I just wanted to share the list of streets closed for this weekend’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon in the city. If you live downtown or up north in Chicago, beware of parking bans and getting your car towed tonight also in addition to these streets that will be inaccessible. Most streets re-open on Sunday afternoon when the race is over, but some streets take longer to clear and won’t be open again until Monday morning. If you are viewing/cheering the Chicago Marathon, take public transportation downtown. If you live in the area, I recommend staying in for the weekend, or using public transit. Driving will be difficult. But then again its just once a year.

The following information was provided by the Chicago Police Department.

Please note that although the Bank of America Marathon is on Sunday, some street closures will be in effect as early as Thursday evening.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Date: Sunday, 11 Oct 09

Start Time: 7:30 am

Start Location: Monroe and Columbus

Finish Location: Columbus north of Roosevelt Street

Closures for site set up, event and teardown:

• Columbus from Roosevelt to Congress Pkwy- Closed: Friday, 09 Oct 09 at 10am Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Columbus from Congress Pkwy to Jackson- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 4pm
• Columbus from Jackson to Monroe- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 11am
• Columbus from Monroe to Randolph- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3 am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 9:30am
• Balbo from Columbus to LSD- Closed: Thursday, 09 Oct 09 at 7pm Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Balbo from Michigan to Columbus- Closed: Friday, 10 Oct 09 at 10am Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Congress Pkwy from Michigan to Columbus- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 4pm
• North & South Congress Circle Michigan to Congress Pkwy- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3pm
• Jackson from Michigan to Columbus- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 11am
• Jackson from Columbus to LSD- Closed: Saturday, 10 Oct 09 at 6am Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Monroe from Michigan to LSD- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 9:30am

For further marathon route and information go to chicagomarathon.com There will be rolling street closures and streets will be opened as soon as it is safe to do so. Also check the Chicago CTA website for updates on how they have modified the bus routes for the weekend and added extra trains to handle crowds.

The Tony Award Winning Musical Theater Show Jersey Boys will be leaving Chicago and the LaSalle Bank Theater in 2010. The last block of tickets are on sale now for the first week in January, and selling quickly. I can’t stress enough that if you have not seen this musical, you should soon because there is nothing else like it. The true behind the scenes story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons is more dramatic than anything someone could write and the amazing songs tell a lot of the story.

I saw this show during its preview run back two and a half years ago. My life was completely in flux then but the show and the actors that play the Four Seasons drew me into their performance so much that I bought tickets to give to family as Christmas gifts that year so everyone else could go see it. Most of the people there were baby boomers when I saw the show (it probably has even more meaning since they remember the songs from their own lives growing up) but I thought it appealed to younger generations as well with the reality of the struggles the singers faced and the behind the scenes look at the group over the years. And I think they re-aranged the music even better than the originals with better technology this time around. (Usually Broadway ruins original music like in the Swing era, but I was pleasantly surprised here)

I am sorry to see the Jersey Boys go and sorry I could not go see the Broadway show again. It was an incredibly moving show and one I won’t soon forget. If you want to get tickets to these last few shows before they leave the Theater District in Chicago, check out Ticketmaster today.

Steve Martinis a man of many talents. We all love his comedy and stand-up, we have all seen his dramatic talents and now he has branched out in another creative direction. Bluegrass Banjo Music. Steve Martin is going to be playing with his band for one show at the Cadillac Palace Theater in Chicago on October 22, 2009. Its a nice way to spend a fall evening with some relaxing yet peppy music.

You know Steve Martin is a funny guy, and if you’re a fan of his work, you may enjoy seeing another side of him and find some humor in the banter between songs. But the night is really about the music, the banjo and the Bluegrass music.Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster online or the Cadillac Palace Theater for $74. (that seems high but its what came up when I did a search, (floor seats) so there may be $50-$60 tickets available also in the balcony)

Steve Martin played his banjo and sang on Saturday Night Live not too long ago and it was quite different than you would expect for that type of music. Steve Martin played a few songs that were playful and light and a little bit funny. The sound was not too country but it was quaint in a way that seems surpising considering he is a big Hollywood star and has lived in that world for a long time. (per reading his book Born Standing Up)  The articles about him cite that he has won three Grammy Awards for his Bluegrass Albums, so this isn’t just another celebrity doing music because his name sells well.

I think people who work in the creative arts live and love to be active creating in all different ways and its interesting how knowledge in several areas all influence and inspire the others. Its true, everything in life is related (linked) somehow.

The jets are buzzing by the high rise office building I work in downtown and I am reminded that the Chicago Air and Water Show is this weekend! Every year the City of Chicago is generous in providing this entertaining weekend event free for everyone. But if you want good seats, get out early on the lakefront to see the best views of the Chicago Air and Water Show. (before 8 am) Take a picnic and an umbrella for some shade and spend your day outside enjoying the lakefront in Chicago and the show of amazing airplanes and talent.

If you are coming in from the suburbs for the Chicago Air and Water Show I recommend taking an early METRA train into the city and then taking a bus or cab to the beach rather than driving. The parking is expensive and hard to find. If you know someone who works in a high-rise building like me, you might get an even better view there than on the ground.

The vital stats are listed below as are the performers and airplanes featured in this year’s show. Have a great weekend!

Dates: Aug 15, 2009 – Aug 16, 2009
Hours: 10 am – 4 pm
This year the Air & Water portions are now combined into one continuous show.
Location: North Avenue Beach at 1600 North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, IL 60610
Admission: FREE!
Website: For additional information please visit, cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Accessibility: North Ave. Beach’s Lake Shore Dr. northbound entrance ramp
Accessible Beach Walk: The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities tent is located approximately 50 meters northwest of the North Avenue Beach Boat House, along the bicycle path.

The Chicago Air & Water Show 2009 Performers are:
Air Show Headliners
• U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
• U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights
• U.S. Navy Parachute Team Leap Frogs
Civilian Aircraft
• Aeroshell Aerobatic Team
• Lime Lima Flight Team (from Naperville!)
• Chicago Fire Department Air/Sea Rescue
• Sean D. Tucker & Team Oracle Red Bi-Plane
• The Firebirds Delta Team F-16s
• Ed Hamill – Air Force Reserve Bi-Plane
• Red Bull Mig 17 (Russian Cold War Era Jet)
• Red Bull Helicopter Pilot – Chuck Aaron
• P-51 Mustang (Vintage WWII Fighter)
• Chicago Fire Department Air/Sea Rescue
Military Aircraft
• C-130 cargo plane
• F-15 Fighter
• F-16 Fighter
• A-10 Demo
• B-1B Bomber
• Apache Helicopter
• BlackHawk Helicopter
• KC-135
• KC-10
• C-17
• U.S. Coast Guard Air/Sea Rescue

Announcer: Herb Hunter

It is Fall TV Season Premiertime again in Chicago. Yet few of the listings I see on the internet are in local Chicago time zone time. So, I have taken the eastern standard time zone listings and converted them below into the new fall season schedules for Channels ABC 7, NBC 5, CBS 2 and Fox 32 in Chicago. (and the suburbs)

Every year this is the time new TV shows start popping up on TV and unfortunately within a month about half of them fail on average. I hope you enjoy all of the new TV season premiers this year in 2009. I also hope you find some good shows to watch this season and I hope your favorite premiers become long running series shows. Sometimes you can find recaps and episodes of the season premiers on the web also, on the network websites within a week before the launch date. I usually watch everything once and then whittle it down to the shows I want to watch and its usually 2-3 per year.

ABC New Fall TV Series Premiere Dates: Channel 7 in Chicago

Saturday Night Football: Saturday, September 5, 7 pm CST
20/20: Friday, September 11, 9 pm CST
Dancing With the Stars: Monday, September 21, 7 pm CST
Castle: Monday, September 21, 9 pm CST
The Forgotten: Tuesday, September 22, 9 pm CST
Dancing With the Stars Results Show: Wednesday, September 23, 7 pm, (special day and time)
Modern Family: Wednesday, September. 23, 9 pm CST
Cougar Town: Wednesday, September 23, 8:30 pm CST
Eastwick: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST
FlashFoward: Thursday, September 24, 7 pm CST
Grey’s Anatomy: Thursday, September 24, 8 pm CST
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Sunday, September 27, 6 pm CST (two hours)
Desperate Housewives: Sunday, September 27, 8 pm CST
Brothers & Sisters: Sunday, September 27, 9 pm CST
Shark Tank: Tuesday, September 29, 7 pm CST (summer run began on Sunday, Aug. 9)
Hank: Wednesday, September 30, 7 pm CST
The Middle: Wednesday, September 30, 7:30 pm CST
America’s Funniest Home Videos: Sunday, October 4, 6 pm CST
Ugly Betty: Friday, October 9, 8 pm CST (two hours)
Supernanny: Friday, October 16, 8 pm CST

NBC Series Premiere Dates: Channel 5 in Chicago

Sunday Night Football (Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers): Sunday, September 13, 8:15 pm CST
The Jay Leno Show: Monday, September 14, 10 pm CST (series premiere, every weeknight)
The Biggest Loser: Tuesday, September 15, 8 pm CST (two hours)
Saturday Night Live Weekend Thursday Update: Thursday, September 17, 8 pm CST
Parks and Recreations: Thursday, September 17, 8:30 pm CST
The Office: Thursday, September 17, 9 pm CST
Community: Thursday, September 17, 9:30 pm CST (series premiere); moves to Thursday 8 p.m. six weeks later
Heroes: Monday, September 21, 8 pm CST (new time, two hours)
Mercy: Wednesday, September 23, 8 pm CST (series premiere)
Law & Order: SVU: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST (new day and time)
Law & Order: Friday, September 25, 8 pm CST (new day and time)
Southland: Friday, September 25, 9 pm CST (new time)
Dateline: Saturday, September 26, 8 pm CST
Trauma: Monday, September 28, 9 pm CST (series premiere)
Community: Thursday, October 8, 8 pm CST (new time period)
30 Rock: Thursday, October 15, 9:30 pm CST

CBS Series Premiere Dates: Channel CBS 2 in Chicago

Survivor: Samoa: Thursday, September 17, 7 pm CST (18th edition premiere)
How I Met Your Mother: Monday, September 21, 7 pm CST (5th season premiere)
Accidentally on Purpose: Monday, September 21, 7:30 pm CST
Two and a Half Men: Monday, September 21, 8 pm CST  (7th season premiere)
The Big Bang Theory: Monday, September 21, 8:30 pm CST  (3rd season premiere)
CSI: Miami: Monday, September21, 9 pm CST (8th season premiere)
NCIS: Tuesday, September 22, 7 pm CST (7th season premiere)
NCIS: Los Angeles: Tuesday, September 22, 8 pm CST
The Good Wife: Tuesday, September 22, 9 pm CST
The New Adventures of Old Christine: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST (5th season premiere)
Gary Unmarried: Wednesday, September 23, 7:30 pm CST (2nd season premiere)
Criminal Minds: Wednesday, September 23, 8 pm CST (5th season premiere)
CSI: NY: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST  (6th season premiere)
CSI: Thursday, Sept. 24: Thursday, September 24: 8 pm CST (10th season premiere)
The Mentalist: Thursday, September 24: Thursday, Sept. 24: 9 pm CST (2nd season premiere)
Ghost Whisperer: Friday, September 25, 7 pm CST (5th season premiere)
Medium: Friday, September 25, 8 pm CST  (6th season premiere, new network)
Numbers: Friday, September 25, 9 pm CST  (5th season premiere)
48 Hours Mystery: Saturday, September 26, 9 pm CST
60 Minutes: Sunday, September 27, 6 pm CST  (42nd season premiere)
The Amazing Race: Sunday, September 27, 7 pm CST (15th edition premiere, two hours)
Cold Case: Sunday,  September 27, 9 pm CST (7th season premiere)
Three Rivers: Sunday, October. 4, 8 pm CST

Fox Series Premiere Dates: Chicago Channel 32

Cops: Saturday, September 12, 7 pm CST
America’s Most Wanted: Saturday, Sept. 12, 8 pm CST
So You Think You Can Dance: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 7 pm CST
Glee: Wednesday, September 16, 8 pm CST (new)
Bones: Thursday, September 17, 7 pm CST
Fringe: Thursday, September 17, 8 pm CST
Brothers: Friday, September 18, 7 pm CST(new)
‘Til Death: Friday, September 18, 7:30 pm CST
Dollhouse: Friday, September 18, 8 pm CST
House: Monday, September 21, 7 pm CST (two hours)
The Simpsons: Sunday, September 27, 7 pm CST
The Cleveland Show: Sunday, September 27, 7:30 pm CST (new)
Family Guy: Sunday, September 27, 8 pm CST
American Dad: Sunday, September 27, 8:30 pm CST
Lie To Me: Monday, September 28, 8 pm CST
The Wanda Sykes Show: Saturday, November 7, 10 pm CST

I always like to recommend the best events around Chicago to attend and plan your weekends and vacations with but sometimes I have to call out the details about Chicago that are less than ideal. Today’s complaint is about the Chicago CTA bus service.

I have a love hate relationship with public transportation to begin with so lately when the 121 bus is nowhere to be found I become even more frustrated with the system that is supposed to move 3 million people around the city every day.

I have taken the Metra in from the suburbs to work every day since I moved out there a few months ago. The Metra Trains only run 3 times per hour so you don’t have any choice about when they run or when you arrive in downtown Chicago. This combined with the bus issues pushes my commute to Naperville to 2 hours each way regularly.

There is only one bus going to Michigan Avenue from Union Station, the 121 bus and it only runs 3 times an hour as far as I can find on any schedule. I don’t have a smart-phone so I can’t use the CTA bus tracker, I just expect that the CTA knows that there is a BNSF train with about 1,000 people on it that gets in every 20 minutes at Union Station and they would want to coordinate the busesthat stop there around those times. The BNSF line has more riders than any other Metra line in Chicagoland and runs the most people in and out of the city each day, it is well worth coordinating with.

Yet, they don’t.

No matter if I take the 7:00, 7:20, 7:40, 8:00, or 8:25 BNSF Metra Train, there is never a 121 bus available when I walk out of the station. Granted, the walk from the basement core of the station up 2 levels and out to the street level takes about 6-7 minutes as a bunch of trains unload and converge with Amtrak passengers with luggage and a bunch of luggage moving vehicles.

Why the last batch of AM trains come in at 9 am and the buses pick up and leave at 9:03 AM exactly I have no idea. You can’t possibly get out there fast enough.

There is nothing more frustrating than to be on the first car of the train, standing by the doors to get off first and then by the time I get to street level, the last 121 bus has left or the latest one is leaving and it will be 15-25 min before another one arrives and 15 minutes on that bus if it does eventually arrive. (and after 9 am sometimes they just don’t even though there is a 9:15 bus on the schedule). 

Likewise for getting back to the station. I spend a small fortune in cab fare to get to Union Station in less than 20 minutes. It is obsurd that they don’t know and coordinate busses picking people up and dropping off at the station with when the most crowded trains leave.It seems like you have to leave work and hour before your train in order to get the bus to Union Station. If I leave at 5:15 or 6:15 there are never busses to be found to get to the 5:45 or 6:50 trains, yet it only takes 10 minutes to get there.

I am not the only one with this problem. I see dozens of people arrive at the bus stop under Michigan Ave notice that nobody is there and leave to catch a cab. This is at totally different times every day too. There is no consistency to the schedule either. People also arrive at the stop, wait for 15-20 minutes and then abandon the bus to pay $8-9 for a cab to make the last express train home so they can actually see their kids before they fall asleep. 

In the AM people stand around at the 121 bus stop hoping there is another bus as promised and the 9:15 never shows and they never make it to work by 9:30 am as expected. Some give up and take cabs, others walk, but it isn’t fair either way.

There should be some digital communication between Metra, BNSF and CTA for these kinds of trip planner transfers to note when packed trains are coming in and leaving with thousandsof people and how to get them routed to the appropriate next leg of their journey. During peak hours this is 3 trains an hour per line and during off-prak times this is only 1 train per hour! (How much simpler does it get?)

I am not sure they have any interest in this since they still get my flat fee monthly fare payment even though I end up walking for a 1/2 hr most mornings now and get to work before the next bus would get me there. An equal opportunity rant for Metra would be appropriate since bringing in the trains at 8:50 rather than 9am would help a lot of people catch that 9:03 am 121 bus.

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruises and Toursare one of the top attractions I recommend for tourists and locals alike when visiting downtown Chicago in the summer.  It offers a chance to see Chicago from a different perspective and is relatively cheap for entertainment. It is a great stay-cation activity this summer, and it is a local activity that is fun, relatively cheap and kid/family friendly. I hope everyone is enjoying the mild weather and the time off from work. I will post more frequently in the coming weeks after the big day has passed this Saturday.

chicago architecture river tours

Here are my recommendations for summer fun in Chicago:

1. The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise – This is a very popular Chicago River boat tour because Chicago is known for the great mid century and art deco architecture downtown. This Chicago River Cruise lasts about one and a half hours and costs $28 per person. The views of Chicago from the Chicago River are different than anywhere else in the city downtown. Looking up at the buildings that line the river is almost like walking back in history. The hosts of the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Tours always have the background, dates and interesting stories about these buildings you see.

They give you the background and history on why the buildings are as they are today and what companies and purposes they had back in the day that is entertaining even if you are a local tourist. A lot has changed in Chicago over the decades, but the architecture is one of the few things that stays the same. This tour tells you the history of why things are they way they are and who built this great city. Look to the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s web sitefor tickets, tour dates and times and what events are happening in conjunction with the tours coming up this month. architecture.org The starting point for the tour is on the corner of Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue downtown near the loop. Check out the tour this summer, they run until November when the boats stop running for the winter.

The Garrett Popcorn Shops will open a new store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago this summer replacing the one on North Michigan Avenue that closed last year. Their presence on the Mag Mile was missed by locals and tourists alike. Their flavored popcorn is such a Chicago Classic and we are glad to see that they will be back. The new Garrett Popcorn Shop will be located on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Ontario Street. Look for the new store to open in late summer, (August?). Everyone loves the caramel popcorn but there is a large range of flavors available, all are great to try. Check them out the next time you are downtown shopping.

I was checking out the Taste of Chicago 2009 map of vendors and restaurants and there is more to choose from this year at the taste than ever. The Taste of Chicago 2009 offers everything from classic Chicago hot dogs and pizza to vegetarian dishes, to international specialties from all over the world to luscious sweets and deserts.

The Taste of Chicago is an annual event for many people who live in the city so be aware of the crowds that you will be working with. Don’t bring a lot of stuff to carry and wear comfortable shoes for the long walk from the Bus, El, Cab, Metra or Parking Garage. the taste of Chicago isn’t cheap either. There is no admission fee, but all the food costs you in “tickets”. Expect to spend $20-$40 in tickets per person including appetizers, drinks, main dishes and deserts.  

This is the full list of tents and foods available at the Taste of Chicago 2009 from explorechicago.org:

Taste of Chicago Food Booths – ¢¢¢ indicates a “Taste Of” portion and is priced lower for a smaller sample portion

9 – Abbey Pub – Address 3420 West Grace Street – Irish Classics
Roasted Corn on the Cob; Fish and Chips(Fries); Irish Egg Rolls; Oreo® Bailey’s® Irish Custard
¢¢¢ Irish Egg Roll; Fries with Irish Curry

54 – Adobo Grill – 2005 West Division Street
Guacamole and Chips; Cochinita Pibil (Pork) Tacos; Chicken Tamale; Churros
¢¢¢ Churros; Cheese Empanada

51 – Arya Bhavan – 2508 West Devon Avenue
Samosa (Crisp Patties with Potatoes, Peas, Coriander and Spices); Chana Masala with Bread/Nan; Pav Bhaji with Bread/Nan (Vegetarian Stew with Cauliflower, Peas, Eggplant, Tomatoes and Spices); Bhel (Puffed Rice, Sev and Puri mixed with diced Potatoes, Onions, Cilantro, Garlic, and Hot and Sweet Chutney Sauces)
¢¢¢ Samosa; Bhel

17 – Aunt Diana’s Candy Makers- 29 East Burlington Road in Riverside
Chocolate Covered Strawberry; Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana; Combo: Strawberry, Fudge and Baby Banana
¢¢¢ Chocolate Dipped Frozen Baby Banana; Chocolate Fudge

8 – Bacino’s Pizza of Lincoln Park - 2204 North Lincoln Avenue
Stuffed Spinach Pizza; Stuffed Sausage Pizza; Thin Crust Cheese Pizza; Thin Crust Sausage Pizza
¢¢¢ Stuffed Spinach Pizza; Stuffed Sausage Pizza

6 – Billy Goat Tavern and Grill - 1535 West Madison Avenue – A Chicago Classic
Rib Eye Steak Sandwich; Cheeseburger; Double Cheeseburger
¢¢¢ ½ Cheeseburger; Potato Chips

33 – BJ’s Market and Bakery – 8734 South Stony Island Avenue
Mustard-Fried Catfish; Turkey Burger; Barbecue Chicken Tenders; Sweet Potato Chips
¢¢¢ Mustard-Fried Catfish; Peach Cobbler [yummm]

14 – Blue Bayou -3734 North Southport Ave.
Muffalletta Sandwich; Jambalaya; Cornbread with Honey Chili Butter; Gator Sausage on a Stick
¢¢¢ Jambalaya; Bananas Foster Bites

25 – Buona - Many Chicagoland Locations – A Chicago Classic
Italian Beef Sandwich; Beef and Sausage Combo Sandwich; Italian Sausage Sandwich
¢¢¢ Italian Sausage Sandwich; Mini Cannoli

15 – Canady Le Chocolatier – 824 S. Wabash Ave.
Chocolate Gelato; Blueberry Yogurt Gelato; Tiramisu Gelato; Peanut Butter Gelato
¢¢¢ Fruiti di Bosco Sorbet [healthy diet option]; Chocolate Gelato

24 – Celebration Creamery - 286 Golf Mill Center, Niles
Funnel Cake; Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Topping; Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Topping; One Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on a Waffle Cone
¢¢¢ Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Topping; Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt Sandwich

19 – C’est Si Bon! – 5225 South Harper Avenue
Sweet Potato Cheesecake; Collard Green Egg Rolls; Firecracker Chicken Wingettes with Biscuit; Fresh Fruit Cup
¢¢¢ Cajun Meatballs; Firecracker Wingettes

5 – Chicago Joe’s - 2256 West Irving Park Road
Breaded Buffalo Popcorn Shrimp with Fries; Beer Battered Butterfly Coconut Shrimp with Fries; Homemade Seasoned Fries; Breaded Calamari Rings with Fries
¢¢¢ Homemade Chili; Homemade Seasoned Fries

38 – Connie’s Pizza - 2373 South Archer Avenue
Deep Dish Cheese Pizza; Deep Dish Sausage Pizza; Meatball Sandwich; Thin Beer Crust Pepperoni Pizza
¢¢¢ Mini Meatball Sandwich; All Natural Vegetarian Panzerotti

45 – Costa’s -Address 340 South Halsted Street
Gyros; Greek Chicken on Pita; Loukaniko(Greek Sausage)
¢¢¢ Loukaniko; Baklava (super sweet Filo, Honey and Nut Pastry)

37 – Dominick’s -Chicagoland Locations – healthiest options at the taste!
Red/Green Seedless Grapes; Cherries; Watermelon Slice; Roasted Ultra Sweet Corn on the Cob
¢¢¢ ½ Watermelon Slice; Pineapple Bites

22 – Eli’s Cheesecake – 6701 West Forest Preserve Drive – A Chicago Classic
Frozen Chocolate Chip Toffee Crunch; Oreo® Cookie Cheesecake with Vanilla Ice Cream; Turtle Cheesecake; Plain Cheesecake (with or without strawberries) [personally I think their cheesecake is a bit dry]
¢¢¢ Plain Cheesecake; No-Sugar-Added Key Lime Cheesecake (made with Equal)

42 – Fireplace Inn - 1448 North Wells Street
BBQ Baby Back Ribs; BBQ Boneless Rib Sandwich; Mozzarella Sticks; BBQ Meatballs
¢¢¢ Mozzarella Sticks; Tropical Fruit Salad Bowl [heart healthy low cal option]

44 – Franco’s Ristorante – 300 West 31st Street
Lemon Italian Ice; Watermelon Italian Ice; Stracciatella Gelato (Vanilla with Chocolate Shavings); Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato (Giunduia)
¢¢¢ Lemon Italian Ice; Watermelon Italian Ice

52 – Garrett Popcorn Shops - Chicagoland and O’Hare Locations – A Chicago Classic
Popcornsicle (Caramel and Cheese Corn Mix, flash frozen on a stick); Chocolate Covered Caramel Corn; ½ lb. Mixed Nuts [careful of the popcorn and carmel if you have dental work]
¢¢¢ Caramel and Cheese Corn Mix; Chocolate Covered Caramel Corn

12 – The Grill on the Alley – Address: 909 North Michigan Avenue
Prime Rib Quesadilla; Gazpacho with Chopped Avocado and Chives; Rice Pudding with Mango and Dried Cranberries
¢¢¢ Gazpacho with Chopped Avocado and Chives; Grilled Anjou Pear Salad with Walnuts and Maytag Blue Cheese

7 – Guey Lon – 3968 North Elston Avenue
Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura; Orange Chicken with Vegetable Fried Rice; Mongolian Beef with Noodles; “Crab” Rangoon
¢¢¢ Egg Roll; Vegetable Tempura

39 – Harold’s Chicken #71 – 2109 South Wabash Avenue
Chicken Wings; Chicken Nuggets; Fried Okra; Fries
¢¢¢ Chicken Wings; Hush Puppies

28 – Harry Caray’s - 33 West Kinzie Street
Homemade Potato Chips; Fried Dough; Toasted Cheese Ravioli; Chocolate Chip Cookie
¢¢¢ Toasted Cheese Ravioli; Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

16 – Hashbrowns – 731 West. Maxwell Street
Maxwell Street Burger (Burger Patty Topped with Pork Chop, Polish Sausage and Grilled Onions)[heart attack city]; Sweet Potato Fries [yummy]; Mini Waffle Topped with Whipped Cream, Chocolate Syrup and a Strawberry; Sweet Potato Hashbrowns ¢¢¢ Sweet Potato Fries; Sweet Potato Hashbrowns

23 – Home Run Inn Pizza - 4254 West 31st Street – A Chicago Classic
Cheese Pizza; Sausage Pizza; Ultra Thin Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza; Strawberry Pecan Salad
¢¢¢ Small Strawberry Pecan Salad; Mozzarella Stuffed Bread Stick

46 – JR Dessert Bakery - 2841 West Howard Street
Plain Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry or Caramel Pecan Sauce; Frozen Chocolate Dipped Cheesecake Bar; Key Lime Pie; Apple Pie with Ice Cream
¢¢¢ Plain Cheesecake; Ice Cream with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

47 – Kasia’s Deli - 2101 W. Chicago Ave.
Pierogi (Potato, Spinach, Chicken) with Sour Cream [recommended based on all Perogi are great and a polish staple]; Grilled Polish Sausage Sandwich with Sauteed Onions; Chicken Kabob with Vegetable Rice and Honey Mustard [healthier dinner option]; Potato Pancakes with Sour Cream and Pico de Gallo or Apple Sauce {mmmmm}
¢¢¢ Cheese Blintz with Raspberry Sauce; Potato and Cheese Pierogi

3 – La Justicia - 3901 West 26th Street
Enchiladas; Steak Tacos; Chicken Tacos; Combo: Taco, Enchilada and Quesadilla
¢¢¢ Enchilada; Chicken Taco

49 – Lagniappe-Creole Cajun Joynt - 1525 West 79th Street
Catfish Po’Boy; Crawfish, Corn and Potatoes; Beignets; Chicken and Waffles
¢¢¢ Praline Ice Cream; Beignets

48 – Las Tablas Colombian Steakhouse – 2942 North Lincoln Avenue
Empanadas (Beef, Chicken, or Cheese); Entraña Skirt Steak with Sweet Plantain Wedges; Marinated Grilled Chicken with Sweet Plantain Wedges; Verdes y Maduros (Crunchy Plantain Chips and Sweet Plantain Wedges)
¢¢¢ Verdes (Crunchy Plantain Chips); Maduros (Sweet Plantain Wedges)

40 – Los Dos Laredos – 3120 West 26th Street
Carne Asada Tacos (Steak); Tamales (Cheese and Green Pepper); Steak Gordita ala Mexican; Cheese Nachos
¢¢¢ Carne Asada Taco (Steak); Steak Gordita

30 – Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria - 958 West Wrightwood Avenue [A Chicago Classic]
Cheese Pizza; Cheese and Sausage Pizza; Chopped Salad; Bruschetta
¢¢¢ Chopped Salad; Bruschetta

1 – Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen - 1141 South Jefferson Street
Barbequed Turkey Leg [you have to try this once] ; BarbequeBeef Brisket Sandwich; Cherry Pie Square; Potato Pancakes [potato pancakes are not really a summer food, but they are so good it might be worth the calories/fat since they are from an authentic Jewish Deli, share with a friend]
¢¢¢ Potato Pancake; Macaroni and Cheese

29 – Mazzone’s Italian Ice – At Chicagoland Retailers [italian ice is fat free, a heart healthy treat, but skip the nuttela unless your a marathon runner]
3 Scoops Italian Ice (Lemon, Strawberry, Blue Raspberry or Mango); 2 Scoops Italian Ice; Nuttella® Crepe with Whipped Cream; Chocolate Covered Rice Krispies® Treat
¢¢¢ 1 Scoop Blue Raspberry Italian Ice; Scoop Lemon Italian Ice

18 – The Noodle Vietnamese Cuisine - 2336 South Wentworth Avenue
Sesame Beef on a Stick; Crab Rangoon; Shrimp Rolls; Curry Chicken on Rice
¢¢¢ Sesame Beef on a Stick; Shrimp Rolls

41 – Oak Street Beach Café - 5700 South Cicero Avenue
Grilled Slipper Tail Lobster with Garlic Potato; Grilled Shrimp on a Skewer with Garlic Potato; Grilled Spicy Chicken Wings with Garlic Potato; Grilled Cajun Turkey Link with Garlic Potato
¢¢¢ Garlic Potatoes; Spicy Wings

43 – O’Brien’s Pub - 1528 North Wells Street by the Chicago River.
Celtic Corn on the Cob; Loaded Baked Potato; Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich; Buffalo Shrimp
¢¢¢ Baked Potato; Onion Coated Green Beans

36 – Original Rainbow Cone – 9233 South Western Avenue
Cool off with the Rainbow Ice Cream (Chocolate, Strawberry, Palmer and Pistachio Ice Cream with Orange Sherbet) in a Cake or Waffle Cone; Cookie Dough or Cookies and Cream Cone; Waffle Cone Sundae (Vanilla Yogurt, Blueberries and Strawberries); Strawberry Shortcake Parfait (Vanilla Yogurt)
¢¢¢ Taster Cup of Rainbow Ice Cream; Dream Cup (Vanilla Yogurt and Orange Sherbet)

13 – Polka Sausage and Deli - 8753 South Commercial Avenue
Polish Sausage Sandwich with Kraut; Bratwurst Sandwich with Kraut; Grilled Breast of Chicken with Grilled Onions; Pierogi with Sour Cream (Potato, Cheese, Kraut) [perogi with kraut is also good]
¢¢¢ 1 Pierogi; Polish Sausage Sandwich with Kraut

31 – Polo Café and Catering Bridgeport U.S.A. - 3322 South Morgan Street
Shark Veracruz (Oven-Baked); Crispy Noodle Shrimp; Crab Cake Nuggets(Oven-Baked); Southern Fried Tilapia Filet
¢¢¢ Garlic-Mozzarella Cheese Bread; Crispy Noodle Shrimp

35 – Reggio’s Pizza - 1339 South Halsted Street
Turkey Sausage Deep Dish Pizza; Cheese Deep Dish Pizza; Sausage Thin Crust Pizza; Pepperoni Thin Crust Pizza
¢¢¢ Italian Ice; Sausage Thin Crust Pizza

4 – Ricobene’s - 252 West 26th Street
Italian Breaded Steak Sandwich; Beef and Sausage Combo Sandwich; Fresh Cut Fries with Cheese; Boneless Buffalo Wings [another vendor that is not diet friendly]
¢¢¢ Italian Breaded Steak Sandwich; Breaded Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich

21 – Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs - 225 South Canal Street and in Oak Park
BBQ Rib Tips; BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich; Boneless Rib Sandwich; Turkey Wings
¢¢¢ Hot Link; BBQ Rib Tips

50 – Sabor Latino - 3810 West North Avenue
Spanish Steak, Onions and Rice with Pigeon Peas; Puerto RicanSteak and Onion Sandwich on Homemade Criollo Bread; Steak Jibarito (Farmer Sandwich)
¢¢¢ Steak Jibarito; Pork Filled Banana Dumpling

2 – Soul Vegetarian East – 205 East 75th Street
Veggie Gyros [new?]; Vegetarian BBQ Twist on a Stick; Corn on the Cob; Vegetarian Tamales
¢¢¢ Sweet Potato Pie; BBQ Twist on a Stick

26 – Star of Siam - 11 East Illinois Street
Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables; Satay Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Salad; Pad Thai Noodles (Vegetarian); Pot Stickers (Chicken and Vegetable Dumplings)
¢¢¢ Pad Thai Noodles; Pot Stickers

11 – Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce- Jewel and Dominick’s Chicagoland Retailers
Hickory Smoked BBQ Ribs; BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich; BBQ Boneless Rib Sandwich; BBQ Chicken Sandwich [not heart healthy options, not for someone with IBS, I speak from experience]
¢¢¢ Mini Boneless Rib Sandwich; BBQ Meatballs

53 – Tamarind - address 614 South Wabash Avenue
Orange Chicken with Rice; Thai Red Curry with Chicken; Taiwan Shining Noodles; Banana Chocolate Egg Roll [yummy desert!!]
¢¢¢ Taiwan Shining Noodles; Taro French Fries

34 – Tuscany Italian food at 1014 West Taylor Street
Italian Beef Sandwich; Italian Sausage Sandwich; Italian Turkey Meatballs; Toasted Cheese Ravioli
¢¢¢ Italian Turkey Meatballs; Toasted Cheese Ravioli

32 – Tutto Italiano- Located at 501 Sputh Wells Street
Pasta and Chicken Salad; Fried Ravioli Marinara; Steak Burger with Blue Cheese
¢¢¢ Italian Fries; Fried Ravioli Marinara

20 – Vee-Vee’s African Cuisine – 6232 N. Broadway St.
Jerk Chicken with Red Beans and Rice; Sauteed Goat Meat with Plantain; Jollof Rice and Goat; Red Beans and Rice with Plantain (Vegetarian menu option)
¢¢¢ Jerk Chicken with Red Beans and Rice; Jollof Rice with Goat

10 – Vermilion - 10 W. Hubbard St.
Char-Grilled Chicken Kabob with Mango-Mint Chutney; BBQ Tamarind Pepper Boneless Rib Sandwich (Plain or with Grilled Onions); Chimchurri Masala Chicken Wings; Mango-Cumin Dusted Fries with Date Chutney
¢¢¢ Chimchurri Masala Chicken Wings; Mango-Cumin Dusted Fries

27 – Vienna Beef/Gold Coast Dogs- various Chicagoland Locations – a Chicago Classic
Hot Dog (Plain or Chicago-Style) and Potato Chips; Polish Sausage (with Mustard and Grilled Onions) and Potato Chips; Fire Dog (with Mustard and Grilled Onions)
¢¢¢ Whole Pickle on a Stick [the only fat free option]; ½ Hot Dog

Dominick’s has a Gourmet Grocer located on Buckingham Fountain Plaza, east of the Chef’s Table.
Also, Bobtail Ice Cream and The Fountain Cafe are located at Buckingham Fountain Plaza.

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.

Chicago Blues Festival 2008 by lanet and phil via Flickr.

The Chicago Blues Festival showcases the music Chicago is known for. If you are a fan of the Blues Brothers or maybe have seen BB King on commercials you may think you know something about the Blues. The thing is there is an entire world of Blues Music in Chicago with an incredible depth of talent just waiting to be discovered. the Chicago Blues Festival is a way for the general public to come discover these musicians, singers and talented artists perform their work. This speing on June 12, 13 and 14th Grant Park will be alivewith the sound of Blues, Soul and Jazz intermixing and providing some great entertainment to the city of Chicago. It is a living art form that is not to be missed.

Black Blues Guitar by Mr Noded via Flickr

It’s no surprise that Chicago Blues Festival is the largest blues festival in the world since Chicago is the largest of the cities known for Blues Music. What you may not know if that the Chicago Blues Festival the largest of Chicago’s Music Festivals. The festival lasts three days and contains six stages of performers. It’s pretty incredible that the Mayor’s Office of Special Events says that more than 640,000 blues fans attend the event and prove that Chicago is the “Blues Capital of the World.”

And did we mention it is FREE to the public?

Crowd at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2008. By Lanet and Phil va Flickr

The Chicago Blues Festival attracts big name mainstream performers who like to collaborate with local Blues singers and musicians including Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor.

This year if you are looking to attend the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Parkit will have performers live on 6 stages from 12 noon to 9:30 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. From the looks of teh schedule it should be a great weekend for music. (if the weather cooperates)

And did we mention it is FREE to the public?  (oh, we did)

Location: Grant Park at Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Dr. in Chicago, IL 60604  

Admission is FREE but, Food and Drinks tickets are sold in quantities of 12 for $8. (most food/drinks are a bit pricey, but the festival being free makes up for it)

There is also a city site with a lot of history about the Chicago Blues Festival available at explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/mose/chicago_blues_festival.html.

Rock out with your _ out.

Lollapalooza Tickets are on Sale now! The Lollapalooza 2009 tickets went on sale today and are available at variable prices with the first come first served lowest price model. Here is how it works. Right now the early bird 3-day pass is $175. That is a great deal for 3 whole days and nights of concerts and bands. Then when those sell out, the advance tickets will be available at $190 each. Then when those advance Lollapalooza 2009 tickets sell out the price may go over $250. Then when all the tickets are sold out (in July) the re-sellers start charging around $350 for 3 day passes. If you are a rich exec or company looking to get VIP access those VIP Tickets are $850! (YIKES!)

Nine inch nails play for the crowd in Grant Park in 2008.

It is in your own best interest to go over to the Lollapalooza.com site and buy the tickets now and get them for around 1/2 price as an early bird. They get sent in the mail closer to the concert festival date so you don’t have to worry if you forget about them, and you don’t have to save up a ton of money later in the summer when there are lots of events going on that fill up the budget.

In this economy I think that the regular Lollapalooza tickets will probably still sell out since it’s such a festival about all kinds of people, music and ideas. People will still want to come together and be a part of the music because it is a unique experience (some call it a big hippie-fest) they can’t find anywhere else. It’s worth it to cut out other high priced items and keep Lollapalooza on your summer todo list or keep it on the agenda to travel to Chicago to see.

The concerts are usually from very popular bands and singers also so most everyone finds a few bands they love and a few new groups they have not heard of yet that they discover. (although somewhat less discovery these days) The lineup for 2009 has not been announced yet, but it is usually expected to have some of the biggest names in music on it. Check back for more details when they become available.

Spring is the time that most people look for an apartment in Chicago. Rental Leases are up and it is the first time for the year that it is warm enough that you can actually move furniture our of one apartment and into a new apartment without freezing. April-June are the high points for most apartment rental searches so that means most people start looking in February, March and April in order to see enough places to make a decision on which lease to sign and where to move to in Chicago by May or June.

There are many ways to start your search for a new apartment in Chicago. If you are moving here from out of town most people find that making an appointment with an apartment rentals listing/finder service is an efficient way to see a lot of apartments over one or two weekends (with a guide) that they visit and then they can make their decisions within a few weeks. This way of searching for a new apartment in Chicago has a higher price though because there is always a finder’s fee involved in the cost of the apartment.

Lots of vintage buildings have apartments available that have charm and character you won't find in new apartment rentals.

Other people prefer to go it alone looking at craigslist or other apartment rentals listing sites (like apartments.com) for individual apartment listings and see the units on their own time schedule. This is more convenient if you already live in the neighborhood and generally you find better deals this way,but it may take 2-3 months to find the right apartment unit. Craigslist has many search options and ways to filter the search results and RSS feeds so you only see what you can afford and most listings have some photos that help you weed out the seedy/gross places. 

A lot of people consider the night life and amenities in a particular Chicago neighborhood to be a large part of their decision on where to find an apartment. Getting around in Chicago with 9.5 million other people isn’t easy, so being as close to work, friends and convenient places to hang out is definitely an asset. The problem is that the places closest to downtown are the most expensive and the places closest to a lot of bars and trendy hangouts in Lincoln Park and Lakeview are also in high demand and therefore cost a lot also.

A typical 1 bedroom apartment floorplan in Chicago

Sometimes you can find better prices on rent for apartments further north in the city like Buena Park, Uptown and Lincoln Square. These neighborhoods have a longer commute if you work downtown, but you can save $200-$300 per month on your rent. Another option may be to rent a condo that someone can’t sell in this bad real estate economy. Many condo owners who have moved or gotten married just want to recoup some of the cash they are paying in monthly mortgage payments so they are usually very negotiable on rental prices. You also get someones home that was probably taken care of much better than a rental unit. A lot of newly rehabbed condos with luxury details are available for rent from individual owners listed on craigslist or other classified sites.  

How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Chicago?

I know people in Lakeview/Lincoln park that pay $750 per month for a 500 sq ft studio apartment without parking, and the price goes up from there. A 1 bedroom might be around $1,200 per month and a 2 bedroom might be around $1,800 especially if you want parking. Extra parking rental spaces can run from $150 – $300 per month depending on where it is located and if it is a garage or not.

A modern apartment that would be typical in Lakeview or Wicker Park neighborhoods in Chicago.

If you go further north the prices drop a few hundred dollars per unit. Also, Oak Park is a convenient alternative where a 1 bedroom might only be $850 per month and the parking is free. Oak Park apartments are still walking distance to the el for commuting to work downtown every day and the suburb is right next to the city so you can enjoy all the nightlife. Other people have found Evanston to be an alternative to living in Chicago and paying high apartment rentals prices. Evanston prices are very comparable to Oak Park and the buildings there are very similar also. The only difference is which train line you take to work. The Purple line instead of the Green line.  

Even cheaper apartment rent yet is available the south side of the city or some of the near west neighborhoods like Humboldt Park in Chicago.These neighborhoods may have lower rent rates for a reason though and it is always important to feel safe in the area that you decide to rent an apartment and live for a few years. Checking the crime reports through the local newspapers online is a good way to assess the situation and decide. 

How much of your income should you spend on rent each month?

A typical starter apartment where someone brings their bikes in because in Chicago cutting the locks & stealing bikes is all too common.

I think the guide to getting approved for a lease is around 25-30% of your monthly after tax income.Don’t forget you have to figure in the cost of utilities, parking, food and transportation also each month on top of rent. Some apartments come with heat or water included in the rent price, but not all of them do. If you find one that does, it is rare. The cost of food and utilities is about 25% more in the city than in the suburbs also. Finding roommates can help share the costs of rent but finding someone you can live with and share a bathroom with can be a serious challenge.

Wherever you decide to live in Chicago I hope this information helps you find the best deal on cheap apartment rent while finding a place you really like to live in. After you find your new apartment that you love you may want to check out whitefence.com for finding the cheapest utilities in your area also.

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.

Ira Glass ready for the show.

This American Life has gone on the road again to produce 2 live stage shows, one in Chicago at the Chicago Theater and one in New York City which will be taped and beamed live via some fancy newfangled satellites to a bunch of movie theaters (400!) across the country so you can see the show as it happens from where ever you live. The two live shows have sold out instantly so if you want to get tickets to this yearly event you can only get tickets to the movie theater beamed shows now. See full list of This American Life Live Movie Theaters below.

I like that even though This American Life has gotten more popular and more widely known in the last 10 years they haven’t forgotten that people still like live shows on stage and seeing the personalities firsthand. I am also glad that  they haven’t forgotten their Chicago peeps since they went out and made it big in NYC, and are willing to still do a show in the Chicago Theater as a dress rehearsal of sorts.

The Chicago Theater from a past This American Life Show Live.

The show is said to include a radio show taped live with Ira Glass (as we would expect from past live shows) and include their local contributors: Dan Savage, Starlee Kine, Mike Birbiglia, David Rakoff and Dave Hill. They also mentioned an appearance by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer?? (am I msising something?) The live show should last around two hours.  I am planning on attending one of the movie theater beamed shows in Illinois, since that is what is available. If you get tickets to the Chicago Theater version of the show, let me know how it goes. Things are rather unpredictable in live shows.

If you would like to find out which cities the live This American Life Show will be instantly beamed, here is the list that I found: (hopefully they won’t be pissed that I copied it from their site, but I like info to be all in one place when I’m researching it, and it was a few pages buried into the site. It seems like all the states are represented, way to go!

Illinois: 7 PM Tickets are $20.00 each.

Addison – Addison 21
Barrington – AMC South Barrington 30
Batavia – Randall 15 with IMAX
Bloomingdale – Century @ Stratford Square
Carbondale – Carbondale Showplace
Chicago – AMC River East 21
Chicago – Chicago City North
Chicago – Chicago Webster Place
Crystal Lake – Showplace 16
Deer Park – Century 16 Deer Park
Edwardsville – Edwardsville Stadium 12
Elgin – Elgin Fox Theatre
Evanston – Evanston 18
Gurnee – Gurnee Cinemas 20
Lincolnshire – Lincolnshire 20 plus IMAX
Lombard – AMC Yorktown 17
Naperville – Naperville Showplace
New Lenox – New Lenox Showplace
Niles – Niles Showplace
Orland Park – Orland Park Cinemas 14
Pekin – Pekin Showplace
Peoria – Willow Knolls 14
Rockford – Rockford Showplace
Savoy – Savoy 16
Springfield – Springfield West Showplace
Warrenville – AMC Cantera 30
Woodridge – Cinemark Woodridge 17 with IMAX
——————————————————————————–
Alabama: Birmingham – Trussville 16
Gulf Shores – Cobb Pinnacle 14
Huntsville – Hollywood 18 – Huntsville
Mobile – Stadium 18
Tuscaloosa – Hollywood 16
——————————————————————————–
Arksansas: Little Rock – Breckenridge Village
——————————————————————————–
Arizona: Glendale – AMC Arrowhead Town Center 14
Glendale – AMC Westgate 20
Mesa – AMC Mesa Grande 24
Mesa – Cinemark 16 – Mesa
Oro Valley – Century – Oro Valley Marketplace
Phoenix – AMC Ahwatukee 24
Phoenix – AMC Desert Ridge 18
Scottsdale – Sonora Village 10
Tucson – El Con 20
Tucson – Park Place 20
——————————————————————————–
California: Alhambra – Alhambra Renaissance 14
Arcadia – AMC Santa Anita
Bakersfield – Bakersfield Stadium 14
Burbank – AMC Burbank 16
Chico – Cinemark Chico
Chula Vista – AMC Otay Ranch 12
Cupertino – AMC Cupertino 16
Daly City – Daly City 20
Dublin – Hacienda Crossings 20 plus IMAX
El Centro – Cinemark Imperial Valley Mall 14
Elk Grove – Laguna 16
Emeryville – AMC Bay Street 16
Fresno – Fresno Stadium 21 plus IMAX
Hayward – Century – Hayward
Huntington Beach – Huntington Beach 20
Irvine – Irvine Spectrum 20 plus IMAX
La Jolla – AMC La Jolla Village 12
Long Beach – Long Beach 26
Los Angeles – AMC Century City 15
Los Angeles – The Bridge
Manteca – Showplace 16
Merced – Mainplace Stadium Cinema
Mill Valley – Mill Valley Cinearts Sequoia 2
Milpitas – Milpitas Great Mall 20
Monterey – Monterey 13
Mountain View – Mountain View Cinemas 16
Ontario – AMC Ontario Mills 30
Orange – AMC The Block 30 @ Orange
Orange – Orange Stadium Promenade 25
Palm Springs – Palm Springs Courtyard Stadium 9
Pleasant Hill – Pleasant Hill Downtown 16
Redding – Movies 10
Redwood City – Century 20 Downtown Redwood City
Riverside – AMC Galleria at Tyler 16
Roseville – Roseville 14
Rowland Heights – AMC Puente Hills 20
Sacramento – Natomas Marketplace
Sacramento – Sacramento Downtown Plaza 7
Sacramento – Sacramento Greenback Lane 16
Sacramento – Sacramento Stadium 14
San Bruno – Century Theatres at Tanforan
San Diego – AMC Mission Valley 20
San Diego – Horton Plaza
San Diego – Mira Mesa 18 with IMAX
San Francisco – Century 9 San Francisco Centre
San Jose – AMC Eastridge Mall 15
San Jose – Cinearts Santana Row 6
San Jose – San Jose Oakridge 20
San Mateo – San Mateo Downtown
San Rafael – San Rafael Regency 6
Santa Barbara – Arlington Theatre
Santa Clarita – Valencia Stadium 12
Santa Rosa – Rialto Cinemas Lakeside
Stockton – Stockton City Center Stadium 16
Tracy – Movies 14
Tustin – AMC Tustin Legacy 14
Union City – Union City Union Landing 25
Ventura – Ventura Stadium 16
Walnut Creek – Walnut Creek 14
Woodland Hills – AMC Promenade 16
——————————————————————————–
Colorado: Aurora – Southlands 16
Boulder – Southlands 16
Broomfield – AMC Westminster Promenade 24
Castle Rock – Castle Rock Stadium 12
Colorado Springs – Cinemark Carefree Circle with IMAX
Colorado Springs – Hollywood Theaters 14
Colorado Springs – Tinseltown
Denver – Pavilions 15
Englewood – Greenwood Plaza 12
Fort Collins – Cinemark Fort Collins
Greeley – Cinemark Greeley Mall
Highlands Ranch – AMC Highlands Ranch 24
Lakewood – Bel Mar 16
Lakewood – Colorado Mills Stadium 16
——————————————————————————–
Connecticut: Branford – Branford 12
Fairfield – Quick Center for the Performing Arts
Manchester – Buckland Hills Showcase Cinema
——————————————————————————–
DC: Washington – AMC Mazza Gallerie 7
——————————————————————————–
Wilmington – Brandywine Town Center 16
——————————————————————————–
Florida: Altamonte Springs – AMC Altamonte Mall 18 with IMAX
Aventura – AMC Aventura Mall 24
Boca Raton – Shadowood 16
Brandon – AMC Regency 20
Coral Springs – Magnolia Place 16
Delray Beach – Delray Beach 18
Fort Myers – Belltower 20
Ft Lauderdale – Cypress Creek Station 16
Gainesville – Gainesville Cinema 14
Jacksonville – AMC Regency Square 24
Jacksonville – Tinseltown USA
Lake Buena Vista – AMC Pleasure Island 24
Lakeland – Lakeside 18 Cinemas
Merritt Island – Merritt Square 16
Miami – Dolphin Cinebistro
Miami – Movies @ The Falls 12
Miami Beach – South Beach Stadium 18
Miami Lakes – Miami Lake 17 Cinemas
Naples – Hollywood Stadium 20-Naples
Oldsmar – AMC Woodland Square 20
Orange Park – AMC Orange Park 24
Orlando – Pointe Orlando with IMAX
Orlando – Waterford Stadium 20
Palm Beach Gardens – Downtown At The Gardens 16 Cinemas
Royal Palm Beach – Royal Palm Stadium 18
Sarasota – AMC Sarasota 12
Sarasota – Hollywood Stadium 20-Sarasota
South Miami – AMC Sunset Place 24
Tampa – Citrus Stadium Park Mall 20
Vero Beach – The Majestic
Wesley Chapel – Grove 16 Cinemas
——————————————————————————–
Georgia:Alpharetta – North Point 8
Atlanta – Perimeter Pointe 10
Augusta – Augusta Exchange 20
Chamblee – Hollywood 24 @ North I-85
Kennesaw – AMC Barrett Commons 24
Lawrenceville – AMC Discover Mills 18
Lithonia – AMC Stonecrest Megastar 16
Morrow – AMC Southlake Pavilion 24
Savannah – Savannah Stadium 10
——————————————————————————–
Hawaii: Honolulu – Dole Cannery 18
——————————————————————————–
Iowa: Ames – Movies 12
Cedar Falls – College Square 12 Theatre
Council Bluffs – Star Cinema 17 with IMAX
Davenport – Davenport 53 Showcase Cinemas
Dubuque – Star Cinema 14
Iowa City – Sycamore 12 Theatre
West Des Moines – Jordan Creek 20
——————————————————————————–
Idaho: Boise – Boise 21 plus IMAX
——————————————————————————–
Indiana: Bloomington – Bloomington Showplace East
Evansville – Evansville Stadium 16
Fort Wayne – Coldwater Crossing
Indianapolis – AMC Castleton Square 14
Indianapolis – Galaxy 14
Indianapolis – Indianapolis Showplace with IMAX
Lafayette – Eastside 9
Michigan City – Michigan City Showplace
Mishawaka – Movies 14
Muncie – Muncie Showplace
Noblesville – Hamilton 16 with IMAX
Portage – Portage 16 with IMAX
Schererville – Schererville Showplace 16
Terre Haute – Terre Haute Showplace
Valparaiso – Valparaiso Commons
——————————————————————————–
Kansas: Lawrence – Southwind 12
Leawood – AMC Town Center 20
Merriam – Cinemark 20 (Merriam)
Olathe – AMC Olathe Studio 29 with IMAX
Topeka – Hollywood Stadium 14
——————————————————————————–
Kentucky: Florence – Showcase Cinemas De Lux Florence
Lexington – Hamburg Pavilions 16
Lexington – Lexington Green Movies
Louisville – Stonybrook Cinemas
Louisville – Tinseltown Louisville
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Louisiana: Baton Rouge – Citiplace 11
Baton Rouge – Perkins Row
Covington – Hollywood Stadium 14
Harahan – AMC Elmwood Palace 20
Harvey – AMC Westbank Palace 16
Shreveport – Tinseltown
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Massachusetts: Boston – Fenway 13
Braintree – AMC Braintree 10
Burlington – AMC Burlington 10
Dennis – The Cape Cinema
Foxboro – Patriot Place
Framingham – AMC Framingham 15
Great Barrington – The Mahaiwe Theatre
Hadley – Hampshire Mall 12
Lowell – Lowell Showcase Cinemas
Marlborough – Solomon Pond Mall 15
Millbury – Blackstone Valley
Randolph – Randolph Showcase Cinemas
Revere – Revere Showcase Cinemas
Swansea – Swansea
Wellfleet – Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre
West Springfield – West Springfield Showcase Cinemas
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Maryland: Abingdon – Bel Air Cinema 14
Bowie – Bowie Crossing 14
Columbia – AMC Columbia Mall 14
Columbia – Snowden Square 14
Germantown – Germantown 14
Owings Mills – AMC Owings Mills 17
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Maine: Brunswick – Brunswick 10
Ellsworth – The Grand
Rockland – The Strand Theatre
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Michigan: Ann Arbor – Quality 16
Battle Creek – West Columbia 7
Canton – Canton Cinema
Flint – Flint West Showcase Cinemas
Grand Rapids – Celebration Cinema – Grand Rapids North
Holland – Holland 7
Jackson – Jackson 10
Kalamazoo – Kalamazoo 10
Lansing – Celebration Cinemas Lansing
Lansing – Lansing Mall Cinemas
Livonia – AMC Livonia 20
Mount Pleasant – Celebration Cinema Mt Pleasant
Oxford – Oxford 7
Port Huron – Krafft 8
Saginaw – Saginaw 8 / Quad
Sterling Heights – AMC Forum 30 with IMAX
Traverse City – State Theatre – Traverse City
Walled Lake – Commerce Township 14
Ypsilanti – Ann Arbor Showcase Cinemas
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Minnesota: Duluth – Duluth 10 Theatre
Eagan – Eagan 16
Eden Prairie – AMC Eden Prairie 18
Mankato – Movies 8
Maple Grove – AMC Arbor Lakes Megastar 16
Minneapolis – Brooklyn Center 20
Minneapolis – Kerasotes Block E
Oakdale – Oakdale Cinema
Roseville – AMC Rosedale 14
Waite Park – Parkwood 18 Theatre
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Missouri: Cape Girardeau – Cape Girardeau Town Plaza
Chesterfield – AMC Chesterfield 14
Columbia – Forum 8
Hazelwood – St. Louis Mills 18
Joplin – Northstar 14
Kansas City – AMC Barrywoods 24
Kansas City – Cinemark 14, The Palace
Kansas City – Kansas City 18 Cinemas
Saint Joseph – Hollywood Theaters 10
Saint Louis – AMC Esquire 7
Springfield – College Station
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Mississippi: Pearl – Tinseltown Jackson
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Montana: Bozeman – Gallatin Mall Cinema 11
Helena – Great Northern 8
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North Carolina: Asheville – Hollywood 14 Asheville
Charlotte – Stonecrest 22 @ Piper Glen
Concord – AMC Concord Mills 24
Raleigh – Brier Creek Stadium 14
Raleigh – North Hills Stadium 14
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North Dakota: Bismarck – Grand Theatre
Fargo – Century 10 Theatre
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Nebraska: Lincoln – South Pointe Cinemas
Omaha – AMC Oakview 24
Omaha – Village Pointe Cinemas
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New Hampshire: Portsmouth – The Music Hall
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New Jersey: Clifton – AMC Clifton Commons 16
Edgewater – Edgewater 16 Multiple Cinemas
Hamilton – AMC Hamilton 24
North Brunswick – Commerce Center 18
Paramus – AMC Garden State 16
Parsippany – Parsippany Cinema 12
Rockaway – AMC Rockaway 16
Voorhees – Showcase at the Ritz Center
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New Mexico: Albuquerque – Albuquerque Downtown 14
Albuquerque – Cottonwood 16
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Nevada: Las Vegas – Century 16 South Point
Las Vegas – Colonnade 14
Las Vegas – Orleans 18
Las Vegas – Sams Town 18
Las Vegas – Village Square 18
Reno – Riverside 12
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New York: Albany – Crossgates Stadium 18 – Albany
Bronx – AMC Bay Plaza 13
Brooklyn – BAM – Brooklyn Academy of Music
Buffalo – Elmwood Center 16
Farmingdale – Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas
Holtsville – Island 16 Cinema De Lux
Hudson – Time and Space
Ithaca – Ithaca Mall 14
Loch Sheldrake – Sullivan County Community College
New Rochelle – New Roc Stadium 18 plus IMAX
New York – Chelsea Cinema
New York – First and 62nd Cinemas
New York – Union Square Stadium 14
Port Washington – Port Washington Cinemas
Potsdam – Roxy Theatre
Rochester – Tinseltown 17 with IMAX
Syracuse – Carousel Mall Stadium 17
Victor – Eastview Mall 13
Westbury – Westbury Stadium 12
White Plains – City Center 15 Cinema Delux
Whitestone – College Point Multiplex
Williamsville – Transit Center Stadium 18 plus IMAX
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Ohio: Akron – Montrose Movies 12
Cleveland Heights – Severance Stadium 14
Columbus – AMC Easton Town Center 30 with IMAX
Columbus – AMC Lennox Town Center 24
Columbus – Crosswoods Cinema 17
Columbus – Georgesville Stadium 16
Dayton – Hollywood Stadium 20 @ Fairfield Commons
Mason – Deerfield Town Center
Maumee – Maumee Showcase Cinemas
North Canton – Tinseltown USA 290
Pickerington – Pickerington Cinemas 16
Springdale – Springdale Showcase Cinemas
Valley View – Cinemark 24 Cleveland
West Carrollton – Dayton South Showcase Cinemas
Westlake – Crocker Park Stadium 16
Zanesville – Colony Square Mall
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Oklahoma: Norman – Spotlight 14
Oklahoma City – AMC Quail Springs 24
Oklahoma City – Tinseltown USA
Tulsa – Cinemark Tulsa 17 with IMAX
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Oregon: Beaverton – Cedar Hills Crossing 16
Bend – Old Mill Stadium 16
Happy Valley – Clackamas Town Center
Medford – Tinseltown
Portland – Lloyd Center 10
Springfield – Cinemark 17 (Springfield)
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Pennsylvania: Bensalem – AMC Neshaminy 24
Erie – Movies 17
Harrisburg – Susquehanna 14 Harrisburg
King Of Prussia – King of Prussia 15 plus IMAX
Lititz – The Penn Cinema
Moosic – Cinemark 20 Moosic
Philadelphia – Riverview Plaza
Philadelphia – The Bridge – UPenn
Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh West Showcase Cinemas
Plymouth Meeting – AMC Plymouth Meeting 12
Reading – R/C Reading Movies 11 & IMAX
Tarentum – Cinemark 17 Pittsburgh Mills
Warrington – Warrington Crossing 22
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Rhode Island: Warwick – Warwick Showcase Cinemas
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South Carolina: Columbia – Sandhill Stadium 16
Greenville – Hollywood 20-Greenville
Myrtle Beach – Cinemark 14 at Coastal Grand
Summerville – Azalea Square Stadium 16
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South Dakota: Sioux Falls – Sioux Falls Stadium 14
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Tennessee: Knoxville – West Town Mall 9
Nashville – Green Hills 16
Nashville – Opry Mills 20 plus IMAX
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Texas: Amarillo – Hollywood USA
Arlington – AMC Parks At Arlington 18
Austin – Cinemark Southpark Meadows
Austin – Metropolitan 14
Bee Cave – Cinemark Hill Country Galleria
Burleson – Movies 14
Cedar Park – Cinemark Cedar Park
Dallas – AMC Northpark Center 15
Dallas – Cinemark 17 with IMAX
Dallas – Galaxy Theatre
El Paso – Cinemark Cielo Vista
Fort Worth – Fossil Creek
Grapevine – Tinseltown Movies 17
Harker Heights – Harker Heights
Highland Village – AMC Highland Village 12
Houston – AMC Gulf Pointe 30
Houston – AMC Willowbrook 24
Houston – Houston Marq*E Stadium 22
Houston – Memorial City Mall
Humble – AMC Deerbrook 24
Killeen – Stadium 14
Lewisville – Vista Ridge Mall
Longview – Hollywood Stadium 14 Theatres
Lubbock – Movies 16
Mesquite – AMC Mesquite 30
Midland – Tall City
Pflugerville – Tinseltown USA Pflugerville
Plano – Cinemark 24 (The Legacy)
Plano – Tinseltown USA Plano
San Antonio – Cielo Vista 18
San Antonio – Fiesta 16 Theatres
Spring – Cinemark at Market Street
Sugar Land – AMC First Colony 24

Waco – Jewel 16
Webster – Cinemark 18 Webster
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Utah: Midvale – Union Heights 16
Ogden – Tinseltown Newgate
Provo – Cinemark 16 Provo
Salt Lake City – Salt Lake City 16
West Jordan – Cinemark 24 W. Jordan
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Virginia: Alexandria – AMC Hoffman 22
Arlington – Ballston Commons 12
Fairfax – Fairfax Towne Center
Glen Allen – Virginia Center 20
Hampton – AMC Hampton Towne Centre 24
Mclean – AMC Tyson’s Corner 16
Norfolk – Mac Arthur Center 18
Virginia Beach – AMC Lynnhaven 18
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Vermont: South Burlington – Palace Cinema 9
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Washington: Auburn – Auburn 17 Theatres
Federal Way – Century Theatres Federal Way 16
Kent – AMC Kent Station 14
Lynnwood – Alderwood 7 Theatres
Olympia – Capital Mall 14
Port Townsend – The Rose Theatre
Redmond – Bella Bottega 11 Cinema
Seattle – AMC Pacific Place 11
Spokane – Northtown 12
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Wisconsin: Appleton – College Avenue 16
Appleton – Hollywood Cinemas 14
Ashwaubenon – Bay Park Cinemas
Brookfield – The Majestic – Brookfield
Kenosha – Tinseltown Kenosha
Madison – Point Cinemas 16
Mequon – North Shore Cinemas 11
Oak Creek – South Shore Cinemas 16
Oshkosh – Oshkosh Cinemas 12
Sheboygan – Sheboygan Cinemas 13
Sturtevant – Cinema at the Renaissance
This show is one night only. Thursday, April 23rd, on these select movie screens nationwide.

Delaware:

The speakers in the 2009 Speaker Series: Minds that Move the World.

Madison Square Garden Entertainment is presenting the 2009 Speaker Series: The Minds That Move the World at The Chicago Theatre. This series brings together the most influential voices in politics to debate the most pertinent current events. The speaker series schedule is:

MARCH 11      Bill Maher and Ann Coulter (already completed)

APRIL 1      Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore

APRIL 22 Chris Matthews interviewing Tucker Carlson, Arianna Huffington and Paul Begala

Bill Maher and Ann Coulter spar at the first series of debates.

MAY 28 Charlie Rose interviewing James Carville and former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove

All these programs will be presented at the Chicago Theater at 175 N State Street in Chicago, IL in the loop downtown. This is a huge event because there aren’t a lot of events where you can see these speakers (like Al Gore) in Chicago very often. There are plenty of speaking events and TV show tapings you can go see in LA, New York or Washington DC, but it is rare to get political and media people out to Chicago.

The web site speakerseries2009.com does not give any details as to what former Vice President Al Gore will be talking about that evening of April st but I would bet on some of the themes from the Inconvenient truth and some updated data. I woullso expect a spirited debate from Karl Rove and James Carville. (twomen that are not fans of each-other and both powerful speakers) In fact I am suprised that Ann Coulter and Bill Maher didn’t end up in a brawl on the stage. I almost wonder iof they have chosen the most polarized political speakers in an effort to incite a war on stage.

Tickets for the speaker series cost between $35 and $185. (plus a multitude of Ticketmaster Fees adding another $20)

In the Chicago Theater you really have to be within the first 50 rows to see any details of what is happening on stage. You can bring binoculars to see from the balcony, but it is otherwise difficult to really enjoy the performances and events there. So, if you can get a seat closer to the stage, regardless of price, get it.

The other word of caution I always have about The Chicago Theater is to get there early and don’t expect to leave quickly. The theater seats over 3,000 people but only 20 people can enter or exit through the front doors at any one time, so the lines are long and the crowds can be fierce.  Arriving about a 1/2 hour before the show starts is the best way to go. Plus you get to admire the interior of a beautiful classic restored theater.

This is really a series of events for a true political junkies who are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Except Al Gore. I think his show will be the best of the series and the one to see.

March Madness used to be the one time during the year when betting at work was ok. Everyone got their brackets, whether they understood the NCAA college basketball tournament or not and the smack talk at the water-cooler continued for a month. (three weeks plus one week to speculate about your favorite NCAA college basketball teams)

President Obama Fills out NCAA Brackets on ESPN Sportcenter

Now with Fantasy Basball, Fantasy Football, Fantasy NASCAR and reality Television I am not sure how people have time at all to work since there are so many sports to consume. Somehow March Madness hasn’t dominated the work conversations yet this year, but I know the college basketball smack talk is coming. Soon.

An entire month of college basketball on CBS Channel 2 in Chicago and nothing else used to be a huge let down for me, but now as a girl who lives with a fiance, it is a welcome time of peace and quiet. Tech Guy watches as much NCAA college basketball in 2009 as he would like, and I get to go blog as much as I would like.

We call it having interests on our own and I think March Madness 2009 was invented for exactly this purpose. All the NCAA college basketball teams are hoping for their best shot at winning it all this year and I am hoping to get some laundry done.

On a more collegiate note. If you are a recent transplant to Chicago and want to find a bar or pub to watch the NCAA basketball tournament and all of its commercials, Chicago has many options.

The Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville northside neighborhoods of Chicago are filled with bars that still fly college team flags for those who can’t move on and want to pretend they’re still at the fraternity while getting completely wasted. Other bars and pubs across the city offer a more low key approach to experiencing the excitement of March Madness and the Final Four in 2009 with food and drink specials.

Some of these bars are:
Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap – from March 19 to April 6 Entire duration of the tournament Jake’s will be serving the Madness Burger, a 9-oz. burger topped with pepper jack cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and a fried egg served between two grilled cheese sandwiches, paired with a Miller Lite pint for $9.99.

The Full Shilling Bar in Wrigleyville - March 19-20 The Wrigleyville bar will be throwing an NCAA Tournament kick-off party for the first two days of the big dance. Withover one hundred Miller Lite scratch & win tickets, this lottery-style party will give everyone a chance to win. Prizes include mp3 player speaker coolers, aluminum bottle wraps, hats, t-shirts, bottle openers and more. Pitchers of Miller Lite will be on special for $7 both days. Food specials include the two-buck burger on Thursday and the $7.99 fish fry on Friday.

Rockit Bar & Grill On March 26, 6-8 pm Red Hot March Madness. A $40 all inclusive ticket includes drinks and snacks during the NCAA basketball Games, and the proceeds benefit charity.

O’Donovan’s - After the St Pats crowd clears, this friendly North Center bar’s 20 plasma TVs to watch NCAA Tournament Games throughout the bar, party room and patio. The bar will open at 10 am on March 19-22 and offer daily lunch and dinner specials all day.

Smoke Daddy – Celebrate Purdue: Smoke Daddy owner Josh Rutherford is a Boilermaker Alum, so you know the place will be decked out in black-and-gold. And a Purdue-themed menu will be available throughout the tournament, including the Boiler Burger, Mackey’s Mac and Cheese and Purdue Pete’s Pulled Pork Sandwich. (say that three times fast)

Harry Caray’s – Harry Caray’sTavern has the first round action from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (weekday games working lunch?) with a food buffet and domestic drafts included for just $20. Harry Caray’s(in Lombard) will offer $2 Bud and Bud Light drafts with commemorative March Madness pint glasses on all game days. Visit harrycarays.com before the tournament starts to enter your picks and you could win a private flight for four to St. Louis for a Cubs-Cardinals game by picking the most games right.

Kroll’s SouthLoop – Lots of Drink Specials and the “Madness Burger” and “Sweet Sixteen Wings are all on tap with their TV screens for watching all the games at one sitting.

Merkle’sBar and Grill – $4 22-ounce drafts and $5 bombs, along with 25 cents wings during all tournament games. And on March 28, try your hand at Merkle’s Sweet 16 flip cup tournament (everyone’sfavorite college pastime) with cash prizes.

Timothy O’Toole’s – has 45 TV screens, more than any other Bar I have seen. The bar specials include Wingfest famous wings and $2 draft beers on Saturdays and $16 Miller/Coors buckets on Sundays.

The Spread – March 20 Junior Board’s 7th Annual March Mania Party. $30 all-you-can-drink package from 9 p.m. to midnight and enter a raffle to win prizes like Final Four tickets and a flat-screen TV.

Moretti’s (West Loop) – April 6 Watch the championship game on over 25 big screen TVs, including 4 super bright HD plasmas.

Social Twenty-Five is new and offers spacious booths, loungey leather banquettes and 24 TVs on two floors. No specials listed though this late-night spot will open as early as 11 am for daytime games.

Cagney’s Bar has oversized booths, wooden chairs and 25 TVs on two floors. They offer specials like $15 select domestic beer buckets and $5 burgers and fries. Luckilly it’s a new bar and without an allegiance to any one college team yet, so this spot’s clientele consists of mostly low-key locals and is a best bet to avoid frat behavor.

Bull & Bear Bar has all the NCAA March Madness games on 26 TVs (the most I’ve seen) and one wall projector. No specials for the NCAA College Basketball Games and in addition to that you need a reservation for a booth! The regular Monday-Friday deal of half-price apps (3-7 pm) is still in effect.

Theory has 20 TVs on one floor, including some semi-private booth sets. There are specials like $3 Miller Lite in March, plus regular deals such as $6 Belvedere cocktails Thursdays, Effen cocktails on Fridays. There is no official team loyalty here but reverence to Illinois teams across all sports so less crazed frat behavior is to be found.

Hi-Tops has 20 (yes 20) TVs to watch all the NCAA March Madness at once plus a bunch of reality shows and cable TV nobody needs to see. Hi-Tops has Domestic draft beer and appetizer buffet packages March 21 and 22 ($25 from 11 am to 5 pm) and April 4 and 6 ($15 for game start to end). A spirited Lincoln Park crowd has a Michigan State University fandom inherited from the Gin Mill and is known for it’s rowdy.

Sully’s House has 12 TVs plus 3 wall projectors for full coverage of all games. They have $12 select domestic beer buckets, and half-price appetzers on Fridays. There is a loyalty to Gonzaga University and University of Florida here plus an unofficial gathering of Creighton fans from who knows where.

Grand River Bar has 5 TVs and $4 well drinks and $10 Miller Lite pitchers deals like $1.50 mini-burgers on Thursdays and $5 sandwiches on Fridays. The bar is owned by Michigan State University alums, this is the spot for Spartan fans to congregate and celebrate in Lakeview. If MSU is out, then Big 10 games get priority over the others.

Get discounted tickets to Rod Blagojevich Superstar online now with the promo code “Rod”. The tickets are usually $25 but get them with $5 off this week. I really think that most of Chicago is sick of hearing about Rod Blagojevich, superstar or not. The only thing that makes this show somewhat redeemable is that Second City is putting the show on. And with any luck only a small part of the show is actually about Rod Blagojevich. 

They tend to name and theme their shows about an idea and then run all over the place with whatever is funny. I hope they have turned over some new scenes by now and keep the Rod Blagojevish Superstar stuff in the beginning as a tie in to greater all around Chicago Comedy. I have not seen this show but I have probably seen about a dozen of the main stage shows at Second City while I was in their training center classes a few years back. 

Second City is known for always having a brilliant cast of improvisers and actors that can sing dance and bring in the funny. Sadly, few end up at SNL within a few years but some notable folks have persevered through other paths also. I think this show is probably a best bet for the funniest thing you will see during your entire week and recommend the Rod Blagojevich Superstar show regardless of how much we’d all like to stop hearing about the looser.

The show is based on the book by Ed Furman, the show music and lyrics are by T.J. Shanoff and the directed by Matt Hovde.

Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare
March 26 – May 3, 2009

See this site for the coupon discount on tickets. chicagoshakes.com/main.taf?p=2,36

The city of Chicago is shocked and saddened right now by the news that the Sears Tower is going to be renamed the Willis Tower for the new company renting/leasing the major quantity of office space there. The Willis Group is from London and they plan on leasing 140,000 sq feet of space according to Crain’s Chicago Business.

The building at 233 S Wacker Drive in Chicago IL, 60606 may have a new name and signs soon but the people of Chicago will take a while to stop calling it the Sears Tower and going to the Sears Tower Skydeck. (How many years has it been and I still call Macy’s Marshall Fields?) 

The traditional Chicago Skyline Shot with the iconic Sears Tower now the Willis Tower.

I don’t think Chicagoans have a particular affinity to the Sears company, (judging by how poorly Sears has done in this market in the past 10 years) I just think they knew the Sears Tower building as an icon and point of pride for a city that was second or third place for everything else. 

The Architecture Firm Skidmore Owings and Merrill designed and built the building over 3 years for SEARS which was the largest retailer in the world then. From 1970-1973 the city watched and waited as this new modern design changed the way the world saw Chicago.

The image and pride was somewhat lessened when the Sears Tower was no longer the tallest building in the world and now with the name change it seems like it might eventually just be destined to become another tall building in a world of metropolises.

This also lessens the novelty of the Chicago Olympic Bid. Seriously, what did we ever offer the Olympics anyway?

The Sears Tower was sold from SEARS to AEW Holdings in 1995 and since 2001 the building has been low on tenants and had a lot of space available. I understand that the owners need to sell space and if changing the name gets them a better sq footage rate and closes the deal, we really don’t have any say about it.

In this recession economy the companies and the people in Chicago are really just trying to get by. Live and work smarter, more efficiently and see if we can survive this mess. We really can’t be too worried about iconography of any kind right now. We’re really in much more of a practical mood right now.

I hope the insurance brokers at the Willis Group understand that you can change all the signage quickly but it’s just going to be a long time before most people refer to your building as the Willis Tower rather than the Sears Tower. After all Marshall Fields still got searches on Google for years after it was folded into Macy’s.

Image Credits to Flickr.com wallyg and paulmcdee and glenharper and celkins. Seeing their photos reminds me of how many people see that building every day and how visible is it from every part of the city. I am also so impressed by the quality of photos on flickr of the Sears Tower from all over town.

The Odyssey Dinner Boat Cruises on Lake Michigan in Chicago are well known for providing an elegant evening on the lake with a spectacular view of the city of Chicago. When we got a chance to take one this weekend and have a night out we jumped at the chance. My fiance and I couldn’t remember the last time we had been out on a date night since we got engaged. The Chicago Odyssey Dinner Cruise was just what we needed among the crazy wedding planning we are managing right now. Here is a review of our experiences on the Odyssey Dinner Cruise this past Saturday night in Chicago.

Boarding Time: 6:30 pm

Cruise Starts: 7:30 pm

Dinner: 8PM

Jazz Music/Dancing: throughout

View of Chicago: the entire night until 10:30 pm when we got back to Navy Pier in Chicago.

Cost:  Saturday Night Dinner Cruises start at $92. This may seem like a lot of money, but there are many restaurants in the city that cost a lot more than that and don’t provide this kind of unique experience.

The weather started out rainy so we were not sure we would have much of a view on the Chicago Odyssey Cruise ship that evening, but we drove to Navy Pier anyway in hopes of a romantic evening away from everything stressful happening right now. We read that the dress code was somewhat formal and Steve actually pulled out a suit jacket to wear. The location was easy to find, we parked in the Navy Pier garage and the Chicago Odyssey Boat was docked right on the other side of the pier from where we parked by the #5 doors.  The cruise ship looked just like the pictures, big white modern looking boat with black windows. 

The rain was disappointing but when you are on a large boat for 800 people you don’t even know it’s raining outside. The interior was surprising, no communal tables or big buffets. The level we were set up on was a very elegant restaurant setting with individual tables and we sat right by the window to see the view perfectly. The meal was a 4 course meal which was very good. The appetizers, salad, main course and desert were all very good. The chicken I had as the main course was a bit heavy but Steve really enjoyed his steak and the cobbler for desert was amazing. I don’t think that people view the Odyssey or any of the Chicago Skyline Cruises as a big floating four star full service restaurant, but they really are.

The cruise started out with a champagne cocktail hour while people were boarding. Then we switched to diet pepsi so we would stay awake since we live sleep deprived lives at this point. The coffee later in the evening was also a welcome perk of caffeine. There was a full bar available though with all the amenities you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber.

The dining room on the Odyssey is really as nice as a fine dining restaurant.

The Chicago Odyssey Boat Tour Cruise also had a very nice 3 piece jazz band playing sets on the boat during the entire time we were there. They covered everything from smooth jazz to classic Sinatra standards and finished out the evening with an energetic rendition of Sweet Home Chicago. I think they are wise to have good quality music on a cruise of Chicago’s skyline. People in Chicago know their music and jazz and the couple next to us was commenting how the music was genuine jazz played well.

Our server was very attentive and the service all around was very good the entire time we were on the ship. We were still invited to go upstairs and view the skyline from the top deck of the ship even in the poor weather and the server even offered an umbrella if we needed it. I think having separate levels and rooms on this ship is a key to it’s success. There was a college honor society party on the 2nd level and a high school party on the 3rd and we never really came in contact with any of the immaturity you would expect from those younger crowds during the trip. I am sure that all the couples that were in that dining room were happy to be in a separate room also. 

We were surprised at the variety of events that people were celebrating on the Odyssey Cruise Ship that night. They make a special effort to find out what event you are celebrating and make it special. They announced people’s anniversaries and birthdays as well as had special birthday desert cakes with candles. They try and go out of the way to make your 3 hours on the lake a special and memorable experience.

We found that the Odyssey Ships don’t go far from the shore on to Lake Michigan (which is nice for the view), they initially turned south to view the city and then looped back north a few times cycling back and forth from the museum campus to Navy Pier. We did go up on the top deck and saw a beautiful view of Chicago (under a light fog) and of Navy Pier. Some HS kids were smoking up there but were just hanging out.

I can imagine how cool it must be for a high school or college student to take a date, or have a dance on Lake Michigan on a boat like this, especially if you’re from the suburbs.  It is like their first night out as adults and most of the kids looked like they took it pretty seriously. The rest of the crowd seemed like they were a mix of young couples celebrating birthdays and mid-aged people on anniversaries. One group was a girls night out all the way from Tennessee. I could see this as a great way for people traveling from other cities to really get to see Chicago and have an elegant dinner at the same time. I can also see the appeal for couples with kids to get away for the evening and go on a cruise like this just to relax and enjoy each-other’s company.

My overall experience surpassed my expectations on the Chicago Odyssey Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan andI can confidently recommend the experience for anyone looking for an elegant night out in Chicago or someone looking for tourist suggestions for enjoying a vacation in Chicago. The spring-summer-fall seasons are probably better weather than the first week in March but it is possible to go on these scenic dinner cruises almost any time of year and we’re glad we got to get away this weekend regardless of the weather.

Have you had an experience on an Odyssey Dinner Cruise that you would like to share? Comment below…

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.

The International Kennel Club of Chicago hosts it’s annual dog show this weekend at McCormick Place in Chicago. The Dog Show runs from February 18th through February 22nd at McCormick Place West 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, IL 60616.

Tickets are $13 (adults) and $17 for Parking for anyone who would like to be a spectator to this grand event. The International Kennel Club of Chicago’s annual Dog Show is a Westminster Dog Show-like event right here in Chicago with the same level of professionalism in dog breeders.

Many people attend this show even if they aren’t a breeder or dog owner. There is no denying the beauty of the dogs and their breeds. If you are looking for a pet, you may even find the International Kennel Club Dog Show to be informative about the different breeds while showcasing over 10,000 dogs.

This weekend Kennel Club Dog Show is the place to be to see everything from award winning Labradors to stately Irish wolfhounds and American favorites like golden retrievers and greyhounds. All sizes and breeds will be featured from toy breeds (toy poodles, chihuas) to working dogs and terriers (like Barney the former first family’s dog). Come out to the dog show with the family for a day of entertainment, awards and education.

I am sure you have heard Jesse McCartney’s songs on the radio, and maybe you have figured that he has a lot of soul in his music for a white guy that is only 21 years old, but if you haven’t heard his music you have time to discover it just in time for his concert in Chicago next week. Jesse McCartney will be playing the House of Blues on Wednesday February 18, 2009. This concert will most likely sell out due to his popularity right now.

Jesse McCartney was on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve show this NYE and I was impressed. I thought it was great that not only did he sing great live, he sang better than the record. That is hard to find in most singers these days with all the digitizing they have done to their voices. 

If you want to go see Jesse McCartney live in concert here are the ticket details you need to know:  

Jesse McCartney Concert @ the House of Blues Chicago, IL
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 @ 06:00 PM

Tickets $25.00 for General Admission – no seats, standing room only 

Call the House of Blues Box office for more info at 312.923.2000

There is parking at the House of Blues, expect $20 as the charge.

Get there early for a good spot to stand since there are no seats and no difference in tickets, so first ones in get the best place to stand right in front of the stage.

Leave the cameras at home, the House of Blues has a no pictures policy and they check bags and coats for them when they are letting you in the theater.

The Shamrock Shuffle is an 8K run or 5K walk race for charity in Chicago on March 29, 2009. The Chicago Shamrock Shuffle is usually a fun run without a lot of pressure that a marathon might have and it inspires us Midwesterners to get out and exercise again after the frigid winter. This year Bank of America is the main sponsor. Registration is open now and the only requirements are that you can run a 15 minute mile or walk the 5K and pay the $40 entry fee.

Update: the registration is closed now due to the 32,500 person limit being filled already!

I know that a lot of people enjoy this race as runners also, since the Chicago Marathon isn’t until October and this is a lot shorter. But mostly the Shamrock Shuffle is a race for people who live in the city and enjoy running for exercise or want a goal to get back in shape and like the idea of doing it while supporting a charity. Many runners like to run in green for St Patrick’s Day also.

Try it out this year you might just get hooked on running! Nike has a great training site for runners also. They have detailed plans to get yourself up to speed of running a race if you need help.  After you register you get assigned to a corral depending on your speed and that determines when and where you start.

There are a number of street closures that happen for the Shamrock Shuffle beware if you are near any of these on the morning of March 29th:

• Columbus Dr., from Randolph Dr. to Grand Ave., 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
• Grand Ave., from Columbus Dr. to Rush St., 9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• Rush St., from Grand Ave. to Hubbard St., 9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• Hubbard St., from Rush St. to State St., 9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• State St., from Hubbard St. to Jackson Blvd., 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
• Jackson Blvd., from State St. to Jefferson St., 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Jefferson St., from Jackson Blvd. to Harrison St., 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Harrison St., from Jefferson St. to Michigan Ave., 9:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
• Michigan Ave., from Harrison St. to Roosevelt Rd., 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  
• Roosevelt Rd. (westbound lanes only), from Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr., 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

And have a happy Shamrock Shuffle! 

Click here for a map of the entire shamrock shuffle course map.

See the official website for the sign up forms: shamrockshuffle.com/cms400min/

See the Nike Running Blogs and Training Info here: nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/?locale=en_us

If you work downtown like I do, you may have noticed that theMichigan Avenue Bridge over the Chicago river has the sidewalk on the west side of the street closed and barricaded off today. I knew they were continuing improvements on the Michigan Avenue Bridge and saw the signs and TV trucks recording it but in my non-coffee blur this morning I was surprised anyway.

The Michigan Avenue Bridge has been going though a face lift/renovations since late summer that began with the dismantling of the entire masonry staircase at the corner of the Wrigley Building almost brick by brick. The redevelopment includes the towers that are at each corner of the bridge also. The Michigan Avenue Bridge work seems to be timed in conjunction with the Chicago River walkway expansion project that started this fall. (although this project hasn’t been on fire yet)

It is being reported by the Chicago Tribune that this work will cost $3.5 million dollars and hopefully be complete by June 2009. The west side of the bridge will be closed for pedestrians until March and then the East side will be under construction until June.

I think it is agreed that even within the current economic recession and city budget shortfall, the Michigan Avenue Bridge was in need of repair. (especially being so visible) The sidewalk/walkways on both sides of the bridge are quite a scary experience for most suburbanites/tourists/business people who come downtown for the day. You walk only inches from full speed traffic flying by with only a small rusty metal rail a few inches high between the sidewalk and the street while vehicle/bus exhaust chokes off your air.

As if this wasn’t scary enough on its own, there is a river in view down on the other side and also sometimes below your feet if you look down in between the bridge sidewalk panels you are walking over. Then to top it all off, you are usually walking with 100 other people, while the bridge bounces with the weight of vehicles, and some people insist on trying to cut in front of people by shoving, others asking/begging for change and more people almost stopped, blocking the flow of commuters completley.

You also may notice that the Michigan Avenue Bridge sidewalk isn’t concrete like most sidewalks are. It is a plastic-rubberized material that is a cross between tar paper and rubber galoshes. The bridge surface is slippery in the winter (I almost fall once a week while wearing snow boots) and bubbles up to trip people in the sweltering hot sunny summers.

I am hoping that the new surface is less slippery/bubbly and maybe more weatherproof. (a non-slip fiberglass?) I also hope that they can do the work properly in this cold and wet weather. If nothing else it will hopefully be worth a few years of looking and performing better, but we never know how much longer things will last beyond that.

This is a friendly reminder that the CTA train and bus fares will increase on January 1, 2009. Even though the state of Illinois approved the budget increases last year that prevented a fare increase then, the state revenues from sales and income taxes is down in 2008 and 2009 due to the current economic recession.

So, the CTA isn’t able to get the full amount of the funding and most estimates show that CTA public transit use it still up year over year even though the price of a gallon of gas has gone back down to about $1.70 in most areas of the suburbs and just under $2.00 in Chicago.

This means that the CTA fares have to increase to cover the gap between what the expenses are and what funding is provided from the state. Plus somebody has to pay for all those station improvements they started and the shiny new website design. Most people should be highly annoyed by the increase in CTA fares but it probably won’t keep people from going to work.

My daily commute is going from $3.50 to $4.50 per day. (still far less than driving and paying $25-$35 per day to park plus gas) My CTA Chicago Card Plus monthly unlimited pass will also go from $75.00 to $86.00. Most people pay for them pre-tax through companies like Wageworks though so you do save something on not paying taxes. (in an odd twist of fate keeping the CTA from getting more state funding) All of this will seem cheap someday when I have to take both Metra AND the CTA to work.

The people hardest hit are usually low income hourly workers that make around minimum wage. ($7.75) After the taxes and health insurance fees are deducted from a paycheck (if health insurance is even available) and they buy CTA fares and possibly buy lunch at work they are left with a very small amount of money each day.  I would guess about $800 per month is left for everything else from rent to utilities after “work costs” are considered. (plus uniforms are usually required to purchase) It is a meager life.

CTA Fare Types Current Fare Structure and Increases in January 2009

Full Fare Transit Card (TC) Bus Now: $1.75 January 2009: $2.00
Full Fare TC Rail Now: $2.00 January 2009: $2.25
Full Fare Chicago Card (CC) Bus Now: $1.75 January 2009: $2.00
Full Fare CC Rail Now: $1.75 January 2009: $2.25
Full Fare Cash (bus only) Now: $2.00 January 2009: $2.25
TC or CC Transfer Note #1 Now: $0.25 January 2009: $0.25
Chicago Card Bonus Note #2 10% Eliminated

1-Day Pass5 Now: $5.00 January 2009: $5.75
2-Day Visitor Pass Note #5 $9.00 Eliminated
3-Day Visitor Pass Note #5 Now: $12.00 January 2009: $14.00
5-Day Visitor Pass Note #5 $18.00 Eliminated
7-Day CTA Pass5 Now: $20.00 January 2009: $23.00
7-Day CTA/Pace Pass5 Now:  Did not exist, January 2009: $28.00

Full Fare 30-Day Pass Now: $75.00 January 2009: $86.00

U-Pass Note #3 15% Increase
Reduced Fare Note #4 TC or CC Now: $0.85 January 2009: Unchanged
Reduced Fare Cash (bus only) Now: $1.00 January 2009: Unchanged
Reduced Fare TC or CC Transfer Now:$0.15 January 2009: Unchanged
Reduced Fare 30-Day Pass Now:  $35.00 January 2009: Unchanged

Notes:
1 Transfer fare allows two additional rides within two hours of the first boarding
2 For every $20 purchase of pay-per-use fares, $22 of value is added to the card
3 Available through participating universities only; price change effective 2009 Fall Term
4 Reduced fares offered to eligible customers only
5 Only the 30-Day and the new CTA/Pace 7-Day passes will be valid on Pace beginning January 1, 2009. 

Happy New Year…

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. 

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!

I have been on a hunt trying to find where to buy Mochi ice cream balls in Chicago for about 6 months now. I have been checking all the grocery stores and food stores I live near and asking around to no avail. Until this week when I found that they sell boxes of 6 mochi for $3.50 at Trader Joes food stores. Ah-Hah! I can enjoy the goey sweet goodness of Mochi that you find at sushi and Japanese restaurants whenever I want now.

Trader Joes sells 4 flavors of these Mochi 6 packs: Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and Green Tea. A serving of Mochi ice cream is 2 mochis and they have 210 calories per serving. That is great news, a Mochi only has around 100 calories. Chicago needs more sweet treats like that with low calories and perfect portion sizes. We love our desserts and most people love Mochi when I bring them over for the first time. Chicago and the suburbs will fall in love with Mochi as soon as everyone knows where to buy them. Trader Joes seems to have Mochi in the Downers Grove store and the Downtown stores I have been to.

They can seem difficult to eat at firstbecause they take about 4 bites to eat and the ice cream starts coming out of the rice coating. I like the idea of cutting them in 1/2 and using a spoon or fork because if you eat them with your fingers it gets messy. Other people cut Mochi into quarters and use toothpicks for gusts to eat them with at parties. Mochi do make good party food since people will be interested in something new if they haven’t seen or tried them before. Plus, who doesn’t like ice cream? 

So this Christmas, New Years or other holiday try some Mochi and bring them to your holiday parties to add some new tastes to the event. Your guests will thank you.

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

Chicago Restaurant Week is back again for 2009. This is a great winter festival type event for gourmet foodies (and the rest of us too). Chicago Restaurant Week is unique because it is an event where 42 130 local fine Chicago restaurants offer three-course prix-fixe menu lunches for $21.95 $22and three-course prix-fixe menu dinners for $31.95 $32 just during that week. (February 20-27) It works well because you go online and reserve your meal at the Chicago Convention & Tourism Site (or Opentable.com) for Restaurant Week and then just go enjoy your reservation and experiment with some new restaurants.

UPDATE: The Chicago Restaurant Week promotion has been extended to March 6th!

Chicago Restaurant Week is a promotional time to get people out to try new restaurants with lower prices and also liven up the bitter cold winter with some great food and wine in Chicago. This type of event program is popular in other areas of the country and the  Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau decided to launch one here in the city in 2008. It was a huge success and all the media coverage for the restaurants and the city of Chicago made it a sure thing for 2009. The restaurant list and pricing have not been released yet for the 2009 Chicago Restaurant Week but as soon as I find out I will post them here.

A full list of the 2009 participating restaurants can be found at choosechicago.com/eatitup. The restaurants listed below from 2008 have returned and many more from the suburbs have been added also. One dissapointing note was that I searched for restaurants located in the loop and there were only 2 even though there were many more if you page through the listings yorself. So the search sin’t working properly. The menus are also listed online although they are burried several clicks into the site and hard to find.

This is the list of downtown loop restaurants that participated in last year’s 2008 Chicago Restaurant Week and some items they offered on their prix-fixe menus last year:

• 17 West at the Berghoff, 17. W. Adams Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 427-3170
• Aigre Doux Restaurant & Bakery, 230 W. Kinzie Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 329-9400 Lunch: Choice of Slow baked salmon with curried parsnip puree, braised endive and citrus emulsion or Butternut squash veloute with black trumpet mushrooms Dinner: Slow-baked salmon with artichoke barigoule and crispy polenta or Sweet and sour braised short rib with sweet potato puree and sautéed swiss chard.
• Alhambra Palace, 1240 W. Randolph Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 666-9555
• Aria,200 N. Columbus Chicago, IL Phone: 312 444-9494 Lunch: Shrimp and chicken pad thai with thai basil, bean sprouts, peanuts and sweet citrus Dinner: Pan-seared filet of walleye pike with herb gnocchi, wilted greens, capers and brown butter-memon sauce
• Atwood Café,1 W. Washington Chicago, IL Phone: 312 368-1900 Lunch and Dinner: Gunthorp Farms organic chicken breast with mashed sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, bacon and chicken jus or Pan-roasted market fish with saffron risotto, swiss chard, sherry vinegar gastrique and bacon lardons or Moroccan-braised lamb shank with golden raisin and pistachio couscous, minted yogurt and baby carrots
• Bistro 110, 110 E. Pearson, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 266-3110
• Blue Water Grill, 520 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 777-1400 Lunch: Black Angus tataki roll with piquillo pepper, asparagus, arugala and ginger soy, Smoked potato soup with lobster croutons and braised leeks, Mesclun green salad with duck confit, roasted forelle pear and banyuls vinaigrette Dinner: Sauteed mahi mahi with lobster and shrimp dumplings, bok choy and lobster miso broth
  Bento box with spicy tuna roll, Asian soba noodle salad, Thai lobster soup and tropical fruit bubble tea
  Garlic roasted amish chicken with goat cheese potato croquette, haricot verts and chicken jus
• Brazzaz, 539 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 595-9000
• Buca di Beppo, 521 N. Rush, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 396-0001 Lunch and Dinner: Chicken with lemon, Chicken parmigiana, Eggplant parmigiana, Veal parmigiana, Fresh salmon with pesto, Chicken saltimbocca, Fetuccine alfredo, Fettucine supremo, Lasagna, Spaghetti with meatballs, Spaghetti marinara, Ravioli al pomodoro or Penne arrabbiata 
• Café des Architectes, Sofitel Water Tower, 20 E. Chestnut, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 324-4063 Dinner: Lobster and mango salad with organic avocado tian, citrus cream and black caviar, Corn gnocchi with winter black truffle and cheese sabayon, Crispy duck breast with butternut squash puree, pearl onions and cardamom red wine sauce and Dark chocolate raspberry and cinnamon cake
• Carnivale, 702 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 850-5005Lunch or Dinner: Gunthorp Farms pork shoulder with red beans and rice and winter vegetable escabeche, Arctic char with quinoa and Meyer lemon chile broth
• China Grill, 230 N. Michigan, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 334-6700 Lunch or Dinner: Grilled szechuan beef with sake, spicy soy, shallots and cilantro, Grilled garlic shrimp with black fettucini and red curry coconut sauce, Wok-sauteed vegetables with choice of wasabi mashed potatoes or five vegetable fried rice
• David Burke’s Primehouse, 616 N. Rush, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 660-6000 Lunch: Prime dry-aged ribeye sandwich with smoked mozzarella, caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, tomato tapenade and herb frites or Rock shrimp pasta with cavatappi, peas, mint and sweet butter or Aged 207L marinated filet salad with arugala, maytag blue cheese, baby tomatoes, red onion and balsamic vinaigrette  Dinner: Petite southside bone-in filet with basil-whipped potatoes and tempura green beans or Baby delmonico steak with truffle asiago skins, asparagus and shallots or Bacon-wrapped shrimp benedict with a potato cake, quail eggs and chili oil tapenade
• Devon Seafood, 39 E. Chicago, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 440-8660 Lunch: Pan-roasted chicken breast, Veggie or shrimp ravioli, Grilled salmon salad, Almond-crusted tilapia, Maryland-style crab cakes Dinner: Pan-roasted chicken breast, 6 oz. center cut filet, Veggie or shrimp ravioli, Maryland-style crab cakes, Seared George’s Bank scallops
• Dine Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro, 733 W. Madison, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 602-2100
• The Drawing Room at Le Passage, 937 N. Rush, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 255-0022 Dinner: Lemon risotto with mascarpone, meyer lemon and lavender gremolata or Skate with sauteed skate wing, baby arugala, roasted sunchoke, sultanas and caper emulsion or Verjus braised pork belly, shaved spicy pecans, smoked eggplant puree and apricot
• Fogo de Chao, 661 N. LaSalle, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 932-9330 Argentinian Beef!
• Fulton’s on the River, 315 N. LaSalle, Chicago, IL Phone: 312 822-0100
• Kiki’s Bistro, 900 N. Franklin St Chicago, IL Phone: 312 335-5454  Lunch: Duck leg confit with green lentils, Steak frites with mâitre de beurre, Grilled salmon with hollandaise sauce or Lamb brochette with couscous and lamb jus or Duo of duck breast and duck confit with green peppercorn sauce or Poached king salmon with hollandaise sauce Dinner: Lamb brochette with couscous and lamb jus
  Duo of duck breast and duck confit with green peppercorn sauce or Poached king salmon with hollandaise sauce
• Landmark Grill & Lounge, 1633 N. Halsted St Chicago, IL Phone: 312 587-1600 Dinner: Barbecue-glazed swan creek heirloom pork chop with white cheddar grits and sweet onion marmalade or Wood-grilled mahi mahi with braised red cabbage, Northern Spy apple and cippolini onion
• The Lobby at The Peninsula Chicago, 108 E. Superior St Chicago, IL Phone: 312 337-2888 Dinner: Roasted organic chicken breast with wild mushrooms, brussels sprouts, bacon and chicken jus or Grilled king salmon with ricotta gnocchi, basil sauce and tomato confit
• The Melting Pot, 609 N. Dearborn st Chicago, IL Phone: 312 573-0011
• NAHA at 500 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 321-6242  Dinner: Wild Great Lakes whitefish with a warm salad of hoop house spinach, wood-grilled bermuda onions, roasted turnips, chervil and red wine lobster sauce or Roast quail with a fondue of Anson Mills soft corn polenta, North Country slab bacon, cavolo nero greens, confit garlic, cured tomatoes and tarragon or Organic carnaroli risotto, butternut squash, hen of the woods mushrooms and wilted beet greens
• Nick’s Fishmarket Grill at 51 S. Clark street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 621-0200
• one sixtyblue 1400 W. Randolph street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 850.0303 Dinner: Lake Superior whitefish with suckling pig, brussels sprout, baby carrot, leek puree and red wine reduction or Hudson Valley magret duck breast with fuyu persimmon, fennel seed crust, Chicago co-op honey, manzanilla olive and licorice emulsioin or Korubuta pork tenderloin with crispy pork belly, red cabbage confit, Carolina Ruby sweet potato, Seedling apple salad and juniper berry sauce
• Park Grill at Millennium Park 11 N. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL Phone: 312 521-PARK Dinner: Rushing Waters rainbow trout with celery leaf salad, preserved lemon, pumpernickel croutons, crème fraiche and american caviar or Hand-cut papardelle pasta with slow-cooked rabbit ragout, parmesan and chives or Slow-cooked Berkshire pork with annatto seeds, smoked cheddar grits and caper-raisin relish
• Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush at 437 N. Rush street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 222-0101  Dinner: homemade tortellini of ground veal with brown butter, parmigiano and sage or Grilled chicken mattone, marinated whole-grilled chicken under a brick with mixed greens and chianti vinaigrette or Grilled Lake Superior whitefish
• Prosecco 710 N. Wells street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 951-9500 Dinner: Cavatelli pomodori pesto, housemade ricotta dumpling with tomato, pesto and goat cheese or Petto di pollo gratinato, balsamic-marinated chicken breast with grilled portabello mushroom, fresh mozzarella, dolcetta d’alba reduction and grilled asparagus or Rigatoni norcina, grooved tube of pasta with pancetta, mild sausage and light tomato cream sauce or Tilapia with Sicilian cherry tomatoes, spinach, cremini mushrooms and marinara broth or Melanzane griglia e forno, grilled and baked eggplant with fresh and smoked mozzarella and tomato sauce
• The Pump Room 1301 N. State Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 266-0360 Lunch menu selections: Roasted Amish chicken with boudins, cabbage, caramelized shallots and sherry chicken jus or Apple-scented risotto with roasted apples, fennel and almond emulsion or Braised beef shortrib panini with grilled red onions, whole grain mustard on potato-rosemary bread and fries or chips Dinner menu selections: Roasted Amish chicken with boudins, cabbage, caramelized shallots and sherry chicken jus or Roasted line-caught codfish with white bean cassoulet, crispy berkshire bacon and chicken-scented nage or Braised beef shortrib with carrot soubise, shitake mushrooms and braising liquid
• Republic Pan Asian Restaurant & Lounge 58 E. Ontario Chicago, IL Phone: 312 440-1818 Dinner: Hong Kong steak, Shiro miso salmon, Fried garlic prawns, Sushi and sashimi melange Lunch menu selections: Sesame sauce with tofu, chicken, beef and shrimp, Orange sauce with tofu, chicken, beef and shrimp, Lemongrass grill of tofu, chicken, beef and shrimp, Sushi combo of tuna, salmon, yellowtail, ebi, unagi and california maki, Sushi combo of tuna, salmon, yellowtail and dragon maki
• Riva 700 E. Grand Avenue Chicago, IL Phone: 312 644-7482 Lunch menu selections: Whitefish with haricot verts and lemon caper butter sauce or Pistachio and cheese ravioli with brown butter and sage or Lemon chicken breast with mashed potatoes and pan jus Dinner menu selections: Atlantic salmon with haricot verts and lemon caper butter sauce or Pistachio and cheese ravioli with brown butter and sage or Blue cheese-crusted sirloin with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes
• Roy’s Restaurant 720 N. State Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 787-7599
• Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 431 N. Dearborn Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 321-2725
• Seasons Café, Lounge, and Restaurant Four Seasons Hotel 120 E. Delaware Chicago, IL Phone: 312 649-2349 Dinner: Plum snapper with crisp calamari winter citrus salad, roasted garlic and saffron aioli
  or Kurobuta pork shank with parmesan polenta, swiss chard and red pepper coulis
• Seasons Restaurant participating and the Seasons Café and Lounge Chicago, IL Phone: 312-649-2349
• Shor Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency in McCormick Place 2233 Martin Luther King Drive Chicago, IL Phone: 312 528-4140
• Shula’s Steak House 301 E. North Water Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 670-0788
• Smith & Wollensky 318 N. State Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 670-9900 Dinner: Sliced steak sandwich or Atlantic salmon or Lemon pepper chicken breast with choice of whipped potatoes, fresh cut french fries or vegetables
• Sullivan’s Steakhouse 415 N. Dearborn Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 527-3510 Dinner menu selections: 8oz. filet, Stuffed shrimp, Garlic lemon chicken breast
• SUSHISAMBA rio 504 N. Wells Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 595-2300 Lunch: Hanger steak teriyaki or Pan-seared scallops Dinner: Black bass or Kurobuta pork chop
• Viand 155 E.Ontario Street Chicago, IL Phone: 312 255-8505 Lunch or Dinner menu: Any sandwich on menu or Any pasta on menu
• Zest Restaurant in the Intercontinental Hotel at 505 N. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL Phone: 312 321-8766  Dinner menu selections: Thai mint gravlox on yellow corn pancake with with mango sour cream or Cajun-crusted New York strip with horseradish-baked potato, yellow beans, bacon and homemade barbeque sauce

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. 

I just read that the City of Chicago received a winning bid to hand over the management of the 35,000 parking meters to a private company from the department of revenue in Chicago. The new (privatization of) parking meter prices will likely have to be higher because they think this will close the $150 Million dollar budget gap (in a total of a $469 Million dollar budget shortfall) we have for 2008 and 2009 from several years of leasing. Yikes! The Chicago parking meter revenue was estimated at 19.5 million dollars in 2007. So, I am guessing this might be 10 years? More is due to be released in a press conference on Tuesday.

As if we needed another cost increase in the price of living in Chicago amidst a global recession.

UPDATE: The cost of the parking meters will quadruple from $0.50 per hour now to $1.00 per hour in 2009 and $2.00 per hour in 2013. The most competitive parking spot meters in the loop will go from $3.00 per hour now to $6.50 an hour in 2013. Holy cats, we will all have to sell our cars. The parking lease is also for 75 Years!  (and no free parking on Sundays) So Chicago has lost all future revenue from this area of the budget for the next 75 years. That will contribute to future budget shortfalls.

I think this privatization change may turn out like London or other crowded commuter cities where the parking rates are dramatically higher for peak usage times and the prices in general are raised anytime without any citizen or voter approval. Basically it just got a lot more difficult, expensive and exclusive to own a car in Chicago or to drive one downtown. (what’s next a congestion tax?) The higher meter rates will most likely influence paid parking garage rates to go up also and higher parking ticket rates if you fail to pay the meters. What I hope it improves is the way you have to pay for your parking meter. We really would like to see a pay by cell phone or pay by credit card swipe on the meters if they can get a high level of security with your private credit card data.

What they haven’t said is how long this private parking meter contract agreement is for with this un-named company Chicago Parking Meter LLC (which is made up of two Morgan Stanley infrastructure funds.) and the City of Chicago and how long we will have to endure even higher fees. (forever!) I am thinking the jump in Chicago private parking meter fees will most likely just push more people and commuters on to the already overburdened public transit bus and el train system. The rates for one time use CTA tickets and monthly CTA passes have also gone up in 2009, but it is far less that what people will see at the privatized parking meters.  Yuck!

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.

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.)

There are so many great photos of the Barack Obama election night celebration on Flickr it is near impossible to process and see them all. I have linked to some here that show how amazingly the event went and how excited all the people were all over the country. I have never seen people out in the streets celebrating all over the world like this before. I have seen pictures of people outside on the streets cheering and celebrating Barack Obama’s election win in Las Vegas, LA, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. It is amazing to see people so excited and electrified by this election and so many people voting for a candidate that they believe in.

I have also never seen people watch the news and process this information in so many ways. People were online, watching TV, watching the internet on their mobile phones and mashing their own creations together with photos, screen shots, videos and their own t-shirt designs to cover the event themselves. It really is a user generated world in combination with the established media now. I sincerely hope that the change and hope we feel can be maintained and that we all do our part to pitch in and help this country rebuild and fix it’s problems. See the Obama celebration pictures below:

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All the polling places are closed across the entire US now and the ABC news organization is projecting that Barack Obama has won the election with 333 electorate votes and John McCain only has 155. This is only the preliminary projected result but people are thrilled. John McCain has just made a very eloquent and sportsmanlike concession speech praising Barack Obama and the historic nature of an African American being president. He also pledged his full cooperation in working with Senator Obama on fixing the problems that this country faces right now. I was very impressed by this speech. I did not expect John McCain to be that emotionally accepting of the projected loss that quickly or that complimentary of Barack Obama. It gives me great hope for the future that John McCain is willing to let this pass and still be an active member of the senate working together with both parties and the president to find real solutions to the issues we face as a country. I am also thrilled that race and ethnicity did not stop Barack Obama from becoming thefirst African Amercan President as the 44th president of our country.

I also want to mention to everyone that while this election outcome is worth jumping on your sofa and shooting off fireworks in the alley (as I just saw here in Oak Park) it is also a time to be patient with our new president. First off, he won’t take office until January 20th 2009. Second, Barack Obama doesn’t have a magic wand that fixes everything automatically any more than any other candidate does. He will face many long discussions with many people in government and the civilian public before any of the answers to the issues emerge and it may take even longer to make those changes that are needed.

We all need to be patient, understanding and supportive so we can help rather than make things more difficult. I still think in addition to Barack Obama’s leadership, this country needs each one of us to pitch in and make the right decisions in our own personal lives, our jobs and our local government to help. This may mean keeping people employed longer even if businesses aren’t as profitable as a result, keeping costs low for customers even if profits aren’t as high as before and not leveraging ourselves or our businesses to the hilt. We all need to save more money, be less statusy and consumption oriented and help each other out more often. We all need to be more like family in lending a hand and offering help and less like sales people over charging for everything and trying to swindle each other. We also need to seriously make changes with how we treat the environment.

So, that is my short list of how you, the general citizen, can help Barack Obama be a great president of the United States of America and be supportive of the changes we need. Other than that we should do some serious celebrating tonight. Whoop it up since Chicago is at the center of this celebration and the movement that made it happen. All we need now is to maintain this positivity and momentum and start working on making changes that we all can benefit from. And now I am going to go drink my champagne and enjoy the TV coverage since I cast my vote earlier this evening and can relax now.

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.

Barack Obama is not only a Senator from Illoinois he is a wildly popular candidate for President of the United States. On Tuesday November 4th, 2008 when the voters go to the polls and we see this long time election come to a conclusion, Chicagoans will want to celebrate. There is a huge Barack Obama Celebration planned for the public in Grant Park downtown on Hutchinson field starting at 8pm CST. Click here to sign up for free tickets on a waiting list to the Obama Biden celebration in grant park with the democratic national party. OR Click here for the new ticket raffle available to those who are new donors to the campaign. See below for the details. A donation is not required for the free tickets on a waiting list but it is on the thank you page for the ticket process and is probably recommended for the tickets since this shindig probably costs a lot. The donation to the political party goes with your contact info so they can add you to their mailing lists and call you next time there is an election. Over 1 million people are expected in Grant Park for this celebration on election night in Chicago.

Barack Obama & Joe Biden Election Night Party Celebration Party Details from their site:

Location: Grant Park in Hutchinson Field
You can enter on on East Congress Parkway and East Jackson Boulevard
235 South Columbus Drive in Chicago, IL 60603
Date: Tuesday, November 4th
Time: Gates open at 8:30 pm

An official printed ticket is required for entrance. Each official printed ticket is valid for the ticket holder and one guest. You must sign up using the online form for a printable ticket. The official printable ticket will be emailed to you prior to the event. Only one request is allowed per person. Duplicate requests from the same name will be rejected. For security reasons, do not bring any bags or purses. Your Photo ID is required to enter. Please limit your personal items. No signs, banners, chairs, or strollers will be allowed at the event.

Chicago is a mostly democratic-party city with some outliers in the Richey-Rich areas of the suburbs still clinging to their Republicanism for tax reasons. The mainstream public in the entire Chicagoland area is all for Barack Obama all the time. Many people are even early-voting to get their votes in before the huge rush happens in Chicago on Election day.

The Obama election night celebration in Chicago will be a huge sight for all the TV and news reporters for sure. The thing is that MediaBistro is reporting that news outlets are a bit pissed that it will cost them up to $2,000 to get a press pass to cover the event because of the costs of running electric lines, phone lines, lights and setup materials in the middle of a public grassy park. Oh well, someone has to pay for it and I guess they decided that all the voter donated $20s and $50s should go toward the campaign itself rather than the coverage for media companies. 

There is no doubt it will be cold in Grant Park for Barack Obama’s election night celebration but people will be so excited especially if he wins, that they won’t notice. Plus it is great that Barack Obama and his staff decided to allow the public to take part in the event rather than just the people in his inner circle and big time donors. It is really true that the public has funded this campaign and brought Barack Obama to the center of the election from a relative unknown status 2 years ago. It is fitting that the Chicago citizens would be able to celebrate in the event that he wins.

Details are posted above. Registration may also be available online through Barack Obama’s website. And wear your winter coats, it is going to be cold outside.

Update: I have seen the reports that all the tickets are sold out for this event. The site linked above has a form for wait listed tickets so I am not sure if they will offer additional tickets to another outdoor park location near by to watch on a jumboscreen or if that was it. Plus they have to mail them to you and that could take 2-3 days depending on where you live. I do know that a lot of people are just planning on going anyway even if they don’t have a ticket and can’t get in. They just want to be near by or hear all the pandemonium and celebration. Anyway that the Obama camp could accomodate more people near by would be greatly appreciated by the citizens of Chicago.

Update 2: I have added a 2nd link above to the tickets that have been released for people who donate at least $5 to the campaign. $5 is not much money to go see this event. Check them out and see how long they last. I hope everyone who wants to go gets a ticket and that even those who don’t get tickets can still come celebrate with the world on Tuesday night. I know it will be crowded but now I want to go to cover the event for my blog…

We need free things to do in Chicago now more than ever. Who can afford a $8 beer and a $12 movie in this financial and economic uncertain time. I have heard more people say they are staying in to save money than I have in years. I still like to go enjoy Chicago though and sometimes you can do that for free if you know where and when the events are happening. Here are some free things to do in Chicago that are scheduled over October and November. I am guessing this is going to be a lean Christmas too.

1. A Kevin Coval reading free admission from The author, educator, HBO Def Poet and founder of Louder than a Bomb at The Chicago Teen Poetry Festival. He reads from his newly released book “Everyday People.”

2. Sixth Annual Pumpkin-Carving Party at the Avenue Tavern at 2916 North Broadway in Lakeview Call 773-975-7000. Free at 8pm-12am midnight on October 16th. Carve your own pumpkin creation and win prizes (pumpkin carving tools are provided). Afterward, the weird and wacky jack-o-lanterns are displayed outside the bar sidewalk through Nov. 1 or until the rot, or are carried away by squirrels whichever happens first.

5. Free Bingo/Tango 312-397-4010 at the Museum of Contemporary Art at 220 East Chicago Ave. Play some bingo and Learn Tango in the same night. What could be better? Between games, Somer Surgit and Agape Pappas teach quick Tango lessons. Every 2nd Tuesday of the Month at 6pm.

6. Yay for Free Stitch ‘n’ Bitch! 312-280-2660 Don’t you know knitting is cool now? Meet more young hip urbanites with creative focus at the Stich and Bitch. Yarn and crafts not provided, but bring whatever you are working on. Evey 1st Tuesday at the Museum of Contemporary Art. 5:30 pm.

7. Dia de los Muertos: La Vida Sin Fin 312-738-1503 The nation’s largest Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead exhibit, this 22nd annual collection highlights local and international artists.

8. The 12th Annual North Halsted St Halloween Parade 773-868-3010 Expect crazy costumes and over the top behavior in Boystown. The parade travels north on Halsted Street, from Belmont Avenue to Cornelia Street. Post-paradefestivities include a costume contest for your pets and your humans as well as live performers and entertainment by Halsted and Roscoe Streets. 

9. Green City Market at 1750 North Clark Street 773-435-0280 Hey, window shopping and browsing is free right? This great organics fest of food is still going in harvest season through October 29th.

10. The Weekly fireworks show at Navy Pier 312-595-7437 This is still going too, the fireworks have not stopped even though summer is over. They still set off a 10-minute fireworks display over Lake Michigan set to music every Saturday night at dusk.

11. Free admission for the Museum of Science and Industry 773-684-1414  This is for General admission only and only on Tuesdays. It still costs to park, see the Omnimax and 3-D movies or go on the ”U-505″ submarine tour.

12.Freeeee Comedy Shows – Battle-Prov ComedySportz improv students face off against other funny local improv teams. For Discount/free days call 312-922-9410. There is free general admission in Feb and the 2ndMonday of each month. It’s usually wicked cheap funny anyway at $4-$7 per show at Comedy Sportz which is at 929 West Belmont Avenue.

13. Wicker Park Critical Mass Bike Ride 312-551-7300 ext. 11 This monthly bike ride through the Wicker Park neighborhood is a fun way to enjoy the fall leaves and colors and get exercise at the same time. Plus you meet cool hip urban eco friendly bike riding people.

14. Sunday Salutations Free yoga class 773-883-8860 Stretch and strengthen your muscles for free at this weekly class in the park, which is always weather permitting. Hosted by lululemon’s Halsted store anda different new yoga studio each month.

15. Free Literary Open Mic 773-489-2353 Bring your best poetry or prose and read it aloud at this weekly event.

16. Free Fall Cooking Demonstrations 773-241-5200 Get tips on picking seasonal produce and learn how to prepare turkey burgers with coleslaw and cranberry mayonnaise. Hyde Park Farmer’s Market at 5200 S. Harper Avenue at 9am on Thursday October 16.

17. The Free Grasshopper Show 773-880-0199 A rotating roster of eight current I.O. training center students pair up with I.O. instructors in a very funny longform harold improvised show. IO Theater is at 3541 N. Clark Street in Chicago.

18. The Free Improv Jam 773-880-0199 Be careful, the volunteer audience members perform improvscenes with veteran I.O. comics. Local improv guys Brett Lyons and Nathan Jensen host and drag you up on stage too if you let them. Same address as above.

19. Chelsea Handler book signing 773- 935-3909 The comedy writer and performer signs her new book of funny personal stories, “Are You There Vodka, It’s Me Chelsea.” 

20. Daniel Vosovic book signing 312-573-0564 The exciting “Pro ject Runway” finalist discusses his new book, “Fashion Inside Out: Daniel V’s Guide to How Style Happens from Inspiration to Runway and Beyond.” OMG!

21. The Free Daley Plaza 12th annual Halloween celebration, formerly called “Pumpkin Plaza,” features a haunted village, pumpkin decorating (weekends only), storytelling, live performances and more. Afternoons in late October.

22. The Great Walnut Room Tree Lighting at Macy’s in November 312-781-5454 Designer Tommy Hilfiger lights the 45-foot-tall tree in the Walnut Room. The tree, trimmed with nearly 15,000 lights and 4,000 ornaments, is on display through Jan. 11.

23. 13th Annual Christkindlmarket Chicago 312-494-2175 An open-air, German-style market showcases handmade ornaments, accessories, clothing and gifts from more than 50 vendors. Also features German food and drink such as beer, hot spiced wine, potato pancakes, bratwurst, schnitzel, strudel and more.

24. Howl-o-ween 312-595-7437 Bring your pooch for a cute dog costume parade in Gateway Park, or browse pet merchandise, information and animals are up for adoption inside the Festival Hall.

25. Isaac Mizrahi signing is new book at Barnes and Noble. 312-573-0564 The fashion designer discusses his new book, “How to Have Style.” Did you ever want to see the guy in person that brought high style to Target?

26. State Street Halloween Happening Parade 312-744-3315 Costumed participants march to Daley Plaza, where Halloween Pumpkin Plaza festivities include a costume contest, candy giveaways, performances, appearances by “Wicked” cast members and more.

Wow Bao is a recent addition to the restaurants in the loop right next to the Chicago EL Train State and Lake train station. I pass the restaurant every day on my way home from work and thought it might be good to try. I like Asian food and Chinese dumplings especially the ones with a bread-like dough and BBQ Pork filling. I first tried these at my friend’s house in high school. She is Chinese and these type of buns or dumplings were a common snack or addition to a meal. Wow Bao calls them “Bao” but they are almost the same as a lot of dumplings you can find in any Asian market or Chinese food store. They also have Mochi (which is really Japanese) and everyone should discover these little round dough covered ice cream balls. Mochi are delicious and they have built in portion control.

I was suprised then when the prices were really high at Wow Bao in the Chicago Loop.  I spent $17 dollars (6 per box) to buy a dozen bao frozen to take home. I just wanted to try them so I paid the outrageous Wow Bao price but I would not pay that price again. The restaurant really doesn’t take into consideration that people in Chicago can’t afford food at prices like that anymore in this economy.

The directions for cooking wow bao dumplings are easy, just cover with a damp paper towel and microwave them. But watch out! The wow bao may feel cool to the touch on the outside but the inside filling is really hot! I burned the roof of my mouth terribly on a few of the dumplings. Wow bao also carries rice bowls (which you can get anywhere) and pot stickers. They are pretty expensive too for what they are and what they really cost in a Chinese grocery store.

The other problem I had with the Chicago Wow Bao loop restaurant location is that the wow bao staff doesn’t know what they are doing. They messed up 3 orders while we were waiting and we had to tell the guy what our order was again so he gave us the right food. This is a problem considering that there is a readout on a computer screen right there that tells you the order.

Anyway these same dumplings are usually sold for dimesrather than dollars at Asian grocery stores and I highly recommend buying them there rather than going to this over crowded restaurant and paying an insane price for what you get. Just to be fair, I tried the salad combo with 2 wow bao also and while the salad was good it was not worth the price. With the 2 bao it was $8.00. That was not really a full dinner either. You have to add another bao or some mochi to actually be full after a combo meal there.

Wow Bao is another concept from Lettuce Entertainment Enterprises where they take cheap food from other places around the world and make them upscale to people who have never been abroad and live in Chicago. They won’t know that dumplings made of pork scraps and dough aren’t supposed to cost $2.00 each. I admire Lettuce Entertainment’s ability to bring the foods of the world to Chicago, but they should do it at a reasonable price.

And I will also mention that their signs outside that read: “hot Asian buns” have been taken down. I thought that was bordering on suggesting p*rn or something and was completely inappropriate. I hope someone complained to the City of Chicago and that they were taken down for decency sake.

My offical review of Wow Bao is to skip it because it is not a good deal for the money. If you need a mochi hit in the lop downtown this is one of the few places you can find it. So, for Mochi I would go back, but not for any of the other food.

Two new pavilions are planned for Millennium Park from architectural designers Zaha Hadid of Britain and Ben Van Berkel of the Netherlands. These pavilions will be temporary and be set up for 5 months in Millennium Park starting on June 19, 2009. This is all part of a 100 Year Centennial Celebration from the Burnham Plan Centennial Committee in Chicago. The two pavillions will be completley recycled following the 5 month display time in Millennium Park. (Being green is cool)

Many of us have heard of the Burnham Plan from watching Geoffrey Baer tour the Chicago lakefront, Rivers and skyline on Channel 11 over the years. The Burnham Plan is one of the inspirations behind why Chicago built Millennium Park and the grand city planning the Mayor Daley has been doing all over the city. Daniel Burnham envisioned that the lakefront area in downtown Chicago would be open to the public and be filled with gardens parks and recreational areas for the community. 100 years later his plans and ideas are being implemented and there are two new pavilions planned for Millennium Park.

I think executing the Burnham Plan is a huge win for the city of Chicago and Millennium Park has been a great success even though it was 3 times the budget that was estimated for creating it. The citizens of Chicago should have places that they can enjoy the city for free and have green space in the downtown loop area. These green spaces are also important for the tourism business that Chicago makes millions from each year. I would like even more green space to be planned like Millennium Park or Roof Gardens but we have yet to see any other plans like Burnham’s that emphasize that need in other areas of the city.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathonis scheduled for Sunday October 11 this year. (formerly the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon) Every year over 45,000 runners take to the streets of the neighborhoods in Chicago to test their luck and their bodies against 26.2 miles of grueling marathon. (and hope that the finish line is less slippery than last year) If you live in Chicago this means moving your car off the street from the Chicago marathon route on Saturday the day before the parking ban and staying out of the way and finding alternate routes that morning of the race if you have to go to brunch. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has been a tradition for 31 years and is one of the big 5 majors that professional runners strive to participate in yearly. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon course offers a scenic tour of Chicago as it weaves through numerous diverse neighborhoods and dozens of local and historic landmarks. You are guaranteed to see what is great about Chicago. (1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611)

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon starts and ends in Grant Parkin downtown near Buckingham Fountain. Since the majority of the  runners are not professionals that do this for a living, they are great about giving awards and accolades to people in all age groups and from different levels of experience. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon covers the North, West and South Sides of the city, traveling through 29 historic and diverse neighborhoods and does not include any significant hills to make running more difficult. The race will officially last 6 hours and 30 minutes after the official start at 8am. The finish area facilities close at 3 pm and streets should be open soon after it is cleared again. Not everyone finishes the marathon but everyone who enters is still a winner. Hey, I’m here writing about it again instead of running, so if you are in the Chicago marathon, you win!

Here are some resources for both the runners, the fans and the residents who live along the race route:

Click here to download the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Runners Map 

Click here to download the official street closures map of where you will have to move your car

Click here to download the on-race entertainment stations across the course so you can join in with cheering on the runners.

Good luck and have a great race!

The Art Institute of Chicago is hosting a new free exhibit called 360 Degrees: Art Beyond Borders for the next 10 months: September 27, 2008 through June 16, 2009. 360 Degrees Art Beyond Borders is unlike most exhibits at the Art Institute of Chicago because it combines efforts and exhibits with the other major cultural institutions in Chicago. The institutions participating are Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Poetry Foundation, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. It is really a 360 degree view of the arts in Chicago. And what is even more amazing about this artistic creative smorgasborg is that it is FREE to the public. How amazing is that?

The schedule consists of lectures, performances, readings, talks, discussions and exhibits full of all forms of artwork and commenting on a wide variety of creative subjects.

The full schedule of Art Institue of Chicago 360 Degrees: Art Beyond Borders Exhibit Events:

• Lecture: Season Preview—The Promise of Encyclopedic Museums
  9/25, 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall. James Cuno, president and director.
• 360 Degrees: Art beyond Borders Opening Day 9/27, 10am -3:30 pm the Art Institute of Chicago
  Free admission Preview the globe-spanning scope of our new season!
• Lecture: Chicago and Globalization—Caught in the Middle on September 27, 2008 at 10:30-11:30 am in Fullerton Hall Free Admission Richard Longworth, Senior Fellow, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and author.
• Reading: Reading and Commentary—Art and Literature September 27, 2008 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall. Free. C. K. Williams, poet.
• Reading: Poetry—Always a Home September 27, 2008 2-3 pm in Fullerton Hall Free admission. Marilyn Nelson, poet
• Conversation: Bizet’s Pearl Fishers October 2, 2008 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall Free to the public
• Performance: Henri Duparc—Composer Crossing into Modernism October 7, 2008 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall Free with admission to the Art Institute of Chicago. Jean-Baptiste de Boissiere, voice; George Lepauw, piano
• Reading: Adam Zagajewski October 9, 2008 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall Free
• Lecture: Religion, Ethics, and Globalization—New Dilemmas Local and Global October 16, 2008 at 6-7 pm Fullerton Hall Free to the public. Diana Eck, Harvard University.
• Symposium: From the Natural to the Fantastic—Italian Drawings, 1500–1650 (Print and Drawing Club)
  October 17, 2008 at 10:30am-5 pm in Fullerton Hall Space is limited; to reserve a seat, call (312) 443-3756.
• Performance: Italian Masterworks—Schubert and Vivaldi October 19, 2008, 2-3 pm Fullerton Hall For ticket information, call (312) 294-3000
• Lecture: Genius of Sport—Baron Pierre de Couberin and the Enduring Values of the Olympic Ideal
  October 23, 2008 6-7 pm Fullerton Hall Free. George Hirthler from the Chicago 2016 Olympic Campaign.
• Performance: Joel Spears, Lute Virtuoso October 30, 2008, 6-6:45 pm Fullerton Hall Free.
• Symposium: The Divine Art—Four Centuries of European Tapestries October 31, 2008, 10:30am – 5 pm
  Fullerton Hall Space is limited; to reserve a seat, call (312) 857-7138. Free.
• Lecture: God’s Crucible—Islam and the Making of Europe, 570–1215 (Leadership Advisory Committee)
  November 1, 2008, 6-7 pm in the Rubloff Auditorium For tickets, call (312) 494-9509. David Levering Lewis, New York University.
• Performance: Enescu, Bartok, and Brancusi November 4, 2008, 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall Free with admission to the Art Institute of Chicago.
• 360 Annual President’s Lecture: A World Connected—Why Do We Leave Home? November 7, 2008 7:30 -8:30 pm in Fullerton Hall. For tickets, call (312) 494-9509. Nayan Chanda, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization.
• Lecture: Global Debates on Islam in the 21st Century November 13, 2008 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall. Free. Muhammed Sani Umar, Director of Northwestern University’s Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa.
• Lecture: Encyclopedic Museums—Cabinets of Curiosity November 15, 2008 at 11am – 12 pm in Fullerton Hall. Bruce Boucher, Curator of Sculpture
• Performance: Sound Weavers—A Concert of Music Pictured in Tapestry November 16, 2008 at 2-3 pm in Fullerton Hall Cost: $20; $15 for members
• Reading: Paul Muldoon November 20, 2008 at 6-7 pm Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Lecture: Encyclopedic Museums—Medieval Treasuries on November 22, 2008 at 11am-12 pm Fullerton Hall. Free with admission to the Art Institute of Chicago. Christina Nielsen, Assistant Curator for Medieval Art.
• Performance: Messiaen at 100—Takemitsu Remembers 12/2/08, 12-1 pm Fullerton Hall, Free with admission to the Art Institute of Chicago.
• Lecture: Challenging the Encyclopedic Museum—Berlin’s Museum Island December 4, 2008 at 6-7 pm in
  Fullerton Hall $10; Free for members (ticket required) Dr. Thomas Gaehtgens, Getty Research Institute.
• Lecture: Crossing the Ocean—Foreign Visitors and Foreign Influence in Japanese Art on December 6, 2008 at 11am -12 pm in Fullerton Hall. Free with admission to the art institute. Janice Katz, Associate Curator of Japanese Art.
• Performance: German Masterworks on December 7, 2008 at 2-3 pm in Fullerton Hall. For ticket information, call (312) 294-3000.
• Lecture: Mediterranean Crossings—The Quest of ‘Leo Africanus’ on December 11, 2008 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall Free. Natalie Zemon Davis, University of Toronto
• Performance: All in a Garden Green December 18, 2008 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall. Cost: $20; $15 for members.
• Performance: Honorable Pledge Fulfilled January 10, 2009 1-2 pm in Fullerton Hall. Cost: $15; $10 for members. Damine Kabuki Troupe.
• Reading: Eamon Grennan on January 15, 2009 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall. Free.
• Performance: French Masterworks—Roussel and Mozart January 18, 2009 at 2-3 pm in Fullerton Hall
  For ticket information, call (312) 294-3000.
• Performance: Debussy and Impressions of the Sea January 22, 2009 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall $15; $10 for members; Free for CSO subscribers.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Austria February 2, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall
  Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Korea February 3, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—France on February 4, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall and is Free.
• Reading: Robert Pinsky on February 5, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Poland February 9, 2009 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Reflections of the Chinese Poets with Yang Wei on Pipa February 10, 2009 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall.
• Reading: For Czeslaw Milosz February 11, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall.
• Reading: For Octavio Paz February 12, 2009 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall.
• Lecture: The Mysteries of Munch’s Working Methods—Recent Research on The Scream and Madonna
  February 12, 2009 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall. $10; Free for members. Ingebjørg Ydstie, Director, Munch Museum.
• Reading: Tomaz Salamun on February 13, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall.
• Lecture: The Lincoln Image on February 15, 2009 1-2 pm in Fullerton Hall.
• Performance: John Work Chorale on February 15, 2009 at 2-3 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Switzerland on February 16, 2009 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Thailand on February 17, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—China on February 19, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Lecture: Sibling Rivalries and Global Monotheisms—Judaism, Christianity, Islam February 19, 2009 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free. David Nirenberg, University of Chicago.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Spain February 20, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Lecture: Mapping the Globe on February 21, 2009 at 11am -12 pm in Fullerton Hall – Free. Ruth Watson, artist.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Germany on February 23, 2009 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Croatia February 24, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Mexico on February 25, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Consuls General Concert Series—Japan on February 26, 2009 at 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Ives and the New England Landscape on February 26, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall. $15; $10 for members; Free for CSO subscribers.
• Performance: Masterworks by Dvorak March 1, 2009 2-3 pm in Fullerton Hall. For ticket information, call (312) 294-3000.
• Performance: Stravinsky, Picasso, and the Ballets Russes on March 5, 2009 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall. $15; $10 for members; Free for CSO subscribers
• Lecture: Between the Covers—The Art Institute as Publisher on March 14, 2009 at 11am -12 pm in
  Fullerton Hall. Free with admission Susan Rossen, Director of Publications.
• Performance: Across Seasons March 15, 2009 at 1-2 pm in Fullerton Hall, $25; $20 for members
• Performance: Across Seasons on March 15, 2009 3-4 pm in Fullerton Hall. $25; $20 for members
• Lecture: The Encyclopedic Museum—Enlightened or Entitled? on March 19, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall $10; Free for members (ticket required) Philippe de Montebello, Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• Reading: Insights into Ibsen March 26, 2009 at 6-7 pm Fullerton Hall Free.
• Performance: Essence of Japan March 29, 2009 at 2-3 pm in Fullerton Hall $20; $15 for members.
• Lecture: Global Collections for Global Cities April 2, 2009, 6-7 pm Fullerton Hall, $10; Free for members (ticket required) Neil MacGregor, The British Museum.
• Lecture: Technicolor in the Ancient World April 4, 2009 11a.m.-12 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free with admission. Mary Greuel, assistant curator of Ancient Art.
• Performance: Respighi’s Inspiration—Painter Botticelli April 9, 2009 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, $15; $10 for members; Free for CSO subscribers.
• Lecture: The Roman Triumph on April 16, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free. Mary Beard, University of Cambridge.
• Performance: World Tour with the Kronos Quartet April 22, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, $40; $35 for members.
• Lecture: Edvard Munch’s Anxiety of Influence on April 23, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free. Jay A. Clarke, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings.
• Reading: Philip Levine April 30, 2009 at 6-7 pm Fullerton Hall, Free
• Conversation: Reading from Art May 7, 2008 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Conversation: Listening to the Message…Benjamin Britten’s Owen Wingrave on May 21, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free
• Reading: Ilya Kaminsky May 28, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free.
• Performance: Dvorak and Painter Hassam June 4, 2009 at 6-7 pm in Fullerton Hall $15; $10 for members; Free for CSO subscribers.
• Performance: Illuminating Dvorak June 16, 2009 12-1 pm in Fullerton Hall, Free (ticket required)

Robin Williams is one of the funniest comedians and actors of the last 25 years. His creative work has an incredible range but I was first captivated by his stand-up comedy years ago and I still am today. I was surprised and excited to hear that Robin Williams would be doing a stand-up show tour called Weapons of Self Destruction across the United States and stopping in Chicago. I didn’t think stand-up comedy was something movie actors went back to very often, but I am glad to be wrong about that. Robin Williams has a gift for free form fast moving tangential thinking that is perfect for stand-up comedy. It is a great opportunity to see him perform at the Chicago Theater on September 27th.

We all love Robin Williams’ high energy fast paced stand-up comedy style. I am sure that this show at the Chicago Theater will not disappoint. The tickets went on sale in August and are sold out now for the Chicago shows. Tickets ranged from $46.00 and $100.00 at the Chicago Theater.There was a special package too where for $400.00 you could meet and chat with Robin Williams himself earlier on the day of the show. That seems like an awesome opportunity but yet somehow too expensive and yet not really that interesting. No one wants to bother a celebrity no matter how much you idolize their work and meeting them for a few minutes is nice but it’s not like they will “be your bff” so it seems kinda weird? Unless you are the autograph type. I suppose it could work if you were into that.

This standup tour is called Weapons of Self Destruction (a pun on what you think it is) and they say that the material he is working with this time is more personal in nature. We all know that Robin Williams (like many actors and performers) is not happy with the current government and administration and political jokes will most likely be part of the show. Many people also may have heard that Robin Williams recently went through a divorce and has been through rehab as well. Not easy things to process. I am sure that comedy and seeing the irony of life can help make sense of a lot of things. I am sure that all these topics are pretty relevant and relatable for most of us mainstream Americans. Plus Robin is fantastic at impressions, voices and all the gifts of comedy. I am sure this will be an awesome show.

I will be at Robin Williams’ Weapons of Self Destruction show on Saturday September 27 and will write my review of the show here afterwards. If you are going to the Weapons of Self Destruction tour in another city and want to hear about my reactions and review, bookmark this page and I will update it within a few days after the show. Feel free to leave me comments about what you thought of Robin Williams’ show in Chicago or any of the cities in the comments below.

Update: 9/27/08

 We saw the show tonight and it was amazing. Robin covers an amazing array of topics from politics to marriage to drinking to technology to just about everything. He does a fair amount of blue comedy but it isn’t so raunchy that you are grossed out. There is also a very funny bit about the devil really just being one of these corporate sales people on the phone wheeling and dealing with everyone they meet. Overall Robin Williams still has the fastest working mind on stage and the funniest stand-up comedy. I do have to admit that I did laugh more at this show than I did at the Eddie Izzard show we saw this spring. I love Eddie’s comedy and there are some parallels there but Robin was able to move faster and surprise me more which created more laughs. So, if Robin Williams is coming to your town go see this show because it is a great one.

Boutique Hotels are gaining popularity in Chicago and across the country. You would think that all the Hotels in Downtown Chicago are huge skyscraper complexes that have thousands of rooms and no individuality. The truth is that in addition to the large chain hotels many small luxury boutique hotels have popped up in Chicago and provide a unique experience for less money than the large chains.

One of the best Boutique Hotels in Chicago is Hotel Monaco. They are owned by the Kimpton Hotels group and I have stayed at their hotels in other cities. Most recently in San Francisco. The staff of the Hotel Monaco in Chicago is very friendly and goes out of their way to serve the needs of guests traveling. I walk past the hotel every day on my way to work and see the doormen greeting new visitors and giving directions and tips to tourists about the city of Chicago.

Chicago Boutique Hotels are also known for their luxury. In SanFrancisco the Kimpton Hotel I was at left no need unmet. I had a large jacuzzi tub (almost too large to be useful) a full shower, wireless free high speed internet, a full entertainment center and a desk work area in addition to a very comfortable well appointed bed. The staff there was also very helpful in giving me directions around town and the room service was happy to prepare dinner for me really late when I got in from the events I was attending. Truly four star service.

Many Boutique Hotels are built around a theme and the Chicago Hotel Monaco tries to be tropical and creative in a city of cement, wind and snow. The doormen even keep with the Monaco theme and wear purple velour suits in the winter and lavender Hawaiian shirts in the summer with fedora hats. No detail has been left out.

I am also always excited to see that Chicago Boutique Hotels offer more originality in their designs and decor. There are only so many beige walls you can look at in your life. Many of the Chicago Boutique Hotels have colorful themes like the Hotel Monaco in Chicago which features a stylish and vivid pallet of greens, plum and burgundy throughout the hotel. The Hotel Monaco Chicago is also one where you get a great view of the Chicago River and are within a short walk to many top Chicago steakhouses, the House of Blues, The Art Institute, Michigan Avenue and the great Broadway shows in Chicago too. Sometimes the locations of the small boutique hotels is far better than the big chains also.

So, the next time you are visiting Chicago, check out the Hotel Monaco from Kimpton Hotels or another Chicago Boutique Hotel and see if that is someplace that might make your stay even better. Room Rates range from $200 to $600 per night depending on the season and how booked they are. Some discounts are available. Book rooms or make reservations at Hotel Monaco at their website monaco-chicago.com or by calling 1-866-610-0081. Hotel Monaco Chicago is located at 225 North Wabash in Chicago, IL  60601. There are also Boutique Hotels by Kimpton under the Hotel Monaco name in Washington DC, Seattle and Denver.

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I have been to the Chicago Inaternational Film Festival every year for the past 3 years and it has been an event not to miss in Chicago. The Chicago International Film Festival runs for two weeks from October 16th to 29th showing scheduled independent movies from all over the world at three theater locations in the city. The locations of the theaters selected for showing the scheduled ”movie buffet” at the festival this year are the AMC River East 21 theater (322 East Illinois Street Chicago, IL) and the AMC 600 North Michigan 9 (600 North Michigan Avenue) as well as the Harris Theater (205 East Randolph Drive) for the opening and closing night ”Gala” events. I always like that it is like an advance screening to several films that you get to see months before they come out to the general public.

Right now theChicago International Film Festival early bird advance passes are available at a 40% discount through the chicagofilmfestival.org website (which has mostly 2007 information on it) before September 30. They have the 10 movie ticket pass for $110, the 20 movie ticket pass for $210 and the 40 movies ticket pass for $385. (non member prices, membership is $60 for the year but knocks off $30, $55 or $100 off the price passes) I do not have a membership but I attend the Chicago International Film Festival yearly anyway.

This year looks like it won’t disappoint in the range of independent films and themes that will be presented at the Chicago International Film Festival. There are simultaneous showings on most nights so download the entire schedule here (when it becomes available) and mark off which films you want to see ahead of time. With a 10 movie pass ticket it makes it easy to plan your 2 weeks of movies and just show up wherever they are playing ready to go.

I usually always go to the Chicago International Film Festival’s opening night gala and closing night gala. These events will be held at the uber modern Harris theater in Millennium Park in Downtown Chicago. They aren’t saying which films will be scheduled or featured on which nights but these are the 3 gala feature films:

A Christmas Tale / Un conte de Noël  from France and Director Arnaud Desplechin. A Christmas Tale stars Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, and Mathieu Amalric who play members of a family who conceive a third child in the hopes of using its bone marrow to save the dying firstborn child. 

Happy-Go-Lucky  from the UK and  Director Mike Leigh. The perennial optimist Poppy is played by Sally Hawkins and charges through life with breathless enthusiasm and a sincere desire to help others, struggling as she encounters fellow Londoners who do not always share her sunny outlook.

Pride and Glory  from the USA and Director Gavin O’Connor. Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, and Jon Voight star in a gritty and emotional portrait of a multigenerational New York City police family forced to choose between loyalties to each other and loyalties to the department.

Check back to this post in a few weeks. I will post more information about the films and Chicago International Film Festival schedule as it becomes available.