I’ve been thinking about the long list of things there are available to do on Labor Day Weekend in Chicago and the list was actually best summarized by my mother in law who emailed me about Labor Day weekend plans already this morning (Tuesday). We can either:

1. Do a house project. In our case that means rip up the garden and replant things in a better organizational arangement. Or we could power wash the deck and start replacing boards that have rotted. Part of the problem with buying a 25 year old home is that the 25 year old parts of the home all look ok from a distance but really need updating when you look closely.

2. Go to Naperville’s Last Fling or one of the many other festivals and have a fun labor Day Weekend. if you don’t go out to party this weekend, bring the party home and give the BBQ grill one last big workout. We may end up having my brother and both sets of parents over for dinner. Hmmm, what to cook? There are also Labor Day Discounts on Broadway shows in Chicago through September 10th. See Billy Elliot for $59 and Shrek the Musical for $49 per person.

3. Go to the beach, in our case that is Michigan City Indiana, but Chicago has many beaches that should be enjoyed before the winter comes again for 6 months of cold and dreary weather.  Even if you just drive out to fall asleep in the sun, Labor Day Weekend  is one of the last chances to do this with the family, even if the kids have already started school for the year.

4. Go shopping. There are so many Labor Day Sales right now I can’t even list them. If you ever need furniture, this would be the weekend to go look at some. I got a 50% off email in my inbox 5 minutes ago from Darvin Furniture and I have seen other announcements from Macy’s, Carson’s and Bassett. It is a 3 day weekend (or 4 day if you take Friday off) and one last chance to finish projects with your house which in many cases means finding the right furniture for the space. I know how hard this is, considering my many months of searching for a sofa/couch for our living room. We also need a twin mattress and a King mattress to replace the horrible one I bought at the Harlem Furniture Room Place in March, it has sagged two divots where we sleep in 6 months of use, how horrible was that? We have to toss it out and start over, it’s $900 lost. 

I’m not sure if I will get to all these projects within 3 days but I am looking forward to getting at least some things done on this Labor Day Weekend.

Are you looking for funn/cool things to do that are happening around Chicago this weekend? Here’s the roundup of free and interesting events for August 20, 21 and 22:

1. If you were a big fan of comics when you were a kid, the WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO COMIC CON will be at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont this weekend with lots of specialty comics for sale. Check out the latest in video games, anime, graphic novels and more. Several Star Trek stars and other prominent comicon celebs will be on hand for meet-and-greets. Aug. 20, noon – 8 pm, Aug. 21, 10 am – 7 pm, Aug. 22, 10 am – 5 om Tickets start at $25 the meet-and-greets are usually more. The address of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont is 5555 North River Road, Rosemont, IL (847) 692-2222, WizardWorld.com.

2. Summerdance on Saturday and Sunday - It’s free! @Grant Park 601 South Michigan Ave in Chicago, IL. Lesson begins at 4pm, band starts at 5pm and goes until 7pm. Even if you don’t dance this is one of the best Chicago community events I’ve been to. This week we have free East Coast Swing dance lessons by Margot McGraw-Toppen & Riley Wimes, Jr. and live music by Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan, performing Gypsy Swing music and Sunday there is free Bachata and Cha-Cha dance lessons by Latin Rhythms and live music by Orquesta La Inspiracion, performing Old School Salsa music.

3. Free Chicago Movies in the Parks. They have taken this idea from Grant Park and rolled out movies city-wide: August 20 “The Blind Side” (Golden Gate Park, 13000 S. Eberhart Ave.) August 20 “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (Hamlin Park, 3035 N. Hoyne Ave.) August 20 “Shrek 2″ (Nichols Park, 1355 E. 53rd St.) August 21 “The Wiz” (Washington Park – DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl.) August 21 “To Catch a Thief” (Jonquil Playlot Park, 1023 W. Wrightwood Ave.) August 21 “The Blind Side” (Avalon Park, 1215 E. 83rd St.) August 22 “How to Train Your Dragon” (Unity Playlot Park, 2636 N. Kimball Ave.)

4. Ukrainian Days Festival 2010 - Got Perogi? August 21 : 2:30 pm – 10 pm and August 22 : 1:30 pm – 10 pm. Ticket Prices: $5 suggested donation and free for kids under age 13. 773-252-1228 in the Smith Park Neighborhood: West Town 2526 West Grand Avenue in Chicago, IL 60612 312-742-7534.

5. The Gold Coast Art Fair - Nothing is more boring than a fancy condo with no art on the walls. Some great choices by local Chicago artists are available this weekend at the Gold Coast Art Fair. August 20 : 12 pm – 7 pm, August 21 : 10 am – 3 pm and Sunday August 22 : 10 am – 5 pm. Ticket Price: Free! 847-926-4300 amdurproductions.com Located at Butler Field in the Grant Park Neighborhood: Grant Park Museums 400 East Monroe Street in Chicago, IL 60603.

If you can’t find something on this list that suit’s your fancy, check out the Art Institute of Chicago’s new Modern wing, seen in the photo at the top of the post. It’s a cultural icon and worth a trip downtown even from the suburbs.

I will be cleaning my house this weekend, doing yard work and entertaining guests, so have a great weekend and enjoy these outdoor events while it’s still warm and before the kids go back to school!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner in May and I just saw an ad for flowers online. It is ok to send your mom flowers by mail for Mother’s Day, but it’s kind of the we-live-far-away gift. If you’re able to go see your mom on Mother’s day, do that instead! And here are some ideas for that time.

Mother’s Day Brunch: Lots of restaurants have a brunch on Mother’s Day or that weekend. Didn’t mom cook for you all those years? Every day? One brunch isn’t too much to ask.Mom’s want to spend time with their kids and grand-kids most of all, this gives them a setting to do that in where nobody has to get stuck with the dishes. Check the local hotels and country clubs (golf clubs) in your area for brunch special events. If you want a different experience there are Oddessy Cruises on Lake Michigan that are on Sundays for brunch that have a great view of the skyline in Chicago. If you’re really into cooking it’s always great to cook a brunch for mom or have her over (with dad too) for a family dinner.  

Gardening Time: I’ve been a big fan of going to the local garden center (even if its Home Depot or Lowes) the weekend before Mother’s Day and getting my mom a car full of bedding plants and perennials for her garden. We did something different this year, I paid for their crab-apple trees to be sprayed for fungus. Yes, not all that cuddly of a present, but with 3 trees plus a magnolia that had a fungus growing on it, that was a lot of money well spent to save plants so we didn’t have to buy or plant new ones. Either way you go, spend time in the garden with mom, help plant things too, they do appreciate the help, especially since you’re always off working and there are some heavy lifting jobs in gardening (especially with mulch or potting soil). The Chicago Botanic Gardens & The Morton Arboretum are also great places to go with mom, but you may want to reschedule Mother’s Day to a less crowded weekend before or after the actual holiday to avoid the huge crowds.  

Shopping: Ok, going to the mall isn’t the most cost effective way to spend time together in a recession, but even if you don’t buy anything it gives you a place to walk around and talk. Sometimes its just fun to look at new styles and chat.

Postpone the holiday for a special event:You can always get Mom tickets to the Theater or the Orchestra playing and make it a fun day out later in the month if you know what mom likes. Sometimes someone to go with to a cultural event is a lot of fun and different. (check out Broadway in Chicago for updated show listings) The Art Institute is always a great day out and then a trip to Macy’s (Marshall Fields) can bring back old memories and traditions.

Craft Time: Taking a pottery class together or with grand-kids can always be fun and a creative way to spend time together. Local community colleges usually have classes as do places likeLill Street and other Chicago pottery studios. The neat thing about this is you get something glazed a few weeks later and you have the memory of something you made while spending time together.

And if you have to send something across the country to Mom and don’t have time to publish a book on Blurb or Flickr of all the family photos you have been taking on your iPhone of the kids, send an orchid plant. They last a long time, as do the flowers and only need water about once a week. They are a better deal than cut flowers that wilt in a day. (if you live in Chicago I recommend Hausermann’s Orchids in Villa Park for the most exotic and reasonably priced plants!)

We’re super grateful to both mom’s this year. We got married last summer and both moms were a great help in planning and getting everything done for the wedding. Since then we’ve sold one house and bought another and moved in. My husband’s mom has been instrumental in helping us clean and stage the house we sold and has been very helpful about getting the new one settled too. We will be celebrating family this year on Mother’s day.

A special exhibit of Matisse artwork is coming to The Art Institute of Chicago. Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913–1917is a look into a trans-formative time early in the artist’s work. I am a big fan of Henri Matisse’s well known works because of the vibrant bold colors, unique settings and still lifes. I am looking forward to seeing the rare early works of this artist.

The Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913–1917 Exhibition is running only from March 20th through June 20th so  that is only 12 Saturdays to go see it if you need a weekend. Saturdays are crowded, get there early and if you don’t like lines, check it out during the week. The address and phone number of the Art Institute of Chicago are below if you would like to contact them for more information.

Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60603
(877) 307-4242
artinstituteofchicago.org

General Admission Tickets to the Art Institute of Chicago are $20 and plan on taking public transit because parking isn’t really a part of the complex and can be expensive.  The world of the Art Institute of Chicago is vast and if you go for this special Exhibition on Matisse, plan on spending the day exploring their regular display pieces as well, they are all quite amazing. I recommend the modern wing for looking at the new exhibits as well as the basement with the unique armor art.

The Chicago Auto Show opens this weekend! This is one of my favorite yearly events in Chicago and it is cheap, convenient and fun for the whole family. McCormick Place will host the Chicago Auto Show from Friday February 12 through Sunday February 21st. Tickets are $11 at the door, ($7 for seniors and $7 for kids) no need to buy them in advance, although free tickets from a dealer are always good too. Parking is usually $20 and you can park in one of the lots by Soldier Field or South of McCormick Place off Lake Shore Dr. Expect to do a lot of walking, wear some comfortable shoes for a hike and pack light.

There are 2 main reasons to visit the Chicago Auto Show:

1. You are a car fan and that many cars in one place at the Chicago Auto Show gets you pretty excited.  (you possibly want to lick one to claim it) You go to get the inside scoop on what concepts are coming out and all the specs on your favorite sports cars, trucks or imports are. Keeping up on what is new is what you do.

2. You will be shopping for a car in the next 2-3 years. This is you, me and everyone else. I think everyone should visit the Chicago Auto Show to scope out new car models because you can’t always make good decisions on what kind of car to buy when you need one, if you haven’t formed any opinions about what is available.

All too often people find out their car needs significant work and they decide to sell it or trade it in instead of paying thousands of dollars. Then you are tossed into a quick decision about what to buy. If you buy new, that limits the choices but raises the price. If you buy used cars (like me) you need to have an eye on some cars you saw at the Chicago Auto Show a few years ago that you can find used and in good condition.

This year all the buzz at the Chicago Auto Show 2010 will be about how Toyota spins their recall and quality issues into a selling proposition. I am always interested in what new Hybrids and Alternative Fuel (Electric) cars are coming out and what new ideas they are working on. Concept cars are fun, but rarely do any of them make it to the road, and if they do, it probably wasn’t one of the amazing ones. My husband is a big Honda fan so I am sure he will want to find out what the honda dealers in chicagoland have that is new this year too.

I would really like my next car to be a 5 door full-size sedan that is flexible and sporty (with a little luxury also) and get better gas mileage than I do now (25 mpg avg). I am wondering how much more the hybrid and electric vehicle market evolves to get the average MPG people have on the road to 35-45 mpg.

I have my eye on the Honda CrossTour although it almost looks like an SUV and I recently realized that people with kids in carseats can’t use a 5 door because it requires you to flip down the rear seats in order to get big stuff in the car. (no wonder people bought gas guzzling SUVs) I really prefer a car that isn’t so high off the ground and looks like it might go do a lap on the Nurbergring, yet it also hauls a big TV or carpet home from the store. Yes, I do want everything. (who doesn’t?)

I am also curious to see what GM & Ford have on tap this year. I am impressed by the improvements that FORD has made in their car quality over the last decade and I think they have a lot of very fuel efficient stylish cars available. The Fusion is a really nice car, I wish they made a sport turbo hatchback version. There is also the triumphant return of the Buick Regal GS in a concept and a 3 part rollout of that model with different engine options in the next 2 years. (including a turbo 4 cl with 230 hp) Thank you China for giving Buick a lifeline and some hot new designs!

You may be wondering why I am always talking about sport hatchbacks. Well, Europe lives in them and we will too when we get even higher gas prices and if they luxe them up a bit. I have a Saab9-3 SE with a turbo 4 cylinder and 5 doors. The back seats fold down and it hauls everything. It has a sport button for improved performance. It gets ok gas mileage. It has leather heated seats, alloy wheels and a burl-wood dash. It breaks down more often than I would like, but 4 out of 5 ain’t bad? (3 major issues in 6 years)

Maybe Saab Spyker will be back with the sport luxury 5-door that Europe and America are longing for even though they don’t know it yet?

What is best about the Chicago Auto Showis that if you really need to buy a car soon, there are no sales people there to pressure you into anything, and if you do go to a dealer during the next week, they will most likely have some kind of promotional sale that will save you a couple thousand dollars off a new car.

The recap: The word on the street is that the 2010 Chicago Auto Show is really small this year. Lacking the bevy of GM brands that have gone belly up and several other car companies that are no-shows because of budget cuts, things are much less interesting.

Where else can you get a brand new 3,000 sq ft dream house for $243,000? Oswego! This would cost $500,000 in Naperville or Wheaton.

Finding New Homes for Sale has been more difficult than I thought.  We never thought we would be looking in Elgin, Oswego, Wauconda or Huntley, IL but we are.

We have been looking for a house to buy for the last 6 months and we haven’t found anything we like that we can afford in Naperville or Wheaton or Glen Ellyn. We have been looking at used homes because these areas of the Chicago Suburbs have all the land already built up.

It turns out that the only places you can find open land in the Chicago area to build a new home on, is the fringe of the suburbs. Some places with new developments that are really affordable we have found are from Town and Country Homes  (sign up for the open house at the link and get a $50 gift card for your time) in  Elgin, Huntley, Oswego and Wauconda.

The plusses of buying a house in Elgin or Oswego are that these are all new homes and you get choices about how you want your home built, what kind of lot you want and what details and finishes you have in your new home. They have luxury finishes and all the open floorplans, custom kitchens and square footage you might want with a growing family.

I have been looking at used homes for 6 months and I can honestly say that there is no choice and no good homes left on the market after the bubble burst sell-off.  Everything we have seen either is on a corner lot (no privacy in the back yard), has wood paneling (glued to wallboard, very hard to remove) or has no basement or is missing some other crucial qualifier for us.

We would like to build our own home and have to start looking out further west than Naperville and Wheaton. The things we would like in a new home would be a large kitchen/family room combo a large dining room for holidays and family events and a nice size master bedroom with good closet space.

We’re also a fan of white woodwork and white kitchens of which you can’t find inNaperville because it was mostly built up in the 1980′s when all oak all the time was popular.

The only negative to living in Elgin or Oswego is that not everyone works out there. Many of us work downtown or in other near-city suburbs and these towns are a long drive from work every day. Sometimes you can catch a Metra train like from Elgin but Oswego people have to go to Aurora to catch one.

We are pretty much ready to consider the long commute to save $150,000 on the price of a home and have a smaller mortgage to worry about. Plus we would get to choose more options on our home ourselves. It sounds like an extra 15-20 minute commute can get you a lot larger home that you are happy with for a very long time. The federal tax credit that goes until April 1 will also be helpful., G

Now that we are racing towards the end of 2009 and the beginning of a new decade in 2010 it’s time to reflect upon how Chicago fared this year.

Early in 2009 most of us in Chicago were just happy that Rod Blagojevichwas slowly dropping out of the news and we didn’t have to hear about him every day anymore. The stupidity and lies involved with that scandal were just disgusting regarding the abuse of power.

Image Via Gawker.com

2009 started out with a flurry of excitement over Barack Obama being elected president and the inauguration in Washington. Yes this was a proud moment for Chicago but it was really a moment for the entire country and we were just happy to be a stop in Barack’s ever changing and evolving successful career. Since then we’ve learned that even if a person has their heart in the right place and wants to make real progress for the nation, it doesn’t mean it will actually happen. Sure, we’re only 1 year into a 4 year term, but besides some small reversals of stem cell and corporate banking and governance laws and the constant life support for the economy we haven’t seen the change we all hoped so much for. Especially regarding Iraq and Afghanistan.

I’m not a political blogger so I don’t really have the patience for all the arguing that goes on with officials in Washington about details of people’s lives half a world away, but the simplified truth is that the war costs an immense amount, we have to take out massive loans to pay for it and those loans need repayment or else the rest of the economy will falter like never before. I can’t see how the governments (national, state and local) can get away with neglecting infrastructure like bridges falling down and schools with failing grades because they say we can’t afford it and by doing so cheat our future, while fighting this very expensive war to provide a hazy goal of future oil and supposedly less future terrorism? Its not working, and the huge bureaucratic system full of people who want the war to continue won’t let Obama change things that the citizens want changed. So, the presidency is becoming less inspirational these days and more tuned out like the last one.

One of the most frustrating events was Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics. Many people got caught up in the possibility of this relatively small city (of 9 million people) hosting that huge international event and with stars in our eyes we plastered posters over any surface possible (and hanging over the edge of the Chicago River Bridge for Michigan Avenue) in hopes to spread the feeling of sport, spirit and rainbows. Unfortunately in a recession where the unemployment rate and foreclosure rate keep climbing, it was difficult to generate excitement about a several billion dollar bill. Most of us see the obvious dollar signs in the eyes of the corporate and government sponsors/hosts and know we the citizens would be footing the bill in many ways. Higher fees for products and services, more congestion, more construction fouling up traffic and most of all; a bevy of new higher taxes were what we avoided by being eliminated by the IOC from the final four in the first round. What a huge relief!

In other Big Chicago News in 2009 Oprah Winfrey announced that 2010 will be her last year hosting the Oprah Winfrey Show. While many people were apathetic about that news we were scared that the headquarters for HARPO Productions would move to LA with Oprah and take with it some of the few notable broadcasting and media jobs still in Chicago. Luckilly they announced that HARPO would stay put for now and they get some juicy tax breaks as a result. Over time Oprah’s show got to be more about sales and marketing promotions for companies and less about real people and the social issues in society which she gained popularity covering through the 80′s and 90′s. Access on the internet to quick and deep disclosure by celebrities about their lives is another reason the show is less of a novelty. Oprah.com has always been a closed site requiring membership to see content and recently I could not even find a copy of the White House Christmas episode online to view. How can they show something like that once and never share it on the internet?

The topic on most people’s minds the most in 2009 has been the economy and jobs. Too few companies are doing ok and everyone knows too many people out of work. The office where I work has about half the staff it had two years ago.  Chicago is one of the fixtures on the rust belt, but many of us thought that had passed with jobs in finance, technology, health care and sales leading the way in Chicago in the last 10 years. Most of that growth seems to be gone and Chicago bounces between 9% and 11.4%, always above the national average. (October (10.3%) is the most recent data available, metropolitan unemployment rates are about 2 months behind)  A few of the big layoffs in Chicago in 2009 were from: The City of Chicago, KPMG, Motorola, Chicago Public Schools, Deloitte, E&Y, Tribune, Conde Nast, Art Institute of Chicago, CTA, Just about every Law Firm, Boeing, CDW, CareerBuilder, Orbitz and many more. As a result of people loosing jobs and being upside down on their mortgages the number of Foreclosed Homes has jumped also. The economy and all the unemployed workers have also framed the Health Care Debate in Washington this year because they have either lost health insurance when they lost their job or many could not afford it to begin with. Some looked to independent insurance like Personal Care Insurance Group Health Plan Illinois and others just went with Blue Cross or without any Insurance all together. We all are responsible for what decisions are made on health care reform and it will affect all of us as we get older and need more health care services.

My hope is that 2010 and beyond will be better since this has been a difficult decade for Chicagoans. While on the surface the city may be cleaner/prettier and have more luxury shopping, hotels and condos, the average citizen probably has not had a great improvement in their finances or job situation on average. We’re a great city filled with hard working and determined people. We have to re-energize the city, refresh the identity of Chicago around our strengths and move forward again. Hopefully things will be in a better place in 2020.

The L decked out for Christmas with lights and lots of decorations.

Adapted from all the listings I have collected this is the 25 best things to do in Chicago this Christmas. Take note, many of these Christmas activities are free and fun for the whole family. Whether it is a showing of the Nutcracker, Christmas Caroling, shopping at ChristkindleMarket, seeing A Christmas Carol or Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer show, seeing Winter Wonderfest or Zoolights, there is plenty to plan your weekend with this holiday season. As always call the phone numbers listed for more information, addresses an times. If you plan on attending these holiday events in Chicago please take public transportation on your way there to minimize traffic and avoid the cost of parking downtown ($25+). Chicagoweekendfun.com wishes everyone the warmest and most fun holiday season yet!

 A BREAKFAST WITH SANTA- Fun for kids! This breakfast with santa features a special appearance by Chicago Bear Jerry Azumah and if you bring a handmade ornament you can enter to win prized. Bring an unwrapped gift to donate to the Walter and Connie Payton foundation. United Club at Soldier Field, 1410 South Museum Campus, (312)235-7162. December 5th @ 10 AM. $50, $25 best for kids 3-12, An RSVP is required.

THE 11TH ANNUAL BUCKTOWN HOLIDAY ARTSHOW - All kinds of local art at many price levels including photography, jewelry, watercolors and more. The creativity in the art is beyond what you can find in a big box store for christmas. Holstein Park Fieldhouse, 2200 North Oakley St, (312)742-7554. December 12th and 13th, 11am to5pm, $2 entry fee.

CHRISTMAS CAROLING AT THE CLOUD GATE (the bean) – Join groups of carolers for a weekly sing-along @ Millennium Park, 201 East Randolph St, (312)742-1168. Fridays through December 18th @ 6pm. Free!

The Music Box Theater

The 14TH ANNUAL CHRISTKINDLMARKET @ DALEY PLAZA – This outdoor German market on Daley Plaza offers vendors selling authentic German food, drinks and handmade goods like ornaments and clothing. Some favorites are Beer, Potato pancakes and Christmas Ornaments. Daley Plaza, 50 West Washington St, (312)494-2175. November 25th through December 24th. Free!

68TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD/14TH ANNUAL HOLIDAYS OF LIGHT Museum of Science and Industry – A tradition at the Museum of Science and Industry, see where Christmas is celebrated around the world with Christmas trees, music, dancing and some exhibits of other winter holidays, including Diwali, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. At the Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 South Lake Shore Drive, (773)684-1414. November 20th through January 3rd. Free with general Museum of Science and Industry admission of $9-$13.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Theater – The classic tale of mean ol’ Ebenezer Scrooge turned around by the Goodman Theater. See what Christmas is really supposed to be about and bring the whole family. At the Goodman Theatre, 170 North Dearborn St, (312)443-3800. Now Showing from November 20th through December 31st. Tickets are $25-$74, or $10 for students.

The 26TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SING-ALONG AND DOUBLE FEATURE MOVIES – Come see two favorite classic Christmas Movies and sing some carols too —“It’s a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas”— at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 North Southport Ave, (773)871-6604. December 18th through December 24th. Tickets are $16 for the double feature, or $11 for the single.

Christmas HOLIDAY FLOWER SHOW – Garfield Park Conservatory has more holiday flowers than you can dream of. Fields of poinsettias and other holiday plants are in their vast and amazing greenhouses for viewing. Come see this horticultual treasure in Chicago. The Garfield Conservatory, 300 North Central Park, (312)746-5100. Open November 28th through January 10th. Free, but donations appreciated.

MILLENNIUM PARK ICE SKATING – We have already written about the fun of skating downtown among the skyline, but I will say it again, grab your skates and head over to the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink on Michigan Avenue in Millennium Park. The 2009-2010 season runs from November 20th through March 14th. (also fun around Valentine’s day)

The Michigan Avenue Bridge over the Chicago River

THE JOFFREY BALLET PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER – The exclusive Joffrey Ballet “The Nutcracker” is only here for two weeks. Don’t miss the amazing ballet dance troupe performing this Christmas classic at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 East Congress, call for more info (800)982-2787. December 11th through December 27th. Tickets are $25-$100.

RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR HOLIDAY SALE – 150 local, national and international artists show their unique creations Come browse the handmade jewelry, clothing and comics, among a plethora of other goodies. Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, 1419 W. Blackhawk, (773)227-2707. Dec 5 and Dec 6, 11am-7pm. Free.

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER – The classic tale of Rudolph in a funny, family-friendly retelling of said story. The Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, (773)561-4665. Nov 27-Dec 18. $15, $10 for kids under 12.

SANTA’S HOUSE & Photos With SANTA – Sit on Jolly Ol’ St. Nick’s lap, tell him what you want for Christmas and get a picture. Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington, (312)744-3315. Nov 26-Dec 24. Free.

SONGS OF GOOD CHEER – Chicago Tribune’s Eric Zorn and Mary Schmich and musicians head a caroling party at the Old Town School of Folkmusic. Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 North Lincoln, (773)728-6000. December 18-December 19 @ 7:30 pm, and December 20 @ 5 pm. Tickets are $36-$40.

Macy's (Marshall Field's) on State Street all decked out

32ND ANNUAL TOYS FOR TOTS MOTORCYCLE PARADE – This annual event is beneficial to the greater community with thousands of motorcycle riders delivering toys of all kinds so they can be donated to families in need. You can donate toys at any of the many stops along the routes. Dan Ryan Woods, 8300 South Western Avenue, (708)771-1062. December 6th @ 9:30 am. Free, toy donation required (no stuffed animals please).

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS HOME TOURS – Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Oak Park home, decked out for the holidays, and learn about the Wright family’s Christmas celebrations. Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, 951 Chicago Avenue in Oak Park, (708)848-1976. December 12th and December 19th at 9am-11am. Free!

WELCOME YULE! – A holiday concert featuring members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, as well as the Welcome Yule! Children’s and Dance Ensemble. Symphony Center, 220 South Michigan Avenue, (312)294-3000. December 18th through December 23rd. Tickets: $20-$98.

WINTER WONDERFEST NAVY PIER – Keeping the tradition of elaborate holiday tourist traps alive, Navy Pier transforms itself into a winter wonderland complete with a skating rink, inflatable games and a bungee run. Santa and his elves will be on hand every day ‘til Christmas to listen to kid’s holiday wishes. Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand, (312)595-PIER. Dec 4-Jan 3. $16-$19.

WONDERLAND EXPRESS MODEL TRAINS – Eighty model trains travel through Chicago landmarks, waterfalls and holiday trees in this 10,000-square-foot exhibit, tiny trains wind through more than 80 miniature Chicago landmarks, waterfalls, holiday trees and more. New on the map this year is Barack Obama’s Hyde Park home and Michelle Obama’s childhood home. Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook, Glencoe, (847)835-5440. Nov 27-Jan 3. $6-$10.

ZOOLIGHTS @ LINCOLN PARK ZOO – More than two million lights add beautiful holiday cheer to the Lincoln Park Zoo. The activities include visits with Santa, kid’s activities and ice carving demonstrations. Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 North Cannon, (312)742-2000. November 27th through January 3rd. Free!

All the stores near us with some kind of Black Friday Sale going on after Thanksgiving.

The buzz about Black Friday Ads and Sales has grown from being just an inside retail industry term a few years ago to a regularly used term that ends up on posters and fliers sent to the public weeks before the day after Thanksgiving actually arrives.

The change may have to do with the recession and how badly retailers have been doing in the last few years and it may also be a factor in the “new economy” where people have scaled back shopping to a level where they know how much things can be discounted and they just wait to shop for gifts at Christmas until they are 70% off.

I think the Black Friday Sales and Discounting has shed light on just how overpriced a lot of merchandise really is and how much things can still be marked down when they are made in China, and a company still makes a profit at 70% off.

Whether you plan on going to Oak Brook Mall, Yorktown Mall, Woodfield Mall, Fox Valley Mall or Old Orchard and Stratford Square Malls, there is a lot to know about before you drive over.

That all said here is what I have been seeing from some of the retailers online and in email:  (I will post more as I see them)

• ING Direct: has a special deal page (for affiliate retailers I am assuming, not their bank products) they are setting up for 24 hours only at IngDirect.com/BlackFriday from 12 midnight Thursday to 11:59 pm Friday.  It will have a variety of one day deals but they don’t say what they are beforehand. You just have to check it out and see. Maybe buy.
• Kohl’s is opening at 4AM: Besides the fact that this is insane to get up for a sale, Kohl’s usually has large discounts available, but if you do go to Kohl’s during the regular day, expect it to be crowded. Buy Now.
• Ann Taylor Loft:30% + Free Shipping, this isn’t much from a place that marks up merchandise o ridiculous levels. Wait.
• IKEA:Sales on certain key items and doorbuster deal types used as bait. If you really need these 1/2 price items then its worth it, you can’t really go there expecting to browse on a day like Black Friday.  Maybe buy.
• Old Navy:They have low prices to begin with so 25% off is even better. You always get a lot of bang for your buck there. Plus every few weeks everything in the store is new, so if you like something, Buy Now.
• Jcrew:20% off and free shipping. This is weak from a company that makes stuff cheap and then brands as luxury and charges $200 for a sweater. ( like Anthropologie and Ann Taylor)  Wait.  
• Department Stores like Macy’s and Sears: These stores always have great deals on specific items but not on everything. Check other stores online in the store to compare with your smartphone. Maybe Buy.
• WalMart and Amazon.com are having a $9 price war over books and DVDS. You win either way but think about where you really want to send your money if things are really the same price. What kind of company do you want to support?  Some WalMart stores will be open 24 hours on this day, like Amazon is open 24 hours a day online.
• Target – Best Buy for Electronics: Usually Best Buy offers the better items for sale but Target will discount bait items that will be super cheap, and not likley the exact model you want. Be careful of buying the cheapest TV or Stereo when they may be lacking features you need.

In regards to the Ads and Sales offers out there for this year’s Black Friday Sales in Chicagoland. I am seeing a few trends:

1. A lot of small bait like 20%-30% off in stores and online, plus free shipping.This is nice, and preferred over no sale but is not what really makes up a black Friday deal. 

2. Emails offering different sales than the stores and the websites. Each marketing channel sometimes has different pricing depending on who they think is the most likely to buy. The less likely they think you are to buy, the bigger the discount they will offer.

Sign up for the store emails to compare with the websites and the stores on Black Friday 2009, an iPhone will help compare prices when you’re in the store on Black Friday 2009. If you do see the best deals are online you may want to see the items in person first so going to the store is still a good idea. Remember the downsides to shopping online: Not Seeing the real merchandise in person before buying, difficulty returning it and no trying it on. Every store photographs and photoshops products to look better online than in person.

3. Coupon codes are being given out in the emails from retailers rather than sent out secretly to certain chosen people on direct mail lists. They are also running cupon codes all over their own website and on banner ads.You can get a black Friday coupon code just about anywhere now. Why are stores doing that? Because it gets you to purchase right now thinking its a good deal, and then most people forget the coupon code unless they write it down on a piece of paper when they are browsing. The coupon codes are never added automatically to the order.

4. A lot of people are tired of this Black Friday frenzy and are skipping out altogether. We have lives and families and can’t get up at 3am for a sale. That has spurned a lot of online black Friday sales available all day and a lot of people just not buying gifts at all. I think the people who have always been most attracted to Black Friday Sales have been the discount shoppers and the families that have to buy toys for the kids. Toys are most likely to be used as bait to get you into big-box stores because people who have kids need those to be more affordable. If you don’t have kids, wait out this season until the dust clears and there will be better sales near Christmas.

And lastly, the National Retail Federationestimates that people will spend 12% more because they are more optimistic about the economy than last year, but there are a lot of reasons that we aren’t out of the woods yet, so caution might be the best policy.

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

The following information was provided by the Chicago Police Department.

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

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

Start Time: 7:30 am

Start Location: Monroe and Columbus

Finish Location: Columbus north of Roosevelt Street

Closures for site set up, event and teardown:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You can purchase tickets now online at: CHICAGOFILMFESTIVAL.COM

the Chicago International Film Festival Packages are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some of the movies I plan on seeing are:

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

Motherhood

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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