Well the date is released, the Chicago Marathon is set for October 11, 2009 and Bank of America is still the main sponsor. The new Chicago Marathon web site is up and you can register now for the Chicago Marathon 2009. Just 247 days left to go…

What a year of training that will be! Should I try it? I have never run before, but I admire those who run marathons. I even admire people in Chicago who just train for Marathons! (whether they finish or not) I see them out running in the rain and snow and heat every year, but never the same people for more than one year. 

I am thinking I will pass on this year but get your info about registration for the Chicago marathon 2009 over at the site: chicagomarathon.com/cms400min/chicago_marathon/ The cost is a $125 non-refundable, non-deferable fee for US residents and $150 for international competitors. The registration is only open for a short time, maybe a month, before they fill up and all 45,000 slots are filled. So, go quickly and register.

Later the 2009 Bank of America Health & Fitness Expo will be held at Chicago’s McCormick Place and you go check in there on these dates:

Friday, October 9, 9 am to 8 pm
Saturday, October 10, 9 am to 6 pm

And if you are looking for training help Nike has a great site that has runner’s groups nation wide that you can train with and schedules/plans for training at Nike.com.

So, you still want to go to the Chicago Auto Show even in the recession? A lot pf people do actually. There were a lot of people there even though people aren’t really buying cars right now.

Here is your guide to leaving your checkbook at home and still having an entertaining afternoon at the Chicago Auto Show 2009.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be in the market for a new car to go to the Chicago Auto Show and have a good time. The only requirement is that you like cars. Period.

The Chicago Auto Show has no salespeople pressuring you into buying anything so why not go learn about cars when you aren’t buying so you can be more informed when you need to buy a car later? Plus, it’s fun to sit in, and try out all the cars whether they are in your price range or not.

Learning the brands, models and options available on the cars now gives you some time to think about what you want in a car and why you would buy it. And it’s one of the most expensive things you will ever pay for (minus houses, college and possibly a wedding) so you might need a few years to really mull it over. (that is how I usually handle it)

If you can, go to the Chicago Auto Show with someone who knows a lot about cars. You can have a lively discussion about the engine cutaways and the performance stats of the cars if you’re there with someone that can explain it to you. If not, you’re reduced to “that one looks fast” and it is slightly less interesting.

Here are some tips for going to the Chicago Auto Show:

1. Arrive early in the day for several reasons: Better parking spots are available in the morning before the parking lots fill up and that matters a lot when it is -5 degrees outside and considering how far away the parking is from the building. Parking is usually $20. (tickets are only $10) Also, the Chicago Auto Show floor is less crowded in the AM so you won’t get cut off by a group of  14 year olds trying to sit in all the Lexus and BMW cars as often earlier in the day. Traffic, like parking also gets worse as the day goes on.

2. Wear something lightweight but still warm.That walk from the car may freeze your nose off but the Chicago Auto Show convention itself is actually very warm. There might be some key lockers you can buy access to for coats in McCormick Place, but I have not found them yet. A turtleneck or sweater with a light coat, and gloves might do the trick.  And wear walking shoes. The floor is an astounding amount of square footage, any-one’s feet would seriously hurt by the end of the show.

3. Don’t bring anything to carry. I know this is hard if you have kids, but carrying something (even a purse) for 3 hours is seriously annoying. Small cameras that fit in your pocket are also ok but not anything that requires a bag. If you have kids you may want to bring a stroller since this is more walking than they will want to do and you don’t want to end up carrying them either.

4. Look for brochures of cars you might buy or you just want to dream about. Most car companies give out free booklets with glossy photos of their new cars. Keep them in a file and when you need to buy one, you have your research done already. Most people know 2-3 brands that they like so this isn’t as much paperwork as you think. I personally keep a historical archive from all the years but that is just me. 

5. Stop for a snack if you need to. It won’t be cheap, but a pretzel and a soda go a long way for giving your feet a rest while you sit down and letting your recharge.

6. If you have limited time, just plan on stopping to see the cars you want to look at rather than everything. Sometimes you can discover something new you love but that is only if you have the energy and time to find it. I typically look at everything which can last 3-4 hours and is somewhat exhausting. You don’t have to know about all the cars, just the ones you really like. Keep track of the costs including options so you know what you want when the time comes to shop for a new car. Sit in the cars you like and see if it lives up to the hype. Maybe even rent one from a rental company to try it out first before buying.  

Got any other tips? Post them in the comments below.

Concept cars are usually on most people’s short list of things to see at the Chicago Auto Show . Some of the concept cars that will be at the Chicago Auto Show this year will be:

Cadillac Converj- A relative of the Evoq but with sharper sweeping triangular lines and a hardtop. It’s one of those kid pleasing concept cars that is just over the top.

Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon- This isn’t really a dream concept car. It’s a station wagon all glitzed up. I guess they are testing the market for luxury sport wagons since BMW and Mercedes have them.

Chevrolet Orlando- This looks like a cross between the Honda Element and the Pontiac Aztec and the boxy shape of the Scion Xb. (seen at left: do you love it or hate it?) The front end works but the back end is oddly higher than the front. Basically a small SUV with a turbo diesel engine. The diesel is a mainstay in Europe and more will be coming to the US because of 50 mpg standards.

Chrysler 200c EV- This looks like an Audi from the preview photos and takes Chrysler design in a whole new direction. It also has an electric engine that has 40 miles on battery power possible much like GM’s Volt. After those 40 miles there is a gas motor that kicks in. I am not sure what the social networking component of this car is really good for, but they have it anyway.

Dodge Circuit EV- Where were all these EV’s 2 years ago? This car looks like a sport super car but runs on electricity only. Sports car fans will be happy to find that electric vehicles get awesome torque and have really great 0-60 times. Somehow this car reminds me of the Dodge Stealth and Viper combined.

The stingray concept used in the Transformers 2 movie.

Stingray Concept -

  Wow what a car. This is a great example of how GM can design an amazing fun supercar with cues from past cars but a very modern look. Too bad there are no plans to actually produce it for sale.

Kia Soulster- is an experimental micro SUV. This is somehow a throwback to the 80’s Geo Tracker but I am not sure how. Nobody really wants a convertible mini suv to drive on the beach like Baywatch. (in Yellow)  

Lincoln C – This is a very different direction for Lincoln. The C is a smaller Lincoln than I have seen i a while. It also takes the interior functions to a futuristic level. I like cars that really push boundaries like this.

And enjoy the Chicago Auto Show 2009!

After being absent for 2 years the Flower and Garden show is back this spring in Chicago. The Chicago Flower and Garden Show will be running between March 7 and 15 in 2009. This is a great show if you have a yard or garden area around your home that you enjoy spending time in or plan on renovating or improving this spring/summer.

The Chicago Flower and Garden Show is amazing for anyone to see because they have so many example gardens there that are inspiring for what you can really do with your space, even if you have a very small space to work with like urban dwellers do. There are usually a lot of vendors of plants, patios, decks, pools, hot tubs, landscape and design companies as well as lawn care companies exhibiting that can help. There are usually how-to talks also that help you find the right info if you want to do the work on your yard and garden yourself.

Tickets are $12 during the week and $14 on weekends for Adults and $5 for kids. This does not include the Navy Pier $23 parking fee. So, this is a fun family event if you want to take the time to drive downtown and don’t mind the parking costs. There are a lot of restaurants and shops at Navy Pier that are also fun to stop and see if you bring the family down to the Flower and Garden Show.

More details can be found at chicagoflower.com

Chicago has some of the richest museums and cultural attractions in the country and because of the generosity of some sponsors and the city of Chicago, you can visit and enjoy them for free on these days in 2009.This is a great opportunity for kids and families to enjoy these museums, cultural institutions and artwork the way they were intended: accessible for everyone, not just the privileged people.

If you have kids and don’t want to pay a lot of money for the whole family to go to Chicago Museums, this is the time to go. You still have parking costs and you may also have some costs for food and/or souvenirs but it is a lot cheaper and more affordable to visit Chicago Museums on a free sponsored day. And in this economy free things to do are better than sitting at home one more day with that TV and all those commercials.

The Art Institute of Chicago is Free on Thursday evenings from 5-8 pm after work. This is a great free date night for couples or anyone dating. Remember you can say that a painting or photograph means anything, it is whatever you want to interpret it as.  The Art Institute of Chicago has so many rare pieces of art that people come from all over the world to see our collection here. If you are a Chicago Tourist, you can enjoy the free evenings too. Special exhibits are usually not included in the free admission though.

The Adler Planetarium is Free and open to the public on these days in 2009. The planetarium does not have much parking and the Museum Campus in general has few parking spots available close to the buildings. Be prepared for a long walk and bundle up accordingly in the cold this winter. The y have some cool 3-D movies and space shows running now that the kids will be inspired by. Plus space is such an inspiring curious subject for kids and adults of all ages.

January 5,12-16, 20, & 27th
February 3, 9-13, 17, 24 & 26th
March 3, 10 & 17th
April 21 & 28th
May 5, 12, 19 & 26th
June 7-12th
September 1, 8, 14-18, 22, & 29th
October 6, 13, 20, & 27th
November 3, 10, 17, & 24th
December 1, 8, 15, & 22th 

See the adlerplanetarium.org for more details. 

Chicago Children’s Museum is open for Free every 1st Monday of the month. There is also free admission for children 15 and under every day. And Free Thursdays 5 to 8pm for everyone

Chicago History Museum is open for Free every Monday!

The Chicago Field Museum is open for Free on:  
The 2nd Monday of every month as well as:
January: 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
February: 1 – 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
September: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30
October: 1, 7, 8, 14, 15
November: 11, 12, 18, 19
December: 2, 3, 9, 10 

The Museum of Science and Industry is open for Free on:

Jan. 5 – 31
Apr. 22 (Earth Day)
June 1 – 5
June 19 (MSI birthday)
Oct. 8 – 30 (Weekdays only)
Nov. 11 (Veteran’s Day) 

The Museum of Science and Industry is undergoing a large renovation in addition to the U-Boat Submarine that has already been renovated. This was a badly needed renovation, so you can go once now for free and once again when the revamp is done in a year or two. Feel free to skip the wildly out of date Internet exhibit and the automotive exhibit with all the cars covered. This used to be my favorite museum when I was a kid. I hope they can bring it back to it’s former splendor.

Trader Joe’s opened their new Oak Park Store location on December 5, 2008.Trader Joe’s is a great store for Oak Park because it is all about organics, low cost gourmet and foods from around the world. They have a great selection of interesting foods plus a Trader Joes House Brand that offers just about everything for less. The new Oak Park store is located at 483 N Harlem Ave in Oak Park, IL 60301. Parking is available in a garage near by but beware the elevators don’t always work, so if you plan to buy a cart full, park on the ground floor.

Oak Parkers are a unique breed. (I know, I live there) We appreciate the local delicacies but want to experience the best the world has to offer. We like the close availability of the city of Chicago and mass transit but want to live green and earth friendly lifestyles at the same time. We want really tasty enjoyable food but we want it to be good-for-us at the same time. We also like elegant new products but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg in a recession.

Somehow Trader Joe’s Food Stores cover this entire list of contradictions. Not everything in Trader Joe’s fits all the requirements, but everything hits at least 2 or 3 of them. I am not a vegetarian or someone who eats only Organics so I may not know as much about those foods as I should, but I know that a lot of people have applauded Trader Joe’s alternative foods that are vegitarian, vegan and organic friendly.

Others applaud Trader Joe’s for clear labeling and dating of their products that are perishable like deli meats, cheeses and breads. Some people contrast this honesty policy with whole foods no-date-labels on anything in a refrigerated case so you don’t know how long it has been there. (a day or a week?) I think the only complaint I have heard about Trader Joe’s is that sometimes products are discontinued and people can’t get them anymore. It causes a freakout situation because it is usually something that wasn’t available from other stores in the first place, and TJs was the only source locally for that item. (a balsalmic reduction is frequently mentioned) But this may be a result of that product not being available from the manufacturer or it not selling enough in the stores. Neither are much fun, but both are a factor of doing business globally.

I have been shopping at the downtown Trader Joe’s location lately since I work nearby and it is closer to walk over after work than it is to drive to the other locations in Lombard, Glen Ellyn or Downers Grove.  (or on the North Side) To celebrate having a new Trader Joe’s within walking distance from my house I came up with a list of my top 10 foods to buy at Trader Joe’s that I think you should check out:

10. Potato Pancakes – Latkes- I love potato pancakes because I am Ukrainian and they are part of my heritage and since I am no cook, I really enjoy the latkes that Trader Joe’s sells frozen. Just pop them in the oven to warm them up crispy, add a dollop of sour cream and voila, yumminess.

9. Quiche- There are 2 kinds of quiche, with crust and without. They are both wonderful for no mess one plate dinners. It might not be rocket science to whip up a quiche myself but sometimes during the work week I couldn’t be bothered to run the dishwasher let alone cook something. Microwaving the bacon-feta crust-less quiche or the crusted spinach or ham & cheese quiche and you have a hearty dinner with rich flavors.

8. Scones – the fresh baked scones aren’t always available but they are luscious.

7. Tiramisu- the boxed frozen tiramisu is just like at the fancy restaurants but half the price. I like to use Trader Joe’s tiramisu as a birthday cake for small groups (because it isn’t very large) and you can keep it frozen for several months just in case something comes up to celebrate.

6. Two Buck Chuck- this wine is good, but don’t overlook all the other unique wines that Trader Joe’s carries. I have found many good wines here to compliment my meals.

5. European Style Yogurt- I first tried this in France where this was the only style of yogurt they had and they sold it in small glass containers that got re-cycled. I found that this slightly tart but sweet thick yogurt is available at Trader Joe’s in a few flavors. I like the coffee and the chocolate. After tasting the richness of the European style yogurt, Dannon will taste too sugary sticky sweet and simple. 

4. Individual Chocolate Lava cakes – These are beyond decadent, and sometimes can take the edge off a particularly bad/frustrating day. I don’t recommend buying them all the time though because I would eat them all the time then. I have to make sure I consume some healthy food too after all!

3. Kashi Products- Now you can get Kashi everywhere (including Jewel and Target) but Trader Joe’s was the first place I saw the Tasty Little Crackers and the Go Lean cereals. You can still get great Kashi Products at Trader Joe’s and they are usually priced lower than most other grocery stores. Likewise Trader Joe’s was also one of the first places you could find organic/natural cleaning products, soaps and shampoos. They still stock a great selection of those also.

2. Organic Milk- They charge far less for the organic and hormone free milks than most grocery stores (Whole Foods) do. I have friends that only drank hormone free or Organic milk while pregnant and also use that kind of milk for their kids, and it saves them a lot of money to get it at Trader Joe’s. The organic meats (beef, chicken, fish)are also a good deal if you can buy them on sale and freeze them until needed. Most meat is ok frozen for up to a year.

1. Mochi- Trader Joe’s is the only place I have been able to find these yummy ice cream treats for sale in a grocery store in Chicago. They come in Chocolate (the best), Strawberry, Mango and Green Tea. I found the Green Tea flavor to be a bit odd at first but it grows on you. The best thing is that each ice cream ball wrapped in a rice flour dough is only 100 calories.

Let me know if you have any other Trader Joe’s favorites that you can recommend in the comments below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

You may love winter for the holidays, but most of us hate winter because of the snow and it’s complications with Chicago’s winter parking bans in the city between November 25 and April 1. (yes winter lasts till April!) If you are lucky enough to have a car while living in the city of Chicago (and can afford to insure and park it somewhere) you most likely play this roulette game with parking on city streets. After you get your city sticker and whatever local street permits you need there is always the challenge of dealing with winter parking bans for street cleaning, snow removal and just overnight parking in general.

What are these Chicago Winter Parking Bans about anyway? And when do they apply?

1. From November 25 through April 1st you can not park on any arterial streets (any main streets, not the residential areas, but still look for signs) overnight between 3am and 7am any day of the week. Ignoring this ban will cost you a $50 ticket and a $150 towing fee to get your car back plus anything else the impound wants from you. ($10 per day your car sits taking up space in their lot) So, seriously it’s like $250 to get your car back. (that is why the parking department is called the Department of REVENUE)

2. Also, there are another set of snow route signs to watch out for that say that parking is illegal there only if there are 2 inches of snow or more on the ground. These are the trickier ones since if it has snowed everywhere, where else can you park? And if you had somewhere else to park you would have been there to begin with. These signs are more functional though because they have to do with snow plows actually clearing the streets and this is important.

3. Apparently there are some unfortunate areas that have both signs and both parking restrictions. Just don’t live in this neighborhood if you see these when you are apartment shopping.

What is the most frustrating thing about this situation? That the city of Chicago doesn’t even know what laws and regulations they have for parking on all the streets in Chicago. There is no map or guide as to where you can not park or what rules there are on streets listed anywhere on the internet a map here you can look up your area to see what parking restrictions you may have this winter. They don’t provide you with any guide to avoid paying these fines because they really want the revenue. How frustrating that our own city sets traps on purpose.

I have a feeling that these winter parking bans are lost on the rich people who can afford their own posh garage and on suburbanites that don’t venture into the city at all. A lot of people have learned their lesson after hundreds of dollars of parking tickets and they just sell the car and rely on public transportation. My guess is that 1/4 of the people in the office I work in don’t own a car while living in the city. It is true that most of them are under 30 also. I think walking to a bus in 20 below zero gets exponentially harder as you get older. So, stay warm this winter and keep your car off the streets and be very careful of any parking signs visible where you park in Chicago. Good luck!

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. “

Macy’s State Street Store in Chicago has continued the traditions of Marshall Fields with the lighting of the great Christmas tree in the Walnut Room (on the 7th floor) each holiday season. This year will be no different. I just heard that Tommy Hilfiger will be the special designated guest of honor for lighting the Macy’s Walnut Room tree this year and hopefully Tommy will design some cool unique ornaments to decorate the tree with. Last year in 2007 Martha Stewart lit the Walnut Room Christmas tree in person and her ornaments were featured on what I called the gradient tree. In 2006 the tree was covered in Wedgewood China ornaments and the year before in 2005 it was all about Swarofski Crystal Christmas ornaments. The Christmas Tree Lighting in Macy’s Walnut Room usually happens the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year the event is scheduled for November 8, 2008 at 1 pm. The tree this year is supposed to be a vintage decorated one with tinsel and antique ornaments.

The Walnut Room at Macy’s is a great day out with the family regardless of who designs or decorates the Christmas tree. I have been going there with my parents for the last few years and it is a very enjoyable experience and a tradition we plan on keeping up as long as we can. The food at the Walnut Room is not super fancy but it is very good and they revamped the menu with some more modern dishes last year in addition to the comfort food favorites you have always enjoyed. (chicken pot pie anyone?)  Expect to pay between $10 and $15 per person for dinner plus drinks, tax, tip and desert. Last year we had the best little mini-bunt spice cakes with ice cream on top that were a Martha Stewart recipe. I have included that picture here at left. We also usually stop to shop a bit and get some Frango mint chocolates since they are very good also. If you go during peak times (afternoons) the line to get into the Walnut Room is long and it is a first come first served type seating order. So, either go around lunchtime or go later in the evening to miss the crowds. The Walnut Room is kid friendly and they have lots of room for stroller parking.

If you don’t know him alreay, Tommy Hilfiger got popular in the 90’s for the preppy look that urban youth ended up taking, changing and owning later on. (think boyz 2 men) In the years since then he has tried to open his own line of stores (one was in Oak Brook Mall) that did not last very long. I know Macy’s is really is loyal to this brand and celebrity marketing plan they have going but I am not sure this one will work. Tommy Hilfiger may be a big deal to Macy’s but the rest of us aren’t really into his designs anymore. The line hasn’t evolved and it is too similar to a bunch of other brands we get cheaper at Target and Old Navy. (and probably manufactured in the same factory in China) So, he isn’t my favorite guy but he is a celebrity so I am sure that there will be a crowd.

If you do plan on visiting Macy’s department store in Chicago on State Street this winter for the holiday displays or the Walnut Room Christmas Tree Macy’s is reachable by Metra trains to Union Station and then by taking a cab from there to the store on State Street. Or if you live near the el train, take the brown, green, pink, orange or red lines to the State Street and Lake Street stop in the loop and just walk one block south of there to get to Macy’s department store.  Enjoy the shopping at Macy’s, the Walnut Room Tree and the great food this holiday season.

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

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

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

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

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

I watch the 2008 Chicago Red Bull Flutag event commercials and I can’t help see the resemblance between that 1980’s movie called “Magnificent men in their Flying Machines“. The theme song sings that title then says “they go updidy up up then they go downdidy down down”. The Chicago Red bull Flutag event couldn’t be more like the 1910’s in aviation if they tried. The Redbull Chicago Flutag event has been happening for at least the last 5 years because I see ads for it and unbelievable youtube videos. The ridiculousness of the flying machines is unbelievably laughable. None of the entrants are usually engineers, so it proves for lots of hilarity.

I am not going to be joining in on the Flutag event this year but I may go watch it safely from shore. From the pictures I have seen the viewing is good from just about anywhere on North Street Beach in downtown Chicago.  The event starts at 11 am (you may need red bull if you were out late the night before) and it is free and open to the public. the first flight (crash) is scheduled for 1pm and the awards are given out at 3:30pm.  

If you drive in you will want to take the highway and exit at North Avenue and take that east as far as you can until you hit lake Michigan. Then don’t drive into it. You will have a hard time finding parking near the lake, so try a parking garage if you can find one within a few blocks of the beach. Then enjoy the festivities and be sure to bring your camera to capture the hilarity. The red bull drinks will be flowing the entire time. You can not bring your dog to the event though. Sorry, no digs allowed. If you can bike to the event from Lincoln Park or Lakeview you will have a much easier time finding parking and getting home quickly.

If you want to see the videos of the past years competitions online you can at their web site at redbullflutagusa.com. There are 29 teams trying to fly something over or into the water at the Flutag event in Chicago this year. Some of the names are: BTFU, Pie in the Sky!, The Humans are Dead!, Cactus Smurfs, Stir Fly, The Lead Sled, Chicago Flight Hawks, Suck on this Darwin!, The Nintendudes, gReGo’s Red Hot Flyer II, Team Iowa: Go Shuck Yourself, The Perfect Getaway, Heavy Metal Santa & the Evil Elves, Team OZ, The Pirates of North Beach, HouseFly, The Crustacean Avengers, The USHE, I NEED GAS, The Flying Bartenders, Wheeled Wingers, Michigan J. Frogleap, The Flying Briefs, Who Wants a Mustache Ride?, New Style Flyers, The Flying Ditkas, X-Gnar, Operation Border Recon, and last but not least, The Flying EL.

The Gay Pride Parade is an annual tradition in Chicago. The parade draws thousands of proud GLBT community members and local visitors who enjoy the parade and festivities while they support the freedom to be out and be proud in Chicago. I have gone to see the Gay Pride Parade in Chicago, although not for a few years now, and it was a lot of fun and laughs and quite the party. (I distinctly remember the altoids) I do think it is an entertaining and open event for both straight and gay people and can be very entertaining for everyone if you keep an open mind. But then again, that is exactly what the gay pride parade is all about, open-mindedness. (think Eddie Izzard)

We need to keep the openness idea rolling in Chicago, we are pretty close to middle America and some people here really don’t embrace the open culture idea, but events and public awareness like this has changed the gay community in Chicago over the years. In fact everywhere I have worked over the last 10 years there have been a number of open and out gay professionals in the department and company. The companies embraced these differences and it was totally accepted to see significant others at company social events and the companies also provided benefits for these significant others. Now high schools have openly gay groups for teens and things are much more acceptable to be talked about in general. I admit I am not an expert on the gay community in Chicago, but even I have noticed that things have come a long way in the last 10 or 20 years!

If you want to see the 39th annual Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade in Chicago this year here is some info you will need. It is of course free to see the parade, but if you are driving in to the city, expect parking to be difficult to find and you will probably have to pay to park and then walk from a few blocks away. The map below shows the parade route and it starts in Boystown at Clark, Belmont and Halsted and ends at Diversey in Lincoln Park. The gay pride parade begins at 12 noon and usually goes until 2pm or longer. With 250 floats and many groups to see it takes a while. According to the official parade site chicagopride.com over 400,000 people attend the parade every year.  After the parade many people have parties locally and visitors from out of town usually like to do some shopping in the area. All in all it is a fun thing to do in Chicago this weekend.

Naperville Ribfest has become one of the largest suburban summer festivals in Chicago. It has been running for at least 20 years and the Ribfest has grown to now include major music acts along with great ribs from all over the country.

The thing that makes the Naperville Ribfest so attractive for both businesses and local residents is that it is in the suburbs and there are over 128,000 people living in Naperville and many more in towns of similar size around it. All these families with kids get something fun to do over the July 4th weekend and advertisers and entertainers love to be in front of them.

Over 1 million people go through the Naperville Ribfest over the 4th of July weekend. With that in mind save yourself some time and park in the 5th Avenue Metra Station lot and take the shuttles they have running every 10 minutes to the Ribfest. Otherwise there is no aprking within 1 mile of the fest. It is actually located in Knoch park behind Edwards Hospital but the hospital parking lot is off limits too. All the street parking was full by 3pm in the afternoon when we went too.

We suburbanites live 1 hour or more southwest of Chicago so the Taste of Chicago isn’t really an option for us with the awful traffic Chicago has these days. Plus if you live locally walking or biking to the Naperville Ribfest makes it more community friendly and less like the big city. The festival tries to be kid friendly and family friendly but local high school and college kids enjoy the Ribfest too.

Here is some helpful information about  the Naperville Ribfest schedule, rib restaurants selling food there and the events that weekend. 2009

Ribfest 2009 will run from Thursday, July 2rd through Sunday, July 5th.

• Thursday, July 2nd 12:00 Noon to 10:00 p.m.
• Friday, July 3rd 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday, July 4th 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m. Gates open to public at 7:00pm for fireworks
• Sunday, July 5th 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m.

The Ribfest Food Vendors selling Ribs will be:

• Desperado’s BBQ & Rib Co. – Their 10th year at Ribfest
• Fast Freddy’s Electric BBQ Ribs – They aren’t cooked fast but they are eaten fast!
• Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue and Catering – You know and love Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce from the Jewel grocery store and come see what they do when they are cookin’
• Texas Outlaws BBQ – They have won first place two of the last five years
• Uncle Bub’s- The Hichory Smoked BBQ Restaurant was born in 1997 in Westmont
• Famous Dave’s – Well, they are famous for their ribs of course
• Pigfoot BBQ Company – A Ribber at Naperville Ribfest for 13 years
• Aussom Aussie – A 20 year veteran of the International BBQ Circuit and they have great cornbread for $2.00 also.
• Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ – They offer both tomato based as well as vinegar based sauces.
• Porky N Beans – a member of the National Award Winning Rib Cookers of America since 1983
• Rasta Joes BBQ – Joe Alexander (Rasta Joe) has been at Ribfest for over 15 years
• Sgt. Oink’s Pit BBQ – Last year they won Naperville 3rd place best ribs
• Johnson’s BBQ – They have a BBQ sauce called “Thermonuclear Sauce”
• Smokin’ Joe’s Hog Wild Barbeque
• Armadillo’s Rib and Que Company
• Howling Coyote Southwest BBQ

The competition for best ribs prizes is Fierce! Last year Uncle Bubs was voted best in the Naperville Ribfest and Armadillo’s won best Sauce. I think that those plus Sweet Baby Ray’s will be the best ones to check out first because it may be impossible to try them all unless you plan on eating lunch and dinner there every day of the festival. There are other food and drink vendors there at the fest too. You can always count on Oberweis for some great ice cream and root beer floats.

If you come to Naperville Ribfest for the food, stay for the music. They have brought nationally known bands and acts to the suburbs for years and this year is no different. There are 2 stages; the Main Stage (Heart, Sarah Evans, Todd Rundgren and Huey Louis and the News) and the Brian R Schultz Rock and Roll Stage (Blue Oyster Cult, North Mississippi All Stars, WAR, Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone) plus there is also a BP Family Area that has a lot of fun activities for the kids. The schedules for both stages are below.

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Some tips for making your trip to the Naperville Ribfest more fun:

1. If you drive be prepared to walk because parking fills up in downtown Naperville quickly and you end up parking far away. Wear comfortable shoes. Park in the 5th Avenue Metra station lot off Washington and take the shuttle to the fest.

2. Buy your tickets in advance through the Ribfest web site or pre-sale tickets locally in downtown Naperville at the Jewel Grocery Food Stores and save $2.00 per ticket. Otherwise it is $10.00 at the gate and there are usually long lines.

3. Bring the kids, your appetite and stay for the music and entertainment all evening long. Here is a Map of the events and locations of the Naperville Ribfest.

4. The Ribfest will close if when it is raining there is any Lightning. At that time the park will close and everyone will be asked to leave for safety reasons. It is very very crowded and everyone just sits on the ground with their ribs to eat. So bring handy wipes for your fingers or get them at the Sweet Baby Ray’s station.

Enjoy the Ribfest and have a great time!

The Old Town Art Fair is just one of many festivals going on this weekend in Chicago. On June 14th and 15th (Saturday and Sunday) from 10 am to 6 pm you can pay $5 bucks to wander through the stations and view all the artwork and hear the local jazz and musicians play. The entrance is on to the Old Town Art Fair is at 1763 N Park Avenue but most people seem to get there by Second City at North Avenue and Wells Street because the Piper’s Alley theater has a paid parking garage. (it fills up fast and costs $25 to park for the afternoon) From there you can walk north or south to view the posh artwork.  

The Old Town Art Fair features local artist’s work from Chicago and the surrounding areas. You can find everything from fine art like paintings and watercolors to photography, sculpture and other creative arts. It is not though a craft fair. You won’t find flower arrangements or sewing projects. It is all about art in the traditional sense. They even feature some interesting emerging artists you might also see at the Around the Coyote Festival in Bucktown each year. So if you are looking for art to furnish your condo or home in Chicago or if you are just looking for an entertaining way to spend the afternoon in the Old Town neighborhood, check out the Old Town Art Fair. Expect large crowds (like in the picture) and this weekend expect it to be hot and sunny so remember the water and the sunscreen while enjoying the art fair.

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.

I have lived in Chicago all my life and during that time not only has the Taste of Chicago been a huge event known for great food, music and entertainment, it has gotten larger every year and keeps on growing. Taste of Chicago features some of the best food in the city as well as some of the fastest to make and serve. Most all of the food is specific to Chicago and you won’t find anywhere else in the country. Whether your favorite foods are ribs, chicken, burgers, Chicago style hot dogs, PIZZA, pasta, beef, sushi, Thai, Italian, BBQ, vegetarian, giant turkey legs, desserts, chocolate, ice cream, or cheesecake, you will find something tasty to eat this year at the Taste of Chicago. Many people make it a meal (or two!) at dinner after work downtown. It does get crowded and you should read some of the reviews and advice from others before tackling this huge event.

Some basic information you need to know if you are coming downtown for the Taste.

Taste of Chicago Map (712 KB PDF File)

Event Dates:June 27th through July 6th

Event Hours: The Taste of Chicago opens every day at 11 am for lunch and is open until 9:00 pm. Ticket sales stop at 8:30 pm. On the Final day July 6th the event closes early at 6pm.

Event Location: The Taste of Chicago is located in Grant Park downtown in Chicago between the streets of

Tickets and Costs: Admission is free to the event, but the food costs a bit more than you would expect. The vendors also don’t take cash, so you have to buy tickets and each item on the menu at each restaurant booth is listed with a price in a number of tickets. A strip of 12 tickets costs $8.00. No item should be more than 10 tickets and some places offer a sample taste for 2 or 4 tickets so you can get a real taste of a lot of foods. The thing that always surprises me is how much drinks cost. Expect them to be 6 or 8 tickets each. You can purchase advance food tickets for the Taste of Chicago at Dominick’s food stores for $6.00 a strip beforehand if you don’t plan to buy them downtown or want to save money.

Parking:A lot of people come in from the suburbs and across the Midwest to experience the Taste of Chicago, so expect big crowds and no street parking. There are parking garages located under Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park that are popular because they are walking distance to Grant Park. The Metra is always also an option but Union Station is not anywhere near Grant Park. Expect to take a bus or cab down to the event from there it is a very long walk in the hot sun otherwise. The CTA has plenty of buses and EL stations also near by if you plan on commuting from city locations. It is always better to CTA or Cab it rather than to drive to a huge crowded event like the Taste of Chicago.

Taste of Chicago Concerts: There are several concerts and they are all free! But because they are free, the seating and space fills up quickly and you should arrive a 1/2 hour or hour early to get a good spot. It is also frequently sunny and hot during these free concerts so bring a hat, sunscreen and buy a water if you plan to be in the heat for a few hours.

Safety: As always keep a close eye on kids and all the people in your group. There are frequently so many people trying to walk between the food vendors and restaurant stations that everyone is elbow to elbow and if you loose someone it is very hard to find them again. Use cell phones to locate people in a crowd. Also keep an eye for pickpockets, in a crowd it is easy to mistake a pickpocket for a bump and then your wallet is gone. I have never had this happen, but it can, so keep your money in a safe place.

Taste of Chicago Map (712 KB PDF File)

This year the restaurants exhibiting at the Taste of Chicago are:

  A Natural Harvest
  Abbey Pub
  Adobo Grill (New!)
  Arya Bhavan
  Aunt Diana’s Candy Makers (sweet!)
  B.J.’s Market & Bakery
  Bacino’s Pizza of Lincoln Park
  Bella Luna Café
  Billy Goat Inn (cheeseburgers!)
  Bobtail Ice Cream Company (awesome Ice Cream)
  Bolat African Cuisine
  Buona Beef (aways a favorite)
  C’est Si Bon
  Canady Le Chocolatier (New!)
  Celebration Creamery
  Chicago Chocolate Company
  Chicago Joe’s
  Connie’s Pizza
  Costa’s
  Dominick’s
  Eli’s Cheesecake (a tradition in Chicago)
  Father & Son Pizzeria
  Fireplace Inn
  Franco’s Ristorante
  Grazie! Ristorante
  Guey Lon
  Harold’s Chicken #71
  Harry Caray’s
  Hashbrowns (New!)
  Helen’s
  Home Run Inn Pizza (my personal favorite pizza)
  JR Dessert Bakery
  Kasia’s Deli
  La Justicia
  Lagniappe-Creole Cajun Joynt
  Las Tablas (New!)
  Los Dos Laredos
  Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria (a taste of Chicago favorite!)
  Mazzone’s Italian Ice
  Now We’re Poppin’ (New!) Popcorn
  O’Brien’s Cafe
  Oak Street Beach Café
  Original Rainbow Cone
  Polka Sausage & Deli
  Polo Cafe & Catering
  Reggio’s Pizza
  Ricobene’s (another traditional Taste of Chicago Favorite)
  Robinson’s #1 Ribs (awesome ribs)
  Sabor Latino
  Soul Vegetarian East (New!)
  Star of Siam (great Thai Food)
  Suparossa Pizza
  Sweet Baby Ray’s (I love their BBQ sauce)
  Tamarind (New!)
  Taqueria Los Comales
  The Breakfast Club (New!)
  The Grill On The Alley
  The Noodle Vietnamese Cuisine
  Tiparos Thai Cuisine
  Tuscany Italian Restaurant
  Tutto Italiano
  Vee-Vee’s African Cuisine
  Vermilion Latin-American Cuisine
  Vienna Beef/Gold Coast Dogs (You can’t miss getting a real Chicago Hot Dog At the Taste of Chicago)
  Wow Bao (New!) (fresh hot buns they say!)

Also The Chef’s table Special Featured Restaurants at the Taste of Chicago schedule are:

Friday, June 27, 2008 – Heaven on Seven

Saturday, June 28, 2008 – Morton’s

Sunday, June 29, 2008 – Berghoff

Monday, June 30, 2008 – Tavern On Rush

Tuesday, July 1, 2008 – Chant

Wednesday, July 2, 2008 – Cafè Spiaggia

Thursday, July 3, 2008 – Les Nomades

Friday, July 4, 2008 – Art Smith Company

Saturday, July 5, 2008 – The Parrot Cage

Sunday, July 6, 2008 – The Parrot Cage

I got my Oak Park FYI newsletter in the mail today and it has a mention that a new condo tower will be built at South Avenue and Harlem Avenue in Oak Park. Don’t we have enough condos in Oak Park? At any given moment in the current housing crash and real estate meltdown there are over 500 condos for sale in Oak Park already. So, they are wiping out 140 public parking spaces in order to get a parking garage under almost 100 new condos that no one will buy. There are about 10 rehab and new condo developments  in Oak Park for sale already, that are not able to sell any units as it is. And any owner that wants to sell will never gain any equity or value or ever sell with this many on the market.

There is a glut in this area’s market because it is overdeveloped! So for the love of God, STOP BUILDING and Converting CONDOS!!! I know the big developers don’t care and the Realtors are happy to lie to people and say you will gain value year over year on your condo, but you won’t. (the old data they usually show you is from 1997-2003) Oak Park has a multitude of problems and the developers and Realtors are making it even worse. They are taking advantage of good people that haven’t lived here before and don’t know all the details on why it sucks to buy here like I did. Don’t get sucked into this trap. It can be a financial disaster and a huge mistake to buy a property in Oak Park.

The exact blurb from the newsletter is as follows:

“An agreement has been reached with Morningside Equities Group, Inc. on the terms for a new $30-million mixed-use project at South Boulevard and Harlem Avenue. The eight-story development will contain 96 condominium units, 12,500 square feet of new retail space and a parking garage in the heart of the downtown shopping area. The current site’s 143 parking lot spaces will be replaced with 245 public parking spaces in the new public garage. The public spaces are in addition to dedicated on-site parking for the condominium owners. The building will be designed and constructed to achieve certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system. A formal redevelopment agreement between the Village and Morningside is expected to be signed before the end of the year. The project then will enter the planned development process, which includes opportunities for public comment. For more information on the project or process, call 358.5644 or e-mail devsvcs@oak-park.us. “

They don’t tell you that it costs $100-$150 per quarter to park in a public lot.

Here are the reasons NOT to buy any property in Oak Park ever:

1. Whatever you pay for the new, rehabbed or redeveloped condo you buy will be worth less a year from now and still worth less 5 years from now. The housing slump isn’t creating this problem, overdevelopment is. This was happening in Oak Park two years before the rest of the country had a slump.  In the 1990’s Oak Park had a mini-boom and many people saw their real estate value jump up each year, but since about 2003 only stand alone houses have increased in value. There has been a glut of condos for sale since 2001 and that has caused condominium values to drop and stagnate at these lower levels. (simple economics, there is not enough demand and an over supply; not that many people want to live there because of the crime and extremely high costs)  They get away with this scam by putting fancy granite counter tops and new appliances in very old buildings with lead paint, lead pipes, bad windows, sagging floors and leaky roofs. Many young first time home buyers buy into it thinking it will be new and redone and face thousands of dollars in additional work that has to be done afterwards. A friend of mine has had a leaky roof problem that will cost him $30,000.00 to fix. The builder is being sued but even if they win he won’t see that money for at least 5 years. So he is paying out of pocket with a second loan and a second morgage payment to get the water to stop coming in his condo. It’s a nightmare. You should be aware of these risks. You could be buying a place with serious faults that causes you to spend thousands of dollars to fix it and then your property value drops on top if it. It’s a double bad situation.

2. Oak Park taxes are higher than anywhere else I have lived and higher than most places in Chicago. Why? Because the city has nowhere to gain revenues from except it’s residents. There is no business or industry or commerical property to make money from. The largest employers in the town of Oak Park are the Rush Oak Park hospital and #2 is the town of Oak Park. That isn’t much and the small stores and small businesses there don’t generate enough sales tax revenue or other taxes to pay for much. So they devised this parking ticket scheme to make money and taxes are very high. They say to count on 2.5% of your home’s purchase price. An average home in Oak Park is vintage (needs a lot of work every year) and costs $500,000.00. That makes your property tax bill $12,500.00 per year and $1,042 per month. There is a homeowner exemption, but that is just $400.00. Not much help. By comparison in Downers Grove a 500K home will get a 1.5% tax bill of $7,500.00. And that is in a town of lower crime and better schools. So, that is pretty convincing to me.

3. The Parking in Oak Park is rigged on purpose. It is in place to make money for the town by taking advantage of the fact that there is very little parking available. It’s the scam of the century. Oak Park doesn’t make enough tax money from businesses because it’s almost all residential and something has to pay for all the police, new schools and the salaries of the town of Oak Park’s employees since it is the largest employer in the town. They don’t require builders and developers to provide parking spaces or garages with the property it develops or converts on purpose. They purposely want to restrict the availability and access of parking so they can make a large chunk of their revenue from parking tickets each year.  (the article above is only including enough parking to replace what was there and the parking for the high priced units, not enough for people who don’t have parking now, and it doesn’t help people who don’t live in that area of the town who don’t have parking) The parking ticket agents hunt cars down and know when the lot time or meter expires and are ready to write a $30, $50 or $100 dollar ticket. And they will write you more than one in a day if they can. ( I couldn’t be surprised if they have quotas to fill or get bonuses for writing more tickets) The town also puts a boot on your car wheels and suspends your driver’s license if you have more than 3 unpaid tickets. In Oak Park, that can take about a day and a half to accumulate, and then you have to pay $150.00 and get them to remove the boot plus the original tickets. People say the parking is bad here, but no one has been able to get the city government to do anything about it because the government is profiting of the problem they purposely created to take advantage of residents. They also know low income people aren’t active in politics or in donating to their campaigns so they aren’t pissing off anyone they care about or depend on, and they take advantage of those who live in low income housing and low priced condo units. Don’t give Oak Park any more money and certainly don’t park there.

4. There is a lot more crime, theft, drugs and gangs in Oak Park than a Realtor would like you to think. Oak Park is in many ways an extension of the City of Chicago and an extension of the City’s problems. No one talks about the crime, it is always very hush hush and hard to find out about. The crimes range from bikes stolen to cars broken into and stolen to break-ins and some homicide deaths. (those usually make the news) There have been more homicides in Oak Park every year since I have been here, yet no one talks about the rate going up. It is also curious that every time there is a helicopter circling overhead, another escaped criminal is in Oak Park. They get out of the Cook County Jail and make a beeline for Oak Park because it is next to Maywood and Bellwood or the West Side of Chicago. Do you think that maybe people are also having a hard time existing in this town with all these costs and regulations and are turning to drugs, theft and crime to try and get by? Not everyone makes over 100K a year and can afford all the costs of Oak Park, and for a lot of low income people who have been born and raised here, Oak Park is very frustrating.

5. Oak Park is very very polluted and dirty. I-290, the Metra trains and the cargo freight trains all make Oak Park a very polluted place. Black soot falls from the sky daily landing on windowsills and cars which is from the diesel freight train engines that stay parked and running all night next to 290 or along the Metra lines by Lake Street and South Blvd. The car pollution is bad and the noise pollution is even worse. They even route the air traffic from O’Hare and Midway overhead to make sure we get all the possible toxins we can. It is much more polluted than the rest of the Chicagoland area but people don’t talk about it, because no one is supposed to know.

6. When you try to sell your condo you will need 12 months or more to find a buyer because there are 500 other condos for sale and almost no buyers. You will be forced to pay a village property sales tax of $8 per each $1000 of your sale price called a property transfer stamp. (no other town has this!) With all the fees including the property transfer tax stamp and the realtors, lawyers, cook county and the state of IL, your fees will run about 10% of your sale price. I know I just finally sold. That was what the total was. So you have to make more than that 10% you loose to fees, just because the property is located in Oak Park.

7. They are public works project happy. The government in Oak Park is the largest employer of workers in the town and they see public works projects as their birthright and choose anything and everything to build in order to spend tax payers money. There have been propsals floated for every hairbrained idea from capping 290 and making it a concrete tunnel with a park on top to more and more condos. Basically everyone pays for these (like the ginormous library nobody uses?) and nobody really benefits.

Do yourself a favor, and buy a home anywhere outside Oak Park and Chicago, out in the real suburbs where it’s your right to park anywhere you want any time you want, and your home’s value will increase at a rate faster than inflation. Plus the schools are a lot better out there and it is much safer to live there too. Don’t fall into the trap of living in Oak Park it will cost you more money and you get far less than in other suburbs.