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.

Have you been thinking of some home improvement projects but are afraid to spend the money in the current economy? Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency Products can help. It is scary not knowing if all our jobs will be around in 6 months, but if you have some savings to use for these projects and really need new windows, doors, more efficient electric appliances, new attic insulation or a new furnace or air conditioner there are some Tax Credits that may help you save 30% more  than you can get discounted at the store.

I recently got an email from my realtor about making these home improvements that are tax deductible. You can’t get all the money back that you spend on the energy efficient appliances, windows or alternative energy sources like solar and thermal heat, but you can get up to 30% back. If you need these things anyway now is the time to buy before the end of 2010 because the Tax credits may not all be available beyond then. Here are the details from the home buyer email:

Energy efficiency Tax Credits offered by the federal government could be even more useful for the average homeowner.

You may be eligible for a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of materials (up to $1,500) for certain products purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31st, 2010.

Below are the rating specifications for eligible energy efficiency products:

Product Category Product Type Tax Credit Specification

Insulation Meets 2009 IECC & Amendments

Windows & Doors Windows, Doors, and Skylights Before June 1, 2009: Must meet ENERGY STAR criteria After June 1, 2009: U factor <= 0.30 SHGC <= 0.30

Storm Windows & Storm Doors In combination with the exterior window over which it is installed: has a U-factor and SHGC of 0.30 or below Meets the IECC

Roofing Metal Roofs, Asphalt Roofs All ENERGY STAR qualified metal and reflective asphalt shingles HVAC Central A/C Split Systems: SEER >= 16, EER >=13 Package systems: SEER >= 14, EER >= 12

Air Source Heat Pumps Split Systems: HSPF >= 8.5, EER >= 12.5, SEER >= 15 Package systems: HSPF >= 8, EER >= 12, SEER >= 14

Natural Gas or Propane Furnace AFUE >= 95

Oil Furnace AFUE >= 90 Gas, Propane, or Oil Hot Water Boiler AFUE >= 90

Advanced Main Air Circulating Fan No more than 2% of furnace total energy use.

Water Heaters Gas, Oil, Propane Water Heater Energy Factor >= 0.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.

Electric Heat Pump Water Heater Same criteria as ENERGY STAR: Energy Factor >= 2.0

Biomass Stove Biomass Stove Stove which burns biomass fuel to heat a home or heat water. Thermal efficiency rating of at least 75% as measured using a lower heating value.

Extended Opportunities: The following upgrades are eligible for a 30% of cost tac credit (without an upper limit) if placed into service before December 31st, 2016:

Geo-Thermal Heat Pump Geo-Thermal Heat Pump Same criteria as ENERGY STAR: Closed Loop: EER >= 14.1, COP >= 3.3 Open Loop: EER >= 16.2, COP >= 3.6 Direct Expansion: EER >= 15, COP >= 3.5

Solar Energy Systems Solar Water Heating At least half of the energy generated by the “qualifying property” must come from the sun.

Homeowners may only claim spending on the solar water heating system property, not the entire water heating system of the household. The credit is not available for expenses for swimming pools or hot tubs. The water must be used in the dwelling.

The system must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC). Photovoltaic Systems Photovoltaic systems must provide electricity for the residence, and must meet applicable fire and electrical code requirement.

Small Wind Energy Systems Residential Small Wind Turbines (windmills) Has nameplate capacity of not more than 100 kilowatts.

Fuel Cells Residential Fuel Celland microturbine system Efficiency of at least 30% and must have a capacity of at least 0.5 kW.

The Chicago Gourmet Festival 2009 is going to be a huge foodie event in Chicago. On Saturday September 26th and Sunday September 27th in Millennium Park (age 21 and up because there is a lot of wine!) there will be many opportunities to revel in being a foodie and try out new wines with some of the top gourmet food in Chicago. (see schedule below) This is the ultimate event for someone who really likes to be on the cutting edge for cooking/entertaining with friends and wants to learn from the expert presentations. The Chicago Gourmet Festival does get crowded though and sometimes there is more wine than food, which is not always a good combination.

So, my advice for attending the Chicago Gourmet Festival is take the CTA public transportation, get there early before they run out of food and bring a notepad to take notes if you hear something you really want to make at home. You can also purchase cook books at chef signings which is cool but expensive. The neatest part is to get to see some of these accomplished chefs work in person in their demonstrations and possibly taste some new gourmet flavors and wines.

Tickets are $120for general admission from 11 am – 5 pm for one day. (Saturday or Sunday)Tickets for 2 days are $240. Tickets for Grand Cru tastings are $175 in addition to the admission fees. Its not cheap, but it is rare that you can get access to an event like this open to the public, so for the people who love gourmet food and the exclusivity of the famous presenters it is probably worth it for the unique experience. Then again they probably assume that if you’re cooking gourmet food all the time, you can probably afford it. (I’m not sure that is true anymore in this economy though) They have an elaborate buy tickets online system and you print them directly off the internet so there is no waiting for tickets in the mail. Print this page for the complete schedule to take with you the day of the Chicago Gourmet Festival. AMEX card holders get a special 15% discount.

The events and demonstrations and book signings are listed below with the schedule for the 2009 Chicago Gourmet event:

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26:

Listings by Time Title Host and Location
11:30am – 12:00pm Perfect Pairings Ted Allen, Food and Wine Ambassador for
Robert Mondavi Private Selections wines Jay Pritzker Pavilion Main Stage
12:30pm – 1:00pm Mexico Meets the Sea Rick Bayless,Frontera Grill/Topolobampo
Paul Bartolotta, BARTOLOTTA Ristorante di Mare Marcus Samuelsson, C-House Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Main Stage
1:30pm – 2:00pm Peaches & Pork Mindy Segal, Hot Chocolate Bill Kim, Urban Belly
Stephanie Izard, The Drunken Goat Jay Pritzker Pavilion Main Stage
2:30pm – 3:00pm Signatures of Santa Margherita Fabio Vivani, Bravo’s Top Chef and Cafe Firenze
Anthony Terlato, Terlato Wines International Jay Pritzker Pavilion Main Stage
3:30pm – 4:00pm Fish with Flair John Hogan, Tavern at the Park/Keefer’s Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia
Thierry Rautureau, Rover’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion Main Stage
4:30pm – 5:00pm The Artistry of Seafood & Salt Jose Garces, Mercat a la Planxa Jimmy Sneed, SugarToad
Ken Vedrinski, Trattoria Lucca Jay Pritzker Pavilion Main Stage
5:15pm – 5:45pm Prime Cuts Klaus Fritsch, Morton’s The Steakhouse
Rock Harper, Chefrock Inc. Jay Pritzker Pavilion Main Stage
12:00pm – 12:30pm Seasonal Cuisine Bruce Sherman, North Pond Gourmet Pavilion Culinary Stage
1:00pm – 1:30pm Upgrading Your Pantry: Must Have Pantry Items From “Wine Bar Food” Tony and Cathy Mantuano, Spiaggia Gourmet Pavilion Culinary Stage
2:00pm – 2:30pm Spice Up Thai Food Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun’s Gourmet Pavilion Culinary Stage
3:00pm – 3:30pm Demystifying Whole Fish Cookery Paul Bartolotta, BARTOLOTTA Ristorante di Mare Gourmet Pavilion Culinary Stage
4:00pm – 4:30pm The Multi Uses of Mojo Randy Zweiban, Province Gourmet Pavilion Culinary Stage
5:00pm – 5:30pm Two Countries, Two Traditions, One Plate Carlos Gaytan, Mexique Gourmet Pavilion
Culinary Stage

WINE SEMINARS
Time Title Host Location
11:45am – 12:30pm Exploring Champagne Fernando Beteta, Master Sommelier Choral Room
1:00pm – 1:45pm Understanding the Difference between Great Wines and Good Wines William Terlato, President Terlato Wines International Choral Room
2:15pm – 3:00pm Franciscan Estates Bordeaux Style Blending Fred Dame, Master Sommelier Choral Room
3:30pm – 4:15pm American Tradition Since 1795 Fred Noe, Master Distiller
Beam Global Choral Room
4:45pm – 5:30pm Beer’s Intrinsic Affinity For Culinary Pairing Ryan Johnson, U.S. Trade Brewer/Certified Cicerone MillerCoors Choral Room
11:30am – 12:15pm Green Winegrowing Paul Dolan, Owner
Mendocino Wine Co. Park Grill South Plaza Tent
12:45pm – 1:30pm Where Innovation Meets Tradition:
The Versatility of Prosecco Manlio Collavini, Owner Mionetto Winery Park Grill South Plaza Tent
2:00pm – 2:45pm Why French Wine Matters Today Martin Sinkoff Frederick Wildman & Sons Park Grill
South Plaza Tent
3:15pm – 4:00pm Discovering the Wines of Costello di Monsanto… A Tuscan Treasure Laura Bianchi, Owner Moet Hennessy Park Grill South Plaza Tent

GRAND CRU TASTING
Listed by Time Title Host and Location
4:00pm – 5:30pm Grand Cru Tasting Event Fred Dame MS, Alpana Singh MS, Serafin Alvarado MS and Fernando Betata MS Choral Room

GOURMET TASTINGS PAVILIONS
Listed by Time Theme Presenter and Location
11:00am – 2:00pm Regional American Paul Virant, Vie Restaurant Gourmet Pavilion I
11:00am – 2:00pm Regional American Paul Kahan, Blackbird
Michael Sheerin, Blackbird Gourmet Pavilion I
11:00am – 2:00pm Regional American Kevin Hickey, Four Seasons Hotel Gourmet Pavilion I
11:00am – 2:00pm Regional American John Hogan, Keefer’s Gourmet Pavilion I
2:30pm – 5:30pm Regional American Stephanie Izard, The Drunken Goat Gourmet Pavilion I
2:30pm – 5:30pm Regional American Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia Gourmet Pavilion I
2:30pm – 5:30pm Regional American Graham Elliot Bowles, graham elliot Gourmet Pavilion I
2:30pm – 5:30pm Regional American Jimmy Bannos, Heaven on Seven Gourmet Pavilion I
11:00am – 2:00pm Latin Carlos Gaytan, Mexique Gourmet Pavilion II
11:00am – 2:00pm Latin Randy Zweiban, Province Gourmet Pavilion II
11:00am – 2:00pm Latin Jose Garces, Mercat a la Planxa Gourmet Pavilion II
11:00am – 2:00pm Latin Café 28 Gourmet Pavilion II
2:30pm – 5:30pm Latin Zapatista Gourmet Pavilion II
2:30pm – 5:30pm Latin Nicholas Ibarzabal, 5411 Empanadas Gourmet Pavilion II
2:30pm – 5:30pm Latin Mario Santiago, May Street Café & Catering Gourmet Pavilion II
2:30pm – 5:30pm Latin Mercadito Gourmet Pavilion II
11:30pm – 2:30pm Stockyard Philip Foss, Lockwood at Palmer House Gourmet Pavilion III
11:30pm – 2:30pm Stockyard John Gatsos, Tavern on Rush Gourmet Pavilion III
11:30pm – 2:30pm Stockyard Mario Navarro, Gene & Georgetti’s Gourmet Pavilion III
11:30pm – 2:30pm Stockyard Fogo De Chao Gourmet Pavilion III
3:00pm – 6:00pm Stockyard Capital Grille Gourmet Pavilion III
3:00pm – 6:00pm Stockyard Flemings Gourmet Pavilion III
3:00pm – 6:00pm Stockyard Ditka’s Gourmet Pavilion III
3:00pm – 6:00pm Stockyard Gale St. Inn Gourmet Pavilion III
11:30pm – 2:30pm Asian Jackie Shen, Red Light Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 2:30pm Asian Rodelio Aglibot, Sunda Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 2:30pm Asian Joshua Linton, Ajasteak Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 2:30pm Asian Bill Kim, Urban Belly Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 2:30pm Asian Le Colonial Gourmet Pavilion IV
3:00pm – 6:00pm Asian Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun’s Gourmet Pavilion IV
3:00pm – 6:00pm Asian Hans Aeschbacher, Trader Vic’s Gourmet Pavilion IV
3:00pm – 6:00pm Asian Tony Hu, Lao Szechuan Gourmet Pavilion IV
3:00pm – 6:00pm Asian Gene Kato, Japonais Gourmet Pavilion IV
3:00pm – 6:00pm Asian Carol Wallack, Sola Restaurant
Alex Shalev, Sola Restaurant Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 6:00pm Dessert Fannie May Dessert Pavilion

BOOK SIGNINGS
Time Title Author(s) Location
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm The Food You Want To Eat Ted Allen Author’s Corner
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Mexican Everyday The Soul of a New Cuisine Osteria Tru
Amuse-Bouche Rick Bayless Marcus Samuelsson Rick Tramonto

Author’s Corner 2:30pm – 3:00pm Wine Bar Food Tony and Cathy Mantuano
Author’s Corner 3:30pm – 4:00pm Taste TBD Anthony Terlato & Fabio Viviani
Author’s Corner 4:30pm – 5:00pm Morton’s The Steakhouse: 100 Steakhouse Recipes for Every Kitchen
Rover’s: Recipes from Seattle’s Chef in the Hat!!! Klaus Fritsch Thierry Rautureau

Author’s Corner 5:15pm – 5:45pm Latin Evolution Jose Garces Author’s Corner

Sunday, September 27, 2009 11am – 5pm

LIVE COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS
Time Title Host Location
11:30am – 12:00pm Farm to Table Carrie Nahabedian, NAHA
Kevin Hickey, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Main Stage
12:30pm – 1:00pm Tallgrass and Green City Market Bounty Sarah Stegner, Prairie Grass Cafe
George Bumbaris, Prairie Grass Cafe Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Main Stage
1:30pm – 2:00pm Flavors of Italy John Colletta, Quartino
Federico Comacchio, Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Main Stage
2:30pm – 3:00pm Asian Delights Jackie Shen, Red Light
Takashi Yagihashi, Takashi Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Main Stage
3:30pm – 4:00pm Rustic Delicacies Dirk Flanigan, The Gage
Tony Priolo, Piccolo Sogno Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Main Stage
4:15pm – 4:45pm Savory Starts Michael Altenberg, Bistro Campagne
Art Smith, Table Fifty-Two Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Main Stage
11:15am – 11:45am How to Make a Classic Hollandaise Sauce Shelley Young, Chopping Block Gourmet Pavilion
Culinary Stage
12:00am – 12:30pm Cheese Fonduta John Colletta, Quartino Gourmet Pavilion
Culinary Stage
1:00pm – 1:30pm TBD Paul Katz, Harry Caray’s Gourmet Pavilion
Culinary Stage
2:00pm – 2:30pm Savory and Sweet Desserts Martial Noguier, Café des Architectes
Suzanne Imaz, Café des Architectes Gourmet Pavilion
Culinary Stage
3:00pm – 3:30pm Mini Rockit Burgers James Gottwald, Rockit Bar & Grill Gourmet Pavilion
Culinary Stage
4:00pm – 4:30pm Caribbean Ceviche Luigi Garcia, RIVA Gourmet Pavilion
Culinary Stage

WINE SEMINARS
Listed by Time Title Host and Location
11:45am – 12:30pm Wines Best Kept Secrets Revealed Serafin Alvarado, Master Sommelier Choral Room
1:00pm – 1:45pm Wine Pairing in Chicago Neighborhoods Alpana Singh, Master Sommelier Choral Room
2:15pm – 3:00pm Special Ticketed Event -GAJA: 150 Years of Winemaking Heritage Gaia Gaja, Co-Owner

Gaja Family Wine Estates Choral Room
3:30pm – 4:15pm Carneros… Napa’s Unique Appellation Jay Schupert, President

Cuvaison Estate Wines Choral Room
11:30am – 12:15pm The Versatility of Prosecco Enore Ceola, Winemaker
Mionetto Winery Park Grill

South Plaza Tent
12:45pm – 1:30pm If The Wine Matters, So Does The Glass Robert Hall, President
Bottega del Vino Crystal Park Grill

South Plaza Tent
2:00pm – 2:45pm Green Wine Revolution: What Does It Mean? Serafin Alvarado MS, Alpana Singh MS,
Fred Dame MS, and Fernando Beteta MS Park Grill

South Plaza Tent
3:15pm – 4:00pm Seasonal Cocktails from the Garden to
Glass Bridget Albert, Mixologist
Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois Park Grill
South Plaza Tent

GRAND CRU TASTING
Listed by Time Title Host and Location
3:30pm – 5:00pm Grand Cru Tasting Event featuring Fred Dame MS, Alpana Singh MS, Serafin Alvarado MS and Fernando Betata MS in the Choral Room

GOURMET TASTINGS PAVILIONS
Listed by Time Theme Presenters and Location
11:00am – 1:45pm Gastropub James Gottwald, Rockit Bar & Grill Gourmet Pavilion I
11:00am – 1:45pm Gastropub Dirk Flanigan, The Gage Gourmet Pavilion I
11:00am – 1:45pm Gastropub Chris Pandel, The Bristol Gourmet Pavilion I
11:00am – 1:45pm Gastropub John Manion, Goose Island Brewing Co. Gourmet Pavilion I
2:15pm – 5:00pm Gastropub Chris Curren, Blue 13 Chicago Gourmet Pavilion I
2:15pm – 5:00pm Gastropub Jared Van Kamp, Old Town Social Gourmet Pavilion I
2:15pm – 5:00pm Gastropub Paramount Gourmet Pavilion I
2:15pm – 5:00pm Gastropub Michael Cisternino, Tavern at the Park Gourmet Pavilion I
11:30pm – 2:15pm Seafood Shawn McClain, Spring Gourmet Pavilion II
11:30pm – 2:15pm Seafood Mark Grosz, Oceanique Restaurant Gourmet Pavilion II
11:30pm – 2:15pm Seafood Luigi Garcia, RIVA Gourmet Pavilion II
11:30pm – 2:15pm Seafood Laurant Gras, L20 Gourmet Pavilion II
2:45pm – 5:00pm Seafood Seth Siegel-Gardner, C-House Gourmet Pavilion II
2:45pm – 5:00pm Seafood Ryan Pitts, RL Restaurant Gourmet Pavilion II
2:45pm – 5:00pm Seafood TBD Gourmet Pavilion II
2:45pm – 5:00pm Seafood TBD Gourmet Pavilion II
11:00am – 1:45pm French Christpohe David, NoMI Gourmet Pavilion III
11:00am – 1:45pm French Martial Noguier, Café des Architectes
Suzanne Imaz, Café des Architectes Gourmet Pavilion III
11:00am – 1:45pm French Tim Graham, Tru Gourmet Pavilion III
11:00am – 1:45pm French Michael Lachowicz, Michael Restaurant Gourmet Pavilion III
2:15pm – 5:00pm French Matt Tobin, Marché Gourmet Pavilion III
2:15pm – 5:00pm French Shelley Young, Chopping Block Gourmet Pavilion III
2:15pm – 5:00pm French Chris Nugent, Les Nomades Gourmet Pavilion III
2:15pm – 5:00pm French Frank Ferru, L’Eiffel Bistrot & Creperie Gourmet Pavilion III
11:30pm – 2:15pm Mediterranean Reza’s Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 2:15pm Mediterranean Koren Grieveson, Avec Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 2:15pm Mediterranean Tony Priolo, Piccolo Sogno Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm – 2:15pm Mediterranean Jimmy Bannos, Purple Pig Gourmet Pavilion IV
2:45pm – 5:00pm Mediterranean Federico Comacchio, Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush Gourmet Pavilion IV
2:45pm – 5:00pm Mediterranean John Colletta, Quartino Gourmet Pavilion IV
2:45pm – 5:00pm Mediterranean Carrie Nahabedian, NAHA Gourmet Pavilion IV
2:45pm – 5:00pm Mediterranean Mark Sparacino, PROSECCO Gourmet Pavilion IV
11:30pm -5:00pm Dessert Fannie May Dessert Pavilion

BOOK SIGNINGS
Time Title Author(s) Location
12:15pm – 12:45pm TBD Author’s Corner
1:15pm – 1:45pm TBD Author’s Corner
2:15pm – 2:45pm 200 True Italian Pasta Dishes John Colletta Author’s Corner
3:30pm – 4:00pm Takashi’s Noodles Takashi Yagihashi Author’s Corner
4:30pm – 5:00pm Market Fresh Mixology Bridget Albert Author’s Corner

The Chicago International Film Festival is a little event run by a few people on a shoestring budget but it packs a big punch. Somehow, the Chicago International Film Festival manages to get access to the latest independent films and often times show the award winners that year before they have gone mainstream. This year the Chicago International Film Festival has done it again, they have found some really interesting unique films that may not be shown in Chicago otherwise and are presenting them October 8th through the 21st, 2009.

This year the festival has changed formats slightly, locating all the showings in one theater rather than at 4 or 5 across Chicago (which I always found confusing). The one theater you need to know about in order to see these amazing new films is the AMC River East on Illinois Street.

45th Chicago International Film Festival
October 8 – 21, 2009
150 films from more than 40 countries.
All in two weeks. All under one roof.
AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.)

The films available this year look better than usual. I normally have interest in 2-3 films, but this year almost all of them look like something I would be curious about.

Tickets aren’t cheap but they aren’t any more than the regular price of a movie either. The Gala Events bring in celebrities that you wouldn’t normally see in Chicago and can be worth the extra money for the experience of the event.

SAVE UP TO 40% OFF Your ADMISSION!
If you buy now, get an extra $10 off your order with the promo code 45FEST09, valid until 9/23.

You can purchase tickets now online at: CHICAGOFILMFESTIVAL.COM

the Chicago International Film Festival Packages are:

MOVIEGOER (10 admissions)
$80 for Cinema/Chicago members; $110 for non-members

PASSPORT (20 admissions)
$155 for Cinema/Chicago members; $210 for non-members

GALA PASS (4 admissions to Gala Presentations)
$80 for Cinema/Chicago members; $100 for non-members

There are a limited number of Chicago International Film Festival Gala Passes are available. The Moviegoer and Passport Passes are not valid/available for/including Gala Presentations. All passes are not valid for Opening Night or Closing Night.

Individual tickets on sale September 23
$9 for Cinema/Chicago members, students, and seniors; $12 for regular admission

Gala Presentation event tickets
$20 for Cinema/Chicago members; $25 for non-members

Some of the movies I plan on seeing are:

The Chicago Theater hosts the Gala Event for the Chicago International Film Festival

Motherhood

(Gala Presentation) – USA
Director: Katherine Dieckmann. Uma Thurman is in a charming, high-energy comedy as a beleaguered Manhattanite just trying to survive another day of the madness that comes with raising two young kids (and a husband and best friend).

Made in China – USA – Director: Judi Krant
Wes Anderson’s whimsy meets David Mamet’s love of duplicity in the peppy, comic tale of a wide-eyed Texas hayseed who travels to China to find a manufacturer for the novelty product he hopes will put him right up there with the guy who invented the whoopee cushion

Hipsters / Stilyagi – Russia – Dir: Valery Todorovsky
Moscow, 1955. Soviet uniformity is the order of the day, but incurring the wrath of all the grim-faced comrades in Russia isn’t enough to stop a group of young “hipsters” from donning outrageous threads, puffing up their pompadours, pushing up their cleavage, throwing back martinis, and shakin’ their hips. Could this romantic, infectiously fun musical be this year’s Slumdog Millionaire?

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Mother’s Day Brunches

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

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

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

Mother’s day Gift Ideas

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

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

The famous Blue Box from Tiffany's.

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

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

Mother’s Day Traditions

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

some produce at the organic farmer's market

The Chicago Green City Market will be moving outside to Lincoln Park (1750 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60614) on Wednesday, May 6, with a kick off rally for the 2009 season on Saturday, May 9!

the Chicago Green City Market is known for having great locally grown and organic produce. If you believe in the 100 mile rule for buying food and consumables or just like the idea of fresh locally grown items this is the place to go in the city. The market grows to a larger size in the summer with the produce that is seasonally available then. The prices are very reasonable and usually lower than

The Chicago Green City Market will continue in the park Wednesdays and Saturdays (except 4th of July) from 7 am to 1 pm.

Until then, the Chicago Green City Market will continue in their winter home at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum on Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm, April 18th and April 25th.

Green, Yellow, Red, Orange and Purple Peppers

Alice Waters makes a special visit to the market on the 25th for her book signing of The Edible Schoolyard, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am.

Check out the Green City Market to find some great locally grown fruit and vegetables this year to improve your diet and your health.

This outdoor produce market near Lake Michigan in Lincoln Park Chicago is noteworthy because it’s usually a whole-day event to do with shopping as well as chef demonstrations and local vendors selling prepared food from products sold at the market. They focus on sustainable and organic agriculture where ever they can, and in Chicago that is a challenge. The City of Chicago farmers markets also open in May. Get your baskets, bags and bicycles ready. You can find out more about the schedules and locations of the farmer’s market in your neighborhood here at: explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/events___special_events/special_events/mose/chicago_farmers_markets.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.

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
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Alabama: Birmingham – Trussville 16
Gulf Shores – Cobb Pinnacle 14
Huntsville – Hollywood 18 – Huntsville
Mobile – Stadium 18
Tuscaloosa – Hollywood 16
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Arksansas: Little Rock – Breckenridge Village
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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
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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
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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
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Connecticut: Branford – Branford 12
Fairfield – Quick Center for the Performing Arts
Manchester – Buckland Hills Showcase Cinema
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DC: Washington – AMC Mazza Gallerie 7
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Wilmington – Brandywine Town Center 16
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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
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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
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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
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
Montana: Bozeman – Gallatin Mall Cinema 11
Helena – Great Northern 8
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
Oklahoma: Norman – Spotlight 14
Oklahoma City – AMC Quail Springs 24
Oklahoma City – Tinseltown USA
Tulsa – Cinemark Tulsa 17 with IMAX
——————————————————————————–
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)
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
South Dakota: Sioux Falls – Sioux Falls Stadium 14
——————————————————————————–
Tennessee: Knoxville – West Town Mall 9
Nashville – Green Hills 16
Nashville – Opry Mills 20 plus IMAX
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
Vermont: South Burlington – Palace Cinema 9
——————————————————————————–
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
——————————————————————————–
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

Many of us know Tesla Motors because of the news involving either:

1. High Gas Prices and alternative fuel vehicles talked about by magazines like WIRED.

2. The CEO of the Tesla Motors Company being removed by the board because of lots of personal differences and internal conflict which have led to the Tesla Roadster being behind on it’s delivery schedule and having engineering problems in getting the product to market.

3. The BBC UK show Top Gear reviewed the Tesla roadster this past season and it quit on them several times. They generally liked it when the batteries were running though.

The Chicago Tesla Dealership and Showroom will be located at 1053 West Grand Ave in Chicago, IL this spring near the Kennedy Expressway in the River West neighborhood. (kind of a desolate location from the looks of Google Street View) The dealership will be Tesla’s first electric car sales showroom and service center outside of California. I am also excited about this new Tesla Dealership in Chicago because this is the first fully electric car to be commercially available in Chicago that I know of.

I was a fan of the GM EV1 back in the day and they never even offered them here in Chicago since the test never expanded that far. Now Tesla will be the first company the test out battery powered electric cars (green cars) in this climate. Many people think that the cold winters will reduce the performance of the batteries that power the cars since batteries generally don’t do well here with out below zero temperatures.

Tesla is offering one couple model of their electric car for $109,000.00 ($55K down payment) at this time and have plans to offer another one at a lower price ($60K) in the future and maybe adding seats for more passengers. Right now Chicago is thrilled that we had enough people and interest to support an electric car dealership and we welcome Tesla to the Chicagoland area.

No word on how these little 2 seater Tesla roadsters will fare in the snow and cold, but we plan on enjoying them in traffic, emissions free, in the other season: construction.

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.

Everyone loves a good party and this year the recession has compelled more people to stay home and party for the Oscars with their neighbors and TV than in years past. The superbowl was a great example of people staying in, having a house party, bringing pot -luck dining items and enjoying the evening spectacle on DVR. The Oscars are always a very entertaining telecast and this year with Hugh Jackman hosting there will likely be lots of singing and dancing as well.

I think the Oscars will be entertaining whether you go out or stay in this year. Watching the Oscars at a posh party in Chicago is nice, although you will have a hard time justifying $150 ticket prices in the recession. Chicago Oscars house parties will be very popular this year and here are some tips for making yours fun. Remember that creativity is what really makes your Oscar party fun and not necessarily how much money you spend.

Chocolate Oscar Candy for guests.

Chicago Weekend Fun’s Oscar House Party Tips

:

1. Dress up. Seriously. Don’t buy anything new, just raid the closet and dress up fancy as if you were attending a formal Oscar party. Some people also take more of a character theme to party costumes and tell guests to dress up as their favorite movie character.

2. Champagne, or in most cases, use the champagne glasses with ginger ale soda and voila, it’s a lot cheaper and nobody gets drunk before the end of the loooong Oscars broadcast and has to figure out how to drive home.

3. Liveblog the telecast on your blog, or twitter your reactions to what is happening on the Oscars telecast online. Some snark may make that pretty popular with guests and your online friends if it is a “virtual” party.

4. Invite the neighbors, friends, family. People enjoy getting together the more people the merrier. It proves that just sticking together helps in a recession like this. Pull all the chairs into the TV room for seating to watch the Oscars and put the food in another room so people don’t chat in the room where people are actually watching the show. Interesting mixes of people from different areas of your life make the most interesting parties.

If you really can afford a $100+ ticket to an Oscar Party in Chicago here is one of the local Chicago Oscars Events you may be interested in:

The Gene Siskel Film Center Oscar Party @ 6pm till Midnight downtown at the Gene Siskel Film Center. “Oscar Night in America”. $150 or VIP $250. This is a formal black tie event, but you get to watch the most well known awards for movies with some of the most influential movie personalities in Chicago, making this a truly unique experience if you can afford it this year. CALL 312-846-2072 for your tickets.

Lilly Allen is playing the Riviera Theater on April 12, 2009 at 7:30 pm. Doors will open at the Riviera Theater at 6pm. Tickets can only be purchased at Ticketmaster. (I know, boo for extra fees) Luckily general admission tickets only cost $26.50 to start. Maybe including all the fees the total price will end up being around $40.  Click Here to see the seating chart for the Riviera Theater. A band called Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head will be opening for Lilly Allen. The Lilly Allen concert was originally scheduled for another uptown venue The Vic Theater, but was moved to The Riv when the demand for tickets skyrocketed. This concert is one of only 11 planned for the US and only 7 listed on Ticketmaster. At the time of this post there were general admission tickets still available.

Lilly Allen’s first album “Alright, still” was a great indie music hit in Chicago in 2006-2007 and her new album “It’s not me, it’s you” is currently on sale so the concert tour is in full blast right now. From the songs I have heard on Lilly Allen’s new album (The Fear) the sound is similar but the songs seem more developed and mature. Lilly continues her “the world sucks” themes on this album and I think a lot of people really relate to that. How many times have we all had nothing go right in a week and wondered why this all happens? Lilly’s music is a little bit of everything with her style being considered a blend of retro, urban, ska, and pop genres.

Lilly Allen captures that feeling of young adulthood bewilderment with how the world works around us that many of us feel. She is just really making it big with the music she created in this image. (to get that big of a hit the first time out of the box is rare) I’m glad that she has done well telling it like it is, but now that she is wealthy and famous and decides to get plastered all over the place I wonder how much I still relate. She has had some personal strife to speak of, so maybe that continues to be her inspiration in writing new songs.

Regardless of what you think about Lilly Allen as a person, her music usually still resonates with most people under 35. I bought the last album and will most likelybuy this one too. Check out the concert in person for one of the rare stateside appearances she is making. I hear the concerts are usually peppered with the stories behind the songs and some sry humor so it looks like a great show.  I am not sure Lilly Allen has ever played Chicago before or how long it will be before she does again.

 

The Flight of the Conchords show has taken off by storm lately. What was a cult hit last season is mainstream popular this year.

I just heard that Flight of the Conchords will be playing at Arie Crown Theater on March 24th in Chicago. This is going to be a very popular show judging by how about 50 people I know have become “fans” of them on Facebook in the last 3 weeks.

..

If you are wondering who these Australian New Zealanders are you may want to check out some episodes of their show or download their album from iTunes or Amazon. They use the most creative (improvised?) satirical lyrics in their songs possible. Flight of the Conchords is like combining Moxy Fruvous’ Music, Second City Mainstage’s Improv/Comedy and the show The Office’s awkwardness all at once. This seems to be a magical combination for fans because the popularity is still growing for this ever “failing” band.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, check out their episodes online and see if this mockumentary style show grows on you too. if you go to the concert post your comments below and let me know how it goes!

The Flight of the Conchords Show Details are:

Show Date: April 28, 2009

Time: 7:30 pm

Address: 2301 Lake Shore Dr At McCormick PL, Chicago, IL 60616

Ticket Prices: $38.50 before tax, tip, and licence and doc fee. About $50 each after.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.  After those sell out there might be a few on StubHub or Ebay, but with the restrictions that is doubtful.

There are a lot of restrictions on reselling these tickets so be careful if you buy them, you must have them at will call and no alternate person can pick them up. There is also a 4 ticket limit to purchase. Wow, they anticipate this will sell out like crazy. If you can’t get tix remember there will always be discount Flight of the Conchords Season 1&2 DVDS to enjoy at home.

It is that time of year again, Tax Preparation Season in Chicago. (it can ruin many weekends before April 15th) You get through Christmas and the Super Bowl and very quietly your 1099’s sneak up on you when you aren’t looking. Tax Preparation in Chicago can be just as challenging as any other location in the US and it is a lot harder to make the trek out to an accountant when it is below zero here.

The tax season is a different process for everyone. Whether you use a paper form 1040 EZ, an online form, TurboTax, H&R Block TaxCut, go to a tax preparing service like Jackson Hewitt or H&R Block or have your own personal accountant, there are deductions your should know about.

Personally I got to use the energy credit for new energy star windows last year which was thrilling considering how much they cost up front. I also started using TurboTax a few years ago and have enjoyed doing my taxes online with their Q & A format. I actually don’t dread doing my taxes anymore thanks to TurboTax.

I actually think the ads that say an accountant will find you thousands of dollars in refunds is a bit misleading. The people who own businesses and have complicated situations may find more deductions with H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt, but someone single and uncomplicated like me does just fine with an online tax preparation program.

Here are some tips and resources to help you through the tax season in Chicago for 2008 in 2009. I do need to state that I am not a tax professional by any means, but through some research I was able to find these tips that I wanted to share.

This is a helpful list of green tax credits you can claim in 2009.

$150 for some Energy Star furnaces/boilers
$200 for all Energy Star windows
$300 for some Energy Star heat pumps and central AC
$500 for insulation and sealing that meets model building code
$3,150 for the purchase of a hybrid car or SUV

Also, the federal limit in tax credits for home improvements is $500. More information on state tax credits can be found at the Database of State Incentives for Renewable and Efficiency.

This is also a list of common income tax deductions that are often missed:

1. State sales taxes as a deductions.This only applies if you live in a state without income tax like Oregon but work in a state that does have it like Washington. Keep track of these expenses during the year by saving receipts or logging them in Excel.
2. Reinvested dividends. This is more of a tax break since those dividends never got taxed. Bonus!
3. Out-of-pocket deductible charitable contributions. This includes mileage driven for charity and cash donations.
4. Deductible Student loan interest paid by parents. Since the IRS treats student loan repayments by parents as a gift to their child, students that aren’t claimed as dependents can actually deduct up to $2,500 of the loan interest paid by their parents.
5. Moving expense to take your first job. As long as you move more than 50 miles, you can deduct the cost of getting yourself and your stuff to the new locale. You can even deduct mileage.
6. Military reservists travel expenses. Members of the National Guard or military reserve can deduct travel expenses related to drills or meetings as long as they travel over 100 miles and are away overnight. The deduction covers the cost of lodging plus half the cost of your meals. You can also deduct mileage, parking fees, and tolls.
7. Child-care credits. If you pay someone to take care of your kids such that you can work, you might qualify for a tax credit. Note that this is true even if you claim your childcare-related expenses through a tax-favored reimbursement account at work because such accounts are capped at $5,000 while expenses up to $6,000 can qualify for the credit.
8. Estate tax on income in respect of a decedent. You can get an income-tax deduction for the amount of estate tax paid on an IRA the you inherit from someone else.
9. Any State tax you paid last spring. If you owed state taxes when you filed your 2007 return, you can deduct that amount along with the state income taxes that were withheld during 2008.
10. Deductible Mortgage Refinancing points. Any points that you pay when you refinance can be deducted (on a monthly basis) over the life of the new loan. Moreover, all unamortized mortgage points left over from prior years are deducted all at once if you end up refinancing your mortgage in any particular year.
11. Jury pay paid to employer. Some employers continue to pay their employees’ full salary when they’re on jury duty, but require that the employees turn over their jury pay. Since the IRS views this as taxable income, you need to be sure to deduct it. If you don’t, you’ll end up paying double taxes on a portion of your income.
     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit goes to alykat on Flickr.

I realized about 7 years ago that bowling was enjoying a resurgence in popularity when all my friends were spending their weekends in rented shoes at bowling alleys in Chicago. I was surprised to see two bowling alleys packed this evening while driving home. I stopped by a store next to the Willowbrook Bowl on my way home and was surprised to see the parking lot packed. The place was jumpin!

Then just off 290 I saw that the Hillside Bowl was also full to the gills. You could see inside through the large windows and tons of people were bowling on a Saturday night. I remember the days when only the freaks and geeks went bowling at the Tivoli Bowl in Downers Grove on Friday night and the “typical” first date was at the Brunswick Zone  where bowling and pool tables provided many teenager groping opportunities. Things have changed. Bowling is Family Friendly, it doesn’t cost as much as most other social activities and there is “some” exercise involved. I am sure that for some people the retro style bowling shirts and shoes are also a plus. 

Many new bowling alleys have been added to the Chicago area over the last 10 years also. 10 Pin bowling Alley and Lucky Strike Bowling Alley combine bars and huge video screens for sports games all in one.

Here is a roundup of the fees and open bowling times for the local Chicago area bowling alleys that I have been to or heard alot about lately:

1. Hillside Bowl – 4545 HARRISON St in HILLSIDE, IL 60162 (708) 449-5350 See their web site at bowlbowlbowl.com. 36 Lanes.

2. Willowbrook Bowl -735 Plainfield Road in Willowbrook, IL 60527 Call (630) 325-1746 or check out their website at willowbrook-bowl.com. I am not sure how much this bowling alley has been updated over the years, but I remember it from when my Aunt and Uncle used to run the restaurant there. It seems popular again, look for the giant bowling pin on the SE corner of Plainfield Rd and Rt 83 in Willowbrook.

3. Tivoli Bowling Alley – 938 Warren Ave, Downers Grove, IL? phone: (630) 969-0660 Great for afternoon bowling, under the movie theater. Watch out for the HS Bowling Gym Classes though.

4. Brunswick Zone Bowl – 1555 W. 75th St in Woodridge, IL Phone: (630) 985-1115 has pool tables as well as many bowling lanes. Or check out 1515 Aurora Ave in Naperville, IL Phone: (630) 355-7622 or there is another at 558 E. North Ave in Glendale Heights, IL Phone: (630) 858-1300. There are other Brunswick Zone Bowling Alleys tucked in all over Chicago. These are the ones I have either been to recently or a long time ago. Less personal service from Brunswick, since this is a huge chain and it’s hard to be individual and unique that way.?

5. 10 Pin Bowling Alley & Bar at the House of Blues in Chicago -330 N State St, Chicago, IL Call: (312) 644-0300. Watch out for the drunk bowlers, but it is a swanky looking place.

6. Lucky Strike Bowling Alley and Bar in the East Illinois Movie Theater Building Complex -100 Yorktown Shopping Ctr, Lombard, IL – (630) 916-8681 and 322 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL. – (312) 245-8331. $10 – Open to 2 AM.

7. Fireside Bowling Lanes - 2648 W Fullerton Ave in Chicago, IL 60647 Phone: (773) 486-2700 See their website at: firesidebowl.com. A great retro bowling alley on the north side of the city.

Photo credits to RICCIO “il colore del ricordo inganna”, Hryck. and ehoyer on Flickr.
 

Chicago has had some comic shows rotate through town every so often but it has been a while since local comic fans had a large scale event here to attend locally. It is exciting to know that the majority of web and tech workers in the Chicago area will be happy to know that the Chicago Comic Book and Entertainment Show is coming to McCormick Place in Chicago in 2010. (or C2E2 as they call it)

It is more than a full year off, but all geeks rejoice because they will be able to bring out their costumes and partay in 2010. Ok, not everyone who likes comics has a costume, but several people I know do.

I am also surprised at how mainstream comic books are these days and how not-geeky this has become since the popularity of Spider man movies, BatMan movies and especially the Iron Man movie this past summer. There is a huge audience for this event in Chicago and I may even be going myself with my fiance since he and all his friends are big fans also.

The Chicago Comic Book & Entertainment Show details are:

April 16-18, 2010, at McCormick Place’s Lakeside Center

Hopefully this will be as good a show as the New York comicon shows since it is being organized by the same trade show company Reed Exhibitons. They can start by inviting the entire improv community at IO and Second City’s training centers. Then they can hang out at the comic shops and recruit more attendees there. I just know there are probably several hundred thousand people in Chicagoland (out of 9 million) who are comic book fans and collectors. When I find more details I will update this page. More info can also be found at chicagocomicandentertainmentexpo.com.

Back before America went through 2 world wars and weathered the Great Depression, there was an annual National Thrift Week that people participated in. I had never heard of this trend before and none of my relatives had ever mentioned it in their stories about the times when they grew up. National Thrift Week was usually on January 17-24.

Now that the US is in an economic recession and has more unemployment and economic decline looming the idea of National Thrift Week has caught the interest of many bloggers on the Internet. I heard about it from the Get Rich Slowly Blog last week and was interested in the idea of National Thrift Week enough to peruse their website at bringbackthriftweek.org. And while I don’t know if it will ever come back as an unofficial holiday or anything, I do think that it is a compelling idea with principles to consider.

The spending that the consumers, businesses and government has been doing in the last 3 decades is astounding. I don’t think any of us can truly appreciate that much money the government or business has spent over the years or will be spending in this stimulus plan because it is so far removed from the amount of money we are personally responsible for on a daily basis. I do think we have a concept for what our own spending patterns have grown to over the last decade and seeing the current crisis makes me thing a check in on how to scale that back is needed.

National Thrift Week gives us a chance to get back to our roots so to speak and remember what it is that we really need and not focus so much on wants. The basic principles are outlined in each day’s focus of the week: Have a Bank Account Day, Invest Safely Day, Carry Life Insurance Day, Keep a Budget Day, Pay Bills Promptly Day, Own Your Home Day, and Share with Others Day. Most of these days may have also been educational in nature because we were a country going through a transition in lifestyle and money management as we changed from a rural economy to an industrial one.

Personally I think these days might be good to revisit yearly to re-examine each of these areas in your life and with your family’s budget/expenses. Having a family meeting about the bank accounts and interest, investment choices, insurance needs and adjustments, budgeting, bills, how close you are to owning the home outright and sharing with others/charity are all relevant topics today too.

I know that these National Thrift Week ideas and possibly making changes in all of our lives to spend less and save/invest more wisely won’t miraculously fix the economy or make things any better for the overall situation, but it will help you individually. Knowing what is going on in your financial life down to the details is important and re-examining the details in order to make changes is usually helpful in making you less likely to fall into the traps that land people in bankruptcy, foreclosure or serious debt. Considering how hard it is to get a job right now, none of those financial problems will be easy to fix if someone lands in them today.

So, consider participating in National Thrift Week for your familyand look at where you can streamline your budget, save more, invest it wisely, pay off our homes, have the right amount of insurance coverage and share resources with family and friends. It will make all of us less prey to the shifts in the world markets and more confident that things will be ok no matter what happens economically in America.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With the Fed lowering the interest rate to effectively 0% a few weeks back we have all been waiting to see how the consumer mortgage rates will be affected in Chicago. Both the city and suburbs have been affected by the real estate housing bubble and many people who have 6-7% mortgage rates on their homes and condos would love to refinance their mortgage and save some money in this economy.

Just this week Jan 12th, marketwatch reported that 30 year fixed rate mortgage rates went below 5% and down to the lowest rate ever. I am surprised that they have gotten so low and see that marketwatch lists the average mortgage rate for a 30 year fixed rate loan at 4.62% now. Wow that is low. A 300K mortgage with 20% down and a 30 year fixed rate loan at 4.62% is $1,333.00 a month.

If that rate was 5.62% it would be $1,481.00. Low rates save you a lot of money and allow you to use those savings to make extra principle payments and pay the loan off faster which saves a lot on interest paid to the bank over the life of the loan. (remember interest is calculated on the entire loan amount each year, so the amount you really pay for your house over 30 years is usually about 3x the value)

I am not sure which mortgage companies in Chicago can offer these rates though because so many of the banks are in trouble financially right now. Taking in less profit on loans would hurt their chance of recovery. Citigroup Banks is one that is giving higher interest rates like 5.5% on a 30 year fixed loan because of their current financial situation.

I hope that people living in Chicago can refinance their loans at the lowest rate possible and pay off their mortgage home loans quickly and own them outright. It is a difficult thing to do but owning your own home without a mortgage is one of the most rewarding things you can do and gives you so much financial freedom and saves a lot of stress. Look into how you can lower your interest rate and pay off your loan in a shorter time and get freedom from mortgage payments.

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…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Chicago Area Cook County and DuPage Sales Tax Increase

 Chicago Magnificent Mile Lights Festival

 Apple Orchards Autumn Apple Picking

 Top 5 Chicago Tourist Attractions

 Chicago now has 2 Christmas Music Radio Stations

 Naperville Ribfest Festival July 4th Weekend

 Chicago Black Friday Sales and CyberMonday Deals

 Fogo De Chao Brazilian Steakhouse Restaurant

 Chicago Neighborhood and Suburbs Zip Codes

 Chicago Halloween Haunted House

 Chicago Street Closures for Barack Obama Rally

 Taste of Chicago

 Big New Year’s Eve in Chicago 2008  

 Tommy Hillfiger Lighting Christmas Tree at Macy’s 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Holidays and happy after Christmas Day sale shopping!

The Chicago Sketchfest has been a great event to see the top comedy sketches in Chicago(and from across the country) for the last 8 years. Brian Posen does a great job with the team he has working on the event and they really find some creative and inventive new comedy sketch acts to showcase. I have been to the sketchfest for the last 2 years and always end up laughing my arse off. I am also impressed by sponsors ways of showing unique support like the redbull sketchfest sign made from red bull cans and the giant Chipotle burrito that is about 10 ft long hanging from the celing.

There are schedules posted for the performers and shows now, so check them out and buy your passes early because they always sell out. The best deals are usually the weekend passes. This year the event is at the Chicago Theater Building again and the individual shows are $12.50 each for tickets and the full all-sketchfest pass is $150.00.That really is a good deal if you can spend 8 nights of your life in the Chicago Theater Building laughing at comedy. Even if you don’t have that much time on your hands it is still worth going. Especially since it is so f-ing cold, what else can you do in January? Its pretty much see original new comedy at the Sketchfest or see reruns on cable every night? I’d go see Sketchfest.

One of my favorite shows is always Big News, but they aren’t listed for this year nor are they listed on IO’s schedule where they launched a Chicago version of the show earlier in the year. This event is really about discoveringnew shows and new talent so I will go pick something I have never heard of before and be suprised at how random and funny it can be. Maybe I will laugh as hard as I did at the space musical I saw last year.

You may also be asking: “what is the difference between Improv and Sketch comedy?” That is a good question. There are many flavors of comedy in Chicago and the sketchfest specializes in written material that uses some props, video, music and costumes if needed, although it is somewhat low tech compared to SNL or other sketch based comedy shows. Improv is well, improvised on the spot. There is no script, so you make it all up as you go. The Chicago Improv Festival is the home of the Improv fest yearly and both fests are worth attending.

Yet you see a lot of the same people at both events. Both performers and audience members. I think a lot of people learn to create and write great comedy through improv as a process so the worlds overlap and collide in these festivals as well as in the permanent shows around town. You never know who you will see that will end up on SNL in a few years. We have almost too much talent in this city, it is impossible to see it all.

Additionally there is a new sketchfest kids day this year. This is always great for kids who like the performing arts or are just into laughing at wacky stuff. I am sure that these performances have been monitored for language and such so they are clean humor and safe for kids. Think more silly slap stick comedy. The details are:

Sketch Day for Kids presented by the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival on Sunday, January 10, 2009
1PM – Unintentionally Hilarious & 2PM – Bri-Ko
Location: Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont
Adult Tickets - $12.50 each, or $20 for both shows
Kids Under 12 Tickets - $8 each, or $12 for both shows.
Website: ChicagoSketchFest.com or Call (773) 539-4596 for tix

There is just one word of warning about the Sketchfest. (And I hate to mention it since everything else about the fest is so good) The sketchfest is way to big for the Chicago Theater Building. It outgrew it’s venue about 3 years ago and there is not enough room for people to enter and exit each set of shows on the hour and there is absolutely no parking. The valets don’t even have any parking spaces most nights. I sat outside in the cold for a 1/2 hour waiting for someone to leave last year so we could have the valet park our car. So, you *must* take public transportation and walk outside in -20 degree weather to get there, it is the only option. Or take a cab. That would work too. Somehow though, these tickets are always sold out despite the hassle of getting there and maneuvering between theaters in the mobs of people in line out the door and down the sidewalk. Make sure to get your show tickets at least a few weeks in advance.

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. 

The Chicago Cubs are turned the Wrigley Baseball Field Stadium into an ice skating rink this winter for an unusual ice skating experience. I am curious to see how this will turn out. I don’t think anyone ever thought that we need an ice rink in the middle of Wrigley Field, but here we go anyway.

The original purpose is for a hockey game but the Wrigley Field Ballpark Ice Rink was open on January 4th for the general public at $10 per person. The proceeds from this day went to the Cubs Care Charity. There were no skate rentals, so you had to bring your own skates.

The rink was officially built to host the Chicago Winter Classic hockey game outdoors at Wrigley Field on January 1, 2009 between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings. See the photo above from the game and the photo below from the public skate day.

What I don’t undersand though, is that if people have a hard time watching outdoor football games in the cold at Soldier Field in October and November when it is between 50 and 20 degrees farenheight, how did they attract a crowd to watch an outdoor hockey game in Chicago in January when it is between 20 and negative 10 degrees? And you’re not nearly as close to the action? Why would anyone sit outside to watch a hockey game when it is that cold? This was the oddest sports related stunt I have seen in a while.

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Update: There was a lot of media attention and PR buzz about this event and all went well except the Blackhawks lost the game against the Redwings. The community even got to skate on the rink a few days after the game. The thing is, it was cold, about 10 degrees and the people who did go to the game had to go warm up a lot indoors. I am not sure that all the cost of building this temporary rink was worth it, but the publicity seemed to get a ton of attention on the internet and on the local news. Hockey has lost a lot of popularity in recent years due to too many pro sports and not enough time to follow them and the reputation of lots of bloody fighting. Maybe this is a turnaround for the image of the sport? After all there is a lot of skill in the skating done on the ice.

I don’t know anyone who isn’t resolving to loose some extra weight for their New Year’s Resolutions in 2009, and if you want to see how long your resolution lasts, why not try out this offer from the Chicago Park District Gyms: Free membership to the city’s gym facilities from January 2-16. That is a 2 week free to the public membership to over 60 Chicago Park District Gym facilities. It is also a chance for you to get a free gym bag from Nike if you end up starting a membership during this free trial period.

The Chicago Park District Gyms have low rates to begin with and are usually always a better deal than health clubs so why not check out your local Chicago Park District Gym and look at the facility? You might find that they have been recently updated and all kinds of people in the community come to use them. It is a way to get fit for your New Year’s Resolutions in 2009 and get to know your neighbors at the same time. It only costs $40-$75 for 3 months depending on the gym and location. It is a cheaper way to stay in shape than all those pushy salesy big gyms that cost 2-3x as much.

The Chicago Park District Gyms have the same equipment and classes as many of the popular health clubs in the area (Bally’s, Equinox, Total Fitness)They all have computerized treadmills, upright and recumbent bicycles, cross trainers, free weights and benches, multi-station weight machines, cable cross-overs machines and core-focused weight equipment.  The gyms also offer a variety of fitness classes such as circuit training, kickboxing, conditioning, Pilates, spinning, yoga and aerobics.  Some of the facilities also have lap pools. 

If you need a list of the Chicago Park District Gyms, here is one for you with their phone numbers included:
1. Altgeld Park District Gym, 515 South Washtenaw Ave., 312.746.5001
2. Amundsen Park District Gym, 6200 West Bloomingdale Ave., 312.746.5003
3. Archer Park District Gym, 4901 South Kilbourn Ave., 773.284.7029
4. Armour Square Park District Gym, 3309 South. Shields Ave., 312.747.6012
5. Austin Town Hall Park District Gym, 5610 West Lake St., 773.287.7658
6. Avalon Park District Gym, 1215 E. 83rd Street, 312.747.2545
7. Broadway Armory Park District Gym, 5917 North Broadway St., 312.742.7502
8. Calumet Park District Gym, 9801 South Avenue G, 312.747.6039
9. Carver Park District Gym, 939 East 132nd Street, 312.747.6047
10. Clarendon Park Community Center, 4501 North Clarendon Ave., 312.742.7512
11. Columbus Park District Gym, 500 South Central Ave., 773.287.7641
12. Daley Bicentennial Plaza, 337 East Randolph St., 312.742.7648
13. Davis Square Park District Gym, 4430 South Marshfield Ave., 312.747.6107
14. Don Nash Community Center, 1833 East. 71st St., 773.256.0904
15. Eckhart Park District Gym, 1330 W. Chicago Avenue, 312.746.5490
16. Fernwood Park District Gym, 10436 South Wallace Street, 312.747.6132
17. Fosco Park, 1312 S. Racine Avenue, 312.746.5086
18. Foster Park, 1440 West 84th Street, 312.747.6135
19. Fuller Park, 331 West 45th, 312.747.6144
20. Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Avenue, 312.746.5092
21. Gage Park, 2411 W. 55th Street, 312.747.6147
22. Gale School Park, 7631 North Ashland Avenue, 773.262.5051
23. Gill Park, 825 West Sheridan, 312.742.7802
24. Grand Crossing Park, 7655 S. Ingleside Avenue, 312.747.6158
25. Harris Recreational Center, 6200 South Drexel Boulevard, 312.747.2706
26. Harrison Park, 1824 West Wood, 312.746.5491
27. Hayes Park, 2936 West 85th Street, 312.747.6177
28. Hiawatha Park, 8029 West Forest Preserve Drive, 312.746.5559
29. Homan Square Park, 3559 West Arlington Street, 312.746.6650
30. Humboldt Park, 1440 North Sacramento Avenue, 312.742.7549
31. Independence Park, 3945 North Springfield Ave., 773.478.3538
32. Jackson Park, 6401 Street Stony Island Ave., 773.256.0903
33. Kelvyn Park, 4438 West Wrightwood Ave., 312.742.7547
34. Kennicott Park, 4434 South Lake Park Ave., 312.747.7138
35. LaFollette Park, 1333 North Laramie Ave., 773.287.0541
36. Lake Shore Park, 808 North Lake Shore Drive, 312.742.7891
37. Lindblom Park, 6054 South Damen Ave., 312.747.6443
38. Margate Park, 4921 North Marine Drive, 312.742.7522
39. McFetridge Sports Center, 3843 N. California Ave., 773.478.2609
40. McGuane Park, 2901 South Poplar Ave., 312.747.6497
41. Mozart Park, 2036 North Avers St., 312.742.7535
42. Norwood Park, 5801 North Natoma Ave., 773.631.4893
43. Ogden Park, 6500 South Racine Avenue, 312.747.6572
44. Palmer Park, 201 East 111th Street, 312.747.6576
45. Peterson Park, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd., 312.742.7584
46. Piotrowski Park, 4247 W. 31st St., 312.747.6608
47. Pottawattomie Park, 7340 N. Rogers Ave., 773.262.5835
48. Rainbow Beach & Park, 3111 E. 77th St., 773.745.1479
49. Ridge Park, 9625 S. Longwood Drive, 312.747.6639
50. Russell Square Park, 3045 E. 83rd St., 312.747.6651
51. Rutherford Sayre Park, 6871 W. Belden Ave., 312.746.5368
52. Scottsdale Park, 4637 W. 83rd St., 773.284.1826
53. Sherman Park, 1301 W. 52nd St., 312.747.6672
54. Sherwood Park, 5701 S. Sheilds Ave., 773.256.0926
55. Taylor Park in Bronzeville, 39 W. 47th St., 312.747.6728
56. Trumbull Park, 2400 E. 105th St., 312.747.6759
57. Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St., 312.746.5494
58. Washington Park, 5531 S. Martin Luther King Drive, 773.256.1248
59. Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave., 312.742.7511
60. West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St., 773.284.2803

Visit the park district’s official Web site chicagoparkdistrict.org or call 312.742.PLAY, 312.747.2001. Or see the website for more info: cpdit.com/resources/fitness_centers/ And have fun getting more exercise in 2009 while your work on your New Year’s Resolutions.

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

Every winter the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago has a Zoolights festival to celebrate the season. The Lincoln Park Zoo is a free admission zoo in the center of Chicago located on the north side of the city. When you get all those zoo lights up for the holiday and a free admission Zoo to see the animals, why not take the family to the zoo for the day? (parking us usually not free though)

The Lincoln park Zoo’s Zoo lights winter festival runs from December 5th 2008 through January 4th 2009 from 5-9 pm. (closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) The sun goes down at about 4:30  pm in Chicago in the winter so there is more time to view all the beautiful tiny colored lights and decorations. I hope the animals enjoy the festivities too. Every evening there is a musical lights show extravaganza on the south lawn.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is located at 2001 North Clark Street in Lincoln park in Chicago, IL 60614. Phone number 312-742-2000.

The Zoo Lights festival at Lincoln Park Zoo also has a number of activities and food available at the park. Crafts, gifts and holiday foods will all be for sale at the event. On December 5th and 6th visit the starbucks there for a free hot cocoa drink to celebrate the season. And as always the Lincoln Park Zoo has a large collection of animals living there from all around the globe.

The different animal sections of the zoo that you can visit are: Reptiles & Amphibians, Birds and Mammals. The Regenstein African Journey, McCormick Bear Habitat, McCormick Bird House, Regenstein Birds of Prey Exhibit, Kovler Penguin and Seabird House, Helen Brach Primate House, Kovler Lion House, Kovler Sea Lion Pool, Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo, Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House, Hope B. McCormick Swan Pond, Flamingo Habitat, Regenstein Center for African Apes, Antelope & Zebra Area, Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John Deere and The Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo.