Chicago Weekend Fun!

Many people do not know that you can see New York’s Broadway shows here in Chicago! Including many Tony Award winners. A number of new musicals and theater shows are coming to Chicago in 2010 that shouldn’t be missed. Here is a list of the theater I think should not be missed while it has a short run in Chicago this year: 

Billy Elliot The Musical: This is the best feel good musical with dance that you will see this year in Chicago. Check out the uplifting against-all-odds story that all the critics have been raving about at the Ford Center for Performing Arts/Oriental Theater 24 West Randolph Street Chicago, IL on March 18 through 2010. Hopefully Billy Elliot will be here for a long run since Chicago likes uplifting musicals and supports them for a long time (like Wicked).

Dreamgirls: This is a musical turned into an Oscar Winning Movie turned into a Musical again. Why? Because the music is so moving it can go between stage and screen so easily. See it live to experience the drama yourself at the Cadillac Palace Theater 151 W Randolph Street in Chicago, IL. January 19-31, 2010. Tickets are $18-$85 each and selling out fast.

August Osage County: I saw this show in preview performances a few years ago before all the awards came in. I was floored by the roller coaster ride and yet I think most people identify with a family spinning out of control because we hold ours together by threads some days. Yet nobody has a life this messed up. Experience the extremes that family can bring at the Cadillac Palace Theater 151 W Randolph Street Chicago, IL from February 2-14, 2010  Tickets are $25-$80.

An Evening with Patti LuPone & Mandy Patinkin: At the Cadillac Palace Theater, 151 W Randolph Street Chicago, Illinois on March 2-7, 2010 Tickets are from $18-$90 each. Both of these powerful broadway singers have a lot to offer. This is a rare show where they just get to sing their favorites and talk to the audience about them. What an intimate view into the well known music of Broadway shows.

Chicago Broadway Theater Tickets can be purchased Online through box offices or reseller sites.

Where else can you get a brand new 3,000 sq ft dream house for $243,000? Oswego! This would cost $500,000 in Naperville or Wheaton.

Finding New Homes for Sale has been more difficult than I thought.  We never thought we would be looking in Elgin, Oswego, Wauconda or Huntley, IL but we are.

We have been looking for a house to buy for the last 6 months and we haven’t found anything we like that we can afford in Naperville or Wheaton or Glen Ellyn. We have been looking at used homes because these areas of the Chicago Suburbs have all the land already built up.

It turns out that the only places you can find open land in the Chicago area to build a new home on, is the fringe of the suburbs. Some places with new developments that are really affordable we have found are from Town and Country Homes  (sign up for the open house at the link and get a $50 gift card for your time) in  Elgin, Huntley, Oswego and Wauconda.

The plusses of buying a house in Elgin or Oswego are that these are all new homes and you get choices about how you want your home built, what kind of lot you want and what details and finishes you have in your new home. They have luxury finishes and all the open floorplans, custom kitchens and square footage you might want with a growing family.

I have been looking at used homes for 6 months and I can honestly say that there is no choice and no good homes left on the market after the bubble burst sell-off.  Everything we have seen either is on a corner lot (no privacy in the back yard), has wood paneling (glued to wallboard, very hard to remove) or has no basement or is missing some other crucial qualifier for us.

We would like to build our own home and have to start looking out further west than Naperville and Wheaton. The things we would like in a new home would be a large kitchen/family room combo a large dining room for holidays and family events and a nice size master bedroom with good closet space.

We’re also a fan of white woodwork and white kitchens of which you can’t find inNaperville because it was mostly built up in the 1980’s when all oak all the time was popular.

The only negative to living in Elgin or Oswego is that not everyone works out there. Many of us work downtown or in other near-city suburbs and these towns are a long drive from work every day. Sometimes you can catch a Metra train like from Elgin but Oswego people have to go to Aurora to catch one.

We are pretty much ready to consider the long commute to save $150,000 on the price of a home and have a smaller mortgage to worry about. Plus we would get to choose more options on our home ourselves. It sounds like an extra 15-20 minute commute can get you a lot larger home that you are happy with for a very long time. The federal tax credit that goes until April 1 will also be helpful., G

Now that we are racing towards the end of 2009 and the beginning of a new decade in 2010 it’s time to reflect upon how Chicago fared this year.

Early in 2009 most of us in Chicago were just happy that Rod Blagojevichwas slowly dropping out of the news and we didn’t have to hear about him every day anymore. The stupidity and lies involved with that scandal were just disgusting regarding the abuse of power.

Image Via Gawker.com

2009 started out with a flurry of excitement over Barack Obama being elected president and the inauguration in Washington. Yes this was a proud moment for Chicago but it was really a moment for the entire country and we were just happy to be a stop in Barack’s ever changing and evolving successful career. Since then we’ve learned that even if a person has their heart in the right place and wants to make real progress for the nation, it doesn’t mean it will actually happen. Sure, we’re only 1 year into a 4 year term, but besides some small reversals of stem cell and corporate banking and governance laws and the constant life support for the economy we haven’t seen the change we all hoped so much for. Especially regarding Iraq and Afghanistan.

I’m not a political blogger so I don’t really have the patience for all the arguing that goes on with officials in Washington about details of people’s lives half a world away, but the simplified truth is that the war costs an immense amount, we have to take out massive loans to pay for it and those loans need repayment or else the rest of the economy will falter like never before. I can’t see how the governments (national, state and local) can get away with neglecting infrastructure like bridges falling down and schools with failing grades because they say we can’t afford it and by doing so cheat our future, while fighting this very expensive war to provide a hazy goal of future oil and supposedly less future terrorism? Its not working, and the huge bureaucratic system full of people who want the war to continue won’t let Obama change things that the citizens want changed. So, the presidency is becoming less inspirational these days and more tuned out like the last one.

One of the most frustrating events was Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics. Many people got caught up in the possibility of this relatively small city (of 9 million people) hosting that huge international event and with stars in our eyes we plastered posters over any surface possible (and hanging over the edge of the Chicago River Bridge for Michigan Avenue) in hopes to spread the feeling of sport, spirit and rainbows. Unfortunately in a recession where the unemployment rate and foreclosure rate keep climbing, it was difficult to generate excitement about a several billion dollar bill. Most of us see the obvious dollar signs in the eyes of the corporate and government sponsors/hosts and know we the citizens would be footing the bill in many ways. Higher fees for products and services, more congestion, more construction fouling up traffic and most of all; a bevy of new higher taxes were what we avoided by being eliminated by the IOC from the final four in the first round. What a huge relief!

In other Big Chicago News in 2009 Oprah Winfrey announced that 2010 will be her last year hosting the Oprah Winfrey Show. While many people were apathetic about that news we were scared that the headquarters for HARPO Productions would move to LA with Oprah and take with it some of the few notable broadcasting and media jobs still in Chicago. Luckilly they announced that HARPO would stay put for now and they get some juicy tax breaks as a result. Over time Oprah’s show got to be more about sales and marketing promotions for companies and less about real people and the social issues in society which she gained popularity covering through the 80’s and 90’s. Access on the internet to quick and deep disclosure by celebrities about their lives is another reason the show is less of a novelty. Oprah.com has always been a closed site requiring membership to see content and recently I could not even find a copy of the White House Christmas episode online to view. How can they show something like that once and never share it on the internet?

The topic on most people’s minds the most in 2009 has been the economy and jobs. Too few companies are doing ok and everyone knows too many people out of work. The office where I work has about half the staff it had two years ago.  Chicago is one of the fixtures on the rust belt, but many of us thought that had passed with jobs in finance, technology, health care and sales leading the way in Chicago in the last 10 years. Most of that growth seems to be gone and Chicago bounces between 9% and 11.4%, always above the national average. (October (10.3%) is the most recent data available, metropolitan unemployment rates are about 2 months behind)  A few of the big layoffs in Chicago in 2009 were from: The City of Chicago, KPMG, Motorola, Chicago Public Schools, Deloitte, E&Y, Tribune, Conde Nast, Art Institute of Chicago, CTA, Just about every Law Firm, Boeing, CDW, CareerBuilder, Orbitz and many more. As a result of people loosing jobs and being upside down on their mortgages the number of Foreclosed Homes has jumped also. The economy and all the unemployed workers have also framed the Health Care Debate in Washington this year because they have either lost health insurance when they lost their job or many could not afford it to begin with. Some looked to independent insurance like Personal Care Insurance Group Health Plan Illinois and others just went with Blue Cross or without any Insurance all together. We all are responsible for what decisions are made on health care reform and it will affect all of us as we get older and need more health care services.

My hope is that 2010 and beyond will be better since this has been a difficult decade for Chicagoans. While on the surface the city may be cleaner/prettier and have more luxury shopping, hotels and condos, the average citizen probably has not had a great improvement in their finances or job situation on average. We’re a great city filled with hard working and determined people. We have to re-energize the city, refresh the identity of Chicago around our strengths and move forward again. Hopefully things will be in a better place in 2020.

Michael Buble’ is coming to Chicago with his “Crazy Love” tour on March 27, 2010. He will be performing in the enormous All State Arena. If you want to get tickets close enough to actually see him on stage, the Michael Buble’ fan club site always has preferred fan club seats available in advance of when regular tickets go on sale. (no they don’t all wear matching jackets) If you miss that opportunity to buy the tickets closest to the stage, then there are the regular tickets available through Ticketmaster where you can sign up for alerts about each artist and get alerted when they have new concert tickets available, although this time the Ticketmaster alerts were 2 days later than the fan club email.

By now you may think I am the most obsessed Michael Buble’ fan ever because I track these things, but surprisingly I am not an uber fan. I have been listening to Michael Buble’s music though since the first album he released, which I think was in 2002 yet I see the dates in iTunes only date back to 2003. I initially was drawn to his singing because it had such a vintage quality yet was more modern in style when I saw him on a late night talk show singing Sway. I enjoyed swing dancing at the time and it Michael Buble’s music became an instant fave with the swing dance groups back then.

I’ve seen Michael Buble’ in concert twice in Chicago and both shows were very very good. In fact, the first one was so good that I dragged everyone I knew to the second. This was back at the Cadillac Palace Theater in maybe 2005? The first time I saw him was in a tiny tiny retro style club (the Black Orchid?) that doesn’t exist anymore in piper’s alley. (Now I think that space is used for Tony & Tina’s wedding?) There were maybe 100 people there, seated at dinner tables in rows, enjoying his music. Like many performers in their early days, Michael Buble’ was very down to earth and talked with the people sitting in the front of the room a lot and told stories about his grandfather influencing him in finding this music. I was in the very back trying to show my appreciation for the singing by quietly dancing with Tom Walsh (aka sharkbite), and the organizers politely stopped us. (thank god) The singing is what blew me away though, he has good a voice in person as he did on the CD. That doesn’t always happen at concerts. By the time he was at the Caddilac Palace he had a full band backing him up, fancy backdrop and choreography.

Over time all performers evolve and Michael Buble’ has gone from a gawky young guy with a smooth voice to a full blown crooning mega star. He has been Top-40-popular in his home country (Canada) for many years and its nice to see him fill huge stadiums in the USA now too. I am surprised though that the American audience has adopted this retro crooner and his flirtatious ways as a mainstream popular artist. I was also a fan of Harry Connick Jr, who has a similar start in vintage styled Frank Sinatra songs and he never was fully accepted by the mainstream. (he also started acting and stopped singing after a few years)

The swing fad had its time, but Michael Buble’ seems to have crossover appeal because he has begun writing and releasing his own original work instead of just revamping the classics. (although we still enjoy the classics). His music that is released to radio stations is not vintage at all and just a good love song. The current popular hit is “I haven’t met you yet”.  It also doesn’t help that Michael Buble’ is shameless in his flirting with every cute single girl within a mile radius of the concert. There have been a lot of reports of him taking full advantage of that, so its not a wonder why his relationships don’t last long.

The truth is, his career will last longer if he is single. Every woman in America will loose interest the minute he gets engaged and the audience is usually 75% female. He opened the Chicago Caddilac Palace show with a line like: I’d like to thank all the men in the audience for coming. And as thanks, I am going to get you laid tonight. (meaning the date they brought will be so swooning by the end that its pretty much a flawless romantic mood setter).  And except for some awkward dancing, Michael Buble’ put on an awesome show that night.

So, for as long as Michael Buble’ is single, he is sexy, and he will keep packing stadiums to hear him sing. I think the concert on March 27 will be a blast and should not be missed. Get your tickets before the good seats sell out.

Hah, Gawker.com had a similar take on Michael’s popularity back in October.

The L decked out for Christmas with lights and lots of decorations.

Adapted from all the listings I have collected this is the 25 best things to do in Chicago this Christmas. Take note, many of these Christmas activities are free and fun for the whole family. Whether it is a showing of the Nutcracker, Christmas Caroling, shopping at ChristkindleMarket, seeing A Christmas Carol or Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer show, seeing Winter Wonderfest or Zoolights, there is plenty to plan your weekend with this holiday season. As always call the phone numbers listed for more information, addresses an times. If you plan on attending these holiday events in Chicago please take public transportation on your way there to minimize traffic and avoid the cost of parking downtown ($25+). Chicagoweekendfun.com wishes everyone the warmest and most fun holiday season yet!

 A BREAKFAST WITH SANTA- Fun for kids! This breakfast with santa features a special appearance by Chicago Bear Jerry Azumah and if you bring a handmade ornament you can enter to win prized. Bring an unwrapped gift to donate to the Walter and Connie Payton foundation. United Club at Soldier Field, 1410 South Museum Campus, (312)235-7162. December 5th @ 10 AM. $50, $25 best for kids 3-12, An RSVP is required.

THE 11TH ANNUAL BUCKTOWN HOLIDAY ARTSHOW - All kinds of local art at many price levels including photography, jewelry, watercolors and more. The creativity in the art is beyond what you can find in a big box store for christmas. Holstein Park Fieldhouse, 2200 North Oakley St, (312)742-7554. December 12th and 13th, 11am to5pm, $2 entry fee.

CHRISTMAS CAROLING AT THE CLOUD GATE (the bean) – Join groups of carolers for a weekly sing-along @ Millennium Park, 201 East Randolph St, (312)742-1168. Fridays through December 18th @ 6pm. Free!

The Music Box Theater

The 14TH ANNUAL CHRISTKINDLMARKET @ DALEY PLAZA – This outdoor German market on Daley Plaza offers vendors selling authentic German food, drinks and handmade goods like ornaments and clothing. Some favorites are Beer, Potato pancakes and Christmas Ornaments. Daley Plaza, 50 West Washington St, (312)494-2175. November 25th through December 24th. Free!

68TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD/14TH ANNUAL HOLIDAYS OF LIGHT Museum of Science and Industry – A tradition at the Museum of Science and Industry, see where Christmas is celebrated around the world with Christmas trees, music, dancing and some exhibits of other winter holidays, including Diwali, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. At the Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 South Lake Shore Drive, (773)684-1414. November 20th through January 3rd. Free with general Museum of Science and Industry admission of $9-$13.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Theater – The classic tale of mean ol’ Ebenezer Scrooge turned around by the Goodman Theater. See what Christmas is really supposed to be about and bring the whole family. At the Goodman Theatre, 170 North Dearborn St, (312)443-3800. Now Showing from November 20th through December 31st. Tickets are $25-$74, or $10 for students.

The 26TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SING-ALONG AND DOUBLE FEATURE MOVIES – Come see two favorite classic Christmas Movies and sing some carols too —“It’s a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas”— at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 North Southport Ave, (773)871-6604. December 18th through December 24th. Tickets are $16 for the double feature, or $11 for the single.

Christmas HOLIDAY FLOWER SHOW – Garfield Park Conservatory has more holiday flowers than you can dream of. Fields of poinsettias and other holiday plants are in their vast and amazing greenhouses for viewing. Come see this horticultual treasure in Chicago. The Garfield Conservatory, 300 North Central Park, (312)746-5100. Open November 28th through January 10th. Free, but donations appreciated.

MILLENNIUM PARK ICE SKATING – We have already written about the fun of skating downtown among the skyline, but I will say it again, grab your skates and head over to the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink on Michigan Avenue in Millennium Park. The 2009-2010 season runs from November 20th through March 14th. (also fun around Valentine’s day)

The Michigan Avenue Bridge over the Chicago River

THE JOFFREY BALLET PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER – The exclusive Joffrey Ballet “The Nutcracker” is only here for two weeks. Don’t miss the amazing ballet dance troupe performing this Christmas classic at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 East Congress, call for more info (800)982-2787. December 11th through December 27th. Tickets are $25-$100.

RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR HOLIDAY SALE – 150 local, national and international artists show their unique creations Come browse the handmade jewelry, clothing and comics, among a plethora of other goodies. Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, 1419 W. Blackhawk, (773)227-2707. Dec 5 and Dec 6, 11am-7pm. Free.

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER – The classic tale of Rudolph in a funny, family-friendly retelling of said story. The Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, (773)561-4665. Nov 27-Dec 18. $15, $10 for kids under 12.

SANTA’S HOUSE & Photos With SANTA – Sit on Jolly Ol’ St. Nick’s lap, tell him what you want for Christmas and get a picture. Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington, (312)744-3315. Nov 26-Dec 24. Free.

SONGS OF GOOD CHEER – Chicago Tribune’s Eric Zorn and Mary Schmich and musicians head a caroling party at the Old Town School of Folkmusic. Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 North Lincoln, (773)728-6000. December 18-December 19 @ 7:30 pm, and December 20 @ 5 pm. Tickets are $36-$40.

Macy's (Marshall Field's) on State Street all decked out

32ND ANNUAL TOYS FOR TOTS MOTORCYCLE PARADE – This annual event is beneficial to the greater community with thousands of motorcycle riders delivering toys of all kinds so they can be donated to families in need. You can donate toys at any of the many stops along the routes. Dan Ryan Woods, 8300 South Western Avenue, (708)771-1062. December 6th @ 9:30 am. Free, toy donation required (no stuffed animals please).

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS HOME TOURS – Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Oak Park home, decked out for the holidays, and learn about the Wright family’s Christmas celebrations. Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, 951 Chicago Avenue in Oak Park, (708)848-1976. December 12th and December 19th at 9am-11am. Free!

WELCOME YULE! – A holiday concert featuring members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, as well as the Welcome Yule! Children’s and Dance Ensemble. Symphony Center, 220 South Michigan Avenue, (312)294-3000. December 18th through December 23rd. Tickets: $20-$98.

WINTER WONDERFEST NAVY PIER – Keeping the tradition of elaborate holiday tourist traps alive, Navy Pier transforms itself into a winter wonderland complete with a skating rink, inflatable games and a bungee run. Santa and his elves will be on hand every day ‘til Christmas to listen to kid’s holiday wishes. Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand, (312)595-PIER. Dec 4-Jan 3. $16-$19.

WONDERLAND EXPRESS MODEL TRAINS – Eighty model trains travel through Chicago landmarks, waterfalls and holiday trees in this 10,000-square-foot exhibit, tiny trains wind through more than 80 miniature Chicago landmarks, waterfalls, holiday trees and more. New on the map this year is Barack Obama’s Hyde Park home and Michelle Obama’s childhood home. Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook, Glencoe, (847)835-5440. Nov 27-Jan 3. $6-$10.

ZOOLIGHTS @ LINCOLN PARK ZOO – More than two million lights add beautiful holiday cheer to the Lincoln Park Zoo. The activities include visits with Santa, kid’s activities and ice carving demonstrations. Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 North Cannon, (312)742-2000. November 27th through January 3rd. Free!

All the stores near us with some kind of Black Friday Sale going on after Thanksgiving.

The buzz about Black Friday Ads and Sales has grown from being just an inside retail industry term a few years ago to a regularly used term that ends up on posters and fliers sent to the public weeks before the day after Thanksgiving actually arrives.

The change may have to do with the recession and how badly retailers have been doing in the last few years and it may also be a factor in the “new economy” where people have scaled back shopping to a level where they know how much things can be discounted and they just wait to shop for gifts at Christmas until they are 70% off.

I think the Black Friday Sales and Discounting has shed light on just how overpriced a lot of merchandise really is and how much things can still be marked down when they are made in China, and a company still makes a profit at 70% off.

Whether you plan on going to Oak Brook Mall, Yorktown Mall, Woodfield Mall, Fox Valley Mall or Old Orchard and Stratford Square Malls, there is a lot to know about before you drive over.

That all said here is what I have been seeing from some of the retailers online and in email:  (I will post more as I see them)

• ING Direct: has a special deal page (for affiliate retailers I am assuming, not their bank products) they are setting up for 24 hours only at IngDirect.com/BlackFriday from 12 midnight Thursday to 11:59 pm Friday.  It will have a variety of one day deals but they don’t say what they are beforehand. You just have to check it out and see. Maybe buy.
• Kohl’s is opening at 4AM: Besides the fact that this is insane to get up for a sale, Kohl’s usually has large discounts available, but if you do go to Kohl’s during the regular day, expect it to be crowded. Buy Now.
• Ann Taylor Loft:30% + Free Shipping, this isn’t much from a place that marks up merchandise o ridiculous levels. Wait.
• IKEA:Sales on certain key items and doorbuster deal types used as bait. If you really need these 1/2 price items then its worth it, you can’t really go there expecting to browse on a day like Black Friday.  Maybe buy.
• Old Navy:They have low prices to begin with so 25% off is even better. You always get a lot of bang for your buck there. Plus every few weeks everything in the store is new, so if you like something, Buy Now.
• Jcrew:20% off and free shipping. This is weak from a company that makes stuff cheap and then brands as luxury and charges $200 for a sweater. ( like Anthropologie and Ann Taylor)  Wait.  
• Department Stores like Macy’s and Sears: These stores always have great deals on specific items but not on everything. Check other stores online in the store to compare with your smartphone. Maybe Buy.
• WalMart and Amazon.com are having a $9 price war over books and DVDS. You win either way but think about where you really want to send your money if things are really the same price. What kind of company do you want to support?  Some WalMart stores will be open 24 hours on this day, like Amazon is open 24 hours a day online.
• Target – Best Buy for Electronics: Usually Best Buy offers the better items for sale but Target will discount bait items that will be super cheap, and not likley the exact model you want. Be careful of buying the cheapest TV or Stereo when they may be lacking features you need.

In regards to the Ads and Sales offers out there for this year’s Black Friday Sales in Chicagoland. I am seeing a few trends:

1. A lot of small bait like 20%-30% off in stores and online, plus free shipping.This is nice, and preferred over no sale but is not what really makes up a black Friday deal. 

2. Emails offering different sales than the stores and the websites. Each marketing channel sometimes has different pricing depending on who they think is the most likely to buy. The less likely they think you are to buy, the bigger the discount they will offer.

Sign up for the store emails to compare with the websites and the stores on Black Friday 2009, an iPhone will help compare prices when you’re in the store on Black Friday 2009. If you do see the best deals are online you may want to see the items in person first so going to the store is still a good idea. Remember the downsides to shopping online: Not Seeing the real merchandise in person before buying, difficulty returning it and no trying it on. Every store photographs and photoshops products to look better online than in person.

3. Coupon codes are being given out in the emails from retailers rather than sent out secretly to certain chosen people on direct mail lists. They are also running cupon codes all over their own website and on banner ads.You can get a black Friday coupon code just about anywhere now. Why are stores doing that? Because it gets you to purchase right now thinking its a good deal, and then most people forget the coupon code unless they write it down on a piece of paper when they are browsing. The coupon codes are never added automatically to the order.

4. A lot of people are tired of this Black Friday frenzy and are skipping out altogether. We have lives and families and can’t get up at 3am for a sale. That has spurned a lot of online black Friday sales available all day and a lot of people just not buying gifts at all. I think the people who have always been most attracted to Black Friday Sales have been the discount shoppers and the families that have to buy toys for the kids. Toys are most likely to be used as bait to get you into big-box stores because people who have kids need those to be more affordable. If you don’t have kids, wait out this season until the dust clears and there will be better sales near Christmas.

And lastly, the National Retail Federationestimates that people will spend 12% more because they are more optimistic about the economy than last year, but there are a lot of reasons that we aren’t out of the woods yet, so caution might be the best policy.

This is a great weekend to spend time downtown in Chicago. The Michigan Avenue Lights Festival is happening, which leads us right into Thanksgiving on Thursday and then the Black Friday Sale Madness on Friday. Millennium Park’s Ice Skating Rink also opens and the Museum of Science and Industry has their annual Christmas Tree Exhibit open too. There are plenty of events to attend fun family events and celebrate the holidays in Chicago before it gets too cold. 

The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival – Time: 11 AM Saturday November 21. The Michigan Avenue  Lights Festival is happening on Saturday. You can see the parade and fireworks along the stretch of Avenue from the Chicago River, north to Illinois Street.  At least that is the area I can see that has been decorated and has road blocks up. I know that Michigan Avenue is amazing with all the lights and many families come downtown to see this and then visit the Lego or Sanrio stores in the Nordstroms Mall and some people also go to the American Girl store also. I also see that the The Plain White T’s will be playing a free concert at 401 N Michigan Avenue(former Equitable Building next to the River). For more details call their Seasonal Event Hot-line at (312) 409-5560. The parade will also be broadcast on ABC channel 7 in Chicago live at 6pm.

Museum of Science and Industry Christmas Around the World Christmas Tree Exhibit – It has been a tradition to decorate Christmas Trees all over the Museum of Science and Industry’s main lobby/atrium with ornaments and decorations from countries all over the world, since I was a kid.

We used to go see this beautiful decorative display and be amazed that there were people somewhere in Poland and the Ukraine (our heritage) who celebrated Christmas just like us. Now that we know that not every country celebrates Christmas, (some don’t celebrate the religious side or the consumer side) we think this may be a little to ethnocentric and idea to promote.  Yes, the European countries mainly do celebrate, but in a world and country that is becoming more religiously diverse and mixed together, can we really still enjoy this?

Ice Skating is open until around 8 pm except Saturdays open to 10pm.

Millennium Park Ice Skating Rink

- This is a great fun time for kids and adults alike and it is free if you bring your own ice skates. There are ice skate rentals on site if you need to rent them, but many people prefer skating their own skates. Afterwards the Park Grill has many tasty dining options, although it is an upscale restaurant that the kids may not be into. Millennium Park is right next to the Art Institute on Michigan Avenue, so you can make a trip downtown to see both!

I got an email from the nice people at Ebay last week letting me know that they would be on Michigan Avenue with a truck full of computers and a bunch of personal shoppers to help you find what you need in gifts to buy and ship anywhere in the USA this holiday season.

I saw the truck and the Ebay display as I walked to work this morning and remembered that these sidewalk promotions on Michigan Avenue downtown usually have somewhat mixed results for the company and the consumer. (which reminds me there was no Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog in the  410 plaza Michigan Avenue this October either, but they were ripping up pavement there too.)

Consumers walking on Michigan Avenue really want to get where they are going. About 80% of the people walking are people who work there and are either going to work, getting a quick lunch or going home. We don’t want to be interrupted or stopped by someone selling something because we just don’t have any spare time. The other 20% of people are tourists, but they are likley leary of someone trying to stop them also if they are in an unfamiliar town. You would be surprised how hard it is to give out free samples on a street like this where people don’t really want anything.

Ebay seemed to have a good mix of curiosity with the large computer truck set up on the turnaround drive in front of the Wrigley Building and a few people scattered on the sidewalk to answer questions without being a pest. If you work downtown in Chicago, stop by and check it out. Challenge the personal shoppers to a question about your toughest person to buy a gift for this Christmas.

You can search for Ebay items on the laptops they have set up and everyone was very friendly. I will go take a picture at lunch to share how it looks so you can stop by if it looks interesting.

The point of this post is that even though I find sidewalk promotions on Michigan Avenue in Chicago annoying, I do like the idea of finding unique gifts on Ebay for Christmas Shopping. (and people shop for just about everything else on Michigan Ave right?)

Personally I am bidding on some china plates for my mother in law for Christmas because she can’t find them anywhere and has lost several over the years (she only has 5 plates left and 2 bowls!) I also think its a neat place to find electronics at a better price than retail stores and a great source for antiques and jewelry. So, by chance I happen to actually agree with the point of the campaign. (I usually personally have an affinity for about 1/100 of the emails I am sent through the site)

Whether people will be buying a lot for Christmas this year is yet to be seen but Ebay is trying to get the word out that there are lower priced options and greener alternatives to buying new stuff every year and I agree with that. Another interesting place to check out is Etsy, which I am sure Ebay doesn’t want me to mention, but it’s like Ebay with out the auctions and with more interesting well marketed /photographed/hand crafted stuff. And there is always the donate to charity option for the Holidays if you have too much stuff too. I have a feeling that this will not be a typical Christmas in Chicago.