Gapers Block : Merge : Author

50 Years of Music, 1 Night Only
Greg Kot tips us off to a major folk music event happening at the end of the year: The Old Town School of Folk Music is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a huge concert featuring Jeff Tweedy, Bela Fleck, Roger McGuinn, Jon Langford, Sally Timms, and a whole bunch of other artists that are connected somehow to the school. Tickets will be on sale on Saturday the 15th (or Monday the 10th, if you're an Old Town School member). For full details see the Old Town School Website.
Thursday September 6 2007 Music/Clubs

No Money For CTA?
The plan to increase sales taxes in Cook and neighboring counties to raise funds for Chicago-area mass transit systems failed in the Illinois house. Supporters hope to build more support for the plan in the days to come, but service cuts and fare increases loom on September 16. As GB reported earlier, it's probably a good time to get your Chicago Card.
Wednesday September 5 2007 Transportation

Dean Kamen Vindicated
Segway cop chases down shooting suspect.
Monday September 3 2007 In the News

New One Book, One Chicago Title Announced
The latest title in the city's "One Book, One Chicago" program was announced today: Arthur Miller's "The Crucible".
Thursday August 30 2007 Books/Authors

Ban? What Ban?
One year after the Chicago foie gras ban went into effect, NPR finds plenty of restaurants still serving the forbidden food. See also: stories on the ban at Chicago Public Radio and the Tribune.
Wednesday August 22 2007 Eating/Drinking

Music Is The New Cotton
The T-shirts of Lollapalooza.
Friday August 10 2007 Found on the Web

All Full
Local food blog Eatchicago closes up shop after 3+ years of service. Farewell, Eatchicago! I'll always remember you for your great post about Chicago's authentic Mexican food.
Sunday August 5 2007 Weblogs

Siskel, Ebert & Roeper Archived
Yesterday Roger Ebert announced that a couple decades' worth of video reviews from the Siskel & Ebert (and Ebert & Roeper) movie review programs would be available online to the public this Thursday. Well, the site appears to be live right now! Check it out: everything from Roger's killer take on 1994's North to Siskel's appreciation of Spielberg's Schindler's List. Roger Ebert fans will want to visit the site tomorrow evening, when Roger will answer fans' questions about any subject (submit your question now).
Wednesday August 1 2007 Film

CUFF 2007 Coming
The Chicago Underground Film Festival has updated its Website to include this year's schedule. Loads of interesting-looking films this year, including a documentary about Thax Douglas, a documentary about modern-era roller derby, and Orchard Vale, the debut film by local musician Tim Kinsella. See the CUFF Website for full details and to purchase tickets.
Wednesday August 1 2007 Film

A Year of Macy's
Inspired by recent bad news for Macy's (which includes the shutdown of the State Street store's food court and the closing of a Lake Forest store that had done business for 70+ years as Marshall Field's), Mike at Chicago Carless reviews the past year of Macy's gaffes.
Wednesday July 25 2007 Business/Shopping

TAL TV Gets 3 Emmy Nominations
Congratulations to Chicago Public Radio and This American Life; the television version of everybody's favorite radio program has received three Emmy nominations! Since they got nominated for Creative Arts Emmys, not Primetime Emmys, their big night will be Saturday, September 8. Mark your calendars...
Thursday July 19 2007 Radio/TV

Oh, Rats
Hai Yen, the Uptown restaurant reviewed favorably on "Check, Please!", was closed yesterday after city inspectors found live roaches and rat droppings. Perhaps WTTW should invite a few inspectors to pick some eateries for the show...
Wednesday July 11 2007 Eating/Drinking

Berwyn Car Spindle Headed For Junkyard?
The Spindle (the stack of cars in Berwyn's Cermak Plaza most famously seen at the beginning of Wayne's World) is coming down to make room for a Walgreen's, and it's unclear whether the current owners are willing to spend the money to place the artwork in another location. Better drive by Cermak Plaza and see the Spindle one more time before it drives off into the sunset...
Thursday July 5 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Woo hoo!
Yes, Chicago has a Kwik-E-Mart. One of the city's 7-Eleven locations was turned into the convenience store from "The Simpsons" to hype the new movie. So if you need Squishees, Krusty-O's or a Radioactive Man comic, head on over to 6754 W. 63rd.
Monday July 2 2007 Film

Hel Yeah
If you missed Helvetica (the documentary about the landmark typeface created 50 years ago) when it played this month at the Gene Siskel Film Center, you've got yourself a reprieve: the Reader's film blog reports that the documentary (the highest-grossing film in the Film Center's history!) will be back at the end of September.
Thursday June 28 2007 Film

Beyond The Valley Of The Birthdays
The Facets blog reminds us that today is Roger Ebert's 65th birthday. Happy birthday, Roger, and get well soon.
Monday June 18 2007 Film

Goodbye, Beautiful
Fans of Chicago Public Radio's program Hello Beautiful! will no doubt be saddened by the news that host Edward Lifson has left the station. At least it's for a good reason: according to his blog, he was accepted as a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. And you thought he was just a radio host!
Thursday June 14 2007 Radio/TV

Theater On The Lake
This week marks the start of the 55th season of Theater on the Lake, the Chicago Park District's program of re-mountings of great theatrical shows from the last year or so. This year they'll be putting on nine shows in nine weeks, and the schedule has something for everyone: a Second City revue; Gorey Stories, the musical based on Edward Gorey books; a Stephen Sondheim tribute; and Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! See the Theater on the Lake schedule for more information.
Monday June 11 2007 Theatre/Dance

There Is Another Year Directly Behind This One
Happy birthday to The CTA Tattler! The blog celebrates its third anniversary today.
Sunday June 10 2007 Transportation

Radio On!
Radio Free Chicago alerts us to the fact that Hyde Park radio station WHPK has recently started Webcasting. Tune in to their audio stream for your daily dose of classical music, rock, folk, international, and public affairs programming.
Friday June 1 2007 Radio/TV

Rally For Lakeshore Club
As previously reported on GB, the historic Lakeshore Athletic Club building is on the list of the 10 most endangered buildings in Illinois, and Preservation Chicago is planning a rally at the building (850 N. Lake Shore Drive) this Sunday, June 3 at 1pm to raise awareness of the historical value of the property.
Thursday May 31 2007 Arts/Architecture

Ira Glass Not Moving Back Anytime Soon
On the This American Life Website they report the good news that Showtime has picked up the TV version of the radio program for a second season. Production on Season 2 starts at the end of summer, and episodes will show up late next year.
Tuesday May 8 2007 Radio/TV

Crispin Glover, Castrato At Music Box
Those of you who saw Crispin Glover last November at the Music Box Theatre when he was in town screening his film What Is It? will be interested to know that he's returning to town in a couple weeks to provide live narration for Canadian director Guy Maddin's latest film, Brand Upon The Brain! Alongside Mr. Glover will be an 11-piece orchestra providing music, a team of foley artists providing sound effects, and a castrato providing ... unique singing, I suppose. Tickets are definitely going to go fast for these performances, so go see the Music Box Website for full details and ticket links.
Thursday May 3 2007 Film

Traveller's Journey Ending
As reported previously on GB, the fantastic guidebook & travel gear store The Savvy Traveller is losing its lease. This week, signs have appeared in the shop's window that say they're closing up at the end of this month. They're currently selling off their entire stock at deep discounts; today you can get 40% off your purchases, and if you wait until Friday, everything in the store is 50% off. This is your final chance to stop by the corner of Jackson & Michigan to stock up on all your travelling needs, so please stop by, do some shopping and wish them bon voyage!
Wednesday April 25 2007 Business/Shopping

Ebert Not Hiding From Camera
Roger Ebert will be attending his ninth annual Overlooked Film Festival, and in today's Sun-Times he's written a new column explaining that he's not going to be hiding his illness when he steps back into the public eye this week.
Tuesday April 24 2007 Film

Globes are the New Cows
This summer, 122 globes will be installed on Chicago's lakefront for an art project called Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet. The five-foot-tall spheres have been decorated with artistic representations of ways to conserve energy, from wind power (represented by pinwheels) to recycling (represented by junk mail). The Sun-Times reports that the globes will appear on June 1, and will stay out until October 2, when they will be removed and auctioned off to benefit environmental education in Chicago Public Schools.
Friday April 20 2007 Arts/Architecture

One Step Closer to the Olympics
Chicago has been picked over Los Angeles by the US Olympic Committee as their preference for hosting the 2016 Olympics. Now we have to persuade the International Olympic Committee that we are worthy. We've got a while to make our case, though; the final decision won't be made until October 2009.
Saturday April 14 2007 Sports/Recreation

Man Watches Movies For 40 Years!
Today is the 40th anniversary of Roger Ebert being named the film critic of the Sun-Times. He reflects on the date, and his current medical condition, at his Sun-Times website.
Monday April 2 2007 Film

Today's eBay Find
A commemorative wristwatch from the 1940 NFL championship, where the Chicago Bears beat the Washington Redskins 73-0. The watch, originally given to Bears fullback Gary Famiglietti, recently turned up in the personal effects of a northwest suburban man who died in November. The Sun-Times reports that one interested buyer is of course the Chicago Bears, who would love to have this piece of team history.
Tuesday March 27 2007 Sports/Recreation

For Once, It's Not About The TV Show
This American Life debuts a site redesign.
Thursday March 22 2007 Radio/TV

Jimmy Corrigan makes a TV show
Can you feel the excitement? The TV version of This American Life debuts Thursday night on Showtime. Can't wait? Check out some Chris Ware animation (Flash video player link) from the show.
Tuesday March 20 2007 Radio/TV

CHI-TONW: the New Black?
Hey, remember the tattoo artist who misspelled "CHI-TOWN"? Well, several other local tattoo artists have apparently intentionally had the misspelled word tattooed on themselves, as a show of support for the artist. If that sounds like a good idea to you too, stop by Jade Dragon Tattoo on Sunday, and you can get a "CHI-TONW" tattoo for free.
Saturday March 10 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

One Station Opens, One Station Closes
CTA Brown Line renovation update: the Francisco stop re-opens tomorrow morning one week ahead of schedule, and the Southport station will close on April 2 for up to one year of work.
Thursday March 8 2007 Transportation

One More French Chef In Town
While other French chefs are undecided on moving to Chicago, the Reader's food blog notes that the Persian restaurant Noon-O-Kebab, experiencing huge popularity since its appearance on WTTW's "Check, Please", has hired a French chef to handle a second kitchen in the restaurant for take-out, delivery and catering. Look for the new kitchen to open up in a couple of months.
Wednesday March 7 2007 Eating/Drinking

Camp Jinx: Not Your Average Family Videos
Today I stumbled across Camp Jinx, a video blog that's the recreational side of local family-run video production company Picture Show. Of course, since the blog is run by video professionals, you're not just going to find home movies on Camp Jinx. You'll also find, for example, video of the dad interviewing stars at the Golden Globes, and The Wrens performing live in a family member's apartment between Chicago gigs. It's too bad that all families can't be as cool as the Leonard family, but at least they're willing to share the experience.
Tuesday March 6 2007 Weblogs

Olympic Committee In Town
Quick, everybody, look athletic! A scout team for the US Oympic Committee is in town on a two-day visit to Chicago to hear city officials' arguments as to why we should host the 2016 Olympics. On April 14, the committee will vote between Chicago and Los Angeles, and then the winner of that vote goes on the short list of world cities in the running (a list that also includes Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Madrid), and then the actual winner is announced in October. Of 2009. That's right, the Olympic committees still have two more years of looking at cities, but at least by April we'll know if Chicago is in the finals.
Tuesday March 6 2007 Sports/Recreation

Oosp!
The worst kind of typo is one in a tattoo, and that's what happened to Michael Duplessis. He's suing Jade Dragon Tattoo because they gave him a tattoo that says "CHI-TONW".
Friday March 2 2007 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Chicago Area Buildings on Endangered List
The Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois has produced its 2007 list of the 10 most endangered buildings in Illinois, and 4 out of the 10 are in the Chicago area: Lake Forest's Sacred Heart Chapel; Cedar Court in Park Ridge; the Lakeshore Athletic Club building on Lake Shore Drive; and the Lathrop Homes on Diversey & Damen. Also on the endangered buildings list: a ship! A 19th century Viking ship which sailed from Norway to Chicago for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, the vessel now resides in Geneva and is in dire need of restoration.
Thursday March 1 2007 Arts/Architecture

Blues Brothers Statue Coming To Joliet
Perhaps inspired by Chicago's Bob Newhart statue, Joliet plans to build a statue of their most famous fictional residents, Jake and Elwood Blues. The statue is part of the city's plans to boost Joliet tourism. There are also plans to build a Route 66 welcome center to entice drivers that are travelling the historic highway that originates in Chicago.
Wednesday February 21 2007 Film

So Long, Chief
Tonight's the night for Chief Illiniwek's last performance, during the halftime at the Illinois-Michigan game. After the Chief is retired, the Illini logo featuring the chief will eventually also be retired, although the State Journal-Register reports that the school is trying to develop a phase-out plan to make sure the logo doesn't fall into disuse and enter the public domain, allowing any old manufacturer to use it on their products. In the meantime, the Illini gear with the chief logo is flying off the shelves at the school's store.
Wednesday February 21 2007 Sports/Recreation

Swap Music With Rockstars
Got a kick-ass Stephin Merritt CD mix that you're dying to share with the Chicago music community? Head on over to Radio Free Chicago's latest Bandwidth concert Thursday night at Subterranean, and participate in a CD mix swap with some of the bands from previous Bandwidth shows, as well as RFC staffers. Details on Bandwidth at Slowdown.
Tuesday February 20 2007 Music/Clubs

French Chefs Eyeing Chicago
The Sun-Times reports that French chef Alain Ducasse, the only chef to hold the top Michelin rating for three restaurants in three different countries, was in Chicago last December at Avenues in the Peninsula Hotel. Does this mean that Ducasse was scouting for a Chicago location? No plans have been made public by Ducasse, although another acclaimed French chef, Joel Robuchon, recently confirmed that he will open a Chicago restaurant by the end of next year.
Monday February 19 2007 Eating/Drinking

Chicago Web History
Through the magic of archive.org, WindyBits takes a look at early version of Chicago media Websites, including the Tribune and Sun-Times, the Reader, Crain's Chicago Business, and even Gapers Block.
Monday February 12 2007 Weblogs

A Bet's A Bet
Scott Wiese of Decatur signed a pledge before the Super Bowl that if the Bears lost, he would change his name to Peyton Manning. A man of his word, Wiese went to the Macon County courthouse on Tuesday and filed the name change paperwork.
Thursday February 8 2007 Sports/Recreation

Oh, Crap: No Dave Matthews Concert at Wrigley
GB reported in December that the Dave Matthews Band was slated for a pair of concerts at Wrigley Field on the Fourth of July weekend. Well, today the Sun-Times reports that Matthews will not be at the concerts, since his wife is due to have a baby in early July. Even though there's no act scheduled, Alderman Tom Tunney is still planning to authorize the concerts, so don't worry: there WILL be music at Wrigley Field this Fourth of July.
Wednesday February 7 2007 Music/Clubs

No Need To Show Up
Not too surprisingly, today's planned homecoming celebration at Daley Plaza for the Chicago Bears has been cancelled at the team's request. Wait till next year.
Tuesday February 6 2007 Sports/Recreation

30th Anniversary of CTA Crash
On February 4, 1977 there was a terrible crash between two CTA trains in the Loop. Eleven people were killed and at least 250 passengers were injured when the trains crashed near the train track curve at Wabash and Lake. The CTA Tattler has the roundup on the terrible day in CTA history.
Monday February 5 2007 Transportation

Travelling On
Another long-standing Chicago business is closing. This time it's The Savvy Traveller, the Michigan Avenue bookstore and gift shop that specializes in items for travellers. According to signs in the store's window, the business has lost its lease and is closing down after 22 years of business. If you find yourself near the corner of Michigan and Jackson sometime soon, don't forget to stop in for one last browse through the guide books, luggage, neck pillows and travel games.
Friday February 2 2007 Business/Shopping

TV Version of Radio, Live On Stage
This American Life embarks on a short cross-country live show tour in a few weeks, and they've included a stop at the Chicago Theatre in their schedule. The show will be their first Chicago show in 4 years, and will include a screening of behind-the-scenes footage from their upcoming TV show. Tickets go on sale tomorrow; full details on the event are in Slowdown.
Thursday February 1 2007 Radio/TV

TAL TV Coming in the Spring
The producers of the upcoming TV version of Chicago Public Radio's "This American Life" were at the Sundance Film Festival this past weekend, showing some clips of the program and talking about the TV adaptation of the radio series. (The Sundance Channel posted an interview with the producers on YouTube which includes some short clips.) A brief note posted at the TAL Website gives us a date for the debut of the series: Thursday, March 22. Mark your calendars!
Monday January 29 2007 Radio/TV

Moto Chef Can't Be Beet
The Reader's food blog has the details on last night's premiere of the "Iron Chef America" episode featuring Moto chef Homaro Cantu.
Monday January 22 2007 Eating/Drinking

Cow Hooves and Bug Canapes
LTHForum.com has put together a great collection of Chicago food photos from 2006. Everything from Alinea to Mr. Shrimp. (link spotted at EatChicago)
Monday January 22 2007 Eating/Drinking

Illiniwek Costume to be Returned?
The latest news in the Chief Illiniwek saga is that the Ogala Sioux Tribe, which provided the U of I with the mascot's costume in 1982, is now asking for the costume back. The issue will be taken up by university trustees after the tribe sent its resolution to the school yesterday.
Friday January 19 2007 Sports/Recreation

Another Chicago ban to be flouted?
The only thing stronger than a smoking ban: the Bears' chance at the Super Bowl. Three Chicago suburbs are considering a temporary lift on the ban to review the impact the ban's having on the local economy -- and to allow bars and restaurants to permit smoking in their businesses during the Bears game on Sunday and the Super Bowl.
Thursday January 18 2007 Sports/Recreation

Another Week, Another Chicago Landmark Closing
This time it's the Four Stars Restaurant in the West Loop, which has been open for 80 years. The building on the corner of Madison and Racine has been sold, and the restaurant will close at the end of the month to make way for -- what else? -- condos.
Monday January 15 2007 Eating/Drinking

Farwell Building Plans on Hold
Follow-up to the previous item on the plans to gut the Farwell Building: the plan failed to get a majority in today's meeting of the Chicago Landmarks Commission. Play-by-play details at The Place where We Live.
Thursday January 4 2007 Arts/Architecture

Another Chicago Cartoonist Cover on New Yorker
Following in Chris Ware's footsteps, Ivan Brunetti has done a cover for the New Yorker magazine. The image has been posted on the Fantagraphics blog.
Thursday January 4 2007 Print/Magazines

Garrett's Opens Store in NYC
Garrett Popcorn recently opened its first store outside of Chicago. The Sun-Times reports that the new location, in Manhattan's Penn Plaza, has not yet experienced the long lines of customers that Chicago shops typically have. But the new location has only been open for less than a month, so they're working on it. So if you find yourself in Manhattan and need some Garrett's popcorn, remember this address: 242 W. 34th Street.
Tuesday January 2 2007 Eating/Drinking

Rock On, Chicago
After the death of rock'n'roller/chronic schizophrenic Wesley Willis, his friends started a campaign to raise money for a tombstone for his remains. The Chicago Journal has an update on the plan, which involves burying his ashes in Rosehill Cemetery under a tombstone with the image of a train.
Sunday December 31 2006 Music/Clubs

Jazz Showcase closes doors
Another Chicago landmark will be closing its doors this weekend: the Jazz Showcase, an important jazz club that's been running for 59 years. Although its Website says that it's relocating, the latest news is that they still don't have a new location to re-open in. There will be some fundraising in the new year, so keep your eyes out for news on the return of the Showcase.
Saturday December 30 2006 Music/Clubs

Year-end lists
If you haven't made your New Year's Eve plans yet, here's some ideas on what to do from Metromix, Newcity and Centerstage.
Friday December 29 2006 City Life/Cultural

Chicago Film Critics winners announced
The Chicago Film Critics award winners were announced today. Winning films include The Departed (Best Picture and Best Director), The Queen (Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress) Little Children (Best Supporting Actor) and An Inconvenient Truth (Best Documentary).
Thursday December 28 2006 Film

You are interviewed
Over at Centerstage: an (anonymous) interview with the artists behind the long-running You Are Beautiful art project.
Wednesday December 27 2006 Arts/Architecture

Foie gras ban continues to be ignored
The Sun-Times reports that despite the citywide ban on foie gras, a number of restaurants are intent on serving up the delicacy for New Year's Eve patrons. One chef even comes up with a good word to describe the restaurants flouting the law: "duckeasies".
Tuesday December 26 2006 Eating/Drinking

Another Chicago building in edible form
If you're hungry for more Chicago-themed gingerbread houses after seeing the Francisco Brown Line stop, feast your eyes on a gingerbread version of the Pilgrim Baptist Church, the Louis Sullivan church that suffered a fire in January. Some design notes and photos are up at the builder's blog.
Monday December 25 2006 Arts/Architecture

Dave Matthews Band could be Number Two
The Cubs are trying to set up a new pair of live concerts at Wrigley Field. These concerts, the second in two years, would be on Fourth of July weekend of next year, and would feature the Dave Matthews Band. Insert your own joke about 800 pounds of human waste here.
Thursday December 21 2006 Music/Clubs

Tut's final days
Don't forget, the Field Museum's King Tut exhibition closes on January 1. The show has been wildly popular, and to accommodate an expected final rush of visitors the museum will extend its visiting hours for the last two weeks of the exhibit.
Tuesday December 19 2006 Arts/Architecture

FountainCam Redux
The Tribune picks up on the story of security cameras installed atop the Crown Fountain, a story that was first posted at Chicago Carless. Millennium Park director Ed Uhlir is quoted in the story as saying that the cameras are only temporary until they can install a more permanent solution next summer. UPDATE: "Millennium Park cameras removed after outcry"
Tuesday December 19 2006 Arts/Architecture

The hot 100
Pitchfork's top 100 tracks of 2006 list is up.
Monday December 18 2006 Music/Clubs

Deck the halls with DJ Lo-Fi
The most recent episode of Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions featured their annual visit from DJ Lo-Fi, aka Andy Cirzan, who played the most amazing Christmas mix of obscure songs from his record collection. His 2006 holiday mix is now available for downloading at the Chicago Public Radio Website for you to use at your Christmas party. And for some more great Christmas songs, don't forget to check out this week's Out of 5.
Monday December 18 2006 Music/Clubs

Lucky dog
Today's feel-good story: a golden retriever named Sam who ran away from his home in Florida two years ago was found in McHenry County this week. The dog's owner flew into O'Hare last night, picked Sam up at the airport, and took him back home to Florida.
Friday December 15 2006 In the News

Here comes the Ghet!
Over at the Chicago Reader food blog, there's news of an interesting culinary arrival in Chicago: The Ghetto Gourmet, an "underground dining experience" that's been going on in California for the last few years (SF Chronicle article on the Ghet). Unfortunately, the two Chicago dates are already sold out, but if you want to get alerts for any upcoming dates you'll probably want to sign up for the Ghet's mailing list on their Website.
Wednesday December 13 2006 Eating/Drinking

Believe it or not, Chicago's gallows auctioned off
There was a macabre item up for auction this week: the Cook County gallows, which was built in 1887 for hanging some of the men convicted for the Haymarket Square riot. The Chicago History Museum wanted to purchase the item for their collection, but they were beat out for the item by the San-Francisco-based Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. No word on where the gallows will be displayed, although a spokesperson for Ripley's promises the city's history will be a part of the ultimate display of the item.
Friday December 8 2006 History

Drag ends, greatest hits begin
It's a big weekend for the Neo-Futurists. Their current prime time show, Drag, has its final weekend, and they begin their annual two weeks of greatest hits from their long-running show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind. So if you like either drag shows or compilations of really good (but really short) plays, you know where to go.
Wednesday December 6 2006 Theatre/Dance

A final recommendation
On the Chicago Reader's food blog, they report that on the night before he died, New York Times writer R.W. Apple, Jr. sent an email to colleague Jill Santopietro in response to her request for examples of great American pancakes. Apple recommended the pancakes at the Bongo Room. Santopietro tried them and reported in the Sunday Times: "As was often the case with food, Apple was right."
Monday December 4 2006 Eating/Drinking

Don't forget the taquerias
In this week's Reader, you will find the last part of a 6-part series by local writer David Hammond on authentic regional Mexican food in Chicago. EatChicago.net has links to all 6 parts, along with a rousing essay on how our Mexican cuisine always seems to get overlooked by food critics (and even Chicago residents!) looking for eating options.
Friday December 1 2006 Eating/Drinking

Santa seats
Some shots of this year's CTA Holiday Train, courtesy of the Chicago blog Looper. Keep your eye on the "holidaytrain" tag on Flickr for more shots, and your other eye on the CTA's Holiday Train schedule to see when to catch the train.
Monday November 27 2006 Transportation

Holiday Treats
The cartoonist Chris Ware must not have much spare time: he's drawn four separate covers for this week's New Yorker, each designed around the theme of Thanksgiving. Plus, there's a companion strip on the inside of the mag, and the New Yorker site has some interview audio of Ware talking about the series.
Monday November 20 2006 Print/Magazines

Where not to go
The Sun-Times gives you a list of the 12 Chicago restaurants with the most health code violations. If you're interested in finding out if your favorite hangout has any major health code violations on record, you can find violations of Chicago restaurants posted online at the Department of Public Health Website.
Monday November 20 2006 Eating/Drinking

Imagine how big his desk drawer is
The world's largest rubber-band ball is coming to town. Eugene, Oregon resident Steve Milton created a ball 5 1/2 feet high and weighting over 4,000 pounds. To celebrate his achievement, Office Max is flying him and his ball to town, where he will officially be inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records next Tuesday. I expect to see plenty of photos of this event on Flickr.
Thursday November 16 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Slow CTA trains: get used to it
The Sun-times reports that the CTA can't afford to fix the problems that create the slow spots on its train lines. CTA president Frank Kreusi puts the figure at fixing all of the problems at $500 million; as a comparison, the amount of money in next year's CTA budget for fixing some Red and Blue Line slow spots is a mere $35.7 million. So expect delays for several years.
Wednesday November 15 2006 Transportation

"I work in a eats house"
Found in a 1913 book: sketches by an unknown Chicagoan who apparently worked as a waiter. In the comments of this blog post, some speculate it's the work of Chicago cartoonist and animator Andy Hettinger.
Tuesday November 14 2006 Found on the Web

Hallelujah!
Set your alarm clock: tomorrow morning at 8:00, complimentary tickets will be available for the annual LaSalle Bank Do-It-Yourself Messiah. This is the 31st year for the event, which allows an audience of amateur singers to perform the chorus parts of Handel's Messiah at the Civic Opera House. Check the LaSalle Bank Website for details on the event, tips on preparing for the performance, and times and dates for the event.
Tuesday November 14 2006 Music/Clubs

What is it? Find out next weekend
We were at the Music Box this weekend and noticed that the theater has added a third night to next weekend's screening of Crispin Glover's bizarre film What Is It? Mr. Glover himself will be at the theater to present the film (along with an accompanying slide show dubbed "The Big Slide Show"); if that sounds like your idea of a good time, check out Slowdown for Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Sunday November 12 2006 Film

BO, no A/C
Apparently the power to the CTA Red Line was shut off this morning, a move prompted by a defective Red Line train that had damaged about 100 feet of the third rail. The CTA Tattler has an eye-witness account that should give you some idea of what to be prepared for in the event of a shut-down train.
Friday November 10 2006 Transportation

I got a rock
As the Bears stumble on their way to the Super Bowl, it's good to know that other Chicagoans are representing the city in other sporting events. The Sun-Times reports that local gym teacher Jason Kieronski is heading to Toronto to take part in this year's international world championship of Rock Paper Scissors. Best of luck, Jason!
Monday November 6 2006 Sports/Recreation

25th Reeling Festival starts tonight
Reeling: the 25th Chicago gay and lesbian film festival kicks off tonight at the Music Box Theater with Eating Out 2, a film being billed as "the world's first ever gay sequel". The festival runs through November 12 at various film venues in the city; see the festival's Website for a complete schedule.
Thursday November 2 2006 Film

Early voting ends tomorrow
If you wanted to take advantage of early voting in Illinois, you'd better get on the ball, because according to the County Clerk's Website early voting concludes tomorrow. After that, of course, you'll have to wait until Election Day, November 7th, to cast your ballot.
Wednesday November 1 2006 Politics/Activism

Go to work in pajamas
Cereality, the cafe specializing in serving up breakfast cereals in new and novel combinations, is apparently opening up a second Chicago-area location in Evanston's Sherman Plaza this month. There will be a job fair for the new location this weekend; see the details at the Cereality site if you're interested in working for the Chicago-based chain.
Wednesday November 1 2006 Eating/Drinking

Hollaback, Chicago!
The CTA Tattler alerts us to Hollaback Chicago, a new blog devoted to documenting women's stories of being harrassed on the streets (the blog was inspired by a similar site for NYC women).
Monday October 30 2006 Transportation

Lollapalooza stays in Chicago
It's official: a 5-year deal with Lollpalooza has been approved by the Chicago Park District board.
Thursday October 26 2006 Music/Clubs

Beluga Q. McWhaleypants
Over the summer, a baby beluga whale was born at the Shedd Aquarium, and they're only just now getting around to picking a name for her. ABC's Good Morning America is helping out the aquarium running a name-the-baby-beluga contest. Submit your name suggestion now, and on November 2 the four finalists will be posted for the public to vote on. The winning name will be announced November 9.
Wednesday October 25 2006 In the News

Marathon winner released from hospital
Robert Cheruiyot, the Kenyan runner who won Sunday's Chicago Marathon but slipped & fell right at the finish line, was released from the hospital this morning after sufficiently recovering from the head injuries he sustained in his fall. A championship ceremony is happening downtown right now to celebrate his win, and he's expected to make a full recovery.
Tuesday October 24 2006 Sports/Recreation

Dag! Seriously, dag!
For the Lynda Barry fans out there: a chance to take a two-day writing course taught by Ms. Barry herself! Hurry up and decide soon; there's only 6 seats left in this class.
Monday October 23 2006 Books/Authors

New Ebert reviews
Another week, another couple more Roger Ebert reviews. This week he looks at Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette (opening today at lots of theaters around town) and the indie film Man Push Cart (opening today at the Music Box). As always, these films and others are reviewed by our own Steve at the Movies, as well.
Friday October 20 2006 Film

Yankee Hotel Snotbox
Best headline about Jeff Tweedy punching out a fan who ran onstage comes from this blog posting on Billboard: I Am Trying To Break Your Nose.
Thursday October 19 2006 Music/Clubs

Lounges axed
Inspired by the closing of CBGB's in New York, The Beachwood Reporter remembers a similar event in Chicago's music scene: the closing of Lounge Ax.
Tuesday October 17 2006 Music/Clubs

Early voting starts today
It's three weeks before the 2006 midterm election, but you can vote today. For the first time in an Illinois general election you can cast an early ballot without needing an excuse. Check out the Voterinfonet site for details and a list of the early voting locations.
Monday October 16 2006 Politics/Activism

New Chris Ware comic preview
Check out a preview of Chris Ware's new project "Building Stories" in The Independent.
Friday October 13 2006 Print/Magazines

Prominent paper picks Pizano's prized pizza
The owners of Pizano's must be feeling pretty good these days. They represent Chicago in USA Today's top 10 list of great pizza restaurants in the US, and according to the Sun-Times they'll be featured on an upcoming episode of Oprah as the makers of the best thin-pizza crust in Chicago. Pizano's got a mention in a Fuel pizza discussion a couple years ago; check that archive for some more pizza recommendations.
Friday October 13 2006 Eating/Drinking

Free TAL downloads
After some previous conflicts with people setting up their own podcasts of This American Life, the radio program has decided to start making shows freely downloadable for one week after they air. Visit the TAL site to subscribe to the program's official podcast; the free downloads start next Monday.
Thursday October 12 2006 Radio/TV

Ebert lives!
Roger Ebert writes from his recovery bed on the complications from last June's surgery, his slow rehabilitation, and when he expects to be able to resume movie reviewing. He's also written a review for Stephen Frears' The Queen which should be posted soon at Roger's Website.
Thursday October 12 2006 Film

Headline of the day
In the Trib: Downstate police kill mystery emu. (tip from Amy)
Wednesday October 11 2006 In the News

Bookslut double-date
Fans of the Bookslut reading series will definitely want to make an effort to catch tonight's show; there will be no readings in November and December. As a consolation prize, the site will also guest host Jordan Davis' Million Poems Show tomorrow night; details for tonight and tomorrow's events in Slowdown.
Wednesday October 11 2006 Books/Authors

Zephyr closing
The Sun-Times reports that the Zephyr Cafe, the Ravenswood restaurant/ice cream parlor, is closing its doors on October 22 after 30 years at that location. That gives you less than 2 weeks to enjoy the Treasure Island milkshake, the King Kong burger, and the War of the Worlds 10-scoop sundae.
Tuesday October 10 2006 Eating/Drinking

Got vote?
The Cook County Clerk's office wants you to know that tomorrow's the deadline for registering as an Illinois voter if you want to vote in the midterm elections next month. See Voterinfonet.com for registration forms, election dates, and even a form to check your registration status online (for suburban Cook County only; Chicago residents should check out ChicagoElections.com to get polling place and district information).
Monday October 9 2006 Politics/Activism

Jean Le has a posse
Have you been down by Wicker Park and seen an Asian guy dressed in loincloth and knee socks, rocking out on his headphones? You haven't? Well, you'd better check out his Flickr fan group then, hadn't you?
Monday October 9 2006 Found on the Web

From cow to Bean
Gadgetgirl reminds us that today is the 135th anniversary of the start of the Great Chicago Fire. It started at 8:30 PM (according to a newly found Chicago Fire Department log) and lasted for two days (see this interactive map of the fire's progression). The debris from the fire was pushed into Lake Michigan, forming the base for what would eventually become Grant Park. So if it hadn't been for Mrs. O'Leary's cow, there would be no Millennium Park group on Flickr.
Sunday October 8 2006 History

Fullerton station renovations
The renovation of the Fullerton El stop, already pretty conspicuous with all the new construction next to the existing tracks, becomes even more inescapable for commuters this Sunday, as the CTA closes up the Fullerton stationhouse (and opens up a temporary station entrance) on Sunday. Although the station will still operate as usual throughout construction, the main station building will be closed for renovations through December of 2008, so this weekend might be a good time to take some pictures of the structure, just so you can do some before-and-after comparison in a couple of years (or whenever it really does reopen). More construction bulletins are available, as always, at the CTA site.
Friday October 6 2006 Transportation

The case of the impostor skull
In July GB mentioned a Trib report that there were doubts that the skull enshrined at the Goodman Theatre is not actually the skull of improv legend Del Close. And today the Tribune follows up the earlier story with confirmation from Charna Halpern, executor of Close's will, that she tried to get Del's skull, but ultimately could not pull it off. So to speak.
Thursday October 5 2006 Theatre/Dance

Stop the Body Worlds?
As the Body Worlds 2 exhibit is being prepared for Chicago in January, some opposition to the show's artistic display of human bodies has already started. A Boston man started up a Website to protest the exhibit in Boston last summer, and he's added a page for the Chicago stop of the exhibit. But as the Sun-Times reports today, the MSI received few letters of protest for the original Body Worlds, and guestbooks at the museum had many favorable reviews of the exhibit. We'll see what effect the protest has on the second Body Worlds show when it opens at the MSI on January 17.
Tuesday October 3 2006 Arts/Architecture

Dirty Thing
One week before their site re-launch party, the guys at Radio Free Chicago heard that their headlining band, The Dirty Things, broke up and won't be playing the gig. RFC is now scrambling to find a replacement band for the upcoming show. Update: according to a comment on the RFC site, All City Affairs will be filling in for the missing band.
Monday October 2 2006 Music/Clubs

Return of the artistic dead
Missed the Body Worlds exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry last year? Don't fret; Body Worlds 2 will show up at the MSI next January. The new exhibit will contain 20 plastinated human bodies, along with "200 human parts". Tickets go on sale October 2.
Friday September 29 2006 Arts/Architecture

The best for this year
Newcity's Best of Chicago 2006 issue is out on the streets and online. Categories range from Best Local TV Weatherman (Tom Skilling) to Best Reason For Chicago To Host The Summer Olympics (international recognition of the South Side). Websites chosen for the list include Art or Idiocy (Best Chicago Art News Blog) and Avoid The Ryan (Best Thing About the Dan Ryan Construction Project).
Thursday September 28 2006 Print/Magazines

Worst Music Video Ever, part 2
My hero for the day is the person who posted this video excerpt of one of the strangest shows on CAN TV, "Beauty of Fashion with Malia".
Wednesday September 27 2006 Radio/TV

More lit in Andersonville tonight
If a Bitchfest isn't your cup of tea, how about Bookslut? Just a couple blocks south of the Bitch celebration will be the monthly Bookslut reading event at Hopleaf. Sadly, both events happen at the same time, so you can't go to both, but if you want to see Ned Vizzini (It's Kind of A Funny Story), Brian Evenson (The Open Curtain) or Cristina Henriquez (Come Together, Fall Apart), you know where you gotta be. See Slowdown for details.
Wednesday September 27 2006 Books/Authors

Intro to Chicago
In Section 1 of this week's Chicago Reader you will find a wide-ranging introduction to Chicago living: everything from how local politics works to an overview of music venues to what happens when you get arrested. GB gets name-checked in the guide's alternative media section, along with a host of other worthy sites and publications that should give you a good picture of current-day Chicago life.
Friday September 22 2006 City Life/Cultural

More rousting about
Roustabout, the current prime-time show being presented by the Neo-Futurists, has had its run extended through October 14. Recommended by the Reader, Newcity and the Sun-Times, Roustabout takes as its basis a circus train wreck that occurred in Hammond, Indiana in 1914, and speculates on the lives of the performers that were killed in the wreck (with a dash of the self-aware commentary that Neo-Futurist productions are known for). Reservations are available through the Neo-Futurist Website.
Wednesday September 20 2006 Theatre/Dance

GLONO turns 5, celebrates in style
Glorious Noise unveiled a new redesign this week, and also posted details on their 5th anniversary celebration next month, which will feature plenty of live music (Riviera, Quasar Wut-Wut, and Healthy White Baby) and many more surprises.
Tuesday September 19 2006 Music/Clubs

'Fork it over
Idolator, the music industry blog portion of Gawker Media's online empire, introduces a new Friday feature today: Pick of the 'Fork, a challenge for readers to try and identify the tortuously worded sentence that was not used in a Pitchfork review. (Previous stellar example of Pitchfork-mocking: David Cross' essay on fake CDs for real Pitchfork reviews.)
Friday September 15 2006 Found on the Web

Do not pass (Chica)go
Got some room on your game shelf next to the Chicago Monopoly, the Chicago Bears Monopoly, and the White Sox Monopoly? Then you'll be needing Monopoly: Here and Now Edition, which includes among its contemporary properties to purchase two Chicago landmarks: Wrigley Field ($3 million to purchase, but a mere $260,000 to rent); and O'Hare Airport (the board game designers, in updating the game to the present day, have replaced the original game's railroads with airports). Monopoly: Here and Now, which has on its board the most popular US properties as voted on by Monopoly fans, goes on sale tomorrow.
Wednesday September 13 2006 Business/Shopping

Hang out with Rusty Brown
For the Chris Ware fans in the audience: an eBay auction to get your likeness in a Chris Ware comic sometime in the next two years. Chris will also send you a signed copy of the strip, but only if the winner "doesn't get mad or otherwise grow to despise me if their likeness is construed as satirical, incorrect, unflattering or in any way unliterary."
Monday September 11 2006 Books/Authors

A day with Lemony Snicket
If you are interested in Merge stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other post. If, on the other hand, you are a fan of Lemony Snicket's series of books detailing the misadventures of three very unfortunate children, and would like information on Mr. Snicket's forthcoming appearance in the Chicago suburbs (accompanied by a Mr. Stephin Merritt), then please read on. Lemony Snicket will be embarking on a book tour this October and November, in order to warn people not to read his latest book titled The End, the awful conclusion to his series of books about the Baudelaire children. He will be apprearing at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove on Saturday, November 4 in a several-hours-long event featuring readings, a screening of the Series of Unfortunate Events feature film, music performed by Mr. Snicket and Mr. Merritt, and a book signing (a copy of The End is included in the ticket price). The tickets for this mid-morning and early afternoon of unfortunate events are only $20, and can only be purchased, starting today, from one of the two Anderson's Bookshop locations, in Downers Grove and Naperville. It is my sad duty to record this event, but there is nothing stopping you from skipping this show and attending something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
Monday September 11 2006 Books/Authors

The wearing of the green
Some pictures from today's protest of the Marshall Field's name change. I wonder what the protestors thought of this guy's (NSFW) sign, which is only funny if you know who Fred Phelps is.
Saturday September 9 2006 Business/Shopping

The Edens is the new Dan Ryan
Starting tonight, Edens Expressway users will now get a taste of what the Dan Ryan commuters have been going through, as work begins this evening on a concrete patching project on the Edens from Lawrence Avenue to Lake-Cook Road. The project, which will cause a series of weekend and overnight closures on the Edens, runs through mid-November, so start getting used to having only one lane open on the Edens on the weekend. (As a reprieve for Northwestern football fans, the closures will not be in effect when NU plays some home games in the next couple of months.)
Friday September 8 2006 Transportation

Notes from the festival
The Toronto International Film Festival started this week, and with Roger Ebert still recuperating from surgery, Jim Emerson (editor-in-chief of Roger's Website) is attenting the festival and writing up dispatches for his Sun-Times blog. If you're missing Ebert's regular commentary on film fest happenings, try checking those out. And speaking of Roger Ebert and film fests, don't forget that the Music Box is showing a series of films taken from Ebert's "Great Movies" columns. This weekend the Great Movie is Ernst Lubitsch's Trouble In Paradise.
Friday September 8 2006 Film

What to see this weekend
Hey, did you know Mike Judge's new film Idiocracy is now playing in Chicago? Local writer guy Nathan Rabin, afraid that the movie will be under-marketed like Judge's classic film Office Space, clues you in to what you're missing.
Thursday September 7 2006 Film

Getting Weird in Chicago
Over at Metroblogging Chicago, contributor Artemis gives a thumbs up to Weird Chicago Tours, a 3-4 hour citywide tour of Chicago's most unusual locations, from the site of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre to Underpass Mary. The tours started this past weekend, and run Friday and Saturday nights through November, in case you need some weird inspiration in the Halloween season.
Tuesday September 5 2006 History

Vote for the Best
Time once again to vote in Newcity's Best of Chicago survey. You have two weeks to cast your ballot, and then the Best of Chicago issue shows up on September 28.
Friday September 1 2006 Print/Magazines

"He just wanted his glasses repaired"
The prosecution of Benny the Bull, the Chicago Bulls mascot who took a swing at a police officer at the Taste of Chicago in July (because, lest we forget, the officer was trying to get Benny to stop riding around on a small motorcycle at the Taste), came to an end today as prosecutors dropped charges after Benny paid $200 to have the officer's glasses repaired.
Friday September 1 2006 Sports/Recreation

Girl Talks some more
Want some more Girl Talk? Today's interviewee at Transmission was also interviewed yesterday at Pitchfork's Website.
Thursday August 31 2006 Music/Clubs

What you should read next
The new One Book, One Chicago pick: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. You can find copies of the book at all Chicago Public Library branches.
Tuesday August 29 2006 Books/Authors

Pitchfork in Wired
Just posted on Wired's site, a profile of Pitchfork from the magazine's current issue.
Monday August 28 2006 Print/Magazines

Hideout Block Party schedule announced
Yesterday the official line-up of The Hideout's 10th annual block party was announced. The event, which will also commemorate the 25th anniversary of Touch and Go Records, will feature over 30 bands performing over a long weekend in September. Among the bands: Quasi (featuring ex-Sleater-Kinney member Janet Weiss on drums); local favorites the Didjits in their original lineup; and as reported previously a reunited Big Black, who will be playing only "a couple of songs." The full line-up is at Transmission.
Saturday August 26 2006 Music/Clubs

Meet the new Steve Bartman
At last night's White Sox/Twins game, an unidentified man in a White Sox jersey deflected a White Sox ball at the end of the game, resulting in a fan interference call and giving the game (and the AL wild-card lead) to the Twins. So if you see someone you don't know in a White Sox shirt, that's probably the guy!
Saturday August 26 2006 Sports/Recreation

The El station not on any CTA map
Today the Sun-Times checks up on the Chicago History Museum's exhibit of the first Chicago train car built for public transit (previously mentioned on GB in January, when the museum was moving the car from Skokie to its building). In addition to the car, built in 1892 for the Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Co., the museum will also have on display a replica of a late 19th century El train platform. The exhibit will be part of the museum's "City on the Make" exhibition, which will be seen by the public when the museum, completing a $27 million renovation, reopens on September 30.
Wednesday August 23 2006 Transportation

More Wolfman, less Lawnmower Man
I admit it: I'm a Svengoolie fan. But I haven't kept up with his show as his movies have strayed away from classic horror/sci-fi and gone more towards, say, Witchouse 2: Blood Coven. That's why I was pleased to see today's announcement, posted in the Video section of WCIU's revamped Website, that Sven will start showing some classic horror films this fall. Get ready to see the classic versions of Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman and The Bride of Frankenstein starting in October.
Monday August 21 2006 Radio/TV

Ebert redux
Wondering when Roger Ebert will be back on the job? Well, it might be a while: the latest gossip is that Ebert had to have at least part of his jaw removed, and that recovery could take months. Spokespeople remain confident that Ebert will return to work at some point. Update: an email from Roger confirming the surgery details.
Thursday August 17 2006 Film

GB LUVR
Now you can check out your vanity license plate ideas through the Secretary of State's Cyberdrive Illinois site. Just head on over to the "Pick A Plate" section, type in a prospective plate, and see if it's taken.
Tuesday August 15 2006 Transportation

Chicago returns to the Fringe
It's time for the New York International Fringe Festival, and as usual Chicago theater is well-represented in the 16-day festival. There are nine plays being performed in the Fringe festival by Chicago theater groups, from the well-established Neo-Futurists (whose founder, Greg Allen, is presenting his revue of lost Samuel Beckett works) to relatively young upstarts Don't Spit The Water. Alert your NYC hipster friends that they need to check out Chicago's finest in the festival, which runs through August 27.
Tuesday August 15 2006 Theatre/Dance

Picking up the Check
Not only is Chicago becoming noted for its restaurants, but its restaurant review program "Check, Please!" is also a hot property. The Sun-Times reports that "Check, Please! Bay Area" has already started (sample show at Google Video), and versions are also in the works for LA, Seattle/Vancouver, New York, and even Hawaii. Back in Chicago, "Check, Please" junkies will have to wait a few more weeks to get new programs, as the 6th season of the program is currently being taped for broadcast in October.
Thursday August 10 2006 Eating/Drinking

The Adventures Continue
Now that Lollapalooza, Pitchfork and Intonation have come and gone, what's the adventurous concert-goer making plans for next? Probably next month's annual Adventures in Modern Music festival (September 20-24), sponsored by the Empty Bottle and the UK music mag The Wire. Two acts not to miss at this year's festival: the highly enigmatic Jandek (who was supposed to show up for last year's festival but had to cancel due to hurricane evacuation); and influential hiphop remixer Steinski. Tickets are already on sale at Ticketweb, so you'd better hop to it!
Tuesday August 8 2006 Music/Clubs

Know where the #20 Madison buses are at all times!
The CTA has rolled out a new Website for tracking buses called, not too surprisingly, CTA Bus Tracker. It only tracks the #20 Madison bus right now, but you can watch a street map updated in real time with the locations of various buses along the route. The Sun-Times reports that if this pilot program goes well, all other bus routes will get the same tracking ability in a few years.
Monday August 7 2006 Transportation

Oh, Good
It's the news you've either been waiting for or dreading: US Cellular customers can now use their phones on CTA trains travelling in subway tunnels. An added bonus for Verizon and Sprint customers: 911 calls for those companies' customers will also work underground.
Friday August 4 2006 Transportation

Drink up on the CTA
For the duration of the current heat wave, the CTA is now officially allowing passengers to carry and drink cold beverages on its buses and trains. (Not that the law was stopping people from drinking on the CTA, of course, but at least now it's permissible.) The heat wave is expected to end this evening, so do your drinking sometime today!
Wednesday August 2 2006 Eating/Drinking

Val's is moving
Fans of Val's halla Records, the historic Oak Park record store that's been selling all kinds of music for over 30 years, will no doubt be aware that the store has been under threat of closing for the last year. Well, here's some good news: Val's will re-open in a different Oak Park location, and they're moving this weekend. To celebrate the move (and to lighten the load for the movers) Val's is having a huge record sale this weekend: details are in Slowdown. Stop by, pick up some cheap LPs or CDs, and wish Val good luck in the new location.
Tuesday July 25 2006 Business/Shopping

New redesign for Music Box Website
The Music Box Theatre, which had a so-so Website for the longest time, has suddenly redesigned its site, and it looks pretty snazzy! Just in time for a particularly exciting weekend of films at the theater: there's the 25th anniversary re-release of Raiders of the Lost Ark, a weekend matinee of Warner Brothers cartoons, some David Lynch short films, and Olivia Newton-John in Xanadu. See you at the movies....
Friday July 21 2006 Film

Today's inspiration: Chicago
The art of Chicago art studios in the 1950s, courtesy of the illustration blog Today's Inspiration.
Friday July 21 2006 Weblogs

Close enough?
It's one of the great stories in recent Chicago theater history: Second City legend Del Close leaves his skull to the Goodman Theatre, on the condition that they use it in a production of Hamlet. But today the Tribune reports that the skull may not actually be his. Their evidence: the skull has more teeth than Close did when he died; the screws holding the skull together are rusty, indicating the skull is decades old; and the skull bears the markings of an autopsy that Close's body never had. Still, the story makes the point that it's the legend of Del Close's skull that's important to the theater, and the fact that Close did write the request in his will that makes the story memorable.
Friday July 21 2006 Theatre/Dance

Magic Pearl lures Glass to House
This American Life may be in New York, but host Ira Glass returns to Chicago next week to headline a benefit for The House Theatre of Chicago. Peter Sagal of Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me fame will be the MC of the event, compellingly titled The First Annual Gathering of The Secret Order of the Magic Pearl. Full details are available at The House Theatre's blog.
Thursday July 13 2006 Theatre/Dance

Without the beetles
Remember when the Asian long-horned beetle was the talk of the town? Well, those days are over: today, after two years since the last beetle sighting, the final quarantine on Chicago neighborhoods was lifted, meaning that homeowners don't have to pulverize any hardwood trees that they may wish to remove. And Illinois could be declared completely free of the destructive pest as early as next year. But don't think that we'll be free of tree-killing bugs anytime soon: Kane County officials are still looking for signs of the emerald ash borer, which showed up in Illinois last month.
Wednesday July 12 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Waits Waits, don't tell me
The only music news that you need to know for the summer: Tom Waits will be playing Chicago next month. Good luck trying to get tickets...
Wednesday July 5 2006 Music/Clubs

Post a Video Response
June 30: Pitchfork Media posts a negative review of the album Movie Monster by Sound Team. July 3: Sound Team posts a response to the review on YouTube. July 5: Pitchfork gives the video response a better review than their album. (tip from Ghost Media)
Wednesday July 5 2006 Music/Clubs

Never miss another show
Tourfilter comes to Chicago. A Website started by Boston concertgoers who were tired of missing shows by their favorite artists, Tourfilter is very simple: type in your favorite bands, and the site will send you an email when the band schedules a Chicago performance. I've already found one upcoming show using the site: punk-folk-acoustic singer-songwriter Stuart Davis performing Friday night at Schubas. (link found at Metafilter)
Wednesday July 5 2006 Music/Clubs

Ooh la la, L'amour
Missed local burlesque legend Michelle "Toots" L'amour's appearence on "America's Got Talent" last week? YouTube's got you covered. Warning: excessive and gratuitous leering by David Hasselhoff.
Monday July 3 2006 Radio/TV

In-store Jello
Former Dead Kennedys singer and spoken-word artist Jello Biafra will be appearing tonight at the Lakeshore Theater, but if you've got the afternoon free you can stop by the nearby Reckless Records on Broadway, where Jello will be doing an in-store appearance at 4:30. You can bring your old classic DK merch for Jello to sign, but please don't bring any of the newer re-releases on Manifesto Records, as those were issued without Jello's consent and he won't sign them.
Monday July 3 2006 Politics/Activism

Ebert recovering after emergency operation
Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert had emergency surgery today to fix complications from a previous surgery to remove a cancerous growth. He's in serious condition, but his vital signs are apparently good. Get well soon, Roger!
Sunday July 2 2006 In the News

Songs about reuniting
Okay, so the next-to-last ever Sleater-Kinney show isn't getting you excited? (They've since added a show at home a week later.) How about a Big Black reunion? Touch and Go Records will be celebrating their 25th anniversary at the Hideout Block Party September 8-10, and they officially announced this week what had been rumored about days before: the influential 1980s noise rock band started by one Mr. Steve Albini will be reuniting to play "a couple songs" at the party. And according to the Touch & Go site, there's more surprises in store for the party. Tickets for the Hideout Block Party are available for purchase online.
Friday June 30 2006 Music/Clubs

Not another lousy podcast
At last night's kick-off of the Neo-Futurists' film fest, they mentioned that former Neo and solo performer David Kodeski is currently working on an online project related to his stage play (and radio story) "Another Lousy Day", the story of a single working woman living on the South Side in the 1960s told through her diaries. Mr. Kodeski is recording female voices reading entries of the diaries that inspired his show and posting the sound files on his True Life Tales Website in podcast form. The project, which has been going on since January, is expected to total 730 audio files, one for each entry in the diaries. If you are interested in recording one of the entries, you may contact Mr. Kodeski at david [at] truelifetales [dot] com.
Friday June 30 2006 Books/Authors

Not what you want
Just in case you were trying to decide whether or not to go to Lollapalooza this year, here's an incentive to attend: Sleater-Kinney is breaking up, and their scheduled performance at the festival in Grant Park will be their last.
Tuesday June 27 2006 Music/Clubs

The imminence of the Taste
The city has blocked off the streets near Grant Park in preparation for the 2006 Taste of Chicago, which starts this Friday and runs through Sunday, July 9. Check out the Taste Website for a list of participating restaurants that'll be selling food during the event, a map of the vendors (PDF link), and a roundup of the performers that you'll be able to see during the Taste's 10-day run. And if you know you'll be checking out loads of vendors, you might want to get your food tickets in advance at your local Dominick's because you'll get a discount if you have a Dominick's Fresh Values card.
Monday June 26 2006 Eating/Drinking

Emerald ash borer redux
Update on the emerald ash borer infestation in Illinois: the good news is that investigators have not yet found any signs of the tree-killing insect outside of a three-mile radius of the original place where the insects were found, a good sign that the insect has not traveled far in Illinois. The bad news is that all ash trees within a half mile of the infestation sites will still have to be destroyed to contain the insect.
Thursday June 22 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Skate on State
On the train to downtown this morning I saw a couple people carrying skateboards but didn't think much about it. Then I found out that today is Wild in the Streets, an annual global skating event. Today in Chicago, a large group of skateboarders will be meeting at Buckingham Fountain to skate through downtown Chicago to thank the city for planning to build a new skating area in Millennium Park. The event begins at the fountain at 2:00 PM, all skaters are welcome, and to try and draw a huge crowd the organizers of the event will be bringing some members of Emerica's skate team. So if names like Andrew Reynolds and Ed Templeton get you all excited, you know where you gotta be today.
Wednesday June 21 2006 Sports/Recreation

Crafters, start your engines: DIY Trunk Show accepting applications
The much-loved DIY Trunk Show is officially accepting applications from local crafters who want to sell their wares at the event in November (Saturday, November 18; mark your calendar!). See the Trunk Show site for full information, and check out photos of previous Trunk Shows on Flickr.
Thursday June 15 2006 Business/Shopping

The worst movies on stage
The Neo-Futurist theater company have announced the lineup for what has become a hugely entertaining annual summer series: on-stage readings of bad film scripts (aka "It Came From The Neo-Futurarium!"). Highlights of this year's "films": a recreation of the 1978 classic "KISS Meets The Phantom of the Park"; a sci-fi double feature performed by the sketch comedy troupe Schadenfreude; and a tribute to the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan debacle. See the full schedule and purchase tickets at the Neo-Futurists' Website. But hurry, because the film fest starts in just 2 weeks.
Thursday June 15 2006 Theatre/Dance

Bye, Hi-Lite
After a last-minute effort to save Aurora's Hi-Lite Drive In, the city council voted yesterday to close the theater and move forward on a proposal to build a subdivision on the land. The main reason for closing down the Hi-Lite, which was Illinois' oldest operating drive-in, was that nobody appeared willing to pony up the $830,000 needed to renovate the place.
Wednesday June 14 2006 Film

Meet your new insect enemy
It's been a couple of years since we've had to worry about Asian longhorned beetles, but unfortunately Illinois just got another new insect resident: the emerald ash borer, blamed for killing millions of ash trees in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio and just recently found in a rural subdivision about 40 miles west of Chicago. The Sun-Times reports that the state will be working over the next few weeks to determine the size of the infestation and to establish a quarantine around affected areas. In the meantime, homeowners can visit emeraldashborer.info, which has loads of pictures of the insect and infestation indicators to look for in your ash trees.
Tuesday June 13 2006 Outdoors/Environment

This is my DVD and it freaks me out
Today is a momentous date for cult film fans: the official DVD release date for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Roger Ebert, co-author of the screenplay with film director Russ Meyer, offers some thoughts on the production.
Tuesday June 13 2006 Film

Hotel helps guests kick the CrackBerry habit
Guests staying at the Sheraton Chicago who find themselves leaning a little too heavily on their BlackBerries or other similar wireless devices now have a solution to their addiction: the hotel now offers to lock up guests' devices, so they can concentrate on trying to get some work done. Brilliant!
Thursday June 8 2006 In the News

Chicago's smallest museum?
Almost exactly two months after opening the Freedom Museum, the Tribune is opening another museum: the McCormick Tribune Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, which will be housed in a bridge-tender tower on the southwest corner of the Michigan Avenue bridge. According to the Associated Press, the building has only 1600 square feet of floor space, and will only be able to accommodate 34 visitors at a time. The museum officially opens on Saturday, and admission will be a suggested donation of $3.
Wednesday June 7 2006 History

Failing upward
If you haven't seen the House Theatre's acclaimed show The Boy Detective Fails yet, here are a couple of enticements to persuade you to check it out: the Wes-Anderson-style film prologue that's shown before the start of the play; and news of an upcoming talkback with Chicago author Joe Meno, whose forthcoming novel is the basis of the play (details of the talkback event are in Slowdown).
Tuesday June 6 2006 Theatre/Dance

Ebert battles cancer, writes books
Robert Feder reports that Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert is to undergo surgery again to have a cancerous growth removed from his salivary gland. Ebert says that the cancer is not life-threatening, and expects to make a full recovery. Good luck, Roger! Elsewhere in Ebert news, he's listed at #16 on Newcity's annual Lit 50 list of the most influential people in Chicago's literary world.
Thursday June 1 2006 In the News

High school book list approved, despite controversy
This morning the Township High School District 214 board voted to approve a required readling list which includes nine books that one board member felt were inappropriate for the classroom. That means that many suburban Chicago high schoolers will soon be reading such titles as Beloved by Toni Morrison; Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut; and Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.
Friday May 26 2006 Books/Authors

"Jeez, that's a lot of cash"
Simon Garber, president of Chicago Carriage Cab Co., definitely wins this week's Good Boss award: he distributed $50 gift cards to all 637 cab drivers that work for his company. The gift cost Garber nearly $32,000.
Thursday May 25 2006 Transportation

Bam! Pow! Autograph!
The National Cartoonists Society holds its 60th annual awards banquet this weekend in Chicago. Thankfully the society is throwing us non-cartoonists a bone; tonight there will be a large signing event at the Borders on the corner of State and Randolph featuring 10 comic strip artists, among them the creators of For Better or For Worse, Foxtrot, Candorville, Pooch Cafe, and Beetle Bailey. See Slowdown for the full story. (tip from the So-Called "Austin Mayor")
Thursday May 25 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Drink 'til you write
It's drinking time again! A group of Neo-Futurist alumni is presenting the third version of the play Drinking and Writing, subtitled "To Cure A Hangover." Along with the play, which will be performed at bars around Chicago for the next few weeks, the Drinking and Writing team is putting together a pub crawl on Memorial Day to find a cure for the common hangover, and their second annual Drinking and Writing Festival on June 10, which will include readings, a two-drink-minimum writing contest, and lots of beer tasting. See Slowdown for all these events, and the Drinking and Writing Website for tickets.
Monday May 22 2006 Theatre/Dance

Date set for Field's renaming
The Sun-Times reports that September 7 will be the start of a "launch weekend" set to celebrate the renaming of Marshall Field's stores to Macy's. The weekend-long celebration will include loads of activities and events at the State Street store, such as a fashion competition for local designers and "mother-daughter beauty events".
Thursday May 18 2006 Business/Shopping

Hi-Lite about to be extinguished?
At a committee meeting today in Aurora, the City Countil will begin to decide the fate of the Hi-Lite 30 Drive-In, the oldest operating drive-in in Illinois, which has been scheduled for demolition to make way for housing development. Naturally there are quite a few fans of the drive-in, and they are planning a rally before the meeting to try and sway the council vote. The site OurAurora.com has put together a page with proposals from all sides of the debate, so you can make up your own mind on the issue.
Tuesday May 16 2006 Film

"Maybe it's Obama"
Barack Obama continues to say that he's not running for President in 2008, but even without running he's already got an endorsement from Neil Young, who namechecks the Illinois Senator on the song "Lookin' For A Leader" from his new album Living With War. Obama met Young at last year's Farm Aid concert, a meeting which Obama called "one of the best times we've had" since becoming a Senator.
Tuesday May 9 2006 Politics/Activism

Millennium Park booked
Make sure to mark your calendar: the Sun-Times reports that Allstate Insurance is paying to close off portions of Millennium Park for a private shindig on Monday, August 7. The Crown Fountain will remain open to the public, and The Bean will remain open to the public until 4pm. In exchange for getting to rent out the public park, Allstate is also kicking in $500,000 for some free concerts at the park this summer, which will include the Gospel Music Festival and a performance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
Thursday May 4 2006 Arts/Architecture

Donors needed
Sacred Art, a new gallery/store in Roscoe Village that sells artwork and crafts from local artists, is planning to have a blood drive on Saturday, May 6, but it needs a few more people to sign up for the event before Lifesource will even show up! If you were thinking of donating blood in the near future, please check out the event details (which include discounts at plenty of Roscoe Village businesses for donors) in Slowdown.
Tuesday April 25 2006 Arts/Architecture

No Art in Chicago?
Art Chicago in the Park, the annual contemporary art fair that was scheduled to open this weekend in Grant Park, may not be happening. The Tribune reports that all work has apparently ceased at the fair's site. Art dealers are waiting to hear what's going on with the event, but prospects are apparently not good.
Tuesday April 25 2006 Arts/Architecture

Soldier Field loses landmark status
Those of you who have been thinking that the 2003 renovations to Soldier Field were a bad idea are now vindicated: the building has lost its status as a National Historic Landmark because of the additions.
Monday April 24 2006 Arts/Architecture

What time is it?
Another Marshall Field's battle is brewing, but in this one the store's current owner (Federated Department Stores, the company that's changing the store's name) is playing the good guy. They're asking the store's former owner, Target Corporation, to return a Norman Rockwell painting of the State Street store's clock, which used to hang in the store until it was replaced by a copy and then disappeared a few months ago. There's been no response from Target yet; perhaps they're mass-producing copies of the painting to sell in Target stores nationwide?
Thursday April 20 2006 Arts/Architecture

This American Stream
Just got the weekly email update from This American Life, which includes the very interesting fact that they've gotten rid of the site's RealAudio archive streams in favor of streaming MP3 format. So if you've been having problems with playing RealAudio, check out the new streaming MP3 goodness!
Monday April 17 2006 Radio/TV

Chicago barista wins US title
The Sun-Times has a profile today of Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea employee Matthew Riddle, who won the US Barista Championships last week. Riddle had to serve up 12 drinks in 15 minutes to claim the title. His winning the title means that Chicago will represent in the World Barista Championships in Berne, Switzerland next month. Riddle isn't working as a coffee server right now (he's working as a graphic artist for Intelligentsia), but he will be serving up coffee for the grand opening on April 28 of a new Intelligentsia store at 53 E. Randolph. So if you're looking for a fast cup of coffee, remember to stop by and congratulate Matthew.
Monday April 17 2006 Eating/Drinking

Bean there, done that
The Bean is done. Workers have finally finished the task of sanding down the seams of the stainless steel sculpture, which was unveiled two years ago but has recently been under wraps while it was finished. So... take some more pictures!
Wednesday April 12 2006 Arts/Architecture

Red Line riders: take the bus today!
The Trib reports that there was a minor derailment on the Red Line tracks earlier this morning, and the CTA has cut power to the Red Line tracks between the Fullerton and North & Clybourn stops. There's an alert on the CTA Website that says they're rerouting southbound Red Line trains to the elevated tracks (i.e., the Brown/Purple Line route) and stopping at some downtown elevated stations (see the CTA site for a complete list of stops). Shuttle buses are also running between North & Clybourn and State & Lake. As always, expect delays on the trains. Update: trains are running as usual now, but you should still expect delays.
Thursday April 6 2006 Transportation

Push butt
Metroblogging Chicago discovers the real message of CTA signs.
Monday April 3 2006 Photography

Underpass Mary travels west
Almost a year after Underpass Mary, reports come from Moline, IL of another sighting of the Virgin Mary under a bridge on I-74. Northwest IL blog The Inside Dope provides a small picture. (tip from Amy C)
Monday March 27 2006 People/Sightings

CC the Talking Cat
I hope you This American Life fans were listening to this morning's pledge drive over at Chicago Public Radio, because they were offering a really sweet limited-edition premium: a coffee mug celebrating the first 100 years of TAL (sure, it's early by 90 years, but how many programs ever get to celebrate their 100th anniversary?). A picture of the artwork has been posted over at the Chicago Public Radio pledge blog, where you can see that the host for TAL's 100th year will be WarTron 3000. (If they haven't run out yet, you might be able to pick up the 100-year anniversary mug, along with the 10-year anniversary mug, during This American Life tonight at 7:00 PM.)
Friday March 24 2006 Radio/TV

IHOT
Thanks to a typo on signs posted along the Dan Ryan, people who called a phone number looking for IDOT information on pending construction were redirected to a $2.99/minute adult chat line. The mistake was noticed and corrected yesterday.
Friday March 24 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

XXX, but SFW
Surely there are some Chicago fans out there? (Chicago the band, I mean.) The long-lived band releases its 30th album (cleverly titled XXX) in one week, but you can hear it right now, thanks to those right neighborly folks at Clear Channel. Will the liner notes include an In Memoriam notice for Demon Dogs? Find out next Tuesday....
Tuesday March 14 2006 Music/Clubs

Flower, garden, and Mac
The 2006 Flower and Garden Show opened this weekend at Navy Pier and runs through next Sunday. If you can't make it to the exhibition to see the 50,000 different types of plants and flowers on display, enjoy this Flickr group of photos of exhibits, one of which includes a novel use for a Macintosh SE. (found at the very worthwhile Moleskinerie)
Sunday March 12 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Rain delay for the CTA
As the CTA Tattler points out, this week Mother Nature did what aldermen and citizens could not -- temporarily put off Brown Line closings for this weekend only, due to rain in the forecast. The Kimball and Francisco Brown Line stops will stay open this weekend. Enjoy!
Friday March 10 2006 Transportation

Gitmo Life 101
Chicago Public Radio's stellar program This American Life does a special show this weekend: the entire program will be devoted to interviews with two former Guantanamo Bay detainees about their experiences there. Tune in tomorrow night at 7:00 PM, or Saturday at 1:00 PM, for what's sure to be an hour-long driveway moment.
Thursday March 9 2006 Radio/TV

Judge for yourself
There's a primary election happening in two weeks, and as the Chicago Reader pointed out a few years ago, not too many people participate in them, even though they include one important category that directly affects the voters: the judicial candidates for vacancies on the Illinois Appellate Court and the county Circuit Court. For evaluations of the candidates from a number of Illinois bar associations, check out VoteForJudges.org, a non-partisan group set up to get this information out to voters like you. And for more information on what's going to be on the ballot this year, check out ChicagoElections.com (which also has the extremely handy "find your polling place" form).
Tuesday March 7 2006 Politics/Activism

Wolf gonna be okay, Uncle Lar'?
Too bad WLS isn't running Animal Stories anymore, because this would be the top headline on that show: one of the wolves at Brookfield Zoo lost a leg this week, and zoo officials don't know how it happened. After doctors operated on the wolf, it seems to have recovered okay, and can now stand up on its remaining three legs.
Friday March 3 2006 Outdoors/Environment

Shorts on parade
And speaking of Oscar, if you're interested in checking out the Oscar-nominated short films, this weekend the Gene Siskel Film Center continues its annual tradition of screening the nominated films in the short subject categories. The films will be divided up into two separate shows: one will feature the documentary shorts, and one will feature the animated and live-action shorts. See the Film Center Website for a schedule of the programs, which will be screening through March 9.
Thursday March 2 2006 Film

Boo!
Time for another horror movie convention/festival in Chicago. This one is the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors, put together by the horror movie fan magazine. If the idea of meeting Lloyd Kaufman (director of Toxic Avenger), Kelly Stables (played Samara in the Ring movies), and George Romero & Tom Savini (together again!), then you'd better get yourself to the Wyndham Chicago O'Hare Hotel this Saturday and Sunday. See the convention's Website for a complete schedule and to purchase tickets.
Wednesday March 1 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

DIY TML: do it!
Just heard from the Neo-Futurists: there are still a few slots available for their fundraising event, in which a group of participants get to put on their own version of the theater company's long-running show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind. If you feel like turning the events of your own life into a play, and performing that play in front of your family and friends (for one night only), please see the DIY TML page on the Neo-Futurists' Website. But hurry, because the playwriting course starts a week from tonight!
Tuesday February 28 2006 Theatre/Dance

German food in Wrigleyville
As the Berghoff closes this week, the Sun-Times reports on another German restaurant that will be opening this April in the middle of the sports-bar-clogged stretch of Clark Street near Wrigley Field. Uberstein is being started by the owners of Crobar and Blu, will be in the space that the Heaven on Seven restaurant is now, and will feature beer and beer glasses imported from the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. Will Cubs fans go for a German restaurant? Since they're planning to serve beer, I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes.
Monday February 27 2006 Eating/Drinking

Is that legit?
In the aftermath of his recent hee-larious appearance on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, Gov. Blagojevich said in an interview published today that he didn't realize The Daily Show was a comedy program. Note to the Gov: hire a staffer with cable TV. Perhaps tonight's guest from Chicago, Roger Ebert, will fare better. (tip from Metroblogging)
Thursday February 23 2006 Radio/TV

I've ate thine huge
Inspired by London, Toronto and Amsterdam mass transit riders who have made up alternate maps of their cities' subway stops, local blogger Pete Anderson made up a map for two Metra lines where the station names are anagrams for the original names. This probably can't be done with the CTA map; what's an anagram for "63rd"?
Thursday February 23 2006 Transportation

Take me out to the wristband
Cubs fans, it's time once again to get your wristbands! You have until 10:00 tonight to stop by Wrigley Field and pick up a wristband that will determine your place in line tomorrow morning at 6:00, when the starting number is called for the head of the line. If you were planning on sitting this season's ticket sale out, you might reconsider; according to the Cubs blog Bleed Cubbie Blue, the lines haven't been as long for this year's wristbands, which means fewer people in line for tickets tomorrow morning.
Thursday February 23 2006 Sports/Recreation

One book, one Chicago, one Moscow
The spring 2006 title in the One Book, One Chicago program is One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. In an interesting addition to the city-wide book club program, Chicago will join with Moscow to create an international book club to discuss this title. (The book marks the first selection for One Book, One Moscow.)
Wednesday February 22 2006 Books/Authors

Berghoff history up for auction
If you aren't able to make it into the Berghoff for a final meal before it closes at the end of the month, you still have a chance of getting a piece of the restaurant's history: the restaurant will be auctioning off Berghoff memorabilia, from an original menu from 1939 to commemorative items for the Berghoff's 100-year anniversary, which was in 1998. The auction starts at noon on March 4, so start collecting your pennies. For pictures of the items up for auction, check out the auctioner's Website.
Tuesday February 21 2006 Eating/Drinking

Valentine Victorious, broken
The House Theatre, currently in the middle of staging Valentine Victorious (the third play in a time-travelling trilogy), suffered a setback this weekend when the writer and star of the show, Nathan Allen, broke his hand during Friday's show. He finished out the weekend, but it remains to be seen whether he'll need surgery or can finish out the run. Valentine Victorious runs at the Viaduct Theater through March 11; go and see for yourself whether Nathan is victorious!
Monday February 20 2006 Theatre/Dance

RNC in '08? No, IOC in '16
Chicago was asked on Wednesday to submit a bid for hosting the next Republican National Convention in 2008. But today the city said it's not interested, preferring instead to focus on a bid for the 2016 summer Olympics.
Thursday February 16 2006 Politics/Activism

Illinois' Grammy-winning Senator
Congratulations to Sen. Barack Obama, who won a Grammy last night for the audiobook recording of his book Dreams From My Father.
Thursday February 9 2006 Politics/Activism

Art is for lovers
Valentine's Day occurs one week from today, and since Tuesday is the free day at the Art Institute, why not take the "Loves Me, Loves Me Not" self-guided tour (PDF link) through the museum's collection, for a look at the true ingredients of romance in art: "passion, devotion, treachery, tears." Also happening at the Art Institute this week: a new exhibit opening on Saturday titled "Girodet: Romantic Rebel" featuring more than 100 works by the 18th century French painter; and a prix-fixe menu at the museum's Garden Restaurant in honor of the romantic holiday.
Tuesday February 7 2006 Arts/Architecture

Like Chicago for chocolate
The Washington Post takes a look at the status of candy and chocolate companies in Chicago. Some (Blommer Chocolate Company, Margie's Candies) are doing well in the city, while other companies (Primrose Candy Company, Brach's, Ferrara Pan Candy Co.) are moving some or all of their manufacturing out of the US, to take advantage of the lower cost of sugar outside this country. Still, there are new companies sprouting up (Blue Cat Candy Company, Chicago Chocolate Company) to feed Chicagoans' need for sweets, so the Chicago/candy connection is still alive. (See also the Art of Chocolate event tomorrow night in Slowdown.)
Tuesday February 7 2006 Eating/Drinking

Game on and on
If you missed last year's videogame exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, you've got one more turn to play. Game On 2.0 opened last Friday at the MSI, and will be at the museum through the end of April. To draw crowds to the exhibit, which includes over 100 games on many game platforms, the museum is giving away one Sony PSP every day to a visitor of the exhibit. Fire away!
Monday February 6 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Holy Kauai!
Update on the plan to revive Trader Vic's in Chicago: on Tuesday, February 7th Harry Caray's Restaurant will go Polynesian, serving food from the Trader Vic's restaurant menu only for that day. The occasion: the Trader Vic's president is flying to Chicago to pass the torch (figuratively and literally) to Harry Caray's, which will be overseeing the opening of the new Trader Vic's Chicago location sometime next year. Along with the torch, Harry Caray's will also get the Trader Vic's Mai Tai recipe, which will be served in all three Harry Caray restaurant locations at least until Trader Vic's opens. (thanx to Robert for the tip)
Friday February 3 2006 Eating/Drinking

TAL NYC redux
This week's Chicago Reader includes a story about the move to New York by the This American Life team, and includes a couple paragraphs on the discussion about the show that was on GB last week. One detail in the Reader story that was omitted from the original Robert Feder column: the NY move is apparently may only be a temporary one while the staff works on the upcoming TV version of the show. TAL could be back in Chicago next winter, moving to new studio space in WBEZ's building.
Thursday February 2 2006 Radio/TV

Bo Diddley and Ed Sullivan, Elvis and Steve Allen
If you missed the TV-A-Go-Go panel discussion a couple of weeks ago, you can now hear an interview with author Jake Austen on radio station WFMU, talking about his new book that traces the history of rock'n'roll on TV.
Tuesday January 31 2006 Radio/TV

Buy now, ride later
There's a Metra fare increase scheduled to take effect next month (i.e., Wednesday). And although Metra officials would really like you not to, you can buy yourself some 10-ride tickets today and tomorrow even if you're not going to use them, because Metra tickets are good for 1 year after the sale date. For the full list of increased Metra fares see the Metra Website.
Monday January 30 2006 Transportation

We're so bad, we know we're good
The 1985 Chicago Bears are the greatest football team of all time. How do we know this? Because the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation yesterday officially naming the '85 Bears the greatest ever. So to all the other football teams out there: too late! We called it! Also in the bill: a designation naming November 2005 (that is, November of last year) as "1985 Chicago Bears Championship Month". So all you time-travellers out there, hop back 2 months and enjoy the citywide celebration! Those of you stuck in the present, relive the magic by watching The Super Bowl Shuffle at IFILM.
Friday January 27 2006 Sports/Recreation

He's my favorite honky
Get your clicking fingers warmed up; as the Sun-Times reports, tickets for the upcoming King Tut exhibit at the Field Museum will go on sale at 9:00 this morning. If you want to check out some details about the exhibit, the first time the King Tut relics have been on display in Chicago since 1977 (when they were also on display at the Field Museum), check out the museum's pages on the exhibit, which also include a link to the ticket purchase page. The exhibit opens in May and runs through January of next year. (Tut tickets, by the way, will be $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and students, and $16 for children.)
Tuesday January 24 2006 Offbeat/Misc. Events

10 Chicago sights to see
In yesterday's Tribune they ran a profile of tour guide Bill Hinchliff, the kind of tour guide you always hope to find who's been doing the job for decades and knows all the secret places in Chicago that nobody ever goes. Fortunately for the rest of us, the article includes a list of 10 historic locations to check out.
Monday January 23 2006 Arts/Architecture

CTA L #1
The first car ever built for Chicago public transit (for the Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Co. in 1892) will be moved today from a CTA storage facility in Skokie to the Chicago Historical Society at Clark & North. In a moving project reminiscent of the 2004 move of the MSI's U-505 sub, the car will be slowly moved down Chicago streets, avoiding viaducts and overpasses, in a journey that should take at least 3 hours to complete. Once the car reaches its destination, it will be renovated and be put on display at the museum by late September.
Wednesday January 18 2006 Transportation

DIY TML II
Fans of the Neo-Futurist theater company that have always dreamed of having a role in their long-running show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind, take heart! As they did last year, the Neo-Futurists are doing a fundraiser this year that will provide 30 people the chance to write plays based on the Neo-Futurist aesthetic, with the ultimate goal of performing a one-time-only version of TML for their friends and loved ones. For more information on this opportunity, please see the Neo-Futurist Website.
Monday January 16 2006 Theatre/Dance

Another sticker loophole closing
All you clever people out there who park your cars in garages and think you don't need a city sticker: the free parking's over! On Wednesday the City Council introduced an ordinance to require cars parked in garages to have stickers. However, the city is only allowed to investigate cars in garages that are open to the public, so all you car owners with private garages have been spared. For now, that is.
Friday January 13 2006 Transportation

Even in Europe
This week's Onion alerts us to the fact that Even in Blackouts, the band featuring Screeching Weasel guitarist John Pierson, will be playing Friday night at Beat Kitchen as a warm-up gig for their upcoming European tour. Fans of Pierson's work in the new band, the old band, or even in the Neo-Futurist theater group will definitely want to turn up for this gig. See Slowdown for details.
Thursday January 12 2006 Music/Clubs

EVENTUALLY
"Ware is taking advantage of the specific possibilities offered by his form, and doing something that would be unimaginable in another one." The New York Press appreciates Chris Ware, and names his Acme Novelty Library "the best book of the season". (link via Fantagraphics blog)
Thursday January 12 2006 Print/Magazines

Ivan Brunetti in felt
The Fantagraphics blog links to photos of a cool-looking hand-made plush head of Chicago cartoonist Ivan Brunetti, made by the girlfriend of Chicago cartoonist Onsmith Jeremi. Can the Ivan Brunetti action figure be far behind?
Wednesday January 11 2006 Found on the Web

Fork it
Readers not so enamored with local music reviewers Pitchfork Media can tune in to Tuning Fork, a blog that reviews Pitchfork reviews. (See also David Cross' reviews of music for Pitchfork reviews, or something like that.) Link via Tuning, who offer sound advice for Pitchfork haters: "ignore them completely."
Tuesday January 10 2006 Music/Clubs

Trader Vic's sailing on
Trader Vic's update, from the Tribune: the restaurant will eventually open a new Chicago location somewhere in River North, with the help of the owners of the Harry Caray's restaurants. In the meantime, the Trader Vic's people are trying to get all their memorabilia out of the space in the Palmer House Hilton, in the hopes of redecorating the new restaurant with most of the accoutrements from the old space. (Patrons during the last few days of the restaurant helped with the move by taking anything that wasn't nailed down, from drink glasses to table lamps.)
Tuesday January 10 2006 Eating/Drinking

We're #1!
Men's Fitness magazine has released their annual list of the top 25 fittest and fattest cities in the US. Baltimore is America's fittest city. Chicago is America's fattest city, up from #5 in last year's list.
Friday January 6 2006 Sports/Recreation

1930s Chicago: mobsters and robots
The House Theatre of Chicago just posted on their blog that tickets are now on sale for their latest show, Valentine Victorious Part 3, which apparently involves the hero (that would be Valentine Victorious) travelling back in time to Chicago of the 1930s to battle gangsters and, in their words, "a terrible demon robot." Sounds historically accurate to me! Also, there's a mask involved, which looks pretty boss. Check out the House Theatre's site for the full skinny on the show and how to get yourself some tickets.
Thursday January 5 2006 Theatre/Dance

Yet another longtime Chicago landmark closing
If the mention of Testors paint bottles brings you back to your childhood, you'd better get down to Trost Modelcraft & Hobbies before Tuesday evening, as it's closing up shop after 78 years. Although the company's wholesale distribution business will continue, it's the retail store that customers will be mourning, a store that was once a main gathering place for kids back when Lionel trains and slotcar racing were big national pastimes.
Sunday January 1 2006 In the News

Crime down, up
You may have heard in the news recently that overall crime in the city is down from last year, but there's a couple of areas where statistics are actually up: domestic killings are up (though the number of total homicides is still fairly low); and, as previously reported on GB, bank robberies were big this year, with a record total of 230 robberies so far. Here's the amazing part: there were a total of 3 bank robberies yesterday! You might want to stick to the ATMs for a while...
Friday December 30 2005 In the News

iLog
WGN, home of Chicagoland's video yule log, has posted on its site an MP4 of the log, suitable for carrying around on your video iPod. (tip from Boing Boing)
Friday December 23 2005 Radio/TV

Daily News vs. Daily News
Earlier in the month we mentioned the Chicago Daily News, a new Chicago news site with an old name (the original Daily News was a paper that was published through 1978). Now comes word from the Tribune that the Sun-Times sent a cease-and-desist letter to the operators of the Daily News site, claiming that they still own the copyright to the name, even though the paper hasn't been published in years and there does not appear to be a current copyright on file at the US Patent and Trademark Office. Perhaps the Daily News Website admins can change their name to "Red Streak"...
Thursday December 22 2005 Print/Magazines

Red's just not that into you
The Red Streak's breakup letter, courtesy of columnist Mark J. Konkol. (tip from Romanesko)
Wednesday December 21 2005 Print/Magazines

Just like taking out the trash, only with more walking
Still looking for a solution to the low participation in the city's recycling program that doesn't involve curbside pickup (an expensive solution, as reported yesterday), Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Michael Picardi has introduced a plan to install recycling drop boxes in a dozen wards, so that people will have to cart their recyclables to the drop points in their neighborhood. And when THAT doesn't work, perhaps we can look forward to a recycling program where people mail their trash to the recycling plant.
Wednesday December 21 2005 In the News

Close your mouth (it's Christmas)
On this week's Sound Opinions, Chicago music critics Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis welcome Andy Cirzan (aka dj lo-fi), who will be bringing in a mix of odd and obscure Christmas tunes for the holidays. Fortunately for you, Andy's mix has already been posted at the Sound Opinions Website, where you can get the complete mix in all its vinyl-scratching glory. Download it and then listen to the accompanying show Saturday night at 7:00 on Chicago Public Radio.
Tuesday December 20 2005 Radio/TV

Red Eye victorious
Red Eye and Red Streak readers who have been wondering which paper was going to fold first when the Tribune started giving away the Red Eye for free this year got their answer this week: the Sun-Times is ceasing publication of the Red Streak with Thursday's issue. Although the Sun-Times originally promised to keep publishing the Red Streak as long as the Red Eye was published, the Sun-Times views the Trib's decision to give away Red Eye papers as a vindication of their strategy to prevent the Trib from establishing, in Sun-Times editor in chief John Barron's words, "a successful paid-circulation tabloid."
Tuesday December 20 2005 Print/Magazines

The year in film
Over the weekend the Sun-Times published the top 10 film lists of 2005 by Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper. Not to be outdone, the Tribune published four separate top 10 film lists composed by movie critic Michael Wilmington and other staff reporters; these lists are available in the Trib's 2005 entertainment wrap-up, which also includes best-of lists for theater, TV and DVD. Hopefully this week we'll see year-end lists from the Reader's Jonathan Rosenbaum and Newcity's Ray Pride.
Monday December 19 2005 Film

The return of Daily News
The Tribune mentions today that there's a new Chicago news site, but this one has a familiar name: The Chicago Daily News, a news site run by a former Tribune reporter. The original Daily News ran through 1978, at which point the trademark lapsed on the name. The new Daily News is soliciting stories and photos from its readers, which will hopefully allow it to cover stories that aren't normally in the papers. Good luck, Chicago Daily News, and welcome.
Friday December 9 2005 Weblogs

New cab or old cab?
I didn't even realize that the Chicago taxi cabs had been redesigned recently, but apparently in 2001 the lights on top of the cab that indicate whether or not the cab is available were changed. A veteran driver took an informal survey of his riders, and found out that they nearly all thought that the pre-2001 design was easier to see. So now what does he do with this information? Well, now that Mayor Daley is interested in putting rooftop advertising on Chicago cabs, obviously the lights are going to have to be redesigned again, so why not return to a design that people prefer?
Friday December 9 2005 Transportation

Illinois' Grammy-nominated Senator
Barack Obama racked up yet another impressive achievement today: he was nominated for a Grammy for the audiobook version of his autobiography, Dreams From My Father. Tune in February 8 to see if he wins. (tip from Amy C.)
Thursday December 8 2005 Politics/Activism

Atlanta gets busy
The annual competition of world's busiest airport is heating up this year between Chicago's O'Hare and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. O'Hare has had fewer flights flights this year, due to flight restrictions imposed by the FAA and rising fuel costs. O'Hare officials are hoping that December will pick up for Chicago; the holiday travel season is typically busier for O'Hare than it is for Hartsfield-Jackson. Check in at the end of the month to see if Chicago retains the title.
Tuesday December 6 2005 Transportation

Sticker time!
Today is the day to vote for the next design of the city stickers that we'll all have to buy next year. See the finalists' designs here, and vote for your favorite by this afternoon at 5:00. The winning design will be seen on windshields citywide in 2006-07.
Monday December 5 2005 Transportation

Second chance films
As we get near the end of the year, the Siskel Film Center is offering a chance to see 12 overlooked films from 2005, a list ranging from Terry Gilliam's Brothers Grimm to Gus Van Sant's Last Days to the popular documentary Murderball. Tonight the overlooked film festival starts with a screening of Todd Solondz's Palindromes. See the Film Center's site for a full list of films being screened. (Also check out the other programs the Film Center has going on this month, which include a Marilyon Monroe retrospective and a benefit sneak preview of the film version of Memoirs of a Geisha.)
Friday December 2 2005 Film

Downloadable sound, opinions
This Saturday night is the date for fans of the rock talk show Sound Opinions to tune into Chicago Public Radio, to hear the program's debut in its new gigs. If you can't wait till then, check out the Sound Opinions site, where hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot have recorded a handful of podcasts in preparation for the new show.
Thursday December 1 2005 Radio/TV

Aloha, Trader Vic's
The Chicago outpost of Trader Vic's, the Polynesian-themed restaurant that started in 1934, will be closing at the end of this year, according to Bill Zwecker. The Chicago location opened in 1957 and just this past summer was one of the venues in the local exotica music festival Luau by the Lake. For those of you that'll be looking for a tiki bar in the new year, you'll have to drive to River Grove to go to Hala Kahiki (but please see their dress code first). Update: Tiki Talk reports that Trader Vic's plans to reopen in another location in 2007. Hooray!
Wednesday November 30 2005 Eating/Drinking

Make plans for Turkey Day
For you late planners who haven't made Thanksgiving Day plans yet, Metromix comes through for you with a list of restaurants for either attending for Thanksgiving Day, or ordering Thanksgiving takeout from for your own Turkey Day at home. Many of these restaurants are still taking reservations, but only through today, so you'd better make some plans soon.
Monday November 21 2005 Eating/Drinking

It's a CD release party
Singer/songwriter/musician/blogger Edith Frost has been collecting quite a few positive reviews for her brand-new album It's A Game, released this week on Drag City. The Tribune calls it one of the year's best albums, and the Reader refers to the music as "elegantly restrained". Even Entertainment Weekly gave the album a good grade. You'll get a chance to hear Edith's new music tomorrow night at her CD release party at the HotHouse; see Slowdown for details.
Friday November 18 2005 Music/Clubs

This Chicago program
The Tribune carries a story today on the 10-year anniversary of Chicago Public Radio's "This American Life", outlining the possible future venues for TAL stories (there's the TV show, of course, but TAL host Ira Glass is also working on a movie script). The Trib article also points out the influence TAL has on other radio shows and reporters, and includes this warning to Ira's imitators from NPR host Terry Gross: "The real message isn't to copy his voice or his style of writing; the real lesson is that there's room to create something new."
Tuesday November 15 2005 Radio/TV

You + orchestra = Messiah
Handel's Messiah will be performed at the Civic Opera House on the evenings of December 20 and 21. The performance will feature a full orchestra, four soloists, and a chorus made up of the audience. The "do-it-yourself Messiah" is sponsored by LaSalle Bank, and today is the first day that you can purchase tickets for this event. See the LaSalle Bank Website for full details, ticket purchasing, and tips on preparing for the concert.
Tuesday November 15 2005 Music/Clubs

New city motto: Expect delays
If you thought that the city had finished work on the Chicago Skyway at the end of last year, you're in for a surprise; work on the Skyway will continue for the next two years, as a series of viaduct repairs that had been postponed in 2003 are now scheduled to occur. Said one transit official after hearing of the new construction, "Didn't the city just rebuild the skyway?"
Monday November 14 2005 Transportation

CTA fare increases for some
Today the CTA approved a 25-cent fare increase for riders paying cash, starting in January. The CTA will also stop giving transfers to people paying in cash. Time to get yourself a Chicago Card, and make sure it's always got money on it!
Wednesday November 9 2005 Transportation

Abducted Santas and evil elf puppets
The Neo-Futurists' latest prime time show, The Santa Abductions, begins preview shows tomorrow night and opens on Saturday. The story of a disillusioned young man in search of the real Santa Claus, this is the first holiday-themed show for the Neo-Futurists, but is definitely not for the kids. See Slowdown for the full scoop.
Wednesday November 9 2005 Theatre/Dance

Lay's vs. Jays, a new beginning
So do you remember last year's tussle between Lay's and Jays? Where Jays took Frito-Lay to court, disputing their ads that Chicago prefers the taste of Lay's potato chips over Jays? Well, it looks like Lay's might have some more ammo to boost their claims: the Sun-Times reports on a new snack food survey conducted by Chicago-based Information Resources that indicates Lay's outsold Jays in Chicago, $17.1 million vs. $13.3 million, based on 2005 supermarket sales data. The survey also indicates that cookies are the top-selling snack food in the city, with Oreo cookies #1 here and nationwide.
Tuesday November 8 2005 Eating/Drinking

Your Daily dose of Obama news
Tonight on Comedy Central's The Daily Show: Senator Barack Obama! Set the VCR...
Monday November 7 2005 Radio/TV

Help study the CTA
Tired of late-running buses, or buses that arrive in bunches? Take some action against the problem! The Campaign for Better Transit, a group of people trying to improve Chicago's public transportation, is starting a new study of the reliability of CTA buses. In 2004 the group released a study called The Late State of the Buses (PDF link) which documented the problems people have with the buses (late arrivals, bus bunching, etc.). This year's study will attempt to find out if there've been any improvements since the previous study. See this post at Chicago Indymedia for details on how to volunteer your time on the study to hold the CTA accountable for its problems.
Monday November 7 2005 Transportation

Mmm, chocolate respiratory ailments...
The Blommer Chocolate Company, the place that blankets the River North area with a chocolate smell, was cited by the EPA this week for clean-air violations stemming from excessive dust coming from the company's machinery. The company has been working with the EPA to reduce emissions (but not the sweet-smelling ones, please) and has 30 days to address the citation.
Friday November 4 2005 Eating/Drinking

Rawk!
Sound Opinions, the rock-n-roll talk show hosted by rock critics Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis that's been running on XRT, will be moving next month to Chicago Public Radio, a station known more for its jazz programming than its rock blocks. The Sound Opinions home page lists some reasons why the show is moving: a larger budget for the program, the use of Chicago Public Radio's performance spaces, and the chance to take the show to a national audience with podcasting and syndication.
Wednesday November 2 2005 Radio/TV

Obama speaking at Parks funeral
Illinois' junior U.S. senator Barack Obama will be speaking at Rosa Parks' funeral this morning in Detroit. For a preview of what Obama might be saying, check out his podcast page (previously mentioned here) for an entry on remembering Rosa Parks.
Wednesday November 2 2005 Politics/Activism

Americathon
Chicago Public Radio is in the throes of another pledge drive, but there's good news for fans of their acclaimed program This American Life: host Ira Glass will be on the radio tomorrow from noon to 3:00 PM, presenting a three-hour marathon of stories from the long-running radio program, and undoubtedly giving TAL fans a number of tasty pledge premiums to choose from. Tune in tomorrow for the marathon. (And while you're thinking of it, check out the newly-redesigned Chicago Public Radio Website, which was unveiled at the beginning of this current pledge drive a couple days ago.)
Friday October 28 2005 Radio/TV

Slam!
Still in shock that several thousand White Sox tickets sold out in 18 minutes on Tuesday? The World Series apparently does not hold a candle to Wrestlemania. Tickets for Wrestlemania 22, to be held in Chicago on April 2nd of next year at the Allstate Arena, were put on sale last week -- and sold out in less than two minutes. And that was 15,000 tickets, people. Time to trade in your Sox jersey for a vintage Hulkamania T-shirt.
Thursday October 20 2005 Sports/Recreation

Comic show draws to a close
The Cartoonist's Eye, a large exhibit of comic art from past and present, finishes its run at Columbia College's A+D Gallery this weekend. If you've missed it so far, now's your chance! (And if you aren't going to make it there, check out this Flickr set of the exhibit's opening night.) See Slowdown for info on a talk this evening at the gallery by curator Ivan Brunetti.
Wednesday October 19 2005 Arts/Architecture

Cereal + milk (pat. pend.)
If you still aren't a fan of Cereality, the downtown cereal cafe that charges you nearly $5 for a bowl of mixed-up cereals, you might be interested in a new project called Cereal Solidarity, a site that draws attention to the fact that Cereality has a number of patents pending to give them an exclusive right to the concept of the cereal cafe. Two competitors to Cereality have already run afoul of the Chicago-based business: Bowls in Florida; and Cerealogy in Iowa City. Cereal Solidarity is asking Cereality to withdraw its patent application and allow other businesses to try their hand at selling cereal.
Wednesday October 19 2005 Eating/Drinking

Aw, nuts
An interesting blurb in today's Sun-Times: they're looking for tales of dealing with squirrels, no doubt for an upcoming autumn squirrel pictorial. Two words for the Sun-Times: Squirrel Cop.
Friday October 14 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Wilco will help
Wilco will be headlining a benefit concert for hurricane relief that's happening on Tuesday, November 1 at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. Tickets will be on sale in advance through the band's Website tomorrow, and will be on sale to the general public on Saturday. See the Wilco site for the full story.
Wednesday October 12 2005 Music/Clubs

Chicago politics, even in death
Chicagoan Theodore Roosevelt Heller will be buried today in a cemetery on the South Side. His obituary from the Tribune indicates a novel way to mark his passing: "In lieu of flowers, please send acerbic letters to Republicans." (Tip from The So-Called "Austin Mayor".)
Tuesday October 11 2005 In the News

Gesundheit
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has released its list of Fall Allergy Capitals, which are the most challenging cities in the US for people with fall allergies to live in. Guess where Chicago came in? Yep, we're #1, up from #53 last year. The rankings were based on each city's pollen counts, the amount of allergy medicine used per patient, and the number of allergists per patient. Other high-ranking cities include Little Rock, Tampa, Daytona Beach, South Bend, and Dallas-Ft. Worth.
Tuesday October 11 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Kenyans still kicking marathon's ass
Congratulations to Kenyan runner Felix Limo, the winner of this year's Chicago Marathon. Limo beat out fellow Kenyan runner Evans Rutto, who has won the Chicago race in the last two years. In the women's category, American Deena Kastor beat out the defending champ, Romanian Constantina Domescu-Dita. Way to go, Deena! Not competing in the race, even though she signed up for it: runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks. If you look up her time in the race results, you'll see that she didn't even record a time. Perhaps she ran to Albuquerque again?
Sunday October 9 2005 Sports/Recreation

Handmade blues
Rhino Handmade, the net-only side project of Rhino Records, has posted its latest release for sale: a two CD set of the 1972 Atco album (plus unreleased material) recorded by two Chicago blues masters, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. You can only pick it up at the Rhino Handmade site. But you don't want to dawdle, because there are only 2,500 copies of this release available, and once it's sold out, it's gone.
Wednesday October 5 2005 Music/Clubs

Again with the daredevils
Daredevils, the current show at the Neo-Futurarium that the Tribune called "a small-scale killer spectacle that is likely to be the most entertaining 90 minutes of juvenilia and self-reflection you'll see all year", has been extended and will be playing through the end of October. If you haven't seen this show yet (and it's worth seeing just for the excellent and varied stuntwork), now's your chance! See the Neo-Futurists' Website for the full story and to order tickets.
Monday October 3 2005 Theatre/Dance

Trains running again
The Trib reports that Red and Brown line trains are running again, after an early morning train derailment disrupted train service between Belmont and Fullerton. Purple Line service between Evanston and the Loop remains shut down.
Monday October 3 2005 Transportation

Keep it short
Next week the high-profile Chicago International Film Festival kicks off, but this weekend you can sample much shorter works in the Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival. Plenty of short films for all tastes, including a kids-friendly program at noon on Saturday. For full details see Slowdown.
Thursday September 29 2005 Film

Cross at the green
After tackling such menaces as people who drive in the passing lanes too long and people who talk on cell phones while driving, Chicago may tackle yet another menace to drivers: pedestrians who cross after the light has changed. The city is considering a crackdown on jaywalking during morning and evening rush hours in the downtown area. A fine has not been specified, but the all-purpose misdemeanor fine ranges from $25 to $500. So you'd better think twice (or at least check for nearby cops) before crossing the street against the light in the future.
Thursday September 22 2005 Transportation

Modern music
Sure, the big music story this week is Estrojam 2005, but don't forget that other music festival starting tonight, Adventures in Modern Music, sponsored by the Empty Bottle and The Wire magazine. If names like The Red Krayola, Eats Tapes and Deerhoof get you all excited, check out the Empty Bottle's Website for the schedule and tickets for the five-day-long festival. And get your tickets quickly, because it's been announced that Jandek will be performing at the festival. This is roughly the musical equivalent of J.D. Salinger giving a reading at the Harold Washington Library. Obviously you must attend.
Wednesday September 21 2005 Music/Clubs

Farewell, Field's
News flash from the Tribune: all Marshall Field's stores to be renamed to Macy's in the fall of 2006. Start collecting your Field's memorabilia now. (Want to complain? Our friends at Chicagoist have thoughtfully provided the mailing address for the CEO of Federated Department Stores, the conglomerate that currently owns Field's.)
Tuesday September 20 2005 Business/Shopping

Your house has a history
At last night's panel discussion at the Newberry Library, Jennifer Masengarb of the Chicago Architecture Foundation gave the audience a link to the city publication titled "Your House Has A History" (PDF link), which spells out in great detail how to research the history of a Chicago home. If you're fortunate enough to own your own place, this document should get you started on researching the history of the building.
Friday September 16 2005 Arts/Architecture

What's in it for the Trib? Recognition
You are no doubt familiar with the Chicago Tribune's ad campaign, "What's In It For You?" Well, the Trib is reporting that it's very satisfied with the campgaign; according to a poll taken this summer, an unusually large number of Chicagoans were aware of the ads, and were able to identify them as belonging to the Trib. Whether or not this high recognition will translate into a boost in circulation will be found out at the end of the month, which is when the Trib gets audit figures for its circulation.
Thursday September 15 2005 Print/Magazines

The Worm, wanted once again
Was it just a few short years ago that Dennis Rodman's hair was the talk of the nation (and causing gapers blocks on the Kennedy)? The former Bulls star, after trying his hand at such dangerous activities as World Championship Wrestling and co-starring in a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, was competing in a cross-country auto race in July, when he was pulled over in Frisco, Colorado for speeding (98 mph!). Well, he missed his court date and now there's a warrant out for his arrest. Court Administrator Christine Yuhas said they're not going to actively look for Rodman, but "if he shows up again in Colorado, we'll pick him up." I have nothing else to add at this time, except to link to this hilarious anecdote in the Chicago Reader archives, about the time Rodman gave his Bulls jersey to Billy Corgan.
Wednesday September 14 2005 In the News

David Kodeski remembers
This weekend we saw writer-performer David Kodeski's excellent play, "And Some Can Remember Something of Some Such Thing", which is part of Live Bait Theater's "Fillet of Solo" festival of solo performances. Actually, Kodeski's play was extended for three weekends after the end of the festival, which gives you some idea of how well it's been received. The show, concerning the author's memories of growing up in a Polish family, finishes its run this weekend at Live Bait, and tickets are still available. Fans of Kodeski's witty tales of real life recollections (as also heard on This American Life and Chicago Public Radio) should definitely check this show out.
Tuesday September 13 2005 Theatre/Dance

Illinois remixed
Sufjan Stevens' "Illinois" album, previously mentioned on GB, has been remixed. Check out "Illin'-Noise!" by mc DJ, currently available only as a BitTorrent link. (tip from Metafilter)
Monday September 12 2005 Music/Clubs

The monarch makes it big in Chicago
One result of this year's drought in the Chicago area: a large number of monarch butterflies. The Sun-Times reports that the butterflies do well in warm, dry weather, and this year's population is 5 to 10 times greater than it was last year. Look for large swarms of monarchs to be streaming through Chicago on their way to Mexico during the next two weeks.
Monday September 12 2005 Outdoors/Environment

A city of stories
StoryCorps, the project to record interviews of regular American individuals, wraps up its stay in Chicago today. The Sun-Times prints some quotes from local StoryCorps participants, and also passes along the interesting news that StoryCorps might put a permanent recording studio here in Chicago, so that residents could continue to record interviews with their family and friends. So if you missed the chance to participate this time (and you probably did, since the slots for recording interviews filled up within hours when they became available), you might get another chance soon. In the meantime, StoryCorps founder David Isay will be presenting a selection of Chicago StoryCorps interviews Wednesday night at the Harold Washington Library; see Slowdown for details.
Monday September 5 2005 City Life/Cultural

Lessons of Chicago
Eric Klinenberg, author of recent GB book club selection Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, wrote a column for yesterday's Slate on the lessons of the 1995 Chicago heat wave, and why those lessons matter in New Orleans this week.
Saturday September 3 2005 In the News

Cell phone ticketing no idle threat
After the city made it illegal to use a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving, over 800 tickets were issued to Chicago drivers for breaking this law in the first 6 weeks. So here's another friendly reminder: GET A HANDS-FREE DEVICE.
Friday September 2 2005 Transportation

Chicago public spaces, good and bad
The Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit dedicated to creating and sustaining public places that build communities, recently named Chicago's Devon Avenue one of the best public spaces in the world. They note that Devon "has managed to retain its identity and strong social fabric rather than giving way to the pressures of gentrification." But before you get too proud about the city, know that Chicago is also represented on the nonprofit's list of the most overrated public places in the world by, of course, Millennium Park ("There is spectacle to behold, but not the variety of experience necessary for a truly great public space").
Tuesday August 30 2005 Arts/Architecture

Escaping Hurricane Katrina in style
A family from Glencoe that was down in New Orleans to help their son check into Tulane University escaped from the path of the oncoming hurricane via limousine. Cost of the limo trip from New Orleans to Chicago: $3,700.
Monday August 29 2005 In the News

Abracadabra!
The Magic Pan chain of restaurants, which hit it big in the 1970s when America was apparently ready to eat anything as long as it was stuffed into a crepe, may be poised for a comeback, thanks to Chicago's Lettuce Entertain You restaurant chain. The Sun-Times reports that there's a Magic Pan Crepe Stand already open in Minnesota's Mall of America, and on Thursday a second Magic Pan will open in Northbrook Court. Until a Magic Pan shows up closer to home, we city dwellers will have to make do with such places as La Creperie on Clark Street, with its chicken-and-mushroom crepes and onion soup gratinee. Oh, poor us!
Tuesday August 23 2005 Eating/Drinking

Old Town School classes: From hula to harmonica
The Old Town School of Folk Music starts up another session of classes next week, and if you were thinking about taking a music, dance or voice class there soon, you can sign up today and save $15 on the cost of your class. Browse the list of classes that covers a wide range of musical and dance styles, sign up for your class online, and start making beautiful music.
Monday August 22 2005 Schools/Education

What you're doing next year
Coming to Chicago next April: WrestleMania 22. You're going, right?
Monday August 22 2005 Sports/Recreation

Bean looking forward to this
Have you missed the memorable sculpture in Millennium Park known as "Cloud Gate"? Well, Sunday is your lucky day; the city is finally taking the tent off the Bean this weekend, after spending the past few months sanding off the seams from the surface. You should be able to see the Chicago skyline in one smooth reflection, which you will of course have to take a picture of and post to Flickr.
Thursday August 18 2005 Arts/Architecture

Neo-Futurists take Ibsen to NYC
The Neo-Futurists have to be feeling pretty good these days. They're heading to NYC this week to participate in the annual New York International Fringe Festival, and their festival entry, The Last Two Minutes of the Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen, was picked by the New York Times as one of the top 10 shows to see this year. If you missed the play when it was at the Neo-Futurarium at the beginning of the year, you've still got a chance to see it tomorrow night at a special fund-raiser performance. See Slowdown for details.
Wednesday August 17 2005 Theatre/Dance

Films from the Underground
It's time once again for the annual Chicago Underground Film Festival, a festival that has been showcasing great independent films and video for 12 years. This year's festival happens in Lakeview's classic movie palace the Music Box, and kicks off this Thursday evening with the Midwest premiere of the movie Firecracker. This year's festival will feature many film premieres, and the one I'm most looking forward to is a sneak preview of the Minutemen documentary We Jam Econo, which will also play at the Siskel Film Center at the end of this month. See the CUFF site for a complete schedule and ticket purchase.
Monday August 15 2005 Film

Saving up for a new Ben Sherman?
Belmont Army Surplus, that huge three-story store next to the Belmont El stop where you can buy your Doc Martens, your Caterpillar tractor boots, your Army surplus jackets, your Dickies messenger bags, and everything else you need to wear to be a modern disaffected teenager or urban hipster, is being kicked out of its space by the CTA because it's right up against the Brown Line tracks, and they're doing that train tracks expansion thingy, so... there you go. They're having a "Screwed By The CTA" sale right now, and there's plenty of stuff on sale from 20 to 50 percent, so get over to 945 West Bemont ASAP and pick yourself up some spare pairs of shoes, pants, jackets, skateboards, Manic Panic, etc.
Saturday August 13 2005 Business/Shopping

Click! Gulp!
The Sun-Times takes a look at the apparently thriving pastime of posting pictures of your restaurant meals online. The main example used in the article is the collection of photos of every single course at Alinea, which is apparently already quite used to its patrons snapping photos of the surreal-looking courses (more photos available, of course, at Flickr). Tip for future Alinea patrons: cameras are okay, but no flashes, please.
Friday August 12 2005 Eating/Drinking

Help a Daredevil out
Our close personal friends the Neo-Futurists are finishing up their summer series of performances tonight, with a staged reading of the 1957 Roger Corman film Sorority Girl (more info), but of course they're hard at work on their 2005-06 season of plays. Their next play, Daredevils, will look at the compulsion to perform death-defying (or at least moderately risky) stunts, and the performers are offering a unique fund-raiser to finance the equipment they need for the play. For a donation of $25 or $50, the Daredevils will be sporting your name or logo on their jumpsuits, or on some other piece of equipment that's being used in the production. Your name or logo will be seen by dozens of people each night the play is running (September 10 through October 15), and they will know that you are a kick-ass patron of the arts. For full information on how you can help the Daredevils out, check out this blog entry from the Daredevils Weblog.
Thursday August 11 2005 Theatre/Dance

"Your entire ass is crazy."
So you're having trouble identifying the underlying themes, the character motivations, and the stylistic elements of R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" cycle? SomethingAwful.com has got you covered. (And on a serious note, Salon.com recently published an appreciation of the Chicago native's "TP.3 Reloaded" album. Salon subscription req'd, or sit through the advertisement.)
Wednesday August 10 2005 Music/Clubs

Future book club candidates
The Chicago Tribune announced its winners of the 2005 Chicago Tribune Heartland prizes this week, a prize given to one fiction and one nonfiction book that, in the Tribune's words, embody "the spirit of the nation's Heartland." This year's winners: "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson (fiction); and "Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights and Murder in the Jazz Age" by Kevin Boyle (nonfiction). Both authors will be honored at the Chicago Humanities Festival, which will be held in October and November. (Tip, of course, from Bookslut.)
Wednesday August 10 2005 Books/Authors

Why do you think they call it "dope"?!
Dude, if you're smoking pot while you're driving around town, don't roll down the freakin' window! Especially if you drive past a cop car! And you have over 300 pounds of marijuana in your car!! And you have a fake driver's license!!!
Monday August 8 2005 In the News

Calling all stories
StoryCorps, a national project to record the stories and experiences of everyday Americans (stories that are heard occasionally on NPR's Morning Edition), is coming to the Field Museum in two weeks to add Chicago stories to its growing cache of interviews at the American Folklife Center. If you know someone who has a great story to tell, and want to record an interview for the project, keep an eye on the Chicago Public Radio site; they'll start accepting reservations this coming Friday, August 5th, for the recording of interviews.
Wednesday August 3 2005 History

"Nobody owes you a nice view, guys"
Remember a couple weeks ago, when a bunch of male Sun-Times columnists derided the new Dove ad campaign? Yesterday the paper printed an essay on theirs and other people's reactions to the ads, written by GB contributor Wendy McClure.
Monday August 1 2005 Print/Magazines

Pow!
The weblog of Fantagraphics Books alerts us to an amazing-sounding upcoming exhibit: Chicago artist Ivan Brunetti is putting together a show for Columbia College's A+D Gallery to promote his upcoming book Anthology of Graphic Fiction, and it sounds like the show is going to include work from practically EVERYBODY in the comics industry, from Charles Schulz to Adrian Tomine. The show is set to open in early September (opening reception on September 8), so be sure to mark your calendars now so you don't forget.
Wednesday July 27 2005 Arts/Architecture

WE can do it!
Women Empowered ~ Chicago is a local group of women that barter among themselves for all kinds of services: "house cleaning, food shopping, painting, guitar lessons, computer lessons, carpool and so much more." The founders of WE ~ Chicago were inspired by a similar system that was active in the city a decade ago, and encourage any and all women interested in bartering to check out their site for more information.
Monday July 25 2005 Politics/Activism

Funerals for 3 Chicago musicians
Last Friday, three Chicago musicians were killed in a traffic accident. Gone are: Doug Meis, the drummer for Exo and the Dials; John Glick, the guitarist for the Returnables; and Michael Dalquist, the drummer for Silkworm. If you knew these musicians or loved their music, you might want to attend the memorial services being planned for the three.
Sunday July 17 2005 Music/Clubs

Transfer to the Orange, Brown and McDonald's line!
The CTA hired a consulting firm in March to analyze its operations, and to make suggestions on how to increase productivity and revenues. Among the suggestions that the consultants presented at a CTA board meeting yesterday: outsourcing real estate management; adding more ATMs to stations; and ... selling corporate sponsorship and possibly naming rights to El stations and lines. CTA Prez Frank Kreusi says that the ideas presented "need to be explored further", to see how much money they could generate. (And, hopefully, how many consumers would react negatively to having to ride a train line named after a corporation.)
Thursday July 14 2005 Transportation

The Heat Wave of 1995
On July 13, 1995, the temperature in Chicago was recorded at 106 degrees, setting the high mark in a week-long heat wave that ultimately claimed over 700 heat-related deaths. Ten years after the Chicago heat wave, the city has since mobilized 17,000 people in the city to check up on the elderly, a group of people that was most affected by the 1995 heat. And as author Eric Klinenberg (Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago) notes, Chicago is still learning from the 1995 experience and trying to improve its response to hot weather. Meanwhile, the high today will be around 83 degrees, so check out the city's tips for dealing with hot weather.
Wednesday July 13 2005 History

Time running out on Marathon registration
The Chicago Marathon is three months away, but registration for the event is almost full. If you were planning to participate, you'd better register soon, because the 40,000-person limit on the event will probably be reached this week. If you don't make it into the marathon, you can always vote for your favorite T-shirt design for the event. It's not as prestigious as being in the marathon, of course, but then again you don't have to run 26.2 miles to cast your vote. (thanks to Jake for the tip)
Tuesday July 12 2005 Outdoors/Environment

At the movies
Today is the start of the 6th annual Outdoor Film Festival in Grant Park. This year's film list has been selected by Roger Ebert, who also gets his own official day in Chicago today. Roger Ebert Day will be marked by placing a commemorative plaque in the sidewalk of the Chicago Theater -- just across the street from the Gene Siskel Film Center.
Tuesday July 12 2005 Film

Underpass Mary, meet Streetlight Jesus
If you missed seeing the streetlight in East Chicago that casts a shadow that looks like Jesus, then you're out of luck; the mayor has ordered the lamp turned off, in order to disperse crowds that gathered near the lamp at night, blocking the street and congregating until 5 in the morning.
Monday July 11 2005 People/Sightings

I hope they remembered to trademark "The Harold"
Stop me if you've heard this one before: Chicago's ImprovOlympic comedy club is changing its name to the not-too-descriptive I.O., after the Olympic committee threatened to sue the theater for trademark infringement. The theater company started in 1981, has a companion theater in L.A., and is credited with starting the careers of way too many funny people to list here. Will the comedy be just as funny under the new name? We shall see....
Monday July 11 2005 Theatre/Dance

Both kinds of music: exotica and folk
Two big music festivals are happening this weekend in the Chicago area, and there's plenty of music to go 'round. First, if you get yourself over to Fitzgerald's in Berwyn tomorrow afternoon, you can experience the main event of the Luau by the Lake festival: a 12-hour show/luau featuring two music stages, over a dozen performances by various exotic artists (such as King Kukulele and Los Straightjackets), an aloha attire contest, and much much more. If you can't make it out to the 'burbs, you can enjoy the Folk and Roots Festival in Welles Park, which will feature loads of musical and dance performers, dance lessons throughout the day, and performances by the staff of the nearby Old Town School of Folk Music. Both festivals run through Sunday; see their respective Websites for full details. (And for you go-go enthusiasts, both festivals will feature performances by the World Famous Pontani Sisters.)
Friday July 8 2005 Music/Clubs

Hands-free by Friday, or else!
Cell phone users, don't forget that this Friday a new city law goes into effect that forbids the use of the phones while driving, unless you're using a hands-free headset. (Use of the phone will cost you a $50 ticket, which goes up to $200 if you're using your phone during a traffic accident.) But, as the Sun-Times notes today, local stores have been running out of headsets, so you might want to start looking around today to get your headset by the end of the week.
Tuesday July 5 2005 Transportation

The Living News and the Game of Hurt
50 years ago today, improv comedy was born when a group of University of Chicago students took to the stage under the name "The Compass" and presented a show based on the news of the day and suggestions from their audience. Tonight, in conjunction with the Chicago Improv Festival, a group of current U of C students will recreate the Compass' first show, performed on July 5, 1955. See Slowdown for details.
Tuesday July 5 2005 Theatre/Dance

Open the film fest doors, Hal
The Siskel Film Center begins a month-long Stanley Kubrick retrospective tonight with a screening of his 1955 film Killer's Kiss. Over the course of July, moviegoers will have a chance to see such classics as The Killing, Spartacus, Paths of Glory, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, and even Steven Spielberg's AI: Artificial Intelligence, which was a project Kubrick was working on at the time of his death. Looks like it'll be another banner month at the Film Center.
Friday July 1 2005 Film

SCKG
Newcity alerts us to the fact that the Second City is starting a new radio program this weekend on WCKG. Called "Second City Radio", the program will run Saturday nights at 10pm for the next 6 weeks, with the eventual hope of syndicating the program. The show's host will be Second City alumnus Jim Zulevic, and will feature a number of former Second City actors and celebrity guests, with (of course) many more surprises in store.
Thursday June 30 2005 Radio/TV

Mandala on display for final day today
A group of Tibetan monks have been creating a sand mandala at the Chicago Cultural Center for the last six days. Today will be the final day of construction of the mandala, as the monks are expected to finish work sometime today and then dismantle the mandala tonight at 5:30 (i.e., they sweep up the sand). If you're going to be downtown for the Taste, why not stop in and be amazed by the intricate and complex design of this piece of artwork that will never be seen again? (The Cultural Center is at 78 E. Washington, right on the corner of Michigan and Washington.)
Monday June 27 2005 Arts/Architecture

Ebert's a star
The 2,288th star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame was dedicated yesterday, and it honors film critic Roger Ebert. The star was the first one given to a film critic (another first for Ebert; in 1975, he became the first critic to win the Pulitzer Prize).
Friday June 24 2005 Film

Guess what?
According to the Sun-Times, the CTA may still cut service and increase fares on July 17, if Pace officials go ahead with their plan to take a portion of the cash that was meant for the CTA bailout. Gaaaaahhhhh. (tip from CTA Tattler, of course)
Tuesday June 21 2005 Transportation

Sparklers could be fading from Chicago
After hearing testimony yesterday from a mother whose child was injured by an accident with sparklers, the Chicago City Council is considering banning sparklers from Chicago, leaving just the following fireworks legal in Illinois: snake/glow worm pellets; smoke devices; trick noisemakers; and plastic or paper caps for toy guns. The ban, if enacted, would go into effect AFTER this year's Fourth of July, so start buying up those sparklers for this year!
Tuesday June 21 2005 Politics/Activism

They broke my watch!
The Sun-Times salutes one of the greatest Chicago films, The Blues Brothers, on the occasion of the film's 25th anniversary. All this week they'll be writing about the Chicago locales used in the making of the film, and how things have changed since 1980.
Monday June 20 2005 Film

Prepare to start Tasting
The 25th annual Taste of Chicago starts Friday in Grant Park. Eleven days of eating and drinking, featuring food from more than 60 restaurants around Chicago. Live entertainment will be happening throughout the park; see the Taste site for complete information on events. And don't forget, you can purchase Taste food tickets at your local Dominick's, between today and Thursday. And if you don't have a local Dominick's, you can buy tickets online.
Monday June 20 2005 Eating/Drinking

Time runs out for Demon Dogs
The CTA finally caught up with Demon Dogs. The long-lived hot dog stand under the Fullerton El stop tracks closed its doors this weekend, and will be demolished as part of the upcoming Brown Line expansion project. However great the new Fullerton station will be, I'm guessing it won't include one great feature of the old station: the smell of cooking French fries wafting up from Demon Dogs.
Monday June 20 2005 Eating/Drinking

Next: music. Next, Nextfest
As part of next weekend's Nextfest exhibition at Navy Pier, WiReD has asked a local musician that you may have heard of, Jeff Tweedy, to put together a live concert. Next Music happens next Wednesday at the Vic, and features music by Joanna Newsom and the Handsome Family. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster and the Vic box office.
Thursday June 16 2005 Music/Clubs

Candy returns (but not for you!)
The ALL CANDY EXPO® (slogan: "It's candy time!") returns to Chicago's McCormick Place this week. And once again, this is a trade show only; no members of the general public will be allowed allowed to sample the tasty, delicious candy. And unlike last year's expo, when children were allowed onto the floor for one crummy hour at the very end of the expo, this year the children's hour will not happen, "in order to make Thursday a stronger business day for all". Perhaps next year the expo people will rub it in even more blatantly by holding assemblies at various Chicago public schools, where they gleefully devour fistfuls of jelly beans in front of crying children.
Monday June 13 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

It Came from the Neo-Futurarium!
The Neo-Futurist theater company has posted its schedule of performances for this summer's "film fest," It Came From The Neo-Futurarium IV: Spawn of The Neo-Futurarium! Once a week for six weeks in July and August, The Neo-Futurists (and other friendly theater companies) will perform live readings/re-creations of various cheezy movies, ranging from sci-fi shockers to trashy potboilers. See the Neo-Futurist website for a complete schedule, which includes such movies as Death Wish 3, Zontar: The Thing From Venus, and Tremors (the edited-for-TV version). These shows have consistently been very funny and entertaining over the past few years, so I would definitely recommend attending.
Sunday June 12 2005 Theatre/Dance

Psychos, windows and rope
Tonight at the Music Box Theatre, they begin a two-week long salute to director Alfred Hitchcock, starting with screenings of Psycho tonight and tomorrow, and continuing with Rear Window, Shadow of A Doubt, Rope, and ending with a week-long screening of a 70mm print of Vertigo. The first four titles will be screening for only a day or two, so film fans will definitely want to check out the Music Box schedule for full details.
Friday June 10 2005 Film

Alinea reviewed
It's been an unbelievably long time since we had any news about Alinea, the restaurant that would be king. Today the Sun-Times posted a review, giving Alinea 3-1/2 stars out of four. The half star was taken off because, reviewer Pat Bruno warned, "unless you are really into food ... it can be a bit much." So take that as a warning, all you restaurant patrons who are going to Alinea expecting a regular old meal for your $75-175 investment: it's going to be a bit much! Meanwhile, Phil Vettel of the Tribune was more enthusiastic in an informal review last month: "This is big. Charlie Trotter big. Ducasse-comes-to-America big. Don't miss it."
Friday June 10 2005 Eating/Drinking

One year of tattling
It's hard to believe that The CTA Tattler, the very funny and entertaining blog of all things CTA-related, is only one year old, but it's true. And tonight the Tattler celebrates its anniversary at Rock Bottom Brewery. Details on Slowdown. Happy birthday, Tattler!
Friday June 10 2005 Weblogs

Double Door propped open
Yesterday afternoon, Double Door owners reached an agreement with their landlord before the two parties were set to start court proceedings over a dispute on the rent for the building. The concert venue will stay open for at least another nine years.
Friday June 10 2005 Music/Clubs

No CTA cuts ... THIS year
The CTA is committed to not making any service cuts this year (gee, thanks, CTA!), but won't make any promises about next year. So tune in next year for another round of dire predictions of service cuts unless the CTA gets funding, etc. etc. etc., ad infinitum.... (Tip from CTA Tattler, who adds "Bring me the head of Frank Kreusi.")
Wednesday June 8 2005 Transportation

Sub resurfaces
The U-505 German sub that was moved last year from outside the Museum of Science and Industry to a new home inside the museum is now on display again, along with an exhibit of nearly 200 artifacts, including an M4 Enigma encryption machine, video clips of the U-505's capture, and a display of a T5 acoustic torpedo. Sounds excellent. See the MSI's site for details on the new exhibit.
Monday June 6 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Membership has its privileges
You CTA commuters who have already invested in a Chicago Card will no doubt be thrilled to learn that the CTA has introduced express lanes for Chicago Card users on 10 bus lines and 8 train stations. See the story for the full list of routes and stations with the new "Go Lane" entrances. (And for those commuters without a Chicago Card, the CTA is waiving the $5 purchase fee for the card through July 31, to encourage people to get cards.)
Monday June 6 2005 Transportation

Calling all crafters
The third annual DIY Trunk Show, happening this November at the Pulaski Park fieldhouse, is now taking applications from vendors. Interested parties should check out the information about the trunk show, particularly the Craftifesto, to see if this would be a suitable place to sell your hand-made items. If it looks good, then fill out the application, start making goods to sell, and we'll see you in about five months at the show.
Monday June 6 2005 Business/Shopping

We must be up to, like, SPF 1,000,000 by now
Can you believe that people are STILL trying to pass off Trib coumnist Mary Schmich's 1997 "wear sunscreen" column as their speech at graduation ceremonies? The latest person to do so: Springstead High School's principal Susan Duval. The Florida principal said, although she came across the speech on the Internets, she did not see an author to credit for the speech. Note to Principal Duval: it's called "Google search". (tip from Obscure Store)
Friday June 3 2005 Print/Magazines

Homer Simpson Day!
In the latest of a series of bulletins to our readers on free food handouts, we'd like to alert you to the fact that Krispy Kreme will be handing out free donuts this Friday, in honor of National Donut Day (a holiday started by the Chicago Salvation Army!). Stop in at a participating Krispy Kreme location near you and request your free donut.
Thursday June 2 2005 Eating/Drinking

We need your blood
Chicago's blood supply is critically low. If you've never donated blood, or if it's been a while since you last donated, you should definitely think about doing it within the next week or so, especially if your blood type is one of the needed ones (O-, A- or B-). LifeSource has 21 donation centers in Chicago and the 'burbs; one's probably near you.
Wednesday June 1 2005 In the News

Rabbits love Millennium Park, too
The rabbits that have historically infested Grant Park have recently found their way to Millennium Park. Fortunately, the Chicago Park District is keeping up with the invaders by trapping the rabbits and releasing them in the western suburbs. Still, several hundred plants and trees have reportedly been destroyed by the rabbits, and park officials describe the invasion as "serious."
Tuesday May 31 2005 Outdoors/Environment

The new Segway, a Mars suit and the head of Philip K. Dick
Still trying to decide whether to go to NextFest? WiReD has helpfully posted a preview of some of the exhibited technologies that you'll be able to see at the three-day showcase of future technologies coming to Navy Pier in June.
Tuesday May 31 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Obit: Arnie Morton, food guy
Arnold "Arnie" Morton, the guy who founded the Morton's steak house chain and who also came up with the idea for the Taste of Chicago, died this morning at the age of 83. So long, Arnie; we'll think of you whenever we're eating a lot of food.
Saturday May 28 2005 In the News

The best of Nightclubbing
If you've been watching the "Nightclubbing" series at the Siskel Film Center, you've seen rare early performances by Blondie, the Talking Heads, the Dead Boys, the Dead Kennedys, Suicide, the Go-Go's, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, and many more. If you haven't been watching these weekly screenings of early 1980s footage recorded at NYC clubs like CBGB's and the Danceteria, you've got one final chance this week, as the Film Center presents a greatest hits show, with directors Emily Armstrong and Pat Ivers showing up in person at one screening. See Slowdown for details.
Friday May 27 2005 Film

The Cabinet is still open
Just got word from Redmoon Theater that their amazing puppet show "The Cabinet" (an adaptation of the classic silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) is now playing an open run at Redmoon's home theater space (tickets are currently available through the end of June). If you missed this show when it was playing at the Viaduct, you've got a second chance to check out this creepy tale of puppetry, somnambulism, and murder.
Thursday May 26 2005 Theatre/Dance

Free WiFi, coffee for bloggers
Continuing with the filibuster awareness theme, any bloggers in the Evanston area that are going to be following the filibuster proceedings might want to head on over to Pick A Cup Coffee tomorrow, which is offering free WiFi and a bottomless cup o' joe for "any blogger needing a base" during tomorrow's Senate proceedings.
Monday May 23 2005 Politics/Activism

Naperville library to patrons: give us the finger
The public library system in suburban Naperville got some attention this past week when it announced that it would be installing fingerprint scanners on their computers with Internet access. Of course, despite the library's assurances that the fingerprint data will be kept confidential, privacy experts are concerned about the message being sent by a library asking its patrons to be fingerprinted to use its services. Tip for Naperville library users: fingerprint scanners can be fooled.
Monday May 23 2005 In the News

Paper Sons in Chinatown
After a year of building renovations, The Chinese-American Museum of Chicago officially opens tomorrow with an exhibit called "Paper Sons" that focuses on the Chinese immigrant's experience in the Midwest of the 19th and early 20th century. See Slowdown for details.
Friday May 20 2005 Arts/Architecture

It's funny
Local music rag Pitchfork Media asked funny boy David "Tobias" Cross to write up a top ten list for their site. Cross, wondering why Pitchfork asked him to contribute to the site after they roasted his last album It's Not Funny, contributed a hilarious essay that mingles outrageous excerpts from actual Pitchfork reviews with descriptions of made-up CDs to listen to whilst reading those reviews. Tip from Salon.com's Audiofile column (subscription req'd).
Wednesday May 18 2005 Music/Clubs

BER-wyn?!
Good news for Svengoolie fans! (I know you're out there, somewhere...) Not only has Chicago's long-lived late night TV horror movie show host produced a new T-shirt design for fans of the program, but he'll also be appearing at the Golf Mill Shopping Center in Niles at 2 PM this Saturday. (He won't be permitted to sell the new shirts there, but there will be some giveaways, so you might want to warm up your swag-grabbing arm.) And then tune into Channel 26 Saturday night at 11 for Svengoolie's take on the rap/voodoo flick Ragdoll.
Wednesday May 18 2005 Radio/TV

How not to impress a food critic
Debra Pickett of the Sun-Times was given the assignment to take former New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl out to lunch. Debra decides to take her to Karyn's Cooked, a vegan restaurant. Hilarity ensues. (Reichl: "People take me to great places all the time. But I hardly ever get a meal like this.")
Tuesday May 17 2005 Eating/Drinking

Happy birthday, Studs
Today is the 93rd birthday of Chicago author, historian, and all-around living legend Studs Terkel. Studs is still doing regular work, in part for Chicago Public Radio's program Eight Forty-Eight; in 2002, on the occasion of his 90th birthday, they assembled a huge list of interviews that Studs has done for the station, from poet Langston Hughes to actor John Mahoney.
Monday May 16 2005 Radio/TV

CTA losing money in new and different ways
This is just not turning out to be the CTA's year. Despite an increase in ridership, the CTA continues to lose money, and is using that as further incentive for a bailout from state legislators (a move that the state is still looking into, as it schedules an audit of CTA books to make sure that the CTA really is $55 million in the red). Meanwhile, some of the CTA's smart cards are giving free rides to customers (over $4,000 in uncollected fares so far), and the CTA's retirement fund is set to run dry as early as next year.
Monday May 16 2005 Transportation

Who loves Chipotle?
Kyle Smith does. The Northwestern student has eaten a Chipotle burrito every day, for 34 days in a row. He's visited the original Chipotle restaurant in Denver, eaten a Chipotle burrito at a movie screening (he's the film columnist for the Daily Northwestern), and when he went to Boston, where there are currently no Chipotle restaurants, he "nearly fainted." Plus, according to him, the burritos "satisfy me in ways a whore never could." Uh...
Friday May 13 2005 Eating/Drinking

Expect delays
The start of the CTA's Brown Line expansion project could be delayed even further, as the Sun-Times reports that the CTA has purchased less than half of the properties it needs for station improvements. The paper's report also includes a list of dates that each station would be worked on, which range from this August (for the Belmont and Fullerton stops) through 2007 (for the Paulina and Wellington stops). Oh, and don't forget the service cutbacks, which are scheduled to go into effect on July 17. Happy commuting!
Friday May 13 2005 Transportation

Pretty birds or Weight Watchers cards?
Two authors with Chicago connections are reading tonight at two different bookstores. Choice one: NPR host and former Chicago bureau chief Scott Simon, appearing at the Borders on Michigan Avenue at 7:00 to promote his new novel Pretty Birds. Choice two: Chicago blogger and GB contributor Wendy McClure, appearing at the Barnes & Noble at Webster Place at 7:30 to promote her book I'm Not The New Me. Choose wisely! (If you're fans of both, you should see Wendy tonight, and then catch Scott on Sunday, when he does another reading. See Slowdown.)
Thursday May 12 2005 Books/Authors

From PB&J to sponge cake
If you've been following the reports on Alinea (aka Chicago's gift to the culinary world), and are wondering exactly what the 28-course meal looks like, take a peep at this thread on the eGullet discussion forum, which contains detailed shots of every course. And then head on over to the Alinea section of eGullet, which contains loads of information about the restaurant and the development of its menu, the serviceware and even the restaurant's logo.
Thursday May 12 2005 Eating/Drinking

Don't wait
Fans of the locally-produced NPR program Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me probably already know that, starting tonight, the show will be recorded here in Chicago at the Bank One Auditorium. What you might not know is that tickets are still available for tonight's premiere show! Go to the Chicago Public Radio Website for a link to purchase tickets. Many upcoming dates have the show's panelists listed, so you can pick a night when, for example, hometown celeb Richard Roeper will be on the show.
Thursday May 12 2005 Radio/TV

Hang up and drive, part 2
The recently proposed ban on hand-held cell phone usage while driving was passed today by the City Council. It goes into effect July 1.
Wednesday May 11 2005 Transportation

The city's history, available online
An online version of the Encyclopedia of Chicago (published in book form last fall) goes live today. Over 1,400 entries, from the Chicago Fire to Millennium Park, plenty of maps, illustrations, glossaries and timelines of Chicago history. If your knowledge of city history is lacking, this is the place to go.
Wednesday May 11 2005 History

Pineapple sponges and bottomless bowls
The group food blog Too Many Chefs posted a rave review of Alinea, the newest restaurant sensation in Chicago. If you want to check it out, make your reservations very soon; they're booked through July.
Tuesday May 10 2005 Eating/Drinking

DIY TML
Have you ever wanted to turn your own personal experiences into a play? Did you see the Reader's recent cover story on Neo-Futurist founder Greg Allen, and become intrigued by the tenets of his theater company? Or do you just want to stand in front of a large crowd for two minutes, and pay for the privilege? The Neo-Futurists are willing to oblige, as they present this year's fund-raising activity for the theater: a chance for you (yes, YOU) to write and perform your very own play, in a special performance of their long-running show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind. Here's how it works: call up the Neo-Futurist office at (773) 878-4557 to reserve yourself a spot in the show. (You may also email the Neo-Futurists at development[at]neofuturists[dot]org.) Then, start attending Neo-Futurism workshops beginning on Thursday, May 19, to learn how to develop your own TML play. Finally, on Friday, June 4, you and 29 other people who have signed up will perform a special one-night-only edition of TML, for an audience of your family and friends. The experience will cost you a $100 donation to the theater, but will give you bragging rights for years to come. Sign up soon; there are only a few slots left for this unique theatrical experience!
Monday May 9 2005 Theatre/Dance

The Return of Underpass Mary
Two car wash employees cleaned off the brown paint and shoe polish off the salt stain that sorta looks like the Virgin Mary. So if you missed out on seeing Mary, now's your chance.
Sunday May 8 2005 People/Sightings

Sic Transit Maria Salata
Underpass Mary is no more. A passerby defaced the salt stain on Thursday night by writing the words "Big Lie" in shoe polish on the stain, and this morning IDOT workers painted over the graffiti and the stain. Oh well, at least we have our memories. And some Flickr photos. (Thanx to Amy C. for the tip.)
Friday May 6 2005 People/Sightings

Dave's stories
From Cake & Polka Parade comes the compelling tale of Dave's Stories, a CD put out by the local art group Temporary Services of a homeless guy named Dave who had plenty of interesting stories to tell about living on the Chicago streets. Dave has since disappeared, but his stories remain, and you can hear some samples and get a free copy of the CD at the Temporary Services site.
Tuesday May 3 2005 City Life/Cultural

Imagine how much the CAR costs!
How high of a commodity is downtown parking? Well, last night 23 parking spots were auctioned off, and the total amount of cash raked in was.... $750,000. Gaaah. Guess we better stick to the CTA, right? Oh, wait...
Friday April 29 2005 Transportation

Nightclubbing in May
It's a busy weekend for movie-goers (Todd Solondz's Palindromes, the movie version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and the return of Heaven's Gate), but I did want to highlight an excellent-sounding series starting at the Film Center: every Sunday in May, they'll be showing a different episode from the New York cable TV show "Nightclubbing", which aired through the 1970s and 1980s and showed performance footage from local clubs like CBGB's and the Danceteria. You'll get to see footage of Blondie, the Dead Boys, Iggy Pop, the Dead Kennedys, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks (with Lydia Lunch), Kid Creole and the Coconuts, and quite a few more. Keep your eye on Slowdown for the scoop.
Friday April 29 2005 Film

In the red
In this week's Reader, Michael Miner looks into a side effect of all those RedEyes and Red Streaks being handed out for free at train stations for the past two years: commuters are purchasing much fewer copies of the Tribune and Sun-Times, which is affecting the circulation numbers and income of station newsstands. Why pay for the news, when you can get it for free? (Tip from Bookslut)
Friday April 29 2005 Print/Magazines

CTA questions answered
The great Chicago transportation blog CTA Tattler has an anonymous contact inside the CTA, and is starting to field questions from its readers for this CTA insider to answer. Today's question: what "waiting for signals ahead" really means. If you've got a burning question that only a CTA insider can answer, check this site out.
Thursday April 28 2005 Transportation

What's in a name (or photo)?
Frank Calabrese, a Chicago businessman, shares the name of a convicted mobster who was in the news earlier in the week. Unfortunately, the Tribune used a picture of the wrong Frank Calabrese in its paper on Tuesday. The Tribune regrets the error. Update: the Tribune also used another incorrect photo yesterday, showing a picture of Chicagoan Stanley Swieton and claiming it was Joseph "The Clown" Lombardo. Calabrese is suing the Tribune for defamation. (tip from Regret The Error)
Thursday April 28 2005 In the News

Take me out to (and back from) the ball game
The Sun-Times reports that a new trolley service running between Wrigley Field, Michigan Ave. hotels and the Ravenswood Metra station is set to start running on May 7th, when the Cubs play the Phillies. The trolley will be running during night games and weekend games, so all you Cubs fans who come to town just for the games now have a new option to parking near the field.
Tuesday April 26 2005 Sports/Recreation

Mmm, fudge chunks...
The Tribune reports on a new Ben & Jerry's flavor that's unlikely to sell big in Chicago: Dave Matthews Band Magic Brownies. The deal for the flavor ("vanilla ice cream with fudge brownie chunks and raspberry swirls") was apparently signed long before the infamous poo incident from last year linked the words "Dave Matthews Band" and "800 pounds of raw sewage" in the minds of Chicagoans. (Thanks to Amy C. for the tip.)
Monday April 25 2005 Eating/Drinking

The video behind the music
As Wilco tour the country (and get ready for a four-night stand at the Vic next week) they showcase the work of Chicago artist Deborah Johnson, who has created a series of video projections that are shown during the concert. Deborah travels with the band and works with them to create new animations for the music, and "performs" the animations live by computer during the shows. An NPR interview with Johnson is available at NPR's site. (Thanks to k10k.net for the tip.)
Monday April 25 2005 Music/Clubs

Infinitely cool
The annual 2005 Nebula Awards are hosted in Chicago this upcoming weekend. And for those of you who don't want to pony up the bucks to see your favorite SF authors at the Hotel Allegro, there are going to be two events that you'll probably want to attend; two massive multi-author book signings have been scheduled for the Borders bookstore on State Street. If the thought of meeting such luminaries as Anne McCaffrey, Ellen Datlow, Joe Haldeman, and Cory Doctorow makes you excited, see the listings in Slowdown for more details.
Monday April 25 2005 Books/Authors

A lot of parrotheads in Chicago
Tickets for the Jimmy Buffett Labor Day concerts at Wrigley Field went on sale yesterday. And... both shows are already completely sold out. Wow.
Tuesday April 19 2005 Music/Clubs

Not to be confused with Resurrection Mary
Seen the image of the Virgin Mary on the Kennedy Expressway underpass wall? Rob Ray of Metroblogging Chicago is not amused, refers to her as "Underpass Mary," and crushes her head. Crush, crush!
Tuesday April 19 2005 People/Sightings

R is for Ray
Mayor Daley has proclaimed today Ray Bradbury Day in Chicago, and to celebrate the Waukegan, IL writer's career there will be a program this evening at the Harold Washington Library featuring an interview with Sam Weller, author of the new biography The Bradbury Chronicles, as well as a Q&A session with Bradbury via telephone. See Slowdown for details.
Monday April 18 2005 Books/Authors

But will there be background music during the ceremony?
Sorry, ladies, he's taken; Ira Glass, host of the long-running "This American Life" from Chicago Public Radio, is getting married this summer to Chicago writer Anaheed Alani, according to this interview in the Boston Globe. Just in time for TAL's 10-year anniversary! (According to the show's site, the show premiered on WBEZ on November 17, 1995.)
Friday April 15 2005 Radio/TV

Mmm, anniversary burgers...
Today is the 50th anniversary of McDonald's. The first restaurant in the chain was opened on April 15, 1955 in Des Plaines, and the latest one, a two-story restaurant with a retro design, will be opened this morning at 10:00 on the site of the old Rock'n'Roll McDonald's (600 N. Clark). In case you can't attend the opening in person, McDonald's is thoughtfully providing a Webcast preview of the restaurant; see the McDonald's site for details.
Friday April 15 2005 Eating/Drinking

Deep in the heart of taxes
For those who are just now starting to fill out their tax forms, the Sun-Times has a list of post offices that are staying open late tonight, should you need a few more hours to complete and mail them out by the April 15 deadline. And the Tribune has some tips for late filers, such as a toll-free number you can call to get a filing extension. Good luck!
Friday April 15 2005 In the News

Survey: college students like red things
An academic study of the RedEye and Red Streak papers has determined that Chicago college students are aware of or are reading the papers, and rate them as having medium or high value as news and advertising sources. The author of the study plans to continue his testing later this year, and sample a larger number of readers (this report comes from a survey of only 112 Chicago college students). Link found at Bookslut, where Jessa notes: "There goes all of my faith in humanity..."
Thursday April 14 2005 Print/Magazines

Dining out for life
Two weeks from tonight, the annual event Dining Out For Life happens, in which a number of Chicago-area restaurants either donate a percentage of their day's proceeds or make a single donation to the local charity AIDSCare. If you've been looking for a good excuse to try a new restaurant, check out the list of participating restaurants on the Dining Out For Life site and make your reservations for Thursday, April 28.
Thursday April 14 2005 Eating/Drinking

Welcome to Doomsday
Crain's Business reports that the CTA board today voted to slash service and raise fares, unless they get a $55 million cash bailout from state lawmakers in the next few months. Check the article for the gory details, which include severe crowding and doubled delays for rush hour commuters, a 68% increase in average wait times for all services and the elimination of over 50 bus routes and the Purple Line train from Evanston. (Thanks to CTA Tattler for the tip.)
Wednesday April 13 2005 Transportation

Axis of Evil visited by Secret Service
The current art exhibit at Columbia College's Glass Curtain Gallery, "Axis of Evil: The Secret History of Sin," got some visitors even before it opened. Secret Service agents visited the gallery last week shortly before the show was to open, and (according to the Sun-Times' account) took pictures of some of the art on display, including some stamps designed by curator Michael Hernandez de Luna (whose stamp with the word "anthrax" shut down Chicago's main post office in 2001). In case you wanted to see what the fuss is about, "Axis of Evil" runs at the Glass Curtain Gallery through May 11.
Tuesday April 12 2005 Arts/Architecture

Chicago, S.A.L.
Jim Nowlan, director of the civic leadership fellows program at UIUC, thinks the name of the state of Illinois should be changed to the State of Abraham Lincoln. Nowlan's reasoning? "Few in the world know what or where Illinois is. Some have heard of Chicago. Yet the world knows Abraham Lincoln..." And the Trib, bless their hearts, put a poll on the editorial page: "Should Illinois be renamed the 'State of Abraham Lincoln'?"
Tuesday April 12 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Darkness is for the birds
Chicago blogger Jennifer Roche alerts us to an article she wrote about Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a group started in 2003 to prevent migratory birds that fly at night from striking buildings in the Loop by having the building owners turn off the lights after 11 PM. Jennifer's article is in the April issue of Conscious Choice.
Tuesday April 12 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Dax Aid
A number of benefit concerts and club gigs have been announced to help out musician Dax Pierson, who was seriously injured in a car crash in February. There are two Chicago benefits scheduled at Sonotheque, the first of which happens tonight and features editors from Fader Magazine and Pitchfork Media doing DJ sets. Doors open at 9:00, show starts at 10:00. The second benefit is scheduled for June 10, and apparently features a DJ set by none other than David Cross. See the Sonotheque site for full details on tonight's show, and the Dax Pierson site for more info on his condition. (Thanks to Jessica for the tip.)
Friday April 8 2005 Music/Clubs

Boo!
It's been a busy and stressful week for the CTA. At a public meeting to try and drum up support for their doomsday plans to deal with budget shortfalls, the audience booed each of the plans and instead called for CTA officials to cut their own pay. Meanwhile, Mayor Daley said on Wednesday that he doesn't care about a Chicago casino; he just wants funding for education and the CTA, and did not rule out increasing the region-wide sales tax to get it. And Alderman Eugene Schulter and state rep John Fritchey, not wanting to rely on funding just from the state budget, are going to be asking Illinois' two US senators for federal funding for the Brown Line reconstruction, so that the CTA won't have to temporarily shut down stations during construction. Oh, it's going to be a long hot summer for CTA riders.
Friday April 8 2005 Transportation

Patriots & kids at the Neo-Futurarium
The Neo-Futurists have a busy weekend, as they're previewing a new prime-time show tonight (Patriots, a look at people who really love their country) and bringing back an old show on Saturday afternoon (Too Much Light Kids, a child-friendly version of their late-night show; the previous run was reviewed for GB by Alejandra Valera). See Slowdown for details on these new shows.
Thursday April 7 2005 Theatre/Dance

The illustrated man
Ray Bradbury has been publishing his sci-fi and fantasy stories since the early 1940s, but only now has an official biography been written. The Bradbury Chronicles was written by Chicago journalist Sam Weller, and Bradbury himself gives the book a thumbs-up in this week's Newcity. Weller celebrates the publishing of the book with a release party and reading tonight at Sonotheque; see Slowdown for details.
Thursday April 7 2005 Books/Authors

The new name in food: Alinea
Metafilter points us to a rave review of the highly anticipated new restaurant started by Chicago chef Grant Achatz: Alinea, at 1723 N. Halsted. The dishes listed in the article sound like Achatz is trying to out-weird the Surrealists at Moto: lacy toast wrappings that taste of peanut butter and jelly; atomized shrimp cocktails; exploding ravioli filled with hot truffle broth; and Instant Tropical Pudding that arrives at your table in powder form. Alinea opens in May, but the word is they're booked solid through June. Start saving your pennies now, if you want to go; food this weird isn't going to be cheap.
Tuesday April 5 2005 Eating/Drinking

Hang up and drive
The city is moving closer to a ban on cell phone usage by drivers. Drivers would be permitted to use hands-free devices, and would be allowed to use handhelds while parked or while calling 911, but use of a regular cell phone while driving would cost a $50 ticket ($200 if an accident is caused by a cell-phone-using driver). Not surprisingly, cellular service providers Sprint and Verizon Wireless objected to the plan, saying the city should enforce reckless driving laws instead of cell phone bans.
Tuesday April 5 2005 Transportation

Where there's a will
Alderman Ed Burke, taking a cue from the Terry Schiavo story that played out in Florida in recent weeks, is planning to introduce legislation to the City Council that would make living will forms available at Chicago public libraries and allow them to be kept on file with the city clerk. And he feels to strongly about the topic that he's going to have the forms available at his ward office on 51st Street, so interested parties don't have to wait for the council debate on the issue.
Monday April 4 2005 In the News

Alderman cracks down on illegal Cubs parking
As a former resident of Wrigleyville, I was gladdened to see that Tom Tunney is looking into the problem of Cubs fans illegally buying residential parking permit stickers so that they can park on the streets during night games. The parking over there is bad enough as it is!
Thursday March 31 2005 Transportation

Get your glowsticks ready
Lollapalooza, the touring summer music festival started in the 1990s, will be back this summer. But there's only going to be one date, and that's July 23-24 at Grant Park in Chicago. The festival's Website will be up on Friday, and the band lineup will be announced in April.
Wednesday March 30 2005 Music/Clubs

Riviera makes a Glorious Noise
Our close personal friend Jake Brown from Glorious Noise alerted us to the imminent release of the latest CD on Glorious Noise Records: the first full-length album by Chicago band Riviera. The CD is officially released on April 5, but there's going to be a CD release party this Saturday night at Schubas. See Slowdown for full details.
Monday March 28 2005 Music/Clubs

Look! Titles announced for Overlooked Film Fest
Last week, Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert announced his choices for this year's Overlooked Film Festival, held in Urbana-Champaign and featuring screenings of films that Ebert has chosen because they or the film genres they represent have been overlooked. Twelve films will be screened during the festival's five days, from the restored version of Jacques Tati's Playtime (a film not overlooked by the MCA, as a clip from Playtime is part of the museum's current exhibition Universal Experience) to the 1999 Bollywood epic Taal. Tickets for the festival go on sale April 1.
Monday March 21 2005 Film

Iraq war anniversary marked in Chicago
March 19 marks the second anniversary of the Iraqi war, and the March 19 Chicago Coalition has organized a downtown march and rally to mark the occasion. See Slowdown for details. Also happening this weekend: a screening of the new documentary Where We Stood, which depicts the events of March 20, 2003 when 500 protestors were arrested in a huge Chicago anti-war protest; and a group of speakers at the Chicago Temple discussing the lessons of the war, including Lila Lipscomb, who was featured in the film Fahrenheit 9/11. Again, see Slowdown for details.
Friday March 18 2005 Politics/Activism

The city that perks
In a new listing prepared by the NPD Group of American cities ranked by the number of coffee shops, Chicago ranks third, behind Seattle and LA but ahead of NYC, Portland, and San Francisco. Why does Chicago rank so high? The researchers point to Chicago's winter weather as the cause of increased consumption in the city.
Thursday March 17 2005 Eating/Drinking

Insert bee pun here
Congratulations to 8th grader Phillip Acevedo, who won this year's Chicagoland spelling bee city championship today. His winning words: "cedilla" and "supernumerary". Acevedo and a winner from tonight's suburban Chicago spelling bee advance to the bee finals, which are held June 1-3 in Washington, DC. (For a description of the grueling spelling bee process, see Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg's great book Complete and Utter Failure.)
Wednesday March 16 2005 Schools/Education

When the other man is a falcon
Joshua has been in the hospital since December, and yesterday he headed back home to Rosie. But it appears that Rosie may have found herself someone else. The plot of the next Nora Ephron movie? A Jerry Springer show? No, it's the latest news concerning a pair of falcons nesting atop UIC's University Hall. Maybe a wise-cracking next-door neighbor falcon can offer Joshua some advice on how to win Rosie back.
Wednesday March 16 2005 Outdoors/Environment

The future of traffic control
On Monday, Mayor Daley unveiled his plan for Chicago traffic control, which contains such items as self-adjusting traffic lights, carpool lanes for streets leading to and from expressways, and tow trucks dispatched within minutes to remove disabled vehicles and delivery trucks that are blocking lanes. Before you get your hopes up, though, the article says that this plan hinges on installing cameras and sensors at 2,800 intersections in the city, a plan which could cost $200-700 million and could take anywhere from 15 to 50 years for complete installation. Some of the less costly changes, such as the fast-tow program and ticketing of vehicles using bus lanes, will be implemented later this year.
Tuesday March 15 2005 Transportation

Buddy Guy, legend
The Tribune reminds us that Buddy Guy will be inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame at tonight's ceremonies, which will be broadcast on VH1 Sunday night at 9:00 PM.
Monday March 14 2005 Music/Clubs

Plucky understudy gets big break!
Dylis Croman, a veteran of Broadway and national touring companies, takes over for Christina Applegate in the current production of "Sweet Charity" at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, after Applegate broke her foot in Friday's performance. OUCH. She is expected to recuperate in time for the Broadway run of the show, which begins April 4. In other words, if you wanted to see Christina Applegate in "Sweet Charity", you're outta luck. Update: the show closed this weekend anyway, and Christina's official understudy, Charlotte d'Amboise, will perform in the show while it's in Boston. Tough darts, Boston!
Monday March 14 2005 Theatre/Dance

Be a Roller!
Tonight you have a chance to find out the answer to this incredibly intriguing question: Do YOU have what it takes to join Chicago's all-girl flat track roller derby league? The Windy City Rollers are looking for a few good roller-skating women, and they're throwing a party tonight at Cork Lounge (1822 W. Addison) for interested lady skaters. No experience necessary, but you do get points for skating ability and personality. See the league's news page for full details. Also pay attention to the league's photo section, particularly the injury gallery.
Friday March 11 2005 Sports/Recreation

CTA yet again warns of looming budget cuts
No, they really mean it this time: today the CTA unveiled five new plans to cover budget shortfalls, if they don't get the funding they've been requesting from state legislators. And the plans are terrifying; rush-hour fares of $3 and up, increased waiting time between trains and buses, and the elimination of many bus routes and weekend and overnight service are but some of the details that the CTA listed to try and get politicians to act on funding requests. The CTA is planning to start cutting service on July 1, so this might be a very bad summer for commuters. Stay tuned...
Wednesday March 9 2005 Transportation

Dave Matthews bus driver pleads guilty
Stefan Wohl, the bus driver for the Dave Matthews Band who won his way into millions of grade school kids' hearts last August when he dumped 800 pounds of raw sewage onto a tour boat, pled guilty today in court to charges of reckless conduct and discharging contaminates to cause water pollution. He was sentenced to 18 months probation and 150 hours of community service, and here's hoping at least some of those hours will be spent working on a Chicago tour boat.
Wednesday March 9 2005 In the News

A film guaranteed to make you hungry
Tonight at Facets you can catch a screening of the documentary Hamburger America, which profiles 8 different American restaurants that serve hamburgers, from Louis' Lunch in New Haven, CT (which bills itself as the first place to serve a hamburger in America) to the Billy Goat Tavern's cheezborger. The director, George Motz, will be at the 7:00 screening for Q&A after the film, and then the audience is invited to the Billy Goat at 430 N. Michigan for burgers.
Wednesday March 9 2005 Film

Trump building to be merely humongous, not Brobdingnagian
Donald Trump says his new Chicago building will NOT be the nation's tallest building. He decided against plans to increase the height of the building's spire, meaning that the building will only be 1,360 feet tall, or 90 feet shorter than the Sears Tower. Still, you wouldn't want to have to paint it.
Wednesday March 9 2005 Arts/Architecture

Coming soon: Official State Drink?
Good news for fans of Illinois animals! The state legislative body in Springfield is set to name an official state reptile and amphibian soon. (That'd be the painted turtle and the eastern tiger salamander, respectively.) And if that isn't enough state symbolism for you, have a gander at this list of state symbols, which includes the official Illinois state animal (the white-tailed deer), the official state fossil (the Tully Monster), the official state mineral (fluorite; in your face, quartz!) and the official state dance (the square dance).
Tuesday March 8 2005 In the News

Pulaski Day
Oh yeah, the Sun-times reminds us it's Pulaski Day. Amazing how quickly you forget the holiday when you're out of grade school...
Monday March 7 2005 History

A deep dish of trouble for NY writer
New York food critic Ed Levine recently published a new book, Pizza: A Slice of Heaven, in which he lists his favorite pizza places in the US. Although he devotes a number of pages in his book to places in New York and New England (16 pages on Connecticut pizza alone!), Levine devotes only 11 pages to Chicago pizza. An interview with the Sun-Times Mark Brown turns up the fact that Levine doesn't think much of Chicago pizza: "I've never had pizza in Chicago that lives up to my pizza ideals." But lest you think that Levin doesn't even like our pizza: "I actually like it because I like good casseroles. I even like hot dish in Minneapolis." There you go. According to Ed Levine, Chicago pizza is at least as good as hot dish!
Monday March 7 2005 Eating/Drinking

Tonight's other European film festival
Along with the EU Film Festival at the Film Center, another European film fest kicks off tonight: the 6th annual Irish Film Festival, which plays at the Beverly Arts Center and the Society for Arts. The festival kicks off tonight with the film Adam & Paul, and runs through Sunday, March 13. See the festival's Website for a complete schedule of films and events, and to purchase tickets.
Friday March 4 2005 Film

Behold! the living Corpse
Former GB staffer Phineas X. Jones has announced the return of AnExquisiteCorpse.net, an online adaptation of the classic Surrealist word game Exquisite Corpse. Come peruse the existing Corpses (which feature work by more than a few GB staffers and friends), and if you feel worthy enough, sign up to help assemble a Corpse.
Friday March 4 2005 Found on the Web

EU Film Festival starts tonight
The Siskel Film Center begins its 8th annual European Film Festival tonight, which runs through March 24. All 25 nations of the EU are represented in the film selections, and among them are many sneak previews of talked-about films that will be officially screening in the US in later months. Check out the Film Center's site for more information on the festival and a full schedule.
Friday March 4 2005 Film

Local boy makes good
Congrats to Chicago's very own Steve Fossett, who just touched down in Salina, Kansas, becoming the first person to fly solo around the world without stopping or refueling. We always knew he'd make something of himself someday....
Thursday March 3 2005 Transportation

CTA Brown Line customers see red
The CTA held a public meeting last night to talk about the station closings during the Brown Line expansion. The Tribune reports that more than 400 people showed up to the meeting, many of whom blasted the CTA for waiting so long before announcing budget cuts in the project that necessitate temporary closings of stations during construction. Among the people there was Chicago blogger Leah Jones, who has posted her summary of the meeting. (Thanks as always to CTA Tattler for the tip.)
Thursday March 3 2005 Transportation

Wait 'til next year
Ron Santo, the greatest third baseman in Cubs history and WGN color commentator, was denied induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year, in a vote by the Baseball Veterans Committee. (In fact no eligible ball players garnered enough votes this year to make it into Cooperstown, but Santo and the late Gil Hodges came the closest.) There was some hope that he would have joined Ryne Sandberg in the Hall of Fame this year (Sandberg having been elected to the hall by the Baseball Writers Association of America), but no such luck. Perhaps next time the Cubs should send copies of This Old Cub to the committee? (Thanks to The Cub Reporter for the tip.)
Wednesday March 2 2005 Sports/Recreation

The next book for you to read
The new "One Book, One Chicago" book title has been announced: The Ox-Bow Incident, by Walter Van Tilburg Clark. Over the next few weeks there will be public readings, book club discussions and film screenings of the story; check the Chicago Public Library site for details.
Tuesday March 1 2005 Books/Authors

More seats coming to Wrigley Field
It's official: the Cubs and the city have finally closed a deal to add 1,790 seats to Wrigley Field, construction for which could begin as soon as the end of this year's baseball season. To accommodate the new seats, Wrigley Field walls will have to extend an additional 8 feet onto the sidewalks of Waveland and Sheffield, which will alone cost the Cubs nearly $1 million.
Tuesday March 1 2005 Sports/Recreation

Let's Knife!
Hard to believe that the Osaka, Japan band Shonen Knife have been together for nearly 25 years now. Tonight you can see if they've still got the chops, as SK takes the stage at the Bottom Lounge. See Slowdown for show details. And fans of all-female Japanese rock bands are advise to mark March 20 on their calendars, when the Japanese record label Benten presents Japan Girls Nite US Tour (featuring rockin' ukulele duo Petty Booka), also at the Bottom Lounge.
Monday February 28 2005 Music/Clubs

Macy Field's
One of the quintessential Chicago landmarks is the State Street Marshall Field's department store. Yet the store (and the Marshall Field's store chain) hasn't been locally owned for a long time. It's recently been owned by the St.-Louis-based May Department Stores Company, and now May has been bought up by Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores Inc., owner of the Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores. The business experts quoted in the above Tribune story seem equally divided between the possibility that Marshall Field's stores will be converted to Macy's stores, and the possibility that the Marshall Field's name will be kept due to its historic value. Marshall Field must be spinning in his grave.
Monday February 28 2005 Business/Shopping

New CTA buses are driving around town
Pay attention the next time you board a CTA bus. Does the seating arrangement look different? The CTA is currently testing buses with aisle-facing seats, to make passenger boarding easier, on two downtown routes. The new buses are based on a redesign that was originally for the L trains, but the CTA is also testing the seat configuration on buses, to see if that improves passengers' bus-riding experience.
Friday February 25 2005 Transportation

Cubs fans: get on the wristbandwagon
Tickets for Cubs games go on sale tomorrow morning at 8:00, and all you fans know what that means: time to get your wristbands! Yep, you've gotta get a wristband if you want the privilege of standing in line to buy tickets. They'll be handing out wristbands at Wrigley Field today until 10pm, or until the wristband supply runs out. (You'll also be able to purchase tickets online, but that doesn't start until 10.) See the Cubs site for full details on the ticket purchase system.
Thursday February 24 2005 Sports/Recreation

Your daily Jessica Simpson update
Jessica Simpson was in town for an Oprah taping, when she felt sick (or "dehydrated," as the report says). She was taken to the hospital, treated and released. And... well, that's about it. Except to say: JESSICA + NICK 4 EVA!!! W000000!!!!!!!!!11
Wednesday February 23 2005 People/Sightings

Cereality store closer to reality
As mentioned previously on GB, Cereality Cereal Bar & Cafe is planning to open a location in Chicago, where customers can enjoy 30 kinds of cereal and 30 toppings. The AP reports that Cereality has found a location for its store: 100 South Wacker at Monroe. The cafe's opening in the late spring, according to Cereality. Also reported: the Cereality company HQ will be moving to Chicago from Boulder, CO.
Tuesday February 22 2005 Eating/Drinking

More Ibsen for all!
The Neofuturists' current prime-time show, The Last Two Minutes of the Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen, has been extended two more weeks. It's running Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at the Neo-Futurarium through March 19, and it's really funny and entertaining. You should go see it. (No knowledge of Ibsen is required to enjoy the show.) See the Neo-Futurist site for full details and to purchase tickets.
Tuesday February 22 2005 Theatre/Dance

Essence of ball
After claiming that they were going to turn the dreaded Steve Bartman baseball into a "curse ending" spaghetti sauce, Harry Caray's restaurant started serving "Foul Ball Spaghetti" yesterday. Instead of including actual pieces of the baseball, the restaurant boiled bits of the ball with water, Budwiser (Harry's beer of choice), vodka and herbs, and put the liquid (without the ball) into the sauce. So you don't actually get to eat bits of the baseball, but instead you get "the essence of the ball". Uh huh.
Tuesday February 22 2005 Eating/Drinking

Wal-Mart breaks ground in Chicago
After a long battle to get a foothold in Chicago, and amid protests from local businesses and community leaders, Wal-Mart officially broke ground yesterday for a store on the West Side. Look for the store to be open early next year.
Tuesday February 22 2005 Business/Shopping

Smart Urban Vehicle
Bicycle owners protested at the Chicago Auto Show on Saturday. Of course there are pictures online. (found via Metafilter)
Monday February 21 2005 Transportation

Last Steve Bartman story ever, part 3
You've got to be kidding me: Harry Caray's restaurant to make a "curse-ending" spaghetti sauce made with bits of the Steve Bartman baseball?! PLEASE let this be the last that we see of the infamous baseball!
Tuesday February 15 2005 Sports/Recreation

You vs. Ebert!
Got an opinion on what films are going to win Oscars this year? You can test your predictive powers in the Sun-Times' annual Outguess Ebert contest. If you enter and correctly pick more Oscar winners than The Big E, you could win valuable prizes. See the Sun-Times site for details. But hurry; you only have until February 25th to enter.
Tuesday February 15 2005 Film

Brown Line renovation project meeting
Thanks to CTA Tattler for pointing out that the CTA is holding a public meeting tomorrow night at 7:00 to discuss the Brown Line renovation project, focusing on the work planned for the Belmont and Fullerton train stops. If you're going to be affected by the closures, this might be a good time to make your opinions on the subject heard. See the CTA site for full details.
Tuesday February 15 2005 Transportation

Got $4.5 million?
Buy Sammy Sosa's condo! 6,600 square feet, 5½ bathrooms and 7 bedrooms "if you count the theater", according to the sales agent handling the sale.
Monday February 14 2005 Sports/Recreation

Neil Steinberg New York
Sun-Times Watch points to the first NY Daily News column by Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg. And what wisdom does Steinberg have to share with New Yorkers? "I don't belong in Chicago; I belong in New York."
Monday February 14 2005 Print/Magazines

Live Aid, Farm Aid, and now ... Lakes Aid!
A board member of Great Lakes United, a group dedicated to preserving and restoring the Great Lakes ecosystem, has proposed a series of benefit concerts, in the model of Live Aid and Farm Aid, to raise money for upkeep of beaches and other Great Lakes sites. The first concert is tentatively planned for Chicago in 2006, with Soldier Field as a possible venue and veteran benefit concert headliners The Beach Boys mentioned as a headlining act.
Monday February 14 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Zine reading doubles as unofficial GB get-together
Tomorrow night at MoJoe's Cafe Lounge in Roscoe Village, there's going to be a zine reading featuring many authors from the local zine community ... including GB's very own Andrew Huff! See the Slowdown entry for the full details. There are sure to be plenty of GB staffers in attendance, so don't forget to look for the cool kids wearing their GB T-shirts...
Friday February 11 2005 Books/Authors

But are pictures of the Park Grill illegal?
As if you didn't have enough to worry about with Millennium Park concerning the whole "you can't take photographs" affair, the Sun-Times reports today that the city is forcing the operators of the park's cafe, the Park Grill, to renegotiate its contract with the Park District, after the Sun-Times discovered that the owner got a 20-year lease to run the restaurant, has not had to pay property taxes on the site, and gets free water, gas and garbage pickup at the cost of taxpayers. What's more, the businessman who was awarded the lease, Matthew A. O'Malley, apparently got a top Park District official pregnant during negotiations. So it was those kind of negotiations....
Friday February 11 2005 City Life/Cultural

Millennium Park copyright explained!
After a considerable amount of speculation on the Web about the copyright on Millennium Park, the Reader's Ben Joravsky offers some explanation in this week's paper as to why security guards are targeting photographers snapping pictures of the Bean and other sculptures in the Park. The city has a license agreement with the artists to be the sole authorized seller of merchandise with Millennium Park images, and that's why they've been targeting professional photographers in the park and stores trying to sell notecards with Bean images on them. The business about the security guards claiming that the whole park was copyrighted? Apparently it's a result of some overly zealous legal language given to security guards to hand out to commercial photographers who want to sell Millennium Park images. (BTW, even though the park was paid for by private funds, Ben Joravsky notes that the private donors then gave the artwork to the city, so the park is now owned by the public. How can the city claim copyright on publicly owned statues in a publicly owned park? Oh, I'm sure they'll find some way...)

Update: In response to BoingBoing's query about why the press director is saying that the sculptures' artists still own the copyright, Joravsky says this is true, but that the artists aren't getting any money from the permits that the city is trying to sell to photographers. A representative for one of the artists is quoted as saying, "If security guards give the impression that they are protecting artists' rights, it's probably a lack of understanding." Then whose rights are the city protecting? Apparently, its own right to sell Millennium Park postcards, as city official Ed Uhlir explains in the article: "We're going to have postcards in production, and we intend to sell them where postcards are sold [good plan! -ed.] ... If someone's in direct competition, we'll go after them."

So, to sum up: the city wants to make money off of images of the park (which is completely public property), so they're harrassing photographers in the park who look like professionals (i.e., they use a tripod) and scaring them into buying photography permits by saying that only the artists own the copyrights to the sculptures.... but the artists aren't seeing any money from the city from these permits.

Read a scanned copy of the Reader article here: Part 1, Part 2.
Thursday February 10 2005 City Life/Cultural

Music at Fireside Bowl tonight!!!
After the news last August that there would be no more shows at the venerable Fireside Bowl, you probably thought they meant it. Think again, Clappy! The Reader tips us off that Thursday nights at the Fireside are music nights once again. Tonight's show: the Watchers and the Eternals. Only bad thing about the shows: they're 21+ now. Sorry, little punk rock kids! (And while we're on the subject of the Fireside, check out the new, corporate-friendly Fireside Website. Isn't that Jimmy Fallon on the Office Parties page?)
Thursday February 10 2005 Music/Clubs

Rare 18th century violin recovered
Did you know that a rare 18th century violin worth more than $280,000 was stolen last week from its owner, a music teacher in suburban Lisle? If you did, you'll be glad to hear that it was recovered on Wednesday. And if you didn't know, well, don't try going for it now; the owner's planning to get some more security measures to prevent future theft.
Thursday February 10 2005 In the News

CTA news: More riders, fewer services
The CTA reported an increase in ridership in 2004. There were a total of 444.5 million rides last year, up slightly from 2003. This increase in ridership, of course, hasn't deterred the CTA from their plans to close Brown Line stations during construction or to prepare an emergency plan that calls for massive service cuts and fare increases, if they finally get the long-promised funding from the Illinois General Assembly. Oh, and starting Friday, Red Line riders won't be able to get out at the Lake Street station on weeknights or weekends; it's being closed for construction.
Wednesday February 9 2005 Transportation

"The Donald" gets "The Check" for "The Building"
Donald Trump closed on the $640 million loan yesterday that will allow him to build a 90-story hotel/condo tower on the site of the old Sun-Times building. Oh, good.
Wednesday February 9 2005 Arts/Architecture

Music or wildlife?
Clear Channel Entertainment wants to build a temporary concert venue on Northerly Island (the place formerly known as Meigs Field), promising a considerable amount of income generated for the Park District. Environmental groups are worried that the concert plans are going to be a little more permanent; the venue could remain in place for up to 4 years and cut into plans to establish a fish and wildlife preserve on the island.
Wednesday February 9 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Shred EVERYTHING: identity theft up in Chicago
Identity theft increased 15 percent in Chicago last year, primarily credit card fraud. It might be a good time to get a copy of your credit report (info on this at the Federal Trade Commission site) and check it for stuff you don't remember doing.
Tuesday February 8 2005 Business/Shopping

Which would you prefer: cellphone reception, or better CTA service?
The Tribune's transportation reporter, Jon Hilkevitch, published a righteous rant today about the CTA's continued pouring of money into a project to provide cellphone reception for train riders underground, at a time when CTA officials are talking of serious cash shortfalls and closing train stations during Brown Line construction. (Thanks to CTA Tattler for the tip.)
Monday February 7 2005 Transportation

O'Hare in 2004: not so good
O'Hare ended up with the worst record for on-time arrivals and departures in 2004, when compared to the nation's 31 busiest airports. 30 percent of arrivals and 73 precent of departures were late into/out of O'Hare. There is hope, though; the FAA is making O'Hare cut flights back on peak arrival times, in the hopes of easing congestion. The reductions went into effect last November, and December did see a bit of an improvement (66 percent of flights were on time, up from 60 percent in December 2003). And in case you were wondering about Chicago's other airport, Midway fared a bit better in the rankings; it was ranked 17th, with only 21 percent of its inbound flights and 22 percent of its outbound flights delayed. Something to keep in mind next time you're booking a flight.
Monday February 7 2005 Transportation

GB in the news (sorta)
There's a new art installation in the front plaza of the Museum of Contemporary Art. Called "Short Cut", it's supposed to look like a traffic accident, and is part of the museum's new show "Universal Experience: Art, Life and the Tourist's Eye," which begins Feb. 12. The Chicago Tribune wrote a short blurb about the artwork, with the headline "How to create a gapers' block." So of course we GOTTA link to it.
Sunday February 6 2005 Arts/Architecture

Sunrise, Sunset
The Siskel Film Center is going to be running a very cool double-bill for the next week: Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. If you missed one (or both) of these films when they originally ran in the theaters, here's your chance to see their story in one long afternoon or evening. Check the Film Center's calendar for showtimes. And if romance isn't your cup of cinematic tea, just wait a couple of weeks when the Film Center repeats this double-bill idea with Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films.
Friday February 4 2005 Film

Roger Ebert: a star and a silver circle
Congratulations to Roger Ebert, who's getting (according to Feder's column) a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an induction into the Silver Circle of the Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. What's his next move? Well, he likes taking pictures, so why not a submission to Rearview? (Thanks to none other than Rich "Svengoolie" Koz for the tip!)
Wednesday February 2 2005 Radio/TV

Chicago groundhogs' predictions differ
"Windy City Woodie," the woodchuck that's the weather predictor for the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, did not see his shadow this morning, predicting the coming of spring. However, Brookfield Zoo's groundhogs, "Cloudy" and "Stormy," saw their shadows (or at least their representative, "Maddy Skunk," did), which means six more weeks of winter.
Wednesday February 2 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Somebody's gonna Lotto... unless they don't
You didn't happen to buy an Illinois Lotto ticket in south suburban Frankfort last year with the numbers 14, 23, 24, 36, 37 and 50, did you? 'Cause if you did, you just lost $14 million.
Tuesday February 1 2005 In the News

Is Pilsen any Place for an American Girl?
The newest doll in the line of American Girl Place dolls is Marisol, a Mexican-American girl from the Pilsen neighborhood whose family moves to suburban Des Plaines because, as Marisol explains in her background story, Pilsen is "dangerous, and there was no place for me to play." Not too surprisingly, Pilsen leaders aren't too happy with the characterization of Pilsen as dangerous, while the mayor of Des Plaines points out that his city's Hispanic population is 17 percent. Meanwhile, local area American Girl Place customers can learn more about the new doll by joining a book club devoted to Marisol, "the girl who was born to dance."
Tuesday February 1 2005 Business/Shopping

D'oh! Alan Keyes can't run for governor yet
Michael Sneed previously reported (and GB dutifully linked) that Alan Keyes was thinking of running for governor. However, as Eric Zorn and the Capitol Fax Blog point out, you have to be an Illinois resident for 3 years before you're eligible to be governor. Best to concentrate on building the Illinois Republican party for now, Alan. Or how about a run for mayor?
Monday January 31 2005 Politics/Activism

Critical mass for bikes-on-Metra-trains bill
In the Illinois General Assembly is a new bill that would allow bike riders to take their bikes onto Metra trains during off-peak hours and weekends. For their part, Metra officials are saying that making provisions for bikes would cut into the seating capacities of their trains, and are hoping to work with the bill sponsors and local bike organizations for a compromise.
Monday January 31 2005 Transportation

Moms and blogging in the NYT
Tomorrow's New York Times will include an article on parents who record their child-rearing experiences on their blogs. What's the Chicago connection? Our very own Mimi Smartypants is quoted in the article as saying "Blogging makes parents more relaxed."
Saturday January 29 2005 Print/Magazines

It's official: Brown Line closings during construction
Late-breaking news at the Tribune Website: the CTA has officially announced that 15 Brown Line stations will be closed anywhere from six weekends up to a full year during renovation of the stations starting after September. Criticism of the CTA's announcement came quickly; Alderman Gene Schulter and State Rep. John Fritchey said that the CTA "dropped the ball" when they failed to consult with city officials until only recently.
Friday January 28 2005 Transportation

He's still around?
Alan Keyes is still around? Yes he is, and as Michael Sneed reports he's considering a run for Illinois governor. One thing Keyes would have in his favor in a gubernatorial campaign: he wouldn't be running against Barack Obama.
Friday January 28 2005 Politics/Activism

Chicago eats from a Streets-eye view
Author Dennis Foley worked for Chicago's Dept. of Streets and Sanitation for 7 years, and learned about a lot of good & cheap places to eat in the city. He collected a list of these places in a book published last May, The Streets and San Man's Guide to Chicago Eats (already in its third printing), and was interviewed on yesterday's Eight Forty-Eight on Chicago Public Radio about his favorite restaurants to have lunch (the Streets and San worker's favorite meal of the day). From the book reviews and the interview it sounds like he lists a bunch of lesser-known restaurants and bars to eat, but be warned you might have to battle with the Streets and San trucks for parking near any of these places.
Friday January 28 2005 Eating/Drinking

Snowball fight in Wauconda!
The Wauconda Lions Club is hoping to stage the world's largest snowball fight tomorrow morning at Cooks Park (600 N. Main, across from Wauconda High School). The Lions Club members came up with the idea after hearing that a town in the Swiss Alps organized 2,473 people for a fight. They're hoping to have at least 3,000 people in the park tomorrow morning and earn a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. If you'd like to be a part of the record, check the Lions' Website for details.
Friday January 28 2005 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Spring fever
Chicago artist Alan Bolle is closing up his art studio, Springman Studio on West Kinzie, and is moving to Baltimore at the end of February. So to get some cash for moving he's selling his car, which in keeping with the name of his studio is decorated with 5,000 springs and has traveled to various art shows across the country (recently winning the Happiest Art Car award at an exhibit in Minneapolis). If you're interested in a one-of-a-kind car (which has been known to cause what the Sun-Times calls "gawkers delays", but which we at GB like to refer to by a different term), check the article for further info.
Thursday January 27 2005 Arts/Architecture

Reducing traffic jams by computer
Last September, GB mentioned that Chicagoans spend an average of 56 hours per year stuck in traffic. Well, Mayor Daley is in LA this week, learning about computer technology to automatically adjust traffic lights to ease traffic back-ups. LA has seen road delays reduced by as much as 30 to 40%, and Daley is hoping for similar improvements with a Chicago computer system modelled on the one in LA. The bad news: such a system would be an expensive process that could take years to implement, according to the Traffic Management Authority. So for the time being, you're still stuck with the crappy commute times.
Thursday January 27 2005 Transportation

Alderman okays Cubs expansion
The expansion of Wrigley Field gets one step closer to reality, as 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney has given his blessing to the Cubs' plans for building 1,790 new bleacher seats, as well as developing land near the ballpark into a combination parking deck, restaurant and Cubs hall of fame. Tunney okayed the plan after the Cubs agreed to create a 7,000-10,000 square foot neighborhood park at a location to be determined.
Thursday January 27 2005 Sports/Recreation

Taxi drivers planning radio strike
Angered at the city's stalling on a taxi fare increase (the Chicago cab rates haven't increased since November 2000, while gas prices and insurance rates have gone up), a group of cab drivers is planning to call for a one-week job action by drivers in March, during which they would not respond to radio calls. Consumer Services Commissioner Norma Reyes counters that the rate hike that cabbies are asking for is too high. There's a City Council meeting coming up on February 9th, at which Alderman Tom Allen says he hopes to have "something together". It might be a good time to reacquaint yourself with CTA bus schedules....
Wednesday January 26 2005 Transportation

Renewed interest in Jack Johnson
After last week's PBS documentary "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson," there have been several calls to Graceland Cemetery, where Johnson is buried, from visitors who want to see Johnson's grave. If you go, don't pay your respects at the big headstone labelled "Johnson;" although it was his intended headstone, Jack Johnson is actually buried in an unmarked grave next to that of his first wife Etta. And if you missed the documentary when it aired last week, it'll be rebroadcast on WTTW's digital cable station, starting today. See here for a schedule.
Tuesday January 25 2005 History

CTA crime up, citywide crime down
Protect your valuables when you're on the train or bus! Crime on the CTA increased last year, while overall crime in the city decreased. CTA boss Frank Kreusi said the increase was just a "blip," and noted that CTA crime has fallen 32% since 1997. Still, commuters should watch out for theft on the CTA, especially pickpockets working in the downtown train stations. The stations with the highest theft rates: State and Lake; Clark and Lake; and State and Chicago.
Monday January 24 2005 Transportation

Dave Matthews' bus driver up the creek
The Dave Matthews Band's bus driver has been officially charged with misdemeanor counts for dumping 800 pounds (yes, 800 pounds) of raw sewage onto a sightseeing boat as the bus was crossing the Kinzie Street bridge last August. He faces up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Thursday January 20 2005 In the News

Can Jimmy Buffett break the Cubs' curse?
The Cubs have decided to hold a pair of concerts at Wrigley Field on Labor Day weekend. The Lakeview neighborhood board has okayed the plan, and they're waiting for City Hall to give the go-ahead on the concerts. The Cubs have even got a headlining act in mind: Jimmy Buffett, who played Fenway Park in Boston last year and tried to break the Curse of the Bambino. (That appeared to work.) Can Buffett, a long-time Cubs fan, work his Margaritaville magic on the Billygoat Curse? Stay tuned....
Wednesday January 19 2005 Sports/Recreation

Brown line closures will hit businesses hard
The Sun-Times reports today on a consequence of the threatened Brown Line station closures that I didn't even think of until they pointed it out: businesses near the closed stations will be hit hard by the loss of the majority of their commuting customers.
Tuesday January 18 2005 Transportation

Free Shedd
The Shedd Aquarium is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and as part of the celebration it's offering free general admission to the aquarium, and reduced admission to its Wild Reef and Oceanarium exhibits. According to the Tribune, one of the newer exhibits is "Seahorses and Seadragons," which features some animals from the aquarium's wildly popular "Seahorse Symphony" exhibit, which ended last year. Better hurry to take advantage of the free admission; the offer is good only through this Thursday.
Monday January 17 2005 Outdoors/Environment

Lesbians! Podcasting! Satire!
Chicago film-maker and stage performer Richard Bluestein has apparently freaked out the fathers of podcasting, Adam Curry and Dave Winer, with his podcast featuring a character he created: Madge Weinstein, "saucy, outspoken breast cancer survivor and opinionated lesbian activist." Richard's crime? His podcasts were scripted, and Adam and Dave thought they were real. To that end, they recorded a podcast in which they tried to puzzle out what to do about the situation. The majority of the reaction they've received from the podcast community, as The Register reports, ranges from incredulity that they could have been deceived by a guy in a dress to outright hostility at the idea that the founders of podcasting want to somehow regulate or label content. Nice work, Richard! It's not every day a Chicagoan fools Adam Curry.
Monday January 17 2005 Weblogs

Prospective juror cuffed!
Better think twice about trying to lie your way out of jury duty, at least when you're in Judge Evelyn Clay's courtroom. A woman who had shown up at the 26th and California courthouse on Monday apparently didn't handle the jury questioning to the judge's liking, because Judge Clay held her in contempt of court on Tuesday, prompting the sheriff's deputy to briefly handcuff her and place her alone in a holding cell. About two hours later, the woman was brought back into court, at which point she apologized to the judge and was let go.
Friday January 14 2005 In the News

CTA threatens wider cuts
The CTA continues its dire threats/predictions on what will happen to service if state lawmakers don't come through with increased subsidies for mass transit. According to the Tribune, the CTA is toying with such lovely options as: increased fares for people who pay with cash; increased rush-hour fares; different fares on buses and trains; and a 40% cut in service (up from the 20% cut threatened last year by the CTA). Meanwhile, the Sun-Times has some stark figures on the proposed Brown Line closings mentioned yesterday. The line's stations may be closed during construction anywhere between 4-6 months and 10-12 months. Oh, it's not going to be a happy year for commuters.
Thursday January 13 2005 Transportation

These photos are Grand
This is Grand, the Website devoted to stories of Chicago's rapid transit systems, has finally posted the winners from its 2004 photo contest. (The winners were announced last November, and the pictures were on display at Darkroom, but they've only just recently been posted online.) Quite a few of the winners' names will be familiar to Rearview fans.
Wednesday January 12 2005 Photography

Brown line stops closing for construction?
The CTA, facing skyrocketing costs for its Brown Line renovation project, is considering temporarily closing some stops on the line as construction affects them. The cost of working on a train station while keeping it open is apparently too prohibitive, and the CTA warns that, without closing stations, construction costs would use up funds needed for other CTA amenities, such as bike racks and escalators. Says 32nd Ward Alderman Ted Matlak, "If they close the Paulina stop, we'll be picketing. Where's [CTA President Frank] Kruesi's house?"
Wednesday January 12 2005 Transportation

Headless people in Grant Park
This week, the Chicago Park District is expected to accept a sculpture installation for Grant Park created by Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz, whose work has been exhibited in Italy, Japan, France, Germany, and elsewhere in the US. The installation, which will consist of 100 cast iron human figures without heads, will be called "Agora" and will show up in Grant Park next year.
Monday January 10 2005 Arts/Architecture

New York Times Makes The Baby Go Blind
Chicago's Neo-Futurist theater company gets a mention in today's New York Times, on the occasion of the New York chapter of the company returning to Manhattan's Belt Theater tonight to perform the Neo-Futurists' flagship show "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind".
Friday January 7 2005 Theatre/Dance

Fat City
Men's Fitness magazine has released its latest ranking of America's fittest and fattest cities. The rankings take into account such factors as commuting times, weather patterns, and local cuisine. And for the second straight year, Chicago ranks as the fifth fattest city! Among the details listed in Chicago's ranking: although we like to think of Chicago as a city with plenty of parks and outdoor garden areas, the city "has one-fourth as much parkland and open space as the national average," according to the magazine. Also, more than half of Chicago's population exceed their ideal body weight to such an extent that it raises their risk for health problems. So maybe those New Year's resolutions should include working out more in 2005...
Thursday January 6 2005 In the News

The year in wacky news!
The Sun-Times has a list of the wackiest Chicago stories that happened in 2004. Some were stories we mentioned during the year (the Steve Bartman baseball being blown up, Jays vs. Lay's, the Dave Matthews Band poo incident) and some were ones we missed (a Highland Park woman trying to sell the domain name election2004.com for $500,000 and, not surprisingly, failing to do so).
Monday December 27 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Transit map socks!
The CTA Tattler reminds us that a good last-minute gift idea for the holidays is to visit the CTA's gift shop at 567 W. Lake, where you can score such items as a CTA cycling jersey, a silk tie with the transit map printed on it, and pieces of jewelry made from old CTA tokens (which, as GB noted earlier this year, have mostly been melted down for the metal, except for the few used to make these pieces).
Thursday December 23 2004 Business/Shopping

Wrigley nets still in play for '05 season
On Monday, Buildings Commissioner Stan Kaderbek received a draft report by engineers on the subject of the concrete that fell in Wrigley Field over the last year. The Sun-Times reports that the cause appears to be aging concrete, combined with the freeze-and-thaw cycles that you get in an average Chicago winter. The report recommends that the safety nets to catch falling concrete stay in place for the 2005 season, even though Kaderbek said earlier this year, "Those nets have to come down by April."
Tuesday December 21 2004 Sports/Recreation

The best and worst of 2004
Roger Ebert has published his annual list of the best films of the year. His pick for #1 is Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby (currently playing at River East 21). Don't miss his worst of 2004 list, at the bottom of the article, for a flashback to films you almost forgot about. (Oh yeah, remember White Chicks?)
Monday December 20 2004 Film

CTA service cuts experiencing a delay
It's official: the CTA board voted to delay service cuts and layoffs which were set to go into effect at the beginning of the new year. The board voted unanimously to delay these cost-cutting measures until July 1, encouraged by promises from Illinois Senate President Emil Jones and Governor Blagojevich. So now it's up to state leaders to come through with additional funding by the summer, a plan which CTA board members weren't exactly enthusiastic about (Chairwoman Carole Brown used words such as "faith" and "hope for the best" when talking about the plan). CTA President Frank Kreusi warns that, if this gamble doesn't pay off, "then we are really, literally are in the process of dismantling public transit in this region ... a terrible, terrible loss." Keep your fingers crossed, commuters...
Friday December 17 2004 Transportation

CTA's budget cuts may experience delay
The service cuts and layoffs that the CTA has been warning us all about if it doesn't get additional funding may be put off for a while, according to the Sun-Times. Illinois Senate President Emil Jones said that funding the CTA is going to be a "top legislative priority" for next year, and with this promising development the CTA board is expected to delay cost-cutting measures for at least six months when it holds a meeting tomorrow.
Wednesday December 15 2004 Transportation

The Great Chicago Fire Sale continues
In case you haven't been keeping up with The Great Chicago Fire Sale, a bunch of new items have been added to the eBay auction in the last week. Among the new items you can bid on: a behind-the-scenes tour with the gardener from the City Escape retail store; a concert dedicated to a person of your choice at the Chicago Botanic Gardens; and a Lake Michigan cocktail party/cruise (watch out for bridges!). Oh, and in case you were wondering, the original Playboy Bunny costume sold to someone on Sunday for $6,000.
Tuesday December 14 2004 Business/Shopping

A professional opinion on a big pile of food
You may have heard of Hardee's new sandwich, the Monster Thickburger, a frightening contraption made of meat, cheese, mayonnaise and bun that totals a diet-killing 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat. The Tribune's restaurant critic, Phil Vettel, bravely sampled one (outside of Chicago city limits, because there are no Hardee's in Chicago) and gives it a positive review. In fact, he says, "I may have another one next year."
Tuesday December 14 2004 Eating/Drinking

O'Hare busiest, most delayed airport
If you've been following the rivalry between O'Hare and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for this year's title of the world's busiest airport, good news for you! The Sun-Times reports that O'Hare pulled ahead in November, and is set to hit a record of nearly one million flights this year. Of course, with this number of flights there are still quite a few delayed flights, and O'Hare will also take the title of world's most delayed airport with nearly 30% of its flights delayed.
Monday December 13 2004 Transportation

Buddy Guy, Hall of Fame inductee
Buddy Guy, the current king of Chicago blues, will be inducted into the 2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Also to be inducted: U2; The O'Jays; Percy Sledge; and The Pretenders.
Monday December 13 2004 Music/Clubs

Edith Frost is coming to town
Chicago singer/songwriter and blogger Edith Frost gets a very friendly write-up in this week's Chicago Reader, on the eve of her latest performance in Chicago (tomorrow night at the Empty Bottle, opening for another Chicago act, Manishevitz). Edith is working on a new album for next year, but a collection of demo recordings was released earlier this year on the net label Comfort Stand. (Edith also makes a cameo appearance in the photocollage calendar of Phineas X. Jones, which as far as we know is still for sale.)
Friday December 10 2004 Music/Clubs

Two choices for holiday transportation
The CTA's Holiday Train has been in the news recently, but there's another CTA holiday transportation option: the Christmas bus. Check out the photos on Flickr, courtesy of Chicago blogger Jasmine.
Friday December 10 2004 Transportation

Chicago Blogmap gets its own domain
Chicago Blogmap, one of two online collections of Chicago area blogger links that categorizes its entries by stops on the CTA train lines (the other one being Chicago Bloggers), has moved to its own domain, chicagoblogmap.com, after being hosted at Paul Goyette's site for well over a year. Adjust your bookmarks.
Monday December 6 2004 Weblogs

A Wedding at the Lyric Opera
In yesterday's Sun-Times, Roger Ebert published an essay on the rehearsal of an opera version of Robert Altman's 1978 film A Wedding. The film, shot on location in Lake Forest, told the story of two rich families getting together for a wedding, one old-money family from Lake Forest and one nouveau-riche family from Louisville, Kentucky. Robert Altman had a hand in the libretto of the opera version, which premieres Saturday night at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. More info has been posted at Slowdown.
Monday December 6 2004 Arts/Architecture

The Obama episode of "Check, Please!"
A while back, Newcity mentioned that there was a pilot episode of WTTW's killer restaurant review program "Check, Please!" that featured an appearance by then State Senator Barack Obama. On yesterday's Eight Forty-Eight, the aired an interview with the show's producer, David Manilow, and aired segments from that episode, featuring Obama and the other guests talking about the Hyde Park restaurant Dixie Kitchen. You won't see this episode on the air, though; not only was this a pilot episode for the program, but the other guests on the program said very little, allowing Obama to pretty much carry the entire show. The interview is archived at Chicago Public Radio's Website, and it's required listening for fans of the program.
Friday December 3 2004 Eating/Drinking

62 years of going nuclear
The Chicago blog farkleberries reminds us that today is a solemn day in Chicago history: on December 2, 1942, at the University of Chicago, physicist Enrico Fermi and scientists from his laboratory achieved the first controlled nuclear fission chain reaction, which led to the creation of the atomic bomb and nuclear power plants. At the Library of Congress' Today In History page, they've got some related scanned documents and photographs, as well as a bunch of links guaranteed to help you kill the last hour of work.
Thursday December 2 2004 History

Return of the mummy
Remember when King Tut toured the country in 1977? Well, he's coming back, and the Field Museum is going to have him. In 2006, the museum will host the Chicago visit of about 130 treasures of the ancient boy pharoah and his relatives. I have a feeling that 2006 will also see the release of a remix version of Steve Martin's "King Tut" single.
Thursday December 2 2004 In the News

The first real sign of winter
The winter parking ban goes into effect today. No parking on designated snow routes between 3 and 7 AM. If you do, you're looking at a $150 towing fee and a $50 ticket. And do you really want to tangle with Chicago tow trucks right about now? No, you don't. Also be aware that there's another parking ban that goes into effect for the 500 miles of Chicago's snow routes, barring people from parking on them when there's at least 2 inches of snow on the street. $30 ticket for that violation.
Wednesday December 1 2004 Transportation

Signs of hula-hooping hippies in Chicago
The Sun-Times staff must be checking out boingboing.net, because today they printed a story about hula hoop decals being added to road signs in Chicago, apparently by fans of the Colorado jam band String Cheese Incident. This phenom was covered last week at BoingBoing, among other places. Be careful, SCI fans (and vegan activists); defacing a city sign carries a maximum punishment of a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.
Tuesday November 30 2004 Transportation

Vote for the next city sticker design
If you've ever wanted to have a say in the designs of the Chicago vehicle stickers, here's your chance. Yesterday's Sun-Times included the 10 finalists by artists from local high schools, and today you get your chance to cast a vote for the winning design at the City Clerk's Website. You can also cast your vote in person at City Hall (121 N. LaSalle) or by phone at (312) 744-2506. But hurry to cast your vote; the polls close tonight at 5:00 PM. The winning design will net its creator a $1,000 savings bond.
Monday November 29 2004 Transportation

Hot Doug's II
Just got word from Hot Doug's; the beloved hot dog emporium will be returning, after a fire closed the restaurant last April! The new home of Hot Doug's will be 3324 N. California, or about 1/2 mile west of the old location. The grand re-opening is set for sometime in early January; keep an eye on the Hot Doug's Website in the weeks to come for more details.
Saturday November 27 2004 Eating/Drinking

O'Hare put to the test this holiday weekend
You've probably heard by now that the Skyway is re-opening in time for Thanksgiving travel. But the Skyway isn't the only travel route that's getting a test this holiday weekend. O'Hare will be experiencing its first major holiday season after flight limits were put into effect on November 1. (You may recall the news from last summer that the FAA was forcing O'Hare to reduce flights into the airport, because delays at O'Hare cause delays at other airports nationwide.) On the bright side, there's apparently already a noticeable improvement in O'Hare's on-time performance this month. You'll still probably want to bring that paperback book to pass the time, though; airline officials are still advising customers to arrive at the airport two hours before your flight.
Wednesday November 24 2004 Transportation

Something to believe in
Bret Michaels' stolen guitar has been returned, thanks to an anonymous Chicagoan. (Yes, the Bret Michaels from Poison. Didn't you know he's on a solo tour right now?)
Tuesday November 23 2004 Music/Clubs

There's still time to get turkey on Turkey Day
Are you stuck in the city on Thanksgiving, away from all your relatives? Does your Turkey Day plan involve a trip to Taco Bell? Yeah, I've been there. Which is why I was pleased to see both Metromix and Newcity come up with a list of restaurants that offer either a sit-down dinner on Thanksgiving, or take-out Thanksgiving food and trimmings. No all-day slaving in a hot kitchen required, and you still get that happy drowsy feeling from eating a lot of holiday food. Make your plans quick, though; many restaurants require reservations for their holiday servings, and the take-out ordering deadline for a lot of the restaurants is tomorrow.
Monday November 22 2004 Eating/Drinking

The sound (and sight) of music
Two new musical documentaries begin showing tonight at the Siskel Film Center. There's Moog, an appreciation of musician and inventor Robert Moog. (You know, the Moog synthesizer guy.) And there's also a documentary about Christian rock music, Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? (This film was recently seen at this year's Chicago Underground Film Festival.) The directors of this film, Heather Whinna and Vickie Hunter, will be at the Film Center for audience discussion after tonight's screening. And if that isn't enough music for you, tonight's Film Center schedule also includes a screening of that hard-hitting look at the Hollywood music scene, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. So now all you fans of The Carrie Nations have something to do tonight!
Friday November 19 2004 Film

Fannie May store opens today!
Good news for Fannie May fans! The store is opening up stores again in the Chicagoland area, and the latest opening happens today in the Loop. The Fannie May store at Michigan and Wacker Drive opens this morning at 10:00, and the first 500 customers get a free one-pound box of Pixies. So you better go stand in line right RIGHT NOW. (Thanks to Chicagoist for the tip.)
Friday November 19 2004 Eating/Drinking

CTA service cuts on track for next year
The Illinois General Assembly has postponed talks on restructuring transit funding until the middle of next year at the earliest, which means that the CTA may proceed with massive service cuts in January, as the Tribune reports. CTA prez Frank Kreusi has asked state lawmakers to rework the Chicago mass transit funding formulas to improve the CTA's outlook, but this is considered a longshot strategy. So get ready for decreased bus and train service in January...
Thursday November 18 2004 Transportation

Illinois wants to give you money!
The state government has $35 million, mostly in unclaimed tax refunds, that it's trying to give to its rightful owners. The State Comptroller's Website has a form that you can fill out to see if your name is on an uncashed state check. (Note that you do have to give your Social Security # on the site, and it doesn't appear to be a secure site. If you have reservations about giving out your SSN on the Web, you can also call the Comptroller's office at (217) 785-1128 during business hours.)
Monday November 15 2004 In the News

Theater for the kids
Can't attend the trunk show tomorrow, because you're stuck at home watching the kids? Why not take them to the theater? The Neo-Futurists are starting a kid-friendly version of their long-running late-night show "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind", and the first performance is tomorrow afternoon at 2pm. Kids age 6 and over are invited to attend, and since the regular "Too Much Light" show includes a lot of audience participation there should be plenty for the kids to do. See the Neo-Futurist website for more details.
Friday November 12 2004 Theatre/Dance

You're invited to The Party
A very unusual Peter Sellers/Blake Edwards film at the Siskel Film Center tonight. The Party has Sellers playing an Indian actor who inadvertently destroys a film version of "Gunga Din" (Sellers' filmed death scene at the beginning of the movie is hilarious), and then is accidentally invited to a party at the producer's house. Some very funny sight gags in the film, mostly centering around Sellers trying to be inconspicuous at a party at which he doesn't know any of the attendees. The film is being shown as part of the Film Center's American Film Comedy series, and will be screened again next Tuesday with an accompanying lecture.
Friday November 12 2004 Film

Windmilled
The latest play in the Neo-Futurists' 2004-05 prime time series officially opens tomorrow night (although there's a preview performance tonight). Windmilled takes as its inspiration Cervantes' novel "Don Quixote", and mixes in personal stories from the actors about their fights against insurmountable odds. "What makes us fight these battles and how do we learn to lay down our arms at last? When you set out to be a hero do you always end up an ass?" These and other questions are pondered in Windmilled. See the Neo-Futurist Website for further information and to purchase tickets.
Friday November 5 2004 Theatre/Dance

Chicago diners tip well
Chicago ranks high up on yet another national list, this one being a list of the nation's most generous tippers. We're tied for 4th place on the list released by Zagat; Chicago diners tip an average of 18.8%, a bit above the national average of 18.6%. In addition to generous tipping, Chicago diners are also paying more for their meals; the current average meal costs $31.64, up from $29.29 in 2002 and $28.25 in 2001.
Wednesday November 3 2004 Eating/Drinking

Suburb resident to neighbors: drop dead
A resident of the western suburb of Bloomingdale, apparently in retaliation for the complaints his neighbors had made about the RV parked at his house, set up a Halloween display that included tombstones with the names of his neighbors. Long story short, the police were called, words were exchanged, and now the guy is now suing the police (TWO YEARS after the original incident, for some reason) for First Amendment violations, alongside compensation for the "mental anguish, stress and feelings of helplessness" that he says he got when the police handcuffed him. Well, good luck on that lawsuit, although this story sounds more suited to Jerry Springer than the courts.
Tuesday November 2 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

World's biggest book: no, you can't borrow it
The West Chicago Public Library just received a copy of the book "Bhutan: A Visual Odyssey Across The Last Himalayan Kingdom". Measuring 5 feet by 7 feet, this is the world's largest book, and they're going to put it on display this Sunday. You can attend the opening reception (see the library's site for info) or, if you've got $10,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you can even buy a copy of your own from, yes, Amazon.com.
Wednesday October 27 2004 Books/Authors

Commercial potential
GB contributor Phineas X. Jones recently started selling a calendar featuring 12 of his excellent photo collages, as seen on his site. There are some wonderful Chicago images in the calendar, including ones taken at Wrigley Field, various lakeshore beaches and the late lamented Marigold Bowl. And if you like something you see in the calendar, you might peruse Phineas' catalog of prints for sale. These items make wonderful holiday gifts for those who enjoy lots of tiny pictures in close proximity to each other. Check 'em out.
Wednesday October 27 2004 Business/Shopping

Trib editors discuss Bush endorsement
On today's Fresh Air, two editors from the Chicago Tribune were interviewed on the topic of the Trib's endorsement of Bush for President. They also touched on related topics, such as the paper's endorsement of Barack Obama in the IL senate race and the history of the editorial page in general.
Tuesday October 26 2004 Print/Magazines

CBS wipes Chicago off the map
Chicago is the setting for a new CBS disaster movie that airs next month. "Category 6: Day of Destruction" depicts the Windy City getting hit with a "perfect storm" caused by a number of smaller storms meeting in Chicago (no doubt at a convention at McCormick Place). And yes, of course it wasn't filmed in Chicago (Winnipeg stands in for us), so don't expect to see your own house or apartment building being blown away. The movie airs on Sunday, November 14 and Wednesday, November 17. (Because a Chicago disaster can't be contained to just ONE evening!)
Wednesday October 20 2004 Radio/TV

That's all for Alice
If you were hoping to catch the Neo-Futurists' critically acclaimed show "Alice" on its final weekend (October 23 and 24), you're out of luck! The final two dates are sold out, and the show isn't going to be extended past these dates. Fortunately for you, you still have at least two more chances to see special Neo-Futurist theatrical presentations this week: Thursday night at the Abbey Pub, where the Neo-Futurists will open for Monty Python musical collaborator Neil Innes; and Friday & Saturday night, when you can catch a special presentation of "43 Plays for 43 Presidents."
Monday October 18 2004 Theatre/Dance

Another CTA rate hike?
Yesterday, the CTA held the first of four public hearings on the subject of proposed schedule reductions, which were announced as a possible way of dealing with budget shortfalls. Another possible method of dealing with the shortfall is another 25-cent fare increase, which CTA board members asked their staff to investigate. WBEZ reported this morning that the rate increase could be set to happen as early as next year. Meanwhile, an editorial in today's Tribune offers other ideas on how to save funds, including charging customers for how far they travel and encouraging private competition for the right to run the bus lines. The next public hearing on the service cuts is next Tuesday, if you want to attend and make your opinions known.
Friday October 15 2004 Transportation

MT in WSJ
Not Chicago news, but fans of Movable Type (the software used to power this very site!) will want to check out this profile of MT and Six Apart in today's Wall Street Journal, if only to see the stipple portraits of Ben and Mena Trott.
Tuesday October 12 2004 Weblogs

Obama & Keyes debate (finally!)
Two months after Alan Keyes was picked by Illinois Republicans to run against Barack Obama, they're finally having the first of three debates tomorrow night in Springfield at 7pm. So if you were wondering when we were ever going to hear these two candidates debating, you've got your answer. As the presumptive winner (with a 45-point lead over Keyes in the polls), Obama is not only campaigning in Illinois, but is also donating money to, and speaking on behalf of, Democratic candidates in key states for this year's election, as the Washington Post reports (registration required).
Monday October 11 2004 Politics/Activism

Sun-Times' capsule opened
The Sun-Times building is being vacated by the paper's staff this weekend, because the building's being knocked down to make way for a Trump condo tower. Yesterday the Sun-Times staff opened up a time capsule that had been put into the wall of the building's entrance in 1958. And what was inside it? A frog with a tophat that sang only when one construction worker looked at it. Ha! Not really. It was actually just some old editions of the Sun-Times and the two papers that were combined to make the Sun-Times, the Chicago Sun and the Chicago Times.
Friday October 8 2004 Print/Magazines

Keyes locked out
I don't want to say Alan Keyes' campaign might be in trouble, but he showed up to a dinner sponsored by the New Trier Township Republican Organization last night... and wasn't given time to speak. Granted, he hadn't been invited to speak in the first place, but this doesn't look good for the man from Maryland. Another sign that bodes ill for his campaign: Barack Obama leads Keyes in the polls by 51 points.
Monday October 4 2004 Politics/Activism

This year's geniuses
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which you might be surprised to learn has its headquarters in Chicago, announced its 2004 list of MacArthur Fellows who will each receive a "genius grant" of $500,000 over the next 5 years. There are two Chicago residents in this year's list: author Aleksandar Hemon and ragtime composer Reginald R. Robinson.
Tuesday September 28 2004 Arts/Architecture

Alice, Alice, Alice!
There must be something surreal in the air, because at least three local theater companies are doing or are planning productions based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland books. The Lookingglass Theatre's "Lookingglass Alice" is coming next February, and next week the Chopin Theatre's presenting UMA Productions' "Enter Alice," which apparently combines the Alice story with elements of burlesque. But this weekend, you can catch the Neo-Futurists' production of "Alice," which opened last week and collected favorable reviews from the Tribune, the Sun-Times, Newcity and the Reader (review not online). See the Neo-Futurist Website for more information on "Alice" and to make reservations.
Friday September 24 2004 Theatre/Dance

The people have spoken....
...and their results are tallied up in the annual "Best of Chicago" list in this week's Newcity. For best local blog, the Newcity editors picked Claire Zulkey's site, while the audience choice was ..... Gapers Block! Thanks to all who voted for us. You can receive our gratitude in person at tomorrow night's GB get-together at Danny's.
Thursday September 23 2004 City Life/Cultural

There's no such thing as a free car
If you were waiting for a reason to stop feeling jealous of all those Oprah audience members who got free cars, here it is. According to the Sun-Times, the people who received free cars will have to report them as income on their taxes. And because of the value of the cars ($28,500 each), some recipients will be pushed into a higher tax bracket, meaning they'll have to pay a significant percentage of the car's value in taxes. Because of this, some of the craftier recipients are waiting until next year to pick up their cars, so they won't have to deal with the added income for this year. Clever!
Wednesday September 22 2004 Business/Shopping

Register to vote!
There's only a couple weeks left to register to vote in the upcoming 2004 elections, so please make sure you're registered. You might want to look over this Ask the Librarian article from last February, in which Alice put together a number of informative links to check out, including a link to the Illinois voter registration form. But hurry! The deadline to register is October 5. (You should make sure your registration is postmarked by October 1, if you're sending it in.)
Tuesday September 21 2004 Politics/Activism

No, you won't get some antimatter to take home
If you've ever dreamed of seeing the REAL place where the work is done at Fermilab, now's your chance. The Sun-Times reports that The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is going to be offering tours of the accelerator tunnel that is used to make antimatter. The tunnel is undergoing maintenance and upgrades right now, so it's been shut down for 13 weeks. (So the chance that you'll get locked in accidentally and bombarded with antimatter is .... relatively slim.)
Monday September 20 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Got towed? Check online
Ever wonder how you would find your car if it were towed? Fortunately for you Web-surfing types, the Department of Streets and Sanitation has put together a Web interface for their list of towed cars. If your car got towed by The Man, you can check their site to see where it's being stored, and the phone number to call to get it back. Expect to pay either $150 or $250, depending on the size of your vehicle.
Friday September 17 2004 Transportation

Obit: Lu Palmer
Lu Palmer, the journalist and activist whose 50-plus year career included working at Chicago newspapers such as the Daily News and the Chicago American, died at the age of 82 in his Chicago home on Sunday. A name synonymous with the black power movement of the 1960s and 1970s, Palmer also championed Harold Washington for the Chicago mayor race in the early 1980s. For Washington's campaign he coined the slogan, "We Shall See in '83".
Monday September 13 2004 Print/Magazines

Oprah shares the wealth
One good reason to go to an Oprah Winfrey show taping: you might get some free stuff. The audience for the premiere show of her 19th season, for example, was surprised when Oprah handed out a new car to everyone. The cars were donated by Pontiac.
Monday September 13 2004 Radio/TV

There is another bagel directly behind this one
Dunkin' Donuts has opened two concession stands in two separate El stations (the Western Avenue blue line stop, and the Lake & Cicero green line stop) and have plans to open 10 more stores by the end of the year. Even better, additions to the El stations will include more than just snack shops; the CTA will be adding newspaper stands, photo processing and shoe repair stands and express mail stores at 33 separate stations.
Wednesday September 8 2004 Transportation

How would Jesus vote?
It's been a few days since the last "Alan Keyes says something strange" story, so here's the one for this week: according to a list of Keyes quotes put together by Barack Obama's campaign team, Keyes said at the RNC last week that Jesus Christ would not vote for Obama, because of his pro-choice stance. Keyes also analyzed a quote from Obama, in which Obama said that he wanted to win big to give Keyes a "spanking," and surmised that Obama's use of the word "spanking" was somehow related to slavery and was insulting to African Americans.
Wednesday September 8 2004 Politics/Activism

Neo-Preview Party: you're invited!
The Neo-Futurists begin their 2004-2005 prime time season at the end of next week with an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland stories, and to celebrate this first show they're throwing a party on Sunday, September 12th. You'll see a preview of "Alice" and other upcoming works, get a backstage tour of the Neo-Futurarium, and have a chance to mingle with the Neo-Futurists as you sample the finest culinary delights that an independent Chicago theater company can afford to purchase! Tickets are $20 ($15 for students and seniors), and can be purchased at the Neo-Futurist Website.
Tuesday September 7 2004 Theatre/Dance

Are we there yet?
The Chicago-Indiana area ranks 8th in a list of the longest commutes in the country, according to a new study by the Texas Transportation Institute. Ranked at #1: Los Angeles (surprise!), with an average of 93 hours spent in traffic during the year 2002. Also ranking high on the list: San Francisco-Oakland (73 hours) and Washington DC (67 hours). Chicago's average was 56 hours, which sounds pretty bad until you consider that you could be living in LA and spending even more time stuck in traffic.
Tuesday September 7 2004 Transportation

Northerly Island opens!
A little behind schedule, but without much fanfare, Northerly Island has opened to the public. (You be more familiar with Northerly Island under its previous name, Meigs Field.) There's not much in the 90-acre park right now (the main feature is an asphalt running track), but plans to build more (oh, so much more) on the site are already under way.
Friday September 3 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Chicago Jazz Festival opening night
But don't go to Grant Park for tonight's opening show in the festival! It's at Symphony Center, and it's a salute to the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra by singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, who performed with the orchestra from 1972 to 1974. Check the Symphony Center site for info on tonight's event, and for a complete Jazz Festival schedule check out the Reader's coverage.
Thursday September 2 2004 Music/Clubs

Oh, that Alan!
US Senate hopeful (and Calumet City resident) Alan Keyes, in NYC for the Republican National Convention, criticized Dick Cheney for recent comments that Cheney made about Mary Cheney, his gay daughter. Illinois Republican Party Chairwoman Judy Baar Topinka said that Keyes' remarks should not distract people from the key election issues, while Senator John McCain offered a more candid evaluation of Keyes' chances in November: "I think it's clear we lose Illinois."
Wednesday September 1 2004 Politics/Activism

Meet the Matlak
The Sun-Times reports that Ted Matlak is working on a speed-reducing solution for neighborhood streets that works better than the unpopular speed humps. The latest speeder-stopping technology is a mid-block island (which sounds like a roundabout in the middle of the block) that Matlak says he'll name after himself if it works and keeps speed humps from proliferating in the 32nd Ward. Aside from speed humps (and Matlaks), transportation officials are toying with other technologies to stop speeders, including installing cameras at stop signs and radar guns with cameras to automatically catch speeding drivers on side streets.
Tuesday August 31 2004 Transportation

Wal-Mart: we're cutting our locations!
Wal-Mart has dropped plans for a South Side store, after the company got concerned about efforts to impose minimum wage and benefits standards on the store. Wal-Mart is continuing its plans for a West Side store (which would be at 1657 N. Kilpatrick), but if ordinances that impose minimum standards pass the Chicago City Council, that second store might also be in trouble.
Tuesday August 31 2004 Business/Shopping

Asian longhorned beetles: we're not out of the woods yet
Remember the Asian longhorned beetle? Well, keep thinking about them, because they're still around. City officials, prompted by the recent discovery of a single beetle in the city (and also by the discovery of a number of infestations in New Jersey, prompted by the finding of a single beetle), are organizing local volunteers to inspect their own city blocks once a week. Remember, kids, this is what an Asian longhorned beetle looks like.
Monday August 30 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Chicago Children's Choir works on its Elvish
Thy've sung in Korean, French, Bulgarian and Zulu, and now the Chicago Children's Choir is tackling songs in Elvish! In October, they'll be performing at a concert of music from the three Lord of the Rings films, which will be conducted by the composer, Howard Shore. The show's happening at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, and tickets are already on sale. Fans of the films' soundtracks will probably want to check this event out.
Monday August 30 2004 Music/Clubs

Do your duty, even when you're awaiting trial
Oprah isn't the only big name in Illinois that was recently called up for jury duty. Former Gov. George Ryan was called up for duty this week in Kankakee. He was not chosen for a jury, perhaps because lawyers surmised that a former Illinois politician awaiting trial for racketeering, mail and tax fraud, etc. might not make the best juror.
Friday August 27 2004 In the News

Celebrity bloopers live on stage
A really funny stage show returns this weekend: Verbatim Verboten, which is a series of readings of celebrity bloopers, illicitly recorded conversations, audio diaries, and other embarrassing slices of private life inadvertently shown to the public. In addition to hearing the outrageous words of the famous and infamous, there will be special guests from Chicago's arts and entertainment community in every show. Verbatim Verboten will be at the Royal George Theatre Center (1641 N. Halsted), and runs Friday & Saturday nights at 9:30 for the next 6 weeks. Tickets are $20; call the box office at (312) 988-9000 for more details. Also note that there will be a special George W. Bush themed show this Sunday at 7:00 PM, just in time for the Republican National Convention.
Friday August 27 2004 Theatre/Dance

More woes for Demon Dogs
After narrowly escaping a couple of shutdowns during the past year, the Chicago landmark Demon Dogs now faces another hurdle: it has to pay 14 years of utility bills that had originally been paid by the CTA, who owns the property that the restaurant is built on. That amounts to a total of $152,654 the business has to pay to the CTA. Yikes. Considering the CTA is planning to reclaim the land anyway for the eventual Brown Line reconstruction, and Demon Dogs is on a month-to-month lease for the property, we might be seeing the actual final days of Demon Dogs coming soon.
Friday August 27 2004 Eating/Drinking

More concrete falling!
But not at Wrigley Field this time. Early Tuesday morning some chunks of concrete fell on the Dan Ryan from the 33rd Street overpass. Inspectors were able to remove enough loose concrete from the structure to fill a wheelbarrow. Yipes! And here's something else to worry about: cracks have begun to appear in posts holding up parts of Wacker Drive, less than a year after the street's $200 million renovation project finished. Although IDOT says these cracks don't affect the structural integrity of the roadway, it's yet another indication that this summer is turning out to be Chicago's Summer of Structural Integrity.
Thursday August 26 2004 Transportation

New One Book title announced
The new "One Book, One Chicago" title was announced today. It's the Julia Alvarez novel "In the Time of the Butterflies," the first selection by a Latina author chosen for the citywide reading program. Start looking for displays of the title at your local bookstore and/or your local library.
Wednesday August 25 2004 Books/Authors

Frankie Knuckles Day
Best Chicago holiday EVER. Today is officially Frankie Knuckles Day, in celebration of the Chicago DJ who popularized house music in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Jefferson Street between Van Buren and Monroe will be renamed Frankie Knuckles Way today, and after that Frankie will be honored at Grant Park's Spirit of Music Garden. Tonight from 6:30 to 9:30, Frankie will be spinning house music at one of the final days of the Chicago Summer Dance celebration at Grant Park.
Wednesday August 25 2004 Music/Clubs

Dave Matthews band officially accused of dumping sewage
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed an official complaint against the Dave Matthews Band yesterday, accusing them of being behind the infamous waste-dumping incident of a couple weeks ago. Apparently some businesses around the bridge where the incident happened have provided videotape that show the bus on the bridge at the time. For their part, the band still stands behind their bus driver, and said in a statement that they will be cooperative in the investigation.
Wednesday August 25 2004 In the News

goskokie gone?
Six Northwestern graduate journalism students put together goskokie, which is supposed to be a community-driven website for Skokie residents that offers Skokie news. (Sort of a GB North.) Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated in nearly a month, and this (in addition to Dan Gillmor praising the site in a blog posting yesterday) prompted the reporters over at The Register to have a bit of fun and surmise that Skokie has disappeared.
Monday August 23 2004 Weblogs

Tribune editor speaks out on Kerry's record
The Chicago Tribune took a larger role in the Presidential race today, as it published a lengthy cover story on the experiences of William Rood, one of the paper's editors who served with John Kerry in Vietnam. In an essay published in the Tribune, Rood says that the critics of Kerry's war record are incorrect, and the discussion is "hurting crewmen who are not public figures and who deserved to be honored for what they did."
Sunday August 22 2004 Politics/Activism

Is it safe?
The city is looking for further proof from the Cubs that Wrigley Field is structurally sound. If proof is not delivered to the City Building Commissioner by Monday, then Wrigley Field will be closed. Furthermore, the problem isn't confined to the ballpark: one of the rooftop decks is being threatened with closure if it can't provide proof of stability.
Friday August 20 2004 Sports/Recreation

C*ck not blocked
The Sun-Times reports that Chicago police have declined to shut down the return engagement of that Australian marvel "Puppetry of the Penis," which rears its head tonight at the Lakeshore Theater. Although the show petered out in Boston due to complaints of tenants in the city's John Hancock Theatre building, Chicago has a lengthy history of nude theater (witness the current extravaganza "Naked Boys Singing" at the Bailiwick), and authorities declined to respond to a local group's complaints. So there's apparently a vas deferens between Boston and Chicago.
Wednesday August 18 2004 Theatre/Dance

CUFF
Don't forget, tonight's the opening night for the Chicago Underground Film Festival. Tonight's film is The Manson Family, a drama about the Tate-LaBianca killings. Showtime is at 8:00 at the 3 Penny (2424 N. Lincoln), tickets are $7, and there'll be a reception and opening night party afterwards.
Wednesday August 18 2004 Film

Illinois importing drugs
Gov. Blagojevich announced today that Illinois is going to start importing prescription drugs from overseas, to reduce the costs for state residents without insurance plans or those with high co-pays. The plan isn't exactly legal, but state officials have noticed that the FDA has yet to prosecute someone for buying drugs out of the country, so they're going ahead with the plan. In response, the FDA is threatening to take the state to court, so who knows if the plan will ever actually get off the ground, or for how long it'll be operating?
Tuesday August 17 2004 In the News

Casketco
Costco is testing out a new item at two Chicago-area stores: caskets. Six different models, each priced at $799.99. Although some shoppers seemed open to the idea of buying their casket at the same place they buy bulk quantities of food, funeral arrangers are less enthusiastic, and are worried that reduced-cost caskets may mean an increase in funeral prices, to make up the missed revenue.
Tuesday August 17 2004 Business/Shopping

The city that works not as much
Crain's Chicago Business reports that Chicago lost a lot of jobs over the past three years. 180,500 jobs were lost from a peak position in January 2001, and hit an all-time low in June of this year. Economists predict that Chicago won't gain its lost jobs back until the second half of 2006, so you unemployed readers out there might have quite a long job search in your near future.
Monday August 16 2004 In the News

Parking tickets down
The Sun-Times reports the amount of parking tickets issued this year is down by 60,000 when compared to last year's numbers. The main reason: two recently completed construction projects, the Wacker Drive reconstruction and 11 Street/Columbus Drive, which brought in loads of parking violations for the city.
Friday August 13 2004 Transportation

Garage sale for musicians
The Different Strummer, the music store at the Old Town School of Folk Music, holds its annual garage sale this weekend (it starts today, if you want to get a jump on the deals). If you're a musician and you're in the market for some deals, you really need to check this event out. Guitars, amps, drums, ukuleles, violins, books, CDs, accessories, instrument cases ... if it's sold at the store, it'll probably be there at the garage sale, at greatly reduced prices. And once you have your instrument, why not sign up for a class at the school? The next 8-week session starts on August 30, and you can save $15 if you sign up by the 23rd.
Friday August 13 2004 Business/Shopping

Today's vanity license plate story
After about a year of trying, a Schaumburg woman has her new vanity license plate -- the number 867 5309, as immortalized in the Tommy Tutone hit from the 1980s. And yes, the woman's name is Jenny.
Friday August 13 2004 Transportation

Yakety sax
This Saturday, scores of students will be taking the MCAT at the city college building at Jackson and Frankin, and school officials are worried that, like the previous two years, there will be a saxophone player stationed outside the building, playing for passers-by and, inadvertently, the test-takers. When confronted about this problem, the unnamed player said he had "a license issued to him to play his saxophone in public" and wouldn't leave. So the college is filing a lawsuit against the player, prohibiting him from playing in a two-block radius around the school building on Saturday. Well, that's one way to solve the problem. Another solution: earplugs!
Thursday August 12 2004 Music/Clubs

Alan Keyes resides in Cal City
Alan Keyes is now an Illinois resident. He got himself an apartment in Calumet City this week (pictures at NBC5 and the Tribune), although it's not known when he'll be moving in. It's a bit of a change from his Maryland residence, that's for sure.
Thursday August 12 2004 Politics/Activism

Field Museum prices go up
Starting on October 1, admission prices will be increased at the Field Museum. It'll be $12 for non-Chicago residents, and $10 for residents. The reason for the increase: diminished attendance levels since 9/11. All the more reason to go check the museum out and give them some business! Their Splendors of the Forbidden City exhibit runs another month, and in November there'll be a Jackie Kennedy exhibit.
Thursday August 12 2004 Arts/Architecture

Once in a lullaby
As if to accentuate the dreamlike status of his campaign, Alan Keyes sang "Over The Rainbow" for Chicago's CBS Channel 2. And, yes, the video is online for you to check out, over at their Streaming Video page. Memo to Keyes: there's no place like home.
Wednesday August 11 2004 Politics/Activism

Jesus built my rockstar
The cover story of this week's Newcity is a profile of Chicago filmmakers Heather Whinna and Vickie Hunter, whose first film (a documentary about Christian rock groups called Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music?) will be screened at the 2004 Chicago Underground Film Festival, which starts on Wednesday, August 18 (tickets for CUFF are now available!).
Wednesday August 11 2004 Film

Anyone seen the bridge?
It's a great day when you get a story like this: the tour bus driver for the Dave Matthews Band denies that his bus was the one that rained liquid waste on a tour boat on Sunday. An eyewitness to the accident gave authorities the license plate for the bus, but when he was talking to reporters the driver coaxed a police sergeant to inspect the tank (how'd you like THAT job?), who then told reporters that the tank was indeed nearly full.
Tuesday August 10 2004 Transportation

Today's odd sports-related injury story
A woman was hit by a ball after a White Sox game. Not a baseball... a golf ball. She's suing the Sox for not preventing the incident, which apparently involved someone hitting golf balls in the parking lot. Well, good luck on that.
Monday August 9 2004 Sports/Recreation

River boat tour wasted
A Chicago River boat tour was ended prematurely on Sunday when the boat passed underneath the Kinzie Street bridge and got doused by an unwelcome rain of liquid waste from at least one of two charter buses that were passing overhead. From now on, I'm going to be packing an umbrella when I travel by boat.
Monday August 9 2004 In the News

Alan Keyes enters Senate race
Yep, Alan Keyes officially entered the race for the Senate this afternoon by announcing his candidacy at a rally in Arlington Heights. The Chicago Tribune was less than amused by Keyes' nomination, and published a very critical editorial on Friday, welcoming Keyes to Illinois without mincing words: "If Keyes accepts, he will run and will lose. And then he will hop on the next flight back to Maryland, and the state's GOP will be left with nothing but the smell of jet fumes."
Sunday August 8 2004 Politics/Activism

Glorious Noise is making records!
Over at Glorious Noise, Jake Brown has announced that he's starting a record label, Glorious Noise Records, and the first release will be by local faves Quasar Wut-Wut. To celebrate the release, they're having a party at Beat Kitchen on Saturday, August 28. You should go, because you like noises.
Friday August 6 2004 Music/Clubs

O'Hare: now with 5% less delays!
The Sun-Times reports that delayed flights at O'Hare improved in June, with on-time arrivals increasing from 64 to 69%, and on-time departures increasing from 68 to 70%. That puts O'Hare ahead of Atlanta's Heartsfield-Jackson in improving flight delays, but the airport still needs to cut back the number of flights, according to the FAA.
Friday August 6 2004 Transportation

Raw comics on display
This weekend at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington), an exhibit of comic art opens. Titled "Raw, Boiled and Cooked: Comics on the Verge," the show focuses on artists inspired by Art Spiegelman's highly influential magazine Raw. Chicago artists represented in the show include Lynda Barry, Ivan Brunetti, Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes. There are various special programs planned during the run of the show, which is scheduled to be on display through October 3. Check the Cultural Center's website for a complete schedule and visiting hours.
Friday August 6 2004 Arts/Architecture

More Oprah
Oprah Winfrey has signed a contract to continue her Chicago-based talk show through the year 2011, which would be the show's 25th year in syndication.
Thursday August 5 2004 Radio/TV

Illinois Farm Direct
The Illinois Farm Direct Farmer to Consumer Directory has a searchable list of Illinois farmers that will sell their produce directly to you -- yes, YOU. Type in your zip code and a search radius, and you'll see what farmers are within your reach. And then you can support local farmers, while getting fresh farm produce at the same time. Everybody wins!
Thursday August 5 2004 Business/Shopping

Alan Keyes: 'I'll think about it'
Last night, Illinois GOP leaders asked Alan Keyes to be their candidate against Barack Obama this fall. Keyes' response: he'll think about it, and let us know on Sunday. GOP leaders are excited about having Keyes as their candidate, although one source quoted in the Sun-Times article points to a potential problem for his campaign: "Well, he doesn't try real hard to make everybody happy."
Thursday August 5 2004 Politics/Activism

Breakin' at the Neo-Futurarium
Tonight the Neo-Futurists wind up their summer schedule of dramatic readings of bad, forgotten, or otherwise neglected films. This year's installment of "It Came From The Neo-Futurarium" concludes with a reading of 1984's Breakin' (Not Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo). The film will be (no doubt memorably) reenacted by actors from the Barrel of Monkeys theater troupe. The show begins tonight at 8:00 at the Neo-Futurarium (5153 N. Ashland), and reservations are highly recommended. See the Neo-Futurist Website for more details, or call the theater at (773) 275-5255.
Wednesday August 4 2004 Theatre/Dance

GOP candidate list narrowed down to two
Last night, Illinois Republicans announced that they've narrowed their Senate candidate search to two candidates. There's Andrea Grubb Barthwell, a former deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy who contributed to the Democratic party until 2001. (One GOP strategist, upon hearing that Barthwell was near the top of the list, was quoted by the Sun-Times as responding, "Are you f
Wednesday August 4 2004 Politics/Activism

Lay's vs. Jays, the final chapter
The legal dispute between Frito-Lay and Jays, over recent claims in Frito-Lay advertising that Chicagoans preferred Lay's to Jays, has now been settled. Frito-Lay promised to not run any comparative ads with Jays for 2 years, and agreed to pay Jays' legal fees. Let this be a warning to any other potato chip maker coming to town: don't mess with Jays.
Tuesday August 3 2004 Eating/Drinking

Alan Keyes?
Today's the day that Illinois Republicans are meeting to decide on a replacement for Jack Ryan in this fall's Senate race, and a new name has suddenly appeared on the list of possible candidates: Alan Keyes, the conservative from Maryland who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2000. On the positive side, he had his own cable TV show ("Alan Keyes Is Making Sense"), and his opinions on various issues are well known, from abortion (he don't like it) to affirmative action (he don't like it) to gun control (he don't like it) to families (he do like it). On the negative side, he doesn't actually live in Illinois (legally, he doesn't have to reside in Illinois until election day), and has never been elected to any office, despite his presidential runs and unsuccessful runs for a Senate seat in Maryland. Still, Republicans seem ready to embrace Keyes if he decides to run, and Barack Obama is quoted as saying, "We'll be happy to debate whoever they put in."
Tuesday August 3 2004 Politics/Activism

Worst traffic EVER.
There are a number of construction projects happening this summer on the highways between Chicago and northwest Indiana, and they've all combined to create an unusually long commute for drivers going to or coming from Indiana. Unfortunately, it's not going to get any better anytime soon; the bulk of the work is scheduled to last for three years. Just keep this in mind, next time you decide to take the Chicago Skyway. Perhaps an alternative route going through Kentucky?
Monday August 2 2004 Transportation

Illinois death penalty doc on NBC tonight
Deadline, the documentary that examines Illinois Governor George Ryan's decision to grant blanket clemency to all Death Row inmates in Illinois, airs tonight on "Dateline NBC" at 7:00. The film's Website has a list of follow-up programs that will run on MSNBC and NBC, discussing the issues behind the film and offering viewers to respond to the movie.
Friday July 30 2004 Film

Batman Begins again
The Sun-Times reports that filming on the next Batman film ("which is tentatively titled The Intimidation Game but will be known as Batman Begins when it hits theaters") continues in Chicago. The film-makers apparently love Lower Wacker Drive so much that they rewrote the script to have more screen time devoted to Batman traversing its twisty depths (something that John Landis did 24 years ago). Chicago will be featured prominently in several other upcoming films, including Ocean's 12, a remake of The Amityville Horror (I'm scared already), and the next Harold Ramis movie, Ice Harvest.
Friday July 30 2004 Film

Jack Ryan out of the race
It's official: Jack Ryan is out of the Senate race. It only took him 5 weeks to file the papers to have his name removed from the ballot. This means that the Republican Party can now move forward with their plans for a replacement candidate, who will be officially announced on Tuesday. Current front runners: Jim Oberweis and John Borling, who were initial primary contenders; Cook County Commissioner Liz Dooty Gorman; and possibly agri-business reporter Orion Samuelson, who appaprently has significant name recognition downstate.
Thursday July 29 2004 Politics/Activism

Boo!
Do we have horror movie fans in the house? Then you'll definitely want to check out Flashback Weekend (aka Horro'Rama Drive-In and Convention), which happens this weekend at the Holiday Inn O'Hare in Rosemont. Loads of horror movie celebrities of varying degrees of fame, plenty of memorabilia dealers and activities, and my favorite part: an actual drive-in screen (or "walk-in," as it won't be in a parking lot) set up outside the hotel, which will be showing buckets of horror movies late into the evenings. The convention starts Friday night, and runs through Sunday night; check the Website for a full schedule and complete information.
Thursday July 29 2004 Film

O'Hare flight numbers to be cut
As previously mentioned, O'Hare has been processing record numbers of flights and passengers in recent years. Unfortunately, they've also been having record numbers of delayed flights (14,500 delayed flights in the month of May alone!), and obviously those delayed flights can cause further delays in other airports. So the FAA wants O'Hare to reduce its number of flights, and will come up with some flight reduction numbers by Monday. Does this mean that O'Hare will lose the World's Busiest Airport title to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International? We shall see.
Wednesday July 28 2004 Transportation

S. Clark Street closing for construction
A section of Clark Street, from Polk to 15th Street, will be closed for construction starting next week, and remain closed at least through June 2005. The main plan is to lower the road, so it passes underneath Roosevelt Road, and to widen the street to allow more traffic. One of the reasons that this project is under way: a new Target store is opening on the intersection's northwest corner in October. So... perhaps they should have started already?
Tuesday July 27 2004 Transportation

Get the net!
The inspection for falling chunks of concrete at Wrigley Field continues this week, and with a home game scheduled on Friday, the Cubs don't want to take any chances. So they've ordered a safety net to protect fans from falling debris from the upper deck. Meanwhile, Alderman Bernie Stone has a solution for the falling debris problem: close Wrigley Field.
Tuesday July 27 2004 Sports/Recreation

Jays victorious!
Following up on this week's Lay's vs. Jays controversy, the Sun-Times reports that a federal judge ordered Frito-Lay to remove a billboard that claimed that Chicagoans preferred the taste of Lay's over Jays, and told the company to stop using this claim in their advertising. Frito-Lay conducted taste tests late last year at malls in Joliet, Niles and Elgin, in which 55% voted for Lay's chips.
Friday July 23 2004 Eating/Drinking

John Dillinger died for you
Today's the 70th anniversary of John Dillinger being shot in front of Chicago's Biograph theater, and if you feel like celebrating the death of 1934's Public Enemy #1, then you'll want to head on over to the Red Lion Pub at 2446 N. Lincoln (across the street from the Biograph), for tonight's celebration of Dillinger Day. They'll be screening movies and newsreels on Dillinger at 8:00, Michael Flores of the Psychotronic Film Society will give a talk on Dillinger, and then at 10:00 a procession of bagpipes will retrace Dillinger's final steps from the Biograph to the nearby alley where he died.
Thursday July 22 2004 History

Soldier Field no longer a landmark?
The National Park Service issued a report yesterday that recommended that Soldier Field should lose its National Historic Landmark status, because the recent renovations to the statium has destroyed its historic character. The recommendation doesn't take effect right away; the status will be voted upon by the Advisory Board Landmarks Committee in September, which will then send its recommendation to the full board, which will forward its recommendation to the US Secretary of the Interior, etc., etc., etc. In short, this issue will drag out for several months, which should give Bears fans one more thing to worry about this fall.
Wednesday July 21 2004 Sports/Recreation

Live theater at the Biograph?
One of Chicago's most famous landmarks, the Biograph Theatre, is going to be purchased by Victory Gardens Theatre and converted to a live theater complex, according to the Tribune. The interior of the building will be renovated and turned into a 299-seat mainstage that would serve as the primary production home for Victory Gardens. Hey, at least it's not getting turned into condos, right?
Tuesday July 20 2004 Theatre/Dance

Cubs fans, watch out for falling concrete!
The Sun-Times reports that concrete appears to be falling from Wrigley Field's upper decks. There have been two incidents in the last 5 weeks, so the Cubs have hired a structural engineer to perform a top-to-bottom inspection of the ballpark. Inspections are usually done annually for off-season maintenance, but the piece of the upper deck that fell on Friday (and was displayed on the news this weekend) spurred the Cubs into taking action.
Tuesday July 20 2004 Sports/Recreation

Jays vs. Lay's
Local potato chip manufacturer Jays is feeling the heat of a Chicago ad campaign by Frito-Lay that claims Chicago prefers the taste of Lay's over Jays. Jays filed a federal lawsuit yesterday, claiming the advertising is false and misleading, and asked to see Frito-Lay's research backing the claim. (Frito-Lay isn't revealing its sources, of course.)
Tuesday July 20 2004 Eating/Drinking

Chicago's largest bowling alley closing
Chicago's largest bowling alley, Marzano's Miami Bowl, is closing due to slow business. The 80-lane bowling complex has been open for 49 years, but the current manager, Dan Marzano, says the business had been in a decline since 9/11. GB readers may recall that earlier this year, the Marigold Bowl also closed up after 60-plus years of service to the Wrigleyville area. It's a bad time to be in the bowling business, apparently. (Thanks to Big Happy Funhouse for the tip.)
Monday July 19 2004 Sports/Recreation

Hema's Kitchen II: Electric Vindaloo
Good news for fans of the popular Indian restaurant Hema's Kitchen who are put off by the huge wait times to get into the place; Hema has recently opened up a second location in Lincoln Park (2411 N. Clark, near Clark & Fullerton) with the same menu. We went for dinner this weekend, and found the food as great as the original location, and the serving times to be markedly better. Hema's Kitchen II has only been open a couple of weeks, so its existence is not well-known around town yet; you'd better go now before people suddenly wake up and realize the best Indian food in Chicago (according to WTTW's "Check, Please!") is now available at two locations.
Monday July 19 2004 Eating/Drinking

Computer problems delay morning news
GB wasn't the only Chicago news outlet that was working on its computers this morning! The Tribune's regular Monday morning delivery was delayed by four hours by computer problems related to some upgrades yesterday. Today's paper will be smaller than normal by about 20 pages, and not all home subscribers will get their paper. According to WBEZ, the Trib will credit all subscribers who don't receive today's issue.
Monday July 19 2004 Print/Magazines

Best Online Read!
Thanks to Chicago Magazine for naming Gapers Block the Best Online Read in their "Best of Chicago 2004" list for the August issue. They refer to GB's "witty reporting by young volunteers who are delightfully skeptical of the man." Isn't it "The Man," with capital letters? Anyway, thanks for the honor, Chicago Magazine. We promise we won't let you down.
Sunday July 18 2004 Gapers

Busiest airport: O'Hare or Hartsfield?
Which is the busiest airport in the world: Chicago's O'Hare, or Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International? Depends on how you define "busiest," according to the FAA. O'Hare has handled the most number of flights in the first half of 2004 (nearly a half-million), but Hartsfield-Jackson is handling the most number of passengers (12 million in the first 4 months of 2004). Either way, that's still a huge amount of traffic flowing through the two airports. We'll have to check back with this story near the end of the year, to see which airport will win the coveted title of World's Busiest Airport. (I think there might be a trophy of some sort awarded to the winner.)
Friday July 16 2004 Transportation

City sticker shock
Today's the deadline for getting your Chicago city sticker purchased and stuck to your windshield. (Although you can still buy them after today, you have to pay $40 extra, and if you're caught without one after today, it's a $120 fine. Amusingly enough, some cops have already started giving out tickets.) If you haven't bought one yet (or if you did buy one and had it stolen), then get yourself to the City Clerk's office (or buy it online). And if you DID buy one, but it hasn't arrived in the mail yet, then you might wish to check out the list of undeliverable stickers that were returned to the city by the post office.
Thursday July 15 2004 Transportation

Ditka won't run
Mike Ditka said yesterday that he won't be the Republican candidate for the US Senate seat being vacated by Peter Fitzgerald.
Thursday July 15 2004 Politics/Activism

Obama to deliver keynote speech at DNC
Just posted on John Kerry's blog: Illinois state senator and US Senate candidate Barack Obama will be delivering the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston on Tuesday, July 27th.
Wednesday July 14 2004 Politics/Activism

Terkel watch
Studs Terkel is recuperating in an unnamed hospital after "a little spill," according to his son Dan. He is expected to be released by Saturday. Get well, Studs!
Wednesday July 14 2004 People/Sightings

Action!
The Sun-Times reports that one of Mayor Daley's long-term projects, that of bringing a movie studio to Chicago, may be coming to fruition. Eleven acres of land on the West Side will be sold to Central Studios LLC, which is planning to construct stage and office space on the property.
Tuesday July 13 2004 Film

They can call it 'Big Yellow'
Researchers at UIUC are developing a new chewing gum that, unlike current gums on the market that are made out of synthetic bases, is made out of a natural ingredient that Illinois has plenty of -- corn! Currently their cinnamon-flavored corn gum isn't doing so well in taste tests, but they remain optimistic that they can improve the product and possibly open up a new huge market for the state's corn industry.
Monday July 12 2004 Eating/Drinking

Godzilla vs. The Three Stooges
It's quite a banner year for film history. Not only is it the 50th anniversary of the original Godzilla movie, but it's also the 70th anniversary of the Three Stooges starting as a solo act (following their apprenticeship to vaudevillian Ted Healy). Both of these important dates in film history have celebratory film openings tonight. The original unedited version of Godzilla starts playing tonight at the Music Box, and a Three Stooges "70th Annivoisary" program starts at the Siskel Film Center. Fine cinematic fare for the kid in us all.
Friday July 2 2004 Film

UIC is full!
When UIC sent out acceptance letters for this fall's freshman class, they were expecting some of the notified students to be going elsewhere. It didn't quite work out that way, and now there are 335 UIC students waiting to get in. About half of the "accepted, but wait-listed" students have been placed, but they still have some left to go. UIC is advising the remaining students to look at other schools, including U of I-Springfield and the ever-popular community colleges.
Thursday July 1 2004 Schools/Education

Bank None
Chicago's Bank One is officially no more today, having been purchased by JP Morgan Chase. Look for the Bank One name to be replaced by Chase, JP Morgan's retail banking arm.
Thursday July 1 2004 Business/Shopping

Cubs rooftop arguments heat up again
Three months after all the agreements between Wrigley Field and local rooftop clubs were hammered out, a new club at 950 W. Addison has sprung up, and the Cubs are planning to block its view of the field.
Thursday July 1 2004 Sports/Recreation

O'Hare expansion may mean increase in wetlands
The Tribune reports that the planned expansion of O'Hare could mean an increase in the amount of wetlands in the surrounding area, because the US Army Corps of Engineers requires the creation of 1.5 acres for every acre of wetlands destroyed. The expansion project is set to take away 150 acres of wetland space, and so the city is requesting bids for wetland migration work along the Des Plaines River.
Wednesday June 30 2004 Outdoors/Environment

$2.00, here we come...
The Sun-Times reports that Mayor Daley hasn't ruled out another hike in CTA fares to solve its financial crises. He would only say that the CTA is "looking at many alternatives," which at this time seem to be (1) increase fares, (2) cut service, or (3) both. Hey, on the bright side, if the fare goes up to $2, we can all start using those super-cool redesigned $2 bills.
Wednesday June 30 2004 Transportation

Billy Corgan's day job redux
As previously reported at GB, Billy Corgan has a new job as Cubs reporter for XRT these days. And according to the Trib, his new job is going pretty well. Corgan sez: "I don't take it seriously. I view it as entertainment. I'm by no means an expert, but then again, I think most 'experts' aren't experts either." Well said, Billy!
Tuesday June 29 2004 Sports/Recreation

Bean? No, Cloud Gate.
The new sculpture (that hasn't even been completely constructed!) at Millennium Park nicknamed "The Bean" now has an official name: "Cloud Gate." The sculpture's creator, Anish Kapoor, predicts the sculpture will not be finished until September. (Of which year, Kapoor did not say.) In the meantime, don't forget that you can always keep an eye on "Cloud Gate" via webcam.
Tuesday June 29 2004 Arts/Architecture

Popular restaurants are also pricey
The Sun-Times reports that Chicagoans are going out more often to eat, and paying more for the experience. The latest Zagat survey shows that the most popular restaurants in Chicago -- Tru, Charlie Trotter's, and Everest -- are some of the priciest places to eat in the city. In addition, a survey of Chicago diners indicates that nearly 2/3 are paying more at restaurants than two years ago.
Tuesday June 29 2004 Eating/Drinking

New Miss Illinois hauntingly familiar
Michelle LaGroue of Naperville has been crowned Miss Illinois -- for the second time. Miss LaGroue was first runner-up in 2002, but the winner that year, Erika Harold, won the Miss America pageant, allowing Miss LaGroue to serve out the remainder of the term as Miss Illinois. So this is actually the first time that she won the pageant. But don't worry, all you former Miss Illinois'ers out there; you can enter again if you've won, but you have to sit out at least one year before competing again.
Monday June 28 2004 People/Sightings

Mmm, Chicago...
Summer is once again here, and that can mean only one thing around these parts: the 24th annual Taste of Chicago. Dozens and dozens of local restaurants offering samples of their regular menus, a "wireless cafe" operated by US Cellular with fancy WiFi hardware, a bunch of free concerts, and people. LOTS OF PEOPLE. Tip to hardcore Taste fans: the food tickets, which cost $7 per pack, can be purchased at local Dominick's for $5.50 through this Thursday.
Monday June 21 2004 Eating/Drinking

Blue light's special on El trains
The CTA, having installed signs and special metal rings surrounding the emergency contact buttons that are in each train car, have now added an additional feature to identify the buttons: blue lights above the buttons. The blue light should make it extremely easy to spot the buttons, which were installed to allow passengers to contact the train driver. (But only in emergencies! So don't be pushing the button just because you're lonely and need someone to talk to. And if you accidentally push the button, just let the driver know it was an accident.)
Monday June 21 2004 Transportation

A Saturday in the Art Institute
It's probably one of the most widely-known and easily-recognized paintings in the Art Institute's collection. And tomorrow it's the centerpiece of the museum's new exhibition, Seurat and the Making of La Grande Jatte. Early Seurat works will be featured, as will pieces by artists that inspired Seurat. But the main feature will of course be the 1884 painting A Sunday on La Gande Jatte. Researchers have put together an alternate color-corrected version of the painting that supposedly represents how the painting appeared when it was first unveiled. This alternate version hasn't been shown to the press, so you have to go to the exhibit to see it. The exhibit runs from June 19 through September 19.
Friday June 18 2004 Arts/Architecture

25 years of Svengoolie
The Tribune has a write-up today on Rich Koz, who has been dressing up as horror movie show host Svengoolie since 1979. Today Koz is honored with the Silver Circle Award from the Chicago chapter of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and tomorrow night on Channel 26, a Svengoolie 25th anniversary special will air, with plenty of clips from past years and a classic horror film (The Screaming Skull) to show as the main feature.
Friday June 18 2004 Radio/TV

What, no Roctober?
In today's Tribune: the 50 best magazines. You'll know whether or not you're going to like this list after finding out what's #1: Wired. The usual suspects are in there (Time, People, the New Yorker and, yes, Chicago), but the token "alternative" pick is a good 'un: Heeb magazine makes it in at #45.
Thursday June 17 2004 Print/Magazines

DIY Bloomsday
As you probably know if you looked at Google's header graphic today, today's the 100th anniversary of Leopold Bloom's ramble around Dublin, as chronicled in James Joyce's "Ulysses". Celebrate Bloomsday tonight at the Red Lion Pub (2446 N. Lincoln, across from the Biograph) with a "do-it-yourself Bloomsday reading" performed open-mike style in three-minute increments. The fun goes from 7:00 to 9:00 tonight, admission is $3, and it's 21+. So even if you can't completely follow Joyce's text, you can still drink.
Wednesday June 16 2004 Books/Authors

Chief Illiniwek vote delayed
The U of I board of trustees is expected to introduce on Thursday a resolution to delay a vote on whether to keep the controversial sports mascot Chief Illiniwek. The resolution instead calls for a "consensus conclusion" to the Illiniwek debate. It is unclear as to what this compromise would entail; in a report delivered to trustees in March of 2002, former trustee Roger Plummer said that "after nine months of reviewing options presented for a 'compromise' resolution, including many unsolicited recommendations, it is abundantly clear that there is no 'compromise' available."
Monday June 14 2004 Sports/Recreation

Congress Hotel strike 1 year old
The Sun-Times reports on the strike of 100 employees of the Congress Plaza Hotel, which started a year ago in part to protest a wage cut. Since the strike started, 30 workers have opted to return to their jobs, the hotel has lost more than $1 million as a result of the strike, and the two sides are no closer to a settlement than they were a year ago.
Monday June 14 2004 Politics/Activism

Architects' favorite Chicago buildings
The Chicago chapter of the Amrican Institute of Architects released the results of their best-of-the-best survey, as taken by over 300 Chicagoland architects. Best indoor space: the atrium lobby of the Rookery building. Best outdoor space: Buckingham Fountain. Best skyline view: Adler Planetarium. Check the link for the full list.
Sunday June 13 2004 Arts/Architecture

Daley heads north
The Tribune reports that Mayor Daley and his wife will be moving into a condo overlooking Millennium Park, meaning that Da Mare will, for the first time in his life, be living on the North Side. Not to worry, though, South Siders; Daley still pledges his loyalty to the White Sox.
Saturday June 12 2004 People/Sightings

Brown Line work on hold; Demon Dogs lives!
The Sun-Times reports that the CTA's plans to renovate the Brown Line are currently on hold, after they realized the construction bids that they received for the project were way too high. This means that businesses near Brown Line tracks that were due to be demolished for the construction have a bit of a reprieve (I'm looking at you, Demon Dogs!), although the CTA's Frank Kreusi promises they'll still be done by the original 2009 completion date.
Thursday June 10 2004 Transportation

Candy comes to Chicago (but not for you!)
With the recent news of candy makers leaving the Chicago area, it's heartening to hear that the delicious-sounding ALL CANDY EXPO (slogan: "It's Candy Time!") is happening this week at McCormick Place. The expo, unfortunately, is not open to the public, but the schedule turns up one amusing event: children will be allowed into the expo for one hour only, on the final day of the expo. (And they'll have to go through a 15-minute "children's briefing" before admission. No doubt they'll also have to sign a non-disclosure agreement and be searched before leaving.)
Tuesday June 8 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Whoops! Cubs don't own parking lot
The Sun-Times reports that a plot of land currently being used for a parking lot at Wrigley Field was bought in 1982 from a railroad company that didn't have the right to sell it. The Cubs are currently working on a deal to purchase the land for real this time, because they're hoping to turn the lot into a parking deck, a Cubs Hall of Fame and a sports-themed restaurant.
Monday June 7 2004 Sports/Recreation

See the lakefront at 5 mph
The Sun-Times reports that a new tour company is offering a three-hour, seven-mile tour of the Chicago lakefront on a Segway. $65 gets you access to one of the scooters, which you can use to visit Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain and the museum campus. You also get an instructional class on the Segway's operation -- and a helmet, just in case.
Friday June 4 2004 Transportation

They call him MISTER Leather.
Congratulations go out to Jason Hendrix from Washington DC, who won the 2004 International Mr. Leather competition this weekend. Congrats also to Alan Tunstall of LA, who won the International Mr. Bootblack title. Pictures, of course, are available.
Monday May 31 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Chicago anti-war protest visits other cities
You may remember last January's display in Federal Plaza of about 500 pairs of combat boots, each one representing a soldier killed in Iraq. In the last week, that exhibit has moved to other cities such as Washington DC and Youngstown, Ohio. Regrettably, the exhibit has grown in number to 803 pairs of boots.
Monday May 31 2004 Politics/Activism

Voters not happy with new casino idea
Bad news for Da Mare's plan for a Chicago casino: only 56% of Illinois voters are against creating a new casino in the state, according to a Tribune/WGN poll. However, opinion from Chicago voters on the matter is just about evenly split, so residents may not yet be ready to completely reject the idea. (City officials might wish to work on the idea carefully, however: 31% of voters said they would vote against legislators who favor casino gambling in Illinois.)
Friday May 28 2004 Politics/Activism

City sticker price rises for SUVs
After getting hit with high gas prices over the past few weeks, SUV owners will have another higher price to deal with this year: an increase in their city sticker fees. 43 models of SUVs that weight more than 4,500 pounds will have to shell out $90 for a sticker, up from $75. The complete list of vehicles that will have increased sticker prices is up at the City Clerk's Website. Time to switch to a bike, perhaps?
Friday May 28 2004 Transportation

$18,000 measuring cup?
The Chicago Department of Consumer Services unveiled today an $18,000 measuring device that can accuately measure the amount of gas delivered by a station pump. This device can be used by city workers to measure the accuracy of gas station equipment, and cite station owners if they're short-changing customers. (For the record, department spokesmen say that Chicago stations overall are giving out a bit more gas than is paid for.)
Thursday May 27 2004 Transportation

Wal-Mart coming to Chicago
It's official: the City Council has approved zoning changes for a Wal-Mart store on the West Side. Update: the Trib reports that the South Side store didn't have enough votes to pass.
Wednesday May 26 2004 Business/Shopping

Obit: David Dellinger
David Dellinger, one of the famed Chicago Seven who were put on trial in 1969 and 1970 for their part in the antiwar protests during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, died on Tuesday at the age of 88. Even at his advanced age, Dellinger was still interested in politics. In 2001, he hitched a ride from his home in Vermont to demonstrations in Quebec City to protest the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Wednesday May 26 2004 Politics/Activism

Gay Games Update
The Advocate reports that the organizers of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago will launch a new Website, GayGamesChicago.org, on Friday. The site's up already (although registration for the games doesn't start until June), so you can peruse the list of upcoming events (mostly fundraising and volunteer meetings for now) and information for people who would like to volunteer.
Tuesday May 25 2004 Sports/Recreation

Obit: journalist Vernon Jarrett
About a week after veteran Chicago anchorman Floyd Kalber died, veteran journalist Vernon Jarrett died on Sunday. Jarrett worked in TV, in radio and for three separate Chicago newspapers, but he was most proud of his work with young people, particularly the annual intellectual competition he founded for African-American high school students, ACT-SO.
Monday May 24 2004 Radio/TV

Billy Corgan gets a day job
Billy Corgan is now apparently the Chicago Cubs correspondent for WXRT. The radio station's programming veep, Norm Winer, says Corgan will provide analysis and commentary on the team's previous week performance and preview the upcoming week's game series. (Thanks to Chicagomuzik for the tip, and also for providing big laffs with the headline "This Is Not An Onion Article.")
Monday May 24 2004 Sports/Recreation

Wal-Mart vote looms on Wednesday
If you've been keeping track of the attempts of Wal-Mart to get a store into Chicago, you'll want to keep an eye on the city council's meeting this Wednesday. They're prepared to vote on zoning changes to allow two Wal-Marts within city limits: one on the West Side, and one on the South Side. You might also be interested in this Tribune article, which describes the populist campaign Wal-Mart is waging to gather support for the stores.
Monday May 24 2004 Politics/Activism

Mice on parade
You may notice some six-foot mice standing on State Street over the next couple of months, but don't worry: they're real. Fifteen Mickey Mouse statues have been placed on State Street, between Wacker Drive and Jackson. (Think a Disney-themed "Cows on Parade" exhibit.) The statues come from a larger collection of 75 that were created for Mickey's 75th birthday, and the exhibit will be moving to other cities over the next few months.
Friday May 21 2004 Arts/Architecture

The Obama Show
The Sun-Times reports that US Senate candidate Barack Obama is being followed by a particularly persistent cameraman, whose job is to record every single second of Obama's appearances in public. The cameraman, not surprisingly, is employed by Obama's opponent, Republican Jack Ryan. A spokeman for Ryan's campaign says that they're just making sure Obama doesn't contradict himself in his public statements. And I'm sure that, if Ryan catches Obama in a misstatement, he will quietly and discreetly alert Obama's team to the error, without notifying any people in the news media or making a big deal about it. Update: Jack Ryan has apologized, and has ordered the cameraman to back off.
Friday May 21 2004 Politics/Activism

Edith Frost demos
Check out today's release over at the net label Comfort Stand Recordings: a collection of demo recordings by Chicago rock'n'roller (and blogger!) Edith Frost.
Thursday May 20 2004 Music/Clubs

Candy snatcher freed!
Northwestern student Alison Baenen, charged with shoplifting after she ate 41 cents' worth of candy in a White Hen Pantry, has had her charges dismissed after she promised never to go into the store again. Says Baenen: "I'm just glad this is over."
Wednesday May 19 2004 Eating/Drinking

It's either a cougar ... or a big dog
Investigating nearly 50 sightings of a large animal in Lake County since February, wildlife experts have examined paw prints left behind by the animal and surmise that the animal is not a cougar, as has previously been thought, but instead a large dog. Bad dog! Sit! Stay!
Wednesday May 19 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Taxi fare increase looming
With Chicago's gas prices heading towards $2.35 and $2.40 per gallon (according to Chicago Gas Prices), a number of taxi drivers are asking for an increase in cab fares to compensate for the price increase. But to even consider the issue, the city council requires that the drivers turn in a petition signed by 10% of the city's 17,000 licensed drivers -- and when THAT'S been verified, the council has 60 days to hold hearings. Which means that the summer driving season might be over before the fare increase is even considered.
Tuesday May 18 2004 Transportation

Obama blog
US Senate candidate Barack Obama's official Weblog just went live. Check it out!
Tuesday May 18 2004 Found on the Web

The Governor's garage sale
If you were in Ravenswood Manor yesterday afternoon, you might have seen it: the neighborhood's annual garage sale. What made it special this year was Rod Blagojevich's participation.
Monday May 17 2004 In the News

(Sometime this) Millennium Park
Channel 7 news has a nice little recap on the history of Millennium Park. Four years behind schedule, costing three times its original budget, and with most of the park still under construction, the place is finally scheduled for opening this July. (Don't forget, you can still keep an eye on the construction of "The Bean" sculpture via webcam!)
Saturday May 15 2004 Outdoors/Environment

West Nile season has begun
The Tribune reports that DuPage County officials have reported finding a number of mosquitos that have tested positive for the West Nile Virus, and one dead bird that tested positive for the virus. This is the third year that Illinois has had to deal with the disease, and with this year's discovery of the virus it might be time to review the West Nile Virus info site from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Pay special attention to the mosquito photo gallery, as well as the WNV information doorhanger in PDF form. Handy for printing out your own doorhangers!
Friday May 14 2004 In the News

All-girl chess championships
This weekend, Chicago plays home to another unique event: the first annual All-Girl National Chess Championship. Girls between the ages of 6 and 18 will be testing their chess-playing skill at the Adler Planetarium this weekend, with awards ceremonies taking place Sunday afternoon at 2:00. For more information on the tournament, you might go check out the Website of Chess Wizards, a Chicago-area group for chess players.
Friday May 14 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

New look for Seurat painting
One of the most recognizable paintings in the Art Institute's collection, Seurat's "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte," doesn't quite look like how it originally did when it first went on display in 1886. Over the years, the paints have faded and changed color quite a bit. A reconstructed version of the painting (a full-size digital print), along with 130 other pieces of Seurat artwork, will be going on display in a new show at the museum, due to open June 19th. Information on the new show is available at the Art Institute site, and members can purchase tickets for the show now. (The general public must wait until May 15.)
Thursday May 13 2004 Arts/Architecture

Mancow's least favorite listener
The Wall Street Journal reports on Chicagoan David Smith, who's been listening to Mancow's show since 1999 ... and has sent more than 70 complaints to the FCC, resulting in a number of fines against Mancow and Q-101. Worth checking out the article just to see a Wall-Street-Journal-type stipple portrait of Mancow.
Thursday May 13 2004 Radio/TV

Downtown Chicago casino already a bust?
A day after Mayor Daley announced his plans for a downtown Chicago casino, Crain's Chicago Business reports that Governor Blagojevich opposes Daley's plans, and will veto any legislation that calls for a downtown casino.
Tuesday May 11 2004 Business/Shopping

That's a lotta B.S.
Feeling smart today? U.S. Census results show that 27 percent of Chicago residents 25 and older have at least a bachelor's degree. The national average is just under 26 percent. The state average is even better: 28 percent, which ranks Illinois 14th in a list of states by education. (Not surprisingly, Massachusetts is #1, with 35 1/2 percent of its population with college degrees.)
Tuesday May 11 2004 Schools/Education

Art Chicago in trouble?
The 2004 Art Chicago fair is wrapping up Monday night, but the Sun-Times reports that dealers are staying away from the fair and going to similar events in other cities. Despite a decrease in dealer attendance, Art Chicago officials are optimistic, pointing out that they have "dates booked through 2010."
Sunday May 9 2004 Arts/Architecture

What's that smell?
Apparently Lemont, IL smells so bad that they've started their own odor detection department. (Most of the odors come from the number of refineries, tank farms, chemical plants and canal barges surrounding the village.)
Saturday May 8 2004 In the News

Shubert Theatre to be renamed
The Shubert Theatre is going to be closed down early next year for a multi-million dollar renovation, and is scheduled to reopen with a new name: the LaSalle Bank Theatre. Theatre history: the Shubert name comes from the Shubert Organization, which bought the theatre in 1945 and named it for organization co-founder Sam Shubert.
Friday May 7 2004 Theatre/Dance

Northwestern doctor training for space
Northwestern orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Satcher gets to go into space because NASA wants to research the effects of space on bone loss. Hey, NASA! Maybe you want to study the effects of space on Website design?
Thursday May 6 2004 People/Sightings

U Chicago scavenger hunt begins!
The list of items and tasks for the 2004 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt is up in PDF form (original link, mirror site). The hunt kicks off today and concludes on Sunday the 9th, Judgment Day. If the Scavenger Hunt site is a bit slow for you right now (due to it being Slashdotted), peruse this article on the hunt.
Thursday May 6 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Chicago history mural
What's 8 feet tall and 100 yards long? A new mural that Art Institute students are painting right now, which is set to be put up at Millennium Park in a couple of weeks. The mural includes Chicago notables from Mayor Daley to Oprah to Sue (you know, Sue), and will be at the park through mid-summer.
Wednesday May 5 2004 Arts/Architecture

Wal-Mart decision delayed
The City Council, expected to vote today on whether to allow Wal-Mart stores in the city limits, instead delayed the vote until May 26, at the requests of aldermen and activists who are concerned about the effect the stores could have on the surrounding neighborhoods.
Wednesday May 5 2004 Business/Shopping

Hassled by the Man in Wisconsin
Sun-Times columnist Mary Laney was pulled over by Wisconsin police on Saturday for speeding, and was subsequently told her license was suspended in Wisconsin. After writing about it Monday, a sheriff from Racine County tried to reassure Illinois motorists that Wisconsin troopers weren't out to get them, and a columnist for Wisconsin's Journal Times sorted out the whole mess: Mary Laney's license was in fact suspended in Wisconsin due to two other speeding tickets, but the suspension should have been cleared from her record by now. Not surprisingly, the error was corrected after Laney's column was printed.
Wednesday May 5 2004 People/Sightings

Orange Meadowbrite: made in Chicago
As previously reported in GB, the Chicago Botanic Garden unveiled a new plant this year: the Orange Meadowbrite, a scented orange coneflower that was mentioned on today's All Things Considered. The Orange Meadowbrite will be one of the stars of the botanic garden's upcoming 39th annual spring plant sale, A Bloomin' Sale.
Tuesday May 4 2004 Outdoors/Environment

The week (so far) in dietary news
Yesterday, the Sun-Times reported on McDonald's reaction to the new documentary Super Size Me, which shows the effects of eating Mickey D's food exclusively for a month. (The movie opens in Chicago on Friday.) And today, they report that the USDA asserts that low-carb diets are a fad, just like the low-fat diets of the 1990s. (This isn't preventing retailers from making big bucks selling low-carb foods right now, of course; the Food Marketing Institute Convention, currently under way at McCormick Place, features a whole array of new low-carb items, from pizza to salad dressings.)
Tuesday May 4 2004 Eating/Drinking

The return of Fannie May?
Good news for Fannie May chocolate fans: Alpine Confections, the owner of the Fannie May and Fanny Farmer brands, announced plans today to re-open some Fannie May stores, two of which will be located in Chicago.
Monday May 3 2004 Eating/Drinking

Hot Doug's mourned
The Tribune has a story on the fire at Hot Doug's last weekend. No details as to when they'll be opening again, alas.
Sunday May 2 2004 Eating/Drinking

Secret interstate ramp!
The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has a secret entrance ramp onto I-88 that allows them to get from the parking lot of their Downers Grove headquarters right onto the interstate, saving a trip of several miles. As the Sun-Times reports today, the tollway board voted to make the ramp accessible to the public by building a route to the ramp from Ogden Avenue. Makes you wonder what other secret stuff is built into the interstate system. Keep your eyes peeled on the commute home tonight...
Friday April 30 2004 Transportation

Chess Records studios still active
The Tribune reports that the historic Chess Records studio at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue is still being used for recording, albeit not as frequently as its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s. Yesterday marked the first time since 1989 that artists have recorded in the studio (and the musicians still had to truck in a lot of recording gear, since the studio has not been updated with new equipment). The studio will be refurbished in the coming years thanks to the Willie Dixon Blues Heaven Foundation, a program that provides blues education to children and provides business and medical financial aid to blues musicians.
Thursday April 29 2004 Music/Clubs

How'd we miss this one?
Bruce Sterling, author (and blogger) of note, speaks at Barbara's Bookstore in Oak Park tonight at 7:30 PM.
Thursday April 29 2004 Books/Authors

Ticket not, lest ye be ticketed
The next time you find a ticket stuck to your car, consider this statistic: city government employees owe nearly $2 million in unpaid traffic tickets and water bills. To take care of this large bill, the city has filed about 4,700 wage garnishment cases against deadbeat employees, and 44 workers have been suspended for nonpayment.
Thursday April 29 2004 In the News

Return of the King
The Tribune reports that Julie Taymor's musical adaptation of "The Lion King" will be coming back to Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre in June 2005. The same company that started its tour in Chicago last year will be doing the play, probably with much of the same cast in place.
Wednesday April 28 2004 Theatre/Dance

Seen the Bean?
There's a new sculpture going up at Millennium Park downtown. It's a 20 foot by 30 foot by 60 foot mirrored oval shape that's sure to be a real eye-catcher when it's unveiled. The sculptor has not officially named the sculpture yet, so it's just being referred to as The Bean. You can see a picture of it here (not an actual image, since the sculpture's still being assembled) and you can follow the building of the sculpture over at usequities.com. Well, you WOULD be able to follow it, except that they're building the sculpture under a tent. (The webcam goes inside the tent on May 1st.)
Wednesday April 28 2004 Arts/Architecture

More cameras to be installed at intersections
More bad news for Chicago motorists who like to run red lights: the Sun-Times reports that the city has been so pleased with the trial installation of security cameras watching accident-prone intersections that they're planning to install more cameras at 10 additional intersections. Over the last 6 months, the cameras have identified over 15,000 vehicles running red lights at various intersections in the city, generating nearly $1.4 million in potential revenues (assuming the ticketed motorists pay the fines). The new intersections will be chosen by mid-summer, and camera installation is expected to be completed by year's end.
Wednesday April 28 2004 Transportation

Somebody gonna Lotto? Anyone?
If you bought a lottery ticket in Calumet City last May with the numbers 03-23-28-29-38-42 on them, you have a week left to claim your jackpot. Nobody has stepped forward to claim the $2.5 million prize, and the deadline for claiming the prize is May 3rd. If nobody claims the money, you know what's going to happen to it? It's gonna get thrown to the wolves!
Tuesday April 27 2004 In the News

Don't die before visiting Superdawg
The Sun-Times reports that the best-selling travel book "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" has a number of Chicago locations in its list, alongside such exotic destinations as the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Egypt, and the North Pole. Among the Chicago locations mentioned in the book: the Art Institute, Charlie Trotter's, the Chicago Blues Festival, the Frank Lloyd Wright home in Oak Park .... and, yes, Superdawg.
Tuesday April 27 2004 Books/Authors

Bear-y Bear-erson?
The Brookfield Zoo has a new polar bear cub! And of course there's a contest under way to name the bear. The winning name will be selected by a group of judges from the zoo staff, its volunteers, and (of course) the Chicago Bears. Start working on your name ideas, because you only have until May 12th to enter.
Monday April 26 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Dining out for life
This Thursday is Chicago's 11th annual Dining Out For Life event. A number of restaurants in the city have pledged to donate a portion of their day's proceeds to help people living with HIV and AIDS. If you'd like to help out, take a look at the list of restaurants on the Chicago site, make reservations for Thursday, April 29th, and go out to eat. This year's beneficiary is AIDSCare, a nonprofit residence and service organization for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Monday April 26 2004 Eating/Drinking

Will Clinger departs Wild Chicago
Robert Feder reports that Will Clinger, host of Channel 11's "Wild Chicago," has resigned from the show to pursue a theatrical career. This may mean the final days of the once popular show; Channel 11 has failed to secure underwriting support for the show, and it's been in reruns for the past two years anyway.
Friday April 23 2004 City Life/Cultural

Yeah, that oughta work
Not content with previous attempts to lift the Cubs' curse, State Rep. John Fritchey decided to write a piece of legislation declaring the curse "no more." Does this mean that if the Cubs don't win this year, they'll be violating state law?
Friday April 23 2004 Sports/Recreation

Keep an eye out for beetles
The Sun-Times reports that, because city investigators have noticed that Asian long-horned beetle infestations appear to be occurring near places that are trafficked by El trains and cars coming from already infested locations, officials are asking people to check their cars for beetles before driving off. If you're unfamiliar with what the beetle looks like, have a peek at this informative site put together by people at UIUC.
Thursday April 22 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Mimi Smartypants in Newcity
This week's Newcity cover features a big ol' picture of Mimi Smartypants! The accompanying article discusses her book deal, mentions Gapers Block, and even has some quotes from another Chicago blogger with a book deal, Wendy McClure. Check it out, won't you?
Thursday April 22 2004 People/Sightings

Humans escape from ape house
The Lincoln Park Zoo invited a group of professional climbers to test their new ape housing, to see if the apes are going to be able to escape from them. The climbers were able to escape from the outdoor yard, and so the zoo will continue working on the design of the $25.7 million structure, which is scheduled to have cimpanzees and gorillas living in it by May.
Wednesday April 21 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Air America off AGAIN?
As part of the settlement stemming from Air America being kicked off the air in Chicago last week, it appears that the network will cease broadcasting on WNTD-950 AM in Chicago on April 30th. So now the network is looking for a new home in the city. Radio insiders pick WONX-1590 AM as a likely next home for Air America. Time to change your preset radio settings...
Wednesday April 21 2004 Radio/TV

Junk food and soda pop out of Chicago schools
The Chicago Public Schools announced yesterday that it is banning carbonated drinks and junk food from being sold in school vending machines, starting next year. They are currently soliciting bids from contractors for a contract to sell beverages in the district's 500+ schools.
Wednesday April 21 2004 Eating/Drinking

Chicago chocolates -- from South Bend
Coming soon to Chicago: chocolates from South Bend, Indiana under the name "Chicago Chocolates." The South Bend Chocolate Company is starting up a new candy company to try and populate the market that was vacated by Fannie May store closings. The company is planning to open stores here in Chicago, but for now you can only order Chicago Chocolates online.
Tuesday April 20 2004 Eating/Drinking

Wal-Mart vote planned for today
At today's city council zoning committee meeting today, a vote on the much-delayed Chicago Wal-Mart store is planned. Alderman Emma Mitts believes she has line up enough votes to OK the Wal-Mart store for the city, even though the store has not responded to the demands by union leaders that was mentioned on GB yesterday (and Jesse Jackson has spoken out against Wal-Mart, calling the store "Kool-Aid and cyanide"). So we might be seeing a Wal-Mart store opening up on the West Side soon.
Tuesday April 20 2004 Politics/Activism

Chicago marathon runner honored
You may remember Rachel Townsend, the teacher from Ohio who died of a heart arrhythmia after finishing last fall's Chicago Marathon. When she crossed the finish line, Rachel had qualified for the Boston Marathon, and would have run in it today, if she had survived. The Tribune reports that many runners will be wearing caps that say "Running For Rachel," and one runner will be wearing Townsend's number, so that she will end up with an official time in the race. In addition to these tributes, scholarships and memorial races have been set up in Ann Arbor, MI, where Townsend taught for seven years.
Monday April 19 2004 People/Sightings

Wal-Mart battle continues
After a partial victory in California, Wal-Mart is continuing to push for a Chicago store, over the strong objections of union leaders, who have been mobilizing community support against what they see as the destructive impact of the stores. As a result, Wal-Mart is in discussions with union leaders about a proposed corporate responsibility contract. Union spokesmen are hopeful that, should Wal-Mart honor a contract promising decent wages and affordable health care, this may prompt the company to bring the benefits to other stores and cut back on its competitive practices that end up harming its workers.
Monday April 19 2004 Business/Shopping

Teen Chicago
A new exhibit opens tomorrow at the Chicago Historical Society tomorrow: Teen Chicago, a look at the influence of teenagers in Chicago's history. ABC 7 reports that the exhibit will include information from all though the 20th century (from child labor in the early 1900s to teens being drafted for Vietnam), as well as oral histories recorded by 15 teenagers.
Friday April 16 2004 History

Chicago man (among others) hired
As everybody knows by now, Kwame was fired and Bill was hired. Orland Park native Bill Rancic won the final round last night on NBC's "The Apprentice," and is going to manage the construction of a Chicago hotel and residential tower. But lest you think that Bill's going to be in charge, Trump reminded him who's REALLY in charge: "You're going to have plenty of supervision of that building, I don't care if you're president or not... I'll be the one supervising." (In a strange case of synchronicity, the Illinois Department of Employment Security released a report yesterday that says the state's unemployment dropped to 6 percent in March, its lowest rate in 28 months.)
Friday April 16 2004 People/Sightings

Air America back!
The Tribune reports that Air America radio has won a temporary rerstraining order, allowing them to be broadcast on WNTD-950 AM in Chicago once again. The network expects to resume broadcasting on Friday.
Thursday April 15 2004 Radio/TV

Brookfield Zoo gorilla dies
Sad news from the Brookfield Zoo: Baraka, their 13-year-old female gorilla, died on Sunday from an abdominal infection.
Thursday April 15 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Blogging a protest
U of I students are staging a sit-in at one of the administration buildings on campus, protesting the controversial Chief Illiniwek mascot. And, since this is the 21st century, they're blogging the protest.
Thursday April 15 2004 Schools/Education

CTA tokens to be melted down
An inglorious end to the CTA token: the Sun-Times reports that the CTA's remaining stock of metal tokens, 20 million pieces, has been sold to a Cincinnati-based company that plans to melt the stock down and use the metal in other works. (The tokens are made of brass, and were pulled out of circulation in 1998 in favor of those fancy magnetic cards that the CTA's already trying to phase out.) The CTA will keep about 2,000 tokens and make them into jewelry.
Thursday April 15 2004 Transportation

Tax day! Yes, already!
It's April 15th, and you (should) know what that means: Tax Day! If you haven't worked out your taxes yet (and about 2 million Illinois residents have put it off until today), the Sun-Times offers some simple tips to keep in mind when filing tonight, as well as the addresses of a couple of post offices that will be open until midnight tonight.
Thursday April 15 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Air America gone already?
If you've been listening to the newly-formed Air America Radio network here in Chicago, you might have noticed that the network's programming wasn't running on the Chicago affiliate station this morning. The Tribune reports that Air America is already having trouble covering its bills, and owes more than $1 million to the owner of affiliates WNTD-950 AM in Chicago and KBLA-1580 AM in Los Angeles. (Update: Air America tells its side of the story.)
Wednesday April 14 2004 Radio/TV

Deadbeat gassers on the rise
As Illinois gas prices escalate, gas stations are reporting a marked increase in people driving off without paying. The current loss to drive-offs is about $100 per week per station, a dramatic increase from a year ago, which was $100 per month. Chicago has had fewer incidents of drive-offs because nearly all stations in the city require drivers to pay before getting gas.
Wednesday April 14 2004 Transportation

Brown Line expansion funded
Today, city officials celebrated the fact that federal funding is in place for a $530 million Brown Line expansion, which will consist of lengthening station platforms and making stations handicapped accessible. This means that you can officially say good-bye to all those bought-up buildings near Brown Line stops, probably including the long-suffering Demon Dogs. For the CTA's side of things, check out the project info on the CTA's Website.
Tuesday April 13 2004 Transportation

Chicago's most powerful women
The Sun-Times has started a series this week profiling Chicago's 100 most powerful women. The areas already covered: the arts, business and politics. The profiles will be posted daily through April 21.
Tuesday April 13 2004 People/Sightings

Meigs Field park opening soon
City workers are planting bushes and carving out walking paths in the space formerly known as Meigs Field, in the hopes of opening it to the public in mid-July. The work is designed to allow the public to use the property while city officials discuss plans for a more permanent design for the land now known as Northerly Island.
Tuesday April 13 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Art Institute ticket prices going up
Due to decreasing attendance and bad investments, the Art Institute is thinking of increasing ticket prices to $12, in an attempt to make up a $150 million loss in assets and to fund a $280 million expansion project. If approved, the ticket hike would go into effect this July. (But on the bright side, Tuesdays will still be free.)
Tuesday April 13 2004 Arts/Architecture

Sun-Times nearly handed Cubs promotion deal
Crain's Chicago Business reports that the Sun-Times was given a proposal by the Tribune that would have made the Sun-Times the sponsor of a "guess the attendance" contest during radio broadcasts of the Tribune-owned ball team. A few hours after the proposal was accepted by the Sun-Times, a WGN sales manager called to say that a Tribune exec had stopped the deal. Okay, everyone point at the Tribune building and say "Haw-haw!"
Monday April 12 2004 Sports/Recreation

Planes vs. cranes
A pair of sandhill cranes is nesting near the Lakewood Forest Preserve in the suburb of Wauconda, which has prompted preserve officials to shut down a model airplane airfield in the preserve, because the cranes are a threatened species and protected by state law.
Monday April 12 2004 Outdoors/Environment

You're (sold) out!
The Tribune reports that expectations for the Cubs are still riding high from last year's close call with success, and as a result, despite increasing ticket prices at Wrigley Field, the ballpark is pretty well sold out for the entire year. (Obstructed view tickets, as always, are still available.)
Monday April 12 2004 Sports/Recreation

Wright house moved to Pennsylvania
A Frank Lloyd Wright house in suburban Lisle has been disassembled and shipped to Pennsylvania, because the homeowner died in 2002, and a developer wanted the land that the house sat on, but not the house itself. The house has been given to a man in Johnstown, PA, who will spend more than $100,000 restoring and renovating the house. The building is one of Wright's least expensive designs and was intended for mass production, which made it easy to disassemble and transport.
Monday April 12 2004 Arts/Architecture

You've got stalkers!
Robert Wessel, trying to fight the building of a parking garage in suburban LaGrange with the Website LaGrangeNoGarage.com, has found himself the target of an obstinate stalker who has sent him over 100 emails, sent repairmen out to his place, and in general made a big nuisance of him- or herself. Wessel sued AOL to try and determine who was behind the emails, but didn't get anywhere with that tactic. LaGrange police have apparently conducted their own investigation, determined who the culprit is, and have determined that the sender no longer poses a threat. Which may be the only consolation that Wessel gets, because he has not been told yet who the stalker is.
Sunday April 11 2004 People/Sightings

Them Chicago cats is smart
Chicago Fire Commissioner James Joyce presented a bravery award yesterday to Willie the cat, who warned his owners of a rapidly developing kitchen fire. Undoubtedly Willie put 2 and 2 together, and figured out that if the kitchen goes, the cat food goes as well.
Friday April 9 2004 In the News

Check yr receipts
Chicago's Consumer Services Department recently finished its latest survey of city stores, looking for unintentional mark-ups at the cash register. Their report shows that, while most supermarkets and retailers are improving their error-catching rate, an alarming 78 percent of Chicago drugstores are overcharging its customers. The department's tips on preventing overcharging are common sense ones: bring sales ads to the store; mention any overcharges right away to the cashier; and check your receipts for discrepancies.
Friday April 9 2004 In the News

Rooftop baseball argument settled
Last month, GB mentioned that Skybox on Waveland was the only remaining rooftop baseball business that was still being threatened by the Cubs in a lawsuit, and was going to have its view of the action in Wrigley Field blocked in some manner. Well, now comes word that an agreement between Skybox and the Cubs has been reached, meaning that Monday's season-opener at Wrigley Field will be free of controversy. At least as far as rooftop baseball proprietors are concerned.
Friday April 9 2004 Sports/Recreation

Wanted: Ronald McDonald
Police are looking for a man dressed in a Ronald McDonald costume, who showed up unannounced at two McDonald's restaurants in Joliet and "allegedly showed an inordinate interest in a cash register."
Thursday April 8 2004 In the News

Zzz
There's a new fraternity at Northwestern: Zeta Zeta Zeta, or ZZZ. The Tri Zetas are a pseudo-fraternity that encourages "excellence through superior sleep," and was created as an alternative to the usual fraternities and sororities for NU students who are more interested in getting some more shut-eye. Great idea!
Wednesday April 7 2004 Schools/Education

Peregrine falcons return to Chicago
We previously mentioned that bald eagles are coming back to the Chicago area, and now the Sun-Times reports that peregrine falcons are making a comeback, as well. The Illinois Endangered Species Board has changed the bird's classification from "endangered" to "threatened," which although it still sounds bad indicates that the falcon's numbers are on the rise. Used to nesting in cliff faces, the falcons are making their homes in any tall structure they can find: building ledges and rooftops, smokestacks, and tall trees.
Wednesday April 7 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Wireless Chicago
Good news for Wi-Fi users: Chicago ranks 11th nationally in wireless Web accessibility. We're behind cities like San Francisco, Austin, and Portland, but ahead of Los Angeles and New York City. Last year, Chicago ranked 18th, but the number of Wi-Fi hotspots has grown dramatically in the last year, from 3,700 to 9,800.
Wednesday April 7 2004 City Life/Cultural

Raise the U-505!
If you head over to the Museum of Science and Industry this week, you'll see an amazing site: the museum's U-505 submarine being moved indoors. The sub's being moved from its old place outside because the decades of Chicago weather have taken their toll on the ship, in the form of rusting steel and disintegrating wood. The MSI's Website has the lowdown on the move, and the Tribune has a great picture, along with the moving schedule.
Tuesday April 6 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Get those kids out of my tattoo parlor!
Currently in the Illinois senate: a bill that would ban anyone under 18 from entering a tattoo parlor, unless accompanied by an adult. But don't worry too much about it, kids; the same bill would exempt minors from criminal charges if they tattoo another youth outside of a tattoo shop. So the message appears to be: if you're under 18 and looking for a tattoo, don't go to the professional inkers at Chicago Tattoo and Piercing near Clark and Belmont. Go get your friends to do it!
Tuesday April 6 2004 Politics/Activism

Chinatown museum finds home
The Chinatown Museum Foundation, created in 2002, has found a home, the Sun-Times reports. The foundation, created to showcase the richness of the culture in Chinatown, acquired a building on West 23rd Street, and hopes to have its grand opening by the end of the year. Its first exhibition, scheduled to open in the summer of 2005, will compare and contrast the role of Chinese culture in the world expositions of 1893 and 1933, both held in Chicago.
Tuesday April 6 2004 History

Chicago International Documentary Film Festival
Tonight's the starting night of yet another Chicago film festival, the Chicago International Documentary Film Festival. The 11-day event kicks off with a screening of the film Marina, a look at the life of the Afghani actress who played the lead in the recent film Osama. See the CIDFF Website for more info, and a complete schedule of the films playing through April 11.
Thursday April 1 2004 Film

Frail, infirm granny on the loose!
Betty A. Gooch of Algonquin, IL, was charged last month for passing bad checks at several Chicago area car dealerships, using her apparent frail health and age to persuade the salesmen to delay cashing the checks, and meanwhile running up the mileage on the vehicles while she had them. Ms. Gooch was supposed to appear at a court hearing yesterday, but in a move that perhaps the prosecutors should have anticipated, she did not show up after being released on her own recognizance for health reasons, and she has also lost the services of her defense attorney after she paid him with a bad check. An arrest warrant has been issued.
Thursday April 1 2004 In the News

Final frame for Marigold Bowl
This week's Newcity confirms the sad news: Marigold Bowl is closing its doors on May 28. That gives you less than 60 days to go check out this lovely bowling alley one final time.
Thursday April 1 2004 Business/Shopping

Win a chance to buy Wrigley Field boxes
Over 200 box seats behind home plate were added to Wrigley Field for the 2004 season, and now Cubs fans can enter a box seats lottery -- not to win seats, of course, but to win a chance to buy seats.
Wednesday March 31 2004 Sports/Recreation

This week in talk radio
In today's Sun-Times, Robert Feder reports that the Rev. Jesse Jackson is starting a talk show hosting gig on various Clear Channel station's including WGCI (1930 AM) in Chicago. The show, called "Keep Hope Alive," will focus on "issues of cultural, political and religious significance." And in other talk show radio news, the liberal talk radio network Air America Radio, featuring Al Franken, starts broadcasting today at noon. Chicago's WNTD (950 AM) is one of the five radio stations broadcasting the programming; it'll also be broadcast on XM satellite radio.
Wednesday March 31 2004 Radio/TV

We'll all scream
The Tribune reports that, due to reduced milk production, prices for milk and dairy products are soaring, which will mean, among other things, increased prices in ice cream this summer. Already prices are starting to rise to record levels; at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the price of a pound of cheese was set at an all-time high of $2.02, and milk prices are likewise expected to soar to a record high next month.
Wednesday March 31 2004 Eating/Drinking

Final days for Crow's Nest
GB reported back in January that the Crow's Nest music store at State and Jackson is closing up. Well, this is it, kids; the store closes its doors on Friday, April 2nd. They've been having a massive store-wide sale to get rid of their remaining stock, so if you find yourself near the downtown location, go check it out and say buh-bye to the staff.
Tuesday March 30 2004 Music/Clubs

Revamped Kedzie Blue Line stop opens
The Kedzie stop on the CTA Blue Line has been renovated and is back open for passengers. The station reopening is part of a $482.6 million reconstruction of the Cermak-Douglas Branch of the Blue Line, which involves the renovating of 8 stations. Kedzie was the 5th to reopen, and the remaining stations should be finished within 10 months.
Tuesday March 30 2004 Transportation

Scott Turow on Barack Obama
Today at Salon.com there's a profile of Illinois Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama, written by attorney and author Scott Turow.
Tuesday March 30 2004 Politics/Activism

Wrigleyville meter holidays cancelled
In response to complaints from businesses around Wrigley Field, Alderman Tom Tunney has removed the Sunday meter holiday from certain streets around the ballpark, which will hopefully prevent Cubs fans from parking at the meters all day. Enforcement will continue through the Cubs off-season, so be careful if you decide to go to a Sunday brunch at Ann Sather on Belmont.
Monday March 29 2004 Sports/Recreation

CTA mag cards lose bonus
You still using those old-fashioned magnetic-stripe cards, granddad? You're gonna pay the price for not upgrading to the fancy-shmancy Chicago Card, as the Sun-Times reports that the CTA is finally phasing out the bonus dollar that you get whenever you put $10 on your card. As of April 1, only the Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus will get the bonus money. If you don't have one of the newer cards yet, act fast; the CTA will also start charging $5 for the purchase of a Chicago Card on April 1.
Monday March 29 2004 Transportation

Too Much Light makes Brooklyn
The current issue of Venus has a quick story about Chicago's Neo-Futurists theater group starting a run of its flagship show, Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind, at the Brooklyn Lyceum (as previously reported in GB!), and includes the exciting information that the Brooklyn show starts next weekend, on Friday, April 2. You readers in the NYC area can get more information about the east-coast version of TML, make reservations (something you can't do at the Chicago show!), and have a gander at the Neo-Futurists who'll be entertaining you, at the Neo-Futurist Website.
Saturday March 27 2004 Theatre/Dance

Potlucks have a friend in Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate, prompted by Sen. Dan Rutherford, approved legislation that would prohibit health departments from shutting down community potlucks. Apparently this is not much of a problem in Chicago, as Public Health Department spokesman Tim Hadec explains: "'Do we regulate potluck dinners in Chicago? No. What health department has the staffing to do that, especially in a big city?'' Well, thanks to Senator Rutherford, they need not worry about the problem anymore.
Saturday March 27 2004 Eating/Drinking

Naperville: one big happy family community
Looking to raise a family? Move to Naperville. The Tribune reports that the western suburb was named the US city with the highest percentage of married, two-parent households by the Census Bureau. This may have something to do with the economics of the area; the median salary of Naperville residents is over $88,000, and the cost of living is high, preventing many single parents from living there.
Friday March 26 2004 City Life/Cultural

Shop Chicago shut down by the city
It was to have been the second annual Shop Chicago event at the MCA's Hubbard Street warehouse. The idea was to have designers and local boutiques sell their wares, participate in a fashion show, and attempt to raise money for Gen Art Chicago's fashion program. Unfortunately, the caterer failed to obtain a liquor license, and so the Chicago police closed the event before it started. Boy, I sure hope that future organizers remember to get their liquor licenses for any public parties that might be happening (around, oh, say, April 16).
Friday March 26 2004 In the News

First Chicago eagles in a century
A pair of bald eagles is nesting in Chicago. The last nesting eagle in the Chicago area was seen in 1897, so this is a pretty big deal. The location of the pair is being kept secret for the time being, so that they can be left alone to make their nest and hopefully for the female to lay eggs.
Friday March 26 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Illinois' most endangered places
The Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois has released its list of the ten most endangered historic places. Of the ten, 7 are in the Chicago area, including St. Leo Catholic Church, the North Evanston Historic District, Palm Tavern, and Cook County Hospital (which was scheduled to be demolished this year). The issuing of the list, which started in 1994, is meant to focus public attention on deteriorating and neglected sites that are worth restoring and maintaining. (According to the Sun-Times, 28 sites on previous lists have been saved.)
Thursday March 25 2004 Arts/Architecture

Barbara's on Wells is closing
This week's Newcity reports that the Barbara's Bookstore on Wells Street in Old Town is closing this week. The store has been experiencing flagging sales since the Borders on North and Halsted opened. The Barbara's chain has been part of Chicago's history for decades; in 1968, some of the Yippies (including Abbie Hoffman) hid out in the Wells Street store during the Democratic convention. If you live nearby (1350 N. Wells), stop in and pay your respects to another disappearing piece of Chicago history.
Thursday March 25 2004 Books/Authors

BÖLINGBRÖK?
Ikea is looking for a site for its second store in the Chicago area, and the southwest suburbs are high on the list, the Tribune reports. Ikea officials have expressed interest in Bolingbrook, but other suburban cities have not given up the fight yet. Matteson, Country Club Hills, and Tinley Park are just some of the cities that have expressed interest in providing Ikea's next location. You're not likely to see an Ikea in Chicago any time soon, though; the company has tried three times to build within city limits, and each time the deal's fallen through.
Wednesday March 24 2004 Business/Shopping

Giant sock monkey on nationwide rampage!
The sock monkey was invented in 1890 by John Nelson, owner of Nelson Knitting Mills in Rockford, IL (maker of the distinctive red-heeled socks used to make the dolls). To celebrate this indelible contribution to popular culture, the city of Rockford has crafted a seven-foot sock monkey named Nelson, who's travelling cross-country as an ambassador for Rockford. Godspeed, Nelson!
Tuesday March 23 2004 In the News

Here comes Ted!
United's low-fare carrier, Ted, is coming to O'Hare. Tickets go on sale Saturday, and flights will start May 24th. The Ted destinations from O'Hare: Las Vegas, Tampa, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, and Phoenix.
Tuesday March 23 2004 Transportation

Fannie May leaves Chicago airports hungry
The Sun-Times reports that O'Hare and Midway airports are trying to fill four concession stands that were vacated by Fannie May. The airports are losing quite a bit of money due to the vacancies ($17,000 a month at O'Hare and $11,000 a month at Midway), so they're trying to fill them as quickly as possible, but the bidding process for the stands could take as long as eight months, costing the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
Monday March 22 2004 Eating/Drinking

Chicago chefs among the best
Two Chicago chefs are among the finalists in the prestigious 2004 Bocuse d'Or USA contest. The chefs: Rick Gresh from the Caliterra Restaurant at the Wyndham Hotel and Fred Ramos from Pili Pili. The US finals for the contest will be held in May at the 85th annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (held here in Chicago!), and the winner of that contest will represent the US at next year's international Bocuse d'Or World Cuisine Contest in Lyon, France.
Monday March 22 2004 Eating/Drinking

City park renaming redux
As reported previously in GB, the Chicago Park District is mulling over plans to rename 9 city parks to honor various women from Chicago's history. One of the women, Lucy Ella Gonzales Parsons, was a 19th century activist whose husband was hanged for his purported role in the infamous Haymarket Square bombing of 1886. This choice was not appreciated by the Chicago police union, which is protesting the choice of a woman who may be considered an anarchist. But district spokesman Julian Green says that Parsons was chosen for recognition because she "promoted women's labor and civil rights in Chicago. She was highly regarded by Jane Addams and other social reformers."
Monday March 22 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Skybox to be blocked from Wrigley view
The Cubs have reached agreements with 12 out of 13 nearby rooftop businesses that were named in a December 2002 lawsuit to prevent these businesses from charging patrons to see the game on their rooftops. The one remaining business, Skybox on Waveland, will have its view of the field blocked by the Cubs in some unknown manner. Screens? Big balloons? A huge Harry Caray statue? Time will tell...
Monday March 22 2004 Sports/Recreation

Coming to Chicago: soup!
Simply Soup, a Madison-based restaurant, is bringing its line of some 200 varieties of soups to Chicago. Four to six stores in the Loop area will be open by Labor Day, selling soup (as well as grilled sandwiches and salads) to Chicago patrons.
Friday March 19 2004 Eating/Drinking

Keep the Chief
U of I students were asked to vote this week on whether or not to keep the controversial team mascot Chief Illiniwek. The results: a resounding vote to keep the Chief, albeit from a mere one-third of the student body.
Friday March 19 2004 Sports/Recreation

Chicago curfew back in effect on Saturday
Attention minors! The curfew law, which had been suspended since last month, goes back into effect on Saturday. From now on, you can break curfew if you're going to, or coming back from, a political rally, church or errand for a parent.
Thursday March 18 2004 In the News

Dan Ryan to shoulder CTA burden
The Sun-Times reports that the CTA will be running El track directly on the shoulder of the Dan Ryan Expressway in areas of the South Side branch of the Red Line route, so that CTA workers can have free access to repair areas of track that are currently plagued by power outages. This project begins on Saturday, and is expected to run through October 2006. (The Dan Ryan portion of the project is supposed to be done by the fall.)
Thursday March 18 2004 Transportation

Time's up
The city has passed up a chance to purchase a valuable collection of 1,500 watches and clocks amassed by Rockford industrialist Seth Atwood. The collection, many pieces of which had been on display at the Museum of Science and Industry, may be sold in auction as early as this October. The city was hoping to collect $25 million to purchase the collection, but raised only $761,000. On the bright side, the collection was on display for a while at the museum, where it was seen by thousands of visitors.
Wednesday March 17 2004 Arts/Architecture

Wanna bet? Try Rosemont
The city of Rosemont won a highly coveted gambling license this week, and is planning to build a casino with the help of the company Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. But now state officials and Wall Street investors are taking a second look at the business practices of the company, which has generated a large debt from aggressive growth strategies. Even if the company passes scrutiny, it may still face hurdles on the path to building a casino in Rosemont, in the form of Illinois officials who aren't happy with the choice (and would have preferred runners-up Waukegan or Des Plaines) and a very long approval process.
Wednesday March 17 2004 In the News

St. Paddy's Day in Chicago
We do St. Patrick's Day so well here, San Jose Mercury News and the New York Times both covered it. Are they jealous?
Wednesday March 17 2004 City Life/Cultural

Art in the Garden
Something to help you get through the cold weather and snow flurries of this week: the Sun-Times reports that the Chicago Park District is working with a handful or artists to create living works of art made of flowers, decorative grasses and other plant materials. The displays in the "Art in the Garden" project will be located at a number of parks in the city, including Grant Park, Lincoln Park, Washington Park and Douglas Park. The artwork gardens are scheduled to open to the public on June 15.
Tuesday March 16 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Who stands where
Courtesy of the Sun-Times: a handy-dandy listing of the Senatorial candidates vying for Pete Fitzgerald's seat in tomorrow's primary election. Looks like most of the candidates are pretty much in agreement, at least within their own parties, but you do get to see the priority issues of each candidate (jobs, education, health care, war on terrorism, etc.). Don't forget: the election's tomorrow! Vote or be unaccounted for!
Monday March 15 2004 Politics/Activism

Traffic cameras target red-light runners
At various accident-prone intersections in Chicago, the Transportation Department set up cameras to catch people running red lights, and as the Sun-Times reports, in just four months they've issued over 5,000 tickets to red-light runners. The cameras were installed in particularly troublesome intersections to attempt to bring down the number of accidents, and it appears to be working; the number of tickets issued at one intersection, 55th and Western, are down from 55 a day in November to 33 a day in February.
Sunday March 14 2004 Transportation

CTA super-station coming soon?
The Tribune reports that the CTA has plans to turn the downtown block known as Block 37 into a new CTA station that would connect the Red and Blue lines, as well as provide express trains to O'Hare and Midway airports. The block has previously been eyed by developers, who have wished to build condos, office towers and hotels on the site, as well as WBBM, which expressed interest in building a media center there. If the CTA's plans are approved by the city, the station could open in 2007.
Friday March 12 2004 Transportation

Meals for Metra riders
The Orland Park Metra station will soon be offering ready-made meals for commuters, provided by Palermo's of Chicago. Train riders would order their meal in the morning at the train station, or during the day by phone, and pick up the meal at Orland Park's 153rd Street station. Now if only the CTA would pick up on this idea...
Friday March 12 2004 Transportation

Riverboat gambling ... in Rosemont?
On Monday, the Illinois Gaming Board will decide what site in Cook County could possibly be the next location for a casino. The current front-runner: Rosemont, which appeared to have the best bid this week for the proposed riverboat casino. Rosemont will have to best at least two other cities: Waukegan and Des Plaines, which also put in competitive bids in a gambling license auction that ended early Thursday morning.
Friday March 12 2004 In the News

Would you like that gift-wrapped?
Hot on the recent news of Marshall Field's possible sale by Target, MetLife Inc., the former owners of the Sears Tower, disclosed yesterday that they are selling the building to a group of what the Sun-Times called "prominent but secretive Manhattan landlords." MetLife did not disclose the price of the deal, but did say that they would get a $90 million after-tax gain.
Friday March 12 2004 Business/Shopping

Golden Apples handed out
The Golden Apple Foundation has announced its winners of the 2004 Golden Apple Awards. The Sun-Times reports that the 10 winners were selected from a field of 681 nominees, and each winner will receive a fall-term sabbatical at Northwestern, an Apple computer and $2,500.
Thursday March 11 2004 Schools/Education

Irma, tell us
David Kodeski isn't the only local author who's turning found diaries into new literary work. This month, author and independent scholar Ellen FitzSimmons Steinberg publishes her new book Irma: A Chicago Woman's Story, 1871-1966. A look at Chicago life over a century ago, the book was pieced together from a number of diaries Steinberg stumbled across in a Chicago used bookstore. They told the story of Irma Rosenthal Frankenstein, a struggling author who was keeping notes and writing for a book which she eventually hoped to publish. While Irma's final project was not realized during her lifetime, Steinberg has fashioned a biography for her that documents a distinctive woman's life in turn-of-the-century Chicago.
Thursday March 11 2004 Books/Authors

The Doors not to close?
According to this week's Newcity, rumors of the imminent closing of the Double Door are greatly exaggerated. DD band booker and promoter Phil Kosch, quoted in the article: "Double Door will live on. That's the word from the owners. Nothing is going to change."
Thursday March 11 2004 Music/Clubs

The latest in cigarette technology
Finance Committee Chairman Ed Burke would like to see the cigarettes being sold in Chicago to have a self-extinguishing technology that prevents the cig from burning all the way down. The aim of the technology, already required in the state of New York, is to decrease the 900 fire deaths, 2,500 injuries and $400 million in damages caused each year by smoking-related accidents. If passed, the law would go into effect on January 1, 2007.
Thursday March 11 2004 In the News

Organ failure
Northwestern has cut its organ and church music degree programs due to a lack of interest in the program (a total of 8 students have enrolled in the program in the last 8 years). The cut was criticized by NU music school students, who say cutting the program (which dates back to the 1890s) will harm the school's reputation in the music world.
Wednesday March 10 2004 Music/Clubs

The sweetest-smelling exhibition
Spring may not quite be here, but this weekend you'll get a respite from the recent cold weather and snow flurries, as the 10th Annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show kicks off at Navy Pier. Gardening exhibitions, presentations by gardening experts, and free advice from "plant doctors." In short, if you're a gardener, you gotta be there. The exhibition runs through Sunday, March 21st; see the Website for times and ticket information.
Wednesday March 10 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Red line repairs, and so much more!
The CTA is starting a $282 million makeover of the Red Line with a series of repairs to the tracks between 95th and Cermak. Trains will be running, but you should expect delays. In case you're wondering what else might be going on that'll impact your daily commute, check out this press release at the CTA Website, which includes details on Red and Blue Line repairs, as well as a list of bridges that will be closed for repairs and testing.
Wednesday March 10 2004 Transportation

City parks may be renamed for women
The Sun-Times reports that the Chicago Park District is considering the renaming of 9 city parks to honor various women from Chicago's history. Currently, only 27 of the district's 555 parks are named for women. Some of the women to be honored under the proposal: gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, playwright Lorraine Hansberry, and Poetry Magazine founder Harriet Monroe.
Wednesday March 10 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Start reading
The Chicago Public Library has named its new "One Book, One Chicago" selection: The Coast of Chicago, by Stuart Dybek. The sixth annual citywide book club will culminate during National Library Week, April 18-24, with a free public program by the author at the Harold Washington Library.
Tuesday March 9 2004 Books/Authors

Historical chalkboards
Recently workers at the Board of Trade building made a very interesting discovery: dozens of old chalkboards which were used to display the changing stock prices to traders on the floor. Some of the boards date back to 1930, and still have chalk streaks on them. Obviously, they're of great historical interest, and the building's vice president, Kevin Lennon, says that some of them will end up over at the Chicago Historical Society.
Tuesday March 9 2004 History

Topless grills in northern suburbs!
A dastardly criminal is striking fear into the hears of cookout fans in the northern suburbs! Yes, there's a BBQ grill lid thief on the loose in Skokie. Beware, take care.
Tuesday March 9 2004 In the News

Top 5 restaurants for February
The Chicago Citysearch Website has released a list of the top 5 most popular restaurants for February. The way they tallied the popularity of these restaurants was by tracking the keywords the people were searching on at their site, so this list reflects only the dining habits of Citysearch users. And their dining habits seem to be pretty pricey, as their list includes such expensive places as Nine Steak House, Japonais and Michael Kornick's MK. What, no Demon Dogs?
Monday March 8 2004 Eating/Drinking

You too can be a school council member!
With about 6,000 local shool council seats open for election this year, but only about 2,000 candidates signed up to run for them, the Tribune reports that Chicago Public Schools officials are calling on the community to recruit more applicants. If you're interested, you can find an application at your local school, library or post office. The time commitment for the position: between 5 and 10 hours a month.
Monday March 8 2004 Politics/Activism

Beetle quarantine area extended
Because of a single Asian longhorn beetle found outside the current Chicago quarantine area last year, the state has extended the area to cover the Gold Coast and Cabrini-Green, the Sun-Times reports today. But that was the only live beetle found last year, so things might be looking up. Another good sign: quarantines were recently lifted from parts of Addison and Summit, which had been under quarantine since 1998.
Monday March 8 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Terkel honored by book critics
Chicago author and historian Studs Terkel was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the National Book Critics Circle yesterday. Terkel is also to appear in a performance of the play "Trumbo" at Steppenwolf on March 29th, where he will also talk about his own experiences with the play's subject, Dalton Trumbo.
Friday March 5 2004 Books/Authors

Check the size of yr tubes
Scale images of the world's subway systems. The CTA doesn't quite match up to New York, Tokyo, Moscow ... even Singapore looms larger than our puny El system. But we're totally huger than either Vienna or Barcelona. Take that!
Thursday March 4 2004 Transportation

But wait! There's more!
If you miss the Chicago history discussion tonight, but you want more info on the Popeil empire, head on over to the Chicago Cultural Center this Saturday to see the opening of Isn't That Amazing!: The Appeal and Spiel of Ronco and Popeil, a huge exhibit of the products that have been marketed by the Popeil family over the years, including 150 gadgets and compilation albums. Events scheduled to happen over the next couple of months to coincide with the exhibit include Chicago chef Frankie J. giving a demonstration of various kitchen gadgets at the Chicago Cultural Center on March 25th, and a "Popeil Disco Party" on May 12th in the exhibition gallery. See the link for full details. Act now! Operators are standing by!
Thursday March 4 2004 Arts/Architecture

167 years young!
Today is the 167th anniversary of Chicago being incorporated as a city. If you're not quite up on your city history, you can check out this timeline of events put together by the Chicago Public Library, as well as this Chicago-themed reading list put together for the WBEZ program "Eight Forty-Eight". For a more lively history lesson, try going over to Maxim's: the Nancy Goldberg International Center tonight at 6:00 for a discussion of Chicago and several of its more lively citizens, including Ann Landers and the Popeil family (yes, that Popeil family).
Thursday March 4 2004 History

O'Hare last in ontime flights
O'Hare Int'l Airport ranks dead last in on-time flights, according to a study by the US Department of Transportation. Well, at least the food is good...
Wednesday March 3 2004 Transportation

We're #1 (in cardiac testing)!
The Tribune reports that Carmel High School's football team, after winning its first state championship last fall, is trying to make strides in another field: echocardiograms. The team all took the heart tests, which can detect heart problems that may cause sudden cardiac deaths in young athletes. All team members received a clean bill of health.
Tuesday March 2 2004 Sports/Recreation

Up the Hancock!
How long would it take you to run up the 1,632 steps of the 94 floors of the Hancock Center? In yesterday's Hustle Up The Hancock fundraiser, the winning times were 9 minutes 49 seconds (male) and 11 minutes 10 seconds (female). The event raised $500,000 for the American Lung Association.
Monday March 1 2004 Sports/Recreation

Do you like Spamalot?
Take heart, all you Python addicts: the Tribune reports that "Spamalot," a musical based on the classic comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, will be playing in Chicago at the end of the year. With words and music by Eric Idle, and directed by Mike Nichols (!), the musical will have a pre-Broadway run here in Chicago in December and next January. Spamalot will also have all-new songs and words, so you will not be able to recite the text of the movie along with the actors, alas.
Friday February 27 2004 Theatre/Dance

Mandatory chipping for all ferrets!
The Tribune reports that a proposed ordinance going to the Cook County Board for consideration would require all dog, cat and ferret owners to have ID microchips implanted in their pets. The idea behind the law is to make it easier to identify lost pets, but detractors point out that pet licensing rates in Chicago are fairly low (25-30%), which would indicate that a majority of pet owners perhaps have other priorities than getting chips implanted in their ferrets.
Friday February 27 2004 In the News

Bird-feeding is not a crime
A woman in suburban Bridgeview was fined for having bird feeders in her backyard. But that's not the weird part. The weird part is that the fine was for $750. Outraged, she called up the mayor, who looked into the situation and ended up voiding the fine. The woman did agree, though, to remove two of the three feeders.
Friday February 27 2004 In the News

Skyway construction starts Monday
As if we didn't have enough headaches in our commutes, Monday marks the beginning of construction on the Chicago Skyway. This construction on the Skyway's westbound portion is actually the latest in a series of constructions on the Skyway, and the projected finish date for the whole project is 2005. So you can look forward to reduced traffic flow on the Skyway for quite some time.
Thursday February 26 2004 Transportation

The last year for lilacs
Each May in suburban Lombard, a local gardening club hands out hundreds of free lilac bushes to its residents. Unfortunately, as the Tribune reports, this will probably be the last year for the free giveaway, due to a decrease in available funds and an increase in state fees. This will probably not hurt Lombard's standing as "Lilac Village," however; it still has Lilacia Park, which was started by residents William and Helen Plum as their own private garden in 1910.
Thursday February 26 2004 Outdoors/Environment

SPEC event in Newcity
This week's Newcity mentions last Saturday's SPEC/GB reading! But for some reason, they don't mention that GB was a co-sponsor of the event. Only explanation I can come up with for the omission: sunspots.
Wednesday February 25 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

There is another train directly behind this one
As you wend your way to or from work, and ponder the length of your daily commute, take some small solace in the fact that your commute is not yet the longest in the country. The longest commute, unsurprisingly, is in NYC, according to the Census Bureau. An average commute of 38 minutes in the Big Apple, beating out Chicago by six minutes. We're still above the national average of 24 minutes, though. The shortest commutes: Wichita, KS (16.5 minutes), Tulsa, OK (16.8 minutes) and Omaha, NE (17.3 minutes).
Wednesday February 25 2004 Transportation

Tall, thin and full of history
Riddle me this: what's five stories tall and 20 feet wide? The forthcoming Michigan Avenue Bridgehouse Museum, which is soon to open in a river bridgehouse near the corner of Michigan and Wacker. The Sun-Times reports on the museum, which will contain historical information about the Chicago River and its value to the area.
Wednesday February 25 2004 History

Last Steve Bartman story ever, part 2
Let this be the end of the curse! Thursday night at Harry Caray's restaurant, the infamous baseball from the Cubs-Marlins playoff game will be destroyed. Although... Moises Alou's glove will still be around. dramatic music...
Wednesday February 25 2004 Sports/Recreation

Baby matinee
The Tribune has a report on theaters in Chicago and the suburbs that are offering matinees for parents of newborn babies. The parents get to take their child along to a movie without worrying that they're bothering other patrons, and the theater gets to sell tickets during weekday afternoons, normally a slow time for movie business. Everybody wins!
Tuesday February 24 2004 Film

Make your own Blue Bag
Is the only thing stopping most Chicago residents from recycling the price of blue bags? That's what the city aims to find out, in a pilot program happening in the 47th Ward. Residents will be able to pick up free yellow stickers and blue ties that they can use to identify any ordinary garbage bag as having recyclable contents. (No word as to why they just didn't hand out free blue bags...)
Tuesday February 24 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Give in to your music star fantasies
The first step on the path to the rich and rewarding career in music that you so obviously deserve is to learn how to play something. Lucky for you, Chicago has the Old Town School of Folk Music, which has been teaching music lessons for close to 50 years now. Guitar, bass, fiddle, harmonica, dobro, mandolin, percussion... if you can make music with it, the Old Town can probably teach you how to play it. A new session of classes starts on March 1, and if you sign up for a class by the end of day today, you'll get $15 off your tuition. So peruse the classes, see if something catches your eye, and sign up for something. You can buy your instrument at the school's store, or even rent one, so you don't have to commit to owning a guitar (or bass, or cello, or dobro, or...) And if you do happen to make it big someday, don't forget all us little people here at GB who knew you when you were just starting out.
Monday February 23 2004 Music/Clubs

Slow times on the Brown line
If you depend on the Brown line for your daily commute, expect delays for the next couple of weeks: a weekend fire has forced the CTA to run half as many trains as usual during peak hours for the next two weeks, while they make repairs to a substation on Lincoln Avenue that was damaged by the fire. According to this CTA press release, you should be careful during your commute out of the Loop in the evenings, as only half of the northbound Brown line trains will be going north of the Belmont station. Check the train's destination sign before boarding.
Monday February 23 2004 Transportation

Chicago couple goes to SF for marriage
Robert Castillo and John Pennycuff, the first couple to sign up for Cook County's Domestic Partnership Registry, decided to fly to San Francisco to get married.
Friday February 20 2004 In the News

You may already be a winner
The state government may owe you money! The Office of the State Treasurer is attempting to return unclaimed money (in the form of lost wages, forgotten bank accounts and security deposits, etc.) to its rightful owners, and to promote the giveaway released a top 10 "most wanted" list of the Illinois residents who are owed the highest amounts of cash. The values range from $100,000 to half a million dollars. Fortunately for you, Web surfer, you can check your own name at the State Treasurer's Website, cashdash.net.
Friday February 20 2004 Found on the Web

SPEC & GB in Reader
Tomorrow night's SPEC/GB event at Uncle Fun is one of the Reader's Daily Specials for this week. Make sure you arrive on time, because there might be a bit of a crowd. The fun starts at 7:00 at Uncle Fun (1338 W. Belmont). Be there or be non-read-to.
Friday February 20 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

The dentists are coming to town
If you notice an unusually large number of people talking around downtown with little mirrors and dental picks, don't be frightened; the Chicago Dental Society is holding its 139th annual meeting tomorrow, and they're expecting over 30,000 dental professionals to attend from the US and abroad. In addition to the meeting, more than 600 vendors will attend the conference, making it one of the largest exhibits of dental products in North America. The meeting takes place at McCormick Place from 11:00 to 2:00, and there will be public tours of the exhibition floor, just in case you wanted to see the latest in dental technology. Now rinse.
Thursday February 19 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Strangler strangled
The good news: the Hillside Strangler, one of the most infamous features of the meet-up of 88, 290 and 294, has been improved so much by a 2001 renovation project that it is no longer on a list of the worst bottlenecks in the nation, according to the Sun-Times. The bad news: the Circle Interchange (the Kennedy/Dan Ryan/Eisenhower meeting in the Loop) is the third-worst bottleneck in the nation. It's going to be fixed, of course, but you'll probably have to put up with it till 2006 or 2007, when the Dan Ryan is scheduled to be renovated.
Thursday February 19 2004 Transportation

Daley: "no problems" with gay marriage
Reacting to the same-sex marriages that have been taking place in San Francisco, Mayor Daley said today that he personally would have no problem with same-sex marriages in Chicago, if County Clerk David Orr wanted to start issuing licenses for them. "They love each other, just as much as anyone else. They believe that the benefits they don't have, they should have. And so I have a very open mind on it."
Wednesday February 18 2004 In the News

The Smelly City
Inspired by the recent exodus of candy manufacturers from the city, Newcity reporter Ray Pride seeks out the remaining scents of Chicago.
Wednesday February 18 2004 City Life/Cultural

Souvenirs
If you're looking for ideas for Chicago souvenirs for your out-of-town relatives or friends, this Metromix article should give you at least one or two new ideas. Who knew that you could purchase and ship Vienna hot dogs? (Of course, nothing really says Chicago like a Gapers' Block T-shirt...)
Wednesday February 18 2004 Business/Shopping

Hola & tot ziens
Mexico's consulate in Chicago gets a new larger building which will hopefully become a focal point for the city's Mexican population. And in other international consulate news, the Belgian consulate is leaving after 150 years in the city. Belgium just can't afford to maintain a presence here, when they also have EU expansion to contend with.
Tuesday February 17 2004 City Life/Cultural

One year after E2
One year after the E2 nightclub tragedy, the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times report on how the Chicago nightclub scene has changed. It appears that lines getting into clubs are longer, club owners are more reluctant to let their places fill to capacity, and the city is conducting more random inspections of venues.
Tuesday February 17 2004 Music/Clubs

You vs. Ebert
Roger Ebert has his Oscar predictions up at the Sun-Times Website. If you think you can correctly guess more Oscar winners than he can, you can enter the Outguess Ebert contest, to possibly win a trip to Mexico. To refresh your memory, here's the list of Oscar nominees.
Monday February 16 2004 Film

Haggis redux
Following up on the very important story of haggis production in Chicago: the Chicago Tribune took it upon themselves to hold a haggis taste test, to see if the product being produced at Vanee Foods in suburban Berkeley is worthy enough to be served. Their panel's verdict: the vegetarian haggis is a bit bland, but the regular haggis is authentic.
Monday February 16 2004 Eating/Drinking

Upcoming 2004 primary election
The Illinois primary election is Tuesday, March 16th, and if you're not registered for it, your deadline is Tuesday, February 17th (that's tomorrow!). The major appointments to be decided for this election: the Democratic Presidential candidate, and nominees for the Senate seat that will be vacated by outgoing Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. If you have questions about registration, the Sun-Times has a small FAQ page, including where to go to get registered. If you're already registered and want to see a list of candidates in your local area, Congress.org can help you out. And finally, Chicago Public Radio has coverage on the primary election, including audio archives of candidate debates, a list of the Senate candidate list, and even a page where various voters talk about why or why not they're planning to vote.
Monday February 16 2004 Politics/Activism

The gift that keeps on ... freaking me out
Still looking for a Valentine's Day gift for your sweetie? You could get him/her a brick from the garage that was the site of the Valentine's Day Massacre from 1929 (it's the 75th anniversary!). A mere $800 will get you a brick and a certificate of authenticity, stating that the brick is from the original garage building at 2122 N. Clark (the garage was torn down in 1967, and the bricks were bought by a forward-thinking fellow from Vancouver).
Friday February 13 2004 History

You meddling kids
The Sun-Times reports that Chicago's enforcement of curfew has been temporarily suspended, because of problems with Indiana's laws. The 7th US Circuit Court ruled that Indiana does not give enough protection to minors who need to be out after hours, and since Chicago is part of the 7th Circuit, its laws need to be changed as well. So all you minors, this is your chance to stay out after 10:30 on weeknights (11:30 on weekends)!
Thursday February 12 2004 In the News

More Wrigley night games
The city council today approved a measure allowing the Cubs to play more night games at Wrigley Field. The council also conferred landmark status on Wrigley, but with provisions that allow expansion of the bleachers section and the addition of about 200 new box seats.
Wednesday February 11 2004 Sports/Recreation

Where you'll be sitting in traffic this year
The Sun-Times has a list of this year's road projects, giving us all an idea of where not to be driving this summer. Near the top of the list: a stretch of I-88 from Naperville Rd to Route 59 that's apparently like driving on a roller coaster.
Wednesday February 11 2004 Transportation

The return of Carol Marin
You might remember, way back in 1997, that WMAQ news anchor Carol Marin left her job after the station hired Jerry Springer to do commentaries on the news program. Well, Carol Marin returns to WMAQ tonight, as a "special assignment reporter." Tune in to the 10:00 newscast to see her return.
Wednesday February 11 2004 People/Sightings

The SNL machine's gears turn...
...and once again, another Second City performer is plucked from a promising career on stage to move to New York and work on "Saturday Night Live" as a writer and, eventually, performer. This time, it's 26-year-old Liz Cackowski, who debuted on the Second City mainstage only last December. Thursday night is Liz's last appearance on the stage, in Second City's revue "Doors Open on the Right;" stop by and wish her well.
Tuesday February 10 2004 People/Sightings

They broke my watch!
If you thought the Blues Brothers were laid to rest for good after the 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000, you'd better brace yourself for the Blues Brothers musical. The Blues Brothers Revival opens April 7 at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, and it supposedly tells the story of Jake Blues (John Belushi's character) trying to get into Heaven, with a little help from his (living) friends. No word on whether there's going to be a chase scene on the way to Heaven.
Monday February 9 2004 Theatre/Dance

The hardest $125,000 you'll ever earn
$125,000 is the prize for the next Chicago Marathon, which is more than the prize totals for last year's marathons in NYC and Boston. On the down side, you have to run 26.2 miles to pick up the prize money. But hey, you've got till October 10 to get training! If you feel ready, you can even sign up already, eight months in advance.
Friday February 6 2004 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Malkovich!
One of Steppenwolf's most famous members, John Malkovich, will be returning to the Chicago stage in early 2005. Nothing is known about the play that he'll be in, except that it'll be written by London playwright Stephen Jeffreys (whose play "The Libertine" was staged at Steppenwolf in 1996, and featured Malkovich's most recent appearance at the theater company) and will run at Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre. Oh, and the play will include marionettes. (Not really.)
Thursday February 5 2004 Theatre/Dance

What, no Demon Dogs?
Looking for a good place to go out to eat? Check out this week's Newcity; the cover story is "Chicago's 100 essential restaurants." Mini-review of each restaurant, and the places are categorized by neighborhood, so you'll know what's closest.
Wednesday February 4 2004 Eating/Drinking

No heat for bus stops
As you're standing at the bus stop this morning, you might be asking yourself why CTA el stops have those heat lamps, but CTA bus shelters don't. This Sun-Times story explains why.
Monday February 2 2004 Transportation

Fannie May not
Several aldermen have called for a Valentine's Day boycott of Fannie May/Fanny Farmer candy, to show support for 625 employees involved in a severance pay dispute with parent company Archibald Candy Corp. That shouldn't be hard to do, as Chicago Public Radio reported on NPR last week that the Fannie May stores in the city have pretty much been cleaned out of all the good candy.
Friday January 30 2004 Eating/Drinking

City makes Wrigley Field landmark
The Sun-Times reports that the City Council's Landmarks Committee approves Mayor Daley's plan to landmark "historic elements" of Wrigley Field. Since the landmark designation doesn't cover the entire building, it allows the owners to start on plans to build three rows of premium-priced seats behind home plate. "Even more important, the landmark vote signals that a deal is in the works for the Cubs to play 30 night games by 2006 -- up from 18."
Wednesday January 28 2004 Sports/Recreation

Unleash the power of soy
The Sun-Times reports that two University of Illinois scientists have developed an energy bar made from soy protein that they wish to develop for use by first aid agencies. These bars have an advantage over currently used energy bars because they are made with no animal ingredients. The scientists have contacted the Defense Department, which is expected to invite food companies to bid on production.
Tuesday January 27 2004 Eating/Drinking

Stay or go?
This week, Chicago Public Radio's program Eight Forty-Eight is doing reports on the question that has plagued Chicago artists for years and years: should you stay in Chicago to work on your art, or head to New York or LA to make your fame? They'll be doing reports on the state of Chicago theater, the visual arts, the music community, and film in Chicago every weekday morning this week (Eight Forty-Eight airs on WBEZ between 9:30 and 11:00), and a live call-in show will air this Sunday night at 7:00 PM.
Monday January 26 2004 Arts/Architecture

How to make Chicago more sustainable
The Sun-Times reports that the winners of the first annual Chicago Sustainable Design Challenge have been announced. The competition was sponsored by the Foresight Design Initiative, an Illinois nonprofit organization. One of the more novel ideas that won the competition: planting tough strains of bamboo in landfills to absorb pollutants and provide wood for construction. The winners are all listed at the Foresight Design Initiative's Website.
Monday January 26 2004 Outdoors/Environment

And the Oscar comes from...
Chicago! The local firm R. S. Owens & Company manufactures the statuettes every year, and this year you can check them out before they're given to the recipients. An exhibition of the statuettes that will be used in this year's awards ceremony is currently going on at the Museum of Science and Industry. Check it out before February 18th, when the statuettes are packed up and shipped off to Los Angeles.
Sunday January 25 2004 Film

First it's pinochle, then it's sock hops!
The Chicago Park District has a rule: no gambling on its property. Sounds reasonable, but is a meeting of a pinochle club to be considered gambling? The Park District says so, and pressed the club to change the ways that it collects antes and awards its winnings. Superintendant Jack Sebesta: "I know one or two dollars sounds so minor . . . but we're a government agency. No matter what my personal opinion is, it's the law." [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Friday January 23 2004 Politics/Activism

Chicago film critics announce best of 2003
Yesterday the Chicago Film Critics Association announced their best of 2003 list. Big winners: LOTR: Return of the King and Lost In Translation, which got 3 awards each.
Thursday January 22 2004 Film

Birds lured by Matteson voles
In south suburban Matteson, the Bartel Grassland forest preserve has been restored to a more natural state, which in addition to providing a more hospitable home to various species of birds, apparently caused an increase in the vole population. So a number of birds that depend on the mouselike animal for food, such as the short eared owl and the northern harrier, have also returned to the preserve.
Thursday January 22 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Obit: Ray Rayner
The Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago television personality Ray Rayner has died at the age of 84. Rayner is best known for his role as Oliver O. Oliver, the character he played on WGN's famous "Bozo's Circus" show, as well as his 1971-1981 show "Ray Rayner and His Friends," which delighted kids with such characters as Chelveston the Duck and Cuddley Duddley. Rayner left Chicago in 1981 to become a weatherman in Albuquerque. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Wednesday January 21 2004 People/Sightings

Passion in the suburbs
On Tuesday Mel Gibson sneaked into South Barrington to screen The Passion of Christ, his controversial new film about the death of Jesus. A hand-picked crowd of 4,300 people -- most of them Christian pastors -- loved the film.
Wednesday January 21 2004 Film

CUFF calls for entries
Attention film-makers! The Chicago Underground Film Festival is now taking entries for this year's festival. They're looking for films that 'dissent radically in form, technique, or content from the "indie" mainstream.' The deadline for application is May 1, so you've got less than 4 months to get your indie self together!
Wednesday January 21 2004 Film

O'Hare leading in fired screeners
O'Hare is near the top of another list, only this one isn't so great. The Sun-Times reports that O'Hare and Los Angeles International Airport lead the nation in firing federal government screeners that were hired with incomplete background checks, and then had to be let go after subsequent checks found problems. Even Midway had problems in the past months with having to fire screeners. Just one more thing to be wary of as you stand in line for your next flight.
Wednesday January 21 2004 Transportation

Introducing the Orange Meadowbrite
Researchers at the Chicago Botanic Garden have created the Orange Meadowbrite, a new coneflower that has a scent, which is apparently very rare for the genus. So rare, in fact, that they're planning to sell 40,000 of the plants this year, at $17-20 per plant. The Sun-Times has the story.
Tuesday January 20 2004 Outdoors/Environment

We'll always have haggis...
So what if Fannie May is closing up in Chicago? Stahly Quality Foods, a Scottish food producer, is starting production of tinned haggis in a Chicago facility, in the hopes of tapping into that lucrative North American haggis market. Right now, the plant produces only two types of haggis, traditional and vegetarian haggis (?), but the company hopes to expand to other products such as whiskey-flavored haggis (!) and clootie dumpling (!?). Amazing quote from company founder Ken Stahly: "Our working relationship with the Americans is excellent even though there is the odd translation quirk, such as the fact that, in the US swede is known as rutabaga."
Tuesday January 20 2004 Eating/Drinking

Chicagoans you love to hate
Newcity's cover story: 10 Chicagoans we love to hate. Some great choices on their list: Ditka ("stands as the epitome of everything we fight against"), Ira Glass ("starting to sound like nails on a chalkboard"), Richard Roeper ("bland, bland, bland"), and Joan Cusack ("we stopped connecting with Cusack when she zeta-jonesed on us, and by that we mean started pimping for a cell-phone provider").
Wednesday January 14 2004 People/Sightings

Dominick's store closings
The Tribune has a list of the Dominick's grocery stores in the Chicago area that will be closing on March 13th. The dozen closings are part of a cost-cutting plan by Dominick's parent company, Safeway. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Monday January 12 2004 Eating/Drinking

Chicago or Springfield?
With Governor Rod Blagojevich deciding to keep his home in Chicago, rather than moving downstate to the governor's mansion in Springfield, many downstaters are worried that the state government might be moving to Chicago. But even with the number of state agencies and offices in Chicago, Springfield is still home to many trade groups and industry associations that lobby state officials, and most of themsay they have had no difficulty in working with the administration in either city.
Monday January 12 2004 Politics/Activism

Hope springs eternal
Season tickets for the Cubs went on sale Thursday morning at 6:00. The people at the head of the line took their place at 9:00 Wednesday morning. If you didn't get a chance to purchase your tickets, fret not. Starting today, you can order season tickets by phone: (773) 404-2827. Expect to pay at least $2,000 for the tickets. The most expensive tickets in the park go for $3,300 each, but they've already been sold, dangit.
Friday January 9 2004 Sports/Recreation

Bring out yer trees! *clank*
Still got a Christmas tree up? No worries. The city has a tree-recycling program in place, where you can cart your tree over to a Chicago park to have it mulched (yes, you may keep the mulch). The program had been scheduled for only one day (this Saturday, January 10) but the city has added Saturday the 17th to its schedule, making it twice as easy for you to take advantage of the service. There's a list of participating parks (in PDF form) on the city's Website.
Thursday January 8 2004 Outdoors/Environment

Farewell to Fanny Farmer
Archibald Candy Corp., makers of Fanny Farmer and Fanny May candies, announced today that it's shutting down its West Loop plant, putting 625 employees out of work, and that it's selling off the candy brands to an as-yet-unnamed buyer. But with the loss of Fanny May/Fanny Farmer (and the loss of Frango mints manufacturing jobs in 1999), Chicago still has quite a few candy makers in town: Tootsie Roll, Ferrara Pan Company (makers of Lemonheads, Red Hots, Black Forest Gummies, etc.), and Blommer Chocolate Company are just some of the candy-makers still headquartered or making their products here in Chicago. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Monday January 5 2004 Eating/Drinking

Murder count down in 2003
Chicago's murder count in 2003 was 599, the lowest since the 1960s, according to the Sun-Times. Unfortunately, that number was still higher than the counts for New York (596) and Los Angeles (about 499).
Friday January 2 2004 In the News

Chicago's finest, but not the fittest
The Chicago police department offered a $250 bonus to its 13,500 officers if they passed a physical fitness test. Only about 2,750 officers took the challenge.
Wednesday December 31 2003 In the News

Iroquois Theatre fire anniversary
Today the city dedicates a new plaque commemorating the Iroquois Theatre fire, which happened 100 years ago today. One of the worst disasters in city history, the fire claimed the lives of 600 men, women and children -- twice the number that died in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The plaque will be located in the Loop's Oriental Theatre, a block from the Cook County Administration Building where six people died in a fire last October. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Tuesday December 30 2003 History

Shedd's Seahorse Symphony stops Sunday
Shedd Aquarium is finally closing up its hugely popular Seahorse Symphony exhibit after 5 1/2 years. Originally designed to be an 18-month show, the seahorse display was one of the most popular exhibits at the aquarium, helping to bring in 10 million visitors over the years. If you haven't seen the exhibit yet, you have until Sunday, January 4th to check it out.
Monday December 29 2003 Offbeat/Misc. Events

New traffic laws for 2004
The Sun-Times reports on a number of new traffic laws set to go into effect on January 1. These new laws will discourage people from staying in the lefthand passing lane too long, limit the number of passengers teenage drivers can have, and require children ages 4 to 7 to be in booster seats.
Monday December 29 2003 Transportation

...and was he looking sharp!
Chicago author and Neo-Futurist theater member David Kodeski was featured on today's broadcast of NPR's "All Things Considered," with a condensed version of his 1999 play "Another Lousy Day." This documentary was produced by the Chicago-based group Long Haul Productions, a spiffy bunch of producers and editors that has made stories for NPR and other broadcast outlets for over 10 years.
Thursday December 25 2003 Radio/TV

Sweeeet!
The prairie garden on top of City Hall has about 200,00 Italian honey bees in it, and the city has apparently harvested about 120 pounds of honey from these bees. If you'd like to try some of the honey, stop by the Gallery 37 store at 37 E. Randolph; they're auctioning off some of the honey to benefit their programs for young artists.
Saturday December 20 2003 Eating/Drinking

Last Steve Bartman story ever?
The baseball that Steve Bartman didn't catch sold for $106,600 today to Harry Caray's restaurant. The restaurant owner said he plans to destroy the baseball in February.
Friday December 19 2003 Sports/Recreation

O'Hare security: fast!
More good news for O'Hare! After recently getting good grades on the food it serves, it's now been recognized as having some of the shortest wait times among the nation's airports. Washington Dulles International and Dallas-Fort Worth International are also among the quickest, with a security screening wait time of less than two minutes; Los Angeles and Miami were among the worst, with wait times of about seven minutes.
Friday December 19 2003 Transportation

More fees for all!
In their recent zeal to ticket Chicago cars without their precious precious city stickers, investigators for the city clerk's office have turned up another lucrative source of revenue for the city: a large number of motorists driving with expired plates. Does this mean more fines? You bet! "I can honestly say that there's millions of dollars in those parking garages in expired plate fees," City Clerk James Laski said on a WBBM radio program (hopefully he was not rubbing his hands in glee when he said this).
Friday December 19 2003 Transportation

Today's feel-good story
Tuesday morning, employees at Aberdeen's Wedding Flowers on the Northwest Side opened up their offices to find that they had been robbed of $3,000... and a stack of toys that was to have been delivered to children at a number of local area hospitals. After the story got reported in the local media, the offices were flooded with offers of replacement money and toys. Not too surprising, considering 'tis the season to be generous, but it's still nice to know that kids in hospitals will have a happier holiday season this year.
Thursday December 18 2003 In the News

Win Richard Roeper's money
Looking for another movie to see, now that you've already seen Return of the King at the midnight showing? Try Jim Sheridan's In America, which has been getting fairly good reviews across the country (and is currently playing at Chicago's Pipers Alley, among other places). The Sun-Times' Richard Roeper likes it so much, in fact, that he's offering to refund your ticket price if you don't like the film. Act quickly: the offer is only for the first 100 people who respond.
Wednesday December 17 2003 Film

Mmm, Terminal 2...
The food at O'Hare International Airport has improved health-wise, according to a report from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. It's been moved up from dead last (in a list of the 15 busiest airports) to #3 in their list, according to the Sun-Times. The reason? Starbucks has been introducing healthier food in its coffee-terias at O'Hare, which apparently was enough to bump the airport up past such unhealthy flight destinations as Dallas-Fort Worth International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, and even New York's Kennedy International Airport.
Monday December 15 2003 Eating/Drinking

Scuba Santa!
At Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park this weekend, about a dozen kids helped Santa decorate a Christmas tree ... underwater. The 10th annual decorating event is sponsored by a local scuba club, and is meant to encourage interest in scuba-diving (although the tree was eventually lifted out of the pool, so that non-swimmers could help decorate it).
Monday December 15 2003 Schools/Education

Chicago film awards back on track
The Trib reports that the Chicago Film Critics board is resuming its annual awards voting, after the awards were suspended to protest a recent decision by the MPAA to end the practice of sending out tapes and DVDs of Oscar-eligible films to critics. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Monday December 15 2003 Film

Star Wars holiday cheer
What can you get a Wookie for Christmas, when he already owns a comb? Find out the answer to this and other disturbing questions this Sunday night at 6:00, when Delilah's screens the almost completely unbelievable Star Wars Holiday Special (review, screenshots). Probably the only holiday special ever to star Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Jefferson Starship, and Chewbacca.
Thursday December 11 2003 Radio/TV

Onward, Neo-Futurism
Newcity reports that the Neo-Futurists are planning on opening a branch theater in Brooklyn early next year, ostensibly to perform a version of their long-running Chicago show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind. The previous NYC incarnation of TML ran for a couple of years, but closed up when the heads of that company hit it big with the Broadway show Urinetown: The Musical. The Neo-Futurists are also considering opening branches in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland. Perhaps Neo-Futurism will replace the Harold as the next big theater technique exported from Chicago.
Wednesday December 10 2003 Theatre/Dance

Deep Tunnel digging's over
Today marks the final work in the digging phase of the Deep Tunnel project, a massive 109-mile tunnel system designed to keep stormwater out of area basements and waterways. Digging started in 1976, in response to the 1972 Clean Water Act. Although today marks the end of the digging phase, concrete walls still need to be put into the tunnels, in the hopes of opening the project's tunnels by 2006.
Wednesday December 10 2003 In the News

Taste of Chicago -- the restaurant!
The residents of Port Huron, MI are getting their first taste of a Chicago hot dog; a restaurant named A Taste of Chicago has been serving the dogs up since last month, and plans to expand its menu with other Chicago-related food items. Tip to the owners: don't include Frango mints on the menu. They were invented in Seattle and are made in Pennsylvania.
Monday December 8 2003 Eating/Drinking

Sticker-free cars stuck with tickets!
The city has finally begun ticketing city-sticker-less cars in parking garages. After five days over 1,000 tickets have been written, and that's after patrolling less than 10 percent of the city-licensed garages. If this rate keeps up, the program is projected to bring in over $6 million for the city next year, and to make thousands of drivers unhappy.
Friday December 5 2003 Transportation

Gay Games coming to town?
Chicago is one of two cities likely to host the 2006 Gay Games, the 20-year-old sporting event that has been previously hosted in San Fancisco, Vancouver, New York City, Amsterdam, and Sydney. Chicago and Los Angeles were originally third and fourth in the voting for the next city, but negotiations broke down with the organizers' first choice, Montreal, and second choice Atlanta took itself out of the running.
Friday December 5 2003 Sports/Recreation

Trib's best books list coming on Sunday
Pick up this Sunday's Chicago Tribune for their annual best books of the year list. (Or just look at their site on Sunday, because the list will also be online.)
Thursday December 4 2003 Books/Authors

Tropicago
The Miami Herald reports that Tropicana is moving its corporate HQ to Chicago (yaay!), causing the loss of up to 300 jobs in its old locale of Manatee County, Florida (booo!). Fortunately (for Florida), Tropicana's manufacturing and distribution facilities will remain in Florida, along with about 1,900 jobs. The move is part of parent company PepsiCo's long-term strategy to "realign its North American beverages unit." Just in case you were wondering.
Thursday December 4 2003 Business/Shopping

This American Girl
A reporter for Newcity checks into the world of American Girl Place, and finds it disturbing. (Edit: this isn't the first time that Newcity has reported on the Chicago-based doll church; when AGP was casting its stage show, Newcity sent one of its employees to try and pass herself off as a 13-year old. Although she did not get to audition, hilarity of a sort did ensue.)
Wednesday December 3 2003 Business/Shopping

Chicago Emmys?
Did you know there were regional Emmy awards? I sure didn't. Anyway, Robert Feder's column has the rundown of the winners, including a breakdown by TV station (not surprisingly, the big network-owned stations won the most), and the somewhat surprising news that Winsconsin stations racked up some wins (apparently it's actually the Chicago/Midwest Emmy awards, which covers territory outside the city and state limits).
Wednesday December 3 2003 Radio/TV

Hundreds towed!
As if we didn't have enough to worry about with the enforcement of towing legislation against cars without Chicago city stickers, now we've gotta worry about the winter parking rules on many of the city's streets. It's December 1, the day that winter parking laws go into effect, and the city went about its assigned task, towing hundreds of cars this morning. Violators face paying a minimum $150 towing fee and a $50 ticket. Buck up, kiddos, you've only got 4 months before winter parking ends on April 1. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Monday December 1 2003 Transportation

Everything's coming up Bubba
A Springfield, Ill. man has legally changed his name to Bubba Bubba Bubba. Said Mr. Bubba, "I kind of like to laugh and joke, and it's something silly to kind of poke fun with." True dat.
Monday December 1 2003 Outdoors/Environment

Metra naughtiness
A former Metra train conductor has written a book called That's What I Call Commuting, which according to the Sun-Times is a collection of the most memorable moments from his 30 years of working on the trains. Most of the tales sound like out-takes from "America's Funniest Home Videos:" women taking their clothes off, children puking in the conductor's cap, and a guy who missed his morning commute jumping onto a slow-moving freight train and ending up in Iowa.
Monday December 1 2003 Transportation

Lincoln never said that!
Apparently, quoting Abraham Lincoln is a popular pastime. So popular, in fact, that the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency put together a page of quotations attributed to Lincoln, letting you know whether he actually said such things as "To sin by silence, when they should protest, makes cowards of men" (he didn't). Also available: examples of facsimiles of Lincoln documents, so you can compare them to the copy of the Gettysbug Address that you've got lying in your junk drawer, to see if it's real or not.
Saturday November 29 2003 History

Willy Wonka windows
Now that Thanksgiving's over, it's time to start thinking about December holiday shopping. And a grand tradition of December in the city is the annual holiday window displays at the huge Marshall Field's store at 111 State Street. This year's theme: Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Eleven windows along the State Street side of the store have been decorated with scenes from the book in the style of the book's illustrator, Quentin Blake. The windows will stay up through January 4, so you have quite some time to see them.
Friday November 28 2003 Business/Shopping

...and they came out smelling like a rose
One good thing that came out of the recent garbage strike: a family who accidentally threw out a $10.5 million lottery ticket was able to retrieve it from the garbage still waiting pickup.
Thursday November 27 2003 In the News

Working Studs
Chicago author and historian Studs Terkel is getting some good press on the heels of his new book, Hope Dies Last: Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times. He's the subject of an interview at Salon.com (Salon registration required, or you can get a free day pass for the article), and Hope Dies Last is reviewed favorably in this week's AV Club section in the Onion. If you haven't picked up your copy yet, you might want to stop by the Barnes & Noble at 1441 W. Webster on Sunday, November 30; Studs will be doing a discussion and booksigning at 3:00.
Wednesday November 26 2003 Books/Authors

Santa train is coming to town
This upcoming holiday weekend marks the return of the CTA Holiday Train, which is a regular El train festooned with festive holiday decoration, and includes Santa and his reindeer on an open-air flatcar. The train starts riding 'round the Loop the day after Thanksgiving, and then moves to different train lines through the next month; check the CTA Website to see what days you can expect a little extra holiday spirit during your daily commute.
Monday November 24 2003 Transportation

New strips in the Trib
Hey, if you're checking in on Sunday, don't forget to pick up a copy of the Sunday Tribune; "Opus," the new Sunday-only strip by Berkeley Breathed, legendary creator of the much-missed "Bloom County" comic, starts today. The comic won't be on the Web anywhere, which means you're going to have to shell out the money for the paper to see it. Less heralded but also starting today is Darrin Bell's "Candorville." [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Sunday November 23 2003 Print/Magazines

Increased security lanes at Midway
If you're flying through Midway as part of your Thanksgiving plans this week, here's some good news: there will be additional security lanes open in anticipation of a busy holiday travel weekend. The city estimates there will be 52,000 travelers a day coming through Midway over the holiday, which is pretty good but still doesn't match O'Hare, with an estimated 215,000 travelers per day.
Sunday November 23 2003 Transportation

Granddad vs. Methuselah!
Who's got the oldest living fish in captivity: the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco (which received an Australian lungfish named Methuselah in 1938), or Chicago's Shedd Aquarium (which received a lungfish named Granddad in 1933)? Not surprisingly, Chicago claims the prize, although there's truly no definitive way to know which fish is older (both fishes having conveniently lost their birth certificates).
Thursday November 20 2003 In the News

You can drive, but you can't hide.
If you've been putting off buying a city sticker, you might want to think about doing it soon: police and investigators will be able to ticket unstickered cars in licensed garages and parking lots, thanks to new legislation passed Wednesday by the City Council. City Clerk James Laski estimates the city could make as much as $10 million in the next two years. Although the legislation is already in effect, you still have a couple of weeks to get your sticker before the city starts enforcing the law. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Wednesday November 12 2003 Transportation

Foul back.
Just when you thought you were going to put the recent Cubs unpleasantness behind you and move on, an Oak Brook auction house claims to have the infamous foul ball from Game 6 and is getting ready to auction it off next month. I'm guessing that bidding will be coming mostly from Florida.
Wednesday November 12 2003 Sports/Recreation

Your morning CTA news.
The CTA approved an amended version of its 2004 budget on Monday, which includes a 25-cent increase to the base fare. The $1.75 price goes into effect on January 1. In addition to the increase, the price of a transfer will be decreased from 30 cents to 25 cents. While you let that news sink in, here's a bit of good news: Demon Dogs can stay open! The restaurant was supposed to close at the end of October, but it negotiated a new lease which will allow it to stay open through June of next year. Here's the kicker: its monthly rent has been raised from $630 to $2,500. Aie! That's a lot of dogs to sell!
Tuesday November 11 2003 Transportation

Kup care.
Irv Kupcinet, long-time columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, is in intensive care after being admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with breathing problems. Kup has been with the Sun-Times since it began in 1948, and "Kup's Column" celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. Update: Irv Kupcinet has died of pneumonia at the age of 91.
Monday November 10 2003 People/Sightings

When I hit the road, I've got no plan.
The punky QB known as McMahon was charged with drunk driving Sunday morning in Florida. Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon failed a field sobriety test and had a blood-alcohol level more than three times the legal limit. No word yet as to whether or not police caught him doing the Superbowl Shuffle at the time.
Monday November 10 2003 People/Sightings

Tell Us The Truth!
Billy Bragg, Tom Morello, Lester Chambers, Mike Mills, and quite a few other musicians will be playing in town on Monday, November 10th, for the Chicago date of the Tell Us The Truth tour making its way across the country. According to the Website, the tour is to promote "the discussion of media consolidation and how it has affected the music industry. Common Cause [a group formed to reform government ethics -ed.] will be on hand with information about how to fight media consolidation in Chicago." The show is Monday night at the Park West (322 W. Armitage). Tickets available at ... Ticketmaster?!?!?!
Friday November 7 2003 Music/Clubs

Reeling 2003.
Reeling 2003, the annual Chicago gay and lesbian film festival, is under way! Opening night was last night, and the festival runs through Thursday, November 13. Check the Website for a calendar of films, and check with the always-dependable Chicago Reader for synopses and mini-reviews of the films.
Friday November 7 2003 Film

You too can run for a countywide office!
The Cook County Republican Party is looking for a few good candidates. It issued a plea on Thursday to the general public: submit your resumes for running against Democratic candidates in next year's election. But be warned: as County GOP Chairman Maureen Murphy stated, "We don't have power. We don't have clout. We're not trying to offer jobs to people."
Friday November 7 2003 Politics/Activism

CTA price increase delayed.
The Sun-Times reports that the CTA is delaying its vote on a fare increase from $1.50 to $1.75, to take into account public input on the increase. Unfortunately, CTA spokespeople are pretty much agreeing that the only options left are either fare increases or service cuts. Hmm. Where'd I put that bike....
Thursday November 6 2003 Transportation

Whose democracy?
All next week, WBEZ will be airing a series of NPR programs under the title Whose Democracy Is It? This series of programs will cover a series of topics related to the political process, from the various voting machines used in elections, to various tapes recorded by US Presidents throughout history, to the daunting task of taking on Chicago's "political machine" to fight for one's cause. The programs will air Monday through Friday mornings at 11:00.
Friday October 31 2003 Radio/TV

See shell?
The new band shell at Millennium Park will be named after the Pritzkers, Chicago's wealthiest family, according to the Sun-Times. The Petrillo family, whose name adorns the current band shell, doesn't feel too good about the change, and is warning the city that they might take the matter to court. The Pritzkers, who gave $15 million for the building of the $50 million shell, benefited from being able to have naming rights for donating a big wad of cash, a rule which is also apparently going to give us such lyrically named places in the park as the McCormick-Tribune Ice Rink, Bank One Promenade and BP Bridge.
Thursday October 30 2003 Music/Clubs

Meningitis vaccination program over.
The city has wrapped up its emergency meningitis vaccination program, after determining that they had pretty much reached their target crowd. Total vaccinations: more than 14,000.
Tuesday October 28 2003 In the News

Everybody cut Footloose!
Wheaton College is preparing for its very first on-campus dance, ever. The Tribune has the story. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Friday October 24 2003 Schools/Education

Halloween events.
Still looking for something to do on Halloween? This week's Newcity has a nice rundown of events happening next Friday, including stage, live music and club happenings.
Friday October 24 2003 Offbeat/Misc. Events

Two dollars!
The Sun-Times is reporting that CTA president Frank Kruesi is planning two rate hikes in the next two years: a 25-cent increase at the beginning of 2004, and another 25-cent increase in 2005, bringing the ticket price of El and bus rides to a cool $2. If these plans are followed, Chicago would have one of the highest transit rates in the country. Start saving your quarters, kids.
Tuesday October 21 2003 Transportation

60 minutes of history.
The Neo-Futurists theater company is starting its 2003-04 season Thursday night at 8:00, with the premiere of the new play A 60-Minute History of Humankind. The show will tackle the entire history of the world, and feature practically everything the Neo-Futurists are known for: straightforward acting, abstract performance pieces, singing and dancing, and a snazzy multifunctional stage set. Plus pennies. Lots and lots of pennies. See the Neo-Futurist Website for details, or call up their hotline: (773) 878-4557.
Monday October 13 2003 Theatre/Dance

Oh, bugger.
An Asian longhorn beetle was found on the North Side yesterday. It was outside the established quarantine zone. Hopefully this was an isolated incident. Hopefully.
Friday October 10 2003 Outdoors/Environment

A breath of fresh air!
Tenatative agreement reached in Chicago garbage strike! The populace cheers!
Thursday October 9 2003 Politics/Activism

Cubs fever: pray for it!
Ever ready to tackle the hard-hitting issues of the day, the Chicago Tribune presents another scorching exposé: Is it OK to pray for the Cubs? [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Thursday October 9 2003 Sports/Recreation

I Was Born, But...
Roger Ebert has posted his personal pick for the screening to see in this year's Chicago International Film Festival: tonight's showing of the 1932 silent film I Was Born, But... Considered one of the best films of Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu, it will be accompanied by a benshi, which is a person giving a running translation/commentary during the film. Those of you who like your cinematic experiences unique might wish to check it out. Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport), 6:30PM.
Wednesday October 8 2003 Film

More Nobels for Illinois scientists!
The Nobel Prize in Physics went to three scientists who separately developed theories on the behavior of supercooled materials were jointly awarded the Nobel in physics. One of the scientists works at Argonne National Laboratory, and another is on the faculty of UIUC.
Tuesday October 7 2003 In the News

Chicago International Film Festival.
The 39th annual Chicago International Film Festival is under way. Two weeks of films from all over the world, showing at the Music Box Theatre and Landmark's Century Centre. Check the CIFF site for a complete schedule. If you're wondering what to check out, check out these best-of articles by Metromix, Newcity's film critic Ray Pride, and this essay by the Reader's Jonathan Rosenbaum.
Friday October 3 2003 Film

Author wins Nobel Prize ... in Chicago.
Congratulations to South African writer J.M. Coetzee, who has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Mr. Coetzee is currently teaching at the University of Chicago, also home to a series of Nobel-winning economists. The moral here: if you want a shot at a Nobel, try teaching at the U of C. [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Thursday October 2 2003 Books/Authors

Domestic partnership registry.
The Sun-Times is reporting that the Cook County Clerk's Office is now issuing certificates of domestic partnership for same-sex couples. Though the certificates are largely symbolic and confer no real benefits, many couples have apparently expressed interest in signing up (possibly in the hopes that, someday, there will be real benefits).
Wednesday October 1 2003 Politics/Activism

Best of Chicago.
In this week's issue of Newcity: the annual "Best of Chicago" section, where you can find the winners in such categories as best apple martini, best "corked bat" T-shirt (oh yeah, remember that?), and best photo booth.
Friday September 26 2003 City Life/Cultural

Stalking the wily rabbit.
Apparently, Grant Park is (still) infested with rabbits. And with 200 new elm trees ready to be planted in the park, the park's advisory board is still trying to develop a humane and effective way to prevent them from eating everything in sight. Good luck to them! [Trib. login: gapers/gapers]
Thursday September 25 2003 Outdoors/Environment

Two words: Squirrel Cop.
This American Life: Crimebusters and Crossed Wires, the second volume of selected stories from WBEZ's award-winning radio program This American Life, will be in stores November 11th (although public radio stations will be using the CD as a pledge premium in October, so start saving your ducats). Along with the much celebrated "Squirrel Cop" story, the double-CD collection will include the "Greatest Phone Message of All Time" story, which ranks right up there as one of the funniest and most talked about stories that TAL has broadcast. Highly recommended.
Wednesday September 24 2003 Radio/TV

Chicago bloggers' maps.
After langushing behind cities like NYC and London for months and months, Chicago finally has not one but two sites devoted to matching up bloggers by (El and Metra) train station.
Monday September 22 2003 Weblogs

Button-O-Matic.
WBEZ reported this morning that So-And-So's Button-O-Matic, the gumball machines distributed around town that dispense buttons designed by local artists instead of candies, has branched out to New York, with three machines installed in locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. (By comparison, there are 13 machines in Chicago.) So you can tell your hipster NYC friends that the buttons were here first!
Thursday September 11 2003 Arts/Architecture

We're #1!
"Illinois had more spilled shipments of hazardous materials - many of them in Chicago's suburbs - than any other state last year." Yes, yes, move to the suburbs, kiddos! Be near the hazmat spills! Mua ha ha haaa....
Monday September 8 2003 In the News

"It's like Chicago."
"For a city that's not supposed to have power, there's lights all over the place. It's like Chicago," said hometown boy Donald Rumsfeld on his most recent visit to Iraq. Rumsfeld also visited troops stationed in Babylon, Iraq "and said he felt at home with the Polish contingent as his home town of Chicago was heavily populated with Poles."
Saturday September 6 2003 Politics/Activism

Svengoolie after dark!
Robert Feder reports that Chicago's very own horror movie TV host, Svengoolie, will be moving his program from Saturday afternoons to Saturday nights, where a horror movie host belongs.
Friday August 29 2003 Radio/TV

Wesley Willis RIP.
Alternative Tentacles is reporting that perennial Wicker Park rock'n'roll star Wesley Willis passed away on Thursday, August 21. Rock over London, rock on, Wesley. We'll miss you. Give God a head-butt for us. (Note: the AT server seems to have gone belly-up, no doubt because a million bloggers linked to the story. I've got the full text of their announcement on my blog.)
Friday August 22 2003 Music/Clubs

Chicago vs. California.
This week's Newcity includes an amusing editorial on the CA governor recall campaign, with an interesting comparison of the state and our city. "Once upon a time, everybody in California was from Chicago; now, everywhere in Chicago you can find Californians. We are your lost children, California. We are California Libre. With Kaos seizing your statehouse, we are your populace in exile."
Thursday August 21 2003 Politics/Activism

Taste!
Mmmm, smell that? It's the Taste of Chicago getting ready to start up again on June 27th in Grant Park in downtown Chicago. Ten days of sampling food from all over the city, and plenty of live music to wash it down. You can now purchase food tickets at Dominick's around the city, or (if you're cool) online at the Mayor's Office link above.
Thursday June 19 2003 Eating/Drinking

Mmm, produce.
Summer starts in one week, and you know what that means: farmers markets! More than 30 weekly and monthly markets, scattered across the city, will be offering fresh produce from June through October. The Mayor's Office of Special Events has thoughtfully provided a handy schedule so you can see what markets are closest to you.
Saturday June 14 2003 Eating/Drinking

Wesley Willis art exhibit.
Still can't get anough of Wesley Willis, the 350-pound schizophrenic whose insane musical rantings were all the rage in about 1995? There's going to be a show of his drawings at Intuit: the Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, 756 N. Milwaukee, from June 13 to August 30. Opening reception is this Friday, June 13th, from 5 to 8PM, with a Wesley Willis performance at 7:30. Rock over London, rock on Chicago!
Tuesday June 10 2003 Arts/Architecture

The return of the Pansy Kings.
This week's hot theatre ticket is hot pink: as part of the GLBT Pride celebrations this month, author and performer Dave Awl is reforming the Pansy Kings, a group of Chicago's swishiest performing folk, for a one-night-only extravaganza at No Exit Cafe, 6970 N. Glenwood, Wednesday night at 8PM. Expect moments of "campy fabulousness," as the Chicago Reader puts it. Also expect a standing-room-only show; the Pansy Kings quit at the top of their game in 1997, when they were able to draw a crowd large enough to fill the Park West.
Monday June 9 2003 Theatre/Dance

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James Allenspach