These are the updates I just got about Memorial Day Parade and Street Closures in Chicago. If you are planning on attending the Chicago Memorial Day Parade, The JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge Race, The Memorial March, or the Bike the Drive event, check this list first to find out where the streets are closed and where/when the events happen. I hope eveyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend and have a burger from the grill for me!

J. P. MORGAN CHASE CORPORATE CHALLENGE (3.5 miles) on Thursday, 21 May 09, 6pm – 10pm:

This event site will be in Grant Park, Lower Hutchinson Field.

The run will take place on Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Rd to Wacker Drive.

Start time for the run is at 7:10 pm.

Columbus will close at 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm from Roosevelt Rd to Balbo.

Columbus from Balbo to Wacker Drive, as well as the east west streets in this area will remain open for as long as possible to allow for the end of rush hour traffic.

The on site CPD Commander will give the order to close the streets shortly before the race begins.

At the end of the race, as soon as it is safe to do so, Columbus from Balbo to Wacker Drive and the east west streets in the area will be opened.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE on Saturday, 23 May 09:

The parade route is from Wacker Drive to Van Buren on State Street, step off 12 noon.

State Street and the east west streets along the route will close at 11:30 am.

Wacker Drive will be closed for staging from Wabash to Lake Street at 8:00 am.

Van Buren will be closed for vehicles and disbanding from Michigan to Franklin at 8:00 am.

The parade will last approximately 2 hours and streets will be opened to traffic as soon as it is safe.

BIKE THE DRIVE on Sunday, 24 May 09:

The event site will be in Grant Park, Butler Field the bike route is on Lake Shore Drive.

Lake Shore Drive will be closed to vehicle traffic from 5:00 am to 10:30 am from Hollywood to 63rd Street.

AMERICANS FOR LIFE, LIFE MEMORIAL MARCH on Friday, 22 May 09:

This group will meet at the Thompson Center Plaza; the march will step off at 11:30 am.

A group of 2000 to 3000 people will march south on Clark St to Adams, east on Adams into Federal Plaza.

The group will hold a rally at Federal plaza until approximately 2:30 pm.

During the march traffic will be affected from Wacker Drive to Jackson and State to LaSalle.

As soon as it is safe, streets will be opened to traffic.

Vintage Black and White Mother's Day Photos with Kids.

There are a lot of ideas for spending Mother’s Day in Chicago with mom this year. Whether your mom is a corporate VP or a stay at home multitasking genius, there is something you can do to make this Sunday’s Mother’s Day Special.

Mother’s Day Flowers are always a great gift. Most moms love flowers so getting a bouquet of roses, flower arrangement of dasies or car load of bedding flowers for the front yard are all great ideas.  I have been taking my mom flower shopping for several years now the week before Mother’s Day. We buy a few hanging pots of geraniums and some flats of flowers for the garden (petunias, begonias, dahlias and maybe a rosebush or a flowering shrub if we need one that year).

Blue Butterfly on an Orange Zinnia, Flowers are a great gift for Mother's Day

I end up spending about $100 since it is a fancy place for flowers (Vern Goers in Hinsdale), but the Jewel stores have their greenhouses up and the home depot sells a lot of interesting bedding plants also. (also try The Growing Place in Naperville. ) You probably want to go home and help mom plant them in the garden and pots too, in order to really make it a great gift and a great day.

Mother’s Day Brunches

There are numerous Mother’s Day brunches all over Chicagoland on Sunday May 10th. Some good local Chicagoland restaurants I know of are:

Vintage Moms of the 1950's. What would they would have liked? What do they want us to remember?

The Glen Prairie Restaurant in Glen Ellyn, McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant in Chicago, ZED451 in Chicago and the very popular Naperville Hilton Sunday Brunch at Allgauer’s in Naperville. You need reservations for all these restaurants on Mother’s Day. They all are usually booked for their Sunday brunches and Mother’s Day is no different. Call now to see if there is still room!

Mother’s day Gift Ideas

If you can’t afford an iPhone or a luxury spa vacation for mom here are some good Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for kids and families.

What most moms want is to be appreciated and to spend quality fun time with their kids. With how hectic the schedules are in our lives with work and home responsibilities, nobody gets enough quality time. Doing something for the day for the family is probably what mom would like best.

The famous Blue Box from Tiffany's.

Also keep your ears open for what mom has been talking about needing latley. Does the dishwasher make a menacing noise when it starts? Would the thought of doing dishes by hand in the sink every night grind your life and schedule to a halt? Is the washer starting a leak or acting funny stopping mid cycle? Getting things for the home that need upgrading is a great way to get a gift for mom and help both parents in the house get things done quicker.

Not all mom’s want to be reminded of the work they do at home on Mother’s Daythough. Some moms want to go out and experience the world that they left behind when they had kids. Maybe this kind of mom wants a night out withdad in the city, with a broadway show, fancy dinner and four star hotel.

Mother’s Day Traditions

If you really think about it, moms are the glue that holds nature and life together. Without all their nurturing and caring how would human life transfer knowledge to the next generation and continue? If you think about it, its pretty amazing that life has existed as long as it has, and how within a few short decades the generational shift in the world is huge. Moms also influence heavily who you become and some of your deepest personality traits. Women have traditionally played an important role in making all life possible on earth, lets give them the credit they deserve.

Plenty of fast fun affordable spring break escape options in Chicago.

I know that the tradition is to leave Chicago and go to a warm sunny tropical location to celebrate spring break, but for many people who live throughout the Midwest, Chicago is the destination for a spring break getaway. If you’re from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri or Minnesota you might be thinking of spending Spring Break in Chicago. OR, Maybe you live in Naperville and want to escape and stay downtown for a stay-cation break?

It’s the big city with all the bright lights and events happening. Maybe you’re considering moving there some day and want to see what all the excitement is about in Chicago? Here is a list of things that you can do on Spring Break in Chicago, whether you’re 17 or 77.

1. Shopping on Michigan Avenuedowntown or at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. Before the Mall of America was built, Woodfield was the largest mall in America. Do your civic duty during this recession and find the best sales and deals in the stores now. Shopping is a local pastime in Chicago whether the country is in a recession or not. I see Michigan Avenue filled with shoppers every day.

2. Eat a Steak.Or if you’re a vegetarian, check out some of the finer veggie options in Chicago (yes there are many). Some of the best steakhouses in Chicago are: Gibson’s, Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris, Mickormick & Schmick’s, Smith & Wollensky and Lawry’s Prime Rib (technically not steak but still very good). Some of the best well known Vegetarian restaurants are the Lakeside Cafe, Uru-Swati on Devon, Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant on Ashland and Mana Food bar on Division.  

The view of Chicago on spring break

3. Odyssey Chicago Lake Michigan Dinner Cruise or the Chicago River Boat Tours. Both of these options give you a great view of Chicago and the skyline. The Odessy Dinner Cruises are best at night when the skyline is lit up. The Chicago River Boat Tours are also fantastic on the Chicago River. I think the Architecture tour is the best but all of them are equally informative and entertaining.

4. Check out the Art Institute of Chicago. Ok, this isn’t really very spring breaky, but well worth the time and still provides a certain amount of risque topics for discussion. There are always special traveling exhibits at the Art Institute of Chicago that showcase collections of artwork that are very rare and exclusive. Check them out since they are usually only showing the exhibit for a limited number of weeks.

5. If your spring break is really late, or you are possibly waiting to plan a summer trip, consider Six Flags Great America. This is about the most spring break like activity we have here in Chicago. It’s pure fun, all the roller-coasters and rides you can possibly dream of. It is a day of pure escape from the everyday.

6. Check out the concerts. A lot of local bands play weekly in the city and if you plan ahead you can catch big national tours as they pass through Chicago. The Allstate arena, United Center, House of Blues and Chicago Theater all have new shows every weekend and you can get discount tickets the day of, if they aren’t sold out. The best way to check out these venues is their individual websites.

The Downtown Chicago St Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 12:00 noon, Saturday March 14th. This year like in many years the Chicago St Patrick’s Day Parade is not held on the actual holiday in order to make it more convenient to attend. (it’s also a fun free thing to do for the holiday) The parade will be held starting at Balbo and Columbus and runs north on Columbus to Monroe.

Taking Public Transportation to the Chicago St Patrick’s Day parade is strongly encouraged since parking is scarce and expensive. Any of the EL loop lines are accessible, get off at the train at Randolph, Madison or Adams and walk east to Columbus. If you are coming in from a Metra line to Union Station, the walk is much further, and you will probably want to take a cab from the station to Columbus. Plus it will most likely be cold, so walking 10 blocks or so isn’t fun when it is that cold. If you are lucky to be coming in to Millennium Station, exit on Lake Street and walk 2 blocks east to Columbus.

Dyeing the Chicago River also happens downtown at 10:45am: Saturday March 14th. You can see the green river dyeing process from the East side of the Chicago River bridge at Columbus Drive or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive. This is a new location due to construction taking place this year. There is all kinds of mystical folklore about leprechauns that surrounds the dyeing of the river but basically the local Journeymen Plumbers use 40 gallons of vegetable dye to change the color of the river for a few hours in celebration and spirit of St Patrick’s Day and Irish Traditions. It is enjoyed by everyone and quite a sight to see in person. Stay downtown for the Parade at Noon.

There is also a2009 Naperville St Patrick’s Day parade on the same day in the SW suburbs. The west suburban residents will be able to celebrate their Irish heritage in the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 14. The 2009 Naperville St Patrick’s Day parade kicks off at 10 am from Naperville North High School, located at 899 N. Mill Street. The parade moves south on Mill Street, east on Jefferson Avenue, south on Main Street and west on Water Street to the Municipal Center. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is hosted by the West Suburban Irish group. All residents are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item at the parade to benefit the Loaves and Fishes Community Food Pantry Charity.

And last but not least, there is the ever popular South Side Irish Parade at noon on Sunday March 15th. This is the parade where people get the most drunk and rowdy although I hear it is a lot tamer than it used to be. If you would like to attend the South Side Irish Parade also, wear your green and go hang out between 103rd-115th Streets and Western Ave. & 103rd St in Chicago, IL 60643. The parade is free and it usually lasts about 2 hours. They actually mention on their website at southsideirishparade.org that this St Patrick’s Day Parade is a celebration of Irish heritage in the Beverly-Morgan Park community on the South Side of Chicago and in order to be respectful of it, please refrain from public drinking in areas where it is not permitted.

While most people are aware of the Mardi Gras side of Fat Tuesday but in Chicago there are probably more people who celebrate Punchki Day (p?czek or Paczki day) than Mardi Gras. Punchki Day is a Catholic (eastern European) tradition where you eat decadent fruit filled or cream filled doughnut like cakes to splurge before Ash Wednesday and the fasting and depravity required by Lent. Most Polish or Ukrainian bakeries will have Punchki available a week before Punchki Day and you can splurge all week.

Yes, I ate some of these Punchki last year.

Punchki come in a variety of incarnations. There are the doughnut style Punchki which are really the same as Jelly filled Doughnuts. These are good, but unless they are different than the regular doughnuts you can buy, what’s the point/novelty?

There is also a more cake-like type where the round baked/fried dough cakes are sliced in 1/2 and filled with fresh fruit fillings and sauces. There are other fillings like Boston cream, whipped cream, chocolate and cheesecake. I personally think the fruit is always the best way to go. You may find punchki available in these fruit flavors: Strawberry, Cherry, Peach, Apricot, Blueberry, Pineapple, Cinnamon Apples, Raspberry and Plum. (maybe even more flavors, these are just what I have tried) Most of these doughnut like mini cakes have around 400+ calories though, so this isn’t healthy by any means.

They sell them by the dozen.

I have had Punchki from Busy Bee Bakery in Downers Grove and they are pretty good. But the best Punchki I have had were from the Central Continental Bakery up north in Mount Prospect, IL. My dad works near by and places an order for a few boxes (dozens) of Punchki a week or 2 before the big day. They have a huge sign out advertising the countdown to Punchki day, so you can save up your calories. Then the crowds emerge and pick up all the punchki to take home and everyone shares them with family and friends since they are so good.

The prices range from $2.00 – $4.00 per punchki because they are huge and some are very elaborate to make. Plus they are so filling, you can’t really eat more than one in a sitting anyway. You can find the Central Continental Bakery in Mount Prispect at 101 S Main Street and call them at 847-870-9500 for ordering your Punchki or to just have them set some aside for you before they’re all gone!

Mardi Gras day celebrations can be hard to find in Chicago.The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (beginning of lent) is usually a more cold and subdued one on Chicago with Punchki Day (pyczaki) on April 24 and thoughts of what it is you will give up for lent this year. Chicago’s heavily Catholic areas of the city aren’t really known for celebrating Mardi Gras.

Things are changing with the way the world keeps getting smaller, and more connected. Any holiday celebrated anywhere in the world is a reason to toss a few drinks back and celebrate. New Orleans does Mardi Gras like nobody else, and Chicago would like to offer some fun like that but without the flashing, since it is a bit colder here. Most of what you will find in Chicago for Mardi Gras is centered around restaurant specials and drink specials at bars. Possibly some good creole and gumbo, in the New Orleans tradition.

Spicy Shrimp Creole for Mardi Gras

The tradition was to let loose before this period of fasting and deprevity so one night out with some drinks and some unhealthy food is enjoyable without becoming a regular habit that sabotages your diet plans. There are plenty of places that serve decadent food to fit the bill this year. Some local Chicago restaurants with Mardi Gras specials this year are:

Marche in the west loop: They have a menu of Creole-inspired French dishes. On Mardi Gras Tuesday, diners get free beads with their meal. (classy) after 5:30 p.m. Prices range from about $15 to $35 per plate for dinner not including drinks. Reservations are recommended. Address: 833 W. Randolph St. in Chicago, IL Phone: 312-226-8399.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen: This new Orleans Style Restaurant has a week long party planned that includes a $5.95 craw fish boil (Thursday) and happy hour in the bar from 3-7 pm featuring appetizer deals starting at $1.95 (Friday), live music (Saturday), keepsake Mardi Gras glasses (Sunday), free meals for kids 4-8 p.m. with purchase of adult entree (Monday) and a huge Fat Tuesday party. Prices range from $12 to $25 per dinner not including drinks. Address: 921 Pasquinelli Drive, Westmont, IL just off Route 83, Phone: 630-455-9846 for a reservation.

President’s Day is observed on February 16. I won’t be at work that day, like most people who have the day off, I will be honoring our first presidents by shopping at the President’s Day Sales around Chicagoland. Wouldn’t they be proud?

All the local Chicago stores are starting their ramp up of ads for that holiday and if you are holding off on buying something because of the recession, you may want to go shopping on President’s Day because the stores are cutting prices and have everything on sale.

President’s Day is much like Christmas this year where Chicago retailers just want to make sales so they are cutting prices and discounting everything in the store. You can get great deals on clothing, furniture, housewares, carpet, mattresses and even cars. GM, Ford, Toyota and Honda are trying to talk anyone into buying a car off their lot. One dealer even advertised a buy one get one free sale. (it was a Chrysler dealer)

Here are some of the President’s Day Sales around Chicago that I have heard about. If these are national stores you may find they have the same deals in other locations also.

Kohl’s - the home of all holiday sales. Kohl’s has a lot marked down on sale this President’s day both online and in stores. Look for great Bonus Buys (Expires 2/18/09) like:
15-50% ENTIRE STOCK Kitchen Electrics
50% Off Chaps and axcess Suit Separates for Men
Athletic Shoes on sale from $28.99 
40-70% Off Bedding Collections & Accessories, Sheet Sets and Down Comforters 

The general sale includes some great deals like:
30-40% Off Men’s Dress Shoes & Casual Shoes
50% Off Bed Pillows, Mattress Pads, Feather Beds & Fiber Beds

Take an additional 10% off your order with coupon code: NEW3988 Expires on 2/22/09.

Kohl’s Charge Card holders save up to 30% off with the following coupons:
15% Off: MVCCHARGE15 (Exp 2/17/09)
20% Off: SAVE20FEB (Exp 2/29/09)
30% Off: PRESIDENT30 (Exp 2/18/09)  

Kohl’s also has all Dana Buchanan women’s seperates are 30% off on President’s day.

Plus there are bonus coupons you might get in your mail box if you are a Kohl’s credit card user. They always send 10%, 15% or 30% off coupons in the mail and this is inaddition to the sale prices already in the store.

Macy’s – Macy’s Department Stores also like having sales for all the Holidays. I would expect a lot to be on sale from their clothing departments to clear out the last of the winter clothes since spring merchandise is coming in soon and Jewelry will be on sale since Macy’s just took over the jewelry section of the store from a jeweler that was leasing it at the State Street Store. This may have been the case at other former Marshall Field’s Stores also.

Furniture – Ashley Furniture, Harlem Furniture and LaZBoy all have sales planned. If you have lots of savings and a good job while you have a ratty old sofa, it might be time to go looking. IKEA Chicago also has a $150 cash back deal going on mattresses in their Schaumburg and Bolingbrook locations.

Update: As I find out more details I will update this post. Check back and bookmark this page to see the updates as they happen closer to the President’s Day Sale Date. 

Photo credit goes to alykat on Flickr.

Well the groundhogs in Chicago saw their shadow this morning and that means we get about 6 million more days of winter. Or 6 weeks, whichever global warming provides. Groundhog Day seems to have been seriously overshadowed (no pun intended) by the Superbowl last night. Never the less, the groundhogs at the Brookfield Zoo (including Tubleweed at left) were out this morning giving us our anecdotal weather forecast for spring. Bill Murray was not present at the shadow sighting, he is most likely off making more funny movies somewhere exotic and warm. Photo linked from & credit to the Chicago Tribune & Antonio Perez . Anyway, happy winter!

In the past I have been very anti-valentine’s day, but now that I am engaged I am more ambivalent about it. If people want to get together on Valentine’s Day in Chicago and make love rather than war or money, it is probably a good thing. Those who don’t really want to bother with all the V-Day hullabaloo are always welcome to celebrate anti-valentine’s day too.

In Chicago it is cold in February and the options for celebrating Valentine’s Day with your special one are limited to the indoors and maybe someplace with a cozy fireplace. That said, there is a range of price to which you can celebrate this day of love.

If you have endless funds available the Trump Tower Hotel is offering a special Valentine’s Day package with a view of the Chicago River, a Dozen Roses, Champagne, Chocolate and a premium suite for $900. Yes, that is the cost for one night. That puts a lot of pressure on both parties for it to be a “spectacular” night at that price. At least at home you don’t loose $900 if things don’t work out. Plus in this economy who wants to spend a mortgage payment on one night in a hotel room? (just the room)

I have always liked the more simple ways to show someone you love them on Valentine’s Day. Nobody enjoys paying $100 for a dozen red roses at the Chicago FTD Florist so why not send something else? Believe me, pink roses can be just as romantic, white roses are elegant, and there are so many beautiful flowers, why limit it to just roses? (orchids, lilies and Gerber daisies are all great alternatives that get ignored by florists on Valentine’s day) Don’t all the flowers really say something beautiful? There is no reason that you have to be exactly like 9 million other people in Chicago. Originality gets you brownie points and wins over hearts big time.

Check out the little local Chicago FTD florists a week or 2 before Valentine’s day to see what they plan to have on hand. Ask about what else they will have besides 12 tons of red roses from Chile. I try to avoid large florist chains like Phillips because there is so little creativity there, but in a pinch they have a lot of stock. You have to tell them what you want though. Jewel and Dominicks have great low cost deals on flowers but they usually wilt in 24-48 hours. (Which is so dissapointing) I like Tulipia in River Forest for my fresh flowers and they usually last a week.

Chocolate is also a typical Valentine’s Day gift but I don’t know any woman that says she needs Chocolate when most women always complain that they are on a diet. (talk about passive aggressive) I know a few women who crave it, but I wonder if there is really something else going on there.

I think most women really want to be loved and appreciated. I think doing something to show you love them in a non-traditional way might be the best Valentine’s Day gift of all. Sure, an elegant dinner at the restaurant of her choice or a new pair of earrings would be great but save the big flower/chocolate/hotel room money for something else.

My fiance got me some flowers last year and new windshield wipers for my car. And yes, he even installed them for me. This year he is upgrading the memory in my laptop, very thoughtful of him. It was sweet and I do appreciate his thoughtfulness every time I am driving in the pouring rain in Chicago. Think different this Valentine’s Day and you will have a much better time with the holiday than all your friends and coworkers that do the same thing they do every year.

Update: 2 More events happening around Chicago if you really do want to brave the cold and go out to do something special on Valentine’s day:

The Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago Troupe makes its official company debut at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., on Valentine’s Day. This event features performances from the company repertoire (including the jet propelled “Pyrokinesis”) …Plus, as the $46 ticket price includes a post-performance champagne and cheesecake reception and parking is free…this makes the event a great way to treat your honey to a great evening out without breaking the bank. For more info call 847.673.6300.

These local fine Restaurants have specially prices dinners available on Valentine’s Day with unique menu’s and Valentine’s Day details. Call for more information and details.

BIRCH RIVER GRILL – AN AMERICAN KITCHEN 75 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights, IL (847) 427-4242
DINE at 733 W. Madison Street in Chicago, IL (312) 602- 2100
GLEN PRAIRIE at 1250 Roosevelt Road in Glen Ellyn, IL (630) 613-1250
KARMA – ASIAN FOOD & WINE 510 E. Route 83 in Mundelein, IL (847) 970-6900
Kinzie Chophouse at 400 North Wells Street in Chicago, IL 60654 312.822.0191
MAMBO GRILL at 412 North Clark Street in Chicago, IL 60654 312.467.9797

January 26 is Chinese New Year in 2009 and in Chicago there is always a big celebration. Chicago has a large Chinatown on the SW side of the city that has a lot of spectacular traditions and treasures to be discovered if you plan to visit during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Every year in the Chinese (or Lunar) calendar has an animal theme (from the zodiac) with special meaning. 2009 is the year of the Ox. This year is all about prosperity, fortitude and hard work. How fitting considering our current economic situation. People born in a year of the ox (every 12 years) are known to have certain personality traits like being very determined, individualistic and logical people.  

How can you celebrate the Chinese New Year in Chicago there are a few things you can do:

1. You can visit Chicago’s Chinatown area and see the Dragon Dance/Lion Dance in the parade and stay for the fireworks. If you go to dinner in Chinatown the Chamber of commerce has this coupon for 15% off at certain restaurants. Also hereis a downloadable and printable travel brochure and visitor’s guide for visitors to Chinatown. The Chinese New Year Parade in Chinatown is scheduled for Sunday February 1 at 1 pm CST on Wentworth from 24th Street to Cermak Road. The The Chinatown Chinese New Year Parade will be celebrating the Lunar New Year and the “Year of the Ox, 4707” with local marching bands, beautiful floats, dancing lion teams, a100’ Mystical Dragon, and a Miss Friendship Ambassador. Many people will be saying “Gung Hay Fat Choi” to everyone there, which means: Best wishes and Congratulations! (for the new year) Parade start time is 1:00PM though there are other activities starting as early as 11:30 am.

2. You can get red envelopes and give them to family. These are traditional ways to gift money (even numbers of bills only, $8 is particularly lucky but don’t use $4, four means death) to suppress the evil spirits during the celebration. Traditionally they are given by parents to children or by married elders to younger unmarried relatives.

3. Check out the Chinese New Year markets (stores) for unique and traditional gifts like flowers, fireworks or clothing. These make more interesting gifts when you go to someone’s house for a Chinese New Year Celebration. Also buy some moon cakes to try, they are beautifully molded mini cakes with different flavored fillings and flavors.

4. Check out the fireworks and if you have some small ones set those off to celebrate too. In Chicago most Fireworks are not legal although small 4th of July fireworks like sparklers and poppers are. If you have any fireworks use them responsibly.

5. Do these things for good luck in the New Year: Open windows or doors (maybe when it gets warmer?), switch on lights at night to scare away evil spirits (do Christmas lights count? because mine are still up), eat sweets to ensure you have a “sweet” year, clean the house before the New Year (and apparently not just for guests sake).  (courtesy of Wikipedia)  

2008 was a busy and eventful year in Chicago. People started off on edge about the war in Iraq and ended with more hope for the future even amidst more problems with the economy. 

Chicago had it’s fair share of events, news, trends, buzz and history made in 2008. The biggest most popular news and events in Chicago happened in the last few months with Barack Obama winning the presidential election and Rod Blagojevich being arrested and then released with corruption charges. 

Chicago also remained in the bid process for the 2016 Olympics ( despite my disagreeing about it’s appropriateness here) and we got monsoons of rain in June and Snow in December, January, February and March. The precipitation levels in Chicago have been on the rise in 2007 and 2008, nobody seems to know why. Bernie Mac passing away was big news in Chicago because it was so unexpected and he was (and is) so popular here. Politics is always new in Chicago but I haven’t gotten into the fray there. We try to keep things clean on the Chicago Weekend Fun Blog.

Not all of these topics are things we can post about here with our main focus being about entertainment, events and fun things to do in Chicago. It is also a secondary goal that we cover any other issues that people living in Chicago have to deal with and try and always remain open minded about all different people, cultures and ideas.

The trends in 2008 news coverage popularity by topic: (from the Pew Trust)

Some of the most popular posts we had on Chicago Weekend Fun in 2008 are listed below in no particular order.  I was happy that these posts got a lot of comments and seemed popular with readers. There were many more posts that were well received but too long a list to include here and I always appreciate the comments, emails and contact form submissions about the blog. All comments are welcome, even the ones about my spelling errors. (I am human like anyone else, and sometimes forget the spellcheck) I also appreciate the people who comment with additional information that I did not have at the time of the post, after all this is a blog and a news/events/information conversation.

Our goal in 2009 is to write more posts and provide even more information about the topics that are requested and commented on. We enjoy working on this blog immensely and would like to continue doing so for a long time. I never thought that writing or running a web site would be this enjoyable as work, but I find that we always have something to say so the topics and words come quickly. We also know that this is a learning process so if there are revisions and changes along the way it is because we are doing our best to provide the best site possible and work out the kinks as they come at us.

Your readership is always appreciated as is your feedback. If you would like to help out the Chicago Weekend Fun blog in 2009 you could send us a note in our feedback form, add a link to us in your blogroll, send a link to the site to your friends, bookmark us or advertise your company in ad words in the content network that runs on the blog. Any or all of those things would be greatly appreciated.

Top Topics, News and Post Trends for 2008 – comments and views – in no particular order

 Chicago Area Cook County and DuPage Sales Tax Increase

 Chicago Magnificent Mile Lights Festival

 Apple Orchards Autumn Apple Picking

 Top 5 Chicago Tourist Attractions

 Chicago now has 2 Christmas Music Radio Stations

 Naperville Ribfest Festival July 4th Weekend

 Chicago Black Friday Sales and CyberMonday Deals

 Fogo De Chao Brazilian Steakhouse Restaurant

 Chicago Neighborhood and Suburbs Zip Codes

 Chicago Halloween Haunted House

 Chicago Street Closures for Barack Obama Rally

 Taste of Chicago

 Big New Year’s Eve in Chicago 2008  

 Tommy Hillfiger Lighting Christmas Tree at Macy’s 

The emails are arriving in my inbox already for Day After Christmas Sales at stores in Chicago. It wasn’t even Christmas day yet and the stores had already planned out how they will discount the merchandise to help you find a great deal on anything you did not already get this Christmas. The day after Christmas sales are also a common destination of you really need to return those purple socks or snake print sweater you got as a gift this Christmas. Some of the after Christmas sales I have gotten info about are:

JC Penny has a big after Christmas Sale and Clearance starting at 5:30 am Friday December 26th and Saturday December 27th. There are special door buster deals available from 5:30 am to 1 pm if you are an early bird. There is also a store wide 60% off clearance sale. This does not mean everything is on sale in the store but a lot of the seasonal items like clothing or home decor should be marked down. There are 2 printable coupons on their site you can use to get an extra $15 off $75 or $10 off $50. AND there is 50%-70% off at JCP.com.

Kohl’sis going head to head with JC Penny to capture that middle class market and they also have big sales planned for Friday December 26th and Saturday December 27. Almost everything from clothing and apparel for the entire family and all holiday home decor is 50%-80% off at Kohl’s after Christmas sale and clearance. The items may be subject to availability though since we didn’t have an easy time finding boots this winter at Kohl’s they seem to frequently sell out of popular items.

Best Buyhas a very merry Christmas sale going all weekend long from Friday December 26 through Sunday December 28. Check Best Buy for their Christmas sale items like TVs, dvds, wireless digital photo frames and home appliances. This is not a sale in stores though. Check bestbuy.com for details.

Crate and Barrelhas a day after Christmas sale going with 70% off on all of their holiday decor and many specialty items for the season. See here for a link to the Crate and Barrel sale page. I am a big fan of Crate and Barrel Christmas ornaments, home decor and wrapping. If you can get these holiday decorations or housewares (glasses, baking equipment, pillows, candle holders, festive swags, rugs) at a large discount now and save them for next year you might just come out ahead in your 2009 budget.

Old Navy also has a lot of great clothing, sweaters, jeans and t-shirts on sale at 75% off. Old Navyis one of my favorite stores for getting the same basic clothes as more expensive stores, and half the cost. And when the clothing is on sale, it is the most affordable time of the year to buy. So, if you have birthdays in the next 2 months or so to buy for or need anything yourself that you didn’t get to buy before Christmas, check them out online or in the stores. (personally I think clothing is better to shop for in person since it is so dependent on fit and you have to try everything on to know it will work before you buy) They have women’s cashmere cardigans on sale for $35.00 right now. That is a great deal.

Lastly, check out Macy’s for some additional discounts (15%) on purchases made online with the promo code SAVEMORE. There are already discounts of 20%-6% on a lot of clothing and merchandise. I have found that Macy’s does have good deals if you hunt for them. I got some great women’s turtleneck sweaters as gifts last week at 1/2 price of $20. You just have to be careful because there are a lot of items not on sale mixed in too. Macy’s has done a lot of business this holiday with promo codes, discounts and free shipping deals, so make sure that if you shop there you are getting to take advantage of them.

Happy Holidays and happy after Christmas Day sale shopping!

Since I will have the week off next week and many kids are off from school I thought some Christmas Craft Ideas might be helpful and useful to the readers of Chicago Weekend Fun. (cat toys, origami snowflakes ornaments, garlands and chocolate covered strawberries) 

I am not an expert crafter like Martha Stewart but I have enjoyed my fair share of craft projects over the years. I think the fascination starts when you are a young girl in Brownies and Indian Princesses and all the projects are crafts. Popsicle sticks, rick rack, origami and felt come together with sequins and glue to make some great christmas ornaments and kid masterpieces.

Right now crafts are also popular because you can make decorations and gifts at home for less money that you would buying in stores. The use what you have philosophy is big right now with the recession and economic troubles. That said, I enjoy a good craft project whether it is a recession or not. Here are some recent craft projects I have done that you may enjoy too.

1. Catnip Felt Cat Toys- This is an easy inexpensive gift for people who have cats and want the kitty to get something for Christmas too. Felt is cheap and available for $.25 or $.50 per 8 x 11 inch at most craft or fabric stores. I got mine at Blick art supply and Hancock Fabrics because I wanted a lot of different colors.

You can be as elaborate or as simple as you would like with the shape of the cat nip pouch you are making. I made fortune cookie shaped catnip toys this Christmas and then sent them in Chinese food container boxes. A fortune cookie cat toy is made from a simple circle of felt folded over and sewn in 1/2. Before you close up the end, stuff it full of catnip and pack it down well. Then close up the end and fold the half circle in half again like a fortune cookie and stitch a few loops to hold it closed. Ta-da Cheap inexpensive cat fun. .

The cats don’t care what the shape is so if I am just using the 1/2 circles I call them catnip perogi. Otherwise a plain square pouch is ok too. Sewing doesn’t have to be super neat either, the simple over under stitch works well and I don’t bother to turn it inside out to hide the stitching either. The cat’s just want the catnip.

2. Wrapping paper scrap snowflakes – I hate always having small scraps of wrapping paper left over. It seems like such a waste. I read a few years ago about a way to make snowflakes from them in Martha Stewart Magazine and the instructions are actually pretty easy. It is like origami, but easier.

First take a scrap and make sure it is a perfect square. Then accordion fold the paper in 1/2 inch accordion folds. Then take a stapler and staple across the center of that thin folded bunch of paper. Next, take scissors and cut a pattern in the edges of the paper where the folds are. A pattern that cuts off some of the folded edges on both sides on the ends is always good, it lets the snowflake open more. Then unfold the snowflake ends and tape them together so the flake makes an accordion folded circle. See picture at left.

You can hang small stars or snowflakes on thechristmas tree as ornaments or hang larger ones in the window as a decoration. If you don’t like the white back to the star snowflake just make 2 and tape them together before hanging.

If you want 2 kinds of paper snowflakes, got to wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake and they have another “how to” article that I liked although I haven’t tried this yet. A home full of hanging paper stars and snowflakes is a very festive place to have a party.

3. Home made garlands – I know this reminds people of the 70’s, but if you have that cheap basic ribbon around the house that is kind of shiny, just cut it into 2-3 inch strips and tape or glue the ends together. This can also be done with paper cut into 1 inch by 3 inch strips. It is also fun to pop popcorn and string it with a needle and thread and then decorate the trees outside with it and the birds come eat it. You have to get the string or thread out of the tree eventually but it is cute and functional for a while.

4. Ok food itn’t technically a craft. But with all the baking going on people sometimes forget how easy it is to make chocolate candy type gifts. I once used baking chocolate and some chocolate molds to make a chess set as a gift. It was a popular gift and it was not that expensive. The only thing is that baker’s chocolate isn’t quite as sweet as the milk chocolate most people are used to, so finding another brand to melt down and use might be better.

Another great easy food to make is Fudge and everyone likes getting that as a tasty gift. The basic ingredients of fudge are chocolate chips, butter and condensed sweetened milk. Some people add marshmallows or nuts to the mix and a pinch of salt but it is basically just melted and then mixed together and then put into a baking dish in the fridge to harden. Here is an easy Fudge recipe for kids to make in the microwave. fudge-recipe.com/microwave-fudge-recipe.html

Also, chocolate covered strawberries are always a big hit. Chocolate is easy to melt in the microwave (or double boiler if you happen to have one) And you just dip the strawberries in and put them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Then drizzle with white chocolate or nuts to finish them off before putting them in the fridge for a few hours. These only keep a few days, so make the same day as the party if possible and don’t layer on the chocolate too thick, or it is difficult to eat. This is also a yummy treat for Valentine’s Day.

5. If you like the look of crafts and like giving hand made gifts without the hours of work you can always check out Etsy.com for hand made in the USA crafts that make great gifts. They have a full range of items available that are so well done that they look just as professional as the things you would buy in stores.

We only have a few shopping days left before Christmas and this is crunch time. It is the exact point where most women finish their shopping and the the men begin their shopping. (at least it is in my house) So, is it too late to get great gifts on sale for Christmas in Chicago? 

The selection is getting low, but there are a lot of great sales at most of the major stores in Chicago at 50% or more off most gifts.  This is probably the only time of year that it pays to be on the email marketing lists for online stores. They keep sending out coupon codes daily for free shipping and extra discounts and promotions to help people feel like they are getting a good deal this year with the recession, and so that they still buy all the stock in the stores that won’t be wanted at all after December 25th.

The stores that have promotional coupon codes going out all the time that you can sign up by email for are:

Macy’s – a wide variety of items are marked down, but not everything. If your favorites are not marked down, skip it. Daily emails let you know what the free shipping or discount code are today.

Old Navy – their clothing is really low priced to begin with and with extra sales and discounts, it is really affordable to stock up if you have kids.

JCrew, The Gap & Banana Republic - They mark down certain colors only, so if you want the tricky colors to coordinate like yellow, orange or purple you are in luck. If you want black or navy blue, it’s still full price. This is seriously annoying and I feel like boycotting these stores sometimes because it is so unfair.

Crate and Barrel & CB2- home furnishings aren’t as important to buy in a recession, and C&B knows that. They have had more on sale than usual but everything is still expensive. C&B is still good for those gifts you really have to impress with, like bosses and in-laws.

Kohl’s & JC Penny - get 50-60% off on most clothing right now but some items are already sold out. Like winter boots. Have fun trying to find any of those. And those portable outdoor wireless speaker sets. Really popular this year and sold out everywhere.

Sears (they even have layaway like the old days) check out the deal of the day and the 70% off sale. Craftsman tools still make great gifts for dad, grandpa and brothers.

Best Buy – Some electronics are marked down, but not everything. Get grandma and grandpa that converter box they need for the digital TV signal coming in February if they haven’t already gotten one.

The Premium Outlets in Aurora, IL also have sales offering discounts on their already low outlet merchandise prices. The trick is to go in the morning though since the afternoons are really crowded and there is no parking. Maybe go as a group and carpool so you only have to bring one car? Or have dad drop you off and pick you up?

Everyone may be loathing the recession we are in right now, but that is no reason to not have a Happy New Year. There are plenty of New Years Parties happening in Chicago to ring in 2009. Or, if you really don’t want to spend a lot of money you can always to the frugal thing and host a party at your place. I still think it is important to celebrate. Plus I like non-denominational holidays like this where everyone can participate. It is good to balance things out after all that Christmas stuff.

If we are going to really have hope for 2009 to get better we are all going to have to pitch in and help. And that is a lot easier if we get to relax once in a while and have some fun, especially on New Years Eve. I know there are endless Chicago New Years Eve parties planned but these are the ones that I have heard about and think might be the better ones to recommend.

1. First off the major New Year’s Eve party in Chicago is always at Navy Pier. This year Kiss 103.5is hosting/sponsoring it so the music should be more up to date than it was when it was with 101.9. Some people think it is too crowded, but it really does give you a great view of the city, fireworks, bands and convenient parking inside the building. It isn’t as hip as some parties up north in the city at posh restaurants or clubs but for the most people this is a fun night and a great party. Tickets are still available at thenyegala.com from $154.80 per person to a $2,000.00 VIP Package. I am not sure what the point is of the VIP Package, but if you have the money to burn, have fun. The rest of us are ok with the regular admission. The Music is being provided by 7 local DJs. (what no live bands?) The tickets include a 5 hour Premium Top-Shelf Liquor Package, 3-Course Hors d’Oeuvres, 2 Ballrooms of Entertainment, Midnight Firework Celebration, Confetti Countdown, Champagne Toast, Giveaways, Party Favors, Raffles, and the Balloon Drop at midnight.

2. NYE at the Hard Rock Hotel is also an option if you like a modern rock style to your New Years Eve. This is also a great place to book a very stylish suite that has a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline and stay there without having to drive home. The party starts at 9 pm in the Fender Ballroom and tickets are $125.00. Attire is FORMAL. It is sponsored by the Lincoln Park Young professionals so be on the lookout for yuppies. The Hard Rock Hotel’s Address is 230 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL. ChicagoNYEInfo.com is the address to go to for tickets.

3. The Chicago Hilton is also having a large New Years Party in Chicago for 2009. It includes a 4 hour open br starting at 9 pm, a buffet, champagne toast at midnight and all kinds of music and video stuff going on. Tickets are $155.00 for the event, get them at newyears09.com. Or if you really want to live it up there is a $2,000 VIP package for 8 people that includes reserved seating and more goodies. But who really needs to spend 2K on NYE this year?

4. The Chicago House of Blues is also known for it’s New Year’s Eve Parties because of the performers they bring in and the venue itself. This year I can’t find anything listed there even though I have been to NYE parties there in the past. Why no party HOB?

So if none of those New Year’s Eve parties seem to sound like a place you would like to go for the evening, try Checking Going.com or there is always the house party for cheap. Nothing wrong with staying in on NYE, it is more recession proof for your wallet that way. 

With the end of the year just around the corner, my mind has shifted from entertainment and events to the New Year’s Resolutions 2009 that we all plan to make.  I am thinking there are some New Year’s Resolutions in 2009 that Chicago should try this year too. Not just government and officials but all of us collectively as people. Well, ok some are specifically for government and elected officials since this whole Rod Blagojevich thing is out of control and so opposite how most people really are in Chicago. So, after all the New Year’s parties sit down and think about if these ideas could really improve your life and those of everyone like you in Chicago.

1. Resolve to share the power and redistribute wealth. Enough of this you pay me to do something I am legally not supposed to do bullshit. Yes, Rod Blagojevich I am looking at you, and Former Illinois Governor Ryan you too. I am guessing that Mayor Daley does this stuff ALL the time but he has enough clout that people won’t cooperate in catching him at it.

For god’s sake, if you know (work with) someone who does this kind of pay for play stuff, out them. Tell someone, tell the Tribune, Sun Times or NPR. Copy documents that verify it and send them anonymously to the press if you have to. Publish them on an anonymous blog. The only way that this behavior will stop is if people stand up to it and say no, I am not going along with this and make sure people know about it. It is your responsibility as a citizen and there are a whole lot more of us little people than there are powerful ones you know. And this was the whole point behind rallying for Barack Obama and Change. (and not just so people stopped knowing Chicago only for Al Capone, Oprah and Michael Jordan)

2. Get some more exercise. All of us, myself included could benefit from more exercise. This means walking rather than driving sometimes, going out to run once a week and generally doing things around the house to clean and fix it up. You would be surprised how much cleaning and fixing up the house can do for exercise. Walking every day to public transportation is also a great way to get exercise without knowing it. (which is pretty much the only way computer based people like me can do this) Laying off the deep dish pizza, foot long hot dogs and cold stone ice cream is probably a good idea too.

3. Save some money. Forget the economy and how 70% of the activity is from consumer spending. Just do what you need to do in order to be ready for layoffs since this is so common these days. Have 1 year of reserves in savings for daily expenses should you loose your job.

It takes a year or more for most people right now to find a new job since so many more people are looking than there are jobs. Also, have your vacation days saved up so that if they do lay you off they have to pay them out. It is the law. Most companies don’t offer any severance packages when they lay off people so your 2-3 weeks vacation time is your severance package now. Save it wisely.

4. Learn something new. This is harder the older we all get. I find it harder every year to learn something new that is an actual functional skill or knowledge useful on the job. It is just so much easier to do things the old way. It uses less energy and fewer brain cells. But you become obsolete so much faster, and in this economy that could mean a lot less money if and when you can find another job. So, whether it is community college courses, web research or just asking someone who knows cool stuff on the job if you could help out and get into a new project, it always benefits you in the long run.

What other resolutions do you have for yourself? And for Chicago?

From December 5th 2008 through January 4th 2009 the Bank of America Winter Wonderfest will be open at Navy Pier in Chicago. This is one of the many Chicago Christmas events that are perfect for the family to attend while kids are on holiday break. A trip downtown on the metra is always an exciting day for kids. The Bank of America Winter Wonderfest is a spectacular holiday event that begins its 8th holiday season with more attractions and over 170,000 sq ft of indoor family activities.

The Chicago Winter Wonderfest includes lots of amazing decorations with over 750,000 Christmas lights, 25,000 ornaments and hundreds of Christmas trees. The activities at Winter Wonderfest include Winter Themed carnival rides, games, music and live bands and entertainment daily. Many families found that this was a great yearly tradition to go to with the kids and return every year. (in addition to going to the walnut room at Macy’s for dinner under the great tree.

One of the attractions at the Winter Wonderfest is the eWish Center. The ewish center is open in Festival Hall from December 5th through January 4th. Kids can email Santa Claus their holiday wishes on the internet. Elves are there to help the kids write or send the emails. The emails go direct to Santa Claus. This is far more hip than the old write your list on paper and send it through snail mail method.

strong>Santa Claus arrives at Winter Wonderland at Navy Pier on Saturday November 29th at 5 pm on the Grand Staircase. This was for the opening of the holiday season and the official lighting of the pier for the holidays. Santa Claus also made a stop on the Family Pavilion Stage. Then he and Mrs. Claus listened to the holiday wishes of children from 6:00 pm. until 9:00 pm. Since Santa can’t be there every day, the ewish center makes sure that Santa Claus gets all the wish information and everyone gets their wish.

The Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier is free to enter and walk around but it is either $12 or $16 to ride the activities and rides. The $16 wristband includes ice skating, the $12 wristband ticket does not include ice skating. There are a few family packs that include parking and 4 wristbands that offer some discounts. There is a winter wonderfest family pack for $64 that includes 4 premium wrisbands (the ones that include skating) and free parking if you drive downtown. Navy Pier is located at 600 East Grand Avenue. Phone Number: (312) 559-1212.

The hours that the Chicago Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier is open are:
Bank of America Winter WonderFest will be open:
 
December 5, 2008 to December 18, 2008
Sunday through Thursday: 10:00am to 5:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 10:00am to 10:00pm December 19, 2008 to January 4, 2009
Sunday through Thursday: 10:00am to 8:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Special Holiday Hours:
Wednesday, December 24, 2008: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday, December 25, 2008: CLOSED
Wednesday, December 31, 2008: 10:00am – 8:00pm
Notes:

In addition to the Winter Wonderfest, Navy Pier is also the location for the largest New Year’s Eve Party in Chicago. Get tickets online to experience the best fireworks presentation and festivities of the New Year in Chicago!

This Christmas everyone is cutting back on how much money they spend on holiday gifts, festive food and Christmas decorations. I know I am looking at cheaper Christmas gift ideas when I go shopping in Chicago and plan on spending about 50% of what I normally do on Christmas Gifts. (we all need new Christmas gift ideas this year) It is a necessity with the economic crisis and the credit/liquidity crisis that is happening right now. In fact, I think spending into debt may have gotten us to expect all that constant growth so this is going to be a big adjustment over the next few years.

So as for those Christmas Gift Ideas, what gives? or what is there to buy that says Happy Holidays without breaking the bank? I think setting a budget for Christmas gift buying, per gift is the easiest way to achieve this. Then doing some research online helps you get an idea of what you would pay for a variety of items. It is free to search and look around at online stores, even to put the gift ideas in a shopping basket, but don’t check out yet! Do some comparison shopping or visit the Chicago stores in person to look at items and make sure you are getting the best deals on what you buy. Only plunk down the payment if it is a great gift at a great price.

Another element to great Christmas Gift Ideas this holiday season is to give gifts that are really useful and relevant. Some people may think this is boring, but I think it says that you care about that person and want them to really like and use the gift. There is nothing wrong with socks if they really need new socks, it is a gift that cares.

Here are some of my non-traditional Christmas Gift Ideas. Some people like them and other’s don’t but I wanted to share the info in case it was a help to your Christmas gift ideas gathering or shopping this year.

1. Hand Made Gifts- At the Renegade Craft Fair or from Etsy.com. I like hand made gifts because these days they look professionally made and they are unique unlike the millions of things shipped in from China. If you buy locally made handmade gifts you also support local businesses and artists, which is another good idea. There are so many christmas gift ideas to choose from, jewelry, home decor, knitted items and lots of artwork. This also may include food items you bake or make yourself.

2. Car Safety Kits – This is a useful gift for guys or women, it is basically a safety and get out of snow kit for your car. You buy all the pieces and put them into a Rubbermaid container to keep in the trunk of the car. You can customize it how ever you like but the main components are: A portable battery jump station, blanket, flashlight, shovel, ice scraper/brush, extra batteries for the flashlight, a crank cell phone charger if you can find one and a bag of road salt. Also a great Christmas gift idea for dads who are hard to shop for and own a less than reliable car at the moment and don’t feel like this is the right time to buy another car.

3. Warm accessories- Hats, gloves, scarves, ear muffs, boots and anything else that can keep you warm when you have to be out in the cold is a good Christmas gift idea this year. It looks to me like it is going to be a super snowy winter again by the amount of snow we have gotten already. Hats and accessories should run between $5 and $25 depending on the item and style.

4. Subscriptions & Calendars- a low cost gift idea is always subscriptions to magazines within the interests that the person has. Everyone has some interests and the magazines usually cost between $10 and $20 per year. Personally I recommend TIME magazine because it is so useful but a car guy might like HotRod better and dad might like the Chicago Tribune delivered. Likewise for theme ideas and calendars. They usually cost between $10 and $20 also and are exactly what someone needs in January. Very practical and useful.

5. Books – A great idea for Christmas gifts and kids is to share the gift of stories. You can get a lot of children’s books online at a small discount but check second hand book shops for really cheap children’s books. If you plan really early you can pick up a box of children’s books in the summer at garage sales for a few bucks. Children need to learn to read so starting by reading stories to them when they are as young as 2 really helps them get pre-reading skills and they like the stories and humor too. Regular books are good finds in used book shops too although you have to know the interests that the person has to find things. For older teens and kids a lot of 2nd hand game shops have popped up so computer and video games can be found for less. (gamestop)

6. Your Time- the ultimate gift idea is to give someone your time. Some people write out IOUs others just write in a card that they will spend 2 days off work helping with your bathroom remodel. (or clean out the pantry or clean the garage) This is always appreciated and worth a lot actually because it helps them save a lot of money on projects they need to do.  

The CTA Holiday train is a festive decorated train that has a Santa Claus in fill regalia on a flat bed car in the middle of the train amidst lots of lights and decorations. The CTA Holiday Train runs from November 23rd through December 23rd ondifferent tracks and lines of the el train system in Chicago.

The first time I saw the CTA Holiday train I just about fell off the platform at State and Lake. It is so lit up and full of decor that you can’t help but stare at it. It is a welcome cheerful sight in a city full of concrete grey and rusting steel beams. But it does surprise you since they have the Santa Claus out in the open on a flat bed train car and you know how fast some of these train cars travel. You wonder how he hangs on. It also looks a bit like a rolling party on wheels. As if a department store rented out the CTA Trains and started serving treats and singing songs in the train cars or something.

And for those people thinking we shouldn’t be spending money on holiday decorations when we are in an economic crisis, it doesn’t cost a cent to the taxpayers or the CTA. All the decorations are already owned and just brought out of storage and put on the trains. The same CTA fares apply when it runs and everybody still gets to ride as normal. It’s just more festive.

The CTA Holiday Train Schedule for which track it is running on is here. Look for it on these days in your neighborhood. The train runs from approximately 1 pm to 9 pm on weekends, and 3 pm and 7 pm.

November 22dn on the Red and Purple Lines
November 23rd on the Red and Purple Lines
November 26th on the Blue Line
November 29th on the Blue Line
December 2nd on the Pink Line and Loop Elevated
December 4th on the Green Line and Purple Line Express
December 5th on the Green Line and Purple Line Express
December 6th on the Green Line
December 10th on the Brown and Orange Lines
December 11th on the Brown and Orange Lines
December 12th on the Brown and Orange Lines
December 13th on the Brown and Orange Lines
December 18th on the Purple Line Express
December 19th on the Red Line
December 20th on the Orange Line
December 22th on the Purple Line Express
December 23th on the Yellow Line

The Chicago Premium Outlets Mall in Aurora, ILis the hot place to shop for Christmas gifts this season. I keep hearing about it all the time from people at work, friends and family so I had to write about it. My last trip to the premium outlets mall in Aurora was back in 2006 but it looks like they haven’t changed much except for adding more outlet stores. I have been doing more of my Christmas shopping online this year but when I really don’t have any idea what to get someone for a Christmas gift, a trip to the Premium Outlets Mall helps because you can see so many items in person in one place with all the outlet stores.

If you don’t have kids in tow, you can pretty much knock off your remaining Christmas gift list in one afternoon at the mall. That is a lot of progress in a short time, which is what people like me (who have no time) need this season. The premium outlet stores at the mall in Aurora also have the benefit of being discount stores. You have all the major brands that have premium clothing, shoes, handbags and kids clothes at 25%-50% off most all of the time.

The Premium Outlets Mall in Aurora, IL is located at: 1650 Premium Outlets Boulevard in Aurora, IL 60502, phone: (630) 585-2200

The Hours are: Extended Holiday Hours 

Mon, Dec 1 – Tue, Dec 23 
Mon-Sat: 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-7pm

Christmas Eve Wed, Dec 24: 9am-6pm

Christmas Day Thu, Dec 25: Closed

After Holiday Sale Fri, Dec 26: 8am-9pm
Sat, Dec 27: 9am-9pm
Sun, Dec 28: 10am-7pm
Mon, Dec 29 & Tue, Dec 30: 9am-9pm

New Year’s Eve Wed, Dec 31: 9am-6pm

New Year’s Day Thu, Jan 1: 10am-9pm
 
The last time I was at the premium outlets mall in Aurora I got a black Kate spade purse at 1/2 off. I was happy! My friend who I was with got a bunch of kids clothing at 75% off and since they grow out of it so quickly, and it makes sense to always buy a few sizes to big and put it away in the drawer if it is on a deep discount sale like that. It saves a lot of money in the long run. Plus the clothing, shoes and handbags you find at the premium outlet mall are not last year’s styles, they are this year’s styles and current items just at a discount.

All these retailers found out a long time ago that in certain areas outlet malls make more sales so just mark things down from the beginning and they sell better. That is why outlet malls are always in far out locations, they don’t want them near the high regularly priced stores because then they would never sell anything at full price again. So, consider the Premium Outlets Mall in Aurora, IL your secret this holiday season for getting the same type of gifts everyone else buys but at 25%-50% off.

So, here is a list of stores I found that are at the Premium Outlets Mall in Aurora, IL and if you see a bunch of brands you like and are in the chicagoland area, check out the mall and see if you can get ahead of the game and get your Christmas shopping done this weekend!

A|X Armani Exchange   
Adidas   
Adidas   
Aeropostale   
Aerosoles   
Aldo   
Ann Taylor Factory Store   
Anne Klein   
Ashworth Golf   
Asian Chao   
Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels   
Banana Republic Factory Store   
Bass   
BCBG Max Azria   
Benetton   
Bose   
Brooks Brothers Factory Store   
Cafe Seattle   
Calvin Klein   
Calvin Klein Underwear   
Carter’s Children’s Clothing
Chico’s Women’s Clothing
Claire’s Accessories   
Clarks Bostonian   
Coach   
Cold Stone Creamery   
Converse   
Crabtree & Evelyn   
Crocs   
Designer Fragrances   
Diesel   
DKNY   
Dooney & Bourke   
Dressbarn   
Dressbarn Woman   
Easy Spirit   
Ecko Unltd   
Eddie Bauer Outlet   
Elie Tahari   
Factory Brand Shoes   
Fossil   
Gap Outlet – Kids & Baby   
Gap Outlet   
Geoffrey Beene   
Giorgio Armani   
Guess   
Guess Accessories   
Gymboree Outlet   
Izod   
J.Crew   
Jockey   
Johnston & Murphy   
Jones New York   
Journeys   
Juicy Couture   
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I was just viewing this video from Leigh Hanlon on ChicagoCareless.com about how this year’s Macy’s window decorations suck since the company let go their former window designer Amy Meadows and cut the costs to produce the motorized diorama type Christmas holiday displays. In fact they imply that they are so sucky and cheap this year that it’s not worth making the trek from the suburbs or other parts of Chicago to see them. Ouch!

I have been going to see the Marshall Field’s and now Macy’s Christmas window displays for about 5 years now. (since I have worked downtown) and I have to say that every year along the way they have gotten cheaper or re-used displays from past years to save money. Guess why? The department store business isn’t very good these days. People don’t really want to shop at a store that they can get everything in one place for some reason, and favor specialty niche retailers now. So, Macy’s like Marshall Fields, is not selling as much merchandise or making as much profit so they have to keep cutting costs.  (and the recession really isn’t helping)

Plus, in another criticism of Macy’s is that they must pay a boatload of royalties to all the celebs they licence names from to promote their house brand products. (Martha Stewart, we’re looking at you) So, there goes the profits that would have been there in other years.

Personally I don’t know if I would go as far as saying the window displays ”suck” this year but they aren’t near the glory they once had. The designs look much less traditional and rely on a lot of cardboard cut outs and less of the dolls and actual moving parts. (this has been the trend for a while though) I have posted some pictures of the windows now and some from 2005 that I took before Macy’s bought Marshall Fields here.

So, if you want to go see the window decorations at Macy’s downtown in Chicago this winter with the kids or maybe haven’t seen their windows in the past, it is ok but not wow kind of work. If you used to love the attention to detail in the old traditional windows, you won’t be happy with these, and it is probably worth saving yourself the trip unless you really like going to the walnut room.

Chicago gets really cold in the winter so having an outdoor ice rink is no problem downtown. Millennium Park’s ice skating rink opened in 2004 after Skate on State was closed down to accommodate a new building being built across from what was then Marshall Fields.

McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park is located at N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL 60602 Phone: 312-742-5222

Millennium Park’s Ice Skating Rink is smaller than a usual ice arena rink but it is plenty of fun for kids and the family to go skating all winter. The rink is right next to the bean (cloud’s gate) in Millennium Park and it is free to ice skate there. (Skate Rental is not free, $10) Both figure skates and hockey skates are allowed on the ice rink. The ice rink is open from 10 am to 10 pm from Thanksgiving through March 15. The main benefit of the rink is some exercise for most of us that sit behind desks all day long and it is also a pretty picture to see people skating at holiday time.

The Millennium Park Outdoor Ice Skating Rink is a fun thing to do for free downtown if you own your own skates. (or if you want to rent skates) The public is welcome to try out their ice skating skills anytime of the week and have some fun. No lessons are currently available but many local ice skating rinks offer lessons if you want to learn to skate from a professional. Millennium park is a great place for a cheap romantic date though and after you skate you can go to dinner at the Park Grill restaurant there.

If you go skating in Millennium Park remember a few tips:

1. Always ice skate in the same direction as traffic. (far less people get hurt this way)

2. If you are not confident of your ice skating skills stay close to the boards.

3. Bend your knees and keep your butt under you for balance while skating with your feet shoulder width apart. Push outward with the insides of the blades rather than pushing with the toe pick of the skates. Or swizzle your feet in and out while doing a 2 foot glide.

4. If you feel yourself start to fall, letting yourself sit down naturally without struggling usually hurts less than trying to save it. You may want to bring extra gloves or extra pants for kids if they get wet falling a lot. You can change the kids for the ride home in the washrooms after they are done mopping up the ice.

5. They don’t resurface the ice often so expect it to be bumpy, full of snow and basically slow ice because of all the blades cutting it up in traffic. If you do know how to skate this is not really the place to practice or show off. Plus it is kid of rude to cut people off doing all your USFSA stuff when you are on a public skate.

And that is my best Millennium Park Ice Skating advice since I haven’t taught ISIA (ISI) lessons in about 15 years or skated USFSA in even longer. Have a great time skating and getting some good cardio exercise. 

If you haven’t been to a Renegade Craft fair holiday sale, this weekend if your chance to get some great affordable Christmas gifts for family and friends (and yourself) that are hand made in the USA by very talented artists and crafters. I have become a fan of the Renegade Craft Fairs (when they aren’t rained out) over the years and I look for the sellers I find at the show on Etsy also.

The Renegade Craft Fair is at the Pulaski Park Field House (1419 W. Blackhawk St in Chicago) on December 6 & 7 from 11 am to 7 pm. They also have after-parties with bands. Check out renegadecraft.com for more info.

 I have become a fan of hand made gifts also because it is a more down to earth trend with gift giving. Giving something handmade (a quilt, jewelry, kids toys) shows that you like to find unique gifts, you like to buy eco friendly gifts and you support local artisans and crafters and you local economy. It is all kinds of holiday goodness.

The last renegade craft fair this fall was in the middle of a monsoon so it was less fun, but now they have rented a field house with a roof and heating. So, this should be better. Some of the great handmade gifts I have seen at renegade craft fairs are scarves, hats, sweaters and other knitted items. Kids clothing, kids shows, baby clothes, accessories and children’s toys. Lots of screen printed T-Shirts, messenger bags, purses and jewelry. Women’s accessories of all kinds. Soaps, lots of home made soap and candles. Printed items like letterpress cards, stationery and photo prints. Some sculpture and original artwork. Some glassware, pottery, plates, bowls, vases and glass artwork. Home decorating items and some custom made clothing. Pretty much something for everyone. (although probably more women’s gifts than guys)

The Chicago Holiday Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony has been moved to December 2nd in Daley Plaza downtown. The street address is 50 West Washington Street & Dearborn Street and the tree lighting will be at 12pm noon central time. This is the 95th annual Holiday Tree lighting ceremony and that long history is what makes it a tradition each year. Mayor Daley will be on hand to see the official city tree that is 90 ft high lit with thousands of tiny lights and begin the offical Christmas Holiday Season in Chicago.

Then afterwards the Christkindlemarkt opens with a variety of home made gifts and sweets in a German themed outdoor market. You can shop for authentic European Christmas Ornaments, decorations, textiles and yummy German Food. Most of the gifts are small type gifts that usually cost less than $25. If you are downtown for work or shopping on State Street or Michigan Avenue it is also fun to stop by and see the Christkindlemarket and the big Chicago Christmas Tree lit for the holidays. Make it part of your family tradition every holiday season.

Since winter started this weekend with a blanket of snow I thought I would offer some top driving tips for how to drive in the snow and ice, in blizzards and generally Chicago style in the winter so you get where you need to go whatever the weather is like. This is also important for safety since driving in blizzards and snow conditions can be very dangerous. That said, I am not a professional driver in any way. I’m just someone who lives in Chicago and hears about people in other areas who are curious about how it is that we can drive through all this snowy weather. (we had about 60 inches of snow in the winter of 2007-2008 in Chicago, that is 5 feet! Crazy!)

Chicago is known for having dreaded bitter cold winters where snow can be frequent and unforgiving for driving the city’s streets even if they try to plow. The entire Chicagoland metropolitan area is made up of a pretty scrappy bunch of people and we don’t let any blizzard, snow storm or ice stop us from where we have to go even if we have to drive behind a plow to get there. Sometimes it is also good to know how to drive in the snow for when there are no snow plows since many municipal budgets have been cut in the recession. Many people are already complaining to Mayor Daley in Chicago that the snow is not getting cleared in the city fast enough. (realistically it takes 12-24 hours after the snow stops to make all the roads travelable after a large storm)

In Chicago, school doesn’t even get canceled unless there is 2 ft or more of snow on the ground. Seriously, I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and I only remember having a snow day twice from kindergarten through high school. We take transportation very seriously and are very good at figuring out how to drive in bad weather in the winter and all kinds of snow conditions. The only people who are better at this are northern Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Denver Colorado drivers and possibly some people who live up in Maine. They have it worse than us and we commend them for daring driving attempts in all kinds of smart 4 wheel drive vehicles.

CWF Top Tips for how to go Driving in the Snow this Winter:

1. Front wheel drive cars are better for snow than rear wheel drive cars. I know some people love their rear wheel drive cars for performance but it just isn’t as controllable in the snow. 4 wheel drive is the best but not available on many 4 door cars. If you are a truck or SUV owner you have already probably considered the snow in your purchase decision. It’s mostly the sports cars and tiny cars that loose the snow battle. (I wonder how the smart car fortwo will fare this winter? how many of the mentos-commercial-guys do you need to lift it out?)

2. Automatic transmissions are better in the snow than stick shift. I know this may not be something people want to believe but not having a “crawl” speed where you are not giving the car any gas and just let your foot off the brake is one of the ways to get yourself out of many sticky snow situations. Some people think crawling in a manual transmission is easy, I don’t drive stick so I don’t know. I have just watched my fiance slide about because he couldn’t give his car gas slow enough and just spin in place and not go anywhere in his integra on ice and snow. I have had to push his car out of street parking spots twice now.  Most of us just simplify things and go with an automatic transmission car.

3. Heavy cars are better than light ones in the snow because if you don’t have enough weight over the wheels giving the power you just spin in place.

4. If you have a heavy front wheel drive car with an automatic transmission you have won half of the battle. (usually some kind of front wheel drive sedan) Congratulations on your astute snow car buying skills. Now put a small shovel, flashlight, ice scraper and bag of driveway/road salt in the trunk. This is going to help you out a lot this winter. (some jumper cables and a portable battery jump starter are also wise additions since batteries only last from 2-5 years in the cold Chicago gets and you never know when they will die)  All these things do make a good car kit gift for Christmas too, if you know someone that needs them.

5. Allow extra travel time for driving in the snow. Pretty much anywhere you have to go will take double the travel time in the snow. Just allow for it and you will be less likely to try something like passing cars or fast turns that lead to a crash.

6. In general when you are driving in the snow you have to slow way down. Try and be 5 mph below the speed limit and be careful not to expect your car to perform the same way it does on dry pavement. (sometimes only driving 10 mph if its is snowing at that moment and there is no salt on the roads) This is usually most apparent in how long it takes you to stop at a stoplight or accelerate away from one. Double your stopping distance so you start braking twice as far away from the light than you usually need in good weather. Also let the car crawl away from the stoplight on its own a bit before giving it any gas or your wheels will spin.

7. When driving in the snow you also should take corners very slowly. Brake way before you get to the corner, (while still going straight, and not during the corner) and make sure you are pretty much at crawl speed (5mph) through the turn and then slowly accelerate after the corner again. Too much speed into the corner or acceleration during the corner will either cause your car to fishtail or loose traction and slide because of the snow. So many mailboxes get hit because of this. Some people believe that if you add power in a slide you can control it but I do not. I have found that if you turn into the direction of the slide with your steering wheel and let off the gas you will regain control of the car almost immediatley. It’s like a return to default settings way to get out of an uncontrolled slide.

8. If you have to pull out of a parking spot that has been covered with a foot or two of snow first uncover your car. Next use the shovel to clear snow from around the wheels and a few feet in whatever direction you are going to pull out in. (the idea is to get enough traction to get up to 5 mph momentum which will continue to pull you through the rest of the deep snow) You can try and pull out then using the crawl method or letting it crawl and then giving it a little gas in the rocking back and forth method, but if that doesn’t work spread the salt chunks on the snow in the pathyou are pulling out in for more traction. This should work. Sand can help sometimes too but the large chunks of salt generally work better for grip. (this is more necessary if there is a sheet of ice under the snow) Once you get moving your momentum will help you through the rest. If the snow is actually covering your bumper or higher than the bottom of your car this may not be much help. Best to leave the car and cross country ski or snowshoe to the store then. (most snows in Chicago are 1 inch or less though, so this process of getting out of deep snow should not be necessary all that often unless we have another winter like last year.)

9. If you are driving in heavy wet snow or an ice storm stop every 1/2 hour or so (or whenever you need to) and uncover the windows and mirrors with the ice scraper to see better and clear the headlights, tail lights and the snow/ice which gets encrusted in the wheel wells. (also known as car boogers)

10. If you are driving on the highway in a lot of snow, or on any multi-lane road, follow the tracks of other drivers the best that you can. (without tailgating because it takes twice as long to stop!) These tracks have less snow in them and sometimes the compacted snow has more grip than the slippery stuff. Also slush is always better than snow for grip, so aim for that rather than making a new path. Changing lanes is also tricky if you have a snow drift in between lanes. Always change lanes slowly and try and keep the wheel as straight as possible even if it tries to drift when going over the new snow between lanes. If you feel spin, let go of the gas immediately, the automatic coast momentum will handle it until you find the new lane grooves. 

Most of the time you will find that they plow the slow lane first (because it is the most in use) and work their way to the middle lane next as far as clearing snow goes. If you are following a snow plow truck be careful of the road salt they may be dumping behind them. The spray goes across all 3 lanes on the highway sometimes, and can dent your car if it is large chunks and you are close enough.  So, following a snow plow is good in getting a cleared road but bad in that the salt may hit and dent your car.

11. Also it is widely known that the salt from all the roads will rust your car out from underneath so after the snow has melted or been plowed and it is safe to take a non-essential trip, go to the car wash and get it washed off and removed before it starts to corrode the fenders of the car like Swiss cheese in a few years. This may mean more expensive car washes in the winter but it helps extend the life of the car and protect your trade in value. If you have a garage kept car it is even more important to get the salt washed off regularly since your car sits inside a damp wet environment when all the snow melts off the car and sits in a pool on the floor of the garage. Rust always starts in the garage in the winter! (professional rust proofing spray underneath your car fenders can help but it only lasts so long and should be applied by the dealer or a professional) 

12. I also thought I should mention snow tires. I have never bought “snow tires” so I can’t say how much of a difference they would make since I have never gotten completely stuck either. (I think it is a pain to own 2 sets of tires and switch them out every fall and spring) Most people in the midwest buy an all season tire that has a good toothy tread on the outside and a water channel through the center and is rated for all seasons. (dry, rain and snow) It is also important to note that using chains or metal spiked tires are illegal in Illinois since they rip up the pavement, so don’t buy or use those. Really the only tires you don’t want to own are slick or soft rubber performance racing type tires or the super cheapo tires that are made of hard slick plastic and have weak treads and grip. Again it is the sports cars and small cars that loose out here. If you buy a mid-priced all season tire and have a front wheel drive car you should be in good shape. If your tires are bald or near bald, getting new ones on at least the wheels that power the car before winter can be a great help.

Hopefully some of this information will be helpful to you and maybe help you get where you are going despite the bad weather and snowstorms we sometimes get. Best of luck in the snow!

Harry Connick Jr is playing 2 nights in December at the historic Chicago Theater with a concert featuring Christmas music from his new holiday album “What A Night! – A Christmas Album“. (CD available in stores now) Harry Connick Jr is one of the people who brought back swing music in the early 1990’s (before the gap commercial) and for that I will always love him. The rest of the world knows Harry Connick Jr for his acting as well as his New Orleans style jazz and big band swing music that has been consistently popular for 2 decades now. He has a smoothness that reminds us of Frank Sinatra and more presence and range than youngster Michael Buble’.

If you like Christmas holiday music or the swing and big band sound, this is a concert not to miss. I can’t go because of prior commitments but I would love to. Harry Connick Jr’s music is always something that gets me in a positive and creative mood. I think the Chicago Theater is also a great place for a concert of this style of music. It is historical and back from the dead kind of like swing music. (although some people would like swing music to die out again). Harry also likes to innovate on classic songs and compose his own work. He is so much more than just someone doing covers from the great American songbook. I highly recommend his shows also because he is one of those few people who is just as good live in performance as you hear on the CDs. In an age of digital enhancement and robot voices, this is rare.

Tickets are still available for the shows on December 10 & 11 (Wednesday and Thursday) at the ChicagoTheater.org site. Both shows start at 8pm and tickets range from $37-$52.00 (plus at least $10 in service charges). There are still tickets available on the main floor and all over the balcony. I advise you to bring binoculars if you sit in the back of the main floor or in the balcony. The view is good in that it is clear and well lit but you just can’t see any detail from that far away or really get a feel for the performance going on. I think this will be a great concert not to miss. (and what is going on with that CD cover? and the spray tan? weird.)

Macy’s State Street Store in Chicago has continued the traditions of Marshall Fields with the lighting of the great Christmas tree in the Walnut Room (on the 7th floor) each holiday season. This year will be no different. I just heard that Tommy Hilfiger will be the special designated guest of honor for lighting the Macy’s Walnut Room tree this year and hopefully Tommy will design some cool unique ornaments to decorate the tree with. Last year in 2007 Martha Stewart lit the Walnut Room Christmas tree in person and her ornaments were featured on what I called the gradient tree. In 2006 the tree was covered in Wedgewood China ornaments and the year before in 2005 it was all about Swarofski Crystal Christmas ornaments. The Christmas Tree Lighting in Macy’s Walnut Room usually happens the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year the event is scheduled for November 8, 2008 at 1 pm. The tree this year is supposed to be a vintage decorated one with tinsel and antique ornaments.

The Walnut Room at Macy’s is a great day out with the family regardless of who designs or decorates the Christmas tree. I have been going there with my parents for the last few years and it is a very enjoyable experience and a tradition we plan on keeping up as long as we can. The food at the Walnut Room is not super fancy but it is very good and they revamped the menu with some more modern dishes last year in addition to the comfort food favorites you have always enjoyed. (chicken pot pie anyone?)  Expect to pay between $10 and $15 per person for dinner plus drinks, tax, tip and desert. Last year we had the best little mini-bunt spice cakes with ice cream on top that were a Martha Stewart recipe. I have included that picture here at left. We also usually stop to shop a bit and get some Frango mint chocolates since they are very good also. If you go during peak times (afternoons) the line to get into the Walnut Room is long and it is a first come first served type seating order. So, either go around lunchtime or go later in the evening to miss the crowds. The Walnut Room is kid friendly and they have lots of room for stroller parking.

If you don’t know him alreay, Tommy Hilfiger got popular in the 90’s for the preppy look that urban youth ended up taking, changing and owning later on. (think boyz 2 men) In the years since then he has tried to open his own line of stores (one was in Oak Brook Mall) that did not last very long. I know Macy’s is really is loyal to this brand and celebrity marketing plan they have going but I am not sure this one will work. Tommy Hilfiger may be a big deal to Macy’s but the rest of us aren’t really into his designs anymore. The line hasn’t evolved and it is too similar to a bunch of other brands we get cheaper at Target and Old Navy. (and probably manufactured in the same factory in China) So, he isn’t my favorite guy but he is a celebrity so I am sure that there will be a crowd.

If you do plan on visiting Macy’s department store in Chicago on State Street this winter for the holiday displays or the Walnut Room Christmas Tree Macy’s is reachable by Metra trains to Union Station and then by taking a cab from there to the store on State Street. Or if you live near the el train, take the brown, green, pink, orange or red lines to the State Street and Lake Street stop in the loop and just walk one block south of there to get to Macy’s department store.  Enjoy the shopping at Macy’s, the Walnut Room Tree and the great food this holiday season.

The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is a yearly event not to miss on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

If you are looking for the 2009 details you can find that post here.

Everyone comes downtown to Michigan Avenue at Christmas time. Not because there isn’t shopping in all the shopping malls across Chicagoland, but because of the lights and the festivities that happen there. Michigan Avenue got the name the Magnificent Mile because of the shopping spectacle and uniqueness of what happens there. Christmas season will be here soon (and some people are getting a jump on their Christmas shopping lists now in advance) and the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is one way to experience all that is glorious about this Midwestern shopping mecca and have fun with the kids in the Christmas season downtown.

The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is on Saturday, November 22, 2008. The festivities start at 11 am and go until 10 pm. Take the train (Metra or EL) in from the suburbs with the family for a fun day in the city. A cab is the quickest way from Union Station to Michigan Avenue when it is cold outside.

11:00 am-5:00 pm The Harris Stage will have performances by Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players, Ralph’s World, and of course Jason Mraz. This musical event is sponsored by the radio station Mix 101.9FM. The Cheetah Girls will also be there courtesy of Radio Disney at the Harris Stage, Pioneer Court at 401 North Michigan Avenue.

5:00 pm Live bands and lots of local entertainment will be performing all along Michigan Avenue before the lighting procession begins. This will be at North Michigan Avenue on Oak Street all the way to Wacker Dr.

5:30 pm The largest Holiday Carol will be the next challenge for the WLS 890 AM Radio station team. They want to break the world record on this. It will be lots of fun and at Pioneer Court at 401 North Michigan Avenue.

6:00 pm–7:00 pm The lighting Procession begins. (like a parade) Disney’s Mickey Mouse will be the master of ceremonies this year and he leads the lighting of more than one million lights on Michigan avenue and in The Magnificent Mile district to officially start the holiday (shopping) season in Chicago! You can see the lighting procession happen at North Michigan Avenue all the way from Oak Street to Wacker Dr.

6:52 pm ABC 7 Chicago will be sponsoring a fireworks display over the Chicago River as the finalé to this weekend holiday event! View the fireworks at North Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River.

7:00 pm–10:00 pm You can get a jump start on your Christmas shopping with extended shopping hours at participating Magnificent Mile stores! Also, many restaurants downtown and hotels may have extended hours or special deals that weekend for the festival. The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival presented will also be televised on Channel 7 in Chicago.

We all know that Labor Day is about 2 things.  It is about a day off for the working man (or woman) and it is about back to school sale shopping which includes great deals. I sometimes think that sale shopping is our national pastime in America because we excel at it. I have listed below the stores in Chicago and the Suburbs that have big deal Labor Day Sales going on this holiday weekend.

This Labor Day should be no exception in buying power even with a sluggish economy and high gas prices. I have seen stores discounting merchandise more than usual to give shoppers more for their money and cater to the needs we have right now in saving more money and spending less. Overall I think most people will spend less money shopping at Labor Day Sales and probably for Christmas later in the year too, but we still need stuff for families, kids and our homes. Just in smaller cheaper “on sale” quantities. Maybe it is a return to normal levels of spending and a more reasonable and sustainable lifestyle?  Some people actually use Labor Day as the time to start Christmas Shopping for Gifts. Yikes, is it that time already?

Big Deal Labor Day Sales

IKEA has a lot of furniture on sale for 3 days only (Saturday, Sunday and Monday)including a Poang Armchair for $59.00 rather than $89.00 and if you buy an Ektorp sofa for $599 you get an extra slipcover free and 0% interest. The slipcovers are washable and worth at least $300.00. Ikea has 2 locations in Chicago. One in Bolingbrook and one in Schaumburg by Woodfield Mall.

Harlem Furniture RoomPlace Stores have a special deal where everything is on sale for Labor Day plus there is a harlem furniture roomplace discount sale coupon here at http://cl.exct.net/?qs=110b2c600c311ac3937fd00be20eabbdd9bd5f25e71dc3785da5f832527ddf2c that has $1,500 dollars in extra coupons for furniture discounts. If you have a new home with no furniture, now might be a good time to buy because these stores are hurting for sales in this economic slowdown and they are willing to cut great deals. They also have 0% interest financing until 2013 which is 5 years. You can’t beat that.

Macy’s- State Street, Water Tower Place, Oak Brook, Woodfield and Old Orchard Malls. Stuff on Sale: Kids and Women’s clothing, furniture and Jewelry. Also if you use your Macy’s Charge Card you get an extra 15% off. There is also a Macy’s Labor Day Furniture sale goingon with a specific bedroom set on sale, matresss and some sofa and couches from the advertisements. Macy’s has higher prices than a lot of the discount furniture chains but they offer good overall quality furniture.

Old Navy- Labor Day Sale – Different specials each day Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It is always best to go to the Old Navy store and see the clothing in person and try it on for fit rather than order through the web site. Things seem to always look different in person than on the site and the merchandise is sometimes priced lower in the stores or on clearance there and they aren’t online. This weekend they have different items for $10. I know Polos and T-Shirts are on the list but in the store there may be even more. It is a great time to stock up on school clothes like jeans, sweaters and shirts for the kids at very low prices.

Banana Republic has a few choice fall items on sale for the Labor Day Weekend but they have 2 discount code deals available from their site and in the store. If you shop online use Discount Code LABORDAY for 15% off an order of $125 or more (before tax) and if you are shopping in the store use this labor day sale email discount code at http://kimptongroup.ip02.com/form/kimptongroup/viewhtml/9z1zjfd77fbhs84iin7emsl3vvr8kh0qqm5db7sib50 for a discount of $25.00 off an order of $100 or more from August 28 through September 7.

Darvin Furniture is also having a sale, but then what Furniture store isn’t? They have a no sales tax deal where you save the sales tax amount on your furniture OR get no interest financing until 2013. On furniture purchases that could be as much as a few hundred dollars. Darvin has stores in Orland Park and Chicago. They also offer same day delivery or same day pickup if you order early in the day and the pieces are in stock. This isn’t a huge discount on the furniture have a dealbreaker price in mind before you go to the store. If they don’t meet it, they don’t get the sale. Shop around and get the best deal for your dollar.

Carson’s Furniture Store has a sale on Mattresses. If you are in the market for one they have a lot of fancy ones and they are all on sale now. The only Carson’s furniture store I know of is behind Yorktown mall in Lombard.

Empire Carpets is having a wood and laminate floor sale with some select types and colors 60% off. That is a huge discount if you are looking to get wood floors (oak) put in your house. Sing along: 588-2300 Empire!

Sears – Appliances are on sale for labor day, of course. With the housing slump it will be hard to move huge energy sucking stainless steel fridges when most everyone has one already.

Kohl’s- Kohl’s is the king of Holiday Sales. They are all about getting you in the door with the Sunday paper flyer and listing some great deals. If your kids aren’t completely outfitted with their fall/winter wardrobe now is the time to get it at 15-30% off. If you have a kohl’s charge card and got a coupon in the mail for a discount, use that too and maximize your discounts.

Ashley Furniture- I am not sure where this company came from but they landed in Chicago about 2 years ago and have taken on the former Wickes furniture media buy on TV, Radio and Newspaper flyer advertising. For some reason Furniture stores work on the principle that every holiday no matter how big or small is worth celebrating with a sale. I think they have to get people in the door with certain teaser items in order to make sales or no one would ever venture into a furniture store in Chicago.  

Harlem Furniture – Don’t forget about the Chicago original if you really do need new furniture or a new mattress right now. You could save some money during the Labor Day sale.

Value City Furniture – has a confusing deal going on right now. They say the Labor Day sale is a 50% off sale (on select items) and then the ads also say 30-70% off on some items. I think they have just bought a bunch of media without a clear goal and if you go there you should have a price in mind first for whatever furniture you are looking for before you see what their prices are.

So, what if you already have all the furniture, clothes and housewares you could ever need, congratulations by saving your money, staying home and enjoying the day off as it was intended: Cleaning the house.

Have a Happy Labor Day!

Note: Check back again on Labor Day and I will keep updating this page with more specifics as I find them.

There are so many places to see Fireworks on the 4th of July in and around Chicagoland this fourth. If you are looking for your local town or city’s listing or looking for options to see fireworks near you this list we have rounded up may help. View the list below and all the city websites are listed too so you can copy past them into your browser address bar and see what details and schedule information they have also. Have a great fourth of July and enjoy the fireworks!!

All the cities listed below in alphabetical order, scroll to see your city listing in detail: Addison, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Barrington, Bartlett, Batavia, Beecher, Bensenville, Berwyn, Blue Island, Buffalo Grove, Calumet City, Carol Stream, Chicago, Country Club Hills, Darien, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Elgin, Evanston, Evergreen Park, Forest Park, Fox Lake, Glen Ellyn, Glencoe, Glenview, Gurnee, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Itasca, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Lisle, Lockport, Lombard, Lyons, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, Naperville, New Lenox, North Aurora, Northbrook, Oak Brook, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Orland Park, Oswego, Palatine, Palos Heights, Park Forest, Park Ridge, Roselle, Skokie, South Holland, Streamwood, Vernon Hills, Warrenville, Wauconda, Waukegan, Wheeling, Wilmette, Winnetka, Woodridge and Zion.

Addison fireworks at Community Park
Location: 120 E. Oak street in Addison, IL
Call 630-833-0100 for the full schedule or view the website at addisonparkdistrict.org
Show Time:  July 4th @ dusk set to music

Arlington Heights fireworks at the Arlington Park Racecourse
Location: 2200 W. Euclid Avenue in Arlington Heights, IL 60006
Call 847-385-7500 for the full details or check out the website at arlingtonpark.com
Show Time: July 3rd at 7:30 after the racing ends.

Aurora fireworks at Aurora Central Catholic High School
Location: Indian Trail and Edgelawn in Aurora, IL
Call: 630-844-3640 for the full schedule or visit aurora-il.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm

Barrington fireworks at Barrington High SchoolLocation: 616 West Main Street in Barrington, IL
Call 847-304-3400 for the full event details or view barrington4thofjuly.com
Show Time: July 4th at dusk on the front lawn of the HS

Bartlett fireworks in Apple Orchard Community Park
Location: South Bartlett and Stearns Roads in Bartlett, IL
Call 630-837-0800 for the full event details or go to the website village.bartlett.il.us
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm (community party beforehand)

Batavia fireworks at the Batavia High School
Location: 1200 W. Wilson in Batavia, IL
Call 630-879-7134 for the full event details or go to cityofbatavia.net online
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm

Beecher fireworks at Firemen’s Park
Location: 711 Penfield in Beecher, IL
Call 708-946-2261 for more info or visit villageofbeecher.org online
Location: July 4th at 9:30 pm Parade beforehand at 4pm

Bensenville fireworks at the Redmond Recreational Complex
Location: 735 E. Jefferson in Bensenville, IL
Call 630-766-8200 for more information or go to bensenville.il.us for details.
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm following a free concert at 7:30 pm

Berwyn fireworks at the Morton West High School
Location: 2400 Home Avenue in Berwyn, IL
Call 708-788-2660 for more event information or go to berwyn-il.gov for details
Show Time: July 4th at 7 pm from the football stadium

Blue Island fireworks at Eisenhower High School
Location: 127th Street and Sacramento in Blue Island, IL
Call 708-388-1000 for more detailed information about this event
Show Time: July 4th at dusk following the parade at 11:30 am at 123rd st and Western.

Buffalo Grove fireworks at the Buffalo Grove Golf Course
Location: Lake Cook Road and Raupp Boulevard in Buffalo Grove, IL
Call 847-459-2500 for the full event listing or visit vbg.org
Show Time: July 4th at dusk following a symphonic band concert

Calumet City fireworks at Thornton Fractional North
Location: Pulaski in Calumet City, IL
Call 708-868-2530 for details
Show Time: July 3rd at 9:15 pm following a 6pm free community concert

Carol Stream fireworks in the Town Center
Location: Gary St and Lies St in Carol Stream, IL
Call 630-665-7050 for more details or visit carolstream.org
Show Time: July 4th at dusk (about 9:30 pm)

Chicago Grant Park fireworks
Location: Grant Park 337 E. Randolph Street in Chicago, IL 60602
Call the city at 312-744-3370 for full details or visit egov.cityofchicago.org
Show Time: Thursday, July 3rd at dusk (9:30 pm) following a 8pm free concert from the Grant Park Orchestra

Chicago Nay Pier fireworks at Navy Pier
Location: 600 E. Grand Avenue in Chicago, IL 60611
Call 312-595-7437 for more information or go to navypier.com
Show Times: Wednesday, July 2nd at 9:30 p.m.; Friday, July 4th at 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 5th at 10:15 p.m. (set to music)

Chicago White Sox fireworks at the U.S. Cellular Field
Address Location: 333 W. 35th Street in Chicago, IL 60616
Phone: 312-559-1212 or view chicago.whitesox.mlb.com
Show Time: July 4th after the Sox game presented by Pontiac

Country Club Hills fireworks in the Community Park
Location: 175th and Maple in Country Club Hills, IL
Call 708-798-2616 for event schedule or view countryclubhills.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm following a concert (concert is not free)

Des Plaines fireworks at the Oakton Community CollegeLocation Address: 1600 E. Golf Rd in Des Plaines, IL
Call 847-391-5301 for full event schedule and listings or visit desplaines.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9 pm (campus grounds open beforehand for picnics and free concert from 5-7 pm)

Downers Grove-Woodridge-Darien Fireworks at Four Corners
Location Address: 4 shopping center corners parking lots of 75th Street and Lemont Rd (also known as Main St DG) or near the ZigField Troy Golf Course
Show Time: July 4th at Dusk (9:30 pm)

Elgin fireworks at the Elgin Sports ComplexAddress Location: 601 S. McLean St in Elgin, IL
Call 847-931-6120 for full event schedule or go to enjoyelgin.com
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm (free concert beforehand at 7pm)

Evanston fireworks at the Clark Street Beach
Location: Clark Street and the lakefront in Evanston, IL
Call 847-328-2100 for schedule details or visit evanston4th.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9:15 pm (free concert from 7:30-9pm and parade at 2pm beforehand)

Evergreen Park fireworks in Duffy Memorial Park
Location Address: 92nd and Millard in Evergreen Park, IL
Call 708-422-1551 for full event schedule or view the website at evergreenpark-ill.com
Show Time: July 3rd at dusk following the parade at 6:30pm at 95th and Pulaski

Forest Park fireworks in the Town Park
Location Address: South of I290 just east of the Desplaines Avenue Exit in Forest Park, IL
Call 708-366-7500 for the full event schedule or view forestpark.net
Show Time: July 4th at 9:15 pm following the 4pm parade and a free 6pm concert

Fox Lake fireworks at Mineola Bay
Location Over the Fox Lake in Fox Lake, IL
Call 847-587-2151 for more specific directions
Show Time: July 7th at dusk (9:00ish)

Glen Ellyn fireworks in Lake Ellyn Park
Address Location: 645 Lenox in Glen Ellyn, IL
Call 630-469-5000 for full schedule of events or go to the website at glen-ellyn.com
Show Time: July 4th at dusk following food and music in the park at 1:30 pm. $2.00 admission for all the events

Glencoe fireworks at the Lakefront Park
Location: Park Avenue and the beach in Glencoe, IL
Call 847-835-3030 for more schedule details or visit goglencoe.com
Show Time: July 4th at 9 pm following a parade at 2 pm and a BBQ on the beach at 6:30 pm

Glenview fireworks at the Glenview Park District Golf Course
Address Location: 800 Shermer Road in Glenview, IL
Call 847-724-1700 for the full schedule or visit glenviewparkdist.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9 pm set to music following 7:30 free community concert

Gurnee fireworks at the Warren Township High School’s O’Plaine Campus
Address Location: 500 N. O’Plain Road in Gurnee, IL
Vistit gurnee.il.us for the full event schedule
Show Time: July 4th at 9:25 pm

Hoffman Estates fireworks on the Village Hall Grounds
Address Location: 1900 Hassell Road in Hoffman Estates, IL
Call 847-781-2660 for the full event schedule or visit hoffmanestates.com
Show Time: July 4th and July 7th @ 9:30 pm

Huntley fireworks at the Prime Outlet Mall
Address Location: 11800 Factory Shops Blvd in Huntley, IL
Call 847-669-9600 for schedule and details
Show Time: July 4th at dusk (9:30 pm )

Itasca fireworks at the Hamilton Lakes Office Park
Address Location: Illinois 53 and Thorndale Road in Itasca, IL
Call 630-773-0835 for full schedule or view the website at itasca.com
Show Time: July 4th at dusk (9:30 pm) following 4pm food vendors and picnicing grounds open and 7pm concert

Lake Forest fireworks in the Deerpath Community Park
Location Address: Hastings and Deerpath in Lake Forest, IL
Call 847-234-6702 for full event schedule or visit cityoflakeforest.com
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm

Libertyville fireworks at the Butler Lake Park
Location: Lake Street, west of Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville, IL
Call 847-362-5664 for the full event schedule
Show Time: July 4 at dusk (9:30 pm) free music concert beforehand

Lincolnshire fireworks at Spring Lake Park
Location Address: Oxford Drive, just east of Milwaukee Avenue in Lincolnshire, IL
Call 847-883-8600 for full event schedule or visit village.lincolnshire.il.us
Show Time: July 4th at dusk

Lisle fireworks in Lisle Community Park with the Lisle Eyes to the Sky Festival
Address Location: Short Street and Illinois 53 in Lisle, IL
Call 630-769-1000 for full event schedule or visit eyestotheskiesfestival.com
Show Time: July 4th at 9:45 pm

Lockport fireworks in Dellwood Park
Address Location: Route 171 & Woods Drive in Lockport, IL
Call 815-838-0549 for full schedule of events or visit lockport.org
Show Time: July 4th at dusk

Lombard fireworks in Madison Meadow Park
Location Address: Madison and Ahrens in Lombard, IL
Call 630-620-5700 for full schedule of events or view tasteoflombard.com website
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm in association with the taste of Lombard festival with food and live music performances

Lyons fireworks
Address and Location: Lawndale & Ogden Avenue in Lyons, IL
Call 708-447-8886 for full details or view lyonspolice.org website
Show Time: July 4th at 9 pm follwing a parade at 1pm and music at 8pm.

Morton Grove fireworks in Harrer Park
Address: 6250 Dempster in Morton Grove, IL
Call 847-965-7447 for full event schedule or go to mortongroveparks.com
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm following the parade at 2:30 pm

Mount Prospect fireworks in Melas Park
Location Address: Central Road and Busse Road in Mount Prospect, IL
Call 847-392-6000 for full event schedule or go to the website mountprospect.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm (additional fireworks on July 2nd and July 3rd at 9:30 pm also)

Mundelein fireworks on the Mundelein Festival Grounds
Location Address: Seymour and Courtland in Mundelein, IL
Call 847-949-3200 for full holiday event schedule or visit mundelein.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm

Naperville fireworks at the Naperville Ribfest in Knoch Park
Address Location: West Street and Martin Avenue in Naperville, IL
Call 630-848-5000 for full Ribfest Event Details and Schedule or go to ribfest.net (if the site is not down again)
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm

New Lenox fireworks at The CommonsLocation Address: Veterans Parkway between Haven Avenue and U.S. 30 in New Lenox, IL
Call 815-485-6452 for full event schedule or go to newlenox.net for details
Show Time: July 4 at dusk (9:30 pm)

North Aurora fireworks at the Village owned property adjacent to the North Aurora Towne Center
Address Location: I-88 & Orchard in North Aurora, IL
Call 630-897-8228 or go to vil.north-aurora.il.us for full event schedule and details
Show Time: July 4th @ 9 pm

Northbrook fireworks in Techny Park
Address Location: 1750 Techny Road in Northbrook, IL
Call 847-291-2980 for full event schedule or details or view northbrookjuly4th.org
Show Time: July 4th at dusk (9:30 pm) following a float filled parade at 2:30 pm

Oak Brook fireworks in the Oak Brook Polo Fields
Address Location: 31st and York Road in Oak Brook, IL
Call 630-990-3000 for full event schedule details or view the website at oak-brook.org
Show Time: July 3rd at dusk following the Taste of OakBrook festival

Oak Forest fireworks at 159th and Central at OakFest
Address Location: 159th and Central in Oak Forest, IL
Call 708-687-4050 for full event schedule or view website at oakfest.com
Show Time: July 4th at dusk (9:30 pm)

Oak Lawn fireworks at the Richards High School football fields
Address Location: 106th and Central in Oak Lawn, IL
Call 708-857-2200 for full event schedule and details olparks.com
Show Time: July 4th at dusk (9:30 pm) following the Centenial Park festival and a free corchestra concert at 7:30 pm

Orland Park fireworks at Centennial Park
Address and Location: 156th and West Avenue in Orland Park, IL
Call 708-403-6100 for full event schedule and details or view the website at orland-park.il.us
Show Time: July 4th set to music at 9:15 pm following a free concert at 6pm

Oswego fireworks at PrarieFest Park
Address Location: 313 E. Washington Street in Oswego, IL
Call 630-554-3259 for the full event schedule or view the website at oswegoil.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9:30 pm

Palatine fireworks at Community Park
Location Address: Northwest Highway and Palatine Road in Palatine, IL
Phone 847-604-0288 for more schedule details or view the website at palatine.il.us
Show Time: July 3rd at dusk (9pm) after a carnival at 4pm

Palos Heights fireworks at Lake Katherine
Illinois 83 and 76th Avenue in Palos Heights, IL
Phone: 708-361-1807 for schedule details
Show Time: July 3rd at 9:15 pm

Forest fireworks at Central Park
Address Location: Lakewood Boulevard, next to Freedom Hall in Park Forest, IL
Phone: 708-748-2005 or view the website at villageofparkforest.net for more schedule details
Show Time July 4th at 9:15 pm following a free orchestra concert at 7pm

Park Ridge fireworks at Maine East High School
Location Address: Dempster and Potter in Park Ridge, IL
Phone: 847-692-5127 or view the website at parkridge.us for schedule details
Show Time: July 3rd at dusk (9:15 pm)

Roselle fireworks at Lake Park High School
500 West Bryn Mawr in Roselle, IL
Phone: 630-980-2000 for more info or view the town website roselle.il.us for the schedule listings
Show Time: July 4th at 9:40 pm following free music entertainment at 5:30 pm

Skokie 3-D fireworks at Niles West High School
Oakton Street and I-94 in Skokie, IL
(847) 674-1500 or view the schedule online at skokieparkdistrict.org
Show Time: July 4th at dusk (9:15 pm)

South Holland fireworks at Thornwood High School
170th and South Park in South Holland, IL
(708) 210-2900 or view the schedule at southholland.org
Show Time: July 4th at 9 pm

Streamwood fireworks at Dolphin Park
Location: Park Boulevard north of Irving Park Road in Streamwood, IL
Call 630-837-0200 for a full listing of events or chekc the town website at streamwood.org
Show Time: July 4 at dusk around 9 pm

Vernon Hills fireworks in Century Park
Location: 1001 Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills, IL
Call 847-367-3700 for the full schedule of events or check out the website at vernonhills.org
Show Time: July 4 @ 9:30pm
Music starts at Century Park at 6:30 pm followed by fireworks at 9:30 pm.

Warrenville fireworks at Cerny Park
Location: Forestview Avenue & River Road in downtown Warrenville IL
Call 630-393-9427 for the schedule of events
Show time: July 3rd 5-10pm
The celebration runs from 5 to 10pm with a parade, food and fun. It ends with fireworks at 9:30pm.

Wauconda Fireworks at Cook Park
Location: Main Street & Garland Drive in Wauconda, IL
Call 847-526-9600 for full information and schedule or check out the Wauconda Park District Web Site at waucondaparks.com
Show Time: July 3 @ dusk (usually 9:30 pm)

Waukegan Fireworks at Waukegan Harbor
Location: the lakefront near Grand & Sheridan in Waukegan, IL
Call 847-599-2949 for the full details or check out the Waukegan Website at waukeganport.com
Hours: July 4 @ 9pm

Wheeling Town Fireworks
Location: Park District behind the Saint Joseph Worker Catholic Church
Address: 181 West Dundee Rd in Wheeling, IL
Call: 847-459-2600 for more details and info or visit the Wheeling Town Website at vi.wheeling.il.us
Show Time: July 4 @ 9:15pm

Wilmette fireworks at Gillson Park in Wilmette, IL
Call 847-256-6100 for more details or visit the Wilmette Park District website at wilmettepark.org
Show Time: July 3rd over the lake @ 9:30 pm

Winnetka fireworks at Duke Child’s Field
Location: Willow and Hibbard Streets in Winnetka, IL
Call 847-501-2040 for details or check the Winetka Park District website @ winpark.org
Show Time: July 4th @ 9:15pm
The Fireworks are also accompanyied by recorded music which is nice.

Zion fireworks at Shiloh Park
Location: 25th and Emmaus Avenue in Zion, IL
Call 847-746-5500 for more information or check the Zion website at zionparkdistrict.com
Show Time: July 4th @ 9:30pm

Every year the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a huge event in Chicago. It doesn’t matter if you are Irish or not, everyone is Irish for the day on St Patrick’s Day! St. Patrick’s Day is officially on Monday March 17th but the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago is on Saturday March 15th at 12 pm noon. It starts at Balbo going north on Columbus and ends at Monroe Street on Columbus Drive. This is always a fun parade and everyone turns out wearing all their best green clothing, clover and shamrocks.  It’s a fun way to get out and celebrate everything Irish.

Before the parade you can watch the Chicago River be turned Green (a different shade than normal) by a few guys in a small boat with a bunch of food coloring dye. theChicago River Dyeing happens at 10:45 AM on Saturday March 15th. It lasts for a few days but it’s dramatic to see the bright green streaming from the boat and see everyone on the bridges cheer as they watch. It’s a ceremonial thing and the dye is not supposed to be able to harm the environment.

A traffic note: If you plan on going to the parade or to see the Green River, I suggest that you come downtown an hour early or more and take a cab, bus, the EL or a Metra Train to get there. The traffic can get clogged especially when the parade is starting and ending or when people have been drinking too much green beer. Please do not drink and drive. I am sure the cops will be out writing DUIs if they see anyone weaving in and out of lanes. Be responsible and take public transportation to the St. Patrick’s Day parade, party and pub or bar of your choice.

If you have seen the Green Chicago River and the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and want a good Irish Pub to go to afterwards for some authentic green beer here are a few suggestions I have gone to and had a great time.

Fado @ 100 W Grand Ave Chicago, IL 312-836-0066. This Irish pub has great authentic Irish Food (Sheperd’s Pie and Corned Beef & Cabbage) and great variety of authentic beers. It has a old pub feel with wood paneling and an intimate feeling when you are inside. Expect a crowd on St. Patrick’s Day and the rest of the year visit to see Workd Cup and International Soccer (football) games on TV from Europe and overseas while you have a beer.

Abbey Pub @ 3420 W Grace at Elston Ave Chicago, IL 773-487-4408. The Abbey Pub has a whole event agenda planned for St Patrick’s Day already. They start with a bus (so you don’t have to drive if you want to drink) from the Irish pub to the St Patrick’s Day Parade. Then later in the day if you are still going strong, you can see a real live televised Rugby Game from over seas, Irish Dancers, Bands and bagpipes (loud!). They also have good food so bring your taste for Irish food.

And Happy St. Patrick’s Day to ya!

I noticed yesterday in the Jewel grocery store that the Christmas and New Year’s 2008 merchandise had already been herded to the back of the store, marked down and arranged with no particular care to indicate that within 12 hours of the holiday season being over, the store had moved on and it told me I should too. The ink hadn’t even dried on the paper I wrote the new year’s resolutions and they were already acting like these yearly rites of passage didn’t happen.  

 It was weird that all the cute cuddly, baking, sparkly, decoration, super important Christmas and NYE type stuff was now considered undesirable when only a week or a day before it was front and center. It’s all just so fast. I never felt like I even celebrated either very much, but yet there was all this work involved in running around just to get the basics covered. How did that happen? How is Christmas all work and no payoff? 

Anyway, the truth was that they had 1/2 an isle already full of perfectly organized Valentines Day candy, decor, cards and stuffed animals. Already? On January 1st? I guess retail marches to a slightly faster drummer than the rest of us.

So, if you are also recovering from a holiday that you feel you may not have actually witnessed too, here are a few tips for surviving January and maybe February 2008 too:

1. Put away all the Christmas Decor. Don’t let it sit until February like you did last year. It’s not easy to explain laziness to people who come visit even if you can usually make a self deprecating joke or too along the way.

2. Bake something non-holiday related. Like Banana Bread.

3. Read a bookthat you have been putting off for at least 2 months because of the shopping, parties, events and social calendar that you have had to maintain. Feel good that some tea and a good book make a great evening. (Personally I got 5 books for Christmas so I have my “work cut out for me”, whatever that means)

4. Check that Netflix queue, there are a bunch of movies that have been released that I bet you wanted to see. 

5. Organize those bills, books, files or paper lying around. Get a binder; file things in it. Get Quicken; log your expenses daily. Organize yourself for your own sake. Now is the best time to do it, (ok any time is ok, but do it now because I said so) and get the year started off straight.

6. Write some resolutions (goals) for the year and post them somewhere you will see them, like the bedroom mirror or bathroom mirror, or on the Fridge, or possibly all 3. This more for weight related goals. If it’s spending, maybe put the credit cards in a giant tupperware shaped block of ice and tie a note on it about the resolutions/goals?

7. Save some money. Yes, we all overspent a little, time to reel it in and not go in the red money wise this month. I find it funny that Black Friday for the retailers every year is like Red Friday for consumers everwhere.

8. And if you haven’t already; buy some Valentines stuff just to complete the consumerism yearly seasonal cycle. (sarcasm)

Seriously though, Happy New Year and I wish you the best of love, happiness, health and wealth in 2008.

The cold and flu season is here again and if you work in a high rise building in Chicago like I do, you will be exposed to the germs of thousands of people who work in your building, eat at the restaurants you go to and sneeze on you while riding the CTA. The virus exposure levels in the city of Chicago have to be about 100x more than what you would experience in the suburbs. Even if you go to work there, it’s smaller buildings, you drive your own car and suburbanites don’t go out to eat every meal. I have noticed that the first year people come to work in our building they get sick about 10 times. (seriously) and then the second year either their immune system steps up the effort to fight them or they have developed some immunity to the viruses they had last year. It’s a hard first 12 months because you are exposed to everything bad and are usually stressed, dehydrated and living on no sleep. (the typical city way of life) Here are some tips I have been using to try and have a winter less sick than last year. So far I have had a cold once this season compared to about 5 “sonic death colds” and flu last year by this time. See if any of this info helps:

1. Drink lots of liquids. I don’t know why this matters but it does. If you don’t consume about 5 water bottles worth of liquids a day you should. It can be other stuff than water but try not to consume too much diet cola because it dehydrates you more. Alternating between water and soda is better and avoid alcohol if you’re sick.

2 The only cold medicine that works on clearing your nose is sold behind the counter these days because of the stupid people who decided to melt down cold medicine in mass amounts to make meth. So, go to Walgreen’s and get the Walatin-D generic Claritin-D from the pharmacist and your nose will be a lot clearer and you might be able to get to work.

3. Chicken Noodle Soup is good for a cold. Your body sneezes and sweats out all it’s salt so a bowl of chicken noodle is good to replenish fluids and the salt is ok too. Any other time of year this would be too much salt. Plus there is something good about basic old fashioned Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup.

4. Use the Kleenex that blocks and kills 99% of viruses. This helps it from spreading all over the office.

5. Wash your hands all the time, and keep sanitizing cleaning wipes and hand sanitizer at your desk. The office cleaning crews are there to take the garbage out, vacuum and wipe crumbs off the tables. They do not clean with any cleaners that disinfect or kill germs. I think they really just wipe down everything with a wet rag because it’s cheaper and they don’t have to carry a bottle of disinfectant cleaner around all day with them. Expect every door knob, microwave button, phone, bathroom door and elevator button to be crawling with germs. Use your sweater sleeve to touch these things if possible. If not, wipe your hands with sanitizer when you get back to your desk. .

6. Boost your immune system with vitamins, healthy eating and Danactive yogurt. I have personally liked the Danactive Yogurt. I think that has helped me a lot. Fruits and Veg (not starchy ones) are also very important on a daily basis.

7. Don’t kiss, hug or shake hands with anyone else when you have a cold. Please, this just spreads it around.

8. Sit in the end seats or single seats on the train. People on the CTA L trains and buses are all about invading your personal space as much as possible and seeing how much they can annoy you before you snap, so avoid all contact with other people on the train and don’t touch anything! It’s as slimy with germs as possible. Consider every surface in there to have been licked by someone gross. The first thing you do when you get home is wash your hands immediately. Before you touch anything.

9. Get 8-9 hours of sleep a night. Your body can fight more illnesses if you get this much sleep and it makes a marked difference in how many times you get sick and how long it lasts. I know we all have to work, but canceling out on non-necessity stuff is ok in the name of health. That’s why we have social networking online right?

10. Get the flu shot if you can, they help with some of the worst bugs out there, but I always thought they would be a year behind vaccinating you for last year’s bug because of the development process cycle. I am not sure how true that is though. If you are in the high risk groups get this anyway.

A belated Merry Christmas to you all! I have been off from work and haven’t been blogging for a few weeks, but I still wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year 2008 too. I am ringing in the New Year quietly without a big party this year, but have fun wherever you may be when the clock strikes midnight. Christmas brought some good presents and even more food than I thought possible. Cookies and cakes are great but need to be kept in moderation a bit more. Anyway, I hope the holiday season finds you in good health, wealth and with loved ones. I will post more in the New Year 2008.

Chicago got about 3 inches of snow Tuesday Evening 12/4 and Wednesday Morning as well as another sprinkling of snow this afternoon. Now the weather forecast is saying that tomorrow Thursday 12/6 will include some flurries and there will be more substantial snow on Friday and Saturday. I don’t know about you, but I have a date and a christmas party to go to this weekend and the snow is going to complicate getting to all of it.

Some tips for driving in snow:

1. Drive 10 MPH slower that you would normally (seriously).

2. Brake while going straight and before you have to turn or go around a curve or corner.  Turning and barking can’t be done at the same time on snow ice or any slick surface, you will loose it and skid off the road.

3. Lift off the brake and let your car crawl slowly out of snow on its own rather than giving it gas to accelerate and burying the tires in a drift. Automatic transmission front wheel drive cars are best for this. If you have a rear wheel or manual transmission car this is harder.

4. Always carry a small shovel, some salt and an ice scraper/brush in your car to dig it out if you need to. Extra dry boots and gloves are also helpful if you’re digging out a car and get all cold and wet from the snow.

5. Get new tires if they are bald or low on tread before winter starts. This makes a huge difference in the grip your car gets on the ice, snow and wet road.

6. Always counter slides with a turn of the wheel in the opposite direction and let off the gas. Braking hard may make you slide more even with ABS and Traction Control. Just let off the gas and counter the slide and the car should come back to neutral straight if it isn’t too fast or slick.

Chicago driving is always a challenge. Best of luck to you in driving in the snow, ice, sleet and rain this winter. Please be careful and take your time getting to where you are going this season.

(map courtesy of weather net)

As I went out to get lunch on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago this afternoon I couldn’t help notice the Christmas shopping in full swing. There were about twice the number of people out shopping than normal and a lot of them weren’t daunted by the 9% sales tax there is downtown on top of the already crazy Michigan Avenue prices. I even saw some woefully out of date fur coats walking down the Mag Mile ala 1980’s. Please let that be a trend that does not come back, how cruel. Anyway I have been doing a lot of Christmas Shopping online. I was able to get coworker gifts at Crate and Barrel (it never hurts to get the boss and coworkers a little thanks for working and playing nice this year gift) and my brother’s from Fossil.

But then again we knew exactly what we wanted. Most people want a superstore experience with lots of choices like from Amazon, Target or Overstock.com. Overstock actually has a sale promotion contest thing going on right now too. In addition to all the low prices they have a contest (sweepstakes) that is giving away lots of cool clothes and jewelry but with a catch. They call it the All I want for Christmas Giveaway. Apparently two front teeth are not what everyone wants this Christmas. Registration with the site is required though in order to take part. This does not cost anything though and you don’t actually have to purchase anything from the site to be eligible. You do though have to choose an item from the site and email it as part of the promotion to a friend’s email address. So you have to pass on the word to be eligible. Like if I wanted new diamond earrings I would send that in the email. It might be a helpful way to let family and friends what you want for christmas? Anway it’s a complicated promotion for this holiday that already has a lot of stress. Here is a quick video about it to help clarify anything I may have missed.

I have been looking at the New Movies being released in the next month and it looks like there will be a lot to see over the Christmas holiday break. A lot of big blockbuster movies will be out and hopefully everyone will have more free time around the holidays to go out and see them at the theaters. (or at least kids and teenagers will, adults may still be working) Some of the movies I think look good are:

1. Sweeny Todd (the demon barber of fleet street)- This is an adaptation with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter from a musical. So expect singing, but also expect something unique and quite dark that only Johnny Depp and Tim Burton could bring you. I wouldn’t expect a lot of gore here, but I would expect the odd take on the world that seems to be their specialty and expect some humor too.

2. I Am Legend- People are excited about seeing Will Smith in a movie again since this is supposed to be a movie adapted from a graphic novel. That seems to be the golden ticket with the teens and 20’s people of today. Nothing is hotter underground than the comic culture except maybe zombies and vampires and this has those too. It’s scifi genre with a killer virus. Scifi is a genre that Will Smith does well so maybe this will be a sneak attack because people have been kind of bored with Will Smith lately. But I am not so sure about those vampires. I think that’s where this one falls off the cliff.

3. Kite Runner – a movie that is small and independent and features cultural differences between the west and the middle east in cultures. I think this is a contemporary and relevant story right now and people appreciate the truth in stories that entertain and educate at the same time. We can all relate here.

4. The Golden Compass – Nicole Kidman hasn’t had a hit in a while and is in a post Oscar slump. I’d really like this fantasy film with animation to work out for her and Daniel Craig. They can do great work, but sometimes it’s not the best story. Fantasy films have been big the last 5 years or so and this is well within that genre although it’s not based on a well known book with a geeky following. So it looks good but it’s too soon to tell if this is really a great film or not.

New Year’s Eve 2008 in Chicago will be a huge event. We have a lot of holidays around religious beliefs and history but New Year’s Eve is just about fun and nothing else. You can go to any one of a number of NYE parties happening around Chicago and have a great time. Many of these parties have been going for years and have a great lineup of live bands, singers, champaigne toasts and balloons at midnight as well as drink specials all night long.  If you can find a baby sitter and get out, enjoy the night and the celebrations around Chicago. It’s the one night that you can stay up until dawn and not care about the hangover and after effects the next day. It’s also a day to celebrate the year in review and look forward at new and great opportunities. After the ball drop you can take a minute to ponder where you want to be next year and see if you can make it happen in 2008.

Weather Note: It is usually freezing on NYE every year. So, if you are a girl going to a party that you don’t want to have a coat or a purse because it might get stolen, try a black cardigan sweater or blazer over the sparkly top. It looks accomplished and professional but still sparkly. And has pockets for ID, Keys, Lipstick and Credit Cards. 

Here are the 3 biggest parties happening in Chicago on New Years Eve in 2008.

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Navy Pier Grand Ballroom - The Kiss 1035.5 Radio Station has a huge bash in the ballroom of Navy Pier this year. They get great current bands to play and the whole place is a huge concert. It also has a great view of the skyline of Chicago from outside on the pier, and Fireworks out there at Midnight. (but I wouldn’t stay out there more than a few minutes in the 10 degree weather) It is always packed so if you are looking to meet girls and guys on this party day, this would be a great place to go. Thousands of people (singles and attached) go every year and make this a well known hot spot. There is a Navy Pier Parking Garage attached to the complex so you can even drive in from the suburbs and park close by and not walk outside in the cold. Expect parking to be around $25.00 though it’s not cheap when it’s in demand. Tickets are $150.00but they include open bar, appetizers and of course the live concert from the Lollapalooza favorite band The Shock Stars.  Tickets are available at Ticketmaster or TrystNightLife.com which sells them through going.com. Navy Pier is located at 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL  60611.

At the House of Blues in Chicago Radio Station, 93 XRT is also hosting a New Year’s Eve bash with CBS and Collective Soul. This isn’t as huge as the Navy Pier Party but also guarantees a great night of entertainment and partying. This event is 21 and over event and remember the house of blues is a general admission standing room only venue. So wear comfortable shoes.  The tickets are $145.00(without fireworks like Navy Pier) and if you are looking for a dinner package with the restaurant, call 312.923.2000 for more information. The live band starts at 9pm. I would guess that this ticket price includes an open bar, but the site didn’t really specify. Tickets are only available at Ticketmaster. House of Blues is located at 329 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL  60610.

Excalibur’s New Year’s Eve Bash is always a huge clubbing party. It’s been happening for years and you can party on all the different levels in the turn of the century limestone castle building that has a weird goth vibe if you ask me. They say they have 25 bars and 100 bartenders to serve you and are open from 5pm to 7 am. There are 3 levels of tickets here. $125 Platinum Reservedtickets with guaranteed admission before midnight and premium open bar from 8p to midnight. It also includes a supreme dinner buffet from 8pm-11pm, access to vip rooms and the entire building. A $75 Gold Reserved ticket which gets you guaranteed admission before 11pm, a Deluxe Dinner Buffet 7p-9:30p and an Open Bar from 7pm-11pm. There is also a budget special $50 General Reserved ticketwith guaranteed admission before 9pm and a Cash bar if you’re not a big drinker. It is important to note that there are no returns and no re-entry if you leave the party. It is also a 21+ only event. Excalibur is located at 632 N Dearborn Chicago, IL.  

I am hearing rumblings about what people are giving and getting this Christmas in Chicago. I have friends and family that are secretly shopping for gifts for loved ones without them finding out but want to know what is cool and hot this season. It’s a good Christmas season and sales are up already over last year so if that is any indication, there is a lot of good stuff out there. (both in gifts to give and gifts to ask for ) Here are some of the gifts I am hearing a lot about already.

1. Video Game Systems and Video Games in General are very hot to give again this Christmas. I am not sure how it became “normal” for adults to ask for video game systems for Christmas and have them in the living room with the DVD player and coffee table but they are totally mainstream now and not just for kids. Every guy I know has one and they become obsolete every 2-3 years so there is always new systems to buy and accessories and games to add on. The video game systems everyone wants this Christmas are the Wii and the XBox. Some people are still into PlayStation but the Wii is really what people want for it’s versatility. It’s the DDR of 2007.

2. Computersare hot as gifts because they just got cheaper again. I am not sure how they do this but Walmart, Dell and Amazon have laptops for around $300 bucks.  It’s an entry level laptop without all the memory or features you may want, but for kids that need one for high school or college it’s way cheaper than the 2K we had to fork over in the 1990’s.

3. Flat Screen HDTVs. Ok, I notice a trend with Electronics here. The Digital TV Signal Replaces the Analog one in 2009 so many people are looking at this Christmas and lower prices to replace that old Analog TV even though it’s still working. There will be digital TV converters on sale in 2008 but Best Buy and Circuit City would rather you just get a whole new TV this Christmas and won’t tell you anything about a converter until next year.

4.iPods – Um, yea… Anything Apple remains hot.

5. For little kids toys can be dangerous since so many are mad in China and so many Toys have been recalled this year due to Lead in the paint. So, be careful and check all the store lists for recalls and see if you can find some local made in the USA toys among the racks of China made toys. The Tickle Me Elmo Extreme is big for kids from 3-5 years old and Bratz are still big for girls into dolls and are more popular than the age old Barbie.

6. The American Girl Dolls have also still maintained a lot of loyalty and popularity this year. I see families on their way to the American Girl store downtown all the time. It’s still a big attraction here.

7. The new Transformers movie has also rekindled a lot of interest in the toys that transform. The movie related transformable robot toys are hot as is the DVD. I know adults and kids that are both looking for these this season.

8. Rubick’s Cube Revolutions. This toy is hot but not a rubick’s cube. The sides do not rotate at all, and instead have other games in them. Most purists hate this, but the kids that never saw the original are totally excited over this remix of old and new.

This weekend the weather will not be the greatest for Thanksgiving, but hopefully it will not keep flights from getting out of O’Hare or cause traffic on the highways for those of you driving to your family and friends’ houses.

It looks like are having rain today (Wednesday) as everyone tries to drive and fly out of town and then the temperatures drop on Thursday turning that rain into snow. Somehow since we have Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving so it’s only appropriate that we get snow on Thanksgiving. Leave extra time for traffic when it snows, people have forgotten how to drive when it is snowing since last year and this may be this winter’s first slippery road snow day. This shouldn’t really accumulate a lot since it’s just flurries, expect less than an inch.

On Black Friday for the After Thanksgiving Day sales, it will be cold and sunny but below freezing around 30 degrees fahrenheit. So take the light jacket that is easier to carry while running through stores, but wear a hat and some gloves because you don’t want to get too cold.

Weather images and data provided by Google.  Google maps also provides real time traffic information on the routes you print directions on. So check them out before you leave home and gauge the travel time more accurately.

As a change of pace from all the shopping and the food this holiday season why not consume some comedy instead? A great show is happening this December at the Donny’s Skybox theater in Piper’s alley on North Ave and Wells St in Chicago. If you haven’t been over to Second City for their student or regular shows, you don’t know what you are missing. Improv and Sketch comedy lives in Chicago and will always be a part of our culture and heritage. Going to see these future stars while they are here in our city to learn is a great benefit to us. We get great (cheap) high quality funny entertainment. These performers get to have a regular audience to see their work as they refine their craft.

I have a several friends that are very talented at acting and improv in Chicago. One has shows going on throughout December that you should not miss. I wanted to post about it since it’s hard for these shows to get the word out and attract a packed audience. They usually have the theaters 1/2 full, which is good, but why not pack the place? These shows are great and the improv is at a very high level for it being people who haven’t made maisntage yet. But I am pretty sure most of these performers will be Second City Alumni at some point and maybe your next SNL favorites. Check out these shows at Second City’s Donny’s Skybox Theater at Piper’s Alley (3rd floor) in old Town at North Ave and Wells Street. Tickets are available at the Second City box office.

Dr. Bear Hugg

The name comes from the leader of this show, Kevin Guillaume. He is a big tall bearded guy that is the nicest person ever, basically he is Dr. Bear Hugg himself. He brings different friends and players to each show to accompany him in free form improv that is based on some Harold format logic. You never know what he or his friends are going to bring to the table, and it is always unpredictable and funny. You can usually see Dr. Bear Hugg at IO with Atilla or at The Playground with Damascus Steel but for this short run they are playing at Donny’s Skybox Theater in Piper’s Alley at Second City. Come see the brilliance and unpredictability to their shows this December.

Every year the consumers go nuts the day after Thanksgiving and buy all the Christmas stuff they can fit into their cart at the day after Thanksgiving day sales. The retailers love it because it usually pushes the profitability of the store from red (loosing money) to black (making a profit) for the year and all their sales from then till the end of the year are all gravy. Hence the retail name for that day: Black Friday. The day 3 days later on Monday when everyone gets back to work after the long turkey weekend is called Cyber Monday because people also find good deals with Christmas sales online and use work time to shop and order their gifts that way too.

For some reason that name has jumped to the consumer side of the holiday shopping season and people know about it for the deals and the real reason it is called that. People seem ok with it though, they need Christmas gifts, and you can call it whatever you want as long as they get a good deal. And the sales are really what people are after. If you have kids  you probably buy toys and toys and electronics are the biggest categories for sale items. I don’t buy either so I am not so in tuned to these sales anymore but I hear about them at work and on the internet constantly.

What has changed this year is that everyone knows about these sales so the retailers have been thinking about how to make them even bigger and get more people interested. They have been marking down prices before thanksgiving and releasing the sale information online for the additional sales they will be staring the day after thanksgiving. If you are a die hard shopper and like to go out on Thanksgiving night at midnight for special sales and get up at 7am for special deals at stores like Kohl’s or Jcpenney,  check their web sites on thanksgiving first. You may be able to get the same deals online this year that you were only previously available in the stores.

The store items and sales notoriously don’t match what is on retailers web sites. But I have read that this year retailers are getting smart, and they are planning to have the same special promotions available in store and online. So you may be able to get a free shipping promotion and do at least 1/2 your shopping online and save a lot of time with that saved money.

It is also important to make a budget and a list and stick with it. Too many people end up with huge credit card debt come January. And it is usually just because they wanted to impress their friends and family, make everyone happy and get some sweet stuff for themselves to feather the nest. All this adds up really quickly and with financing and credit-card interest soon you will owe thousands of dollars. So, don’t try and impress anyone this year, just do the nice thing and get some reasonable presents within the budget. People don’t love you more if you spend more money on them, and if they say they do, it’s only temporary. Plus those kind of people are probably not the best friends to hang with nor do they get the real meaning of Christmas.

If you want to find out about black Friday sales online, this is the best site to look at: www.bfads.netThey are the absolute best and have everything listed there that is a special Black Friday Sale.

And if you want to give to others in need this season instead of going consumer crazy please donate to someplace like Cat Nap Shelter or another local tax deductible charity. (I have gotten 2 cats from this shelter and know it is a great home for cats that otherwise would not have homes and a no-kill alternative to the humane society)

The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has a special Star Wars exhibit (Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination) running right now through the end of January with all kinds of fun stuff to see. This is a must see for dedicated lifetime Star Wars fans that have all the collectibles and have dressed up as Star Wars characters at the midnight openings of all the movies at theaters. It is so popular it is sold out until mid December right now. I tried to get tickets today and the next 3 weeks are sold out for the weekends. So, this is a lesson in get your Christmas Holiday Vacation planned a month in advance with the kids. 

The cost is $21.00 for 1 adult ticket (before tax) and it only runs through January 6, 2008.  (ticket includes admission into the general museum for the day as well) Chicago residents get a cost break and 1 adult ticket is only $18.75. Children from age 3-11 are $16.00 per ticket. So it is a little expensive, but it’s a special event. Plus a day with the kids exploring the entire museum is worth that much since they will be home from school and need activities to do anyway.

The exhibits include over 80 artifacts (props models and costumes) from the actual movies, engineering design labs where you can play around and discover all kinds of new things about the technology used to make the movie and a full size millennium falcon cockpit that you can sit in and see what it would really be like to travel at light speed.  The millennium falcon area is a first come first serve area and there is usually a long line and wait. The earlier you go to this the better. All in all the exhibit combines movie making knowledge with the science of human robot interaction and it is a cool learning experience. Check it out before it leaves Chicago on January 6th 2008.

I was recently asked about how to survive a Chicago winter by someone moving here from a warm southern state who had never dealt with extreme cold, wind, snow and Ice. I have lived in Chicago all my life, so I figured I could help with some tips for survival and hopefully help him avoid being cold and stuck somewhere during a blizzard. Here are some clothing tips for how to dress for the coldand how to deal with getting un-stuck from the snow and navigating through icy streets with a wind chill that makes it seem 20 degrees colder than it already is.

If you are moving here from someplace warm and sunny, you will need to invest in the following clothing, outerwear, coats and gear:

1. Buy waterproof Boots with as much insulation as possible for warmth. Some kind of rubberized tread on the bottom is good for grip walking on the icy sidewalks and driveway too. Some people who walk to work in all the elements keep dressy shoes in a desk drawer so they can wear their boots to work and just change shoes there. Heavy thick socks that pull up over your calf are are also helpful.

2.Buy waterproof goves with thinsulate. This is especially important if you will be shoveling your driveway or trying to uncover your car from the snow and scrape off  ice. They are also good for use in building snowmen and snow forts with the kids.

3. Buy a hat and scarfpreferably a hat that covers your ears and is not knit. (the knit ones let the wind right through) If your hat does not cover your ears you will need ear muffs or those men’s ear covers that have the strap behind the head. Otherwise your ears will get frostbite. Avoid the frostbite on everything you can by covering as much as possible. The scarf is helpful because most coats either don’t seal off the cold air completely or don’t cover your neck well. The scarf is also helpful to wrap around your face if it’s below zero and you have to walk in the wind. We also joke that ski goggles would be helpful since the wind does hurt your eyes on extreme days too.

4. Buy a long knee length or longer down filled coat. (Synthetic stuffing might be ok if you’re allergic or ethically opposed to sing real feathers but I have never tried it) I have always found that leather coats are useless in the cold and rain ruins their finish. Wool coats are better but most lack a lining that will actually block the frigid cold wind here. So, you have to upgrade to an Alaskan polar level of parka to survive outside in the coldest days. North Face is good but really expensive and Eddie Bauer has more reasonable prices on their winter coats.  You should also get a coat with a hood attached. A hat is sometimes not enough to block the cold, wind and snow.

5. Buy Long Underwear or some kind of extra layer under pants and clothing. The more layers you have that are close to your skin the better chance you have of retaining some heat. The pants that are popular now aren’t going to block -20 degree winds when you have to walk to the train. Flannel lined pants are great and some kind of leggings, long underwear or 2 layers of tights can help.

6. Buy sweaters and preferably turtlenecksthey are the best bet. Somehow you loose a lot of heat through your head and I think your neck is included in that. It is much easier to stay warm with a turtle neck. The GAP, Old Navy, Sears and just about every other store carries them here. They are a winter staple. Watch out for wool turtlenecks if you are allergic to wool. Synthetics are just as warm and don’t stretch and fade like cotton.

And remember even if we get 3 feet of snow, school, work and the stores do not close down. We live with most of our snow in January and February and it happens every year so we know how to power through it. We dig out the cars and buses, take public transit, shovel the sidewalks and driveways and bundle up and go out slowly and cautiously. Nothing is stopped by bad weather in Chicago.

Have any other tips or suggestions for cold weather wear? Let me know by posting them as a comment with your helpful hints and cold weather clothing strategy below:

In Chicago there are now 2 radio stations that play Christmas Music non-stop from November 3rd until December 31st. They both are getting rid of DJs and the regular formats in favor of all Christmas Carols and Holiday Music all the time for the next 2 months. I heard about this on the news but then in my car listening to the radio yesterday found that one of them is in my presets and was playing White Christmas as I was driving.

The 2 radio stations playing the non-stop Christmas music are 93.9 FM WLIT “The Light” and 105.9 WCKG owned by CBS. The latter is a new entry into this market and I think they realized that people go do other things for the holidays and with family this time of year and they don’t listen anyway, so it’s cheaper to give the staff a long unpaid vacation and just play Christmas music on the radio with a computer. I can’t say I blame them, and the ads still run so they still make revenue during this time just without a DJ. 

I like Christmas music as much as the next Bing Crosby but isn’t this a little soon? Putting away presents early in the closet is one thing, but decking the halls 2 months in advance is a little scary. I will keep note of this info for future radio listening in December when I am wrapping presents and decorating the tree at their regularly scheduled holiday time.

When it is Christmas week or even earlier in December it is a welcoming and comforting thing to have Christmas carols playing on the radio and listen when I am in the car or at home in the evenings. I never ceases to amaze me how many thousands of Christmas songs have been recorded over the years. Some are old favorites that we hear all the time, but then there are really obscure ones too that I can’t imagine why someone wrote it or recorded the song. I think they must have the popular Christmas carols and songs in rotation on the radio stations more than the obscure ones.

But that isn’t the end of it really, I just saw someone putting Christmas Lights up outside on their house this weekend too. These are the people who celebrate Christmas in July too right?

Martha Stewart will be in Chicago at the Macy’s State Street Store on November 10 at Noon to light the official historic Macy’s (Marshall Field’s) Walnut Room Christmas tree. It is the 100th anneversary of the christmas tree in the Walnut Room so what better way to celebrate than have Martha come light it in person? (The Walnut Room opened in 1907) Martha Stewart’s Christmas ornaments have been decorating the Macy’s store with sparkle since September and now it is time for the rest of us to get into the Christmas Spirit. You can see the Christmas Tree lighting with Martha Stewart in the Walnut Room Restaurant live and in person because it is open to the public. Although I would get there early since this seems to be a major publicity event and will most likely be very crowded. (the picture at left is from last year when the walnut room tree was decorated by Wedgewood)

Located on the 7th floor, the Walnut Room is one of the oldest operating restaurants in Chicago and the very first restaurant in a department store. The Walnut Room Christmas Tree tradition started years ago when the State Street store was owned Marshall Field’s. Macy’s has decided to continue the tradition and invite a new company and designer to decorate the tree each year and create special ornaments for it. Last year was Wedgwood china and the year before was Swarovski crystal. Both of the companies designed beautiful ornaments that really made the tree sparkle.

The restaurant is 17,000 square feet, the walls are constructed of Circasian wood imported from Russia and the chandeliers are made with original Austrian crystal. This restaurant grew from the tradition of millinery department associate, Mrs. Hering, who would bring homemade chicken pot pies for her clients should they become hungry while they shopped as there were no restaurants in department stores at that time, and, in fact, not one respectable place for a lady to dine. This became a success and Mrs. Hering’s Chicken Pot Pie’s legacy are still celebrated in the Walnut Room today. (the chicken pot pie recipe is the same although it is presented in a bowl with a flaky puff pastry atop the soup filling instead of a mini pie plate.)

The Centennial Great Tree – To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great Tree and the world famous Walnut Room, Macy’s on State Street will feature Martha Stewart Collection kugels in an array of vibrant colors as the theme for this year’s Great Tree. Kugels, German for “balls,” were first used as tree decorations in the mid-1800s. Martha Stewart is reviving the kugel this season, specifically to celebrate the centennial of the Great Tree and Walnut Room, and will visit Macy’s on State Street to officially light the tree at noon on Saturday, November 10, 2007. The kugels will be available for purchase as tree ornaments and over-sized decorative accents at Macy’s on State Street and select other Macy’s locations this holiday season. The Martha Stewart Collection, Macy’s exclusive assortment of bed, bath, entertaining, and cooking products inspired by Martha’s personal collections and favorite things, represents the largest brand roll-out in Macy’s history.

I am sure Martha’s turn at the tree will be spectacular also. Her decoration line features some of the ornament styles she has featured in her magazines for years, except these aren’t vintage, they are new reproductions of vintage styles. The heavy silver backed glass Kugel style ornaments are featured in pink, red, green, silver, gold and blue. Martha has used these ornaments in the photos for her magazines for years and they are really quite pretty even in reproduction form.

She also has a number of bird ornaments and small cottages and town building ornaments that look like they might be from a vintage train set. There were small vintage cottage ornaments as a how-to make them segment in her Martha Stewart Living Magazine a few years ago. There are also glass ball ornaments of all colors and sizes (including giant glass ball ornaments as large as a foot in diameter for hanging on really large Christmas trees) and beaded sparkling garlands as well.

The dominant color in the trees and decorating ornaments is silver and white, but the colored Kugels bring a pastel hue to the trees. Which ornaments will be on the Walnut Room Tree? I have heard it will be the Kugels but who can really know before it is up and open to the public?

The cost of the ornaments is a bit high if they are not on sale. The small kugels are 10 dollars EACH. I think Macy’s knows that people won’t pay that much for 1 ornament made in China for 10 cents so they have had 25% off sales for the past 2 months. Unfortunately things are still not moving yet. Maybe with the Holiday weather and season upon us more people will buy a little piece of Martha Stewart to take home to put on their tree. And if you have lunch or dinner at the Walnut room, try the chicken pot pie. It’s delicious!

This is new. The City of Chicago is hosting a Museum of Modern Ice exhibit in Millennium Park this February. The City of Chicago’s Tourism Bureau is always coming up with new cool things to see and do in Chicago in the winter since it’s too cold to just hang out and have fun. We like our city but it is more fun with these extra community events. Most of the time the Mayor’s Office pays for them and they are free to the public. See past work and exhibits pictured in this post. Apparently Painting on Ice is trickier than it looks.

Event Dates: February 1-29, 2008

In February the exhibit will feature a brightly colored Ice Wall that will be the US debut the work of artist Gordon Halloran titled “Paintings Below Zero“. His unique artwork features paint on ice that will be on an Ice Wall that is 12 feet high and 95 feet long. (Yes Millennium Park is one of the few places in Chicago where 95 feet of straight  space is actually available) Apparently they are saying that the “Bean” will get a companion, the “popsicle”, in the news. It is kind of like a popsicle, it is long and frozen and brightly colored.

Gordon Halloran will also embed an abstract painting in the bottom ice of the ice rink at the Millennium Park. (The McCormick-Tribune Ice Rink Officially) If they haven’t resurfaced the ice lately though you probably won’t really be able to see it. It will be best viewed right after the Zamboni (or Olympia) machine clears and resurfaces the ice rink. And skating on the Millennium Park ice rink is always free. So now there is even more reason to drive in from Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and the Suburbs for a weekend in Chicago. (it’s cheaper than you thought)

Chicago has been promoting a Winter Delightsfestival during these dark cold days of blizzards and winter to help promote tourism and people coming downtown in general. It’s tempting to just stay inside and at home when it is -10 degrees out. You will be rewarded though if you do make the post-holiday trip. Most hotel rooms are more than 1/2 off because it’s not the peak season and there is a lot of room availability they want to fill and if you need an extra discount to make it happen, just ask, they might be able to work something out because business is slow and some money is better than no money for a room that goes un-rented. You can get the best rooms and views in hotels in Chicago during the winter and it’s way cheaper than in the summer. You do have to remember to bring a winter coat and hats and gloves because its cold, but that is a small price to pay for a luxury accommodation and close by getaway vacation. 

Anyway stop by the Millennium Park Painting Below Zero Exhibit in Chicago in February to see how this turns out. I am pretty curious as to how the ice wall will look and how they will light it. Ice has a lot of neat transparent possibilities for artistic interpretation and crystal fractal light reflecting freezing patterns if put together right. And bring your warmest coat, because it will be way below Zero in Chicago that time of year.

Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner doesn’t have to be at home to be special. Some of us don’t cook and need a place to take the family, kids and relatives on Thanksgiving. There are some options for delivery of a Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner pre-cooked to your door or you can just go to the food at a local or high end restaurant. There is no need to make a huge mess in the kitchen this year, leave the cooking to someone else! Check out these options for turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings.

And don’t forget the 74th Annual State Street Thanksgiving Parade (the official start of the Christmas season) It runs from State Street and Congress Parkway South Loop. It starts ar 500 S. State Street. The parade Features bands, floats, giant helium balloons, horses, local theater performances and more. The parade begins at State Street and Congress Parkway. November 22nd  at: 8:30 am.

Thanksgiving Dinner Delivery Services:

Jewel Grocery Stores & Domincks Food Stores both have full Thanksgiving Turkey Dinners available for purchase and delivery. They aren’t the same as home made, but they are good. Plus they are most likley more affordable than a restaurant for a family. These are also a good solution if you have elderly relatives that can’t come to the house and you want to send dinner to them if you can’t drive over yourself.

Catering is always an option. LaBelle Gourmet in LaGrange and The Perfect Dinner in Oak Park both offer complete dinner packages. The quality is better here but the prices are higher also.

 Restaurants open on Thanksgiving November 22, 2007:

Vermilion
Location: Vermilion – River North – 10 W. Hubbard St. – Chicago
Menu: A three-course holiday menu in augments the regular fare.
November 22nd : 11:30 am – 10 pm

Aria
Aria – Loop – 200 N. Columbus Drive – Chicago
Features a la carte holiday dishes for lunch and dinner.
November 22nd : 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Hours: 5 pm – 10 pm

Thanksgiving at Zest
Zest – InterContinental Chicago – Chicago
Brunch features a buffet of carved meats, breakfast fare, desserts and more. At dinner, choose from a multicourse meal or limited a la carte.
November 22nd : 11 am – 3 pm
November 22nd : 5 pm – 11 pm

Horizon Cafe
Horizon Cafe – Lakeview East – 3805 N. Broadway – Chicago
Four-course meal includes pumpkin soup, salad, turkey with all the trimmings, and a choice of apple or pumpkin pie. The regular menu is available….
November 22nd : 11 am – 7 pm

Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Lawry’s The Prime Rib – River North – 100 E. Ontario St. – Chicago
Serves up traditional turkey and prime rib dinners and a la carte desserts. Regular menu also available.
November 22nd : 11 am – 8 pm

Thanksgiving at Viand Bar and Kitchen
Viand Restaurant – River North – 155 E. Ontario St. – Chicago
Special three-course meal in lieu of the regular menu.
November 22nd : 11 am – 7 pm

Wildfire in Schaumburg
Wildfire – 1250 E. Higgins Rd. – Schaumburg
Family style menu features house specialties and holiday fare.
November 22nd : 12 pm – 8 pm

Thanksgiving at Jake Melnick’s
Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap – River North – 41 E. Superior St. – Chicago
Holiday specials augment the regular menu.
November 22nd : 11 am – 12 am

Birch River Grill
Birch River Grill – 75 W. Algonquin Road – Arlington Heights
Prix-fixe menu features maple-glazed free-range turkey, brown butter green beans, apple-cornbread stuffing, cranberry-orange relish and more.
November 22nd : 11 am – 6 pm

Thanksgiving at The Cape Cod Room
Cape Cod Room – Magnificent Mile – 140 East Walton Pl. – Chicago
A multi-course meal includes pumpkin soup, turkey with chestnut stuffing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffed butternut squash and more. The…
November 22nd : 5:30 pm – 10 pm

Coco Pazzo Cafe
Coco Pazzo Cafe – Gold Coast – 636 N. St. Clair St. – Chicago
A four-course, prix-fixe menu features roasted pumpkin puree, risotto, homemade pappardelle pasta, stuffed turkey breast and more. The regular menu…
November 22nd : 11:30 am – 9 pm

Thanksgiving at Fulton’s on the River
Fulton’s on the River – 315 N. LaSalle St. – Chicago
All-you-can-eat buffet features salmon, duck and skirt steak, plus traditional fare such as turkey, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin…
November 22nd : 12 pm – 9 pm

The Gold Coast Room
The Gold Coast Room at the Drake Hotel – Magnificent Mile – 140 E. Walton Pl. – Chicago
Buffet features holiday fare such as turkey and trimmings, plus Asian dishes, seafood and a sweets table. Includes a glass of champagne. A jazz trio…
November 22nd : 11:45 am – 5:45 pm

Thanksgiving at David Burke’s Primehouse
David Burke’s Primehouse – River North – 616 N. Rush St. – Chicago
Specials augment the regular menu. Each guest gets Thanksgiving leftovers to take home.
November 22nd : 11:30 am – 12 am

Mity Nice Grill
Mity Nice Grill – Magnificent Mile – 835 N. Michigan Ave. – Chicago
A holiday buffet includes oven-roasted turkey, pineapple-glazed ham, beef tenderloin, traditional sides, desserts and more.
November 22nd : 12 pm – 7 pm

Thanksgiving Day at the Signature Room
Signature Room at the 95th – Magnificent Mile – 875 N. Michigan Ave. – Chicago
Buffet features carved meats, sausage stuffing, whipped potatoes, pecan-glazed sweet potatoes and other traditional fare, plus a sweet table, kids’…
November 22nd : 10:30 am – 7:30 pm

Thanksgiving at Bistro 110
Bistro 110 – Gold Coast – 110 E. Pearson St. – Chicago
Executive chef Dominique Tougne creates a prix-fixe meal of American favorites with a French twist. The regular menu is available.
November 22nd : 11:30 am – 10 pm

Blue Water Grill
Blue Water Grill – River North – 520 N. Dearborn St. – Chicago
Features a la carte dishes.
November 22nd : 1 pm – 8 pm

Thanksgiving at Drake Brothers
Drake Bros.’ – Magnificent Mile – 140 E. Walton Pl. – Chicago
Includes a five-course prix-fixe meal, a glass of champagne and live jazz.
November 22nd : 12 pm – 7:30 pm

Thanksgiving Tea at The Palm Court
The Palm Court at the Drake Hotel – Magnificent Mile – 140 E. Walton Pl. – Chicago
A traditional service includes finger sandwiches and pastries. A harpist and flutist entertain.
November 22nd : 11 am – 3:30 pm

Bin 36
Bin 36 – River North – 339 N. Dearborn St. – Chicago
Executive chef John Caputo creates a special three-course menu with family style sides.
November 22nd : 3 pm – 9 pm

Thanksgiving at The Peninsula Chicago
The Peninsula Chicago – River North – 108 E. Superior St. – Chicago
The Lobby and Avenues feature a buffet of traditional and gourmet dishes.
November 22nd : 11 am – 8 pm

Thanksgiving at the Ritz-Carlton Cafe
The Ritz-Carlton Cafe – Gold Coast – 160 E. Pearson St. – Chicago
A la carte holiday specials in addition to the regular menu.
November 22nd : 11 am – 11 pm

Thanksgiving at Coq d’Or
Coq d’Or – Magnificent Mile – 140 E. Walton St. – Chicago
A multicourse lunch includes pumpkin soup, turkey with chestnut stuffing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffed butternut squash and more. The…
November 22nd : 11 am – 1 pm

Sushi Samba Rio
Sushi Samba Rio – River North – 504 N. Wells St. – Chicago
Specials augment the regular menu.
November 22nd : 3 pm – 1 am

Thanksgiving-To-Go at Vermilion
Vermilion – River North – 10 W. Hubbard St. – Chicago
A three-course meal features Indian-style mango- and cumin-rubbed turkey, Brazilian-herbed candied baby beets, Colombian yucca-flour cake bread,…
November 22nd : 11:30 am – 10 pm

Thanksgiving at the Greenhouse at the Ritz-Carlton
The Greenhouse at the Ritz-Carlton – Gold Coast – 160 E. Pearson St. – Chicago
Buffet features gourmet fare and holiday favorites. A jazz trio entertains.
November 22nd : 10 am
November 22nd : 1 pm

Thanksgiving at McCormick & Schmick’s Oak Brook
McCormick & Schmick’s – Butterfield and Meyers Road – Oak Brook
Special turkey dinner augments the regular menu.
November 22nd : 11 am – 9 pm

McCormick & Schmick’s on Rush
McCormick & Schmick’s – Gold Coast – 41 E. Chestnut St. – Chicago
Special turkey dinner augments the regular menu.
November 22nd : 10:30 am – 9 pm

Thanksgiving-To-Go at Di Pescara
Di Pescara – 2124 Northbrook Court – Northbrook
Includes crab- and spinach-stuffed mushrooms, butternut squash ravioli, sage and focaccia stuffing, roasted Vermont turkey and more.
Daily (ends November 20th)

Thanksgiving-To-Go at Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Lawry’s The Prime Rib – River North – 100 E. Ontario St. – Chicago
Turkey dinners, whole roasted prime rib and individual prime rib dinners, sides and desserts available for carryout.
Daily (ends November 20th)

Thanksgiving at R.J. Grunt’s
R.J. Grunts – Lincoln Park – 2056 Lincoln Park West – Chicago
Get your favorite holiday dishes–turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy–served up as a sandwich. Other seasonal specials include a pumpkin pie…
Daily (November 1st through December 1st)
Except November 22nd

Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse Lombard
Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse – 70 Yorktown Center – Lombard
Choose from a traditional roast turkey or prime rib dinner. Includes unlimited visits to a “sides buffet” featuring cornbread stuffing, roasted…
November 22nd : 1 pm – 9 pm

Thanksgiving at McCormick & Schmick’s on Wacker
McCormick & Schmick’s – Loop – 1 E. Wacker Drive – Chicago
Special turkey dinner augments the regular menu.
November 22nd : 10:30 am – 9 pm

Thanksgiving-To-Go at the Fairmont Hotel
The Fairmont Hotel – Loop – 200 N. Columbus Drive – Chicago
Chef Brad Parsons prepares an organic-focused holiday dinner for take-out. Dinner serves groups of eight to ten. Daily (ends November 21st)

Thanksgiving at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse Rosemont
Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse – 10233 W. Higgins Rd. – Rosemont
Choose from a traditional roast turkey or prime rib dinner. Includes unlimited visits to a “sides buffet” featuring cornbread stuffing, roasted vegetables.
November 22nd : 1 pm – 7 pm

Thanksgiving at the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room
The Ritz-Carlton Dining Room – Gold Coast – 160 E. Pearson St. – Chicago
A holiday buffet features three seating’s and a jazz trio.
November 22nd : 11 am
November 22nd : 2 pm

Last weekend I took a break from the weekend reviews, but not I am back with your weekly dose of entertainment options this weekend! Chicago has turned chilly with fall winds and colored leaves this week. I walk to the train in a scarf and gloves in addition to the wool coat now.  I have noticed that more people are opting to stay in on weeknights and weekends since the weather is changing. I recommend getting out now before it becomes oppressively cold. Enjoy those last few trips walking along the lake and wandering in town shopping before you can’t be outside for more than a few minutes.

Christmas is also starting to arrive as we prepare for Halloween. The Macy’s on State Street (Formerly Marshall Fields) and the Bloomingdales Home Store downtown are all decked out for Christmas already. You can get a jump on your Christmas shopping now, or shop online this holiday season. But, we still have to dress up for Halloween, carve some pumpkins and gourds, eat a ton of Halloween candy and have a huge Thanksgiving Turkey dinner with the family first! Check back in a few weeks for more details about what is happening in Chicago over the holidays.

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Friday October 26

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Friday night is Go out to a Movie Theater night!

New Movie Reviews - Opening This Weekend:

Dan in Real Life: Steve Carrel keeps his comedic movie career going with this new romantic comedy about a guy that covets his brother’s girlfriend and has interesting kids.    

Saw 4: No one needs to see these tortuous gruesome films. Avoid at all cost.

Rails & Ties: This movie was directed by Clint Eastwood’s daughter Allison Eastwood. It stars Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden and is about a train accident and the aftermath for the people involved.

Music Within:A soldier comes back from Vietnam with hearing impairment and finds a new place in the world as an advocate for the handicapped community.

Bella: This is said to be like the movie “Once” but set in New York city. Just 2 people enjoying the randomness of their meeting and crossing paths that moment in time. If it is half as good as once it is worth seeing. (I’m adding Once to my netflix queue now)

Gone Baby Gone: A film directed by Ben Affleck, since acting hasn’t really gone so well for him latley. He cast his brother in the lead role of the investigator trying to figure out the crime of a child abduction. Its not a funny movie at all, its a serious drama type. And Google’s ratings are all 5 stars right now.

Nothing interesting here? Check out these recent films that are still going strong at the box office:

Michael Clayton, Rendition, We Own the Night and The Game Plan

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Saturday October 27

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Halloween Parties and Clubs in Chicago with Halloween events this weekend: If you are looking to get your drink on with costumes.

Creepfest 312-654-0234
If Enclave’s is creeped out for halloween and it includes a creepy three-hour cocktail reception (9 p.m.-midnight) Costumes Required and Encouraged. 9 pm Saturday. $30. 220 W. Chicago Avenue Chicago, IL 312-654-0234. Tickets: chicagotwentysomething.com.

Halloween Frenzy 773-278-6600
Bands are playing at Subterranean and its a dancing halloween night. Opens at 9:30 pm on Saturday ONLY $5. @ 2011 W. North Avenue Chicago, IL. 773-278-6600.

Haunted House Music Bash 708-536-8455
The Congress Theatre features House music legend Lidell Townsell live @ (10 p.m.), and 15 more DJs bring the party home all night and morning long. Starts at 8 pm on Saturday. Tix: $25-$30 Address: 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 708-536-8455. Tickets: ticketmaster Yo.

Nocturna Halloween Ball
Horror Films, Costume Contests and a Scary DJ are all going to turn the House of Blues Orange. Doos open @ 11 pm Saturday. $10-$15 (18+ only). Address: 329 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 312-923-2000. Tickets through ticketmaster or HOB box office.

Mix ‘n Mash Bash 773-528-7569
When they give you a 500.00 bar tab for winning a costume contest you kinda gotta show up right? Go Mix. Opens at 9 pm Saturday. $30 Address: 2843 N. Halsted Street Chicago, IL Call 773-528-7569 for more information.

X-ecutioner’s Ball VI 312-266-1944
Grrrr ok, the gory horror fans only need apply here at Excalibur. (as if it isn’t creepy enough regularly?) You can win $1,000 cash at Excalibur’s big deal party. 7 pm Saturday. $10-$15 Excalibur Address: 632 N. Dearborn Street Chicago, IL 312-266-1944

RedEye/Metromix Halloween Bash 312-644-0100
The newspaper funded bash is at 10pin Bowling Lounge this year, which is a small venue. Go hit some pins and scare up some guys phone numbers at 9 pm on Saturday. $35 10 Pin Bowling Alley Address: 330 North State Street, Chicago, IL a part of the HOB complex now known as the Hotel SAX. Call 312-644-0100 for info and Tickets thrugh redeyechicago.com

Double Door Halloween Bash
Double Halloween Fun at DoubleDoor party. Bands get costumed more than normal as The Last Vegas as Alice Cooper, The Midnight Shows as Boy George and more at 9 pm Saturday. $12 cover charge. The Double Door is located at 1572 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL. Call 773-489-3160 or go online to ticketmaster.com for tix.

Sidetrack’s Halloween Party 773-477-9189
Sidetracks apparently just has the parade on a screen as entertainment, and alcohol of course. Check it out if you’re bored. And they have a costume contest later for $500 @ 10 pm. 7 pm Halloween Wednesday Oct 31. Free, No cover. Address: 3349 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL call 773-477-9189.

The Coffin Banger’s Monster Mash Party 847-345-4008
Not sure what to say about this one, it’s the first of it’s kind. Do the monster mash.

Halloween Masque Bash 312-733-2222
Like Absinthe? Come get some at Lumen’s Halloween party with green glow. @ 8 pm Wednesday October 31. $15-$20. 839 West Fulton Market Street, Chicago, IL 312-733-2222

Metromix ‘Scareoke’ Party 773-348-5600
Our Halloween-night bash at Victory Liquors is the only karaoke contest in town where you’ll actually win prizes for having the worst voice. If the crooning is too much to bear, just drown it out bobbing for shots. 7 pm Wednesday October 31. FREE No cover. 2610 North Halsted Street Chicago, IL 773-348-5600.

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Sunday October 28

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Howl’oween Dog Parade in Chicago – Dress up your doggie and go see the parade. From 1 to 3pm and it’s Free! Located at the Museum of Contemporary Art on 220 E. Chicago Ave in Chicago. Call (312) 280-2660 for more info: Sunday, October 28, 2007

Chicago Antique Market – I Love antique markets. I could spend days going through stuff and exploring. I rarely buy things there though because if someone knows it’s an antique they probably know its value and have marked up the prices. The rule of thumb is not to fall in love with something, try and know its value before you go with a book or online research and only buy if you can get a good deal. They love it when someone wanders in from the neighborhood not intending to buy anything and then walks off with a $500.00 fireplace mantle that they have no idea where to put. This market is at 1350 Block of West Randolph and inside the historic Plumbers Hall. 9am-5pm general admission $8 both days and 7:30am early outdoor buying Saturday only for $20. chicagoantiquemarket.com

Childrens Halloween Party 10/27/2007 from 10:00 am to Noon @ the Farmer’s Market – Join us for Halloween fun for kids of all ages. Costume contest, face painting, apple cider making demonstration, craft project (make a goody bag to be used for trick or treating with farmers/vendors) chicagogreencitymarket.org

Bonus: Halloween is Wednesday October, 31 so get your favorite costume and wear it to work just to scare your coworkers.

Everyone is getting into the Halloween spirit now that the holiday is only about 2 weeks away! This includes lots of office Halloween candy, Pumpkins everywhere, costume shopping and the annual trek to your local Haunted House. If you live in the city of Chicago or are going downtown to the loop, you can visit the Daley Plaza and see the local events happening there leading up to and celebrating all things ghoulish and spooky this Halloween.

The ChicagoWeen Haunted Village in Daley Plaza opened October 12th and will be there until the 31st and the Halloween Madness has ended. The events there are a FREE gift from the City of Chicago and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. (they really like holidays there)  Haunted Village continues through Halloween open diring the hours of Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.   

Daley Plaza (at Washington and Dearborn) hosts the Haunted Village and is transformed into Pumpkin Plaza, with cute pumpkin decorating, spooky storytellers and more to thrill and chill. Each day there are performances from the high flying aerial entertainers, Midnight Circus: 11:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2 pm Thursday through Sunday includes evening shows scheduled at 5:30 pm and 7 pm Free pumpkin decorating is offered on Saturdays and Sundays (except for the parade day, Saturday, October 20) from 11 am to 2 pm (or while supplies last).

And there is even a new Halloween Parade in Chicago this year. The Go Green Halloween Parade is on State Street Saturday October 20th from State and Randolph at 12 Noon. It features lots of candy and costumes (come in costume with the kids) The parade route begins at State and Randolph, going south on State Street, West on Madison, North at Dearborn, ending at Daley Plaza at Dearborn and Washington. Join Mayor Spookenburger from the Midnight Circus as they spread the news of the importance of Chicago’s environmental movement. After the parade, kids can enjoy trick-or-treating, a performance by Midnight Circus, hayrides, a costume contest and special sneak performances by the WICKED cast members. Remember, WICKED loves Halloween.

If you live out in the Chicago suburbs and want to find some fun haunted houses here is a quick reference list of all the haunted houses in Chicago (courtesy of the haunted house chicago site) :

Sweet Dreams/Fun Time Square Alsip, IL
The Haunting at 332 Arlington Heights, IL
Ashmore Estates – Undertakers Laboratories Ashmore, IL
The Graveyard Shift Ashmore, IL
The Haunting at Elsinore Ashmore, IL
Auburn Haunted House Auburn, IL
Nightmares: Basement Of The Dead Aurora, IL
The Grudge Garage Aurora/Batavia, IL
Morton West High School Haunted House Berwyn, IL
Carnival of Terror Berwyn, IL
Creatures Crypt Bloomington, IL
Evil Intentions Bolingbrook, IL
Legende of Sleepy Hollow Boubonnais, IL
Nightmare on Maple CT. Bridgeview, IL
Bridgeview Haunted Hollow Bridgeview, IL
The Haunted Barn Brocton, IL
Brookfield Jaycees Haunted House Brookfield, IL
Frightmare 2007 at Haunted Trails Amusement Park Burbank, IL
Melvina Manor Burbank, IL
The Houdini Seance Chicago, IL
Music Box Massacre 2 Chicago, IL
St. Pascal’s Haunted House Chicago, IL
Chicagoween 2007 Chicago, IL
Haunted Scenes Chicago, IL
Supernatural Chicago Chicago, IL
I Scream for Eye Scream Chicago, IL
Trails of Terror 2007 Chicago, IL
Nightmare City Halloween Chicago, IL
The Annual Halloween Art Exhibit Chicago, IL
Murder Mysteries Gangster Style Chicago, IL
Seven Deadly Sins at Cabaret Chicago, IL
Anna in the Darkness Chicago, IL
The House on Tripp Chicago, IL
Richard Crowe Ghost Tours Chicago, IL
Chicago Ghost Investigations Chicago, IL
Twisted House of Horrors Chicago, IL
Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tours Chicago, IL
Disturbed II Chicago, IL
Little Flower Shop of Horrors Chicago, IL
20th District Haunted House Chicago, IL
The Horror Chicago, IL
Excursions Into The Unknown Chicago Ridge, IL
Spider Hill Chillicothe, IL
Statesville Haunted Prison and City of the Dead Crest Hill, IL
Robertson Family Cemetery Creve Coeur, IL
Custer Park FD Spooktaccular Custer Park, IL
Kishwaukee Kiwanis Haunted House DeKalb, IL
Amenti DeKalb, IL
Downs Haunted House Downs, IL
Elburn Lions House Of Terror Elburn ,IL
Elgin Turners Haunted Hall Elgin, IL
Three Fires Council Haunted Hike Elgin, IL
Halloween Expo Elgin, IL
Eleventh Hour Elk Grove Village, IL
Hall of Horrors (Farmer City, IL) Farmer City, IL
Fright Night the Sequel Forest City, IL
X-treme Haunting’s Haunted House Fox Lake, IL
Mack Manor Haunted House Fox River Grove, IL
Dragon’s Dome Haunted House Frankfort, IL
Killer Clown Funhouse Frankfort, IL
Frankfort Area Jaycees and Jayteens Frankfort, IL
Gilson Haunted School Gilson, IL
Dungeon of Doom Grayslake ,IL
Six Flags Great America Fright Fest Gurnee, IL
The Haunting of Chittyville School Herrin, IL
Hometown Horror Hometown, IL
Madness On Midland Joliet, IL
St. Pat’s Haunted High School Kankakee, IL
Haunt 31 Lake in the Hills, IL
Lake Zurich Haunted House Lake Zurich, IL
Haunted Harvest of Lambs Farm Libertyville, IL
Lincoln Jaycees Fear Fair Lincoln, IL
Thanatophobialand Lockport, IL
Lombard Jaycees Haunted House Lombard, IL
Nightmare on Elizabeth Street Lombard, IL
The Living Dead Of Lombard Lombard, IL
Haunted Corn Maze Malta, IL
Spook Hollow Marquette Heights, IL
Dungeon of Terror Mazon, IL
The Dark Haunted House McHenry, IL
McHenry Jaycees Haunted House McHenry, IL
Haunted Hayride McHenry, IL
Dream Reapers Melrose Park, IL
No Rulz Haunted Yard Melrose Park, IL
Haunted Yard Melrose Park, IL
Homewood Haunts cemetery Moline, IL
Asylum of MAD Dreams Morrison, IL
Raven’s Grin Inn Mount Carroll, IL
Maze of Screams Mount Prospect, IL
Mount Vernon Jaycees’ House of Horror Mount Vernon, IL
Sea Net Monster Tag Adventure – Haunted Laser Tag Naperville, IL
All Hallows Eve: A 19th Century Halloween Naperville, IL
Freaky Frights On Forest North Riverside, IL
Tour Of Terror Northbrook, IL
Carly Boos Crypt Oak Forest, IL
Midnight Terror Oak Lawn, IL
Torment At Twelve Hundred Orion, IL
Dark Shadows Orland Hills, IL
The Haunting at Space Golf Orland Park, IL
Palatine Jaycees Haunted House Palatine ,IL
The Halls of Madness Paris, IL
Halls of Madness Paris, IL
Chamber of Horrors Paris, IL
Terror on the Square Petersburg, IL
Haunted Plainfield Plainfield, IL
Eaton Preserve Haunted Barn Plainfield, IL
Souls of the Forsaken Plainfield, IL
Henry Street Horrors Pontiac, IL
Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road Princeton, IL
Fear Factory Haunted House Rantoul, IL
Haunted Dungeon 2007 Rantoul, IL
Riverside Township Jaycees Ghost Walk Riverside, IL
Boo Crew Rochester, IL
Sterling Rock Falls Jaycees Haunted House Rock Falls, IL
Tebala Temple of Terror Rockford, IL
Spooktacular Haunted Hayrides Rockford, IL
Trail of Screams Rockford, IL
The Haunting on Rogers Road (Haunted Yard) Romeoville, IL
Realm of Terror Haunted House Round Lake Beach, IL
Krypt Keepers Kingdom Sandwich, IL
Scream Scene Skokie, IL
St. Peter’s Haunted Church Skokie, IL
South Beloit Lions Haunted Barn South Beloit, IL
2000 Feet of Terror Spring Grove, IL
Springfield Jaycees Haunted House Springfield, IL
St. Charles Jaycees Haunted House St. Charles, IL
Gallery of Ghoulish Homes Tour St. Charles, IL
St. Charles Gallery of Ghoulish Homes Tour St. Charles, IL
Trail of Screams II Stillman Valley, IL
Trail of Terror Haunted House Streamwood, IL
The Haunting of Willow Road Streamwood, IL
Shotgun Manor Sullivan, IL
Wheaton Jaycees Haunted House Wheaton, IL
Overnight Investigation at Rico D’s Restaurant Willow Springs, IL
Halloween Scare Walk Wood Dale, IL
Kincaid Manor Haunted House Woodridge, IL

It is crazy that we have 137 haunted houses here in Illinois? I guess people really like to go to a Haunted House before or on Halloween. So, go forth, and be scared! Boo!