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.

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.

The dynamic Riverdance Show in Action

Riverdance Irish Dance Performances are returning to Chicago this spring for their last 5 farewell performances at the Rosemont Theater at 5400 North River Road on March 19-22, 2009. The tickets for Riverdance are on sale now through Ticketmaster. This Riverdance show celebrates Irish song and dance traditions and has shared them with the world over the last years while becoming a worldwide phenomenon, winning Grammy awards, selling millions of DVDs and being viewed by millions of people.

Many people don’t know that like many popular cultural trends the Riverdance show arose from a short dance entry into the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994.(Much line American Idol, but with dancing also) And when the popularity went through the roof the production went on the road. Riverdance has not only been able to popularize names like Michael Flatley, it has changed the image of the country of Ireland since the peace process has ended the violence that was present for decades there  and these dancers traveled the world to show that this country offers so much more. They also paved the ay for other Irish shows like Celtic Women and popularity for local Irish Dance Troupes like our own Chicago Trinity Irish Dancers.

The Riverdance Farewell Tour passes through Chicago for 5 shows in March 2009.

But like all trends and cultural phenomenons, they have to come to an end. Most people have seen Riverdance in person, at shows and on PBS and other TV channels or on DVD many many times by now. I know the Irish community will continue these traditions but the general public has probably ridden the trend wave and now the attendance is down so the show is ending. This is one last performance to say goodbye to this sensational show before it ends. I have seen the show and I recommend it if you missed it before or just want to see it one last time in person.

An innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song, “Riverdance” draws on Irish traditions and the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music to the present day capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures. This extraordinarily unique show features an international company all performing to the magic of Bill Whelan’s music.

Due to a scheduling conflict, performances previously scheduled for March 17 and 18, and March 19 at 2 p.m. have been cancelled. Patrons are being moved to alternate performances or refunds are available at point of purchase.

The performance schedule for “Riverdance” at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 North River Road, is as follows: Thursday, Mar. 19 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Mar. 20 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Mar. 21 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Mar. 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets, which range from $32 – $69, are now on sale and may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (312) 559-1212. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Rosemont Theatre box office and at all Ticketmaster outlets.

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.
 

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The International Exposition of Sculpture Objects and Fine Art (SOFA) is planned for Festival Hall in Navy Pier in Chicago on November 6-9. This is an amazing contemporary art show and well worth the admission to attend. The work on display at SOFA ranges from glass to ceramics to textiles and sculpture. Even if you are not an art expert this show is eye opening and entertaining at the same time.

Art innovates constantly and SOFA Chicago is one of the few places to see what is new and evolving before it hits mainstream. If you are smart you can integrate these style details into your life before everyone else (haha) and become more of a style innovator yourself. That said the purchase prices of these art objects and sculptures are steep. These artwork pieces on display are not quite intended for the general public to buy and are usually purchased for private collections or in museums for the rest of us to enjoy. SOFA Chicago isn’t somewhere to go if you need to furnish your living room unless you are a millionaire. There is also a SOFA VIP Program and a free Lecture series for anyone who would like to attend. There is more info with the dates and times on their website listed below.

Over 35,000 people attended SOFA Chicago in 2007 and there are more than 100 galleries and dealers all in the same location together at Navy Pier. If you buy serious art this is the event to see everything all at once. Tickets to SOFA Chicago are available online for $15 for one day or $25 for a 3 day weekend pass. There is also an opening night Gala event that is $50.00 and you get to see all the art and sculpture objects before anyone else. Personally I was thinking of going since I have never been to SOFA and I hear people raving about it every year. It isn’t that expensive to attend although you will pay another $25.00 on top of your ticket prices for parking at Navy Pier. I think $35.00 is a small price for all that great inspiration.  Check out sofaexpo.com to buy tickets online or you can buy them at the door also.

The alphabetical list of Galleries exhibiting at SOFA Chicago 2008 is:

Aaron Faber Gallery
Adamar Fine Arts
Andora Gallery
Ann Nathan Gallery
Barry Friedman
Beaver Galleries
Berengo Studio
Blue Rain Gallery
browngrotta arts
Bullseye Gallery
Cervini Haas Gallery
Chappell Gallery
Charon Kransen Arts
Collection – Ateliers d’Art de France
COVET – collectable objects & fine art
CREA Gallery
D&M Fine Arts
Dai Ichi Arts
The Dancing Hands Gallery
David Collection
del Mano Gallery
Donna Schneier Fine Arts
Duane Reed Gallery
Eden Gallery
Elliott Brown Gallery
Ferrin Gallery
FLATFILE Galleries
Function + Art
Galerie Besson
Galerie Elca London
Galerie Elena Lee
Galerie Pokorná
Galleri Grønlund
Galleri Udengaard
Galleria Norsu
Gallery Sklo
Garson Baker Fine Art
Glass Artists Gallery
Habatat Galleries, Chicago
Habatat Galleries, Florida-Virgina
HABATAT Galleries, Michigan
Hawk Galleries
Heller Gallery
Holsten Galleries
Jane Sauer Gallery
Jean Albano Gallery
John Natsoulas Gallery
Judy Youens Gallery
Katie Gingrass Gallery
KEIKO Gallery
Kirra Galleries
Lacoste Gallery
Lafrenière & Pai Gallery
Lee Weitzman Furniture
Leo Kaplan Modern
Litvak Gallery
Maria Elena Kravetz Gallery
Marx-Saunders Gallery
Mattson’s Fine Art
Maurine Littleton Gallery
Micaëla Gallery
Modus Gallery
Mostly Glass Gallery
Mowen Solinsky Gallery
National Craft Gallery of Ireland
Next Step Studio and Gallery
Niemi Sculpture Gallery & Garden
Oliver & Espig
Option Art
Orley & Shabahang
Ornamentum
Palette Contemporary Art & Craft
Patina Gallery
Perimeter Gallery
Pistachios
Portals
PRISM Contemporary Glass
rakovaBRECKERgallery
Ruth Lawrence Fine Art
SABBIA
Santa Fe Clay
Sherrie Gallerie
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art
Signature Gallery
Silica Galleries
Sim JaeCheon Gallery
Snyderman-Works Galleries
ten472 Contemporary Art
Thomas R. Riley Galleries
Turkish Cultural Foundation
Twiga
UrbanGlass
Wexler Gallery
William Zimmer
Yaw Gallery
Zygman Voss Gallery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Labor Day Weekend and Holiday Monday are so jam packed with events you won’t be able to stay home for long. Both in the City of Chicago and in the suburbs there are large events and parades happening in addition to all the shopping sales all over Chicagoland. The Chicago Jazz Festival is this weekend, the JayCees Naperville Last Fling and the Labor Day Parades are all day Monday. I know the weather will also be good this Labor Day Weekend, it should be in the upper 80’s and no rain is in the forecast.

First, on Friday at 5pm there is the monthly Critical Mass Bike ride through downtown and the streets of Chicago. Join up wiht them at Daley Plaza at 5pm if you want to ride along. There is a police escort at the front of the pack and bike riding helmets may be required….

The Chicago Jazz Festival is also this weekend in Grant Park. The 30th Annual Jazz Festival runs Thursday through Sunday.  In the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park they will be celebrating 30 years of jazz with two time Grammy Award winner Sonny Rollins. The admission to the Chicago Jazz Festival in Grant Park is Free! The Jazz Festival will run August 29-31 for three days of free music on three stages from 10:00 am-9:30 pm per day. No Dogs or Alcoholic beverages will be allowed in the festival. The Grant Park Petrillo Band shell Schedule is as follows:

Friday, August 29, 2008
5:00-5:50 T.S. Galloway’s Tribute to Capt. Walter Dyett featuring Julian Priester, Ken Chaney, Mwata Bowden, Edwin Daugherty, Ari Brown and Von Freeman
6:00-6:55 AACM Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Amina Claudine Myers, Michael Logan and Thurman Barker
7:10-8:10 Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Tribute to Betty Carter
8:30-9:30 Eddie Palmieri’s Latin Jazz Band

Saturday, August 30, 2008
4:30-4:45 – Remembering Franz Jackson
5:00-5:50 – Pharez Whitted Sextet
6:00-6:55 – Vijay Iyer Quintet
7:10-8:10 – Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy
8:30-9:30 – Gerald Wilson Orchestra with a special guest Kenny Burrell

Sunday, August 31, 2008
5:00-5:50 – Ron Dewar Quintet
6:00-6:55 – From the Netherlands: The Instant Composers Pool
7:10-8:10 – 8 Bold Souls with a Special Guest Dee Alexander
8:30-9:30 – Ornette Coleman

Naperville is also hosting it’s Jaycee’s Last Fling Concert Event in the downtown area. This is the traditional last event of the summer to celebrate and socialize before the official fall season and back to school craziness takes off and fills the calendar. Click here to see the full last fling booklet with the map, directions, schedule and more info you may need.

The Naperville JayCee’s Last Fling 2008 features a Carnival, Main Stage Performances featuring Nationally known Artists, Free performances on the Entertainment Stage daily, a Beer Garden and Dozens of Great Food Vendors and Business Expo Booths From local Naperville Businesses. It is a great place to take the family for a fun night out. Tickets are $10.00 per person on Friday night and $12.00 per person on Saturday and Sunday night. Tickets can be purchased at Oswald’s Pharmacy at 88 Gartner Road in Naperville, 60540 (in the Naperville Plaza Shopping Center) or at Dean’s Clothing at 226 South Main Street in Naperville, 60540 (in Downtown Naperville). The actual location of the Last Fling is: The Naperville Riverwalk, 100 West Jackson Avenue Naperville, IL 60540 phone: 630-961-4143

Naperville Last Fling Dates and Times:

• Friday August 29 @ 5 pm – 11 pm
• Saturday  August 30 @ 10 am – 11 pm
• Sunday  August 31 @ 10 am – 11 pm
• Monday September 1 @ 10 am – 6 pm

Music Concert Schedule
Friday August 29th
8:00 pm to 10:00 pm Dennis DeYoung
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm The Music of Styx – Hi Infidelity

Saturday August 30th
8:00 pm to 10:00 pm The Doobie Brothers
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Painkiller Hotel
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Josh Holmes

Sunday August 31st
8:00 pm to 10:00 pm Gavin DeGraw
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Absentstar
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Kimi Hayes

Monday September 1st
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm The Hat Guys
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Stellar Road 

Enjoy the Labor Day Holiday and have a great weekend!

There is so much happening in Chicago this weekend I am not sure how you will choose which activities and events to attend! The weather should be beautiful with temperatures in the 80’s and no rain.

The Chicago Air and Water Show is front and center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Lakefront. The show turns 50 this year and is still a huge draw to the city for the weekend.

The Cirque Shanghai Gold is still in town and performing at Navy Pier.

The Olympics have the Closing Ceremonies next Sunday night on Channel 5 NBC and a lot of sports coverage all weekend and next week. Check out all the track and field events this weekend on TV or on NBC.com.

You should buy tickets to the Robin Williams stand-up show at The Chicago Theater on September 26 & 27 when they go on sale through Ticketmaster on Saturday morning. (they will sell out) Tickets are from $40.00 – $95.00 and VIP packages are available to meet and greet Robin Williams in person and sit up in the first few rows of the show for $400.00. (Ouch!) No starving comedian who idolizes him will be able to afford that. Ray LaMontagneis also coming through Chicago to play his music this fall on October 1 and tickets are on sale for this folksy acustic gutar player and soulful singer.

If you haven’t seen Dark Knight or Wall-e you should they are still in theaters and have gotten great reviews. Pineapple Express is getting rave reviews too. It is only like th 5th weed themed movie out this year, but people still want to see them. Tells ya something about what people do with their free time around Chicago.

Dance Chicago tickets have also gone on sale and they are available earlier this year. If you have never been to Dance Chicago, it is a month long Dance Festival in November at the Athenaeum Theater on Southport featuring the best performance artists in the Chicago area in many nights of dance performances. Each show is made up of one number from each group and usually contains 7-12 dance groups or performers. The results are diverse and stunning. Order tickets online from Ticketmaster to avoid the rush later.

You can also get tickets to Macy’s Glamorama Party featuring Cindy Lauper and benefiting the Art Institute of Chicago coming up on August 22ns, Next weekend. It has a 80’s pop candy arcade theme and tickets start at $50.00. It sounds like part fashion show, part concert, part 80’s theme party all rolled up into one.  One thing is for sure, you will be able to find out what is hip to buy and wear in clothing this fall.

You could also register to Vote, since the Presidential Election is closer than you think. I know Chicago is hot for Barack Obama but there are some very adamant McCain supporters who live here too. We do know though that it is better to duke it out in the polls legally than in person of course. So, register to vote if you haven’t already.

And if you just want a quiet afternoon with the kids, there is always Lincoln Park Zoo, which is the only Free admission Zoo in Chicago. (although it is a lot smaller than Brookfield Zoo) If your kids are older you may want to check Macy’s, Target, Kohl’s and WalMart for sales on back to school clothes, shoes, supplies and college dorm gear. This year may be a lean one with less money to spend, so it is more important to make sure eveything is on sale and the best deal possible. Many people I know utilize the Kohl’s charge card which gives you 15-30% off coupons in the mail combined with sales in the store. They end up getting everything at 50% off or more. But go early the stores get unbearably crowded in the afternoons.

If none of this is on your weekend to-do list just relax, have a lemonade and enjoy a hamburger from the grill since 6 months from now it will be frigid cold and snowing.

So, have a great weekend and remember “it’s your weekend, have fun with it“!

There are a lot of very affordable (cheap) entertainment and (family) fun options this weekend in Chicago. Whether you live in the suburbs or are planning on getting a hotel room and vacationing in Chicago for the weekend, there is lots to do. If you haven’t gotten tickets to see the award winning show Wicked (the musical) or Jersey Boys, get them quick, the last block of tickets is on sale now. Also, in perfect timing with the Olympics on TV, Circqe Shanghai: Gold is in town performing at Navy Pier. The Museum of Science and Industry also has a new exhibit on Glass Making called The Glass Experience that is a lot of fun for the family. The Chicago Shedd Aquarium also has a new exhibit also called Lizards & the Komodo King. Here are my recommendations and best picks this weekend in Chicago:

1. Everyone knows that the Opening Ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics will begin on NBC Channel 5 at 6:30 pm Friday evening. You can also see Cirque Shanghai: Gold at Navy Pier’s Pepsi Skyline Stage this weekendin between watching Olympic TV events from China. They will be performing there through September 1st so get tickets for later in the month if you are already booked. Tickets are very affordable from $15.00 to $30.00 and it is a fun family event. If you re coming in from the suburbs, take the metra and then a cab or bus from the train station to avoid traffic and the high cost of parking the car.

2. The Museum of Science and Industry has a new exhibit on Glassmaking and Glassblowing that is a lot of fun for the family while also being a learning experience. The Museum of Science & Industry is located at the address: 57th Street & Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60637. Call 773-684-1414 for more information. The Glass Experience, runs through September 1 and this interactive exhibition reveals the science, craftsmanship and beauty from the world of glassmaking. There are live glass blowing demonstrations, Dale Chihuly glass bowls artwork, Tiffany glass shaded lamps and Frank Lloyd wright stained glass windows. Admission is 8.50 for kids and $13.00 for Adults. the Museum of Science and Industry and the Glass Experience is open from 9:30 am to 4pm daily.

3. The Chicago Shedd Aquarium has a new exhibit also called Lizards & the Komodo King through September 1. The John G. Shedd Aquarium is located at the address 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive (Museum Campus) Chicago, IL 60605. Call 312.939.2438 if you have questions for the Shedd Aquarium. This exhibit is neat because the world’s largest lizard is making his first-time appearance in Chicago and they have brought out all the lizard creatures he is related to for show also. Lots of great fish and amphibious creatures are always viewable at the Shedd Aquarium (penguins!) also. Admission is $27.00 for an adult day pass which includes this exhibit.

4. The award winning show Wicked is ending it’s Musical Theater run in Chicago at the Ford Center for the Performing arts (formerly the Oriental Theater) in January. The last blocks of tickets to the shows through December have gone on sale now. They won’t last long, plan tour trip to Chicago and book your hotel rooms now before it sells out. Get your tickets to see Wicked from Broadway in Chicago before it leaves Chicago whether you have seen it many times or have never seen the show before. I saw it 3 times and loved it. Ticket prices range from around $30.00 to $100.00 per seat.

Have a happy and safe Olympic weekend in Chicago!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s that time of year when the leaves are changing color and falling off the trees and you want to find the best place to see them and take some pictures. It is also a great time to take a trip to a local apple picking farm and orchard or to a pumpkin farm to pick some pumpkins yourself from their pumkin patch. Autumn is my favorite time of yearand it’s the best season in Chicago for clear weather. So get out and enjoy it while it lasts!

Fall Leaves Viewing and Photography:

Morton Arboretum – Peak fall tree colors usually happen with the trees in the 2nd week of October. They might change color slightly earlier or later if it gets cold earlier or later this year. See the great view of autumn colors while driving on Route 53 going north as it cuts through the arboretum and you have a great view of the trees from I-88 to Roosevelt Road. They also have tours with guides that can tell you about the trees and the plants as well as you can also just walk through the arboretum on your own. It’s the best place in Chicago to see fall.

The Cook County Forest Preserve has a lot of great trees too. If you have a map and know where you are going, check them out too. And for out of towners wanting to know when their peak fall tree colors change call the National Forest Service Fall Color Hotline at 1-800-354-4595.

Apple Picking and Apple Cider – There are a few orchards still around within driving distance from Chicago for picking your own apples in late summer and early fall. See the list of Illinois apple orchards here.

Pumkin Patch Picking – Not many actual pumpkin growing farms are left near Chicago, but here are 2 I found:

What is happening in Chicago this weekend? What is there to do this weekend in Chicago? I have been searching for the answer to those very questions. (don’t forget to fly the flag on Monday!) Here is the list of events and happenings for the Labor Day Weekend:

All Weekend:

** The 29th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival – In Grant Park – Friday – Sunday – Hear Great Jazz Music and musicians and it’s FREE!

** Taste of Polonia - Taste of Poland –  Live Music Food and Polka Dancing. (just like my ancestors used to do) @ the Copernicus Cultural Center 5216 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago – $3 – $7 Admission 773-777-8898

Friday August 31, 2007

** New Movies Opening this weekend: Halloween, Balls of Fury, Death Sentence, The Nines, Self Medicated and Deep Water. (none that I think are really must see, hey is Bourne Ultimatum still playing?) 

** Critical Mass Bike Ride – Meet at Daley Plaza Downtown @ 50 W. Washington St at 5:30 pm. Ride with some extreme bicyclists in Chicago.

** Wrigley Field – Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros @ 1:20 pm  (avoid the Lakeview area because of huge traffic jams)

** Tony Bennett sings @ Ravinia. These shows most likley sell out, call for ticket availability.

** Second City – Between Barack and a Hard Place is still running at the Main Stage Theater. It’s a great show, and very timley. See it before they write their next revue. Second City is located at 1615 N. Wells Street Chicago. Book tickets online or call for reservations first. These shows almost always sell out.

**IO Theater – Something new from IO Improv Comedy Theater: The Harold Show @ 10:30 PM. This place is great. I have seen dozens of their shows, and no matter who is performing, it is always a great time and I leave laughing.

Saturday September 1, 2007

** Wrigley Field – Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros @ 12:05 pm (avoid the Lakeview area because of huge traffic jams)

**Annoyance Theater  - Funny Improv Shows at 8pm, 10:30pm and 12 midnight. 4830 N. Broadway in Chicago.

Sunday September 2, 2007

** The Download Festival @ 1 p.m. Sunday at the Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island, 1300 S. Linn White Drive $40; 312-540-2000 or www.downloadfestival .com Hear, discover and download new music from a wide range of artists.

** Wrigley Field – Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros @ 1:20 pm (avoid the Lakeview area because of huge traffic jams)

** Enclave (night club, dance and music club/bar)  is hosting a bash called Global Adrenaline 10 Year Anniversary Festival from 5 pm till 2 am. Enclave is at 220 W Chicago Avenue in Chicago, IL. RSVP MANDITORY FOR ADMISSION call (312) 654-0234  I have been to Enclave, and it is a cool night club with a very modern feel.

** Navy Pier – The last weekend fireworks display for the summer, courtesy of Navy Pier. See them one last time at 9:30 pm and tune in on Jack FM on 104.3.

Monday September 3, 2007

Huh? Like are we really supposed to get out of bed on a day off? Isn’t days like this intended for living in the virtual world only? Many people probably plan on logging on to Second Life and WoW for the day and never get out of their pajamas.

Or, this might be your best chance to hit the Chicago Labor Day Sales and get some cool summer stuff on clearance or some stylish new clothes for fall. All the hot new fall styles are out already even though it’s not even cold yet.  Check out the Amazon.com Labor Day Sale, plus Kohl’s and Ikea also have sales planned for the holiday.

And then there is always the chance to have the last grilling BBQ ritual of summer before you put your white shoes and handbag away until next year.

Did I miss a cool event? Post it below and let people know about it!