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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE on Saturday, 23 May 09:

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

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

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

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

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

BIKE THE DRIVE on Sunday, 24 May 09:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago Blues Festival 2008 by lanet and phil via Flickr.

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

Black Blues Guitar by Mr Noded via Flickr

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

And did we mention it is FREE to the public?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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…

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.
     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Every winter people all over Chicagoland huddle around their TV sets to watch the 2 best teams in the NFL go for the Super Bowl win regardless of if our Bears are in the game or not. We still enjoy seeing a good football game with any of the teams and throwing a big Superbowl party to celebrate. My ideas for Superbowl recipes had gotten a bit stale so I did some research for some new ideas and recipes this year in 2009.

Some of my friends enjoy going to one of the many local sports bars to enjoy the camaraderie of a full bar cheering and others like to gather with friends and family and watch the Super Bowl at home. Either way you get the glory of the game and (sometimes) the entertainment of the commercials. (there have been a lot of weird and not-at-all-funny commercials in the last few years)

With the economy doing so poorly this year I am guessing more people will be planning on watching the big Superbowl game at home in 2009. This means that you may have to dig up some recipes for munchies for guests or just for your own kids and family. Here are some non-typical recipes and ideas for  while watching the big Super Bowl game on TV this year.

1. Here is a chocolate treat recipe I red about on a friend’s blog that I think would be very appropriate for a Super Bowl event. Take 2 wheat thins and make a peanut butter sandwich out of them, then dip it in melted chocolate (like a chocolate fountain you may have lying around from 2006 or a Hershey’s kiss fondue pot) It’s a yummy snack attack!

2. If you have a more cultured crowd coming to watch the game try this recipe for baked brie recipe with jam. Take a grocery store pre-made puff pastry and lay out on a cookie sheet. Lay a wedge or round of Brie cheese on top and then spread jam (raspberry works well) on top.  Close up the pie crust over the brie, drizle with maple syrup and sprinkle with a handful of brown sugar. Bake at 350 degrees in the oven for 25-30 minutes until pastry is golden. Let sit and cool for 10 min before serving with crackers and apple wedges. (and wine)

3. Another great crowd pleasing dip recipe is Superbowl BLT Dip. This is great with anything from veggies to crackers to kettle cooked potato chips. Take 4 cooked slices bacon, 3 green onions sliced, 1 cup mayo, 1 cup lowfat greek yogurt, 1/4 cup arugula chopped in a food processor and pulse until chunky. Stir in crumbled bacon and 1 pint chopped grape tomatoes.

4. Use this Superbowl time together with family and friends to catch up. The guys may be glued to the TV and the game but most women I know use the time during the game and during the commercials to chat, catch up and spend some quality time with friends. It is rare that you can see everyone socially during the holidays because of crazy schedules, the Super Bowl is a great time to see some of the people you may have missed or re-unite family that was going in different directions during the holidays.

5. Get Kids involved in the superbowl game by  making a football themed obstacle course throughout the rooms where the TV is not on. It gets the kids up off the couch at least at the commercial breaks and gets them some exercise. Try the running in tires move (with something like hula hoops), the jump over the back of the couch and land on your belly on the cushions move and the run in between a slalom pattern to get them going. They can even time themselves and see who gets the best time. This is also best supervised since you never know what may happen when kids get wound up.

6. Skip the company Superbowl football pool. In a recession like this, who has $20 to throw away anyway? It always ends up that one of the hard core sorts guys gets the best squares and wins. Keep that $20 in the bank for a rainy day this year.

7. Give prizes for best Superbowl football fan wear. Pick the team you will be following in the game and dress to impress with fan colors and gear if you have it. Kids may even want to face paint the number of their favorite player or go 1/2 and 1/2 with the colors of their team on their face or in hair coloring. (hair coloring seems more common for kids these days and in most cases is temporary). You can make a trophy out of tin foil and a small cardboard box for the winner.  

Harry Potter’s props costumes and sets will be coming to the Museum of Science and Industry Exhibition in Chicago in April 2009. The exhibition will be there through September 7th 2009. This is much like the Star Wars Exhibition that they had there in the winter of 2007-2008. The movies are so popular that Harry Potter and Star Wars bring a whole new audience to The Museum of Science and Industry and help raise awareness of the museum for tourists and visitors as well as local residents.

The following for Harry Potter Books is huge in Chicago and an entire generation grew up on these books, reading them from cover to cover over and over again. I expect the tickets to easily sell out for the first few months at the exhibit. I would also expect there to be some demonstrations in the exhibit about how the magic effects happened in the movie and some explanations of how the Harry Potter movies were made.

Tickets on sale now at the Museum of Science and Industry website; $26 for adults, $19 for children, and $25 for senior citizens. There are discounted prices for everyone during the evening hours after the museum closes which is nice since people will pretty much line up forever to see these items in person if they are superfans. And judging from how many people stood in line at bookstores at midnight to get the books each time they were published, I think this will be one of the most popular exhibits at the museum of science and industry to date.

I also think this makes a good trip activity idea for the kids over spring break or summer break in 2009. There are a lot of other educational exhibits there that you should see too if you can make it. The bodyworlds exhibit is always popular. Just stay away from the internet exhibit (ala 1997) and the automobile exhibit (ala 1985). There are some areas of the museum that need a lot of updating.

See harrypotterexhibition.com for details and to buy tickets online.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

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

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

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

The Hours are: Extended Holiday Hours 

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

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

Christmas Day Thu, Dec 25: Closed

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

New Year’s Eve Wed, Dec 31: 9am-6pm

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

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

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

A|X Armani Exchange   
Adidas   
Adidas   
Aeropostale   
Aerosoles   
Aldo   
Ann Taylor Factory Store   
Anne Klein   
Ashworth Golf   
Asian Chao   
Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels   
Banana Republic Factory Store   
Bass   
BCBG Max Azria   
Benetton   
Bose   
Brooks Brothers Factory Store   
Cafe Seattle   
Calvin Klein   
Calvin Klein Underwear   
Carter’s Children’s Clothing
Chico’s Women’s Clothing
Claire’s Accessories   
Clarks Bostonian   
Coach   
Cold Stone Creamery   
Converse   
Crabtree & Evelyn   
Crocs   
Designer Fragrances   
Diesel   
DKNY   
Dooney & Bourke   
Dressbarn   
Dressbarn Woman   
Easy Spirit   
Ecko Unltd   
Eddie Bauer Outlet   
Elie Tahari   
Factory Brand Shoes   
Fossil   
Gap Outlet – Kids & Baby   
Gap Outlet   
Geoffrey Beene   
Giorgio Armani   
Guess   
Guess Accessories   
Gymboree Outlet   
Izod   
J.Crew   
Jockey   
Johnston & Murphy   
Jones New York   
Journeys   
Juicy Couture   
Kasper   
Kate Spade     
Kenneth Cole      
Kitchen Collection   
Lacoste   
Lancôme – The Company Outlet   
Lane Bryant Outlet   
Le Creuset   
Le Gourmet Chef   
L’eggs Hanes Bali Playtex   
Lids for Less   
Limited Too   
Lindt Chocolate   
Liz Claiborne   
Liz Claiborne Shoes   
Lucky Brand Jeans   
Maidenform   
Maki of Japan   
Maternity Works   
MaxMara   
Michael Kors     
Mrs. Fields/TCBY   
Naturalizer   
Nautica   
Nike Factory Store     
Nine West   
Oakley Vault   
OshKosh B’Gosh   
PacSun   
Pearl Izumi   
Perfumania   
Perry Ellis   
Petite Sophisticate Outlet   
Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store   
Puma   
Ranch 1   
Rave    
Reebok   
Rockford Footwear Depot   
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory   
Rue21   
Salvatore Ferragamo   
Samsonite Company Store   
Sarar   
Skechers   
Sony   
Spyder   
Starbucks Coffee   
Strasburg Children   
Stride Rite Keds Sperry     
Sunglass Hut International   
Sunglass Icon   
Sunglass Shop/International Watch Station   
Swarovski   
The Children’s Place Outlet   
The Cosmetics Company Store   
The Fudgery   
The Great Steak & Potato Co.   
Theory   
Timberland   
Time Factory Watch Outlet   
Tommy Hilfiger   
Totes/Sunglass World   
Ultra Diamonds   
Van Heusen   
Villa Pizza   
Villeroy & Boch   
Vitamin World   
Waterford Wedgwood   
Wilsons Leather Outlet   
Zales Outlet   
Zumiez   

I was just viewing this video from Leigh Hanlon on ChicagoCareless.com about how this year’s Macy’s window decorations suck since the company let go their former window designer Amy Meadows and cut the costs to produce the motorized diorama type Christmas holiday displays. In fact they imply that they are so sucky and cheap this year that it’s not worth making the trek from the suburbs or other parts of Chicago to see them. Ouch!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Barack Obama Celebration Party in Grant Park downtown in Chicago will be massive. Millions of people want to attend and assuming Barack Wins, (which a lot of media outlet polls are predicting) the celebrating will be unbelievable. I wish Chicago had more genuine achievements to celebrate like this more often. Anyway, I can’t predict the outcome so no one really will know until tomorrow night. What we do know for sure is that in lieu of the Barack Obama Election Night Celebration spilling over the limit of those who have tickets there will be people everywhere downtown in the Chicago loop near Grant Park. This means a lot of street closures and parking bans in order to mange this massive event. I have been trying to find out the best info on where the streets are going to be closed and the times and days affected.

These Notify Chicago  Alerts that the city set up (and annoyingly requires you to change your password for every 60 days – grrr) have been sending me emails about the street closures and parking bans on Tuesday downtown for the last few days. Apparently the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications has a plan that they email out and it links me back to their home page without a link to the actual street closures list. (Grrr again – come on guys, get it right at least some of the time.) After hunting around for a while I found out that the security looks like it will be tight and I am glad to see that there will be additional CTA service and a lot of police presence to maintain order downtown. Here is the actual list from the City here it is in it’s entirety:  (click map to view full size)

From the City of Chicago Website:

“ The following are some of the parking restrictions, street closures and event guidelines that will be in place starting as early as Monday, November 3rd.

PARKING BANS:
Parking bans will be in effect from Lake Michigan to the Kennedy/Dan Ryan Expressway, and from the River on the North to 22nd Street on the South Tuesday, November 4th after the PM rush hour.  Residents should pay special attention to new posted signs.

STREET CLOSURES:
On Saturday, November 1, 2008, Balbo will be closed between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive.  After the November 3rd AM rush hour, Columbus will be closed between Congress and Roosevelt. After the PM rush hour, the closure will extend as far north as Randolph.  Residents may see additional rolling closures throughout the Central Business District from Tuesday afternoon thru Wednesday morning.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
The Chicago Transit Authority will provide additional service and extend the hours of select bus and rail routes serving the Loop until 2 a.m. for individuals attending election night events downtown (yes!)- including the Obama Grant Park rally – on Tuesday, November 4. CTA will operate longer trains; provide additional bus service and later service to accommodate attendees. Temporary street closures in the vicinity of Grant Park may necessitate reroutes so customers should allow extra travel time.  In addition, due to potentially crowded conditions, bicycles will not be allowed on the rail system after 4:00 p.m. Tuesday until 4:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. (bummer)

MEDIA PARKING:
Event organizers are coordinating media parking inside Hutchinson Field. For security reasons, media parking outside of Hutchinson Field around Grant Park will also be heavily restricted.  Media can stage satellite trucks on Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt to Cermak. Maintaining compliance with all other parking regulations.  Additionally, media staging is available in front of the Hyatt Hotel, 151 East Wacker on the south curb lane.

HUTCHINSON FIELD:
The November 4th event in Hutchinson Field is a ticketed event hosted by the Obama Campaign.  The site opens at 8:30 p.m. and ticketed residents have been asked to enter through either East Congress Parkway or East Jackson.  Everyone coming into Hutchinson Field will be screened by event organizers and they have asked that residents refrain from bringing any bags, coolers, bottles, chairs, signs, banners or strollers into the park.  For more information on the event in Hutchinson Field, contact the Obama Campaign 

For details about all CTA service call 836-7000 (all local area codes) or visit the CTA web site at transitchicago.com to use the travel planner feature. “

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Update: 9/27/08

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

The Chicago Gourmet Festival (or the seriously fancy food show) brings the finest in foods, chefs, wines and housewares to the public downtown in Millennium Park on September 26th, 27th and 28th. This event is part housewares show, part celebrity gourmet cook instructional lesson and part wine tasting all in one. It makes sense though good food pairs well with fine wine and requires unique prep utensils and recipes to achieve. The Chicago Gourmet Festival would be the perfect place to bring your friend the “foodie” and the “wine snob” to socialize. I also think in a own economy people are saving money in some areas and spending it in comfort food and in enriching their experience at home. The Chicago Gourmet Festival offers new recipes and culinary skills which are a part of feathering the nest and keeping up with the Joneses at the same time.

The big draw to this event seems to be the Celebrity Chefs and Master Wine Sommeliers. Everyone from Chicago hometown fave Rick Bayless to AlpanaSingh will be there up close and personal to chat with and learn from. The Master Sommeliers for the Chicago Gourmet Festvial are Frederick Dame, Alpana Singh, Joseph Spellman and Serafin Alvarado.  There will me many more celebrity chefs in each of the events that are not specifically listed. If you enjoy the food network and channel 11’s create channel you will love this event.

The ticket prices are a bit…well, pricey. It is $150.00 for a one day ticket pass and $250.00 for a weekend ticket pass. (not including parking) ( Use your American Express Card and this code for a 15% off discount CG2008DC) I would guess there is some cooking schwagthat you get along withthat (cook books, wine bottles and housewares) to make it worth that much money? Or maybe it is just about exclusivity and access to the celebrity chefs? You can get into the special event tents for other amounts of money if you know there will be a certain chef there that you want to see. The Grand Cru tastings are $175.00, theCIA Worlds of Flavor Pavilion is $95.00 and the Whole Foods Pavilion and the Seminars are each $30.00. (the most reasonably priced thing on the menu)  Tickets can be purchased through the chicagogourmet.org website online or at the door of the event if they have not sold out.

- The Schedule of Special events for the Chicago Gourmet Festival:

- Friday, September 26, 2008

The Opening Night Receptionon the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace from 6:30 to 10:30 pm Tickets are $250.00. All the celebrity chefs and master sommeliers will be there.

- Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Chicago Gourmet Festival Opens in Millennium Park at 11 am and goes to 6 pm.

Grand Tasting Tents on the Great Lawn 11 am to 6 pm.

The Seminar Seriesat the Cultural Center, The Gage restaurant, or Pritzker Pavilion Choral Room times: 11 am to 5 pm. All the Master Sommeliers are presenting wine seminars including “Wine Pairing in Chicago’s Neighborhoods” by Channel 11 Check Please Host Alpana Singh, “Tasting Wine the Master’s Way” by Frederick Dame, “Syrah, A Global View ” by Joseph Spellman and “Exploring Eco Friendly Wines” by Serafin Alvarado.

Whole Foods Market Family Village in Millennium Park is open from 11 am to 3 pm. Tickets are only $30 bucks. the most affordable part of this event. (I bet you never thought you would hear the words “Whole Foods” and affordable in the same sentence) Whole Foods will still offer celebrity chef cooking demos and great samples.

CIA Worlds of Flavor Pavilion on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace 12 pm to 2 pm.This event features a latin flavor and decor as well as cooking demonstrations by Enrique Olvera, Chef and Owner of Pujol Restaurant in Mexico City, Norman Van Aken, Chef and Owner of Norman’s in Miami, and Coque Ossio, Chef and Owner of a consortium of restaurants in Peru.

Grand Cru Tasting on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace from 4 pm to 5:30 pm. This event features the top 50 finest wines in the world as selected by the Master Sommeliers at the Chicago Gourmet Festival this year: Frederick Dame, Alpana Singh, Joseph Spellman and Serafin Alvarado.

- Sunday, September 28, 2008

Chicago Gourmet Festival in Millennium Park is open from 11 am to 5 pm.

Grand Tasting Tents on the Great Lawn open from 11 am 5 pm.

Seminar Seriesat the Cultural Center, The Gage restaurant, or Pritzker Pavilion Choral Room from 11 am to 5 pm. See the list above, the same wine tasting educational seminars are offered.

Whole Foods Market Family Village in Millennium Parkis open from 11 am to 3 pm. Tickets are $30.00.

CIA Worlds of Flavor Pavilion on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace is open from 12 to 2 pm. See the description from Saturday, the same Celebrity Chefs will be presenting and cooking. It was inspired by the Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival held annually in Nappa Valley.

Grand Cru Tasting on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace is open from 3:30 pm 5 pm. See Saturday’s descriptions as the same sommeliers will be presenting the top 50 wines again at the Chicago Gourmet Festival.

The Chicago Celtic Festival is another free festival in Grant Park from the Mayor’s office of Special Events in Chicago. (they are so generous there) The Celtic Festival originated to celebrate the 7 original Celtic Nations. The original Celtic Nations were: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, The Isle of Man, Cornwall, Spain, Brittany France and Galicia. For the purpose of the festival they celebrate Celtic music, dance, golf sports, food, tartan kilts and more fun activities for the whole family. It is Free to the public and runs from 11 am to 9pm on Saturday and Sunday. Come out to explore your Irish, Scott, Celtic or Welsh heublritage as well as learn more abut the history, music, culture and food from that green region of the world.

The Schedule of events at the Celtic Fest include many musical acts, dance,

At the Petrillo Music Shell the bands will be:

Saturday, September 13, 2008
6:00pm The Elders
7:15pm Great Big Sea

Sunday, September 14, 2008
6:00pm Old Blind Dogs

At the Celtic Crossroads Stage the Musical performers will be:

Saturday, September 13, 2008

11:30am Cara
12:50pm Beoga
2:10pm Old Blind Dogs
3:30pm Larkin & Moran Brothers
4:50pm Men In Kilts Leg Contest

Sunday, September 14, 2008

11:30am Errigal
12:50pm Mary Jane Lamond
2:10pm The Willis Clan
3:30pm The Muck Brothers
4:50pm Bodega

The Celtic Voice Tent has all kinds of interesting speakers with a wide variety of Celtic, Irish, Welsh and cultural topics. I have heard about the shapeshifters from listening to Glen Hansard talk in concerts I have listened to online. It sounds like an interesting folklore and history.

Celtic Voice Tent

Saturday, September 13, 2008
Noon Finding Your Chicago Irish – with Sharon Shea Bossard
1:15pm Kevin Henry and Maggie Healy
2:30pm Tim O’Sullivan
3:45pm Learn to Speak Welsh
5pm Mary Jane Lamond
6:15pm Irish Heritage Singers

Sunday, September 14, 2008
Noon The Old Town School Women’s Choir
1:15pm Jim Wearne
2:30pm From Celts to Christians, Ireland in Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages – with Sean Doyle
3:45pm David Llewellyn
5pm The Shapeshifters and Fairy
6:15pm Navan

Learn to dance at the Céilí Dance Tent!! I have always wanted to learn more about the Riverdance style of Irish Dance, here is my chance.

Saturday, September 13, 2008
12:00-1pm Emma O’Sullivan & Sean Nos performance and instruction
1pm-3pm Broken Pledge Ceili Band & Ed Heffernan, dance instructors
3pm-4:30pm Glen Ayre & Ken Chau, dance instructors
4:30pm-6pm Broken Pledge Ceili Band & Ed Heffernan, dance instructors

Sunday, September 14, 2008
12:00-1pm – Emma O’Sullivan & Sean Nos performance and instruction
1pm-3pm – Ceoltoiri Chicago & Brendan Houlihan, dance instructor
3pm-4:30pm – Glen Ayre & Barbara Cool, dance instructor
4:30pm-6pm – Ceoltoiri Chicago & Brigid Sutton, dance instructor

And finally all the Irish Dance Companies that will be performing this weekend!

Saturday, September 13, 2008
12:00pm Sets of Erin
12:30pm Evanston Scottish Country Dancers
1:00pm McNulty School of Irish Dance
1:30pm Thistle & Heather Highland Dancers
2:00pm Trinity School of Irish Dance
2:30pm Teresa y Los Preferidos Spanish Dance Co.
2:45pm World Academy of Irish Dancers
3:15pm Gillan School of Highland Dance
4:00pm Dennehy Irish Dancers
4:45pm Sheila Tully School of Irish Dance
5:15pm Teresa y Los Preferidos Spanish Dance Co.
5:30pm Cas Dannsa
6:15pm Lavin-Cassidy School of Irish Dance

Sunday, September 14, 2008
12:00pm Gaelic Park Set Dancers
12:30pm Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
1:00pm Spriorad Damhsa
1:30pm -illan School of Highland Dance
2:15pm Cross-Keys School of Irish Dance
2:45pm Teresa y Los Preferidos Spanish Dance Co.
3:00pm Mullane Healy O’Brien Academy
3:45pm Thistle & Heather Highland Dancers
4:15pm The McDance Company
4:45pm Teresa y Los Preferidos Spanish Dance Co.
5:00pm Anam Mor
5:30pm Cas Dannsa
6:15pm Dillon-Gavin School of Irish Dance

If you do decide to go to the Celtic Fest, remember that street parking is impossible to find and parking underground is the only option and it is expensive at ~$30.00. The best way to get there is by public transportation. Buses and EL trains are convieniently in the area and the Metra is also an option from the suburbs with a cab from the station to the fest if needed.

The Chicago Celtic Festival is free to the public and open from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. The only rules are no dogs of course for saftey purposes. For a map of the Chicago celtic fest click here.

This year the Chicago Windy City Wine Festival is being held on September 5th and 6th at Daley Plaza downtown in Chicago. The Wine Festival starts on Friday evening at 4pm and goes until 10 pm. It continues on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm and is open until 10 pm again. Tickets are available to purchase for the Windy City Wine Festival Online at windycitywinefestival.com/buy.html or call 847-382-1480 to purchase them by phone.

Tickets are $25.00 for the wine tasting in advance and $30.00 each at the door. Additional tasting coupons can be purchased for more tasting at the festival for $5.00. There is even a designated driver ticket available for $10.00 which gets you 2 non-alcoholic drinks and food as well as access to cooking demonstrations and a copy of the festival program.  

They have also included live bands performing at the event to add to the relaxed atmosphere and they have brought in several local wine experts and Sommeliers to present information about choosing, buying and pairing wines with food as well as information about the wine making process.

It is interesting that even though the economy has slowed down people have certainly not stopped drinking wine. People have decided that buying cheaper food and clothing as well as saving energy were all bearable changes but the Chicagoans are not giving up their wine drinking. Wine sales have increased an enormous amount in the last decade thanks to movies like Sideways that made it a cool, independent, social and cultural hobby to have.

Chicago may not have any vineyards or be written about much in Wine Spectator but we have a lot of wine drinkers and buyers in the Chicagoland area. They have been a fan of the Chicago Wine Festival and the Naperville Wine festival the last few years. Also a few stores like Armanetti’s, Sam’s Wines and Spirits and Binny’s have made buying from huge selections of wine from all over the world possible under one roof for very affordable prices. Also, hundreds of small wind boutiques have popped up like Wine Expressions and Wine Styles in all the small shopping centers in the suburbs.

Yuppies and baby boomers liked taking a bottle of wine to dinner at a friend’s house or serving a new wine guests had never tried before at parties. This novelty as well as great taste has kept wine popular while other luxury items have trailed off in popularity since the economy has slowed down. Click here for a map of the wine festival grounds and plan your trip today.

The entertainment and educational presentation schedule for the fest:

Friday, September 5 – 4-10pm

5:00-5:25pm – Tim Laird, Mixology, The Art of the Wine Cocktail.
5:30-6:00 pm – “Cutting Edge White Wines” Serafin Alvarado, Master Sommelier Director of Wine Education, Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois
6:05-6:35 pm – Sheri Sauter Moran, Wines of France
6:40-7:10 pm – Colleen Stewart, The Bonterra Vineyards Organic Road Show
7:15-7:45 pm – THE HEARTY BOYS
8:00-9:45 pm – KIM MASSIE

Saturday, September 6 – 3-10pm

3:30-4:05 pm – Sheri Sauter Moran, Wines of France
4:10-4:40 pm – Steve Ciappette Viand
4:45- 5:15pm – Fetzer Eco Tour “Growing Green”
5:30-6:40 pm – DAYNA MALOW
6:50-7:20 pm – Tim Laird, Mixology, The Art of the Wine Cocktail.
7:25-7:55 pm – THE HEARTY BOYS
8:15-9:45 pm – MICHAEL HEATON BAND

Have you ever needed a zip code to find out an address or mail a letter to someone and needed their zip code? I run into this problem a lot so here are the zip codes I have been able to compile from a few different places on the web. There are Chicago neighborhood zip codes from the north, south and west side of the city and some near Chicago suburban zip codes too. The zip codes are all listed aphabetically for easy reference. Hopefully this list will be helpful and if you bookmark it you can come back again to look the zip codes up as soon as you need them. No more hunting for old letters or christmas card envelopes with return addresses on them!

Albany Park zip codes- 60625, 60630
Andersonville zip code - 60640
Belmont Cragin zip codes – 60639, 60634, 60641, 60707
Berwyn & Forest Park, IL zip codes - 60402, 60130, 60398
Beverly zip code - 60643
Bridgeport, IL zip codes – 60608, 60616, 60609
Bronzeville - 60653
Bucktown zip codes - 60622, 60647
Chatham zip codes - 60620, 60619
Chinatown zip code - 60608
Dearborn Park & Printer’s Row - 60605
DePaul zip code - 60614
Downers Grove, IL - 60515, 60516
Edgewater - 60640, 60660
Edison Park & Jefferson Park - 60630, 60631, 60646
Englewood - 60636
Evanston, IL - 60201, 60202, 60203
Gold Coast & Streeterville - 60610, 60611
Greektown - 60607
Highland Park, IL - 60035
Horner Park - 60618
Humboldt Park - 60647, 60651, 60624
Hyde Park & Kenwood - 60615, 60637, 60653
Irving Park - 60641, 60618
Lakeview - 60657, 60613
Lincoln Park - 60614
Lincoln Square - 60625, 60659
Logan Square - 60647, 60641, 60639
Loop - 60601, 60602, 60603, 60604, 60605, 60606
Marquette Park - 60629
Naperville, IL - 60540, 60563, 60564, 60565
Near North Chicago- 60610, 60611, 60654, 60606
Near South Chicago - 60605, 60607
Near West Chicago - 60606, 60607, 60610, 60612, 60622, 60661, 60608, 60616
North Center & St. Ben’s - 60613, 60618, 60657
North Park & Budlong Woods – 60625, 60659, 60646, 60630 Old Town: 60610, 60614
Oak Lawn, IL - 60453, 60454, 60456, 60457, 60458, 60459
Oak Park & River Forest, IL - 60301, 60302, 60303, 60304, 60305
Pilsen & Little Village - 60608, 60616
Portage Park - 60641
Ravenswood – 60625, 60640
River North - 60610, 60611
River West - 60606, 60622, 60610, 60661
Rogers Park – 60626 Roscoe Village: 60618, 60657
Schaumburg, IL - 60173, 60179, 60192, 60193, 60194, 60195, 60196
Skokie, IL - 60076, 60077
South Shore - 60649, 60617, 60619, 60637
St Charles, IL – 60174
Tri-Taylor & UIC University Village – 60607
Ukrainian Village - 60622, 60612, 60607
Uptown & Buena Park - 60640, 60660, 60613
Washington Park - 60615, 60637, 60609, 60621
West Ridge & Warren Park - 60659, 60645
West Town - 60612, 60622, 60647, 60610
Wicker Park - 60622, 60647, 60614
Wilmette, IL - 60091
Winnetka, IL - 60093
Wrigleyville Chicago - 60613, 60657

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“!

Every year the Chicago Air and Water Show airplanes buzz our buildings on the Thursday and Friday before the show downtown. They practice the airshow routines over the buildings and the Chicago lakefront. You can see some of the show from here but because we are on Michigan Avenue a lot of the other buildings block some of the view. The clearest view is still near the beaches north of downtown. (Gold Coast, Old Town, Lakeview, Lincoln Park areas) if you plan on coming into the city from the suburbs to view the Chicago Air and Water show in person, beware of expensive parking garages and lots of traffic. Most people avoid driving (plus Gas is wicked expensive these days) and just take the Metra into Union Station and take a cab or bus to the North Ave or North Street beach. 2.2 Million people is a lot to deal with in a small area. Public transportation is the way to go.

From the official City of Chicago page we learn that:
There will be an additional day of shows on Friday, August 15. This is new, they have never done a show during the work week before.

The Friday Schedule :
• the show starts with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels at 3:00 p.m. and then the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team will parachute into the city.
• There is a Free concert at the North Ave. Boat House @ 5:00 pm and after the concert, the air show starts again with more flying and aerobatic demonstrations until dusk. (Lima Lima)
• Fireworks will be shown from 8:45-9:00 pm

The Schedule is a little different for Saturday, August 16 & Sunday, August 17:
• The Water portion of the show begins at 9 am (but does anyone really watch this part?)
• The Air Show runs from 11 am – 4 pm with the same performer list as on Friday.

Chicago Air and Water Show Performers 2008:

• U.S. Navy Blue Angels F-18s
• U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights
• F-22 Raptor
• U.S. Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Team
• AeroShell Aerobatic Team
• The Firebirds F-16
• Lima Lima Flight Team
• Sean Tucker & Team Oracle Challenger
• Bill Leff Airshows T-6
• Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band and Special Guest play at the North Avenue Boat @ 5:00 pm on Friday.
• Shell Extreme Watershow
• Herb Hunter – The Voice of the Chicago Air and Water Show
• The Collaborators with the Oracle BiPlane

Some great pictures from Flickr:

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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!

Update: The Zed 451 locations in Downers Grove and Schaumburg have closed. The only ZED location still open is in the River North neighborhood of Chicago.

The Zed 451 restaurant opened in Chicago a few years ago after Fogo de Chao brought Brazilian beef to the city and a new way of dining. Zed 451 is no copycat though. They have put their own spin on this unlimited buffet of beef in Chicago. First off, if you are a vegetarian, this is not the restaurant for you.

The concept is that for $49.00 (plus tax, tip and drinks) you get an all you can eat (prix fixe) experience featuring a large salad bar and about 15 choices of meat. The style of eating originated in Brazil and is called Churrascaria where all the meats are barbecued on a rotisserie and then usually served off that rotisserie by the Gauchos who walk around from table to table slicing off pieces of meat. This is an enjoyable style of restaurant if you are a big beef or red meat fan although there are some chicken and shrimp options now that they have diversified to meet the local tastes.

Zed 451 specialized in making this an upscale and more modern experience when they revamped the two Sal & Carvao restaurants without the gauchos under the new name in early 2007. (Located in Schaumburg and Downers Grove) In 2008 they went for more cache’ and opened a flagship Zed 415 restaurant in the River North neighborhood on Clark Street in downtown Chicago. Surely, all big Chicago steakhouses have a trendy downtown location. The atmosphere is cool but upscale and the wine bar and rooftop lounge downtown is a hangout most evenings for sales people, lawyers and the downtown social set. (or those who want to be)

Zed 451’s food is still centerstage though and it doesn’t disappoint. Some people have said that the meat is not absolutely perfectly cooked to their liking but I never have had that problem. The bacon wrapped fillet is the most amazing thing ever. The fillet mignon is also amazing on it’s own. The options also include fish (citrus salmon, macadamia nut encrusted fish) shrimp and chicken. The beef is usually cooked somewhere between medium and medium well so if you like rare meat, it will be hard to find here. It is just the level of cooking that most people want for their beef.

Overall, I think Zed 451 is a great place to go for a special dinner in Chicago, Schaumburg or Downers Grove. I like going to the suburban locations more than the downtown Zed 451 because they are less crowded and you can enjoy a meal there without traffic, reservations, parking hassles or hipsters judging you. 

Zed 451 is open 7 days a week for dinner from 4:30 pm to 11 pm and for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3pm. Reservations can be made online through the opentable system or by calling the numbers below.

The Zed 451 address locations are at:

• 801 E. Algonquin Road in Schaumburg, IL Phone: (847) 925-0061
• 3008 Finley Road Downers Grove, IL Phone: (630) 512-0900
• 739 N. Clark Street in Chicago, IL Phone: (312)266-6691

There is a lot going now that it is mid-summer in Chicago. The weather is great, there are new restaurants opening all the time and there are festivals and concerts every weekend.  If you are in Madison,  Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis or Milwaukee, why not hop on the train and spend the weekend in Chicago? (or you could drive too) Its an affordable vacation that has all the fun of a trip to the coast or overseas. (even with downtown Chicago Hotel Prices) The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum Campus and Restaurants here in Chicago rival those all the world. Here are some of my picks for this weekend in Chicago.

1. The Art Institute of Chicago has a new exhibition on The Arranged Flower: Ikebana and Flora in Japanese Prints that is ending on August 3rd. Catch it before it leaves. Also there is a new exhibit called “Graphic Thought Facility: Resourceful Design” that is in Gallery 24 through August 17th. That exhibit at the Art Institute is devoted to graphic design. It’s fun to go and play name that Font. The Art Institute is located at: 111 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois 60603-6404

2. Lollapalooza Is happening soon in Chicago. (August 3-6) It’s a last minute grab for tickets on Craigslist and the Lollapalooza site.

3. Wicker Park Fest is also happening this weekend on the west side of the city. They say to come party like a Hipster. Do any hipsters still live in Wicker Park? I thought it was all Yuppies now…Anyway the fest is still fun on Saturday July 27th and Sunday July 28th from 11:30 am to 11:30 pm Wicker Park Avenue and Damen in Chicago, IL 60622. The cover charge is $5.00 and it looks like there will be a lot of bands playing all weekend. Expect underground obscure stuff if you like to discover new bands before they make it big.

4. Critical Mass Bike Ride – on the third Friday night of the month at 5pm the bike riders meet in Daley Plaza downtown and ride throughout the city in a different path every time. It is always fun and somehow tied to activism in Chicago. It also happens to be very good use of a bicycle for exercise.

5. The Randolph Street Market Festival is also happening this weekend at 1350 Block W. Randolph Street in Chicago. Come to browse or buy the antiques from all over the country. Some unique stuff is here you won’t find anywhere else. But don’t expect flea market prices. It’s pricey quality antiques and the cover charge is $10 to enter.

6. WICKER PARK and BUCKTOWN Sidewalk Sale is happening on Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27th. The hours are Saturday, July 26 from 11am-6pm and Sunday, July 27 from 12pm-5pm. get your hipster clothes and accessories at 1/2 price at the end of summer sidewalk sales.

Few things can ignite the senses of women in Chicago more than fat free desert treats like Fro Yo, Starfruit, YoBerri, Red Mango and PinkBerry (which hasn’t quite arrived yet). (what we have forgotten coldstone’s mashed up madness so quickly?) Remember how much you loved TCBY fat free white chocolate mousse frozen Yogurt in the 1990’s? This latest frozen yogurt craze of companies seem to have made that basic product tastier healthier and better.

It looks like these new stores do a lot more with flavors and toppings now than they did back in the TCBY era and Fro Yo, Red Mango, YoBerri, Berry Chill , Starfruit and PinkBerry are rolling in the profits as a result. There is also another copy cat chain called Berry Chill opening in Ogilvie Transportation Center (Metra Train Station) downtown in the loop this fall. Some people think that five or six dollars for ice cream (or fat free frozen yogurt) is too much to pay for indulgent guilt free treats. Others are addicted. I am usually one that is addicted to fat free snacky treats but as of yet I can’t find one of these hip trendy frozen Yogurt stores near where I work or live.

Here is what I found about the locations so far in Chicago and the suburbs (Evanston). They seem to all be open until 10 or 11 PM for almost midnight snacks and everyone is comparing them to see which one is the best in Chicago.

Fro Yo Locations: Some say it is a more tart sweet flavor than traditional frozen yo. This seems to be what is so addictive about it. They don’t have stores of their own but it can be bought at other ice cream and yogurt places like Treats in Lakeview – Lincoln Park at 3319 North Broadway Street between Aldine and Buckingham in Chicago, IL 60657. The phone number there is 773-525-0900.

YoBerri Locations: Lakeview & Lincoln Park Neighborhood in Chicago: 2814 N Halsted Street between Diversey and Wolfram Street in Chicago, IL 60657 Phone number 773-348-3762  This location isn’t even listed on the corporate website. Maybe it’s a secret test marketing spot? Brown Line stops at Diversey near by for easy transit. People seem annoyed at their lack of eco-consiousness in using Styrofoam cups for the frozen yogurt.

Red Mango Locations: Evanston just north of Chicago. Purple Line Accessible. The address is 809 Davis Street between Benson and Sherman in Evanston, IL 60201. The phone number is 847-866-0998.Red Mango has by far the most fans online and everyone has only good things to say about the yogurt, the fresh fruit toppings and the store. It is usually packed until closing time, expect parking to be hard to find (not that it’s any easier in Lakeview) and a line to reach the counter if it’s near lunch or dinner time.

Berry Chill Locations: Said to be the closest to PinkBerry available here in Chicago. The store is located on the Near North Side at 635 North State Street between Erie and Ontario in Chicago, IL 60610. Not far from the Drake hotel for visitors and vacationers. The phone number for the store is 312- 266-2445.

StarFruit Cafe Locations: In the Wicker Park neighborhood located at 1745 West Division Street between Hermitage Ave & Wood St in Chicago, IL 60622. The phone number is 773-328-2900. This one has more a jamba juice take on frozen yogurt adding more health related nutrient options and toppings on their slightly tart Kiefr frozen yogurt.  

PinkBerry Locations: Not in Chicago at this time. You have to travel to LA or NYC for this treat.

The kicker on all of this is that fat free frozen soft serve yogurt isn’t that hard to find at other restaurants and places around Chicago. It is even worth mentioning that the fat free soft serve frozen yogurt at McDonalds isn’t even that bad or different from all these other newbies except that it is only in chocolate and vanilla and costs $0.99. So, I will be on the lookout for trying these new frozen yogurt yo pink fro berry mango chill locations all over Chicago and I will probably try them too. But I don’t really expect them to outlast TCBY or certainly not McDonald’s. I may even head down to Bobtail for a shake full of real Ice Cream just for fun or get a pint of Fannie May mint meltaway ice cream to really taste what good ice cream is like.

It is officially Fourth of July weekend now and we have a lot going on around Chicagoland. I am not sure how anyone would go to all these events, but here is a list of things going on from the family friendly to the avant gard. If nothing else, enjoy the holiday weekend and relax while celebrating our independence one more time. It is a good time to pause and reflect on patriotism, freedom, our values and the upcoming presidential elections in November. It is also a time for food, family and flags. So it’s your 3 day weekend, have fun with it!

1. Taste of Chicago is still running. If you haven’t had your giant turkey leg yet this year, this is the place to do it. Downtown in Chicago in Grant Park. Admissions is free, food is sold by a ticket system and expect drinks to be expensive.

2. The Naperville Ribfest (the suburban anti-taste) is running this weekend also. This festival celebrates the joy that is barbecued ribs with rib cooking specialists from all over the country. My favorite is still Sweet Baby Ray’s though. There will be Fireworks at 9:30 pm on Friday night for the 4th of July.

7/4/08 Update: If you go to the Ribfest, you must-must-must park at one of the lots and take a shuttle to the event. We found no parking within a mile of Ribfest yesterday and we ended up parking at the 5th Avenue Metra Station in Naperville and taking the bus shuttle to Knock park behind Edwards Hospital. (the Ribs were great though!!!) And Ted Nugent was mighty entertaining.

3. The Lisle Eyes to the Sky Hot Air Balloon Festival is also happening this weekend in the  SW suburbs. The Lisle Eyes to the Sky festival is off Route 53 in Lisle,IL at Short Street between Maple and Ogden Ave. But much like Ribfest, if you go there isn’t any parking located there. You have to go into downtown Lisle at the Metra station, park there and walk or take a shuttle to the festival. Also much like Ribfest there are live musical acts, fireworks and all the carnival foods and rides you would expect of these summer carnival fests. The balloons usually launch at 6:30 pm each evening and 5:30 am each morning. The one bummer of this fest is that you can’t actually ride in a balloon yourself and the wind sometimes grounds the launches all together. It is a free event though, so at least there is no cover charge.

4. The Navy Pier City of Chicago fireworks display will be the day before the 4th on July 3rd at 9:30 pm. The fireworks are from Navy Pier but are viewable from most places near the lakefront downtown.

5. Summerdance is back at the Grant Park Spirit of Music garden in Chicago. Sunday July 6th is a Swing night with a USO swing band and free dance lessons beforehand by the professionals of Big City Swing. Lesson is at 4 pm and big band swing music starts at 5pm and goes until 7pm. The park is located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Harrison Street. Summerdance does happen every weekend all summer long, so mark your calendars for next week too.

6. Free workouts in Millennium Park in Chicago on Saturday Morning. Work off all those BBQ ribs…

7. The Chicago beaches are open but there has been a swimming ban put out by the National Weather Service because of a seiche (wave) warning so please stay out of the water. Picnics and volleyball on the beach are still ok though.

8. Most cities and towns in the suburbs will have fireworks on July 4th at dusk. My favorite has always been the Darien/Downers Grove/Woodridge fireworks at 75th street and Main street (Lemont Road). They are viewable from all 4 corners of the intersection in the shopping mall parking lots. I also have seen a great fireworks show in Carol Stream at the intersection of Idaho St and Lies St. They use a retention pond area to display the fireworks over and they are really close to where you sit on Lies Street so you end up watching the fireworks overhead most of the time. They are even more dynamic up close like that. I have also heard that DesPlaines has a nice fireworks show over Oakton Community College and that Glen Ellyn’s Fireworks are really good too, over Lake Ellyn.

9. And lastly, if all these events aren’t risque enough for you Going.com is listing an event at Crowbar for “P*rn on the 4th” with a p*rn star Jesse Jane. I guess that is celebrating freedom of a completely different kind. You can RSVP for no cover charge early at the going.com/pornonthefourth website.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July in Chicago!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I just heard about this discount from the Hard Rock Chicago Hotel at 230 N Michigan Avenue and wanted to share it. The Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago is an elegantly restored art deco style historic hotel downtown in the loop. It is located almost across the street from Millennium Park and very close to Grant Park, Theaters, The (Field and Shedd) Museum Campus and the Art Institute of Chicago as well as many fine dining restaurants. (Morton’s, McCormick & Schmick’s and Lawry’s Steakhouse) Usually this is a very expensive luxury hotel aimed at either baby boomers that love a little rock and roll edge or younger generation X and Y age groups who really love the rock and roll and want a unique and cool hotel stay experience in Chicago. The rooms are well appointed with luxury beds and linens and the decor is very hard rock hotel with guitars and mood lighting throughout. The rooms also have many exciting views of the skyscrapers in Chicago that you can’t see from anywhere else.

Usually the rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel run over $200.00 per night in the summer travel season. (they are less in the winter) But, right now they have a $179 a night special promotion sale running right now with the discount code PROGOT when you book your hotel room through their web site online. The catch is that the rooms must be booked by July 22, 2008. This is most likely in response to the slower travel season this summer because people are cutting back on travel and other non-essential costs since gas and food is getting so much more expensive. If you are one of those people who can still afford to travel, come see Chicago. The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago web site is: hardrockhotelchicago.com  They also have a promotion listed on the home page saying you get a $15 iTunes gift card with check-in also. Double bonus.

Besides being an elegant and ultra hip hotel in downtown Chicago, they have many extra amenities you would expect of a luxury hotel:

• Spa services
• Valet parking
• Business center with computers and internet access
• 24 Hour Room Service
• Laundry & valet services
• 24 Hour Fitness Center
• Complimentary coffee, served daily in the lobby
• Complimentary High-speed Internet access in the rooms
• Feather top bedding
• Coffee maker in the rooms
• Daily newspaper delivery
• Aveda bath products
• Mini-bar
• On-demand movies

Check out the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago if you are looking for a good deal on a luxurious and cool place to stay in Chicago this summer. Also consider Chicago for your travel plans, it is cheaper than going to Europe or out of the country and Chicago has all the cultural, arts and sights you can enjoy that are just as much fun as across the Atlantic.

UPDATE 1/22/09 - There is a winter special going on now at the Hard Rock Hotel where deluxe king rooms are available for $129 plus a free room upgrade in January and February 2009. I guess business and recreational travel is down in the recession so why not offer better rates? Then maybe some local people can afford to go downtown for a night in the city and stay there. The Hard Rock Hotel is a very upscale hotel and very well designed in a historic building. And $129 a night is like the cost of a Best Western room. Use the cupon code “email rate” when you book online or with a reservation specialist by phone. (“PROLOY” on the “Discount Codes field)

I am all about dining out on weekends. I love eating dinner alfresco and eating dinner at a restaurant that offers outdoor patio dining as the sun sets over Chicago and the suburbs. We live in such a frigid climate most of the year that when summer arrives we are even ok seeing just cars and exhaust as we eat as long as we get a few rare sunbeams to warm our shoulders or have some tiny white lights twinkling over our heads along with the moon and stars.

Many local Chicago restaurants offer garden seating or patio tables  outside but three restaurants announced new patios in their restaurants open this weekend. The weather should be upper 70s to low 80s too, so it is perfect for eating outside, and there aren’t many bugs out yet either.

Many of you know Mia Francesca in Lakeview and Francesca’s in Downtown Naperville (both are favorites of mine) but now there is another Francesca in the family and she offers outside patio dining too. Francesca’s Passaggio is located at 3124 South Route 59 in Naperville, IL. Call (630) 946-0600 for reservations. The Francesca’s family of restaurants offer fine Italian dining in a relaxed but upscale atmosphere.  The new patio looks lively with TV screens and a fire pit for those chilly nights in September.

Pergolas are great over patios. They are like a trellis with big support beams creating an outdoor room space. Perennial opens its’ patio for the summer in Lakeview Friday in the Park View Hotel at 1800 North Lincoln Avenue. Call 312.981.7070 for reservations. Perennial restaurant features elegant American bistro food including peekytoe crab salad and crispy confit chicken leg with blue cheese foam. A little different from the regular bistro fare.

WAVE Restaurant and Bar is located in the W Hotel at 644 N. Lake Shore Drive (312-255-4460) and continuing their theme of mixing fun with class they have opened a make your own sundae bar on the Patio. The difference between the Sundaes you made as a kid and these at WAVE? The Bailey’s drizzled on top of course. Could anything be richer on a warm summer evening?

I think Chicago is a bad choice for the 2016 Olympic Games. I know that I am in the minority with that opinion, so I wanted to make my opinion points (and those of others like me) visible online. Just to be clear, it isn’t that I am not a fan of the Olympics. I actually am a fan and usually watch some part of the Olympics on TV when it happens. In fact I was such a fan of the Olympics that spent most of my childhood idolizing the Olympic athletes and spent a decade of my family’s own time and money pursuing a figure skating career inspired by the 1984 Olympics.

Now that I am an adult who works hard to pay a mortgage, taxes and transportation costs in Cook County my views of the Olympics have matured.  I now work in Marketing for a living so I realize that the Olympics much like the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL are glorified marketing advertising circuses and money machines maximized for entertainment value, seat ticket sales, advertising revenue and profit. Not much is done for the love of the game and in fact much is done in spite of it with drugs, enhancements and fixing. (the NBA Finals this year were largely believed to be completely rigged, and many olympic medals have been given back in recent years due to illegal doping and cheating) Therefore, I don’t see an overall benefit of the 2016 Olympic Games being held here in Chicago in an inspirational, financial or infrastructural way since none of those things are the actual goal of the games. (the only real goal is to make a lot of money)

The issue I have with the 2016 Olympics in Chicago would be that they are a huge industrial, infrastructural, financial and logistical process that will end up costing the citizens of Cook County and DuPage county millions of dollars in taxes. This raises the same question we ask about the Iraq war. Why should we be spending all that taxpayer money on something petty, frivolous and non-essential when there are so many basic needs not being met for the people in Chicago? Lets list a few basic community needs we have that aren’t being met that might be a better use of the city, county and local corporate investor’s dollars:

1. Basic Transportation- The Chicago CTA budget goes broke every year or two. The EL trains are falling apart and falling off the tracks every few months. The Buses spew black smoke into people’s faces when they pass by on the street clogging daily traffic and they keep cutting back on routes people need to get to work. Cars don’t have it much better. All the major highways have backed up traffic jams into and out of the city at all 24 hours a day now and construction rips things up every summer while cutting traffic down to 1 lane and yet the roads never get less congested or better in quality.  I think these funds would be much better spent overhauling the EL trains, tracks and stations, converting Buses to electric rechargeable power and research and installation of better quality road materials that don’t require replacement yearly. This also factors in to how the 2016 Olympic Games thinks they can route hundreds of athletes and thousands of viewers through a network of highways and train routes that can’t handle the 9 million people who live here now. The bandwidth just isn’t there.

2. Poverty – There are more people homeless, begging and asking for money on my 5 block walk to work downtown than I ever saw in the first 25 years of my life. Homelessness, poverty and drugs are a huge problem in Chicago. Some of this is created by Gangs, but now that the “projects” are taken down, there is no one place you can go to find the problem and try and work on helping. I shouldn’t see so many people desperate for a variety of reasons and it shouldn’t be Chicago’s priority to make a few developers even more rich with Olympic development contracts when so many people just want a stable income to live on so they can have a place to live and food to eat. Most of us believe that this situation is related to the continuing cycle of a lack of education, ease of finding drugs and lack of available jobs. This 2016 Olympic investment money would be much better spent on education programs in the low income neighborhoods, schools and work training programs. A lot of people say that the Olympics will bring jobs and money to Chicago, but a job for a year will leave these people out on the street again soon and doesn’t solve anything. Chicago doesn’t have a very good track record in helping the greater community, over choosing to help the rich get richer. Big corporations in Chicago choose to send money to Malawi and Africa (a certain jobsite and Oprah Winfrey) for the trendy PR value rather than fund needy local schools and children’s charities that make a difference in the community that they actually live in. Cook County has a board and a city hall constantly plagued with political patronage scandals, ghost employees and contracts awarded without competitive cost bidding because of under the table kickback deals. This town is still all about organized crime and patronage decades after Al Capone died. Some things never change. Maybe the Olympic Committee is really the same kind of organization, and they don’t care either? The Olympics being associated with Chicago’s patronage and organized crime problems is not going to be good for their PR.

3. Education - It is great for a kid to aspire to be a famous athlete, but isn’t it more practical and realistic that they aspire to finish school, make a good living and contribute to a better neighborhood? These are basic ideals in the suburbs but not seen as much in the city. I know the Olympic committee will lump Chicago and the surrounding suburbs into one category when they are here (and so do we sometimes) but we are really a completely divided culture. (a large number of suburbanites won’t ever go into the city because of the crime, cost and constant gridlock) The suburbs really want nothing to do with the Olympics because it doesn’t contribute to those goals that they have mastered. It doesn’t help their schools get better, their kids get smarter nor them to make any more money. It actually costs everyone more money for an experience no one wants with a lot of traffic and security nightmares.  In addition to all that, this money would be much better spent improving the Chicago Public Schools and making sure that these kids get better instruction, more resources and achieve more goals just like the suburban kids do. Even the suburbanites would agree with that.

Basically, I think it is important for the Olympic committee to get off the approved cleaned up shiny show path when they visit and see the real problems that Chicago has in addition to all that is being offered and see that they will negativley impact the 2016 Olympics if held here. We are a city with an identity crisis. We have lost most of the titles we had for years with business, manufacturing and standard of living (even tallest building) and we haven’t really figured out a clear path to success again. (seriously, right now we are mostly known for bringing childhood and adult obesity to the world through the success of McDonald’s which was started here and is still based in OakBrook) No offense to the Olympics, but a bunch of stadiums we don’t need and a 2 week sports party aren’t going to help us figure out how to reinvent the business and industry here any faster.

We should instead invest our time and money in our community, our citizens and our infrastructure for the right reasons, not because we can sell a lot of advertising and make some big money fast. A lot of people will be far more hurt in the long run by a lack of basic resources and higher taxes and living costs than will be helped by a transient sporting event bonanza. I would really like more people to voice their opinion about this in the comments, especially those who have been silent before now. It’s the silent people who don’t get represented and then have to pay the high price for decisions that affect our lives like hosting the 2016 Olympics in Chicago.

Chicago’s IO Theater has been a local school and proving ground for improv and comedy royalty for decades. These are the shows currently running at IO Theater in Chicago and my thoughts on the shows and actors I have seen. Most of the time when I go to IO, the improvisers surprise and enlighten me about something very funny. The theater isn’t new, so overlook some of the aging details and have a beer or two and enjoy the comedic genius. The history of IO and Del Close is a great contribution to the arts in Chicago and they deserve your support because they really do put together great work and very funny comedy shows. Whether improvised or scripted, they are all very high level performances and experimental at the same time. 

Shows usually cost between $5.00 and $18.00 per ticket depending on the popularity of the show and if they usually sell out tickets. Shows are an hour to an hour and a half depending on the show. IO also has some basic food you can buy there for snacks but the menu is limited to things like pizza, chips and whatever is microwaveable. The bar list of mixed drinks is much more advanced and they offer many microbrew beers from all over the country and the world. Improvisers love their beer. They also serve $2.00 Schlitz for those uncultured people who just like a cheap buzz. The theater also hosts special guest shows and performances from time to time, check the web site for updates or get on their email list for email schedule show updates too. Parking is tricky in this crowded Wrigleyville neighborhood. Get there a 1/2 hour early to find street parking or expect to pay $10-$25 to park in a lot within a few blocks of the theater.  Being across the street from the cubby bear and Wrigley field has its pluses and minuses and parking is definitely hard to find if there is a cubs game going on.

Most improv shows are at 8pm or 10pm, check IOChicago.net for full details and to buy tickets online or call 773-880-0199 for tickets and show times.  The theater is located at the corner of Addison and Clark Street in Chicago.

You can’t see performances or entertainment like this anywhere else in Chicago or the MidWest. Check out these recommendations below: 

Sunday Night IO Theater Shows

I haven’t seen these shows and most likely they are teams that may change by the month. So, check the IO Theater site to see who is playing this week.

3033
Children of a Lesser God
Level 4 Student Shows
Middle Age Comeback
Student Graduation Show
The Grasshopper Show

Monday Night IO Theater Shows

Sketch Writing Student Performance

The Armando Diaz Experience - This is an interesting format where a local celebrity guest is invited to tell a story to the audience and then the team of pro improvisers does scenes using some of that material. The results are usually twisted and hilarious. The team of pros changes weekly but can contain TJ Jagodowski, Susan Messing and many of the Reckoning team members. The best funny IO has to offer.

Tuesday Night IO Theater Shows

Big News - The Chicago version of the LA show that usually comes to Chicago for sketchfest every year. This show combines sketches, music, songs and some improvisation to make light of the week’s news. They are big into Political satire, of which you would expect more from Second City, but they do it on the fly with only a few days to write and prepare each show. It is a cross between improv and the daily show with very funny results.

Cook County Social Club
The Frank Hayes 4
The iO Pub Quiz
The Lottery

The Reckoning – a pro level of performance on Tuesdays! Every one of the performers in this group is so good they can make us laugh without even uttering a word.

Wednesday Night IO Theater Shows

Felt - Like Avenue Q, but improvised and funnier.

The Better Half

TJ & Dave- The best show at IO all week! See TJ and Dave while they last, we always think TJ or Dave will fly off to LA or NY and become famous one of these days so you never know how long this amazing improv show of interesting quirky characters will last.

Thursday Night IO Theater Shows

I haven’t seen any of these shows, so I am not sure how their format works or how funny they are, if you check them out let me know how funny they are in the comments.

Razzmatazz
Shotgun!
Shreeman Showma
Stubs
The Lindbergh Babies 2.0
The Living Room

Friday Night IO Theater Shows

Guy Friends

Improvised Shakespeare - Very funny show with some really talented performers. I highly recommend this show.

Steve and Jordan, Respectively

The Improv Jam - At midnight, expect this show to be a bare bones example of what happens when you get drunk novices trying to get up on stage with drunk experienced performers. All hell breaks loose.

Saturday Night IO Theater Shows

Cupid Has A Heart On - Very funny show about relationships told through song. I recommend this show for dates or for girls nights out. (Bachelorette’s parties too) Brian Posen has created a very funny and clever show about all the ups downs and sideways turns of our relationships.

Hogwash 
Klusterphuk
The Chicago Improv Rebellion

The Deltones - Improv in Song. This show was created to replace Baby Wants Candy which left after many years performing there. I think the format is much the same, they improvise and make an entire musical out of a few suggestions. All the performers here are very talented singers and improvisers, it is amazing to see this all come together using the harold format and song.

Whirled News Tonight - Very funny weekly improv show based on news headlines of that week. It usually sells out, so you should buy tickets in advance and get there early for a seat. You never know what will come out of this show.

Well, despite some cold and soggy weather, spring is almost over in Chicagoland. It will be summer soon, the kids will be out of school, co-workers will be out of the office on vacation and your lawn will need watering again. Why not take some time to enjoy this fleeting season and go have some fun in the city for the weekend? It was a short 4 day work week and we all just want to go home and relax with a bratwurst sandwich and a beer at this point. Here are some additional suggestions and recommendations to make your weekend sing.

1. I have written a lot about Second City and IO Theater since I am a big believer in Improv as a comedy form and a Chicago pool of talented comedians. I haven’t written as much about Stand-up Comedy unless you count my raving reviews of Eddie Izzard. (He really improvs his stand-up though) There are fewer places to see Standup Shows since Improv reigns supreme here. Zanies is one of those places and hosts some famous comedians along with the local ones and is a good place to go see a funny show for tourists and locals alike. (Gilbert Gottfried was there the last time I was walking by and read the posters) And although it is sometimes met with a skeptical look when you mention Zanies  in the suburbs along with 2 drink minimums, the Chicago location on Wells St in Old Town is celebrating it’s 30 year anniversary. So, you should check out their comedy lineup and consider a different format for laughs this weekend or next. Zanies is located at 1548 N Wells Street in Chicago and you can call Zanies for tickets at 312-337-4207.

2. The Chicago Beaches are officially open  now that we are past Memorial Day.  As always be safe at the beach and don’t bring any alcohol unless you want to be arrested. Take a walk along Lake Michigan and enjoy the skyline, the sunset and the water. If you are a tourist visiting from the midwest, enjoy our lake and the views that look like the ocean, but without the salt.

3. The Grant Park Gospel Fest is the festival of the week this week in Millennium Park at the Pritzker Pavillion. The performances run from noon till dusk with a wide range of performers from all over. Admission is free and the singing is amazingly uplifting.

4. This isn’t the most original thing to do this weekend, but most audiences rate the Indiana Jones movie  at least as good as a bratwurst, and you might like it as much too. The Sex and the City Movie also opens this weekend and it has gotten some great reviews and some crap reviews. The weirdest thing I have heard about this movie is that they did not remove the microphone booms from some of the scenes. Odd, random and totally weird.

5. The Annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is downtown on Saturday and Sunday. This is a different walk than the Susan G Komen walk but there will still be plenty of pink walking all over Chicago this weekend. It all starts at 6am Saturday at 1410 S Museum Campus Dr. If you would still like to participate you can call (888)540-9255 ext. 4 or go to avonwalk.org for more information on how to donate or walk this weekend.

6. And it is not totally a weekend event but I also recommend taking part in the Critical Mass bike ride on Friday May 30th. This is a fun bike ride with hundreds of other people in downtown Chicago. It is an official organized event, but many people still use it to support free speech and political causes (like being anti-war). It is a grass roots type event that is officially approved to ride through the city with some police escorts on bikes. I think it is fun to ride, although it is several miles and probably not for the less experienced rider or tourist. If you are looking for a fun crowd to ride with once a month visit chicagocriticalmass.org for more information or show up at Daley Plaza at 5pm when the event starts on Friday.

Have a great weekend!!  

I went to go see the Art Institute of Chicago’s Exhibit featuring Edward Hopper about a week ago. It was fantastic (despite some logistical issues) and I wanted to post about it here to let everyone know that this exhibit is only here in Chicago until May 10.  The tickets were $20.00 each for regular admission to the Art Institute and the special Edward Hopper Exhibit. If you decide to go on a weekend like we did (Saturday) it pays to get there early. There was a line down the front steps of the Art Institute and around and down the sidewalk to buy tickets. Apparently the line of people showing up for a day with art is more than they can handle. We got there just about 2 pm.

When we finally got through the 1/2 hour line out front, got our tickets and were inside, we couldn’t find the exhibit. We asked for directions and they pointed to keep going all the way to the back of the museum, so we did. And after walking through a long hallway with punctuation printed all over it’s walls we came to the line for the audio tours for the Edward Hopper Exhibit. Not what we wanted. I hate audio tours. It’s just another way to make money off of people and I didn’t come there to hear other people’s ideas about the art. I came there to form mine. So, we cut around the line and try going up the stairs where it was open and were promptly directed to go back and through the original headsets and audio tours line. So, we had to say “no” again to the people with the audio tours, and then wait in line to get in. The same confusion happened at our way out because nothing is labeled, and they have people telling you where to walk only after you go through there.

So, finally (!) we got to the actual exhibit. They took Edward Hopper’s most well known painting, Nighthawks and blew up a print of it in high resolution to fill the first wall of the exhibit when you walk in. It was striking. It makes me think that wall decals (blick graphics) and wall paper are just the beginning. Why not sell full wall prints of art too? The exhibit starts off slow with early drawings, self portraits and etchings that Edward Hopper did early in his career. It struck me as interesting that he had the intent to be a serious artist from the beginning and not to become a 20th century pop-culture artist at all, which is what I think more people know his work from and what keeps his Nighthawks print posters popular for dorm rooms.   

After producing serious art for many years, getting married and working in advertising to make a living Edward Hopper was able to start selling paintings and finance his work. In later years he finally did gain wide acclaim and there was a brief movie narrated by Steve Martin (who is also an avid art collector) about his life and aspirations. Edward Hopper never did like the modernist or abstract movements in the 50’s-60’s and always said he just wanted to paint light coming in a window and hitting a wall. That was the subject of some of his last paintings, and although the subject matter is simple, they are beautiful.

I like that Edward Hopper had certain things he looked for in a scene or landscape to paint. He looked for dramatic light and shadows, real views that were from an angle a person may see every day (rather than front on posted pictures) and he captured the industrialism, landscape and architecture of America at that time. He also was happy to use bright colors that really brought the scenes to life. There is a lot made of the ambiguous expressions or situations he paints with people as the subject. I think they are ambiguous so they can apply to anyone, not because they are particularly somber or lifeless.

The paintings have been gathered from all over the world, and are grouped in somewhat of a chronological order. the exhibit starts with etchings and paintings from his early career and ending with the last painting he completed before he died in 1967.

The artwork Edward Hopper created always has a dramatic realism to me. I look at the paintings of apartment buildings and wonder about the people living in the windows. I see the lighthouses and think it looks like I might have looked up on a walk up a hill to a lighthouse. It’s like Edward Hopper learned all the traditional methods and techniques to creating artwork and paintings and just applied it to regular urban and suburban life that was handy at the time.

They mentioned that after one of his first few paintings sold he bought his first car, which meant he could travel farther to paint new scenes. He also painted in the car when it was cold, dark or raining outside. They mention some paintings were done under the dome light of the car at night. How awesome is that for adaptation?

I also appreciate that he tries to represent things as they really are in the paintings. Edward Hopper did not embellish or make things surreal or fantasy in any way. The perspectives and shadows were dramatic because they were real and they give us a window into the past and into ourselves.

After we saw the Edward Hopper Exhibit we tried to look at a contemporary 20th century photography exhibit in the basement area near the kids section (which was cool) and then the Art Institute was closing. I am now thinking I should get one of Edward Hopper’s prints for my home just because they capture moods and light that are interesting to look at again and again.

If you are in Chicago check out the Edward Hopper exhibit at the art Institute of Chicago until May 10, 2008.

Chicago Earth Hour 2008 [and 2009] is an event where Chicagoans turn off their lights on Saturday March 29th at 8pm for an hour (local CST time) to see if we can save energy and electricity as well as think about how to lessen our energy use long term. [along with the rest of the world] It is part of a larger event called US Earth Hour which aims to raise awarness of things people like you can do to combat climate change.

I got a note/flyer in my comEd electric bill about the Chicago Earth Hour this month and thought it was interesting that they would promote this event since they are the electric company and they make a lot of money from the use of electricity. (and constantly raise our rates) 

Some people are excited about the Chicago Earth Hour providing a possibility of being able to see stars and the sky better as the light pollution will be less than normal if everyone participates. I don’t think everyone will participate though. There are some people in Chicago that aren’t really interested in saving energy or living simply. We have a lot of energy hogs living here.

I hope that some people participate in this event and turn off the lights, computer, TV and radio in an attempt to chill out and chat with the family, light some candles and maybe play a board game or read a book. If you can’t turn it all off, at least turn the vast majority of it off. Make it a game for the kids to see if they can think of any more ways to save energy. If you are a couple without kids in Chicago, ahem…an hour of dark never sounded boring before?

The Earth Hour is also a time to look at your home-condo-appartment’s energy use and see if you can minimize it. Do you have compact fluorescents (squiggley bulbs) in all your lamps, closets, ceiling fixtures and outside in the lights? if not now is the time to buy them (they are cheap now if you buy in a bulk pack) and put them in.

Do you have your fridge and freezer cranked to the max cold and your water heater cranked to the max hot? Both can be turned down to mid level and reduce the amount of energy they use. Do you use the plate warmer setting on the dish washer and leave the room for hours with the TV on? Turn the dish washer off when plate warmer goes on and just crack the door open with a spoon and they will dry by morning. If you pick up the phone when watching TV and have to walk away, shut it off or at least the screen if you were watching a DVD/DVR.

Do you leave your computer and all the peripherals on all day? Turn those off too when you are done using them, especially if you aren’t home. It’s safer for net security reasons too. I am sure there are even more ways to save energy, post more ideas below if you have them.

Its not practical to always have the lights out all the time at night like in the 2008 Earth Hour (ouch, ran into a wall there) but minimizing the use of electricity (and all energy) in inefficient ways and for unnecessary uses could save people a lot of money and the earth a lot of resources in the long run. And maybe even help save our planet from some serious climate change.

Every February despite the cold weather, Chicago’s Chinatown comes alive with decorations, lions and lots of food in celebration of the Chinese New Year. This year it falls on Thursday February 7, 2008. Last year in 2007 was the year of the Pig and in 2008 it is the year of the Rat. Each Zodiac animal has different characteristics that lend a different mood and personality to the year and the celebrations. The year of the rat is known for wealth and prosperity as well as particular luck.

People born in the year of the rat are said to be smart, crafty, good with other people, social, empathetic, a little shrewd sometimes, hard working, ambitious, very entertaining and into parties. You are a rat if you were born in these years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984 and 1996. Some famous people who were born in the Year Of The Rat include Prince Charles, ice skater Sasha Cohen, and Scarlett Johansson.

The number 7 is also considered lucky in western cultures (via gambling) and the number 8 (in 2008) is lucky in Chinese culture. (and is also coincidentally the main number of the date and year of the China hosted Beijing Olympics 8-8-08, triple lucky) It is also said that if you get married in 2008 you will have good financial situations and if you buy real estate you will have good returns on your investment. The lowering of real estate prices nation wide will also make property purchases attractive to Chinese people with cash on hand looking to make a good return investment. 

January 26, 2009 will start the year of the Ox (or Buffalo) which is also very important to Chinese Americans and anyone who follows the Asian Zodiac as well.

Chinatown in Chicago traditionally has a parade and festival during the Spring New Year Festival and on the Chinese New Year itself. Be sure to stop by to see dragons dance in the streets under the pagoda arch, the lantern festival and try some moon cakes. The parade will be on February 10th at 1pm on 2400 South Wentworth Ave in Chicago. It usually goes down the main street of Chinatown if you don’t have a map to Wentworth Ave specifically. Or just follow the crowds. featuring a 100-foot-long dragon float and the traditional Chinese Lion dance. The parade starts at Wentworth Avenue and 24th Street, then heads north on Wentworth to Cermak Road.

If you don’t believe in the Asian Zodiac or won’t be able to make it to Chinatown this Chinese New Year there is  a great dance and musical show you can enjoy at the Arie Crown theater that is very popular and well received. Plus there are 15 days of the Spring New Year festival to celebrate beyond just the New Year date Feb 7th itself. For more info about the Chinese New Year Spectacular Show:

Show website: chicagosoh.net
Online Purchase: ticket.ntdtv.com or at ticketmaster.com
Show theater: Arie Crown Theater
Information hotline: 312-225-5120
Ticket price range: $28 – $128
Show schedules: 2008-01-25 20:00, 2008-01-26 14:00, 2008-01-26 19:00
Performance Group: Divine Performing Arts on Tour from China

And Happy Chinese New Year!!

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

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

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

If Chicago is known for anything at all, it is for good food. (and a lot of it) We have a bit of a revolving door with restaurants though. Most only last about 5 years and then perish to newer trends and styles of food. The ones that do survive either have an iconic brand, unique offerings or an ability to morph their menu with the changing times. These new restaurants are opening or have recently opened in and around Chicago. I have not had dinner at any of them yet, but I will add them to my list of places to try if I can get out of work at a decent hour in the next few months. They also may be the new hot places to book company Christmas Parties and Holiday gatherings in Chicago. Here is a taste of what’s new in places to eat in the city.

1. Brasserie Ruhlmann Steakhouse - Located in River North neighborhood @  500 West Superior Street, at Kingsbury Street (312-494-1900). This is the first restaurant in Chicago from four-star chef Christian Delouvrier (Lespinasse, Alain Ducasse). With a 10,000 sq ft space, seats for 500, and the city’s largest outdoor patio and bar, this should be a hot spot for many. The interior is an art deco design with alabaster chandeliers, hand-laid mosaic floors, and red velvet covered banquettes that set the stage for fine french cuisine. Delouvrier blends classic and contemporary French style, giving meat center stage. The 26-ounce Châteaubriand fillet for two, Niman Ranch pork chops, and roast organic chicken are recommended. The raw bar mimics a Parisian fish market, although Chicago is not known for Fish with it’s distance from the coasts, and it’s debatable how long any fish specialty will last in this town. We like our beef thank you.

2. Maya Del Sol - In Oak Park, IL on Oak Park Avenue near South Blvd and the Green Line El Stop. This new revamp of the old Vivaldi space is distinctive in its cuisine and in it’s offering in Oak Park. The decor is modern, upscale and yuppie with it’s pub style tables and small amber glowing lamps. The bar is central to the restaurant and a place to go just for drinks to meet someone. The dining room on both sides of the bar offers a more intimate setting. The food is a mix of New Latin style offerings like ceviche, tostadas, enchiladas. Think Rick Bayless style Mexican food.  It has only been open a week, and it has gotten several 4 star ratings on Yelp. Check it out for some suburban eats. 144 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park Telephone: (708) 358-9800

3. Paramount Room Pub - River West Neighborhood; Located at 415 North Milwaukee Avenue and Kinzie Street; Phone: 312-829-6300 or paramountroom.com. Beer is always a popular draw for sports game nights, Friday Nights and college grads. The Paramount Room has evolved the Bar Pub Restaurant genre to a higher level. A gastro-pub level. That may sound like a type of indigestion, but it means high quality niche food with your microbrews. Stephen Dunne brings Mussels, Grilled Organic Chicken and Seared Kobe Steak to a well rounded menu.  The beer is up to par too, with 12 beers on tap and 20 more in bottles or cans this has enough variety to come back again and again. The 2 levels and swanky style offer even more than elegant pub dining with a pool table and plasma TV’s to keep up on those sports scores. (some things never change)

Got a new restaurant you want us to mention? Email us at chicago weekend fun 1 at yahoo dot com or post a comment about your place below. Happy Eating!

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!