecture, new blog Green Bean tracks ecologically friendly buildings in and around the city. It's written by Erik Olsen, who's the Green Projects administrator for the Chicago Department of Construction and Permits.
Friday September 15 2006 Arts/Architecture

A Quick Plug: Gazooly
We're in the midst of the Rhinoceros Theatre Festival, and I just want draw your attention to Gazooly, which stars a good friend of mine. Opens tonight at 9:30pm at the Prop Theater, 3502-04 N. Elston.
Thursday September 14 2006 Theatre/Dance

The Last Picture Show
Tonight's your last chance to catch a movie at the Esquire Theater on Oak Street. The '30s-era cinema is closing and will be demolished to make way for a planned retail-hotel complex -- because that neighborhood needs another one. The Reader has visitation hours -er, showtimes.
Thursday September 14 2006 Film

Around the World Market
Interested in the wide variety of ethnic foods available in the city, but not sure where to go to get the best? You might be interested in the Ethnic Grocery Tours offered by Evelyn Thompson.
Thursday September 14 2006 Eating/Drinking

Bet on the Bears, Win Furniture
The Bears gave Brett Favre his first shut-out on Sunday, and by doing so they won free furniture for dozens of customers at World Furniture Mall in south suburban Plano. Owner Randy Gonigam was insured to pay out up to $300,000 worth of furniture, but he never expected it to happen.
Tuesday September 12 2006 In the News

Block Party Pix
Photos are still getting posted to flickr from three long days of rocking West Wabansia this weekend. Check the tags HideoutBlockParty, TouchAndGo and Hideout, for starters.
Monday September 11 2006 Photography

"Truthseeking" Journalist Stunned
Christopher Bollyn, a right-wing "truthseeker" and journalist for the American Free Press, was arrested last weekend and shot with a Taser gun. He says it's because of his claims that the Israelis were behind the 9/11 attacks; the cops say they thought he was trying to go get a weapon. We report, you decide.
Friday September 8 2006 In the News

Reconstruction Room:Remix and Release
The Reconstruction Room, the bi-weekly reading series at the Black Rock, celebrates the release of its first CD, rec poetica, tonight with a reading of "Rec Room remixes" curated by Dave Snyder. The (free) show starts at 8pm, the CD is $7 and the Black Rock is on Damen just north of Addison.
Wednesday September 6 2006 Books/Authors

Sorry, Grandma
Perhaps emboldened by the record number of bank robberies this year, a 79-year-old woman attempted to rob a downtown Bank of America yesterday with a toy gun. When the teller didn't comply with her demands, the woman left the bank, but was apprehended by police shortly thereafter.
Wednesday September 6 2006 In the News

Field's Fans Unite One Last Time
Fans of Marshall Field's have one last chance to demonstrate their anger with the department stores' conversion to Macy's. At 9:30am on September 9, the day of the official switch-over, FieldsFansChicago is holding a protest in front of the State Street store.
Tuesday September 5 2006 Business/Shopping

Not to Scale
Here's a nice gift for the archiecture and/or Frank Lloyd Wright fan in your life: the desktop Mile High skyscraper.
Tuesday September 5 2006 Arts/Architecture

More Red Eyes
Apparently we can't get enough of the Red Eye. The Tribune is predicting its free weekdaily tabloid will be profitable this year, and is upping the circulation 50 percent to 150,000 and adding more boxes around the city.
Monday September 4 2006 Print/Magazines

OUT: Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
IN: Chicago Council on Global Affairs
(Read the news release.)
Friday September 1 2006 In the News

The Superfan to Beat All Superfans
You may think you are the Bears' biggest fan. But you pale in comparison to this guy.
Friday September 1 2006 Sports/Recreation

Rise of the 100cc Machines
Ride a scooter? Or love someone who does? You best be headed to Slaughterhouse this weekend, then. The 12th annual running of the Vespas (and other scooters) is this Saturday, while a pre-party gets the ball rolling tonight at Liar's Club; details in Slowdown.
Thursday August 31 2006 Transportation

Kumbaya, My Zorn, Kumbaya
Wow, Eric Zorn sure is passionate about "Kumbaya," my lord.
Thursday August 31 2006 Weblogs

A Little Architecture Break
Dayna Bateman, who took the photo you see in Rearview today, took a class with Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin this summer. Her photos from the field are lovely.
Thursday August 31 2006 Arts/Architecture

Logan Square Baristas, Unite!
Workers at the Logan Square Starbucks have announced they're unionizing, demanding a living wage, guaranteed hours and reinstatement of baristas fired for organizing activity. The store is the first outside New York to join the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. (Thanks, Patrick!)
Wednesday August 30 2006 In the News

Play Date on Friday
Just a reminder (and a heads up for our RSS readers): The next GB Get-Together is this Friday at Black Rock, and we're breaking out the boardgames at the suggestion of someone in last week's Fuel thread. Details in Slowdown.
Wednesday August 30 2006 Gapers

Foie Gras Back in the News Already
The foie gras ban has sort of claimed its first victim: Block 44 in Lincoln Square. Chef Rick Spiros served some duck liver as a special over the weekend -- to finish off his stock rather than throw it out, he says -- and someone bothered to call 311. Spiros has gotten a warning from the City not to "finish off" any more.
Wednesday August 30 2006 Eating/Drinking

Hockey in Five?
Anybody out there a hockey fan? Gapers Block is looking for a columnist to write Blackhawks (and possibly Wolves) in Five for our popular Sports in Five column. Email your application with a couple sample items to ah@gapersblock.com.
Tuesday August 29 2006 Gapers

Yet Another Reason the Sox Are Better:
Do the Cubs have their own cartoon, with the team as pirates?
Tuesday August 29 2006 Sports/Recreation

10 Sci-Fi Diamonds in the Rough
The Reader's Jonathan Rosenbaum picks 10 neglected science fiction movies for DVDBeaver.com.
Monday August 28 2006 Film

Lucha Libre, Gratis!
Tomorrow night at 6pm, the Congress Theater is hosting a Lucha Libre wrestling match featuring La Parka and Super Astro versus Blue Panther and Tarzan Boy. For free! How can you pass it up? Check out the Congress website to sign up for free tickets.
Friday August 25 2006 Sports/Recreation

State Street Not So Great
First Field's, now this: Carson Pirie Scott will be closing its historic State Street store after the holiday season due to poor sales and operating losses.
Friday August 25 2006 Business/Shopping

Bubba the Super Grouper, RIP
Speaking of fish, Bubba, the "super grouper" at the Shedd Aquarium who in 2002 became the first fish ever to undergo chemotherapy for cancer, died earlier this week. He was 24, and was a she (groupers are hermaphroditic) when found in a bucket on the front steps of the aquarium in 1987.
Thursday August 24 2006 In the News

Guide to the Gangsters' Homes
The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest has an interesting tour for you mob aficianados: "Welcome to the Neighbor Hood," a trolley tour of gangster homes in the two suburbs. On Sept. 24 and Oct. 8, see the former homes of Sam Giancana, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo and Paul "The Waiter" Ricca. Combine it with an "Untouchables" gangster tour and you've got yourself a day you can't refuse.
Thursday August 24 2006 History

Pay-to-Play Along
Chicago-opoly: The City That Cheats, a new game from the Beachwood Reporter. Not to be confused with the Chicago Monopoly.
Thursday August 24 2006 Politics/Activism

Buzz Buzz Buzz
Do you remember the great cicada invasion of 1990? That was the last time 17-year cicadas came out of their underground burrows in Chicagoland, and the Lake County Forest Preserve is collecting stories about it in anticipation of next year's resurfacing. Eric Zorn reprints a column from '90 about the 1973 invasion in his blog.
Wednesday August 23 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Game the Travel Market
Farecast finally has predictions for ticket prices departing from O'Hare and Midway to major destinations around the country. The beta service predicts whether ticket prices are likely to rise or fall, and makes recommendations on whether to buy now or hold off on that round-trip to San Francisco.
Wednesday August 23 2006 Transportation

Psychedelia Never Died...
...it just got reinvigorated in the hands of the Delicious Design League.
Tuesday August 22 2006 Found on the Web

Get In Real Fast
Hey, 37signals is holding a workshop on Getting Real October 9; it's about half-way sold out, so get your boss to approve it quick!
Tuesday August 22 2006 Schools/Education

Late Night Eats
As I post this, it's 12:47am. If I were hungry, I'd be glad to have GopherNow at the ready: It shows which places are still open and whether they're delivering. (Then again, I'll be even happier when it's not dominated by Domino's Pizza and Burger King.)
Tuesday August 22 2006 Eating/Drinking

Rockin' Good Food, Man
Michael Nagrant parlayed his awesome Hungry Magazine food blog/podcast into a podcasting series for Chicago Magazine -- check out his first "Chefs on the Grill" interview with del Toro's Andrew Zimmerman, who used to be a musician.
Monday August 21 2006 Eating/Drinking

Off the CUFF
The Chicago Underground Film Festival kicks off tonight at the Music Box. Don't know how that escaped our calendar.
Friday August 18 2006 Film

Things To Do
Looking for something to do tonight or tomorrow? Here's the plan. Tonight at 8pm, head to Gallery Cabaret for Schadenfreude's rent party -- this month featuring winners of this year's Rhyme Spitters contest and Schad's own Hogbutchers. Tomorrow at 7pm, visit the new boutique Koi 8 for its grand opening party and show opening for graffiti artist Revise CMW.
Friday August 18 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Get Off at Bemont...
The CTA needs to hire a proofreader. When they updated the in-train maps of the system to reflect the Pink Line, lots of mistakes crept in. Such as the wrong phone number for the CTA help line, and typos like Bemont.
Friday August 18 2006 Transportation

Chicago Vox Populi
Vox, a new blogging service from SixApart, just released a Chicago skyline skin, which you can see on my silly little test blog. Obviously done from memory, since the east-facing view of the Loop prominently features the CNE building (which can't be seen from the other side of the Loop) and only a few recognizable buildings (Sears Tower, Hancock, Prudential and Aon). At least they tried. (If you'd like a Vox invite, let me know -- we've got four to give away.)
Thursday August 17 2006 Weblogs

We're Not Number 1 After All
All those stories recently about Chicago having the highest gas prices in the country were dead wrong -- Aspen has us beat hands down.
Thursday August 17 2006 In the News

Two Kinds of Mexican Food
The Toronto Star's food critic, Jessica Bain, takes a look at two sides of Mexican food in Chicago: a visit to Rick Bayless' Topolobampo/Frontera Grill and a tour of neighborhood restaurants with LTHForum's David Hammond. She also gives us a recipe for birria -- goat stew.
Wednesday August 16 2006 Eating/Drinking

Talk About Real Estate
YoChicago launched a massive forums section yesterday, covering every nook and cranny of the city and many suburbs. Get in on the ground floor.
Wednesday August 16 2006 Found on the Web

Find a Spot to Park
ChicagoParkingMap.com maps all the private parking lots and garages downtown (from 1100 North to 2300 South). The Java is a bit clunky, but boy is it comprehensive.
Wednesday August 16 2006 Transportation

Block 37 Changes Hands Again
Architecture critic Lynn Becker runs down the latest exchange of Block 37 development rights on his excellent blog.
Tuesday August 15 2006 Arts/Architecture

Kup of the Hand
Is Irv Kupcinet's statue trying to tell us something?
Tuesday August 15 2006 Arts/Architecture

Fighting for Day Laborers' Rights
Last week, the AFL-CIO announced it was teaming up with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network to help protect the rights of day laborers. MR Zine provides a local case in point for why this battle is so important.
Monday August 14 2006 Politics/Activism

A Bastion of Comedy
The Bastion came to town earlier this summer (it's related to New York's Apiary) to cover the comedy and improv scene, and they're doing a heck of a job (and not in the GW Bush sense).
Monday August 14 2006 Weblogs

Shh, It's a Secret
What's Chicago Public Radio's secret radio project? Can't tell you, but there's a nice big hint in this week's issue of Time Out.
Friday August 11 2006 Radio/TV

Blog Out
I haven't bothered with Time Out Chicago's website much after it launched, since it hid almost everything behind a subscription wall. But sometime a few months ago, they made most of the content public and launched a blog. Worth taking a look.
Thursday August 10 2006 Weblogs

Top TEN for Education
The Teaching Excellence Network is "an online professional community for teachers across subject areas, grade levels and school type, from urban, suburban and rural areas all over the state and country." If you or someone you know is a teacher, this is the place for you.
Thursday August 10 2006 Schools/Education

More Than Your Typical Gapers
Two semis apparently collided on the Northwest Tollway this morning, resulting in one overturned truck and a three-mile back-up during rush hour. Jon at the Reverse Commuter snapped some photos of the accident scene from his car in the midst of it all.
Wednesday August 9 2006 Transportation

H-Illinois-wood
The Illinois Bureau of Tourism has created a great site cataloging all the films shot in the state, with location listings for some of the top flicks in each region and a map of every major motion picture made in Illinois.
Wednesday August 9 2006 Film

Drink on a Boat
This summer, Kafka Wine and Wendella Boats have been getting together for a series of Wine Tasting Cruises, which pair vino with architectural tour on Wednesdays each month. The next one is August 23 at 5:45pm. Tickets are $50 and reservations are required. [via]
Tuesday August 8 2006 Eating/Drinking

Mountainous Chicago
I've never thought of Chicago as an obstacle course, but this article in Dirt Rag describing a trip through the city with Chicago Freeride sort of makes me wish I had big nobby tires on my bike.
Tuesday August 8 2006 Sports/Recreation

Best Name for a GLBT Scooter Gang Ever:
Hell's Fairies.
Monday August 7 2006 Transportation

500 Corpses
An Exquisite Corpse, the locally based collaborative art project site created by friend of GB Phineas X. Jones (and run on a CMS by GB MVP Jim Allenspach), posted the 500th corpse since its relaunch today. (It's technically the 627th corpse if you count from the beginning of the site, but why do that?)
Monday August 7 2006 Arts/Architecture

Coming In Bronze
Crain's takes a look at how Chicago stacks up against its American competition for the 2016 Olympics and finds us falling short compared to rivals LA and San Francisco.
Monday August 7 2006 In the News

OK Go Shoot Your Own Video
By now you've probably seen the new super-choreographed video for OK Go's "Here It Goes Again." But what you may not have known about is the dance contest they're running: contestants replicate the moves from OK Go's previous viral video, "A Million Ways," post it on YouTube, and the band judges. The winners will dance with the band on stage at an upcoming concert. You've got until August 30 to enter.
Friday August 4 2006 Music/Clubs

Your Moment of Mapping Zen
"Community areas in Chicago, isolated from context."
Friday August 4 2006 City Life/Cultural

Outlaws Dine Again
Baed on the enthusiastic response to his first Outlaw Dinner, 676 Restaurant's executive chef Robert Gadsby is holding another one on Monday, August 21, the day before the foie gras ban goes into effect. Chicagoans will yet again be treated to another menu featuring several barely legal foods at the center of controversies across the nation, including the aforementioned foie, absinthe, hemp seed, imported raw milk cheeses, morels and sous vide preparation. The seven course, prix fixe meal is $95 per person, with seatings between 7pm and 10pm; call 312-944-7676 for a reservation.
Thursday August 3 2006 Eating/Drinking

A Lyrical Sway of the Hips
Know how to belly dance? The Lyric Opera wants you ...to audition for a role in an upcoming performance of Salome.
Thursday August 3 2006 Theatre/Dance

Techies Meet Here
Looking for a technology group to meet with? Let Tech Social be your guide.
Thursday August 3 2006 Found on the Web

Where to Turn for Short Films
TurnHere is a site that collects short video guides about cities around the world. The Chicago section features some nice clips, including trips through Bronzeville, Wicker Park, Rogers Park, Pilsen and other neighborhoods.
Wednesday August 2 2006 Film

Tea Time Suggestions
In such hot weather, tea's not really been on my mind, but come winter these recommendations of tea-oriented cafes will be quite useful.
Wednesday August 2 2006 Eating/Drinking

BlogHer Here Next Year
Mark your calendars: BlogHer, an annual conference for women bloggers, is coming to Chicago next year.
Tuesday August 1 2006 Weblogs

Feed Me
Hey, you know we have RSS feeds for every section of Gapers Block, right? And as of today, "every" includes the Book Club and Transmission. Go sign up!
Tuesday August 1 2006 Gapers

Hop from Point A to Point B
This could come in handy, especially when you want to minimize your waiting-in-the-heat time: HopStop helps find the quickest route between one address and another on public transportation. [via] (Thanks, Jenni!) [Matt updates to add: Chicagoist isn't impressed, but it mapped my trip from home to work just fine. In other words: it's new; results may vary.]
Tuesday August 1 2006 Transportation

"How Hot Is It?"
It's so hot that our web host (which is in California, actually) had a generator catch on fire on Friday and a server meltdown on Monday. Sorry for the downtime; Gapers Block should be now back to its usual reliable self.
Monday July 31 2006 Gapers

A Different Kind of Heat
Zillow offers an interesting graphic representation of cost per square foot for Chicagoland real estate: a "heat map."
Monday July 31 2006 Business/Shopping

Cars Left, Trucks Right
All about Illinois Tollway Oases. [via]
Friday July 28 2006 Transportation

The Schadenfreude of Mis-crediting
So that Colonel Sanders/Ed Burke separated-at-birth thing we linked to on Consumerist yesterday? Done by friend of GB and Schadenfreude member Justin Kaufmann. We should have recognized his handiwork.
Friday July 28 2006 People/Sightings

Macy on Mamet & More
Our film critic, Steve at the Movies, interviews William H. Macy at Ain't It Cool about his new film, Edmond, his time in Chicago working with David Mamet and more. And speaking of Macy, he'll be at select screenings of Edmond at the Siskel Film Center this weekend; get your tickets before they sell out.
Friday July 28 2006 Film

Cancer Surgery for Cardinal, Mayor's Wife
News that Cardinal George would be undergoing surgery for bladder cancer topped what was a very busy news day yesterday. Doctors will be removing his entire bladder today in an effort to keep the aggressive cancer from spreading. And news also broke that Maggie Daley would be undergoing surgery today as well, to remove a "residual tumor" in her breast.
Thursday July 27 2006 People/Sightings

House Centipedes Are Your Friends!
Hey, all you people who are afraid of the centipedes in your homes: There's nothing to be afraid of! The house centipede, while freaky looking, is actually a beneficial bug that eats other pesty bugs, like bedbugs, roaches, silverfish and spiders. If you've got a lot of them and they look well-fed, though, you might want to call an exterminator to get rid of their dinner supply.
Wednesday July 26 2006 City Life/Cultural

Ugly Buildings Make Us Sad
The Trib updated their list of ugly Loop buildings today, including such gems as the Beef 'n Brandy and the Thompson Center. Got a suggestion for their list? Submit it using the form at the end of the article.
Wednesday July 26 2006 Arts/Architecture

Another Collection That Could Only Exist Online
FoGB Coudal Partners' Museum of Online Museums was featured on NPR's "All Things Considered" yesterday.
Wednesday July 26 2006 Found on the Web

The Other Big Ordinance Vote
While the Big Box Ordinance is getting all the attention, City Council is also considering a long list of dog-related ordinances today. The biggest is mandatory microchipping (so pooches can be tracked and returned to their owners more easily), but there are also new ordinances regulating conditions at kennels and how and for how long owners can keep their dogs on tethers in the yard. Should be a much less controversial set of votes.
Wednesday July 26 2006 Politics/Activism

Ponce, Marin, Mancow?
Two weeks after Mancow was unceremoniously dropped by Q101, he's resurfaced in a couple places. He's temporarily taping his syndicated radio show at WLS-AM studios, and in a somewhat bizarre twist, he's going to be appearing on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight," doing occasional commentaries alongside such high minds as John Callahan and Carol Marin.
Tuesday July 25 2006 Radio/TV

No One's In the House
What if they threw a music festival and nobody came? It happened last weekend to the Move! 2006, the Chicago International House Music Festival. Only about 2,000 fans showed up, far short of the 8,000+ expected. (We didn't hear about it till today, so maybe they just didn't get the word out well enough.)
Monday July 24 2006 Music/Clubs

SLOW 25 MPH
The Oak Street Curve on the northbound side of Lake Shore Drive is a notorious accident spot, but people keep speeding into the curve and hitting the wall or each other. So the city is planning some new measures to alert drivers to slow down, including some optical illusion paint lines. The Trib has a nice graphic explaining the changes.
Monday July 24 2006 Transportation

On the March
Mucca Pazza got quite a write-up in the Sun-Times yesterday. They'll be playing at the Hideout this Thursday, July 27 -- the perfect time to catch what's possibly the world's only circus punk marching band.
Monday July 24 2006 Music/Clubs

Lifson vs. Epstein
Edward Lifson interviews author and Northwestern professor Joseph Epstein about his new book, Friendship, on Hello Beautiful Sunday morning at 10am on WBEZ. Apparently Epstein is a blast to talk to, doing accents and telling funny stories. Worth tuning in.
Saturday July 22 2006 Books/Authors

Good Thing There's No Late Fee
Claire Zulkey wants to know about your Notflixing habits, the movies you got from Netflix that sit, unwatched, for months.
Friday July 21 2006 Weblogs

The Tech Scene is Warming Up
If you didn't already know Chicago's gaining a reputation for Web2.0 innovation, this week's news should make it clear: 37signals announced yesterday that Jeff Bezos (of Amazon.com fame) has made a personal investment in the company. And on Monday Feedburner (who produces our feeds) announced it had bought blog stats company Blogbeat. (Anyone interested in throwing a little dough our way?)
Friday July 21 2006 Business/Shopping

Foodpr0n Gets a Moment in the Sun
KIPlog's Food blog points us to the Tribune's article on the trend of foodies taking pictures of their meals, accompanied by photography tips and a short list of food-porny blogs.
Thursday July 20 2006 Eating/Drinking

Evil Car Salesman on the Lam!
So, this guy Mark goes to Naperville Toyota to buy a Prius. The salesguy is totally sleazy and sets up a fraudulent financing deal. The deal goes down and Mark drives away, but has second thoughts and tries to return the car. Instead he gets an earful from the dealership and harrassing phone calls -- for four months. There's now a warrant out for the salesman's arrest; read the whole sordid tale (and an update here) at The Consumerist. (Thanks, Brenda!)
Thursday July 20 2006 Business/Shopping

MAN-cation, All I Ever Wanted
Hey man, you look like you need a guy's night out. Lucky for you the newly relaunched aria bar at the Fairmont Hotel has you covered: at 7:30pm next Saturday, July 29, it's hosting a men-only "MAN-cation," featuring cocktails in the bar, a three-course steak dinner, and a Woodford Reserve whiskey and cigar tasting . It's not cheap at $150 per person, but short of strippers and drag races, it couldn't get much manlier. Reservations can be made by calling 312-444-9494.
Thursday July 20 2006 Eating/Drinking

Neighborhood Diversity
How diverse is your neighborhood? If you live in Rogers Park, Uptown, Bridgeport, Albany Park, Lincoln Square, Archer Heights, West Ridge, North Park, Irving Park or West Lawn, the answer is: very, according to the Metropolitan Chicago Information Center. Download PDFs of the full report and others here.
Thursday July 20 2006 City Life/Cultural

Torture Report Finally Out
The so-called Burge Report on police torture is finally out, and the Tribune has been nice enough to post a 15MB PDF of it. The Reader's John Conroy has some thoughts; read his coverage over the years here. UPDATE: Indymedia has the report broken up into more digestible chunks. (Thanks, Mitchell)
Wednesday July 19 2006 In the News

MDW = SWA
Been to Midway lately? Seem like Southwest has every gate in the airport? Well, they nearly do.
Wednesday July 19 2006 Transportation

Macy's Tries for the Local Angle
New City details a recent presentation by more than 60 local designers to Macy's buyers. The lucky ones will be featured in the new store's Chicago Designer Shop, which opens September 8.
Wednesday July 19 2006 Business/Shopping

People Die in the Desert
Just like a real desert, "food deserts" -- areas with a lack of grocery stores but plenty of fast food joints -- can kill. A study by LaSalle Bank found a correlation between such areas and premature death. The Sun-Times offers a map showing where these deserts are in Chicago; you've probably already guessed that they're concentrated on the South and West Sides.
Wednesday July 19 2006 City Life/Cultural

Stroger Replaces Stroger
It's official: Alderman Todd Stroger will replace his father as the Democratic choice for Cook County Board President in November. What are your thoughts? Post'em in Fuel, and/or vote on Zorn's blog.
Tuesday July 18 2006 Politics/Activism

Casting for Listeners, Looking for Podcasters
Cubscast, your source for Wrigley-related podcasting, is running a listener drive: go get 20 free Cubs postcards to pass out to your friends. Take pictures of them with their cards and you could win a video iPod. In related news, Chicago Sportscast Network is looking for some Blackhawks fans to do a podcast at Hawkscast; check the site for details and an app.
Tuesday July 18 2006 Sports/Recreation

No Hats, Hoods or Sunglasses
In case you forgot, we've seen a record pace of bank robberies this year. So, some banks are instituting a dress code.
Tuesday July 18 2006 In the News

Cruising the Film Festival
Steven Spielberg received a Golden Hugo for lifetime achievement last night at this year's Chicago International Film Festival awards. And who should make a surprise appearance but Tom Cruise! Is it just me, or does it look like he's going to kiss Spielberg in CBS2's video clip?
Monday July 17 2006 People/Sightings

A Million Pounds to Lose
Responding the Chicago's reputation as America's fattest city, the Chicago Defender has launched the Million Pound Challenge to encourage African-Americans in Chicagoland to collectively lose a million pounds over the next 12 months. Sign up here to participate.
Monday July 17 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Film Last Meals
Tying nicely into the current Fuel question, local artistic group Lucky Pierre is looking for volunteers to eat 24 of the 350+ final meal requests from the executed prisoners on Texas Death Row for a video installation project. The meals will be filmed in Logan Square between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, July 22; email mealvolunteer[at]luckypierre.org to be one of the lucky few. (Thanks, Marie!)
Friday July 14 2006 Film

Still No Justice for Dead Musicians
A year ago tomorrow, three local musicans were killed in a car accident by a woman who was allegedly attempting suicide. She survived, and there still hasn't been a trial. A member of the Electrical Audio discussion board has been attending hearings and providing updates (three most recent) on the proceedings; the latest is that trial is pending a psychiatric evaluation of the defendant. Next court date is July 21. (Thanks, Ron.)
Thursday July 13 2006 Music/Clubs

I Go Zip
I-Go now has some competition in the car-sharing business: Zipcar. [via]
Thursday July 13 2006 Transportation

Novak Speaks
Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak finally spilled the beans today about who leaked the identity of CIA operative/ambassador's wife Valerie Plame back in '03. Well, sort of: He didn't say who told him about Plame, but he said Karl Rove confirmed the source's info.
Wednesday July 12 2006 Politics/Activism

Behold! The McSundial
McDonald's put up a pretty interesting new billboard in Wrigleyville. (Thanks, VinceJose!)
Wednesday July 12 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Dead Mancow Walking
Did you listen to Mancow yesterday morning on Q101? Me neither. But what we missed was the shock jock's last broadcast on the station. "Best of" shows started running today, and James VanOsdol fills in with "on shuffle" alt rock starting Monday. "I wish my old station luck, but no looking back. I have huge plans and huge ideas," Mancow said -- the first of which is finding a new studio to broadcast from.
Wednesday July 12 2006 Radio/TV

Cross-town Smack Talk
The Chi-Town Daily News sent a camera to the Crosstown Classic at Wrigley last week to find out what Cubs and Sox fans think of each other. You can probably guess what they found. (Video, NSFW)
Tuesday July 11 2006 Sports/Recreation

A Plague of Mayflies
Another reason we should be glad we don't live in Wisconsin: La Crosse had a mayfly hatch so large that it showed up on National Weather Service radar as a rainstorm. [via]
Monday July 10 2006 In the News

My Favorite Webcomic
Multiplex, by former GB film critic Gordon McAlpin, turns one year old today with its 75th strip, "Pirates of Pirates of the Caribbean."
Monday July 10 2006 Found on the Web

Vesparate Measures
With gas prices so high, Vespas and other scooters have shot up in popularity. There's only one problem: the only Vespa dealership in Chicago has gone bankrupt. (Little tip for the guy in that article who needs a tune-up: Scooterworks.)
Monday July 10 2006 Transportation

Protecting the Flying Jewels
One of Chicagoland's most endangered species is the Hine's emerald dragonfly. On Wednesday, the US Fish & Wildlife Service is expected to designate critical habitats for the 2-3" bug, including the Lockport Prairie south of Romeoville.
Sunday July 9 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Share a Beer
Introducing Coastr, "a social guide to beer," produced by local design team Luckymonk.
Friday July 7 2006 Found on the Web

VA not for Peace
Veteran Mike Ferner was recently at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center on the South Side, drinking coffee, when he found himself arrested. His crime? Protesting, trespassing and disorderly conduct, because he happened to be wearing a Veterans for Peace t-shirt. (Thanks, Jim!)
Friday July 7 2006 In the News

Restaurant Cage Match!
Ever notice two similar restaurants so close together that they must be feeding off each other's patrons? So has Phil Vettel, who just introduced a new series in the Trib: Cage Match, pitting neighboring joints against each other.
Thursday July 6 2006 Eating/Drinking

Representin' CHI
Did you know that July is Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Month? Lots to do.
Thursday July 6 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Chicago, City that Trademarks
The City has filed for trademark protection on a wide variety of assets, from police and firefighter insignias to the phrase, "Chicagoland's Third Airport." Start watching for little ™'s to show up on stuff around town.
Wednesday July 5 2006 In the News

Chicago by the Numbers
This week's issue of Crain's Chicago Business contains their annual "Focus: Market Facts" feature, chock full of demographics and data ranging from It's all downloadable online in PDF format, and this year they've added an interactive map that allows you to zoom in on a particular neighborhood and check out how strong the demand for mp3 players is, for instance.
Wednesday July 5 2006 City Life/Cultural

Jammin' at the Beach
The beaches in Uptown were jam-packed on the Fourth -- so packed that the police closed the Lake Shore Drive exit ramps from Montrose up to Foster.
Wednesday July 5 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Sundance May Set on the Near West Side
Crain's reports that Robert Redford is considering the site of a closed Fannie May candy factory for an outpost of his new Sundance Cinemas movie theater chain.
Monday July 3 2006 Business/Shopping

A Happy Get-Together
If you're not doing anything tonight, perhaps you'd consider joining a few GB staffers at our monthly Get-Together? We'll be at Happy Village from 9pm on -- look for us out back.
Friday June 30 2006 Gapers

Hark, Reader! A Blog!
The Reader has launched its first blog, the Daily Harold, by longtime staffwriter Harold Henderson. Henderson claims to be "the World's First Blogger," conveniently leaving out of the Wikipedia definition the part about a blog being on the Web. Good luck with that.
Thursday June 29 2006 Weblogs

SCOTUS Ruling Opinion
Reader Chad D. writes, "This morning, in a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld that President Bush's decision to try alleged al Qaeda combatant Salim Ahmed Hamdan for conspiracy before a military commission was illegal under U.S. and international law. The opinion, written by native Chicagoan, U. of C. and Northwestern alumnus John Paul Stephens, also expressed concern that 'conspiracy,' as a stand-alone offense, 'is not a recognized violation of the law of war.' Relief may be in order."
Thursday June 29 2006 Politics/Activism

Switching Sides
The success of the White Sox and the dismal collapse of the Cubs have had effects far beyond the MLB standings: in some cases, it's turning family members against each other as the South Siders draw not-so-die-hard Cubs fans into their fold. In Richard Roeper's new book, Sox and the City, he has a word for them: biSoxual. Watch this page for an mp3 of Roeper's appearance on 848 this morning discussing the potential sea change in the Sox' fandom fortunes. (Thanks, Roni)
Thursday June 29 2006 Sports/Recreation

Not So Bad At Sports After All
Remember when you played kickball in gym and the artsy kids and the nerds always got picked last? Well, so do ThreeWalls Gallery, StopSmiling Magazine and Bad at Sports, and they're gonna show you what you missed out on this Saturday, July 1, from noon till 6pm at the Wicker Park kickball field. Four teams (The Mullets, the West Town Banditos, Record Players and the West Loop Flyers) will compete for the ArtLeague Kickball championship trophy. Afterparty and awards ceremony at Smoke Daddy. More details in Slowdown.
Thursday June 29 2006 Sports/Recreation

World Cup in Five
The US is out of the World Cup running, and our Fire in Five columnist is back stateside with some reflections on the national team and its surprisingly vocal fans. Read about it in Sports in Five.
Wednesday June 28 2006 Sports/Recreation

Phoning It In On the Mag Mile
Business Week takes a look at the new Nokia flagship store on Michigan Avenue over the weekend. Probably the coolest thing about it is you can buy any phone totally unlocked, so it can be used with whichever cellular carrier you want. The downside is there's no carrier subsidy, so you're going to pay full price for that 8801. (Incidentally, those interested in Motorola's new Q have but a short walk to check it out.)
Wednesday June 28 2006 Business/Shopping

In-Toe-Nation
Reader Jennifer noticed an interesting phenomenon at the Intonation Festival last weekend: "I looked around at one point during a set, and realized that just about everyone in my 10 foot radius was wearing the same footwear as their neighbor." Check it out in this Flickr photoset.
Tuesday June 27 2006 Photography

The Tattler Redesigns
The CTA Tattler, Chicago's number one source for transit scuttlebut, has redesigned.
Tuesday June 27 2006 Weblogs

Intonation On Us
Hey, quick contest! First person to email inbox@gapersblock.com with the names of three bands they want to see at Intonation Music Festival this weekend gets a two-day VIP pass! UPDATE: Holy crap, that was fast: Dave Reidy is our winner!
Thursday June 22 2006 Music/Clubs

Hitting the Streets
Reader Jacob sent us a link to photos from the Go Skateboarding Day festivities downtown yesterday. More from reader Jim, and the Trib has a Flash presentation of their own pix. (Anyone else? Email inbox@gapersblock.com.)
Thursday June 22 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Mickeys Go Down
The DEA and Chicago police raided the stronghold of the Mickey Cobras gang in connection to the fentanyl-laced heroin that's killed hundreds in Chicago and other cities. Time will tell whether the gang is the sole source of the deadly mix.
Wednesday June 21 2006 In the News

Greg Hall Interview
Speaking of Goose Island, Chicagoist has an interview with brewmaster Greg Hall, about the brewery's recent business dealings and their latest brews.
Tuesday June 20 2006 People/Sightings

Quick Review: Goose Island's Matilda
If you haven't yet tried Goose Island's version of Belgian abbey-style beer, Matilda, you should. It's the refreshing, feel-good hit of the summer: full-bodied and fruity, with flavors of apples and apricots, with a nice long finish. Don't just take my word for it -- it's got a 93/100 rating on RateBeer.com. Just one quibble: Goose Island used the wrong six-pointed stars on the label.
Tuesday June 20 2006 Eating/Drinking

Drinking and Reading
Alpana Singh, master sommelier and host of "Check Please!," emcees an unusual event at the Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood, tomorrow night: Wine and Words: a Benefit for 826CHI. Listen to three authors -- Charles Blackstone, Gina Frangello and Cris Mazza -- read from their latest books while you enjoy South American artisinal wines chosen by Singh. Starting at 7pm, all for a suggested donation of $20! You'll probably want to make a reservation: 773-465-8005.
Monday June 19 2006 Books/Authors

Everything You Wanted to Know About Police Torture
The Reader has put up a convenient new section on the police torture case, collecting all of reporter John Conroy's 15 years of coverage, including a who's-who and a profile of the man behind the muscle, John Burge.
Monday June 19 2006 People/Sightings

Bottom of the Ninth
Conductor Daniel Barenboim said goodbye to the CSO and Chicago this weekend, and he did it in characteristically over-the-top fashion, according to the New York Times.
Monday June 19 2006 Music/Clubs

It Takes Two to Tiki
DvA Gallery turns two this weekend, and they're celebrating with a tiki party tomorrow starting at 4pm. There'll be surf music by the Cocktail Preachers, hula dancers, free cocktails and apps and more. The party doubles as the opening for a show of tiki art that'll run through July 9.
Friday June 16 2006 Arts/Architecture

No Bean? You're Outta Here
Hear about Sox coach Ozzie Guillen sending a rookie pitcher back to the minors for not hitting a batter? Not surprisingly, it's causing a bit of a stir in Chicago and elsewhere.
Friday June 16 2006 Sports/Recreation

Break Up Art Burglarized
Having art featured in the movie The Break-Up has been a mixed blessing for Francine Turk. On one hand, she's gotten more interest from art patrons. On the other, she's gotten more interest from thieves, who stole 10 paintings worth $35,000 from her South Loop gallery.
Friday June 16 2006 Arts/Architecture

The Trib Fills Your Magazine Rack
Is it wrong for the Tribune to include its own Chicago Magazine in its list of the 50 best? I'm not sure, but at least it's only number 41.
Thursday June 15 2006 Print/Magazines

Fast Forward Again
Have an itch to make a short film? Overnight? That's right, it's time for another Fast Forward Film Festival. This time there's a sci-fi theme: "Three Minutes Into the Future," sponsored by geek webstore Woot.com. Go to Atomix Cafe, 1967 W. Chicago Ave., tomorrow, June 16, to register and get more instructions, then get to work. For the rest of us, there's a show of all the finished films Saturday night. More in this week's TimeOut Chicago.
Thursday June 15 2006 Film

Hotties Behind the Bar
AOL Cityguide is running a beauty contest in a bunch of cities right now: Hottest Bartenders. Cast your votes for the local man and woman of libations. In the meantime, Playboy is looking for the country's hottest bartending ladies for a decidedly less safe-for-work pictorial.
Wednesday June 14 2006 People/Sightings

City Sounds
The Chicago Sound Museum is a new online collection of city field recordings, audio collages and interviews with Chicagoans from all walks of life. CSM co-founder Eric Markowitz talked about the project on 848 yesterday (mp3).
Wednesday June 14 2006 City Life/Cultural

Splash Your Wine
Tomorrow night at Webster's Wine Bar, friend of GB Christine Blumer is throwing her WineDiva Summer Splash, a "celebration of women in wine" benefitting Appetite Theatre. Tickets are still available, and are cheaper in advance; details in Slowdown.
Tuesday June 13 2006 Eating/Drinking

Ware Tickles the Keys
Fans of Chris Ware know he's a big fan of ragtime music, but did you know he can also play it?
Tuesday June 13 2006 People/Sightings

From the Lakefront to the Stars
Charles and Ray Eames' Powers of Ten has been posted on YouTube. The iconic film shows what you'd see if you started at a one-meter view and then zoomed out one power at a time, then zoomed in the same way. The starting point is a man at a picnic near Soldier Field -- as near as I can tell, this is the exact spot on GoogleMaps. [via]
Tuesday June 13 2006 Film

Retire Wrigley's Scoreboard?
Despite the cute-the-first-time-you-heard-it radio ad touting its charm and benefits, Eric Benderoff thinks it's time for Wrigley Field's human-run scoreboard to go. Helpfully, the owners have asked for your opinion.
Monday June 12 2006 Sports/Recreation

It's Curtains for Chicago Plays
Chicago Plays, the theatre handbill published by the League of Chicago Theatres, will cease publication this August, leaving 190 theaters without a guide.
Monday June 12 2006 Theatre/Dance

Load Up on Books One Last Time
Reader Greg writes, "After 48 years, Skokie's annual Brandeis Book Sale is pulling up its tent stakes. The organizers say there are few new volunteers to replace the current graying crop. The final sale kicks off Saturday in the Old Orchard parking lot (northwest corner). Opening night is $5, where you can jostle with buyers who've had chairs holding their places in line for a week. Admission is free the rest of the week, including the final Bargain Weekend, when everything's 50 cents."
Thursday June 8 2006 Books/Authors

Reading in the Field
Planning your vacation yet? You might want to keep an eye on Coudal Partners' Field Tested Books feature. Slowly doled out over the next few days will be dozens of book reviews by writers, designers, bloggers and more from Chicago and beyond. You might even want to purchase the PDF book (or the commemorative poster) to help guide your summer reading list.
Wednesday June 7 2006 Books/Authors

Lots of Shadows Cast
Author Kevin Guilfoile is everywhere at the moment. He'll be reading with Rick Kogan and James McManus at the Printers Row Book Fair this Saturday at 2:30 in Grace Place, doing a book signing for the paperback edition of Cast of Shadows next Thursday, June 8, at the Webster Place Barnes & Noble, and he got mentioned in New City's Lit 50 list this week. And he contributed a playlist on the musicblog Large Hearted Boy.
Friday June 2 2006 Books/Authors

Manhattan 60600
What if Manhattan was an island off the coast of Chicago?
Thursday June 1 2006 Found on the Web

"They Put Up the Faceless New"
Interesting meditation on the politics of architecture in the American Daily, a conservative weblog. (Apparently the Democrats are to blame for artless design.)
Thursday June 1 2006 Arts/Architecture

WI-FI RFP, SVP
Mayor Daley announced yesterday that proposals are now being accepted for the proposed city-wide wireless service. Take a look at the RFP. (Thanks, Mitchell)
Wednesday May 31 2006 Politics/Activism

Reader Exchange
Got a stack of books waiting to go to the used bookstore? Take'em to the Hideout tomorrow night instead, where from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, the Reader is holding its first-ever BookSwap. More details in Slowdown.
Wednesday May 31 2006 Books/Authors

DIY City Guide
Moleskine freaks, take note: next year, you'll be able to create your own personal guide to Chicago with the new Departure city notebook. Photos of a prototype here, and more details at Moleskinerie. [via]
Tuesday May 30 2006 Books/Authors

Lost and Found
Imagine if you lost something today, only to get it back 35 years later. It just happened to Gary Karafiat.
Tuesday May 30 2006 In the News

I've Got an Inkling
Locally based Inkling Markets allows you to set up a mock stock market for anything you can think of, from which summer blockbusters will gross the most to whether Guns'n'Roses will release an album this year.
Tuesday May 30 2006 Business/Shopping

Summer of Music Lovers
We've finally reached the summer festival season, which means everybody's got a preview. In lieu of one of our own, we'll just point you to the others: Greg Kot's guide to this summer's concerts, The Reader's "These Parts" guide to festivals in the five-state region, New City's Summer Guide, and Centerstage's "Guerilla Guide to Festivals" in and around the city.
Friday May 26 2006 Music/Clubs

Two Great Tastes...
Our third anniversary is also the perfect time to announce our partnership with Chicago Public Radio's "848" news magazine. GB's Slowdown calendar is now available on the show's website. As they put it, "Slowdown is one of the best online resources for local events. Eight Forty-Eight has established itself as the preeminent radio program for all the details behind those events. Bringing the two sources together offers Chicagoans one stop for all the juicy details of the area's happenings." We couldn't agree more.
Friday May 26 2006 Gapers

We're Three
This is approximately the 6,000th post to Merge, which puts our average at about 2,000 a year. That's right, Gapers Block is three years old, and in case you've missed the big banner at the top of the page, we're having a party tonight at the Hideout. In addition to some readings by staffers and some sappy speech from me, local favorites Canasta will perform, and so will Yooper Sycamore Smith, who was profiled in an excerpt from The Third Coast a couple months ago. We've also got short films by Steve Delahoyde and some exciting contests, so it'll be well worth your time. Stop by anytime after 9; we'll be glad to see you.
Friday May 26 2006 Gapers

Jay Mariotti Has an Anti-Posse
Sun-Times sportswriter Jay Mariotti has raised the ire of many a fan over the years, so it's not surprising to find a hate site out there. Jay the Joke is your one-stop shop for columnist-bashing.
Thursday May 25 2006 Sports/Recreation

Two Images a Week
Photographers Timothy Campbell and Eduardo Angel are posting a photo a week for 50 weeks at the One Hundred Images Project, creating serendipitous juxtapositions of Chicago vignettes. (Thanks, Gretchen!)
Thursday May 25 2006 Photography

Beer Advocated Here
If Ben Franklin was right and beer is "living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy," then the happiest places in Chicago are Map Room and Hopleaf, according to Beer Advocate magazine.
Wednesday May 24 2006 Eating/Drinking

AT&T Protest and Suit
Studs Turkel, Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, Dr. Quentin Young and several other prominent Chicagoans joined the ACLU in a federal lawsuit against AT&T for violating their privacy by giving phone records to the National Security Agency. And Chicago Media Action is holding a protest at 4pm today; details here.
Wednesday May 24 2006 In the News

Big Brother in MySpace
I doubt any of our readers are currently enrolled in Libertyville/Vernon Hills public schools, but you'll still be slightly alarmed to hear that School District 128 is now holding its students responsible for anything posted on MySpace or elsewhere on the Internet. Expect a lot of teenagers suddenly going anonymous in response.
Wednesday May 24 2006 Schools/Education

Horton Hears a Hoobastank
Coudal Partners has a great game on right now: take a band name and a book title and mash'em together. What do you get? Check out the stand-outs so far and submit your own to bryancoudal.com by Friday for a chance to win your combo in CD and book form.
Tuesday May 23 2006 Weblogs

A Real Irish Wake
If you've ever been to Butch McGuire's bar down at Clark & Division, you probably have fond memories of its owner and namesake. Butch passed away recently, and to mourn him, Division Street between Dearborn and State will be closed from 10am to 8pm for his wake. Stop on down and have a drink in the street.
Tuesday May 23 2006 Eating/Drinking

Mapping the Controversy
Who would have thought a map of Chicago's neighborhoods would be so controversial? Not only has the Chicago Neighborhood Map designed by Christopher Devane upset realtors and developers because of a new motto, "Home is Where the Hood Is," printed across the top, but Chicago Public Schools has slapped the mapmaker with a cease-and-desist order to keep him from offering the map to schools.
Monday May 22 2006 City Life/Cultural

Sky Hook a Win, Force Crushes Iowa
Our new WNBA team, the Chicago Sky, won their debut game Saturday against the Charlotte Sting 83-82. The Sky snuck by on three free-throws by Jia Perkins at the very end of the game. Not to be outdone, the Chicago Force women's football team beat the Iowa Crush 20-6. Catch the Force at home on the 27th against Detroit.
Sunday May 21 2006 Sports/Recreation

Best Headline Today:
Yuppie-on-Yuppie Violence Mars Cabrini-Green Housing Redevelopment
Friday May 19 2006 Weblogs

Blogless
The good news: Threadless is about to relaunch their site.
The bad news: As they were making the new site live, "the robots attacked," killing all of members' blog posts from December 2005 forward.
If you lost posts but have any of them bookmarked, you can submit the URLs here for recovery.
Friday May 19 2006 Weblogs

Flaunt Your Knife Skills
Think you've got what it takes to be a superstar chef? Prove it on Monday, May 22, when Bravo's "Top Chef" reality TV show brings its casting call to the Rock Bottom Brewery at State and Grand. Show up with your resume and be prepared to whip up something tasty.
Thursday May 18 2006 Radio/TV

SAMPLE
Ever wondered about the chronology of license plate designs has been in Illinois? Me neither, but here's the place to look.
Thursday May 18 2006 Found on the Web

Goose Island Update
We told you awhile back that Goose Island was in negotiations with Anheuser Busch; Crain's has an update on the story. Looks like Busch could own 35 percent of Goose Island and would take over distribution.
Thursday May 18 2006 Business/Shopping

Sunsets Over the City
Since it's likely we won't be able to see the sunset tonight, you might want to head to this weblog and get your fix.
Wednesday May 17 2006 Weblogs

Printed Fun On Every One
Did you know they're printing Guinness World Records on Pringles now? Matt Maldre of Spudart got a tube, and among the world records was an odd looking print-out that included the phrase "printed fun on every one." He realized it was a diagnostic display intended to show the density of ink being sprayed by the chip printer.
Tuesday May 16 2006 Weblogs

The Gang's All Here
Somehow it escaped our calendar's attention, but The Literary Gangs of Chicago series at the MCA is throwing a blowout party tonight from 6pm to 8pm at Puck's Cafe and/or the Japanese Garden behind the museum. The theme is "Michigan!" for some reason -- not that there's anything wrong with that. And since today's free day, you can wander into the exhibits, too. Check here for details.
Tuesday May 16 2006 Books/Authors

Book Your Own Indie Life
Local bar band Beatnick Turtle is in the news for something other than their music: they've written an e-book, "The Indie Rock Survival Guide, intended to help bands who're just starting out on the scene. Mighty helpful of them; even got them namechecked by Lawrence Lessig. Download the PDF here.
Tuesday May 16 2006 Music/Clubs

Siskel & Ebert Mouth Off
It's well known that Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel hated each other for much of their career as a film reviewing duo. Someone dug up three outtakes of the pair sparring during the filming of promos for their show. The animosity is palpable.
Monday May 15 2006 Film

Gold Conservation Coast
Sustainable condos are coming to the Gold Coast in the form of the Culver House, designed by Dirk Denison Architects. It's not just beautiful, it's good for the environment. [via]
Monday May 15 2006 Arts/Architecture

Indulge Your Inner Civil Engineer
In 2001, the Center for Neighborhood Technology developed Transopoly, a boardgame-like tool for examining transportation and other needs in a community. They've recently created an online version of the game, in which you can allocate a $2 billion budget toward such things as building new train stations and bike paths.
Monday May 15 2006 Transportation

We Dedicate This Bean...
Hopefully this is the last post about Cloud Gate in the news for awhile: the dedication ceremony that was supposed to happen two weeks ago is happening today at 11am. "Hello, Beautiful" host Edward Lifson has some thoughts on the matter on his blog.
Monday May 15 2006 Arts/Architecture

Look Three Ways Before Crossing
An IIT student created a small site examining one of the anomalies in Chicago's grid system: the six-way intersection.
Friday May 12 2006 Found on the Web

Ben Gordon, Mixologist
Bulls guard Ben Gordon is the first NBA player with his own energy drink. Gordon signed with start-up H3Enterprises to create BG7, a white tea-based concoction expected to be on store shelves later this year.
Friday May 12 2006 Sports/Recreation

Don't Stop Bean-lieving
The hometown team for the upcoming 2006 Gay Games has unveiled its logo and uniform. They'll be in powder blue, with what looks sort of like the band Chicago's signature typeface overlaid on Cloud Gate. Yes, I know "Don't Stop Believing" is a Journey song, not a Chicago song. I was just going for the pun.
Friday May 12 2006 Sports/Recreation

Get Your Tickets Now
A few events with ticket/registration deadlines coming up:
• Only a couple tickets left for Taste of Check Please! next weekend.
• Beer on the Pier is this Saturday!
• WLUW's Indie Rock Prom is Saturday too!
• Bike the Drive is half-way filled up.
• 826Chi is having a prom too!
Thursday May 11 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Kenilworth in Danger
It's hard to imagine Chicagoland's wealthiest suburb as in any way "endangered," but the National Trust for Historic Preservation included the entire town on its list of of the 11 most endangered places for 2006 due to pressure from developers who want to tear down historically significant homes to build new McMansions. Learn more about why Kenilworth Matters.
Thursday May 11 2006 Arts/Architecture

Rate This Poster
Sound Opinions wants your help with a little project: email them the location of a record release poster or upcoming concert, and give'em a review -- along with a buy it, burn it or trash it rating -- and they'll slap a sticker on the poster and post your review on their site. Power to the people!
Thursday May 11 2006 Music/Clubs

Actors, Beef of Your Resume
Speaking of bad jobs, or at least very odd ones, the American Cancer Society is looking for a volunteer to appear as Polyp Man at Skokie's 16th annual Festival of Cultures to help raise awareness of the importance of colorectal cancer screening. All you have to do is walk around in a "red creature" costume for a couple hours. How bad could that be? (Thanks, Sandy!)
Wednesday May 10 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Apple's Logo Creator Lives Here
The man who created the original Apple logo, Rob Janoff, now runs a graphic design firm in Chicago. Hear an interview with him here (mp3).
Wednesday May 10 2006 People/Sightings

Your Live Music Fix
Feelin' the need for live music but can't make it to the club? Here are some mp3s of Feist at the Park West, and Neko Case on NPR a month ago, in three parts: I, II, III.
Wednesday May 10 2006 Music/Clubs

John Malkovich, Bus Driver
NPR's All Things Considered yesterday included an interview with John Malkovich, in which he discussed simultaneously acting in and producing Art School Confidential, being perceived as a movie villain and more. But most interesting was his description of jobs he had before he became a famous actor, including bus driver for a North Shore day school and "head cabbage cutter" at a fast food restaurant in Northbrook Court. (Speaking of Art School Confidential, our own Steve at the Movies, aka Capone, interviewed director Terry Zwigoff for Ain't It Cool News.)
Tuesday May 9 2006 People/Sightings

Acme Library of Contemporary Art
An exhibit of graphic novelist Chris Ware's work opened last weekend at the MCA; here's a brief interview with Ware, discussing his process and inspirations. Head to the MCA tonight at 6pm to hear Daniel Raeburn, author of a monograph on Ware, provide even more insight into the artist's mind.
Tuesday May 9 2006 Arts/Architecture

Regnef Blogger Speaks
So you know that teacher we told you about who wrote scathing commentary about Fenger High School on his blog, then leaked it on purpose? He wrote an email to Dawn Turner Trice, who'd written a column about him last week. The upshot: the blog was a misunderstood cry for help.
Tuesday May 9 2006 Schools/Education

Fullerton Bus, I Hate You
Ah, Spring. When the weather warms, the days grow longer, and the daily bus commuters finally snap.
Tuesday May 9 2006 Transportation

Smoking Ban Prepares to Move North
Lake County, Illinois, is gearing up for a fight over a smoking ban of its own. Unlike Chicago's ban, which affects every bar and restaurant within city limits, this ban would only stop smoking at bars and restaurants in unincorporated areas... for now. Opponents point out that northern Lake County's proximity to Wisconsin will mean smokers will be traveling over the border for their smokey boozing, which could lead to an increase in drunk driving.
Monday May 8 2006 In the News

Conan's Chicago Connections
In advance of this week's tapings at the Chicago Theater Tuesday-Friday, there's lots of coverage of Conan O'Brien's local connections. The Sun-Times runs down "Late Night's" Chicago chops for us, while the Trib reminisces about the short-lived comedy review Conan starred in at Victory Gardens back in 1988 (here's their review from back then.) And Maureen Ryan has a lengthy interview.
Monday May 8 2006 Radio/TV

Learn to Conserve
Want to improve your local quality of life? Get trained with the Chicago Conservation Corps and develop an environmental improvement project for your community. To learn more, attend a free orientation May 6, 9, 11 or 13 at locations throughout the city. Visit the site or call 312-743-9283 to register. (Thanks, Michael!)
Friday May 5 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Circular Thinking
GB alum Craig Berman, who's given a lot of thought to Chicago's transit system, went to one of the CTA's community meetings about the Circle Line and collected some thoughts regarding the several potential routes currently on the table.
Friday May 5 2006 Transportation

Tip'em Off & Follow It Up
The Inspector General of Chicago launched a new website and tip hotline yesterday that gives residents a way to report wrongdoings by city workers easily and anonymously. Submit tips here, or call 1-866-IG-TIPLINE. You can also keep track of what's happening with the department's news page, which features the first RSS feed of any city department; hopefully that begins a trend.
Friday May 5 2006 Politics/Activism

Slimeball's Jacket on EBay
Hey, are you a jerk? Did you lose your sportcoat after groping a woman at a bar recently? If you want it back, it's up on eBay. Go bid on it. (Thanks, Benjy!)
Thursday May 4 2006 Found on the Web

Parsing Pitchfork
Cleveland blog goodhodges runs a statistical analysis of Pitchfork reviews and finds that, big surprise, they tend to review albums they like. The follow-up breakdown of scores is interesting, too. [via] This all brings to mind Pitchformula, a UofC student's thesis analyzing reviews and writing songs that would garner the highest ratings, which we told you about awhile back.
Wednesday May 3 2006 Music/Clubs

No Precog, But Still Pretty Cool
Been to O'Hare lately? It might be worth the trip just to play with this new 10'x7' interactive display, inspired by Minority Report and developed by Accenture. [via]
Wednesday May 3 2006 Business/Shopping

Fox News Shakeup
Wow, Fox News Chicago is going through some changes. Channel 32 didn't renew the contracts of veteran anchor Walter Jacobson or weatherwoman Michelle Leigh. Walter doesn't mind the break (mp3), but Michelle is less happy. And fans have set up a petition to hopefully save her job. (Thanks, Stephe!)
Wednesday May 3 2006 Radio/TV

Show Them Your Idea
This Thursday, I Have An Idea is hosting its fourth annual Portfolio Night, an opportunity for those who hope to get into the advertising industry to show off their work to top creative folk in the field. Could be your chance of a lifetime, but you gotta pay to play: tickets are $35.
Tuesday May 2 2006 Arts/Architecture

Sumo Wrestlers in Conference Room B
It must be great to work in Felix's office, which he shares with a couple local radio stations. I mean, how do you beat a sumo wrestling demonstration in the conference room?
Tuesday May 2 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Freshen Your Tracks
FreshTracksMusic.com is a local music sales site that features a more indie selection than iTunes, and for your $5-8 a month you can do just about anything you want with your downloads. A nice profile of the service in the Trib today.
Tuesday May 2 2006 Music/Clubs

Chicago Gangs Carve Up Iraqi Turf
How bad does the Army need soldiers? So bad they're letting gang members in. And members of Chicago's Latin Kings, Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords serving in Iraq are doing what any gang would do when faced with virgin turf: staking their claim with graffiti. The Sun-Times has a small photo gallery of tags in Baghdad and elsewhere.
Tuesday May 2 2006 In the News

Everything in Its Right Venue
Radiohead loves Chicago, so despite being snubbed by Millennium Park, the band has scheduled two dates at the Auditorium Theatre instead. Tickets for the June 19 and 20 shows go on sale this Saturday at 10am.
Tuesday May 2 2006 Music/Clubs

Follow the March Online
If you're stuck in your office without a TV, you can still follow the march on Flickr (here's a good search to start from), and the Trib has your text-based hook-up.
Monday May 1 2006 Politics/Activism

Starved Rock In the News
Late last week, the Tribune ran a story detailing how budget cuts have hurt Starved Rock State Park. The next day, the state promised to fill two long-unfilled positions at the park. Unfortunately, better staffing probably wouldn't have helped save the teenager who died at the park this weekend after a fall.
Monday May 1 2006 Outdoors/Environment

May Day for Immigration
In case you've been living under a rock, there's a big immigration rally and march downtown today. Plenty of businesses back the march, which is expected to draw 300,000 to 500,000 people. The Trib has a list of buses expected to be disrupted, and you might as well forget about driving down there. It may be crazy, but business owners aren't concerned.
Monday May 1 2006 Politics/Activism

Have a Beer with Us
Does the current Fuel question have you thirsty? Quench it tonight by joining GB staffers at Chief O'Neill's after 9pm for our monthly Get-Together. Details in Slowdown; since it's supposed to be pretty cold tonight, we'll be inside instead of on their patio.
Friday April 28 2006 Gapers

Talking in Circles
Next week, the CTA is holding a series of public meetings to gather input on the proposed Circle Line. According to the news release, "The meetings are part of the Alternatives Analysis study — the first step in pursuing federal funding for major transit projects. The Alternatives Analysis study is designed to examine all the transit options available and determine a locally preferred alternative." The meetings are 6-8pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Friday April 28 2006 Transportation

Midget Wrestling Returns
Former Mancow dwarf sidekick Puppet is back with his midget wrestling team, now known as Half Pint Brawlers. They'll be at Bar Chicago tonight — and there will be protesters to greet them.
Thursday April 27 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

An Alternative to Metromix
Somehow we've managed not to write about it, but Yelp. Founded in 2004 in San Francisco, Yelp has been helping Chicagoans find good places to eat and drink for quite a while now. It now covers dentists, hairstylists and other professions, too — all reviewed and rated by regular people.
Thursday April 27 2006 Resources

No More Foie Gras
If you're a connoisseur of foie gras, you've got 90 days to get your fill: City Council banned it from Chicago today. Mayor Daley was duly annoyed: "We have children getting killed by gang leaders and dope dealers. We have real issues here in this city. And we're dealing with foie gras? Let's get some priorities." (Thanks, Dave!)
Wednesday April 26 2006 Eating/Drinking

Big in Japan
Sumo wrestling is finally escaping its Japanese borders and making a push into the States with the new World Sumo League, run by the WWE's ex-CFO. How much fun will it be to watch mountainous men push each other around inside a circle? We'll find out May 27, when the national tour hits the Allstate Arena. Tickets go on sale this Friday; follow the phenomenon at WorldSumoLeague.com, an unofficial site run by local blogger Matt Maldre.
Wednesday April 26 2006 Sports/Recreation

Mart Chicago
Art Chicago has found a home for its wayward exhibition: The Merchandise Mart. Many of the galleries that were scheduled to exhibit have pulled out, though, shrinking this year's show to around 100 galleries, and they'll be competing for attention in the Mart with the Chicago Antiques Fair, also going on this weekend -- although that could turn out to be beneficial for both shows.
Wednesday April 26 2006 Arts/Architecture

Chicago's Most Wanted
A Chicago police officer is a finalist in an "all star first responder" contest on "America's Most Wanted." Alphonsus O'Connor saved a railroad police officer's life after a man pulled a gun and started shooting. Help him win the award (and $10,000 prize) by voting before May 8.
Wednesday April 26 2006 Radio/TV

Beer and Geeks
Like beer? Like science? Head to Map Room at 6:30pm on Wednesday for the inaugural session of Cafe Scientific, where UofC's Sean Carroll will present the topic and subsequent discussion, "Why is the past different from the future? -- Cosmological perspectives on the nature of time." Discuss over beers. (Thanks, Ian!)
Tuesday April 25 2006 Schools/Education

Rule #1: Don't Blog About Work
Apparently all those scare stories on the news didn't sink in with one Chicago teacher. He wrote all sorts of trash talk about his school, Fenger High, on his now-deleted blog (sample posts were temporarily republished here, still viewable in the Google cache). When its existence was leaked, the shite hit the fan, both among the student body and the teachers. More lively discussion on MetaFilter.
Monday April 24 2006 Weblogs

Tracking Transit
Speaking of getting from one place to another, Tony Coppoletta has just launched Chicago Transit Status, a site consolidating information about CTA outages, delays and more. It's just the trains right now, but there are plans to deliver bus information soon. He's looking for volunteers to help update the site; check the contact page to get in touch.
Monday April 24 2006 Transportation

Getting There
The New Yorker takes a look at the technology of roadmaps, beginning with the old Rand McNally days and leading up to the local digital mapping company, Navteq. Chicago has always been at the forefront of driving directions, apparently. (Thanks, Sparky!)
Monday April 24 2006 City Life/Cultural

After the Mugging
Theresa at The Local Tourist was mugged and brutally beaten walking down Diversey Avenue late at night two weekends ago; her assailant beat and kicked her repeatedly in the head, and may have planned on doing much more. You can follow her recovery on her blog; she has advice on what to do if you get mugged or attacked here.
Monday April 24 2006 Weblogs

Mime Watch
ChicagoCrime.org is a great resource, but what if you want to track that great menace to society, the mime? Well, now you can. [via]
Friday April 21 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

"I Love My Car"
The Wall Street Journal takes a look at how the "Dan Ryan Dig" is affecting would-be drivers commuting into the city. The attachment some people have to their cars is a little frightening.
Friday April 21 2006 Transportation

Design Just Out of Reach
Design Within Reach is holding its first Chicago-area warehouse sale tomorrow through Monday, with items up to 75 percent off. The only catch is, the warehouse is in Downers Grove.
Thursday April 20 2006 Business/Shopping

Cubs Bleachers for Sale
Reader Kurt writes, "I probably shouldn't be telling anyone about this since it just means 'competition,' but I'm feeling generous." The Cubs will be holding a "garage sale" this Saturday from 8am to 4pm. Available items will include Wrigley Field bricks, sections of the old bleachers, game-used equipment, and Kerry Woods' arm. Proceeds will go to charity.
Thursday April 20 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Sky Bloggers Wanted
Funny Kris should mention it: The WNBA just so happens to be looking for some bloggers to write about the Chicago Sky (and other teams). Fill out this application and you could be one of them.
Wednesday April 19 2006 Sports/Recreation

Gates-way to Education
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation continues to take an interest in Chicago's schools. The foundation just gave Chicago Public Schools a $21 million grant, the largest it's ever given to a local school district, to fund a more challenging curriculum in English, math and science at 14 local high schools. This just a week after announcing plans to open four Outward Bound schools in the city.
Wednesday April 19 2006 Schools/Education

What Rhymes with Chitlins?
Not much. Probably best to stick with Moo & Oink's other products when you write your entry in the South Side meat market's jingle contest, judged by Shorty K. You could win $1000! Just remember Rule #1: "Jingle/rap should describe what you love about Moo & Oink." (Thanks, Donna!)
Wednesday April 19 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Berghoff Cafe Reopens
With little fanfare, the Berghoff Cafe, in the basement of the recently closed Berghoff Restaurant, reopened for lunch today. The Berghoff Memorial Blog has the story.
Tuesday April 18 2006 Eating/Drinking

Another Use for Your Library Card
...besides taking up room in your wallet: You can download audiobooks from the Chicago Public Library's website! Here's how! UPDATE: Unfortunately, it's Windows only. [via]
Tuesday April 18 2006 Books/Authors

Art Institute No Longer Free
You know how the Art Institute has those signs at the door that say admission is a suggested donation of $12 adults? Well, they're scratching out the "suggested donation" part. Starting June 3, that $12 will be mandatory. Free Tuesdays are also gone, but they'll be replaced with free admission on Thursday evenings and Friday evenings from 5pm to 9pm in the summer. (Thanks, Jaime!)
Tuesday April 18 2006 Arts/Architecture

Buy a Piece of the Velvet
To help raise the funds to reopen the legendary Velvet Lounge at its planned new location, 36 E. Cermak, there's going to be an "artifact sale" at the old location, 2128.5 S. Indiana, this Sunday, April 23 at 3pm. Just about everything you can imagine will be available for purchase — cash only! — including the historic bar top for $1,000 or best offer. You might even get a bit of wallpaper. (Thanks, Sharon!)
Monday April 17 2006 Music/Clubs

More Hockey
As if Chicago needed another sports team: The Hounds will be joining the minor league UHL this fall, playing at the under-construction Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.
Monday April 17 2006 Sports/Recreation

Bulls Pull Through
Hey! The Bulls clinched their spot in the playoffs last night! If you were waiting to get your playoff tickets, now would be the time.
Monday April 17 2006 Sports/Recreation

Local Webbies
The Webby Awards nominations are out, and there are a couple local contenders: Congratulations to AccuRadio (Radio), Freakonomics (Best Copy/Writing), CareerBuilder (Employmment), NowWhat.com (Insurance, by Tribal DDB Chicago) and 4178° - Chicago Architecture (Student). They're all up against stiff competition, so register and vote for the home team.

Did we miss any? Let us know at inbox@gapersblock.com.
Friday April 14 2006 Radio/TV

Trade Ya For It
Swap Simple is a Chicago-based site where people can trade used books, CDs, DVDs and videogames with other members, paying only postage and a $2 fee per item ordered — which is reduced to free if you list enough of your own stuff for trade. (Thanks, Lakshmi)
Friday April 14 2006 Found on the Web

Filtered Music, Fake Babies
Next Tuesday, April 18 at 8pm, Filter Magazine is hosting a "Music Appreciation Night" at Landmark Art Gallery, 841 W. Randolph, featuring The Redwalls and Assassins. It's free, but you've got to RSVP. [via] And speaking of Filter, they've got an interesting story about Sufjan Stevens taking Pitchfork to task via email for posting a story about Sufjan's lovechild with singer Rosie Thomas, which turned out to be a hoax.
Thursday April 13 2006 Music/Clubs

Man, Inventor, Genius
The Museum of Science & Industry unveils a big new exhibit of the works of Leonardo da Vinci tomorrow. The 20,000-square-foot show will feature models of the 15th Century master's inventions, a digital copy of one of his sketchbooks and a lot more. The exhibit runs through Sept. 4 and costs $21 for adults, $15 for kids, which includes admission to the rest of the museum.
Thursday April 13 2006 Schools/Education

Your Early Easter Present
Not doing anything on Easter? We'll give you two passes to see Editors at the Metro Sunday night, along with a copy of their new album, Back Room — ~~if you're the first to email inbox@gapersblock.com!~~ Stuck at your parents' that day? You can catch them playing a short set at Tower Records, 2301 N. Clark., between 5 and 6pm Monday the 17th. UPDATE: Ed is our winner!
Wednesday April 12 2006 Music/Clubs

11 Bloodshot Years, 35 Alligators
Bloodshot Records, Chicago's "insurgent country" label, turned 11 this year, and it's celebrating with a two-CD set of all-new songs by a laundry list of bands. Not to be outdone, blues label Alligator Records is commemorating its 35th year with a compilation of its own, 35x35, featuring such greats as Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Son Seals and Albert Collins. WBEZ's 848 interviewed the owners of both labels recently; here are mp3s of Alligator's Bruce Iglauer and Bloodshot's Nan Warshaw and Rob Miller.
Wednesday April 12 2006 Music/Clubs

Now Showing
Former GB film critic Gordon McAlpin has turned his love of the movies into a great webcomic, Multiplex.
Wednesday April 12 2006 Found on the Web

She's Still There
Speaking of our roadways, Eric Zorn checked in on Underpass Mary one year after the miraculous mineral stain appeared on Fullerton Avenue, and found she's mostly still intact and still receiving flowers.
Tuesday April 11 2006 Religion/Spirituality

Redesign Ahoy!
Welcome to the redesigned Gapers Block! You may need to clear your browser cache in order to see it in its full glory. And those of you reading our feeds should come to the site and get the new and improved feeds. More details about what's changed and what's on the way in Detour, where you can also give us feedback and report any bugs. Thanks!
Tuesday April 11 2006 Gapers

The Therapist Moves In
While we were redesigning yesterday, another site was launching: introducing Apartment Therapy : Chicago, a new local channel of the popular interior design blog.
Tuesday April 11 2006 Weblogs

Royko at the Goat
The Week Behind digs up a 1982 video of legendary columnist Mike Royko hanging out at the Billy Goat Tavern, talking softball, his father's bar and more. (via)
Monday April 10 2006 History

This Is the Land of Lincoln
It took this article in the Hartford Courant for me to find out about the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, apparently the center of Lincolniana. Check out the reproduction photographs.
Monday April 10 2006 Books/Authors

Ticked Cock Sends Tic Tock to Dick Doc
I feel for this guy: his penile enlargement surgery didn't go well. However, sending the doctor a letterbomb is probably going to damage your malpractice case.
Friday April 7 2006 In the News

Touch & Go at 25
Mark your calendars: Touch and Go Records turns 25 this year, and they're celebrating with a big concert at the Hideout September 8-10. Twenty-five T&G bands past and present will perform, including Black Heart Procession, Calexico, CocoRosie, Enon, Pinback, Shellac, Ted Leo/Pharmacists and the original line-ups of the Didjits and Scratch Acid. We'll have more details for you as they become available.
Thursday April 6 2006 Music/Clubs

A Peek at Joe & Marilyn
Sports and movie fans alike would be interested in the latest exhibit at the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, 1431 W. Taylor St: correspondence and other memorabilia from Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe. And those with deep enough pockets could take a piece of it home — it'll all be up for auction by Hunt Auctions in May.
Wednesday April 5 2006 People/Sightings

Studs vs. Stewart
Tonight on the Daily Show: Studs Terkel. And since Studs is nearly deaf, it should be quite a show. Tune in!
Tuesday April 4 2006 Radio/TV

Such Smart Kids
I believe the children are our future.
Tuesday April 4 2006 Weblogs

Trump at the Trump
YoChicago reports that The Donald has decided to keep the 89th floor penthouse of his namesake tower for himself. The 14,000 square foot pied à air would retail at $28 million.
Tuesday April 4 2006 People/Sightings

Harold's On Hold
Reader Al gives us an update on the Wicker Park Harold's Chicken Shack, which we reported would open on Sunday: "They won't be opening for about another week or two. I spoke to the (slightly embarrassed) owner and he said the paper never consulted them before writing the article and went with an approximate date provided months ago."
Tuesday April 4 2006 Eating/Drinking

"When Neighbors Collide"
Friend of GB Wendy McClure has a piece in the Funny Pages section of yesterday's New York Times Magazine.
Monday April 3 2006 City Life/Cultural

Tiny Little Apartments
Interior design blog Apartment Therapy is running a "smallest coolest apartment" contest. There are only a couple in there from Chicago, but one of the strongest contenders is this one, a 476 sq. ft. "urban guest house."
Monday April 3 2006 Arts/Architecture

Fire in Five?
Any soccer fans out there interested in writing about the Fire for Sports in Five? Email samples to me at ah@gapersblock.com. UPDATE: We've found a writer. Thanks to all who applied!
Monday April 3 2006 Sports/Recreation

Red Rover?
A reader sent in a link to a craigslist post about a big fight last night in Wicker Park: anyone else see this? Email us at inbox@gapersblock.com with details.
Friday March 31 2006 Found on the Web

Skilling on Skilling
I've often wondered what super-weatherman Tom Skilling thinks of the scandal his brother Jeffrey got in at Enron. He finally spoke about it in today's Trib.
Friday March 31 2006 People/Sightings

Party Tonight, Feel Foolish Tomorrow
Some Gapers Block staffers will be hanging out at the Black Beetle tonight after 9pm for our monthly GB Get-Together. Come join us! Oh, and just because it's on a Saturday doesn't mean April Fools won't be observed. Hint, hint.
Friday March 31 2006 Gapers

Another Good Thing About Chicago
We're number number four in the country in terms of oil crisis preparedness. (Thanks, Matthew!)
Thursday March 30 2006 City Life/Cultural

Chicago Blog News
EatChicago has redesigned. SharkForum is a group blog featuring some big shots from the Chicago arts and music scene, including Redmoon's Jim Lasko, New City's Ray Pride and Nicholas Tremulis. And holy crap! Sour Bob is back!
Thursday March 30 2006 Weblogs

Conan Tickets
Want to get tickets for the "Late Show with Conan O'Brien" tapings here May 9-12? Here's how.
Wednesday March 29 2006 Radio/TV

Latitude and Longitude
• 41°54' N, 87°39' W: the latitude and longitude of Chicago.
• 4187° Chicago Architecture: a beautiful Flash rendering of downtown and several important skyscrapers and buildings, designed by a student at the University of Memphis.
Wednesday March 29 2006 Arts/Architecture

A Rhetorical War on Iraq
Tomorrow night at Saint Xavier University, conservative author David Horowitz and pacifist professor Peter Kirstein will debate the Iraq War and whether politics politics should be taken out of the classroom. Sparks will likely fly. Details in Slowdown. (Thanks, John!)
Tuesday March 28 2006 Politics/Activism

AOL Says These Are the Best
AOL City Guide has come out with its annual City's Best list, which dovetails nicely into our overrated /underrated restaurants Fuel questions. Some potentially controversial choices: Moody's and Twisted Spoke under "best burgers," Giordano's and Pizza D.O.C. among "best pizzas" and Frontera Grill is tops for Mexican.
Tuesday March 28 2006 Eating/Drinking

Edible Books & Tea
It may be on April 1, but it's no fooling: Columbia College Center for Book & Paper Arts holds its 7th annual Edible Book Show and Tea this Saturday. Come check out books so good you could eat them up — and then do so! RSVP required; details in Slowdown. Bad at Sports has a preview in this week's podcast (mp3).
Tuesday March 28 2006 Books/Authors

An Event Apart
Web geeks, get ready. You don't have long to convince your bosses that An Event Apart is an important educational conference that the company should send you to. Because it is.
Monday March 27 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Battle of the Signs, Round Two
Another brouhaha over a sign. This time, it's Tulip, an adult toy store on Northalsted in Boystown, whose window display featured the word "masturbate" and an anatomically correct male nude. A 7-year-old read the word, and her mom got upset and complained. The nude is now gone, but the masturbate sign stays ...for now.
Monday March 27 2006 In the News

Alinea's Dinnerware
If you've followed the coverage of Alinea, you've probably heard about the unusual plateware Grant Achatz commissioned for his inventive dishes. Well, Crucial Detail created them, and at least some of the items are available for sale.
Friday March 24 2006 Eating/Drinking

Keep Going to Nigeria
The latest issue of Keep Going is up, and there's a useful how-to on getting a postcard from Nigeria. Better than an email from Nigeria, I suppose.
Friday March 24 2006 Found on the Web

Where to Park
Who needs a Google map when you've got something as nice as this. Not sure where the nearest parking is? The Chicago Parking Network has you covered.
Thursday March 23 2006 Transportation

Our Latest Invader
First rabbits, now geese: Grant Park is being overrun by Canadian geese, and park officials are weighing their options on how to fix the problem. Shrubbery and dogs have been brought up, but shooting them is not an option ...yet. (848 did a story on this awhile back; download the mp3 here.)
Thursday March 23 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Make It Work!
Project Runway is in town at the W Hotel Lakeshore tomorrow for its Season 3 casting call. Tim Gunn, Nick Verreos and Lilah Shechner will be judging who's in and who's out from 8am to 5pm, so fill out the app[PDF], load up your garment bags and sketchbooks and get there early. And don't say we didn't warn you!
Wednesday March 22 2006 Radio/TV

Chicago Crime 2.0
ChicagoCrime.org just got even better: It now maps articles from the Chicago Journal's police blotter.
Wednesday March 22 2006 Resources

Chicago Gets Another Friend
We're already David Schwimmer's home away from Hollywood, but the celebrity gossip rags are reporting that another "Friends" alum is moving to Chicago: Jennifer Aniston. She's donating Brad Pitt's old clothes and moving here, where her current beau Vince Vaughn lives.
Wednesday March 22 2006 People/Sightings

In the Year Two-Thousand ...Six
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" will be coming to Chicago to tape four episodes in May, reports Maureen Ryan. Tune in March 28 to find out how to get tickets.
Tuesday March 21 2006 Radio/TV

Support Your Daily News
The Chi-Town Daily News needs your help. Think of it as a pledge drive: donate at X level and receive one of these wonderful gifts as a token of their gratitude.
Monday March 20 2006 Weblogs

Bookstore Blogging
Paper Mustache is on a mission: "to visit every single independent bookstore in the Chicago-land-area and tell you about it."
Monday March 20 2006 Books/Authors

Turning $5 into $50
Apparently counterfeiting is on the rise in Chicagoland, and local gangs may be involved. But who knew it was so expensive? A common technique is to bleach $5 bills and print higher denominations on them.
Monday March 20 2006 In the News

Mag Mile March
Did you make it to the Anti-War March on Saturday? If not, here are some photos. ChicagoActions.org has a coverage round-up, and here's a play-by-play from Indymedia. And here's a column from Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Martin describing the event.
Sunday March 19 2006 Politics/Activism

Marching Down Michigan
Be warned: Tomorrow isn't the best day to shop the Magnificent Mile. At least not during the Anti-War Coalition's march against the US occupation in Iraq. It is, however, a good time to take pictures; you may even wish to participate in one of the "feeder marches" taking place around the city.
Friday March 17 2006 Politics/Activism

Stroger Hospitalized
Cook County Commissioner John Stroger was hospitalized this morning with pain in his legs. Despite having a hospital named after him, he was taken to Advocate Trinity, which is nearer to his home.
Tuesday March 14 2006 In the News

We've Got Tickets for You
Hey, how'd you like to see the Guillemots at Schubas this Sunday for free, courtesy of Vice Records? We've got a pair of guest list spots reserved for the first person to email inbox@gapersblock.com telling us what a guillemot is and a link to a photo of one. UPDATE: It pays to get up early sometimes. Reader Serandip wins!
Tuesday March 14 2006 Music/Clubs

Your Daily Dose of Comedy
Hey! Schadenfreude redesigned!
Tuesday March 14 2006 Weblogs

Yet Another Ticket Race
Intonation Music Festival tickets go on sale at noon today, and the two-day pass will be available for just $25 (as opposed to $35). How long do you think it'll take for those to sell out?
Monday March 13 2006 Music/Clubs

Barack On a Roll
Barack Obama slayed the crowd at the annual Gridiron Club Roast. It was an invite-only affair, but fortunately Lynne Sweet covered the hilarity (or was it Hillary-ity? Ha!). But Obama's comic and musical stylings were only part of his broad repertoire, according to Claire Zulkey.
Monday March 13 2006 Politics/Activism

Protest Snarls Loop
There was a huge protest in the Loop this afternoon as 100,000 people marched opposition a proposed law that would send illegal immigrants to jail. Photos on Flickr here. (Thanks, Anne!)
Friday March 10 2006 People/Sightings

Selling One's Soul for Good
In yesterday's WSJ, the story of an atheist who sold his soul on eBay and ended up critiquing local church services.
Friday March 10 2006 Religion/Spirituality

Wired While You Eat
According to this week's Dish column, the new restaurant State, 935 W. Webster, is thoroughly up on the latest tech. "We have 40 Internet terminals here and 20 laptops for use anywhere in the restaurant," says owner Kosta Giannoulias. And if you can't find your server, you can just IM the bar.
Thursday March 9 2006 Eating/Drinking

Coyotes Among Us
More from Smithsonian Magazine about the coyotes living in Chicago and other big cities. [via]
Tuesday March 7 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Sports Ahoy!
It a big season for sports: the Cubs and Sox are in Spring training, March Madness is on the verge, and the Bulls... well, at least we have baseball to look forward to. Read all about it in this week's gigantic Sports in Five.
Tuesday March 7 2006 Gapers

Kirby Puckett, RIP
Kirby Puckett, Hall-of-Fame center fielder for the Minnesota Twins who grew up in a Chicago housing project, died of a stroke yesterday at age 45. UPDATE: More from the Tribune and Sun-Times.
Tuesday March 7 2006 Sports/Recreation

Pitchfork Tickets: Get'em While They're Hot
One- and two-day passes for the Pitchfork Music Festival are on sale now.
Monday March 6 2006 Music/Clubs

Booters Booted
How's this for just desserts? Three officials connected to the city's booting program for ticket scofflaws have been booted themselves.
Monday March 6 2006 In the News

Giving the Devil Its Due
Did you see that great profile (PDF) of Devil's Due Publishing in the Reader?
Monday March 6 2006 Books/Authors

Private Midway?
There's been some activity down in Springfield that points to Midway Airport being privatized by the city, much like the Skyway privatization in 2004. Does Dubai Ports World run airports?
Monday March 6 2006 Transportation

Live-Blogging the Oscars
Watching the Academy Awards tonight? Follow along on as Edward Champion and a vast and varied cast of characters live-blog the pseudo-event on the Oscar 2006 Blog.
Sunday March 5 2006 Weblogs

A Tromatic Experience
Lloyd Kaufman, the man behind Troma Films (The Toxic Avenger, Tromeo & Juliet and Class of Nuke'em High may ring bells), will be appearing at South Union Arts, 1352 S. Union St., tonight at 10pm as part of the Movieside Film Festival. He'll be showing some TromaDance short films as well as clips from Troma's Poultrygeist and his own Make Your Own Damn Movie. Admission is $7. (Thanks, Alan!)
Friday March 3 2006 Film

Listen Up
LISSENUP6, the sixth installment of Julie Shapiro's periodic presentation of audio pieces from around the world (often culled from Third Coast Audio Festival submissions), moves to the Corbett vs. Dempsey gallery space, 1120 N. Ashland, 2nd floor, this Sunday from 11am to 1pm. It's free. More details here.
Friday March 3 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

GB To-Do List:
1. Pay hosting bill
2. Check papers and sites for things to post
3. Buy Getting Real
Friday March 3 2006 Business/Shopping

Reporting Live from the Bar Down the Street
Steve Rhodes, former media critic and investigative reporter for Chicago Magazine, has launched the Beachwood Reporter, a blog covering Chicago media and whatever else crosses his mind. The site is apparently named after a certain Wicker Park bar.
Thursday March 2 2006 Weblogs

Speaking of Architecture...
The Chicago Architecture Club announces the finalists its 2006 Burnham Prize competition, "Learning from North Lawndale," tonight at the Homan Square Community Center, 3517 W. Arthington, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. It's free.
Thursday March 2 2006 Arts/Architecture

Preserving the City's Architecture
The Illinois Landmarks Council announced its annual 10 Most Endangered Historical Places list, and there are three Chicago locations on it: the Pickford Theater Building, the religious structures of Douglas Boulevard and Westinghouse High School — the recently burned Pilgrim Baptist Church was made a special 11th pick to highlight the need for reconstruction. And there's good news and bad news from Preservation Chicago's 2006 "Chicago Seven" most threatened buildings list: the Pilsen neighborhood has received state historical landmark status, while the Hayes-Healy Center (PDF) at DePaul succumbed to the CTA's Brown Line expansion project.
Thursday March 2 2006 Arts/Architecture

Oscar-Nominated Radio
Tune in to Sound Opinions this Saturday at 7pm, when Greg Kot and Jim DiRogatis talk with Roger Ebert about the best and worst music movies ever made.
Thursday March 2 2006 Radio/TV

Yet Another Google Map, Readers' Edition
There are dozens of libraries in Chicago. Need to know which is closest to you?
Wednesday March 1 2006 Books/Authors

Berghoff: Now or Never
OK, this is it. The Berghoff closes today. If you haven't made your peace, better do it today. Then share your memories at the Berghoff Memorial Blog, and check out the ad (PDF) the Berghoffs took out in today's Trib thanking everyone for "the incredible outpouring of emotion" they've seen.
Tuesday February 28 2006 Eating/Drinking

Yet Another Google Map, Apocalypse Edition
Ever wonder what a high-yield atomic bomb would do to the city? You can find out with this handy mapper from Eric Meyer; Chicago is in the drop-down menu. (Thanks, Dan!)
Tuesday February 28 2006 Found on the Web

Hurtful Name-calling
So, Sox GM Kenny Williams and former Sox DH Frank Thomas have been having words. Frank feels disrespected, and over the weekend Kenny called him an idiot. The Sun-Times' Roman Modrowski thinks both of them need to move past the "6th grade level." (Wisely, Ozzie Guillen is staying out of it.)
Monday February 27 2006 Sports/Recreation

Likes to Hear Other Sounds
London sound artist Peter Cusack is visiting Chicago in mid-March to work on his upcoming album, Your Favourite Chicago Sounds, which will feature, well, exactly what it sounds like it'd feature. Jesse Seay of the podcast Likes to Do Other Things is assisting Cusack by collecting people's favorite city sounds, and we're giving a hand, too; email her at likestodootherthings@gmail.com or list it in Fuel.
Monday February 27 2006 Arts/Architecture

"Where the Nicest People Meet & Eat"
Reader Mike alerts us to another long-time Chicago institution's passing: tomorrow is the last day for the Uptown Snack Shop, 4668 N. Broadway. The Sun-Times has the story.
Friday February 24 2006 Eating/Drinking

A Story Made for This Blog
Using the left-hand entrance ramps on the Kennedy downtown scares the bejeezus out of me. I'm always afraid someone's not going to be paying attention and nail me as I merge into fast lane traffic. It'll be a bit easier in the future, though: roadwork on that stretch of highway begins Monday, and the Monroe ramps — the shortest of the lot — will be closing for good.
Friday February 24 2006 Transportation

Outguess Ebert
You Oscar prognosticator, you.
Friday February 24 2006 Film

Fun With Google Maps, Oenophile Edition
Oh no! You've got a hot date tonight, and s/he asked you to bring the wine. You're looking to impress, so a bottle from Jewel just won't do. What now? Dr. Vino to the rescue. His new Chicago Wine Shop Map will point you to the closest wine shop, where a professional will set you up with the perfect bottle.
Friday February 24 2006 Eating/Drinking

Radio Conspiracy Redux
Our post about WBEZ potentially using WLUW for its northern repeater frequency drew swift response from WBEZ and WLUW's program director, Shawn Campbell (whom we interviewed awhile back), as well as a reader. The short answer? "No way." Much, much more after the jump... From WBEZ: "As Chicago Public Radio prepares to launch a new broadcast service in 2007, WLUW is not being considered part of the plan for locating a signal to extend coverage to the Northwest Chicagoland area. We respect WLUW's long-standing relationship with its audience members, and we will help WLUW in their efforts to continue providing quality radio programming to the community."

From Shawn Campbell: "There's absolutely no truth to this rumor, believe me! The WLUW signal is only 100 watts, and gets Chicago Public Radio nowhere near the coverage they need to extend north (they need to get up to Lake County, up the north shore, etc. Our reach gets to Skokie and Evanston, and not too far beyond). We've had discussions with them about this, because we've been aware of the fact that they are looking for a signal to the north, and we talked to them about the issue so we could reassure our staff. Further, any such move would be a violation of the agreement between Loyola and Chicago Public Radio. Third, the question of CPR "buying" WLUW, which is also mentioned in the post, was never an issue -- it wasn't for sale."

And this from GB reader Michael: "The website www.radio-locator.com is a fantastic resource for things like this. Among its many features, it generates maps of the predicted coverage area of every radio station in the country. Here's WLUW's. As you can see, WBEZ's music service would be abandoning much of suburban Cook County and almost the entirety of Lake and McHenry County if it were to carry out the plan outlined in the WLUW Watch blog. They may have a plan to boost signal. So far as I understand them, FCC rules force broadcasters with overlapping coverage to be at frequencies that are at least second adjacent, i.e. WLUW has to avoid conflict with existing broadcasts from 88.3 to 89.1. That could bring them into conflict with Lake Forest College's station, WMXM, and W206AI, a repeater for religious station KAWZ. WBEZ could, of course, purchase another station in the northern suburbs. I doubt that they would abandon such a wealthy part of their service area entirely."

Following the links on the WLUW Watch page, it appears it's connected in some way to a former WLUW DJ who was fired a couple years ago. Take that bit of information, and his description of the circumstances, as you wish.

So there you have it. Conspiracy squashed. Incidentally, WLUW is currently holding its funding drive right now — contribute if you can!
Thursday February 23 2006 Radio/TV

More Fun with GoogleMaps
Chicagoist took a tip from its parent and tracked down the "Google Center" of the city — the point you see if you type "Chicago IL" into GoogleMaps and zoom all the way in. Some other city centers after the jump.
• geographic center of the Loop: the Chase Tower
• "Number One City Datum Mark," the point from which the heights of all city buildings are measured: Northern Trust headquarters, 50 S. LaSalle
• And the "zero point," the center of the city's grid, is at State & Madison, of course.
Thursday February 23 2006 Found on the Web

Another Reason to Hate Hummers
Seen a yellow Hummer with damage to the front corner? If you do, flick them off, then call the cops: on Monday morning, Northwestern student Archana Sriram was hit while riding her bike to school by a yellow H2 that ran the light at Sherman and Lake in Evanston. The driver took off, while Sriram ended up in the hospital with a broken jaw, hip and leg. (Thanks, Mike)
Wednesday February 22 2006 Transportation

Blogger Meetup: Copyright & Fair Use
The monthly Blogger Meet-up hosted by Columbia College's Barbara Iverson tonight features Matthew J. Sag, a law professor and author of the paper "God in the Machine: A New Structural Analysis of Copyright's Fair Use Doctrine." He'll be talking about how copyright and fair use come into play in blogging. Head to the second-floor "Mini Auditorium" at 33 E. Congress at 6:45pm to join in the free discussion.
Tuesday February 21 2006 Weblogs

Craig's List Speaks
Reader Carrie points us to the official response from craigslist, from CEO Jim Buckmaster, to the Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the CLCCRUL we told you about here and here. Related: Chicagoist's interview with Michael Pensack, the executive director of the Illinois Tenants Union.
Tuesday February 21 2006 Found on the Web

Coyotus in horto
Chicago can add another number one to its list: coyote population.
Monday February 20 2006 Outdoors/Environment

This Orchid Life
Ira Glass may not understand why Chicagoans are upset about This American Life leaving for New York, but maybe that's because he doesn't realize just how rabid his fanbase is. I mean, stud orchids have been named after him.
Monday February 20 2006 Found on the Web

Movie Cliche Come True
A small plane crash-landed on the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway Sunday. The plane had just taken off from nearby Schaumburg Regional Airport when it had engine trouble.
Sunday February 19 2006 In the News

Zulkey vs. Dybek
Claire Zulkey has around 20 questions for Stuart Dybek, who happens to be author of this month's Gapers Block Book Club book.
Friday February 17 2006 People/Sightings

Sounds Around Town
Audio blog The Square Tracks is an interesting mix of self-produced stuff and shared mp3s. The most recent post is a set of field recordings made around the city, including a number of street performers you're likely to recognize.
Friday February 17 2006 Weblogs

Local Patents
Here's something I had no idea existed: Crain's compiles a list of patents awarded to local businesses and independent inventors. If that tickles your fancy, you'd probably also like Patently-O, a patent law blog.
Thursday February 16 2006 Found on the Web

Ride the Silver Bullet
No, not Coor's. The CTA has unveiled plans to turn the Cermak branch of the Blue Line into the Silver Line, though the color may change. The plans call for a new section of line called the Paulina Connector, which will run the new line up to the Green Line tracks. Here's the press release.
Thursday February 16 2006 Transportation

Fireside Chat
The latest product of FoGB 37Signals: Campfire, a group chat program for business ...and probably other groups, too.
Thursday February 16 2006 Business/Shopping

The Raptor of Live Music
The League of Chicago Music Venues is throwing a music festival this weekend, and you're invited. This Friday through Sunday, The Hawk Winter Music Festival will feature acts of all sorts, from blues to indie to children's, at the group's 11 member clubs. And on Sunday, a $20 wristband gets you into as many shows as you can stand. Worth checking out.
Wednesday February 15 2006 Music/Clubs

Vid-Podcast? Pod-Vlog?
The hype about podcasts seems to be waning, but that doesn't mean there's no innovation going on. ChiHookah.com offers not only a podcast about Chicago food, beer and music (and, um, hookahs), but also video of said podcasts.
Wednesday February 15 2006 Found on the Web

Three Minutes of Awesome
Felix Jung has taken a photo nearly every day since July 2002. Which gave him just enough material to make 3 Years 3 Minutes, a presentation of three years' worth of photos shown in rapid succession on three "screens," set to music. If you watch no other video today, watch this one.
Tuesday February 14 2006 Photography

Crime On Your Desktop
For those of you with Macs, there's a new Dashboard widget that gives you a Chicagocrime.org feed for whichever block you choose.
Tuesday February 14 2006 Resources

What's for Lunch?
Not sure what the place around the corner offers? Check out MenuPages, which lists the menus of more than 2200 Chicago restaurants. Yum!
Monday February 13 2006 Eating/Drinking

Publisher by the Lake
Nice profile of friends of GB Lake Claremont Press in today's Sun-Times.
Monday February 13 2006 Books/Authors

Rebutting Cindy
Remember that bizarre column lambasting Chicago in the NY Post we linked to on Monday? Richard Roeper wrote a rebuttal in the Sun-Times a couple days ago. Tequila Red's was a bit snarkier, though.
Friday February 10 2006 In the News

Rearview for Your Wall
Here's an opportunity to pick up prints by two of the photographers regularly featured in Rearview: Yu Kizawa and Patrick Spence will be among the artists featured at "Love-A-Palooza pre-Valentine's Day Art Show" today from 3pm to 9pm at the home of Brook Costello, 5809 N. Winthrop Ave. Apt. 3N. More info here.
Friday February 10 2006 Photography

CLCCRUL v. CL Redux
Two days later, here's some more background from the Tribune on that Craig's List lawsuit filed by the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. (Here's a PDF of their original press release.)
Wednesday February 8 2006 In the News

Eye Candy Roundup
Some sight-seeing for the middle of the week:
• ghostco. - gorgeous illustration
• Spike Press - currently on display @ Gold Star
• K. Judge - scratchboard and charcoal
• NOTIFBUTWHEN - new work at an old favorite
Wednesday February 8 2006 Arts/Architecture

Yet Another Google Map, Six Pack Edition
Jumping into the city's already crowded booze map field is beer.chicago.com.
Tuesday February 7 2006 Found on the Web

Quit Grinning
Nice profile of Stop Smiling in the Sun-Times today, with a headline that makes it sound like the magazine is in dire straits (it's doing just fine, actually).
Tuesday February 7 2006 Print/Magazines

CLCCRUL v. CL
A local legal group, Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, filed a federal lawsuit today against Craig's List for publishing apartment rental listings that violate the equal housing laws. According to the CLCCRUL, "from July 2005 through the present, craigslist published over 200 such ads from metropolitan Chicago, with language such as 'no minorities,' 'African Americans and Arabians tend to clash with me so that won't work out,' 'Ladies please rent from me,' 'Requirements: Clean Godly Christian Male,' 'Will allow only single occupancy,' and 'No children.'"
Monday February 6 2006 Politics/Activism

XXX-Rated Chicago
Demon Dogs maybe be gone, but Chicago (the band) is back. The band's 30th album, imaginitively titled Chicago XXX, comes out next Tuesday, and they'll be touring this summer with none other than Huey Lewis & The News.
Monday February 6 2006 Music/Clubs

Ravings of a Mad Woman
New York Post columnist Cindy Adams must've run out of material: her latest screed is a baffling, cliché-filled rant (bugmenot) about how second-rate the Second City is, keyed off a vague claim that Chicago was recently called "the Number One City in America" in an unnamed newspaper. (Thanks, Nadim!)
Monday February 6 2006 In the News

Commercial Memories
Apropos of the current Fuel question, here are some classic commercials from local TV: EagleMan, Victory Auto Wreckers and Bud Man (first two via Coudal). Let us know if you find any more.
Friday February 3 2006 Radio/TV

Chicago Shorts
Are you a filmmaker? Do you want to be? The City of Chicago Film Office is looking for locally produced short films (10 minutes or less) to run during the Outdoor Film Festival this summer. Deadline for submission is April 1; click the "Call for Shorts" link on the Film Office website (damn the city's expiring relative links) for more info.
Thursday February 2 2006 Film

I Love the Quizzes!
Are you a master of pop culture trivia? Do you have two friends who complement your areas of expertise? Then here's your early warning: VH1 is coming to Chicago March 11 and 12 to audition three-person teams for the World Series of Pop Culture. (Thanks, Mitchell!)
Wednesday February 1 2006 Radio/TV

Summer of Music
Now that it's semi-official that Lollapalooza is returing to Grant Park August 4-6, music fans are looking at a very busy summer. Intonation is scheduled for June 24-25 and the new Pitchfork Music Festival is July 29-30 (both at Union Park) — throw in the city-sponsored Gospel, Blues, Country and Jazz Festivals (not to mention neighborhood fests) and there's a major music fest pretty much every other weekend from June till September.
Wednesday February 1 2006 Music/Clubs

We're #35!
Chicago is only the 35th most expensive city in the world, tied with Los Angeles, according to a new survey by the Economist. Number one? Oslo, Norway. (Thanks, Jeb!)
Tuesday January 31 2006 In the News

Podcast Antisocial
This week's Bad at Sports podcast features a rambling interview with Liz Armstrong, "Chicago Antisocial" columnist in the Reader. (Reminded us a little of our own.)
Tuesday January 31 2006 People/Sightings

North Kenwood/Oakland Revival
Great article on the resurrection of the North Kenwood/Oakland neighborhood in the Tribune Magazine yesterday, along with some photos.
Monday January 30 2006 City Life/Cultural

Rock Poetry
Spotted on the Metro sign as we headed into Gingerman for the GB Get-Together Friday: a haiku made up of band names.
Sunday January 29 2006 People/Sightings

Chicago is Watching You
Since the city council is considering a proposal that would require hundreds of businesses to install video cameras in their stores and parking lots, this seems like a good time to relink to Open Loop, a site dedicated to mapping all the security cameras monitoring the Loop.
Sunday January 29 2006 City Life/Cultural

Save Our Beers
New City reports on a new form of activism in the city: The Draught Beer Preservation Society, "an open, Chicago-wide organization propagating the notion that, since the allure of tap beer draws us out of our homes and into each other's company, bars solidify a community." Where do we sign up?
Friday January 27 2006 City Life/Cultural

Blogger Bowling Blowout
Last night, Gapers Block met Chicagoist and Coudal Partners for a little friendly competition down at Lucky Strike: eight frames later (we ran out of lane time), GB emerged victorious! Here are photos from us, Coudal and Chicagoist.
Friday January 27 2006 Weblogs

Ira Glass Speaks
Ira Glass, host of This American Life, comments about the show's move to New York in the current Fuel thread. "Let me just say, we love this town and we pack our bags with tears in our eyes and lumps in our throats."
Thursday January 26 2006 People/Sightings

Serving the CHA Diaspora
Great article in the Wall Street Journal today about Residents' Journal, a bi-monthly newspaper for Chicago Housing Authority residents. The paper is struggling to stay afloat on grants, while its readership is spread across the city and suburbs.
Thursday January 26 2006 Print/Magazines

A Million Little Tonguelashings
Oprah Winfrey reunited with "memoirist" James Frey on today's Oprah show. Gawker has a live-blogged recap of the show; tune in to Channel 7 tonight at 11pm for the rebroadcast. (Our pop critic Dee Stiffler has some thoughts, too.)
Thursday January 26 2006 Radio/TV

This American NYC Life
That sucks: Because of the new TV show, This American Life the radio show is moving to New York.
Wednesday January 25 2006 Radio/TV

Grey Lady Memoirs
What if the New York Times chronicled your childhood? In the "My Life in the Times" series over at The Morning News, John Warner is imagining just that.
Wednesday January 25 2006 Found on the Web

A "Rape Epidemic"
There were more than 1,200 sexual assaults reported in the city last year — an average of more than three a day. See how many were reported in your neighborhood; you might want to consider a self-defense class.
Wednesday January 25 2006 City Life/Cultural

Flavor Saver
Quick! Grow a mustache and head to Sheffield's tonight at 8pm for the 11th Annual Bell's Stout Tasting and 2nd Annual Mustache Contest. Or just show up — they'll have temporary 'staches available for follically challenged men and women.
Wednesday January 25 2006 Eating/Drinking

Eyeglass Thieves Escape Unseen
Apparently, local thieves have figured out that high-end eyeglass frames and sunglasses are a convenient target: they're small, portable and very valuable. Reports of theft have been on the rise. Fortunately, so far only new frames have been stolen, but if I were you, I wouldn't walk down any dark alleys in your Chanel shades.
Tuesday January 24 2006 In the News

Big Happy Prune House
"Dear Sweetheart,
Please cook me some prunes.
Love, Daddy"
Monday January 23 2006 Weblogs

The NYTimes' Chicago Expense Report
Reader Enlightened Elephant points us to the New York Times' Corresondents' Guide to the US (here's a PDF of the Chicago section) and says, "Too heavy on downtown and Damen. But! See esp. Chicago: Favorite shop or shopping area [which mentions the NSFW G Boutique]. So that's what the NYT is up to when in town" (although it's worth noting that Jodi Wilgoren, who we can assume was miscredited, is actually based here).
Monday January 23 2006 City Life/Cultural

Call it the eBay Effect
Next time you go to Marshall Field's, you might consider putting the shopping bag in a bag of its own: collectibles experts are predicting that Field's branded items will have some serious value in 20 years. (Anyone else find it ironic that the State Street store's webpage has a flash intro that says, "The first 150 years were just a warm up ...for this"?)
Monday January 23 2006 Business/Shopping

Our Weight's Not a Problem, It's a Feature
According to a U of C economics professor, America's weight problem is a symptom of our prosperity. I guess that means Chicago's doing exceptionally well. Meantime, Men's Fitness' "Getting America Fit Tour," which was supposed to be at the Mercantile Exchange this weekend, was abruptly canceled on Thursday with no explanation.
Monday January 23 2006 In the News

TV American Life
It's official: This American Life is coming to television. The one-hour show will be on Showtime, hosted by Ira Glass, and following the same format of the radio program (i.e., each week a theme, with stories based on that theme). The radio show continues unchanged.
Saturday January 21 2006 Radio/TV

Your 2006 Sox, Handicapped
Phil Rogers lists five reasons the White Sox could repeat in the World Series this year -- and five reasons they might not. Via 1838 Miles to Tucson, the Chi-Town Daily News' Sox blog. (Donate here to help send C-TDN's sportswriters to spring training.)
Friday January 20 2006 Sports/Recreation

Really Quick Review: Junior's
From Car Seat columnist Alejandra Valera: "Calling itself a 'Sports Lounge' rather than a sports bar, Junior's on Maxwell and Halsted (partially owned by Chicago Bear Gale Sayers) is beautifully designed and swank. With 20 flat screen TVs, a VIP area and plenty of music coming from the DJ booth, expect to see both suits and backwards baseball caps at Junior's. Besides appetizers, a lunch and dinner menu is also available featuring burgers, surf'n'turf, salads and more."
Friday January 20 2006 Eating/Drinking

Springer Taping Attendee Imitates Springer Guest
A woman from Westmont is spending 30 days in jail for abandoning her kids at home -- so she could attend a Jerry Springer taping last fall.
Friday January 20 2006 In the News

Win a Date with a Jake!
Threadless just announced a new contest, and it's not about shirts! Enter Win a Date with Threadless and you could win dinner at Ballo with members of the staff, table service in the VIP suite at Crobar, a room for at the W Hotel and $250 dollars of spending money. (If you live more than 250 miles from Chicago, you get free plane tickets, too.) Woot!
Thursday January 19 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Players in the Stands, Again
From Jason Maslanka, our intrepid Bulls columnist: "During last night's Bulls win over the Knicks in overtime, former Bull Antonio Davis climbed over the scorer's table and into the stands where he believed his wife was being harrassed by intoxicated fans. The moment was eerily similar to the start of last year's Pacers-Pistons brawl, but luckily, this occassion featured nothing more than some conversation and dirty looks."
Thursday January 19 2006 Sports/Recreation

Anonymous Art
An oldy but a goody, and it ties in (sort of) to the current Fuel question: "The Lakefront: Chicago's Anonymous Gallery" catalogs the carvings and paintings along the city's breakwalls.
Wednesday January 18 2006 Arts/Architecture

Chicagoan Idol
"American Idol" focused on Chicago auditions last night. Missed it? See what they thought at TWOP, and TV Fodder. The Red Eye's Phillip Thompson had some things to say, too. UPDATE: Lots of discussion of the show (and whether it's cool to watch it) on Chicagoist.
Wednesday January 18 2006 Radio/TV

Deadly Suburbs
Chicago managed to keep its murder rate to a 40-year low in 2005, but the Tribune reports that suburban murders are on the rise.
Tuesday January 17 2006 City Life/Cultural

Beautiful Construction
GB reader emyduck got some great shots of the latest You Are Beautiful installation: the construction barriers surrounding Block 37.
Monday January 16 2006 Arts/Architecture

Naked on the Train
If you see a naked guy on the train, don't mess with him. CTA guards and policemen found out first-hand as they tried to apprehend an 18-year-old agitated nudist on the Red Line yesterday. Pepper spray and a Taser didn't stop him, and he broke a train window before fleeing. He was eventually subdued somewhere on North Kenmore.
Monday January 16 2006 In the News

Six-Flat Therapy
New York's Apartment Therapy is expanding: they're launching a Chicago version of the site (along with one in San Francisco; they already have one in LA) to talk about local architecture and interior design. They're looking for an editor with both blogging and ID experience. And hey, it's a paid position! (Thanks, Aaron, and congratulations!)
Sunday January 15 2006 Weblogs

F*****g Smoking Ban
Metra has suspended without pay a conductor on the line to Harvard, who added his own editorial to a warning that smoking would no longer be allowed on train platforms in the city. According to the Trib, "the conductor used a vulgar sexual epithet over the Metra train's public address system to describe the city officials who enacted the ordinance."
Sunday January 15 2006 In the News

Yet Another Google Map, Drinkers' Edition
The Chicago Beer Map doesn't just give you bars, it also lists beer-oriented liquor stores and shops that sell homebrew supplies. (For nightly specials, see previously mentioned Drinktown.)
Friday January 13 2006 Eating/Drinking

We're Not That Mean
Not to our homeless people, anyway. The National Coalition for the Homeless ranked Chicago 12th in its "Top 20 Meanest Cities" list, citing our rule against panhandling within 10 feet of an ATM. The list is part of a much larger report on the criminalization of homelessness.
Friday January 13 2006 In the News

The Bean by Moonlight
Still pissed at the Park District for denying Radiohead the Millennium Park bandshell this summer? Show up at the Bean Friday night at 6:30pm for a group mooning in protest, organized by Q101's Fook. You'll be among friends... and probably a few dozen policemen. (Thanks, Anthony.)
Thursday January 12 2006 Music/Clubs

A Site of Their Own
We may never see the Lincoln Park Trixies return to the web, but at least we have the Lincoln Park Chad Society, recently updated and improved for your amusement.
Thursday January 12 2006 City Life/Cultural

No Smoke on the Horizon
The city's smoking ban goes into effect on Monday, so you've got four days to "only smoke when you drink." Meantime, Elk Grove Village's mayor is upping the ante, proposing a ban on cigarette sales.
Thursday January 12 2006 In the News

Because Lists Are Fun
The American Kennel Club's list of Chicago's "Top Dogs of 2005":
1. Labrador Retriever
2. German Shepherd
3. Golden Retriever
4. Boxer
5. Pug
6. Yorkshire Terrier
(Real number 1, but disqualified by AKC rules: Mutt)
Wednesday January 11 2006 City Life/Cultural

Species Invade the Shedd
There's a new exhibit on invasive species in Lake Michigan at the Shedd Aquarium. So if you've ever wondered what an Asian carp looks like, here's your chance. One organism is so invasive the Shedd included only replicas in the exhibit: they were afraid real zebra mussels would clog the aquarium's pipes and filtration system.
Tuesday January 10 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Twista Hit Again
Chicago hip hop star Twista was in another car crash -- this time a hit and run. He was in a fatal accident back in September 2004. No deaths or injuries this time (as far as is known), and Twista's reportedly at home recovering.
Monday January 9 2006 People/Sightings

Another High Profile Closing
Breaking news, via mmmChicago, who got it from Chicago magazine's Dish e-newsletter: the renowned Trio Atelier is closing, with the last day tentatively Feb. 25.
Monday January 9 2006 Eating/Drinking

Jim Zulevic, RIP
Comedian and actor Jim Zulevic died over the weekend; the name may not be familiar, but I bet his face is. Here's a 2004 interview with Zulevic by Claire Zulkey.
Monday January 9 2006 People/Sightings

Augie's City
History and literary buffs alike may be interested in this week's Detour feature, in which GB staffers Brian and Alice visit the modern-day sites of many of the locations mentioned in The Adventures of Augie March. Not coincidentally, tonight is the monthly meeting of the Gapers Block Book Club, where Augie March will be discussed.
Monday January 9 2006 Gapers

Maxwell Street Tonight
~~Monday~~Wednesday night at 7pm, Channel 11's "Chicago Tonight" is running a story about Maxwell Street as a destination for photographers over the years. In addition to lots of photos, of course, the segment will include interviews with noted photographers Art Shay, Marc PoKempner and others. On Thursday, JC Gabel, editor of Stop Smiling, will be on the show to talk about the magazine's 10th anniversary issue, which is devoted to our fair city. (Studs Turkel fans may be interested in these excerpts from an interview in the upcoming issue.)
Sunday January 8 2006 Radio/TV

Alert Chicago!
Are you prepared for disaster?
Friday January 6 2006 City Life/Cultural

RIP Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls, one of the most distinctive voices to come out of Chicago, died today. He was 72.
Friday January 6 2006 People/Sightings

GWBOT
The President is visiting the Board of Trade today, so you might want to steer clear of LaSalle and Jackson.
Friday January 6 2006 Business/Shopping

Pixel Power
As the Million Dollar Homepage sells off its last 1,000 pixels, other people are getting into the act. Chicago-based FundMyLifestyle.com claims to be aiming for a "really nice car," while ChicagoMillionPixels is going for the local angle.
Thursday January 5 2006 Found on the Web

Chocolate on the Airwaves
Public radio's Marketplace aired a story last night about the EPA ruling against Blommer's Chocolate we told you about last year. Apparently, even the regulators like the smell, but their hands are tied.
Thursday January 5 2006 Radio/TV

Squirrels on TV
Fire up the TiVo: Coudal informs us that Jay Ryan, silkscreen artist extraordinaire, will be on Channel 11's Chicago Tonight this evening at 7pm to discuss his book, 100 Posters, 134 Squirrels.
Wednesday January 4 2006 Radio/TV

All that blood, gonna swallow you whole*
The Trib launched a new blog today, this one from its Washington Bureau. The Swamp's "goal is to cut a path for our readers through the [political] Swamp." First up, the Abramoff scandal. *
Wednesday January 4 2006 Politics/Activism

Obligatory Pandering for Votes
It's Bloggies time again — a time when weblogs plead with their readers to nominate them for an award that means little more than bragging rights among bloggers. But hey, we're not above that: it'd be great if you'd put our name in the running for a couple categories. May we suggest Best Group Weblog, Best Writing of a Weblog, Best Topical Weblog and, for Rearview, perhaps Best Photography of a Weblog?
Tuesday January 3 2006 Weblogs

A Fine Specimen
Specimen Products is a custom guitar and amp maker on the West Side. In addition to some incredible gear, they run The Chicago School of Guitar Making which offers classes in guitar set-up and maintenance for budding roadies and a fretting workshop for the serious guitar tech.
Tuesday January 3 2006 Music/Clubs

He Shot the Sheriff
Tonight at 10pm on Channel 11, catch the premier of Sheriff, an independent documentary of a small-town North Carolina sheriff by Chicago filmmaker Daniel Kraus. Here's a profile from the Associated Press.
Tuesday January 3 2006 Radio/TV

Da Bearscast
Our Bears in Five columnists, Craig Aichele and Ramsin Canon, love the Monsters of the Midway so much they've started doing a weekly podcast for the Chicago Sportscast Network: Bearscast.
Monday January 2 2006 Sports/Recreation

Two Thousand Tax
Happy New Year! Now pay up: the CTA rate hikes went into effect yesterday (for those without a Chicago Card, that is), and a pack of cigarettes just got a bit more expensive too.
Monday January 2 2006 In the News

Dillinger on Discovery Channel
You would think that whether gangster John Dillinger was killed in front of the Biograph was a settled matter, but an upcoming Discovery Channel special is putting it back up for debate. I guess we could keep our eye out for his ghost and ask him.
Friday December 30 2005 Radio/TV

That's Why They Call Her Bookslut
Local literary luminary Jessa Crispin ranks high in Wired's list of the 10 sexiest geeks of 2005.
Thursday December 29 2005 People/Sightings

Year in Review
Bored at work? Crain's has a three-part news quiz you can take to pass the time.
Thursday December 29 2005 City Life/Cultural

Berghoff to Bug Off
Aw, man, now The Berghoff is closing. The owners of the 107-year-old Chicago institution, themselves in their 70s, have decided to close up all but the O'Hare terminal location at the end of February. Belly up to the bar one last time.
Wednesday December 28 2005 Eating/Drinking

Chicago Blog-Times
The Sun-Times has finally caught up to the other major dailies and launched a blog: columnist Debra Pickett maintains the paper's everyman ethos with remarkably average posts. In the meantime, it'll be interesting to see which paper catches up to the Defender and adds a podcast.
Wednesday December 28 2005 Print/Magazines

Party Here
For the second year in a row, Chicago is the number one destination in the country for New Year's Eve, according to hotwire.com.
Wednesday December 28 2005 In the News

Cooking Casualty
You may recall our mentioning a backstage look at a local visit to Sur la Table by Rachael Ray a couple weeks ago. Turns out Sur la Table fired the blogger — apparently not because of the post but because of the comments people had made on it. Yikes!
Tuesday December 27 2005 People/Sightings

New Year's Ever
Don't know what you're doing for New Year's Eve yet? Well, you're running out of time. Here's a quick run-down of places to look for NYE celebrations: Metromix, Centerstage, The Reader and NewCity, and for the suburbs, the Daily Herald and Southtown. Also, you might want to check out this week's Detour for tips on how to fend off the traditional New Year's Day hangover.
Tuesday December 27 2005 City Life/Cultural

LAPD is Family Friendly
The Los Angeles Police Department is sponsoring the volleyball competition at next year's Gay Games VII. Why, you might ask? They plan on doing a little recruitment while they're in town.
Friday December 23 2005 Sports/Recreation

Verify Your Flight Plan
If you're flying in the next couple days, you might want to check out the Chicago Airport System website. It provides flight information for O'Hare or Midway based on the same info as the arrival/departure screens in the terminals, and current parking conditions for both airports are listed right on the front page. (If you're a regular flyer, you might even want to sign up to receive parking status notifications on your cell.)
Thursday December 22 2005 Transportation

"It's a Major Award"
Know someone who deserves special recognition this holiday season? Send'em a leg lamp — you know, like the one the old man won in A Christmas Story. It's the perfect centerpiece for any large window. And it's made in Naperville.
Wednesday December 21 2005 Business/Shopping

Anheuser Island? Goose-Busch?
There's a rumor brewing that Anheuser-Busch is considering taking an ownership stake in Goose Island Brewery. The Trib has the story, with Goose Island president John Hall confirming that the companies are "in talks" but claiming they're about distribution, not acquisition.
Wednesday December 21 2005 Business/Shopping

Wrap and Fly
Here's something cool: You know how you're not supposed to bring wrapped presents through the security check at the airport? Well, between now and Friday, you can take advantage of free gift-wrapping services on the other side of the x-rays from 2pm to 5pm at O'Hare and noon to 4pm at Midway.
Wednesday December 21 2005 Transportation

Whet Your Whistle
It not quite finished, but ExtraTasty! has soft launched — sign up and add your favorite drink. From the looks of it, you can expect it to be a combination bartender's recipe guide and social networking site.
Tuesday December 20 2005 Eating/Drinking

Competition for Blago
Former alderman Edwin Eisendrath made it official today: he's running against Governor Blagojevich in the Democratic primaries next year.
Sunday December 18 2005 Politics/Activism

Santa Train Derailed!
The CTA Holiday Train derailed on the Brown/Purple line tracks just north of Sedgewick on Saturday night. Friend of GB Wendy McClure happened to be on the train, and took some pictures.
Sunday December 18 2005 Transportation

Get It Together
If you're not already stuck at a holiday party (or two or three) tonight, come meet members of the Gapers Block staff at Trader Vic's tonight at 9pm. $5 mai tais! Look for the guy in the fez.
Friday December 16 2005 Gapers

Santamonium Doesn't Have Quite the Ring to It
Saturday afternoon is the second annual Chicago Santarchy! Started in San Francisco in '94, Santarchy involves hordes of Santa-suited merry-makers wandering from bar to bar, spreading holiday cheer ...in a debauched sort of way. Grab your costume and head to Durkin's tomorrow at 3pm.
Friday December 16 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Plastic Coctails
Tonight at 7pm, the Coctails are playing a free set at Rotofugi, 1953 W. Chicago Ave., to celebrate the release of a new line of Coctails action figures by band member and artist Archer Prewitt. Not able to make it? You could go to their annual reunion show at the Abbey Pub on Sunday (see Slowdown). You might also check out this week's Detour, in which Dave Elfving talks with Coctail Mark Greenberg in his home studio.
Thursday December 15 2005 Music/Clubs

Something's Fishy
Did you catch the Tribune's series on mercury levels in store-bought fish? It'll put you off canned tuna and walleye forever.
Wednesday December 14 2005 Eating/Drinking

Hear Me Now
Your cell phone's reception in the Loop should get a lot better soon: a company has made a deal to install cellular communications boxes on city-owned light poles, which will help strengthen signals in the concrete and glass canyons.
Wednesday December 14 2005 City Life/Cultural

Care for a share of O'Hare?
Crain's is reporting that the city will issue $1.5 billion in bonds tomorrow to fund the first stage of its O'Hare expansion project. Buyer beware, however.
Tuesday December 13 2005 Business/Shopping

Gutierrez 2007?
Everybody's wondering if Congressman Luis Gutierrez plans to run for mayor against Hizzonor in 2007. He's not saying just yet, but Daley is already puffing up for a fight. (It probably doesn't mean anything, but as of today the only result in Google for "gutierrez2007" is this.)
Tuesday December 13 2005 Politics/Activism

Rachael Invasion
Food Network star Rachael Ray was at Sur la Table last Friday, signing copies of her latest book, Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats — A Year of Deliciously Different Dinner. Didn't make it? Here's a backstage look at the whole event, including the befores and afters.
Monday December 12 2005 People/Sightings

Red Sauce Shift
The Sun-Times has an enlightening look at how restaurant trends shifted between 1994 and 2005, comparing Zagat's ratings then and now and giving us lots of charts and graphs. Yum.
Monday December 12 2005 Eating/Drinking

McCarthy, RIP
Eugene J. McCarthy, the Minnesota senator and presidential candidate who was a central figure in the 1968 Democratic Convention and riots in Chicago, died this weekend. (NewsBusters points out an interesting error in the Tribune's profile of the senator.)
Sunday December 11 2005 People/Sightings

"I Love Your Work"
Here's something I never expected to read, let alone in the Tribune: an account of a dinner conversation between porn stars Nina Hartley, Shane and Stormy Daniels and Peter Sagal, host of NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." Oh, and his wife.
Friday December 9 2005 People/Sightings

Midway Crash
I'm going to guess you've already heard about this by now, but just in case you're a recluse: A Southwest Airlines 737 skidded off the end of a runway and went through a barrier fence at Midway Airport last night, hitting at least four cars before coming to a stop in the middle of Central Ave. A 6-year-old boy who was inside one of the cars was killed. Here's Southwest's CEO's statement on the airline's first fatal accident in its 35-year history.
Friday December 9 2005 In the News

Lost City
Claire Zulkey interviews David Garrard Lowe, author of Lost Chicago, about the city's architecture and other related topics.
Friday December 9 2005 History

Blogs of Operatic Proportions
It's interesting to find blogs by more than one person connected to Chicago's opera scene. Erin Wall, a soprano based in Chicago, writes at Canadienne (figures I'd discover it just as she goes on hiatus), and Brian Dickie, general director of Chicago Opera Theater, has his own blog, too.
Thursday December 8 2005 Weblogs

Smoke'em If You Got'em
It's official: the smoking ban passed by a 46-1 vote. Public places will go smoke-free on January 16, and by July 2008, bars and restaurants will follow.
Wednesday December 7 2005 City Life/Cultural

Get On Your Soapbox
Interested in liberal politics? Like to drink? Alright then. Head over to the Red Lion Pub tonight for the local chapter meeting of Drinking Liberally, "an informal, inclusive Democratic drinking club."
Wednesday December 7 2005 Politics/Activism

Cartoonist Beef?
The Austin Mayor alerted us to a somewhat bizarre comic strip by Ted Rall, simultaneously mocking and giving "apologies to" local favorite Chris Ware. Perhaps Rall's mad his book about beating back a bully hasn't done as well as Ware's works? UPDATE: Rall addresses the cartoon in his blog (although he still doesn't explain its biting tone).
Tuesday December 6 2005 Books/Authors

Yet Another GoogleMap, Happy Hour Edition
DrinkTown maps where the specials are, so you can make your way from one cheap beer to the next.
Tuesday December 6 2005 Eating/Drinking

Battle of the Bucket Brigade
There was a big fight over at Chicagoist yesterday in the comments of their post on Alderman Natarus' plan to get rid of street performers in the Loop again. Mostly, it was one guy against the hordes.
Tuesday December 6 2005 Weblogs

Stripped Comic Books
GB alumnus Gordon McAlpin has posted the first portion of a three-part "pictorial adapatation of an actual event," a panel discussion between comic artists (graphic novelists?) Ivan Brunetti, Seth and Chris Ware. So it's a comic in progress on the process of drawing comics. Very meta.
Monday December 5 2005 Books/Authors

Rock for the Kids
Tonight (Friday) at the Park West, Rock for Kids is holding its annual Rock'n'Roll Auction. Bid on all sorts of autographed stuff, from a Green Day poster to a Phil Collins self-portrait to, uh, an Alec Guinness headshot (how's he rock'n'roll?). Tickets are $20 at the door.
Friday December 2 2005 Music/Clubs

Bye-Bye, Journalist Boot Camp
As part of staff cuts, the Tribune is killing off City News Service. Founded in 1890 as the City News Bureau, it was a first job "boot camp" for aspiring journalists including Mike Royko and Kurt Vonnegut. Trib editorialist Ellen Warren has a rememberance.
Friday December 2 2005 Print/Magazines

Cupcakes' Exit Strategy Explained
If you were thinking, "WTF?" when we told you last month that Cupcakes was for sale, you'll want to read the interview with co-owner Noah Antieau in this week's Dish. Upshot: new owners, bigger cupcakes soon.
Thursday December 1 2005 Eating/Drinking

Depends on What Your Definition of Iz Is
A full what, two weeks after the Reader did a cover story on them (PDF here), the Tribune is playing catch-up with a profile of Big Monster Toys, creator of one this season's hot toys: the Iz.
Thursday December 1 2005 Business/Shopping

We're Keeping Konerko
Paul Konerko signed a 5-year, $60 million deal to stay with the White Sox yesterday. You can relax now.
Thursday December 1 2005 Sports/Recreation

Now She Can Rest in Peace
I can remember hearing news reports as a kid about the rape and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico. It ranked with the Brown's Chicken Murders in notoriety. Yesterday, 22 years later, a grand jury indicted convicted murderer Brian Dugan of the crime. For more info about the case, see Eric Zorn's backgrounder and his 1994 series of columns.
Wednesday November 30 2005 In the News

Choose to Donate
Looking for an alternative to gift cards for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list? Consider DonorsChoose, a non-profit that allows donors to choose (duh) which education-related project they would like to fund. Currently, there are 655 Chicagoland proposals for your perusal. DonorsChoose now offers gift certificates, so you can give a gift that gives again!
Tuesday November 29 2005 Politics/Activism

Oh Hillary Youuuuu... Got What I Need
Hillary Clinton may be a senator in New York, but that doesn't mean she can't fund-raise in Chicago. This Saturday, she's taking over crobar for "Saturday Night Live," a $50/ticket event featuring the former first lady and, of all people, Biz Markie as special musical guest. No idea if there will be any lame sketch comedy, like on the real SNL, but here's hoping. (Thanks, Brandon)
Tuesday November 29 2005 Politics/Activism

Shop Online Locally
Since today is supposedly "Cyber Monday," it's probably the best day to point out that Threadless is currently running a holiday sale. Literally every t-shirt in stock is currently $10.
Monday November 28 2005 Business/Shopping

John Q Plagiarism
Ever seen the movie John Q? A Chicago man believes Denzel Washington's role in the 2002 film was stolen straight out of a screenplay he wrote years before, about his own experience paying for a child's medical care. He's filed suit against New Line Cinema.
Monday November 28 2005 Film

Bring the Political Noize
Folks interested in local and state politics now have a one-stop blog: Rich Miller, publisher of the Capitol Fax, has launched Illinoize, an aggregator of posts from more than a dozen blog-pundits. (via Zorn)
Wednesday November 23 2005 Politics/Activism

Dear Bobby,
I see from your letter that you've been a good boy this year. I'll pass the word on to Santa that you deserve an extra present under the tree.
Merry Christmas,
Volunteer Santa Letter Responder
Tuesday November 22 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Who's Your New Egg Producer?
Man, I wish I was in town this weekend. Andrew Bird and Sam Prekop are playing an early show on Saturday before Bird's sold-out gig with Head of Femur later in the evening. The show starts at 6:30pm at the Logan Square Auditorium. Tickets are $15 in advance and are expected to sell out — get yours quick!
Monday November 21 2005 Music/Clubs

Score Some Dinosaur Jr Tickets
Want to see Dinosaur Jr next week at the Metro? First person to correctly answer the following question via email to inbox@gapersblock.com wins two free tickets: Before Lollapalooza this summer, when was the last time Dinosaur Jr played in Chicago? UPDATE: We've got a winner! The correct answer was Halloween, 1997, at the Metro.
Monday November 21 2005 Music/Clubs

Pick up a Cat
Lonely? Think a companion might cheer you up? How 'bout a cat? The city's shelters are overloaded with felines right now, so the perfect one is sure to be out there. Links to a few local shelters after the jump.

- PAWS Chicago - Harmony House - Felines, Inc. - Cats are Purrsons, Too - Furry Friends Foundation - Lake Shore Animal Shelter - Tree House Animal Foundation - Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society - Chicago Animal Care & Control
Monday November 21 2005 City Life/Cultural

Shimer on the Move?
Tiny Shimer College is contemplating a move to the big city from its campus in Waukegan. Apparently the liberal arts school, which has just 110 full-time students (many more go part-time), has been invited to move to IIT's campus on the near South Side. A decision is expected in the coming months.
Monday November 21 2005 Schools/Education

One Last Taste of Heaven Follow-up
Michael Miner has a good overview of the Taste of Heaven controversy and its aftermath in this week's Reader. He gets comments from the article's author -- which I haven't seen up till now -- as well as most of the major characters. Good stuff.
Friday November 18 2005 Print/Magazines

Talk to an Artist
Here's a reason to get up early on Sunday: WBEZ's Hello Beautiful!, which starts at 10am, will feature Laurie Anderson, artist and musician. She's in town to perform "The End of the Moon," a new work created for NASA, at the Art Institute, and she'll be answering caller's questions live on the air.
Friday November 18 2005 Radio/TV

High-Minded Podcasts
Podcasts aren't just for wannabe DJs. There are also a number of 'casts about literature and the arts. Check out the Bat Segundo Show and Likes to Do Other Things, for a start.
Thursday November 17 2005 Arts/Architecture

Coctails Scoop!
You heard it here first: The Coctails are reuniting again for another show at the Abbey Pub December 18. Tickets on sale now. Even cooler, though, will be the show they play at Rotofugi on December 15 for the release of the new line of Coctails action figures by band member and artist Archer Prewitt.
Wednesday November 16 2005 Music/Clubs

Get Your Skates Out
Perfectly timed with the first flurries of the season, the Millennium Park ice rink opened today, a few days behind schedule thanks to the warmer-than-usual weather last week. Skating is free till 10pm most nights, and you can rent skates for $7.
Wednesday November 16 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Will Capone Be Allowed?
The Park District is considering a plan to add a Hollywood-style "Walk of Stars" featuring famous Chicagoans to Grant Park from Harrison to 11th St. The granite stars would cost $15,000 apiece, including installation, upkeep and a party -- to be paid by private donors.
Wednesday November 16 2005 City Life/Cultural

Taste of Heaven: The Continuing Saga
Eric Zorn posts what will hopefully be at least close to the last word on the scandalous New York Times article about Taste of Heaven's sign. He includes a lengthy comment from Alison Miller, one of the mothers quoted in the NYT article, who indicates she was taken out of context a bit. (See previously: 1, 2, 3.)
Tuesday November 15 2005 In the News

The Longest Drive
Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher caught a failed field-goal attempt by the 49ers yesterday near the back of the endzone, and ended up running it all the way for a touchdown, cementing the team's fifth win in a row. The 108-yard drive is the longest touchdown play in the history of the NFL.
Monday November 14 2005 Sports/Recreation

Join the Ranks
The Phalanx Artist Network, a new group hoping to energize and organize Chicago's arts and entertainment scene, is throwing an introductory party at Smartbar, 3730 N. Clark St., Sunday night from 8pm to 10pm. Join them for drink specials at the bar, free apps, music -- and some discussion of how to make Chicago a force to be reckoned with in film, theatre, arts and entertainment. Tickets are $12 in advance. 21 and over.
Friday November 11 2005 Arts/Architecture

Don't Call Them Yuppies
The Lincoln Park Urban Professionals are throwing a warehouse party of sorts, and you're invited. It's next Wednesday at 600 W. Chicago, the old Montgomoery Ward warehouse (hey, that's not in Lincoln Park!), from 6pm to 9pm. In addition to margaritas and martinis in the lobby, you can visit Japonais for sushi and sake, Kitch'n River North for beer and hors d'oeuvres, Motel Bar for mixed drinks and David Barton Gym for wine and massages. All for $20 in advance, $30 at the door.
Friday November 11 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Endangered Architecture
Preservation Chicago has released its annual list of the city's seven most endangered architectural elements, and the big surprise is the inclusion of an entire neighborhood. Pilsen as we know it is in danger due to UIC's south campus expansion and the general condo boom. Listen here (RAM) to Preservation Chicago's Jonathan Fine run down the list on Wednesday's Eight Forty-Eight.
Thursday November 10 2005 Arts/Architecture

Yes, We're Obsessed with Maps
A new book looks at our city's history from a cartographic perspective. Chicago in Maps : 1612-2002 includes 74 "powerful and evocative documents [offering] an unprecedented avenue to the city's past — a fascinating collective portrait of the evolution of one of America's great towns." (Thanks, Atul)
Thursday November 10 2005 Books/Authors

Excuse Me, Have You Seen My Stapler?
Yes, that's right, Office Space is coming to a theater near you -- in musical form. The New Millennium Theatre Company is performing Cubical: An Office Space Musical at the National Pastime Theater, 4139 N. Broadway, starting Nov. 18. You're going to have to get your tickets now, yeah.
Wednesday November 9 2005 Theatre/Dance

New Buses on the Way
ChicagoBus.org reports that the CTA today received its first New Flyer D40LF 1000 series, which may replace half of the current fleet. Twenty of the new buses will be diesel-electric hybrids. Here's a video (.avi) of the bus pulling away from this morning's press conference.
Tuesday November 8 2005 Transportation

Turn Right at the Alley
Did you know Chicago has more than 1900 miles of alleys, more than any other city in the world? The Tribune is doing a special weeklong series on the city's alleyways.
Tuesday November 8 2005 City Life/Cultural

File Fast for Fast Forward Film Festival
The latest crop of Fast Forward Film Festival shorts will be screened this Saturday at 8pm at Open End Gallery, but there's still time to join in the action! This round's theme is "about your weird childhood" -- sign up for just $20 at Atomix Cafe, 1957 W. Chicago Ave., and then create a three-or-so minute flick in just 24 hours. More info here.
Monday November 7 2005 Film

Save the Adelphi!
I've been waiting for the Adelphi Theater up in Rogers Park to have its "grand re-opening coming soon," as promised by the marquee, for a couple years now. Now I know why the wait's been so long: a developer plans to tear it down for more condos. There is, of course, an organization fighting to preserve the 1917 theater.
Monday November 7 2005 Film

American Girl Power
We're not generally fans of American Girl Place, but there's one good reason to applaud the creepy doll manufacturer: they're standing up to nutty right-to-lifers. The Pro-Life Action League of Chicago and other groups have organized a boycott of American Girl because of a fundraising bracelet that benefits Girls Inc. (formerly Girls Clubs of America), which supports abortion rights and homosexuality. PLALC is supposedly planning a protest at the Chicago Avenue store around Thanksgiving; expect a nice counter-protest to further gum up traffic.
Sunday November 6 2005 Business/Shopping

Return of the Crafters
Get a jump-start on holiday shopping this weekend by hitting the DIY Trunk Show. Running from 10am to 4pm Saturday at the Pulaski Park Auditorium, 1419 W. Blackhawk, the show features more than 80 local crafters and artisans offering their wares. We'll be there with a booth, so stop by and say hi!
Friday November 4 2005 Business/Shopping

Round-tripping
Barrington resident Megan Kearney is traveling around the world, and documenting it on her site, Me-Go.net. So far, she's covered Asia from Japan to Thailand; I can't wait to see where she heads next. You can follow along through her blog, photos and sketchbook.
Friday November 4 2005 Weblogs

Dive Bar Divisions
Chicagoist got an earful when it critiqued Citysearch's list of the city's top 10 dive bars. Many of their criticisms were spot on — the Cubby Bear is in no way a dive — but as GB found out awhile back, Chicagoans have strong opinions about dive bar delineation. (You might also be interested in this feature about the disappearance of tap rooms.)
Friday November 4 2005 Eating/Drinking

Casting for Podcasters
Do you have a podcast? If so, ChicagoPodcasters.org wants to hear from you. The site is looking for "podcasters in the Chicago area to interview and submit stories from the people in their lives." Now if someone could just put together a directory of local podcasts... for now, this will have to do.
Thursday November 3 2005 Weblogs

All Ages Chicago
Finally, underage music lovers (well, the punk ones, anyway) have a venue to replace the Fireside: The Studio, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave., puts on shows Thursday through Saturday with ticket prices generally $10 or less, perfect for a high school/college budget. The venue also offers $2 off admission if you become a member -- $10 for three months.
Tuesday November 1 2005 Music/Clubs

Chi-Rock Rumble
Twista is in the news again today: This time, members of the Chi-Rock Hip Hop Nation, a South Side hip hop collective founded in 1985, accuse Twista of infringing on their name for his new label, Chi-Rock Entertainment. No litigation yet, but just you wait.
Tuesday November 1 2005 Music/Clubs

Twista Unleashes the Furor
Chicago hip hop star Twista played "Principal for a Day" last week at the Chicago Children's Choir Academy, a CPS magnet school on the South Side. It went over fantastically with the kids, but HipHopDX.com reports that it met with the ire of one David L. Wideman. Wideman began a one-man anti-Twista campaign, calling and writing Mayor Daley and even creating a website, civicfuror.com.
Monday October 31 2005 In the News

Is Carson's Next?
Saks Inc. announced today that it has sold Carson Pirie Scott (and a bunch of other department stores) to Bon-Ton Stores. No word yet on whether the Carson's name will go away, but one would hope the Macy's/Marshall Field's brouhaha would discourage a name change.
Monday October 31 2005 Business/Shopping

Fun with Google Maps, Movie Edition
This time, check out movie listings and times matched to the theater's location at MashMap. The fly-over effect is pretty slick.
Monday October 31 2005 Film

A+++!!! Would Parade Again!
Get your own (admittedly wispy) piece of White Sox history: ticker tape from today's parade is already appearing on eBay. Or, you know, head down to the parade route and scrounge for some yourself.
Friday October 28 2005 Sports/Recreation

Look for the Hoodies
Tonight, Gapers Block staffers will be hanging out in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf for our monthly Get-Together -- you should come. Just look for the GB neighborhoodie. And speaking of, tomorrow night the new Neighborhoodies store in Wicker Park is throwing a grand opening bash from 8pm on.
Friday October 28 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Sorry Charlie
The Zagat annual ratings are out, and there's at least one surprise in the list of Chicagoland's best restaurants: Charlie Trotter's didn't get a top score. The mighty fell one point behind the top six, which included Mirai Sushi, Seasons, Tallgrass and Carlos' in addition to stalwarts such as Tru and Ambria.
Thursday October 27 2005 Eating/Drinking

We Are the Champions
I doubt we have to tell you this, but...
THE WHITE SOX WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!
Thursday October 27 2005 Sports/Recreation

Loyola's Colorful Neighbors
Here's a headline you don't expect to read in a Jesuit college's newspaper: Chicago Is the "Leather Man" Capital of the World. The Loyola University Phoenix profiles the Leather Archives & Museum.
Wednesday October 26 2005 City Life/Cultural

Wash Up, Kids
Did you wash your hands before and after lunch? A bill in Springfield would make lunchtime hand washing required by law for students attending Chicago Public Schools. The legislation is intended to help slow the transmission of cold and flu; no word on what punishment would be dealt to scofflaws. Next they'll make not covering your mouth when you cough a ticketable offense.
Tuesday October 25 2005 In the News

Buy a Book, Save a Magazine
Punk Planet's good news is tempered with some really bad news: its distributor, Big Top Newsstand Services, is the last distributor of independent media like PP, and it's having serious cashflow problems. Which puts the magazine in a tough spot. You can help by subscribing (just $18 a year, $30 for two years) or picking up a book or some other merch.
Tuesday October 25 2005 Print/Magazines

Sox Fans Interact
White Sox Interactive is required reading during the World Series. Especially the forums, where fans let it all hang out in threads such as "You Write Tomorrow's Cubune Headline" and "Moments of Unintentional Humor."
Monday October 24 2005 Sports/Recreation

Ignore the Sox, America
"The thing is, while the rest of the country might believe in baseball curses, Chicago White Sox fans don't. We don't blame a curse for our team's shortcomings, don't possess a sanguine 'Maybe next year' attitude when we fail. When we stink, we stink." Friend of GB Claire Zulkey's excellent column in today's Wall Street Journal Online. (Via Coudal, who's rooting for both teams tomorrow ...sort of.)
Friday October 21 2005 Sports/Recreation

The Return of Avant Garde Foodporn
Alinea has resurfaced in the foodie buzz; chef Grant Achatz was counted as one of the country's top tastemakers in Forbes, and the new Fall menu looks divine in photos on eGullet.
Friday October 21 2005 Eating/Drinking

I Wanna Be Like Ozzie
The World Series kicks off tomorrow, but the city is getting all dressed up today: there's a Sox hat on the Picasso sculpture and on the Art Institute's lions, other public art pieces are donning white socks, and supposedly 20,000 Ozzie Guillen masks are being passed out around town today. [Update: according to the Red Eye, the masks will be handed out on Saturday at Daley Plaza, around US Cellular Field and at the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau centers at 77 E. Randolph and 165 E. Pearson. No word on times. (Thanks, Claire and Rachelle)]
Friday October 21 2005 Sports/Recreation

Parting the Post-College Haze
Get Your Life On is another city guide, but with a twist: it's aimed at the freshly post-college crowd. The nicely designed site offers a little bit of everything, from job hunting tips to personal finance advice to restaurant reviews.
Friday October 21 2005 City Life/Cultural

Fun with Maps, Political Edition
Do you know who your local representatives are? Type in any Cook County address at CivicFootprint.org and you'll get a list of your personal elected officials and a map showing where you are within their districts, as well as which police precinct and beat you're in.
Thursday October 20 2005 Politics/Activism

You Have Been Selected
Lumpen's annual Select Media Festival gets under way this Friday with an opening reception at Iron Studios for The New Chicagoans, a group show of local avant-garde artists, including many GB favorites. On Saturday, the festival has organized a Bridgeport Art Walk as part of its focus on the South Side neighborhood. Then next week, watch for the Tactical Ice Cream Unit patrolling the city's streets. Check Slowdown for details and the festival's website for even more.
Thursday October 20 2005 Arts/Architecture

Sports in Five
Over there on the right, you'll notice a new column in Airbags: we've expanded Cubs & Sox in Five into Sports in Five. This week, it's just Sox and Bears, but the Bulls should be joining soon. We're also casting about for a hockey columnist -- email a sample to inbox@gapersblock.com if you're interested.
Wednesday October 19 2005 Sports/Recreation

Lines of Communication
Timeline:
10/10: CTA Tattler posts an open letter to CTA management regarding lack of communication during outages.
10/16: The CTA responds.
10/17: The Tattler rebuts.
10/17: CTA board chair Carole Brown applauds the Tattler on her blog for "holding our feet to the fire."
Tuesday October 18 2005 Transportation

Earthquake Relief
PakistanEarthquake.us is a locally run clearinghouse of information on fundraisers, charity organizations, news and photos relating to the earthquake in Pakistan and India. The site's creator, Mohammad Asim, lost several family members in the disaster. (Thanks, Leo)
Tuesday October 18 2005 Resources

Sox Win! Sox Win! Sox Win!!!!1!1!
We're going to the World Series!!!
Sunday October 16 2005 Sports/Recreation

Drab Autumn
Chalk another one up for this summer's drought -- the trees have smaller leaves and are less colorful as they turn this year.
Sunday October 16 2005 Outdoors/Environment

A Man Named Fred
Is your name Fred? Are you 25-35? More importantly, is your name Fred? Casting is taking place, all day today, for an upcoming Chicago movie where men named Fred are needed. Fred, If you are interested you should call 312-527-0665. Yes, Fred, I am talking to you. (Thanks, ~~Fred~~ Alex!)
Friday October 14 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Recent Media Redesigns
Do you do a little doubletake when a website you visit regularly suddenly looks different? That's what I did when I visited Crain's ChicagoBusiness.com this morning, and a week or two ago at Chicagomag.com. And a bit before that at CBS2Chicago.com. CSS-y goodness!
Friday October 14 2005 Found on the Web

Cooking the Books
Ted Allen, Chicago's own Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, is signing his book, The Food You Want to Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes, at Sur La Table, 52-54 E. Walton St., between 2pm and 3pm October 23. Then he goes upstairs and teaches a cooking lesson. $85 gets you the book and the class. (Via Dish, whose authors also have a book out -- Everybody Loves Pizza.)
Thursday October 13 2005 Eating/Drinking

Ride Irish
Here's unique way to combine city history and biking: Urbs in Horto is running its second annual Irish Chicago Bike Tour this Sunday, a liesurely 20-mile ride touring neighborhoods and locations important to the history of Irish in the city. $20 gets you the ride, a limited-edition silkscreen poster, dinner and music afterward and benefits Old Saint Patrick's SAFE program. Register for the ride here -- space is limited.
Wednesday October 12 2005 Sports/Recreation

Jenga Sears Tower!
Holy crap! Some guy at Northern Michigan University built a 30-foot-tall replica of the Sears Tower out of Jenga blocks!
Wednesday October 12 2005 Found on the Web

SkinnyCorp Spray Cam
We'll shut up about SkinnyCorp for awhile after this, but first we've got to tell you about the live webcams they've set up to show progress on three walls of graffiti-inspired art going up in their Ravenswood headquarters. Here's a bit of background.
Wednesday October 12 2005 Arts/Architecture

From the WTF File
In case you missed it on last night's TV news: a 2-year-old shot a 3 4-year-old yesterday in a home day care facility run by the 2-year-old's grandmother on the South Side. No, it wasn't a fight -- the kids found the gun, believed to have been left by the younger boy's 21-year-old uncle, and it went off while they played with it. (Thanks for the edit, Jen)
Tuesday October 11 2005 In the News

Another Day, Yet Another Googlemap
This one maps the city's bike routes.
Monday October 10 2005 Found on the Web

JFK: A Mob Hit?
Antoinette Giancana, daughter of famed Chicago ganster Sam (and source of a favorite recipe of mine), has a new book out in which she claims the mob assassinated President Kennedy. Uh, OK.
Monday October 10 2005 Books/Authors

More Refreshing Than a Beer Ad
While we wait for the Sox to start their next playoff series, FlowFeel provides a diversion by breaking down and linking up all those "more refreshing" Old Style ads. (Grab mp3s of the radio commercials here.)
Monday October 10 2005 Weblogs

Wrigley Makeover Begins
Overshadowed (and rightly so) by the White Sox playoff performance, the start of Wrigley Field renovations has been reduced to a footnote -- the Tribune didn't even mention it. The right field wall has been opened up to begin construction of an expanded bleacher section. (Thanks, Brandon)
Friday October 7 2005 Sports/Recreation

CTA Wants Your Quarter
The CTA announced 2006 budget recommendations which increase fares another quarter to $2 -- but only for people not using the Chicago Card. In related news, the CTA has beefed up security in response to the threat to New York's subway.
Friday October 7 2005 Transportation

DIY iPod Case
AKMA made a protective cover for his new iPod nano out of one of those plastic folders that come with business cards. Chic and functional!
Thursday October 6 2005 Weblogs

Hawk Hacks Competition
Writes FoGB Greg: "Just as the Pale Hose are turning it on at the right time, Ken 'Hawk' Harrelson is rolling through the field in The Road From Bristol's NIT, determining 'the most loathsome national sports broadcaster not on ESPN.' After besting Seth Davis, Steve Lyons, and Magic Johnson by a combined 112-27, Hawk's semifinal opponent is FOX Sports sideline reporter Tony Siragusa, who, after fending off a tough Bryant Gumbel, plowed through Howie Long and Chip Caray, 33-1 and 26-5. The other semifinal matchup is a battle of color commentators: FOX baseball's Tim McCarver against CBS basketball's Billy Packer."
Thursday October 6 2005 Sports/Recreation

Nobel George
There's quiet buzz again about former governor George Ryan winning the Nobel Peace Prize, despite his pending trial on corruption charges. He's got odds of 1,001-1 according to a British bookmaker, but Eric Zorn once again reviews why Ryan might have a chance. Even if he wins, though, the Pantagraph says Illinoians' opinion of him won't change.
Thursday October 6 2005 People/Sightings

Yahoo-ification
Upcoming.org has been purchased by Yahoo. Hopefully this will raise this cool service's profile and encourage a bit more use here in Chicago.
Wednesday October 5 2005 Found on the Web

This Evening's Activities
Looking for something to do tonight? Here's your plan:
1. Dine out at one of these restaurants (more here) to raise money for Katrina clean-up.
2. Head to the MCA for Stories On Stage, featuring stories from the Paris Review.
Wednesday October 5 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Annoy Your Friends and Family
Learn Tuvan throat singing! This crash course is by Brian Grover, one of the voice instructors at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Wednesday October 5 2005 Music/Clubs

A Class on CSS
If you're not a web designer, go ahead and skip this post. Eric Meyer is going to be in town Nov. 3 for a CSS-XHTML workshop. From the schedule, it looks pretty intensive. Get your boss to send you.
Tuesday October 4 2005 Schools/Education

Another Day, Another CTA Googlemap
But hey, this one shows the train lines in their appropriate color! Which is pretty cool. (Here's how he did it.)
Monday October 3 2005 Transportation

Read Write Web
37signals has launched Writeboard, a collaborative text editing program. Read, write, share and edit at will, while all previous versions are backed up and retrievable. I know I'll be using it.
Monday October 3 2005 Found on the Web

Retouch Card
Ever wonder what the little messages that pop up on CTA turnstiles and bus fare meters mean? The Tribune did a little digging.
Sunday October 2 2005 Transportation

The End of an Odyssey
Today at noon, WBEZ's "Odyssey" begins its last show. The show is about the 10 films you must see before you die -- call 888-859-1800 to chime in. Senior Producer Joshua Andrews comments on his blog.
Friday September 30 2005 Radio/TV

The Best of the New City
New City's annual Best of Chicago issue is out. With such categories as best speed bump, best Packers bar, best place to buy soccer scarves and best place to build a bonfire, it's a more ecclectic list than in recent years. (And check out the upset in the best polish sausage category. Wolfy's?)
Friday September 30 2005 City Life/Cultural

Put It On the Board ...Yes!
The White Sox have clinched the Central Division!
Thursday September 29 2005 Sports/Recreation

Art Renaissance
Speaking of art, UofC's Renaissance Society throws its annual gala and benefit auction next Saturday, Oct. 8. This year's auction features photography from a wide range of artists, including friend of GB Brian Ulrich. The society also offers some amazing gallery editions, some at prices even students could afford.
Thursday September 29 2005 Arts/Architecture

Check That Expiration Date
The City's Department of Consumer Services fined 71 of 100 randomly chosen independent grocers for selling out-of-date products ranging from baby cereal to cold medicine. Hope yours isn't on the list.
Thursday September 29 2005 Eating/Drinking

A Little Light Reading
Jonathan Messinger, proprietor of This Is Grand and The Dollar Store, has yet another project: Featherproof Books, an indie publishing house. They've got a line of PDF fold'em-yourself short stories called Light Reading that are the perfect size for the commute home.
Wednesday September 28 2005 Books/Authors

IKEA2
There are now officially two places to get your semi-disposable Swedish furniture: IKEA's Bolingbrook store opened today.
Wednesday September 28 2005 Business/Shopping

Stick it to the Gas Tank
I love my Prius. While everyone else complains about the high price of gas, I get to gloat about filling up only every 350-400 miles. And thanks to MPG Stick! I can boast a little more openly about my 50+ MPG average this summer.
Wednesday September 28 2005 Transportation

A Sports Fan's Dream Come True
Ever want to be a sportscaster? Now's your chance: The masterminds behind the popular Cubscast podcast are expanding with the Chicago Sportscast Network, and they're holding open auditions for commentators on the White Sox, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks. Head over to the site to find out how to apply.
Tuesday September 27 2005 Sports/Recreation

Get Tasty
SkinnyCorp is at it again. But they've moved from your t-shirt drawer to your wetbar with ExtraTasty!, launching soon. Go sign up.
Tuesday September 27 2005 Found on the Web

Hubble Soon Troubled No More
Troubled Hubble, who for the past six years have rocked over Chicago, are calling it quits after their show at Schubas on Thursday, citing health and personal readings. By tickets here. (via Radio Free Chicago)
Monday September 26 2005 Music/Clubs

Losing My Religion
Lots of activity in the Chicago Roman Catholic Archdiocese: Cardinal George just took away the ministries of 14 priests accused of sexual misconduct, and banned the "Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission," a secretive Catholic sect that has been accused of "cult-like practices," from church property and meetings. (Lots of info about LHTBM on this message board.)
Monday September 26 2005 In the News

Bottomless Accolades
The Wall Street Journal's Catalog Critic recently tested coffee beans by mail services from various roasters, and Intelligentsia Coffee tied for "Best Overall" with their new Bottomless Cup program. "Whoever roasted this knows what they're doing," said their coffee expert, Ken Nye.
Friday September 23 2005 Eating/Drinking

Tweedy 'Tweens on TV
There's a new Quaker Oats commercial out that features a pre-teen rock band called the Blisters. Which wouldn't be a big deal, except the band is real, and two of its members are the sons of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. Here's more about the taping. And a little bit more. (And here's a post from Eric Zorn back in May, talking about a name controversy surrounding the Blisters.) (Thanks, Heather)
Friday September 23 2005 Radio/TV

No Jandek After All
We reported yesterday that the Adventures in Modern Music concert series would feature reclusive legend Jandek. Unfortunately, due to the Hurricane Rita evacuation, Jandek, who lives in Texas, is unable to make it up here. The Empty Bottle is working on a new date for his show.
Thursday September 22 2005 Music/Clubs

Not Friends of the Family
Amnesty International released a report today on police mistreatment and abuse of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people in America. The study focused on four cities, including Chicago, and found gross misconduct at every turn. Read the key findings, or download the whole 150-page report (PDF).
Thursday September 22 2005 Politics/Activism

Honda Wants You to Listen
The Von Bondies and Hot Hot Heat are playing a show, and you can go for free -- if you sign up for Civic Live, a marketing event. So consider any junk mail/spam the price of entry. The concert's on Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Odeum Sports & Expo Center out in Villa Park. (Thanks, Judd)
Wednesday September 21 2005 Music/Clubs

Inflation by the Slice
As if we didn't have enough problems: The Sun-Times reported yesterday that area pizza delivery prices are increasing because of higher gas and ingredient costs. Even Domino's and Papa John's now charge for delivery. (Related: Not clear on the difference between "deep dish" and "stuffed" pizza?)
Wednesday September 21 2005 Eating/Drinking

An Interesting Look at Urbanity:
urban / rural / wild
Monday September 19 2005 Outdoors/Environment

The Hearty Boys Hit The Airwaves
Earlier this year, we told you about Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, The Hearty Boys, winning the Food Network's reality show, "The Next Food Network Star." That contest resulted in a new show, "Party Line with Dan & Steve," which debuted Sunday at 9:30am. Didn't get up early enough of forgot to Tivo it? You can catch it again on Friday, Sept. 23, at 5pm.
Sunday September 18 2005 Eating/Drinking

SchadenAspen
Here's a chance to help another Chicago group get on TV: Schadenfreude has been invited to audition for the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, CO, which is sponsored and filmed for HBO. Their audition performance is Sunday at 2:30pm at Second City, 1616 N. Wells -- and it's free and open to the public. Help'em nail the audition by filling the theatre!
Friday September 16 2005 Theatre/Dance

Tour de Ferrara Pan
BoingBoing reminded us that Ferrara Pan has a great website, featuring virtual tours of the making of Atomic Fireballs, Boston Baked Beans, Lemonheads and other favorites.
Thursday September 15 2005 Eating/Drinking

Research Librarians
The Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton, hosts a panel on "Researching Chicago's Local History," featuring our favorite librarian, Alice Maggio. It's free, and it's at 6pm; more details in Slowdown.
Thursday September 15 2005 History

Put It On the Board
Sports blog Braves Journal is running a bracketed tournament called The Road From Bristol to determine who was the "Most Loathsome Personality on ESPN". With Stuart "Boo-yah!" Scott claiming that dubious title, the RFB folks are now aiming at a new target: "Most Loathsome National Sports Broadcaster Not on ESPN." Today's matchup is White Sox broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson (who's popular enough to have his own hate site) versus CNN/SI commentator Seth Davis. Vote in the comments. (Thanks, Greg)
Thursday September 15 2005 Sports/Recreation

Lots of Music Goings On
It's a busy fortnight for music fans. Thursday through Saturday, the Hip Hop Journalism Summit features not just panels but also a mixtape competition and an awards ceremony -- more details here. This Friday sees the return of the Hideout Block Party. This year's program includes the reunion of the dB's after 22 years, as well as many well-loved local bands. And a week from today, Estrojam kicks off; here's a preview of the line-up from Windy City News.
Wednesday September 14 2005 Music/Clubs

A Foie Free Future?
You'd think that there'd be controversy enough in the City Council's consideration of a ban on foie gras. But columnist Carol Marin managed to turn that duck of a topic into a goose about the city's handling of police torture under ex-commander Jon Burge.
Wednesday September 14 2005 In the News

Get Un-Naked
It's time to start shopping for fall and winter clothes, and NewCity has a nice overview of boutique clothing stores around the city for those of us who don't like malls.
Wednesday September 14 2005 Business/Shopping

Lolita All Grown Up
Nabokov's Lolita turns 50 this year, and New City and Vintage Books are throwing a party Thursday night at the Darkroom, 2210 W. Chicago. "Coming of Age: Lolita at 50" is a multimedia extravaganza, with talks from author Carol Anshaw and free speech activist Burt Joseph, music from DJs Tobias and Brock as well as a live set by My Where They, and a "reinterpreting Lolita" costume contest (extra points for not going with the schoolgirl cliché). The book itself will be available for purchase, as will $3 Goose Island beer. Doors open at 7:30pm, with a $3 cover after 10pm. Ironically, the event is 21 and over.
Tuesday September 13 2005 Books/Authors

Feel the Magic
A new DVD about the Columbian Exposition comes out tomorrow. EXPO: Magic of the White City tells the story of the 1893 World's Fair, narrated by Gene Wilder.
Monday September 12 2005 Film

Newsman's Collection Auctioned
Chicago Antiques Guide informs us that former ABC7 anchorman John Drury's collection of erector sets and other vintage toys is going up for auction. Drury was diagnosed with ALS last year, soon after he retired from 50 years of broadcasting; the auction will benefit the Brain Research Foundation.
Sunday September 11 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

New Criminologist on Daley
I'm not sure quite what to make of this: a convoluted opinion piece linking Daley's recent visit from the FBI to deceased Chicago mob boss Tony Accardo, published in what purports to be a British criminology journal. But hey, they've got a $6.99 DVD on John Wayne Gacy!
Friday September 9 2005 People/Sightings

Flippin' Through the Sketchbook
Speaking of cartoonists, you ought to check out local artist Laura Park's scanned sketchbook pages on Flickr. Park's illustrations have appeared in The Reader and elsewhere, but her daily sketches make even mundane objects come to life. (And she has a pet pigeon! How cool is that?)
Friday September 9 2005 Arts/Architecture

Seven Wonders of the Tribune
The Trib has collected 14 possible "Wonders of Chicago," and wants everyone to vote for their favorite seven. Personally, I have trouble wrapping my head around naming "the Chicago theatre scene," a wonder -- I prefer my wonders physical rather than conceptual. Make your own list of wonders in Fuel.
Friday September 9 2005 City Life/Cultural

The Brunetti Era
It's a good time to be Ivan Brunetti. An anthology of his work comes out this week, he was featured in last week's Reader (PDF), and here's an interview in Comic Book Galaxy. And to top it off, an exhibition he curated opens tonight at Columbia College — details in Slowdown.
Thursday September 8 2005 Arts/Architecture

Video Bloggers
Lime Green Tangerine offers up this list of local video bloggers, or "vloggers." Is that really all of them?
Thursday September 8 2005 Weblogs

CTA Scam on Flickr
Well, sort of. Corydalus tells the tale of a foiled scam, accompanying a photo of the near-victim.
Wednesday September 7 2005 City Life/Cultural

Motorola's iTunes Phone Finally Arrives
The blogosphere loves Apple, but with our Chicago focus, we don't often get to participate. So we've been chomping at the bit to announce, after months of hinting and teasing, Motorola's new ROKR iTunes-enabled phone, available through Cingular. Only holds about as much as an iPod shuffle, but it's still one less gadget in your pocket.
Wednesday September 7 2005 Business/Shopping

Meigs Fine
You knew he couldn't get away with it scott-free. The FAA has fined Daley (well, the city) $33,000 for demolishing Meigs Field -- a hefty sum no doubt covered by the parking fees for a couple of this summer's concerts on Northerly Island.
Wednesday September 7 2005 In the News

Chocolate Capital of the US
Chicago may no longer have a sausage king, but we're back on top for chocolate. (Did you know Blommer, the company responsible for that cocoa scent wafting through the Loop, has an outlet store?)
Tuesday September 6 2005 Eating/Drinking

Haiku Generator
Push the button now
And computer creates a
Terrible haiku
Tuesday September 6 2005 Found on the Web

Shelter After the Storm
Two local programmers have created KatrinaShelter.com, one of several sites helping coordinate offers of shelter to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The site features an interactive GoogleMap of shelter offers nationwide; as of this writing, there were 18 listings in Illinois — if you've got space, sign up here.
Monday September 5 2005 Resources

Eat Pierogi, Watch for Scooters
Lovers of pierogi, polka and polish sausage should make their way to the Copernicus Foundation, 5216 W. Lawrence, for the annual Taste of Polonia. And if you notice a whole lot more scooters on the road this weekend, it's because Slaughterhouse 11, a sort of Sturgis for scooters, is happening.
Friday September 2 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Jazz Fest Benefits NOLA but Doesn't Include It
Jazz Fest gets underway tonight at 5pm in Grant Park. Last night, many of the artists gave benefit performances for New Orleans musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina, but Sun-Times columnist Debra Pickett points out that not a single New Orleans jazz act is on the schedule this year. [UPDATE] Reader Mr. says, "Debra Pinkett doesn't know what she's talking about. Donald Harrison, who is playing at Jazz Fest on Sunday night @ Petrillo as part of the Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration, is from New Orleans. He's a protege of the Marsalis gang and is well known for exploring the music of the city."
Friday September 2 2005 Music/Clubs

Vote Bus!
Schadenfreude's radio show may be gone, but the sketch comedy group hasn't. Their satirical coverage of 53rd Alderman Ed Bus' 2006 reëlection bid will run during the second half of today's 848 show on WBEZ. Tune in to 91.5 FM or listen to it here (RAM).
Friday September 2 2005 Radio/TV

Pricey Gas, Cheap Beer
Handlebar, 2311 W. North Ave., is giving us a small reason to root for higher gas prices: the "Inverse Petrol-O-Matic Beer Pricing Scheme." If regular unleaded costs more than $3 a gallon at the BP station down the street from restaurant, pints of Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale will be discounted to $3 (from $3.75). The cost goes down a dollar every time gas rises another dollar -- so let's hear it for $6 gas!
Thursday September 1 2005 Eating/Drinking

Blues Brothers Mall Chase, Revisited
Sometime earlier this year, the owner of a replica Bluesmobile broke into the long-shuttered Dixie Square Mall and sort of reenacted the famous chase sequence from Blues Brothers on the 25th anniversary of the film's release. [via the comments in this Chicagoist post] Interestingly, and completely unrelated, there's also a documentary being filmed about Dixie Square.
Wednesday August 31 2005 Film

Welcome to the Machine
There's a new zine in town: The Machine. There's a release party tonight at Quimby's at 8pm, another one on Saturday at MoJoe's and yet another at Smartbar on Sunday, if you're interested; details on their site. In the meantime, check the mag out in PDF format.
Wednesday August 31 2005 Print/Magazines

I Park Like an Idiot
When I saw this bumper sticker on SkinnyCorp's Threadless van a couple months ago, I didn't realize that they were the ones behind it. I'm tempted to pick up a pack.
Wednesday August 31 2005 Transportation

See Dead Bodies at Midnight
If you haven't made it to the Bodyworlds exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry yet, you have until Monday to make it. And to accommodate all those last-minute visitors, the museum is going to keep the show open 24 hours a day from 9:30am Saturday through 9pm Monday. So if you've always wanted to see skinless humans at 3am, your wish is granted.
Tuesday August 30 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Fight Flyers with Fire
Artist Jonathan Gitelson moved across the street from the Funky Buddha Lounge last year, and soon found his car plastered with as many as 10 flyers a night for nightclubs and strip bars. He made lemonade with them lemons, in the form of a car cover stitched with hundreds of flyers. He parks his car in front of offending clubs, thows the car cover on and takes pictures. More in the Our Town column in this week's Reader (PDF).
Monday August 29 2005 Arts/Architecture

Whoops.
Thanks to all who joined us at Inner Town Pub on Friday for our monthly Get-Together. It was a great time, despite the crowd and the fact that, contrary to our listing, Inner Town has no beer garden. The staffer who told us this (why did we believe him?) has been flogged -- he was mistaking Inner Town for Happy Village a block away, which does have an outdoor area. Apparently, after we left around midnight, a flood of people showed up under the impression that there was a beer garden to be had, leading to occupancy issues and Inner Town was closed early by police. Sorry!
Monday August 29 2005 Gapers

Jumped Into the Gap
Apparently, the new attire for gang members is a little harder to spot than the old UNC logo or red bandana: it's a plain white t-shirt.
Monday August 29 2005 City Life/Cultural

Downstate Hoax
The Tribune has uncovered a bizarre hoax perpetrated on Southern Illinois University's school newspaper and beyond. Two years ago, the Daily Egyptian received a letter from an 8-year-old girl named Kodee. Her father, Sgt. Dan Kennings, was in Iraq. Her letter became a column, which continued to appear in the paper until recently, when news came that Kennings had been killed. Tribune reporters headed down to Carbondale to report on the story, and instead discovered that Dan Kennings didn't exist. Blogger Out of the Box has a little more, as does the Southern Illinoisian.
Friday August 26 2005 In the News

Cubs in Five
We've added a new column to Airbags: Cubs in Five. Each week until the end of the Cubs season, Jeff Webber is giving you five talking points for those inevitable chats around the water cooler or at the bar. (If someone would like to write one for the Sox, contact me at inbox@gapersblock.com.)
Friday August 26 2005 Sports/Recreation

Bid on a Trip to J.Lo-Land
You know Jennifer Lopez is opening a boutique in the State Street Marshall Fields, right? Well, the grand opening is being treated like a red carpet event. Bidding opened today on two VIP tickets to the Sept. 22 opening, along with several samples from the JLO clothing line, at Auctions.Overstock.com. She of the glorious behind will be present, and you'll get a night in a four-star hotel and $1,000 spending money. The auction proceeds benefit Children's Hospital ...of Los Angeles.
Thursday August 25 2005 Business/Shopping

Chicagoland on TV
It's been in plenty of movies, including Blues Brothers and Natural Born Killers. For its next act, the Joliet Correctional Center will be the setting for a new series on FOX; Trib columnist Maureen Ryan spent a day on the set of Prison Break and talks about it on her blog. And speaking of locals on TV, foodies should mark their calendars: Angel Food Bakery, 1636 W. Montrose Ave., will appear on Food Network's "Recipe For Success" Next Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 8:30pm.
Thursday August 25 2005 Radio/TV

Maybe Brandmeier, Definitely not Mancow
Phil Rosenthal reports that The Loop is trying to re-hire Jonathan Brandmeier as its morning DJ, nearly 10 years after the station fired him. Unfortunately, Infiniti Broadcasting isn't letting him out of the last year of his contract. Meanwhile, Q101's Mancow has been confirmed not to be Howard Stern's replacement on WCKG next year, to the likely relief of thousands.
Wednesday August 24 2005 Radio/TV

Attention Students: the Food Fight Will Be Held Next Door
According to a new study, more than 80 percent of Chicago public schools have at least one fast food restaurant within half a mile of campus. So while Chicago may be making the food available inside its schools healthier, kids who don't want granola don't have far to walk.
Wednesday August 24 2005 Schools/Education

Rally panties?
Yes, rally panties. Whatever it takes, I guess. They should send some to the Cubs.
Tuesday August 23 2005 Sports/Recreation

Crosstown Classic In the Making
Reader Evan says, "I guess the Windy City Rollers couldn't satisfy this city's insatiable appetite for girls wrastling on rollerskates." The Chi-Town Sirens are recruiting for a rival roller derby league tonight at 9pm at Leila Jane's, 1008 W. Armitage.
Tuesday August 23 2005 Sports/Recreation

Watch That Meter
Chicago police wrote 60,000 fewer parking tickets last year than in 2003, and numbers are down even further this year. It's a good thing the city raised the cost of a ticket, otherwise they'd be losing money. Still, you'd better keep your meter filled, your city stickers current -- the rest of the year is probably going to be tough on street parkers.
Tuesday August 23 2005 Transportation

Pinball Wizardry
Forget videogames -- hardcore gamers go for pinball! And this November, the Pinball Expo hits town with the force of a steel ball bearing. In addition to opportunities to buy, trade and play bodytables, conventioneers will have the opportunity to tour Stern Pinball in Melrose Park, the last remaining pinball manufacturer in the world. (Can't afford a ticket? Watch the tour online.)
Monday August 22 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Garbage Tours
Care to tour the trash? You could, and for just $7. The Southeast Environmental Task Force's "Down in the Dumps" tour took a group through water treatment facilities, landfills and recycling centers on the Southeast Side for a peek at how the city disposes of things.
Monday August 22 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Officers Gone Wild
What is it with the Chicago PD lately? First we learn about cops beating up suspects at department stores, now there's one asking women to flash him when he pulls them over? And an off-duty cop bit another officer for trying to arrest a friend drinking in public last week? Jeez.
Friday August 19 2005 In the News

Crazy Dog Family
Police raided a home in Wheeling and discovered 72 tiny dogs -- 71 chihuahuas and a papillon -- huddled in knots in various rooms. "There were piles and piles of dogs," said a worker at the shelter that took in the dogs. The homeowners were breeding the dogs, not hoarding them, and will likely be charged with animal cruelty.
Friday August 19 2005 In the News

Saathoff's Killer Convicted
Last year, we reported on the death of Chin Up Chin Up bassist Chris Saathoff in a hit-and-run accident. Earlier this week, the man who hit him pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Thursday August 18 2005 In the News

El Pizza
Interesting news in this week's Dish column from Chicago Magazine: The guys behind the Got Pizza chain are opening a gourmet pizzeria in the North/Clybourn El stop in October. They'll serve coffe'n'pastries in the morning, salads and up to 30 pizzas by the slice till 4am.
Thursday August 18 2005 Eating/Drinking

What's It Worth?
Wondering what that thing your great aunt Martha left you is worth? Chicago Antiques Guide is here to help. In addition to listing upcoming events and listings of local antique shops and auction houses, owners Ron (author of our Old Style column) and Brian will estimate the value of your antiques if you send them a photo.
Wednesday August 17 2005 Found on the Web

Mapping the Nookie
Here's a whole different kind of map: The Museum of Sex in New York has launched an interactive exhibit, Mapping Sex in America. Using good ole GoogleMaps technology, the exhibit allows visitors to virtually thumbtack their own stories to a map of the country. Chicago is already one of the most annotated cities, but there's plenty of room for more. Add your own sexcapades to the map.
Tuesday August 16 2005 Found on the Web

Ex-Cub DUIs
Remember Todd Hundley? He played for the Cubs a couple years ago, and grew up in the north suburbs. Back problems ended his baseball career last year, and now have landed him in trouble with the law -- he claims Vicodin on an empty stomach caused him to become "discombobulated" while driving to pick his son up in Glenview. Police pulled him over and charged him with DUI.
Tuesday August 16 2005 People/Sightings

Slow Train to Chicago
Ever wonder why the El is so slow in some spots? Well, this PDF map won't exactly tell you why, but it will tell you where you can expect to crawl -- it shows all the slow zones on the CTA map. (Thanks, Tony)
Monday August 15 2005 Transportation

Another Day, Another Rating
What is it with summer and its constant stream of city ratings? This time, we find out that Chicago is the second best city in the world for art lovers, behind only Berlin, at least as far as one travel site is concerned.
Monday August 15 2005 City Life/Cultural

Help Support Indie Radio
WLUW starts its annual fundraiser today; isn't it time you helped support one of the only independent radio stations in the city? (Related: our profile of the station and program director Shawn Campbell.)
Friday August 12 2005 Radio/TV

Hubbard Street Slam Dance
The Hubbard Street Dance Company is in New York right now, which means they're being exposed to more than just the typical fawning from the local media. "Chicago troupe bound by a string of cliches" screams the headline in Newsday. Well, at least the New York Times found the performance "entertaining."
Friday August 12 2005 Theatre/Dance

From St. Rita's to the Music HoF
It's hard to imagine Ray Manzarek, keyboardist for The Doors, as a member of the glee club, but it's true. He's playing tonight at his alma mater, St. Rita High School, 7740 S. Western Ave., at 8:30pm Thusday night. Tickets to the show, which opens at 5:30pm and also features The Larkin and Moran Brothers, are $15. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs (and probably an umbrella); there will be beer and food available, so leave the cooler at home. (Thanks, John)
Thursday August 11 2005 Music/Clubs

Where Friends Meetro
The site for Meetro is somewhat vague, but the application sounds pretty cool: It adds location identification to instant messaging, so you can check who's nearby -- within a quarter mile -- when you head to the local wifi'd coffeeshop. Rumor has it Google is buying the company.
Wednesday August 10 2005 City Life/Cultural

Free Apps on the Way Home
If you ride the Brown Line, you might want to stop off at the Francisco station and head over to Kitchen Chicago. New catering company Dining In is offering free appetizers (and information about their services) from 6pm to 8pm in Kitchen Chicago's cafe, 4664 N. Manor. (Monday night.)
Monday August 8 2005 Eating/Drinking

Breakin' a Sweat
It's not often you get the opportunity to get in shape and improve your dancefloor moves. Breakdance Chicago offers lessons, and they're guaranteed to be hipper than that Jazzercize class at the Y.
Monday August 8 2005 Sports/Recreation

Wait Wait: The True Hollywood Story
The Trib gives us a look backstage at NPR's hit quiz show "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!" now being recorded in front of a live studio audience at the Bank One Auditorium on Thursday nights. "This is the NPR version of `Saturday Night Live' when they were doing lines of coke," says Mo Rocca of the cast's caffeine consumption. Last week, host Peter Sagal quoted our own Ramsin Canon talking about the break-up of the AFL-CIO during the "lightning fill-in-the-blank" round. Listen here (RAM).
Friday August 5 2005 Radio/TV

Sick Bugs
It was expected, and here it is: the first West Nile infection within city limits. The dry weather has kept mosquito numbers down, but they're still out there, so don't forget your bug repellent. If you're interested in keeping track, here's the USGS's map of reported cases in Illinois, updated weekly (it's a little out of date at the moment).
Friday August 5 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Pick the City's Best
It's time to place your vote for NewCity's annual Best of Chicago awards. (No, there's no blog category. We checked.)
Thursday August 4 2005 Print/Magazines

Ebert Gives Cheetah a Chance
Salon reports (if you'll wait through the ad) on the predicament a children's movie called Duma is in: Warner Brothers didn't want to release it, but Roger Ebert saw it and raved, so now it's seeing limited release here in Chicago. Based on how the movie does here, it may finally be released nationally. Read an interview with the director in this week's TimeOut. (Thanks, Ray)
Thursday August 4 2005 Film

Inspiration During Crisis
The Wall Street Journal ran a nice review of the Art Institute's current show, 1945: Creativity and Crisis, Chicago Architecture and Design of the World War II Era. The exhibit includes designs by Chicago-associated architects Bertrand Goldberg and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Wednesday August 3 2005 Arts/Architecture

The G in G-String Stands for Golf
Two police investigations are now looking into a golf outing in Naperville sponsored by a strip club. Blackjacks (NSFW) probably wouldn't have gotten in much trouble if the course wasn't smack in the middle of a neighborhood, where kids and little old ladies could watch the, uh, action from their backyards.
Wednesday August 3 2005 In the News

Meet Patrick Fitzgerald
US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has been in the news quite a bit lately, what with the Plame investigation and the various scandals in City Hall. Chicago Magazine has put its 2002 profile of our local special prosecutor online, should you want to learn more about the man making both Daley and Karl Rove sweat.
Tuesday August 2 2005 Politics/Activism

Help Wanted
Gapers Block is looking to bring some new staffers on board. Think you have what it takes? Get the details.

We're looking for people with unique perspectives on Chicago who are interested in highlighting cool stuff going on in the city. If you've read the site for very long, you kind of know what we're talking about. We're particularly interested in contributors who live on the South and West Sides -- which, for our purposes, includes Wicker Park and Bucktown. (If you live on the North Side, though, that's cool, too.)

Staffers are expected to post a minimum of eight items a month to Merge (the blog) and/or Slowdown (the calendar). That works out to two posts a week, which ought to be pretty doable.

Interested? Email us at inbox@gapersblock.com with some background on you (name, a site if you have one, why you want to be on staff) and a couple sample posts.

We are not looking for more columnists at this time, but if you have an idea for a feature article, email Andrew at ah@gapersblock.com.

Thanks!
Monday August 1 2005 Gapers

Starting Up a New Photo Mag
Trunnion Bascule is a planned new magazine highlighting photography of Chicago. They're seeking submissions for the first issue; check the site for details.
Monday August 1 2005 Photography

Nazi Among Us
Fortunately, not an active one: the US Department of Justice is prosecuting 87-year-old Oysip Firishchak, a retired North Side carpenter, on charges that he aided a Nazi round-up of Jews in the Ukraine during WWII.
Monday August 1 2005 In the News

More Views from the Ground
We told you earlier this week about The View from the Ground, which details cases of police brutality at Stateway Gardens. One of the site's authors, Jamie Kalven, is profiled in this week's Hot Type in the Reader.
Friday July 29 2005 Politics/Activism

"Holy Cow!" and Other Cubs Clichés
Cubscast, is running a contest: call the podcast's hotline at 773-828-4396 and do an impression of any Cubs broadcaster, past or present. The best impression will receive an autographed copy of Cubs Nation: 162 Games. 162 Stories. 1 Addiction by Gene Wojciechowski. Read the rules here.
Friday July 29 2005 Sports/Recreation

O'Hare Delays: the Problem & the Solution
Slate has an article by a UofC econ professor explaining why delays occur at major airports like O'Hare -- it's not just too many flights. In related news, the city's plans for O'Hare expansion got final environmental approval from the FAA yesterday.
Friday July 29 2005 Transportation

Talk about the Spire
It's clear GB readers have an opinion or two about the proposed Fordham Spire. Here's another chance to be heard: This Sunday at 10am, WBEZ's Hello Beautiful! show will be taking calls live to discuss Santiago Calatrava's design. The number to call (then, not now) is 312-832-3124.
Friday July 29 2005 Radio/TV

Stateway from the Ground
The View from the Ground is a collection of investigative reporting and opinion pieces concerning life in the Stateway Gardens housing project and the treatment of its residents in the hands of a group of police officers known as "the skullcap crew." It's definitely worth a read.
Thursday July 28 2005 City Life/Cultural

Graphically Facilitated
One more post about the Authors' Roundtable: In addition to making toys and jewelry at Loosetooth.com, Brandy Agerbeck is a graphic facilitator. She came to the roundtable on Monday and put her skills to work on the discussion, resulting in this amazing diagram. See more examples of her work here.
Wednesday July 27 2005 Books/Authors

More Burger Ratings
GQ rated the country's 20 best burgers, and Chicago got but one listing -- Poag Mahone's in the South Loop. Considering it didn't make the Tribune's top five nor was it mentioned in the Fuel thread on burgers awhile back, you have to wonder exactly where GQ got their information. (Thanks, Brenda)
Wednesday July 27 2005 Eating/Drinking

Goin' to the Show
The Show strikes again: If you attend Thursday night's performance in Millennium Park by Danilo Pérez with Angel Meléndez and the 911 Mambo Orchestra, you can get a professionally produced, limited edition live recording of it for posterity.
Wednesday July 27 2005 Music/Clubs

Other Local BOTWs
We weren't the only Chicago-based blog to make Forbes' Best of the Web list: Bookslut's blog is among the top literary blogs, Jim Romenesko is their pick as the best media blog, and both AsianMack Super Filter and LiveMusicBlog make their list of music blogs.
Tuesday July 26 2005 Weblogs

Roundtable Wrap-up
The Authors' Roundtable went very well last night; thanks to all who attended. We've got some photos up in our Flickr account, Chicagoist has some reflections and more photos, and Matt has yet more photos.
Tuesday July 26 2005 Books/Authors

AFL-CIO Less United, More Divided
As had been rumored, four major unions have boycotted the annual meeting of the AFL-CIO, the national labor federation, in town this week. The SEIU and the Teamsters have taken it a step further and quit the organization, with others expected to follow suit in the coming days. Read Ramsin Canon's thoughts on the matter in last week's Revenge of the Second City.
Monday July 25 2005 Business/Shopping

Get Yer CDs Before They're Gone
Almost exactly two years ago, we wrote about HiFi Records going into the store next to Metro after Clubhouse folded. Well, now HiFi's folding, too. But you can profit from their failure -- all CDs are currently $2-$5. In related news, our good friends Coudal Partners are turning their studio into a narrow-selection record store today: stop by 400 N. May St. between 3pm and 7pm to pick up live concert CDs from the Pixies and Dead Can Dance. More info on the pixiesdiscs blog. UPDATE: Just called HiFi and confirmed: Saturday is the Metro location's last day in business; the other two locations remain open.
Friday July 22 2005 Music/Clubs

The Horror! The Horror!
Although this weekend's heat is supposed to be horrific, next weekend will see some true horrors as the annual Flashback Weekend horror/sci-fi/fantasy convention rolls into town July 29-31 at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare in Rosemont. Our very own Steve at the Movies is one of the co-hosts for the event, which features Bruce Campbell (read Steve's interview with him at Ain't It Cool), Ted Raimi, Adrienne Barbeau, Bill Moseley and Sid Haig from the new film The Devil's Rejects and Camille Keaton, the star of the controversial film I Spit on Your Grave. There's also a drive-in theater set up in the parking lot. Tickets are reasonable -- get'em while they last!
Thursday July 21 2005 Film

Oak Park Hot? Really?
Barbara Corcoran, a New York real estate mogul, picked Oak Park as one of her top five "sexiest" suburbs on ABC's "The View" yesterday. OK...
Thursday July 21 2005 City Life/Cultural

Redmoon Rising
Redmoon Theater is offering an insider's sneak-peek at its upcoming show, Spectacle '05: Loves Me... Loves Me Not, at 7pm tonight. Meet on the back steps of the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th and Lake Shore Drive, to watch the first on-site rehearsal of the performance. You'll have a chance to see the Redmoon artistic team take the first steps toward staging a large-scale spectacle on water. Loves ME... Loves Me Not is the second in Redmoon's series of ambitious outdoor spectacles, and will be performed on the lagoon September 16-25. For more information, please contact Oriana Fowler at 312-850-8440 ext.112.
Thursday July 21 2005 Theatre/Dance

Found Tapes, Find Tapes
Tape Findings is a collection of found tape recordings, with mp3s of choice bits. And speaking of tapes, there's a treasure hunt of sorts to be had with the Chicago Tape Project -- find a mixtape and exchange it with one you make. Here's a map of some of the locations.
Wednesday July 20 2005 Music/Clubs

Bikes Are Vehicles, Too
Consider yourself warned: the bike cops are out, and they're making sure bicyclists are aware that they're subject to the same traffic laws as cars -- with warnings for now, but in August they start ticketing. No more blowing off stop signs, at least when there's a cop nearby. Read more on the city's bike program webpage.
Wednesday July 20 2005 Transportation

We're Dog Friendly -- Except for That One Guy
DogFriendly.com ranked Chicago the dog-friendliest major city in the US, which always nice to hear. Unfortunately, someone's trying to sabotage that hard-earned reputation by chaining up and locking the gates to Dog Beach in Belmont Harbor.
Tuesday July 19 2005 In the News

Right Turns Made Easier
The city is conducting a traffic experiment at Washington and State in August: there will be a new right turn signal to let more cars get around the corner before the wave of pedestrians closes the opportunity. If the test works, expect other corners to be similarly outfitted.
Tuesday July 19 2005 Transportation

Intoning Flickr
Lots of photos from the Intonation Festival up on flickr.
Monday July 18 2005 Photography

Amateur Encyclopedists Wanted
Interested in writing about Chicago -- factually, not fictionally? You might be interested in contributing to Wikipedia's WikiProject Chicago, which aims to shape up and fill out Chicago's entry in the open-source encyclopedia. (Thanks, Atul!)
Monday July 18 2005 City Life/Cultural

Spittin' Rhymes
If you're looking for an alternative to the Intonation goings-on, head over to Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen Ave., on Saturday (7/16) for Rhyme Spitters II, a showdown of local battle rappers. Four stages will feature battles from 1:30pm on; at 9:30pm, the top eight emcees from each stage will do battle at The Note, 1571 N. Milwaukee, with the winner walking away with $2,000. The battles in the park are free; the finals are $10. And the whole thing is being filmed for a documentary.
Friday July 15 2005 Music/Clubs

Chicago's Funniest Home Movies
Well, not necessarily funny -- they could be banal, creepy, sentimental... whatever they're like, as long as they're on film, not video, you've got a month to dig them out and bring them with you to Chicago's Home Movie Day celebration on August 13 at the Cultural Center. The Chicago Film Archives has more details.
Friday July 15 2005 Film

Bex Spotting
Keep your eye out for soccer superstar David Beckham; he and Real Madrid are in town for a Saturday game against Mexico's Chivas at Soldier Field. It's sold out, and so is a Journey concert at Northerly Island, so if you can avoid that area of town, you probably should -- traffic's going to be a nightmare.
Friday July 15 2005 Sports/Recreation

A Faster Pour
The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about TurboTap, a local company helping to get your beer to you faster. If you've had a beer at Wrigley this year, there's a good chance a TurboTap was involved.
Thursday July 14 2005 Business/Shopping

Going to the Dogs
Big news concerning the dog beaches and other "dog friendly areas" in the city parks: the Cook County Department of Animal Control has decided to require the park district to follow some rules it was previously exempt from. The dog beaches must now be fenced in, and all dogs must be licensed and fingerprinted... so to speak. Read the details at mondog.org.
Wednesday July 13 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Water Tank Make-over
This year's Chicago Prize competition from Chicago Architecture Club seeks new uses for the dis-used water tanks atop buildings around the city. First prize is $3500. Got an idea? You have until July 25 to ask questions, and till October 11 to complete your entry. (Thanks, Emily)
Wednesday July 13 2005 Arts/Architecture

Yuppies Are Our Creation
Did you know the term yuppie originated in Chicago? According to Wikipedia, Bob Greene is generally credited with coining the term in a 1983 column, but etymologist Barry Popik found an earlier instance in a Tribune article by R.C. Longworth, referring to "Lincoln Park with its yuppies."
Wednesday July 13 2005 City Life/Cultural

Local Authors Talk
Wondering what's up with blogs becoming books? How the literary landscape is changing in the digital age? What Kevin Guilfoile sounds like? You might be interested in this Authors' Roundtable that GB is sponsoring. It's July 25 at Sulzer Library, 7-9pm. More details here.
Tuesday July 12 2005 Books/Authors

Naperville's No. 3!
Naperville, that big suburb to our west, is the third best place to live in America, according to Money Magazine, which praised its "seamless coexistence of big-city and small-town life." Guess we need to get moving on NapersBlock.com.
Tuesday July 12 2005 City Life/Cultural

Slurpee for Free
We're all about the free stuff: 7-11 is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Slurpee today, 7/11/2005. Find your nearest store and pick up a free slushy sweet concoction. (Thanks, Eamon)
Monday July 11 2005 Eating/Drinking

INXS of Reality
We know you'll be watching tonight anyway, but now you have another reason to tune in to "Rock Star: INXS" -- Lovehammers singer Marty Casey will be one of the contestants trying to become INXS's new lead singer.
Monday July 11 2005 Radio/TV

Rolling Start
The Windy City Rollers kick off their season tonight at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee. It's the Manic Attackers versus The Fury, then the Double Crossers versus Hell's Belles. Doors open at 5pm, and the match gets started at 6pm -- tickets are only $10. Check out some crazy roller derby action!
Sunday July 10 2005 Sports/Recreation

Trib Calling
You know those "What's in it for you?" ads the Tribune has been running? Apparently the song they use, "Anthem" by local commercial scoring co. Scandal Music, has been so popular that they're offering it as a free mp3 and cellphone ringtone.
Friday July 8 2005 Found on the Web

Old Time Movies in Old Irving Park
The LaSalle Bank Cinema, 4901 W. Irving Park, shows The Power and the Glory ~~tonight~~ correction, tomorrow night at 8pm. The 1933 film tells the life story of a railroad tycoon in out-of-sequence episodes, a structure that was a big influence on Citizen Kane, which came out eight years later. Also on the bill is Reducing Creme, a Willie Whopper cartoon. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children. Call 312/904-9442 for more info.
Friday July 8 2005 Film

Foreshortened Odyssey, Schadenfreude
In today's Reader, Hot Type reveals that WBEZ's board has canceled Odyssey and Schadenfreude and put Stories On Stage on a year's hiatus. "I feel like we knew this day would come even before we started the project, but for Gretchen [Helfrich, host of Odyssey] it's a bit more shocking," said Justin Kaufmann, producer of Schadenfreude, who has more to say on his blog. The shows will go off the air this fall. If you're interested in trying to sway the board's decision, these email addresses and phone numbers might be of use, or hit the listener comment board.
Thursday July 7 2005 Radio/TV

Now with Photos
Chicago.Photobloggers has redesigned, and it's lovely. In addition to having actual photos on the site, they're looking for contributors to write articles about photography and photoblogging. More info here.
Thursday July 7 2005 Photography

One Year, One Night Only
Rotofugi, our favorite toy store, just turned one year old, and to celebrate, they've got two events coming up in the next week. Tomorrow night is the opening for Crossover, an exhibit of designer toys customized by other designers and featuring an appearance by Sket One. And next Wednesday, grab a blank t-shirt and drop by for a one-night-only visit by LMAC. They'll screenprint your shirt while you wait.
Thursday July 7 2005 Business/Shopping

Yet Another GoogleMaps App
Actually, this one takes advantage of Google Earth: Prudential Preferred Properties has created a plug-in for the 3D mapping program that allows you to see the location of homes for sale in Chicagoland with the company. (Still Windows only, alas.)
Wednesday July 6 2005 Business/Shopping

The Great Divide
Did you know that there's more than one continental divide? One of them happens to run through Oak Park. (via Coudal)
Wednesday July 6 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Beyond Illinois
WBEZ is going to open a bureau in Chesterton, expanding its coverage of Northwest Indiana. And continuing the Sufjan Stevens onslaught, 848 aired an interview with him today.
Tuesday July 5 2005 Radio/TV

A Magazine for Local Foodies
Chicago Foodie magazine debuts this month from Best Chefs, which offers cooking classes and local food tours. Haven't seen it on stands yet, but keep your eye out. (It's not clear if the mag has anything to do with ChicagoFoodies.com, a foodie blog with annoying pop-up ads. I'm guessing not.)
Tuesday July 5 2005 Print/Magazines

Illinois Delayed
Here we are, with an interview with Sufjan Stevens timed for the release of his new album, Illinois, and it's been delayed by "legal issues with the artwork" for the album. Various music blogs (including Between thought and expression) are reporting that DC Comics has issued a cease and desist order because the album's cover features an image of Superman.
Monday July 4 2005 Music/Clubs

Cult of Abby Ryan
Every so often -- more than you'd expect -- someone emails GB asking if we know how to get information about Abby Ryan, the traffic reporter for WBEZ and five other area radio stations. All those people are about to get lucky: reader Ed just discovered that she has a website, complete with pictures (more here) for those who want to put a face to the voice.
Monday July 4 2005 People/Sightings

Gapers Block & Chicagoist on Late Night Late Show
We know you've got a lot going on this weekend, but maybe you can add this to your list: Gapers Block editor Andrew Huff (me) will be a guest on ImprovOlympic's "Late Night Late Show" Saturday night at midnight, along with Rachelle Bowden from Chicagoist. We're supposedly talking about weblogs, but seeing as it's an improv talk show, chances are it'll be a bit wacky. Tickets are $5; for reservations, call the box office at 773-880-0199.
Friday July 1 2005 Gapers

iPod Tour of Millennium Park
Millennium Park now offers a self-guided audio tour, downloadable to your very own mp3 player. And it's free! If you don't have an iPod or whatnot, you can rent one for $5 from the Chicago Shop at Millennium Park, on the second floor of the Exelon Pavilion at 201 E. Randolph Street. (Alas, the rentable player only comes with the tour — no music.)
Thursday June 30 2005 Arts/Architecture

Swing Your Partner
NPR's All Things Considered had an interesting story last night about an influx of suburban squaredancers at Chi-Town Squares dances. The Squares are mostly gay men, the suburbanites are mostly older straight couples. Do-si-doing ensues.
Wednesday June 29 2005 City Life/Cultural

Dude, I'm Totally 21
Chicago.Metroblogging drew our attention to this: The State of Illinois redesigned underage driver's licenses and state IDs at the beginning of the year, and now it's virtually impossible to confuse them with the 21+ versions. For one thing, they're vertical. Check out the specs here (PDF).
Tuesday June 28 2005 City Life/Cultural

Don't Breathe
It's another Air Pollution Advisory Day in Chicagoland today, thanks to high temperatures and humidity. Try not to drive, if possible, and if you've got a yard, don't mow it.
Tuesday June 28 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Pre-Untouchables
Get ready for another look at Chicago's famous mob scene: Brian De Palma has agreed to direct a prequel to his classic, The Untouchables. The new movie will focus not on the G-men out to stop the mob, but rather on Al Capone's rise to power. No word on who will star, nor on whether it will acually be filmed here. We can only hope.
Tuesday June 28 2005 Film

Keeping Going
Local web quarterly Keep Going has released its summer edition, and it looks great. Features include musings on basketball from Word Jazz's Ken Nordine, a fascinating article on the Hindenburg explosion, and a detailed history of one of my first daily online reads, Suck.
Monday June 27 2005 Found on the Web

Make-up Game
Some fans are more dedicated than others. My Fake Season is an account of the 2005-2006 NBA season, focusing on the Chicago Bulls. What's that? The season hasn't started yet? In the mind of Mike Aparicio, it has.
Monday June 27 2005 Sports/Recreation

Huff on 848
If you're interested, you can listen to me babble on Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight news magazine this morning. I'll be part of the panel discussing the month in review, which runs between 9:35am and 10am. Listen online (RAM) or at 91.5 FM.
Friday June 24 2005 Gapers

Steppenwolf Discount
The Steppenwolf Theatre Company has been nice enough to extend this exclusive offer to Gapers Block readers: two for one tickets to The Pain and the Itch, its next mainstage play. The offer is valid for performances Thurs., June 30 through Sat., July 9th. Call 312/335-1650 and mention code "1503," or buy online. It's subject to availability, and restrictions may apply.
Thursday June 23 2005 Theatre/Dance

Wander Cook County
Not sure if this is the best weekend to point it out, considering the 90°l;-plus weather we're expecting, but the Unofficial Cook County Forest Preserve website offers a selection of "mini trail maps" of bike, canoe and other trails in the county. Not sure what makes them "mini," but they're pretty useful for planning a nice weekend bike ride.
Thursday June 23 2005 Outdoors/Environment

The Ballad of Billy Pumpkinhead
Billy Corgan's solo debut, TheFutureEmbrace, hits stores today, and already he's moving on — or backwards, depending on your point of view. He placed a full-page ad in today's Tribune announcing that he plans to re-form the Smashing Pumpkins. Oh, and he plugs his blog. If you're interested, he'll be at the Adler Planetarium tonight from 6:30pm to 10:30pm to celebrate the release; admission is free if you buy the album and bring it with you.
Tuesday June 21 2005 Music/Clubs

Disco For(n)ever!
Many Gapers Block readers are too young to truthfully comment, but an ISU history professor is asking why disco sucked so bad in the 1970s, as part of research for a book. Help him out if you can.
Monday June 20 2005 Music/Clubs

Square America
The Boat Lullabies, a local blog of found photography, has a really interesting series of photos up, entitled "Square America." They're all by the same photographer, depicting a range of topics. Start here and work your way forward. Really cool.
Monday June 20 2005 Photography

Identity Theft Sucks
Poor kid. All 19-year-old Brandon Canales wanted to do was find the guy who stole his identity when he was 10 and make him pay. Unfortunately, he succeeded -- and that got him in trouble with the law, too. Canales found a bank account Augustin Ortega-Luna had opened under his identiry and took $8,000 out of it. Ortega-Luna called the police, who arrested Canales but quickly figured out that Ortega-Luna was an even bigger thief. They're both looking at felony convictions.
Thursday June 16 2005 In the News

New RTA Chair: CTA's Got Problems
The Regional Transporation Authority has a new board chairman, James R. Reilly, and he says the problems at the CTA are real. That's a relief. In the meantime, Peter Davidson wonders if turning some lanes on the Kennedy into premium toll lanes might be a way to help fund the El. (Thanks, spindlechuck.)
Wednesday June 15 2005 Transportation

Go See'em Play
You know attendance is bad when the Wall Street Journal does a front page story about it. The White Sox have averaged about 20,000 fans at home games this season, despite having the best record in baseball. (Do you realize they've won two thirds of their games this season? Crazy!)
Wednesday June 15 2005 Sports/Recreation

The Chicago Theory
Roger Ebert is pretty predictable in his tastes if you pay attention, but Slashdot member sielwolf has stumbled across an amusing correlation between a movie's proximity to Chicago and Ebert's star rating.
Wednesday June 15 2005 Film

City's Best Burgers
Ever had a cheeseburger at Rosebud Steakhouse? Me neither; if I'm going there, I'm having a porterhouse. But apparently we're missing out, as Phil Vettel and a 33-person panel declared the Rosebud burger the best in the city. Check out the other top contenders, then compare it to GB readers' own picks in this Fuel thread from last September.
Tuesday June 14 2005 Eating/Drinking

Not Safe for Weblogs
The RedEye ran a story about blogs today. I'm not sure why it was called "Porn on the Blog," since it's not about sexblogs at all -- I keep mentally rhyming it with "corn on the cob," so maybe that's it. Anyway, the reporter goes to a "porn superstore" with Leigh Anne Wilson of the Honeysuckle Shop and One Good Thing, and also talks with Wendy McClure and Justin Kaufmann. UPDATE: Eric Zorn reprinted a Tribune profile of Wilson from last year.
Monday June 13 2005 Weblogs

Meet the Pritzkers
Ever wondered about the Pritzker family? They own all those hotels and other property, they've got that big charity and the architecture prize -- and they've got lawsuits against each other to get their fair share of the millions. The Trib ran a long profile of the family in yesterday's paper that's worth the time if you're interested in our hometown Ewings.
Monday June 13 2005 People/Sightings

UAL Buyout?
Crain's is reporting that a buyout of bankrupt United Airlines might be in the works, according to a recent court filing.
Monday June 13 2005 Business/Shopping

Tiki Extravaganza
In just a couple weeks, some serious tiki action will be coming to town. Exotica 2005 — Luau by the Lake features the best of Hawaiian, Tiki and retro culture, presented by Tiki Quest author Duke Carter and Eddie Angel of Los Straitjackets. It's a weekend-long tiki party, backyard luau and music festival. It runs July 7-10 at Trader Vic's downtown, Hala Kahiki in River Grove and FitzGerald's in Berwyn. Tickets are required; details and ticket info at ChicagoExotica.com.
Monday June 13 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

The Ass That Goes Pow
Congratulations to Michelle "Toots" L'Amour of the Lavendar Cabaret won the 2005 Miss Exotic World competition at the Exotic World Burlesque Museum in Helendale, CA. (Thanks, Brenda.)
Sunday June 12 2005 People/Sightings

Another Book Fair
Maybe you're already going to the Printers Row Bookfair, but are you going to the Other Book Fair? Sponsored by Another Chicago Magazine and New City, it features a wide range of alt publishers as well as panel discussions and readings by local authors. It's at the Hothouse from 3pm to 8pm Sunday; details in Slowdown. And speaking of New City, this week's issue features the annual Lit 50 round-up of local literati.
Friday June 10 2005 Books/Authors

Read the Reader
One of my biggest complaints about the Reader's website has always been that they don't put their feature stories up online -- if nothing else, I couldn't link to them here. No more complaining from me: you can now get most of Section One in PDF format, complete with accompanying ads for that authentic feel.
Friday June 10 2005 Print/Magazines

Fake Graffiti
A few weeks ago, a graffiti mural appeared on the side of a building on Milwaukee in Wicker Park. It was actually pretty cool, until you realized it was an ad for Axe deoderants. A group calling themselves the "Ad Blasters" (a nod to the city's Graffiti Blasters program) took it upon themselves to paint over it. Local artist Elisa Hawkins photodocumented it; the owner of the building comments at length in her blog.
Thursday June 9 2005 City Life/Cultural

After Andy
Want a hand-painted, three-foot copy of Andy Warhol's Mao? Too late. Arts-Studio.com, a Chicago-based art reproduction company, was served with a lawsuit after the Warhol Foundation discovered they were reproducing the artist's works without a license. Arts-Studio.com has taken down the index and the Warhol page of their site, but via the Google cache you can see the many other artists they reproduce -- such as the whole range of Impressionists and Warhol's friend Basquiat.
Thursday June 9 2005 Arts/Architecture

Big Happy Photobloggers
Ron Slattery, GB contributor and tour guide of the Big Happy Funhouse, got written up in a New York Times article about photoblogs today. (If you don't have an NYT subscription, suffer through the 30-second ad on this link.)
Wednesday June 8 2005 Weblogs

Picture a New Angle
Speaking of American Gothic, "Hello Beautiful!" host Edward Lifson writes to tell us there will soon be "a new way, previously unknown, for you to get closer to this iconic work of art." Find out what it is this Sunday at 10am on Chicago Public Radio. Or wait for the audio to be posted on the show's site next Tuesday.
Wednesday June 8 2005 Arts/Architecture

Kubrick's Chicago
In 1949, Stanley Kubrick was a photographer for Look Magazine when he came to Chicago to work on a story with Irv Kupcinet. He shot 40 rolls, but only 11 pictures ended up in the story. The film was donated to the Library of Congress, and only recently documented and catalogued; the Tribune has a story about Kubrick's visit and a gallery of eight of the unpublished photos. For more, go to the LoC's online photography catalogue.
Wednesday June 8 2005 Photography

Naked and Really Angry
The SkinnyCorp. empire just continues to grow. Naked and Angry is their latest clothing company built around submitted and voted-on designs; this one features ties to start, but they plan to branch out into other "products and garments created from winning fabric patterns ranging from ties to tops to pillows to belts to socks to sweaters." Submit your fabric design today.
Wednesday June 8 2005 Business/Shopping

No More Boxes
If you work in the Loop, keep your eye out for old fashioned newspaper boxes on your way home tonight -- it might be the last time you see them. The city is making its final push to eliminate those boxes downtown, having replaced most of them already with multi-bin racks. More industrious folks might even rescue a straggler from certain destruction and reappropriate it for a new use -- an art dispenser, perhaps?
Tuesday June 7 2005 Print/Magazines

Cruising the Stain
It was bound to happen, but I didn't expect it to be so skeezy: some guy used Salt Stain Mary (and a lie about a brother who died in Iraq) to hook up with a beautiful Polish immigrant. Then he posted the story on Craig's List. Ick.
Tuesday June 7 2005 Found on the Web

Bye-Bye, Miss American Pie
WJMK, aka Magic 104.3, suddenly switched formats from oldies to the one called "Jack," featuring a huge playlist similar in feel to NineFM, which debuted last year with its "we play anything" edict. Seems like the Nine has a lot of stations on the run -- witness Q101's "shuffle," XRT's recent touting of its deep library, and even The Mix claiming to play "today's hits and whatever we want." Fans of the oldies can still listen to the old 104.3 online... for now.
Monday June 6 2005 Radio/TV

Alicia, Rest In Peace
A dear friend of the Gapers Block staff, Alicia Frantz died Friday morning when she fell off her bike on Division Street and was run over by a truck. Words can't express the loss we feel. Our thoughts are with her family and friends; she'll be sorely missed. Funeral and memorial arrangements will be posted here and on Alicia's website. Addendum: A memorial benefit and fundraiser will be held this Sunday, the 5th at Rodan all evening.
Saturday June 4 2005 Gapers

Art Walk
Tonight is the night for art. In addition to the usual First Friday festivities, the School of the Art Institute's Continuing Studies certificate program is doing a sort of progressive dinner party, but with art instead of food. Start at Gallery X, 280 S. Columbus Dr. at 5pm, then move on to two other SAIC locations to check out works in a variety of media. Free.
Friday June 3 2005 Arts/Architecture

Filmstipping
Coudal Partners just announced their third "Crash Ballet" film remixing contest. This time around, the trick is re-captioning a 1950s filmstrip. Get yours in by Wednesday for a chance to win a 100 pack o' Jewelboxes.
Friday June 3 2005 Arts/Architecture

This is Chaos
Last year, the Chicago Housing Authority came out with a new ad campaign with the tagline, "This is CHAnge," to promote its new Plan for Transformation. ~~The Coalition to Protect Public Housing~~ An anonymous group disagrees with this plan, and recently launched their own counter-campaign, under the tagline, "This is CHAos." (Edited to note: the CPPH has nothing to do with CHAos.)
Friday June 3 2005 Politics/Activism

Get In the Party Line
The Futureheads will be playing an accoustic set at the Hard Rock Hotel bar before their show at the Metro June 10, and there are only two ways to get tickets: stop by one of the Swatch stores at Old Orchard, Oakbrook or North Bridge malls, or sign up for the Party Line, Gapers Block's weekly email newsletter. We'll be raffling off a pair of tickets -- along with a GB t-shirt -- to someone on the mailing list Wednesday night. Sponsored by the Swatch Paparazzi.
Thursday June 2 2005 Gapers

Smoke All You Want, But Not Here
Dennis Murphy, owner of Poor Phil's Shell Bar in Oak Park, was one of the loudest opponents of a proposed smoking ban in that town earlier this year. The ban was defeated, and a couple months later, Poor Phil's is now smoke free. Murphy says he thinks the change will have a positive effect on the restaurant -- but he's still against a smoking ban.
Wednesday June 1 2005 In the News

Money Matters
Chicago Public Radio's "Money Matters" series is finished for this year, but it's worth perusing the archives for some interesting looks at how Chicagoans interact with money. A couple of highlights (all in .RAM format) include interviews with street hustlers of various types, the goings on at a pawn shop and a sort of local radio version of the Where's George? website.
Tuesday May 31 2005 Radio/TV

What You're Doing This Summer
New City has a good round-up of this summer's events, organized into loose themes for each month, as well as movies, music and events. Get out your calendar and start filling up those weekends.
Monday May 30 2005 City Life/Cultural

Tied Up at the Convention
What is it with Memorial Day in Chicago? IML isn't the only lifestyle convention this weekend -- Shibaricon is the "world's premiere international pansexual annual exhibition and conference that focuses on education and information exchange of rope bondage." It opened today in Naperville (who said the 'burbs are boring?) and runs through Monday; registration is still open in you're looking for something really different this weekend.
Friday May 27 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

You're Breaking Up
My cellphone has been flakey lately. I'm having all sorts of issues with service, and spots that didn't used to be drop-out zones suddenly are. It's partly the phone dying, but the Wall Street Journal reports that some cellular companies are letting their networks degrade in order to push customers to newer systems. If there are spots you know always kill your calls, submit them to the DeadCellZones.com database, which tracks bad spots in Chicago and other cities.
Friday May 27 2005 Resources

All Smiles
A couple 606 alums have created a new website, Smile Smile Smile, in which a question is asked and lots of random photos flash on the screen. Simple, somewhat Fluxist, definitely worth playing with.
Friday May 27 2005 Found on the Web

Squaring the Online News Game
Online News Squared is a newly public blog from Tribune Interactive, covering the field of online news. (They say it's been around since late 2003, but the archives only go back to April '04.) UPDATE: Author Scott Anderson explains that the blog started on Blogger, and he never imported them to Movable Type. So there you go.
Thursday May 26 2005 Weblogs

Antiquing Time
This Sunday is the first Chicago Antique Market of the year. Held on the last Sunday of the month, it's the perfect way to spend an afternoon entertaining your parents this Memorial Day weekend.
Thursday May 26 2005 Business/Shopping

Cloud Gate Unveiled... Partially
Looking for an excuse to start the Memorial Day weekend a little early on Friday? Head down to Millennium Park, where the newly polished Cloud Gate, aka The Bean, will be partially unveiled. The end of its cocoon-like tent will be removed so we can finally see and "interact" with about 13 feet of its fresh mirror finish. A plastic screen on the remaining tent will allow a view of ongoing work.
Wednesday May 25 2005 Arts/Architecture

Bridgeport: The Next Art District?
The Times of Northwest Indiana says Bridgeport is becoming the next hot arts neighborhood, as Wicker Park and Pilsen become too pricey for artists. One of the driving forces behind the change is the Zhou Brothers, who have invested heavily in the neighborhood. [via FlowFeel]
Wednesday May 25 2005 City Life/Cultural

The Science of Taste & Smell
You've got to love the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. They're constantly pumping out bizarre factoids about how taste and smell affect our perceptions. The latest: the smell of grapefruit makes women appear younger. Oh, and as if you couldn't have guessed, caffeinated cola may make kids hyperactive.
Wednesday May 25 2005 Eating/Drinking

Hedgehog Olympics
Brandy at Loosetooth.com recently got a hedgehog, Numo, and last weekend she entered him in the "Hedgehog Olympic Gym-Bar-E." Cute pictures ahead in her Numo Blog.
Tuesday May 24 2005 Weblogs

Button Contest Winners!
Those of you who missed the party on Friday missed the announcement of the winning designs from our Button Contest. Yes, that's right, designs -- two buttons were so popular among the staff that we went with both. Congratulations to Anthony Lewellen and Andy Matznick, who each won a $20 gift certificate to Reckless Records and 10 copies of their button designs. And thanks to all who entered, who will each receive a button set as consolation. The new buttons will be available in the shop soon, and you can see the designs by clicking on

Anthony Lewellen

Andy Matznick
Tuesday May 24 2005 Gapers

Black Sox Lore
Stephen Dubner, who co-authored Freakonomics with U of C economist Stephen Levitt, examines a bit of Chicago sports history in the Freakonomics Blog: did the 1919 White Sox get their nickname, the "Black Sox," due to their throwing of the World Series or for their notoriously dirty uniforms?
Monday May 23 2005 History

It's Just a Shirt
An off-duty police officer attended yesterday's Cubs-Sox game up at Wrigley wearing a Red Sox jersey. After the game, some drunk-ass Cubs fan took offense and started a fight -- despite being told that the BoSox fan was a cop -- and ended up tasered. Lesson to hooligans: no shirt is worth getting zapped over.
Monday May 23 2005 In the News

It's a Normal Part of Growing Up, Bobby
Chicago Stoner Rock noticed that a whole lot of bands come through Chicago on their way to the Emissions from the Monolith festival in Youngstown, OH. So they've put together the Premature Emissions festival, starting tonight and running through June 5, featuring dozens of local and touring bands. Being stoners, they forgot to put up a schedule, but you can check the listings for the Double Door and The Note for your favorite acts.
Friday May 20 2005 Music/Clubs

Dining about Architecture
Metromix has an odd little article for those of you who get hungry thinking about buildings: they've paired local architectural gems with nearby matching restaurants, as you might wine with a meal.
Thursday May 19 2005 Eating/Drinking

Two Tons of Fun
Dick "Two Ton" Baker was a local legend from the early days of broadcasting, but is largely forgotten by anyone younger than 40. This site catalogs a vast amount of information about Two Ton, including several mp3s of his humorous songs for kids and adults alike. [via MetaFilter]
Thursday May 19 2005 History

Rejected!
Say you're at a bar, and some total freak decides you are their next date. You try everything to shake'em off, but they don't take the hint. They ask for your number, so you tell them it's 773/509-5027. They call, and get a message from RejectionHotline.com, informing them that you've blown them off and saving you from an ugly scene.
Thursday May 19 2005 People/Sightings

Whither the West Side?
Elwood Grobnik notes the shrinking and shifting borders of the West Side as various neighborhoods flee its negative connotation. He's tried to figure out where the true West Side borders ought to be and comes up with Belmont south to I-55, from the Kennedy/Dan Ryan west. (For reference, here's a collection of city neighborhood maps compiled by Eric Zorn for yesterday's column discussing this topic.)
Wednesday May 18 2005 City Life/Cultural

The Other Marathon
It's hard not to know about the Chicago Marathon, but few outside the running community have ever heard of the city's other marathon, the Lakeshore Marathon. Run on Memorial Day, there's also a half-marathon and a 5k run/walk at the same time, so just about anyone can participate. Registration is still open, so jump in! (Thanks, Leslie)
Wednesday May 18 2005 Sports/Recreation

Crane Climber
Some guy climbed one of the cranes on the Trump Tower construction site this morning. He has been brought down and taken into police custody, so not much to see anymore, but Chicagoist has a couple photos of the drama, and a few more have shown up on Flickr.
Wednesday May 18 2005 In the News

Hearty Boys: HB, TV
Chicago Magazine's Dish column informs us that Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, aka The Hearty Boys, are remodeling the cafe into HB, which will be slightly more upscale. Why? In anticipation of more business driven by their appearances in the upcoming show, "The Next Food Network Star." The show debuts June 5, and apparently HB will open a bit before that.
Tuesday May 17 2005 Eating/Drinking

Out of the Vault
Fans of the cinema will be interested in the upcoming Out of the Vault Festival next week, put on by the new Chicago Film Archive. The festival (and the organization) features educational, industrial and experimental films made in the Midwest. It's at the Chicago Cultural Center, so it's free -- what's more to love?
Tuesday May 17 2005 Film

Crime on the Map
If you've ever tried to use the Chicago Police Department's Citizen ICAM, you know what a lousy interface it is. Fear not, citizen, for chicagocrime.org is here! The site takes the info from ICAM and puts it into an easily searchable -- by crime type, street, date, district or location type -- along with a Google Map for more clear reference. Now you can really see what's happening in your neighborhood.
Tuesday May 17 2005 City Life/Cultural

Oh! The Brilliance
Creative Behavior has an interview with 19-year-old Chuck Anderson, whose amazing design- and artwork has graced the ad campaigns of Absolut and Audi, among others. He lives in the southern suburb of Frankfort, creating beautiful imagery and playing around with The Brilliance.
Monday May 16 2005 People/Sightings

U2 and You, Too
Those lucky fans who actually got tickets to nights two and three of U2's four-night stand in Chicago have another reason to be happy: Billboard reports that the band filmed the shows for an upcoming DVD. A bit more info is on U2.com. (Those who didn't make it should look on the bright side; the DVD will no doubt be cheaper than those tickets.)
Monday May 16 2005 Music/Clubs

Circus Team
CircEsteem is a non-profit aimed at "building self-esteem through circus arts" in kids from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds. The group's annual Spring Circus is this Sunday at Alternatives Inc., 4730 N. Sheridan, at 11am and 3pm. Call 312/593-4242 for more info. (Thanks, Christopher)
Friday May 13 2005 Schools/Education

Heard It Through the VINELink
Wanna see when your babydaddy is being released? Need to know when your stalker gets parole? Check for yourself on VINELink, a new online search site that allows you to "check the custody status of your offender." Starting in July, users will be able to check court dates, too.
Thursday May 12 2005 Resources

Button Contest Deadline Looms!
Just two more days to get your design in for the Gapers Block Button Contest! Fame, honor and a $20 gift certificate to Reckless could be yours!
Thursday May 12 2005 Gapers

Yikes! Penang Closed
We were just there last week and the food was fine, but reader Bill emailed us to say that Penang in Chinatown has been closed by the city due to major health code violations. Hopefully they'll fix everything quickly so Naz can get his cendol fix again!
Wednesday May 11 2005 Eating/Drinking

DIY Raiders
In 1982, three friends decided to remake Raiders of the Lost Ark shot by shot. Seven years and $5,000 later, they finished it, and now you can see the product of their work. Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Adaptation will make its Chicago premiere this Friday at 8:30pm at Columbia's Film Row Cinema as part of the Future Filmmakers Festival. The filmmakers Chris Strompolos and Eric Zala will be in attendance. Tickets are $20/$10 students.
Wednesday May 11 2005 Film

The Suburbs Go Beep
Beep is a new weblog published by the Daily Herald in collaboration with Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism as part of "a larger effort by the Daily Herald to attract non-graying readers." They're also building a directory of suburban blogs (within the Herald's distribution range), which is kind of nice.
Tuesday May 10 2005 Weblogs

Scale Tales
Chicagoist has a brief interview with Erin Shea, another local blogger turned author (and also a Chicagoist contributor), about her book, Tales from the Scale. She'll be reading from it tomorrow night at 7pm at Transitions, 1000 W. North, and Friday at 12:30 at the downtown Borders.
Tuesday May 10 2005 Books/Authors

T.H.O.N.G. Strikes Again!
T.H.O.N.G., Topless Humans Organized for Natural Genetics, staged another protest Saturday, this time targetting Eddie Bauer on Michigan Avenue to protest products lines coated in Teflon and NanoTex. The Sun-Times has crowd reaction.
Monday May 9 2005 In the News

Black is Beautiful
The latest issue of Blacklist is out, and it is, indeed, beautiful. Interviews with Derrick Carter, RJD2 and Chester Copperpot, among others, plus art by Wafaa Bilal. Read it online or download the PDF.
Monday May 9 2005 City Life/Cultural

Learn More About Your Neighborhood
The Chicago Rehab Network, an organization aimed at preserving affordable housing in the city, now offers its Affordable Housing Factbook online. Register for free basic access and search fact sheets and demographic maps of various neighborhoods, or pay for premium access and get a whole lot more info.
Monday May 9 2005 City Life/Cultural

Designers, Start Your Button Designing Engines!
See that ad just above this post? We're having a design contest for a new GB button! Go here to read the full details, and get your design in by next Friday, May 13, for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to Reckless Records! The winning button design will debut at our 2nd Anniversary party on May 20 at The Hideout.
Friday May 6 2005 Gapers

Defender Archives to Go Online
The Chicago Defender, which yesterday celebrated its 100th anniversary, will put its substantial archives of photos and news from the black community online sometime in the next year.
Friday May 6 2005 Print/Magazines

Check Before You Eat
Ever wonder about that sketchy restaurant down the street? How safe is it, really? Well, the city's Food Inspection Data Search is the place to check. For restaurants famous or not, any health code infraction shows up, whether serious or not.
Friday May 6 2005 Eating/Drinking

This American TV Life
Showtime Networks has picked up a pilot for a TV version of Chicago Public Radio's popular "This American Life." The show will be hosted by Ira Glass, who says the radio show will continue even if the TV show moves beyond pilot. (Apparently a TV show has been in the works for quite some time, if this 2001 article is any indication or you can read his Salon Diaries from 1999 chronicling his trip out west for just that.)
Thursday May 5 2005 Radio/TV

Houseblogs in Your Neighborhood
The folks behind House In Progress have launched HouseBlogs.net, an aggregator of, well, exactly what it sounds like. A very cool feature is this map of house bloggers worldwide, including a half-dozen in Illinois, mostly in Chicagoland.
Thursday May 5 2005 Weblogs

Golden Opportunity
This year's Chicago Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament gets underway this evening with bouts at St. Andrews Gym, 1658 W. Addison. The competition has seen a number of future boxing champions over its 82-year history, including Joe Louis, Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier. (Thanks, Eamon!)
Wednesday May 4 2005 Sports/Recreation

Your Star Baseball Team
After last night's win over Kansas City, the White Sox now not only have the best record in baseball, but also broke another long-standing record: they've led in all 26 games they've played this year, breating the record previously held by the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. Oh, and the Cubs lost again.
Wednesday May 4 2005 Sports/Recreation

Return of Air America
Air America, the "progressive talk radio" network that briefly broadcast here before payment disputes took it down, returns to Chicago tomorrow on WCPT, 850 on your AM dial. Eric Zorn wonders if this is a good thing. (Thanks, Robin!)
Wednesday May 4 2005 Radio/TV

Sufjan's Illinois
Sufjan Stevens' soon-to-be-released album all about the Land of Lincoln gets a big thumbs up from Stereogum today, and we get to hear a couple tracks. I'm looking forward to hearing "Casimir Pulaski Day."
Tuesday May 3 2005 Music/Clubs

Photos from the Inside
Here's an interesting collection of photographs taken by prisoners at Joliet Prison between 1890 and 1930. (For a bit of background, here's a curatorial statement from a 1996 exhbition that included the collection.) You might also be interested in this site from SuburbanChicagoNews.com about the prisons in Joliet.
Tuesday May 3 2005 History

Chris Ware, Arteest
Fans of Chris Ware (you know, the Jimmy Corrigan guy?) should beat a path this month to Carl Hammer Gallery, 740 N. Wells, to see an exhibition of inked panels from his comics. Here are some works from a previous show -- got $3600 you could lend me?
Monday May 2 2005 Arts/Architecture

Shhh... Spread the Word
A friend of GB just told us a secret, but he wanted us to tell you: Tonight at the Hideout, The Changes are playing a special set to help celebrate Life During Wartime's second anniversary. And tomorrow night? Supersystem, formerly known as El Guapo. The fun starts after 9pm both nights.
Friday April 29 2005 Music/Clubs

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Andrew Huff