Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Thursday, October 23
WGN-TV has asked The Museum of Classic Chicago Television to pull all its WGN content -- videos of "Bozo's Circus," "Garfield Goose and Friends" and others -- due to an exclusivity agreement the station signed with the Museum of Broadcast Communications. MBC's videos are all behind a (free) passworded firewall, while MCCT's are freely viewable... could that have been an issue, too?
The New York Times will launch a Chicago edition.
The Neo-Futurists are still enrolling for fall classes, where ensemble members lead their studious flock through the creation of new two-minute plays in the style of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. More here and here.
Amy Krause Rosenthal and friends returned to The Bean on Sept. 9 and created another video.
Whether you're for Rio, Madrid, Tokyo, or Chicago, your Olympic fervor (and addiction to Twitter) could win you a trip to one of the finalist cities from travel social media app Where I've Been. Check Facebook for more details.
The smell of popcorn wafting from Garrett's, so familiar to Loop workers, prompted someone (presumably a tourist) to call out the fire department this morning. Must've been a particularly dark batch of caramel corn.
Local author Kate Harding reminds us all why Roman Polanski has been "in exile" for 32 years.
A Villa Park car dealership is accused of playing the Archie Bunker card in dealing with women customers and employees.
Add another voice to the ones supporting the 2016 Olympics for Chicago, only this one might be a little sarcastic. (Note: The support comes from a "columnist" for the infamous Weekly World News so take it with a big fat grain of salt.)
Listening to a police scanner can be really interesting -- and a bit scary at times. A new app for the iPhone/iPod Touch lets you put all 13 CPD dispatch zones in your pocket. (Thanks, Dan!)
Here's an open letter to Michelle Obama from Lou Carlozo to go with our own Bob Quellos' open letter to her husband regarding Chicago's Olympic bid.
When reading Cosmo's guide to the meaning of men's smiles, it's helpful to have a man around to demonstrate.
Illinois is known for a lot of great things, but one of them isn't nursing homes.
Can't wait for Halloween? Well, slip on your finest undead fashion and catch a free screening of Zombieland this Thursday.
Our own Steve at the Movies (aka Capone on Ain't it Cool) hosts a pair of screenings and Q&As of the new film Big Fan at the Music Box this Friday. Director Robert Siegel will be at the early screening; he'll be joined by star Patton Oswalt for the second. Tickets are available here.
James Degorski, the second suspect in the infamous Brown's Chicken Massacre case, was found guilty this afternoon. Now all that remains is sentencing before this grisly tale finally comes to a close.
Watch the Olympics 2016 announcement on Friday at 11:30 am at the Daley Plaza rally, or at a few local bars/restaurants with special deals.
OK, all of you Chick-Fil-A cultists, get ready to cluck for joy. The much-ballyhooed restaurant chain is moving a step closer to Chicago. They're going to open one in Orland Park.
New York's The Moth is at Martyrs' tonight for a story slam: come with a story in mind, drop your name in the hat and you could be on stage telling it to the crowd.
Joey Feinstein, founder of Climate Cycle, is a finalist in Nau's $10,000 Grant for Change. The program seeks to support those who "those who instigate lasting, positive change in their communities." Climate Cycle definitely does that.
Tom's of Maine is asking you to help them determine who they donate money to this year. They have five $20,000 grants they're handing out, and they'd love you to vote five times everyday until October 30th. The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation is seeking funds to engage young men in ending violence. Seems like a pressing issue this week in particular.
The Walt Disney Family Museum is now open in San Francisco, and it includes plenty of his Chicago history.
Can you imagine what blogs would have been like if zines had never existed? I can't. So imagine young women in Cambodia who are just starting to find their voices. Local writer, activist, mover-and-shaker-upper Anne Elizabeth Moore has been working with these young women and helping them find their voices with zines. She documented her time with 32 women in the only college dormitory in the country and had artfully bound their collected work named New Girl Law. You can help further this project, and the goal of educating more women in Cambodia, by donating money to Anne. Do you know how many mimeoraphed pages $5 will buy?
In Mechanics, the co-founder of No Games Chicago writes open letter to Obama about the city's Olympic bid.
Steppenwolf isn't just a good place to see a show -- it's apparently also a great place to work. The Wall Street Journal named the theater one of this year's Top Small Workplaces. Radio Flyer made the list as well. [via]
On Yelp, reviews of the Broadway and Lawrence branch of the USPS are, uh, mixed: "Just writing about this place forces me to relive all my nightmarish experiences there. I need to drink some herbal tea just to calm down." And: "I wonder what they do with all my mail they don't deliver? Do they just throw it out?" There's much, much more.
The Chia Obama is returning to Chicago. Protests led Walgreens to drop it, but it looks like CVS is going to give it a shot.
Voting is now open on the Chicago Public Library's "People's Choice Award" in its Sound Off Chicago music contest. See videos for all the entries here -- you have until midnight Saturday to choose your favorite.
Crain's profiles Lori Greiner, a local entrepreneur who's made a mint selling stuff on QVC.
Local designer Ryan McGovern hosts DesignChat, a live streaming video discussion for creative professionals. Check the site's blog for past wisdom from design luminaries or catch this week's discussion with the award-winning creatives behind Big Space Ship at 5:30pm on Wednesday, in the Mashable chatroom.
The folks behind Chicagoans for Rio talk about why they created the site and other questions. [via]
Looking to snap up some cheap property? Or maybe just get a glimpse of just how much of a discount nearby units are going for? CondoShark has your answer.
Barack Obama will be joining Michelle in Copenhagen this week after all, hoping to give another boost to Chicago's Olympic bid.
It's hard to believe, but there's a new catch in the parking meter deal: When parking meters are removed or their hours reduced, somebody has to make up for the loss.
Freitag bags are pretty cool, but they're also pretty expensive. Check out Defy bags instead: besides being local, you can customize the flap with whatever you can come up with and send to them as a jpg.
You've seen American Gothic at the Art Institute, right? Well, don't tell me this photo doesn't blow your mind just a little bit.
Maybe you've participated in Critical Mass before, but you haven't seen it like this: the Disability Studies Student Council at UIC is calling for wheelchair users to Crip the Mass! -- showing off their own wheels and boosting awareness of wheelchairs on the streets. Join the fun at Daley Plaza today at 5pm.
A mother and her teenage son are suing four other teens for allegedly setting up a fake profile for the son on Facebook that contained racial and sexual slurs.
Like candy and NASCAR? Satisfy both cravings when racer Kyle Bush hands out free Mars chocolate bars next Thursday at Pioneer Plaza. Why the free candy? Well, apparently Chicago was voted the city most in need of "sweet relief". Whatever, just hand over the Snickers.
Apartment renters on the North Side of Chicago might have to dig a little deeper around the first of the month. Thanks to tax assessment hikes, landlords are contemplating "skyrocketing" rent increases for the rest of this year and 2010.
The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir's van blew a tire and rolled several times in Indiana yesterday as the band was on its way to Cincinnati for a show. Details in Transmission, including a way to help the band recover.
Hey, that's handy: a list of all the city's free museums, and the free days at all the others. [via]
All the single ladies (and single men), hold your books up! According to the Sun-Times, the GB Book Club is the #2 way to meet your lover. Awww yeah...
No, Instant Bueller. (Reminds me of something.)
Free this afternoon? Learn something new or teach other folks something you know at the How-To-A-Thon at Vocalo.org's Navy Pier studios from 3pm to 8pm.
Approximately 900 Unite Here Local 1 workers and supporters rallied for strengthened negotiations with local hoteliers as well as for recently fired non-union hotel workers in Boston. The 200 arrestees sat in Chicago Avenue in front of the Park Hyatt.
New Yorker editor David Remnick has a beautiful Talk of the Town piece on our former governor in which Blago floats the prospect of returning to the public sphere. He makes clear though that he wouldn't run for president.
The Fineprint makes some pretty sweet Chicago-themed t-shirts and other gear. I'm particularly fond of this one.
WGN-TV takes a page from AutoTune the News and gives Rod Blagojevich an opportunity to defend himself in song.
Two former employees of J.C. Cutters Horse Carriage Co. were found guilty of mistreating their horses by failing to meet feeding and sheltering standards.
This is Kiddieland's final weekend, and capacity crowds are expected. If you're going, plan to wait awhile.
Create a digital "footprint" with your inspiration for running the Chicago Marathon (or supporting someone who is) and Bank of America will donate $1 to a charity of your choice.
The mosaic under the 47th Street Metra station is finished, and it is lovely. Hyde Park Progress has pictures.
You know that $13.7 billion the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid team says the Olympics will pump into the city's economy? Yeah, no. A new analysis to be released today says it will be only a third of that amount.
Record-high public transit ridership in 2008 (along with, no doubt, all the bikes I see streaming by on Milwaukee everyday) saved Illinois nearly 260 million gallons of gas. In the new report from advocacy group Environment Illinois, the group says that's equal to the amount of gas from over 450,000 cars.
Another in our series of remembrances of past Chicago music venues, we take a look at former Lakeview club Medusa's over in Transmission.
The Trib took some time to chat with David Byrne about his new book, Bicycle Diaries, and got him talking about his cycling experiences in Chicago.
The president still isn't attending, but Oprah will be headed to Copenhagen to promote Chicago's bid for the Olympics. Meanwhile, Dave Zirin frets about what will happen if we win in The Nation.
Get out your BMX: The Garden is a set of dirt jumps for bicycles set in Clark Park. It's hard to believe something this cool is just hiding in the woods near the river.
The state's liquor tax increase is pushing alcohol prices higher -- but not nearly as high as wholesalers would like you to think.
As sort of a PSA, since October 1 is a big moving date for renters: the Chicago Tenants Union is a great resource for info on tenants' rights, lease regulations and what to do if your landlord holds your security deposit for too long.
It's bad enough to get arrested for drunk driving on your Razor MX500, but riding it in the courtroom as part of your defense is a whole new level.
Flier found on the Irving Park Avenue overpass. Well, at least it's an interesting change from the usual "Real Estate Investor Seeks Apprentice" signs. Note: Personally, I wouldn't bother calling.
You've heard that before, right? Coin That Phrase wants to help you make it a reality.
If you've ever noticed an Illinois license plate but couldn't figure out what kind of strange plate it was, this visual guide to Illinois license plates (pdf) should give you a hand.
You're never far from a McDonald's -- unless you're in South Dakota. More in Drive-Thru.
In Stephanie Kuehnert's Ballads of Suburbia, Kara McNaughton and her family find out that the suburban life they dreamed of when they moved to Oak Park isn't all it's cracked up to be. Find out more about this teen drama in my review on the Book Club page.
The CPD is putting an end to the overtime detail at Obama's house starting October 1. What security will remain is still under review.
There are several ways to march in the Thanksgiving Day Parade: become a prominent politician, join a high school marching band -- or volunteer to wrangle the balloon floats or clean up after CPD horses.
The Post Family's Scott Thomas is working on a book about the art and design of the Obama presidential campaign. Help it happen by pre-ordering on Kickstarter.
Five Tunes is a local blog that asks musicians to share five songs they're currently digging.
Chicago Weekly alternative weekly now has a blog which will cover arts, culture, news, and opinion on the South Side. This student-written blog is based at the University of Chicago.
Chicago-based ReusableBags.com is a finalist for Green Business of the Year in Green America's 2009 People's Choice Awards. Help them win by voting today.
According to Time Out's new World's Greatest Cities guidebook, Chicago is tied for fifth greatest city in the world. You can have your say (and vote us up) in their readers' survey.
After a University of Chicago geneticist died after researching plague virus bacteria on Sept. 13, federal health investigators arrived in Chicago yesterday to check it out. About 100 people who might have been exposed to the nasty Yersenia pestis bacteria have been given antibiotics as a precaution, and city health officials are saying there is no evidence of a spread.
NAHA executive chef/owner Carrie Nahabedian's the first woman to be inducted in the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame. She joins Charlie Trotter, Jimmy Bannos, and Rick Bayless.
It's been a busy week for the Windy City Rollers, who started it off by singing the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley with Drew Barrymore, and ended it by winning this weekend's WFTDA North Central Regional Tournament, easily skating past Madison 150-56.
CTA employees who clean busses typically need to turn on bus engines to provide light, temperature controls and other power while they work in them. That will change for 80 busses thanks to a new $1.5 million federal Recovery Act grant.
The MacArthur Foundation announced its 2009 Fellows, who will receive a no-strings-attached $500k check just for being...a genius. No Chicagoans in the bunch, but John Rogers, a UIUC physics professor, made the list for his contributions to flexible electronics devices.
For the past four years, developers in Google's Chicago office have been working on a way for you to take your data (contacts, files, etc.) with you if you leave Google's products, like gmail. Their work has paid off in the form of the Data Liberation Front. [via]
Speaking of the Olympics, here's another site for the anti- crowd: Chicagoans for Rio. [via]
Past performance is the best indicator of future behavior, says Steve Rhodes. (Share your own thoughts in Mechanics.)
Speaking of driving... Even if you can't go car free, maybe try car pooling. Chicago has the lowest rate of car pooling of any major US city, according to IBM's annual "commuter pain" survey.
Tomorrow is Chicagoland Car-Free Day, a day when people pledge to ditch their autos and try an alternate form of transportation. It's sponsored by the Active Transportation Alliance, who's partnered with local communities and public transportation systems, and is all part of World Car-Free Day. Take the pledge on their website, and you'll get a $1 coupon off a large drink at Caribou Coffee.
With ACORN making national news for all the wrong reasons, the L.A. Times spent some time asking about the view from Chicago.
Chicagoan Ethan Boroian is hoping to make it big on Britain's version of American Idol, The X Factor. Based on the reactions of the judges, he may have a pretty good shot. (Thanks, Matt!)
The co-owner of New Leaf Natural Grocery gives the lowdown on her first underground dinner.
Allison is "an avid Art Jumper," which I do not think was a word until she coined it. Anyway, she likes to jump in art galleries, and she's not the only one. Naturally, the Art Institute is represented.
Ira Glass confirmed that "This American Life" won't be returning to Chicago, despite Showtime canceling the TV show. Then again, considering how baffled he was by the reaction when he left, I guess it's not a surprise.
The Field Museum Univeristy of Chicago's star paleontologist Paul Sereno announced the discovery of Raptorex, an ancestor of Tyrannosaurus Rex but 100 times smaller. (Thanks, Kevin!)
Did you know that Chicago's first college football team was at the University of Chicago? Led by Coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, the Maroons won all but two games from 1905 to 1909, and were Big Ten champions seven times. Discovered in the Library of Congress' stash of photos from the Chicago Daily News.
Will Chicago be the victim of a nuclear terrorist attack on Sept. 22? At least one person thinks so.
Lori Barrett goes north to Wisconsin for some family fun, weird neighbors and great-tasting beer in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Chicago's own GrubHub, which has been expanding into other cities, recently got a competitor on its home turf: Eat24Hours.
A Who's Who in Chicago business list may not sound particularly interesting to those outside the business world, but Crain's social networking map makes it worth a gander.
The television version of This American Life has been taken off the air by Showtime, according to Ira Glass. Whether that means the radio version will return to Chicago is not yet known.
The Chicago Canine Club in Burr Ridge is hoping to find a new home for a family of four dogs whose owners were recently killed in a tragic accident.
The Oprah effect may go beyond books, products, musicians. The next episode on the continuing saga of "It's Oprah's world and we just live in it": Local restaurants and certain chefs are seeing an Oprah bump, according to 312 Dining Diva.
In Transmission we profile a music venue just over the city line: SPACE.
The BBC goes inside Chicago's underground dog-fighting scene. [via] Tio Hardiman, who is working to stop dog fighting, was profiled on GB last year for his work against guns.
Tomorrow is Park(ing) Day, a multi-city event that turns parking spaces into temporary public parks. This year, Chicago's entry is on Southport near Addison, and is sponsored by architecture firm moss design. Hear architect Matt Nardella explain the event and its new connotations after the parking meter scandal on WBEZ's "Eight Forty-Eight."
Chicago Journal focuses on academic architecture as UIC contemplates its future development and new student housing is proposed in the South Loop.
Speaking of local bodies of water, the Coast Guard has partially reopened the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to recreational boaters four weeks after the increase in voltage in an Asian Carp barrier.
Baffling. Two marble statues of the Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati turned up in the DuPage River. Local Hindu temples report that their statues are all accounted for.
Will his statue find rest outside of Solider Field, or will it be somewhere else?
Ads for I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, the new movie based on the stories of U of C graduate and self-proclaimed asshole Tucker Max, have started appearing on CTA buses. The ads feature taglines of, let's say, questionable taste, leading the Reader's Whet Moser to bet they'll be removed by the CTA by next Tuesday.
Chicago's hospitality is world famous -- but the city's less savory entertainment options for visiting opthalmologists and auto part salesmen were a bit more on display in the '50s than today. [via]
Chicagoland Car-Free Day is a week away! Take the pledge not to drive on Sept. 22, and you can print out a coupon for a dollar off a large drink at area Caribou Coffee locations.
LAZ's parking meter machines don't always tell the correct time, despite supposedly being updated every night -- meaning your meter receipt might not show the correct time. Clock experts say something doesn't add up in LAZ's explanation of the discrepancy.
A tree 7-foot marijuana bush grows in Brooklyn Rogers Park.
Ready for a full hour of Chicago's president on late night TV? Obama will be David Letterman's sole guest on Monday, Sept. 21. (He's also be on the weekend political talk shows while you're at brunch.)
Landmarks Illinois has released its annual Chicagoland Watch List of endangered buildings. The list includes Cameron's house from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the Lincoln/Fullerton streetscape and three Frank Lloyd Wright homes.
Former Chicago Public Radio reporter Jay Field hasn't been able to find work in the industry, so he's now driving a cab. Read about his experiences at Recession Taxi.
All I can say after reading Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry is: wow. Okay, that's a lie. I could say a lot more, and I do in my review over on the Book Club page.
Chicagoans have cut back 11 percent on discretionary spending according to Mint.com -- but one thing they're not scrimping on is books.
If it's been a while since you've been on a water taxi, here's a reminder about how great they are.
Don't plan on going to Hot Doug's on October 7: they'll be in New York showing them Yankees how it's done.
Two Chicago designers will debut their Spring 2010 collections tomorrow at Fashion Week in NYC. Maria Pinto will show at Banchet Flowers from 6-9 pm and Lara Miller's work will appear at King of Greene St at 11 am as part of a two-day event showcasing sustainable fashion.
Of the fifteen most corrupt politicians in Congress by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington D.C.
Harnessing the freaky cool power of Google Maps, the Tutor/Mentor Connection shows Chicagoans where to find tutor and mentor programs. But it also goes way further, showing maps of poorly performing schools, crime in the news, and even support groups like churches and universities, all to pinpoint areas in which organizations should create and nurture tutor and mentor programs.
Fresh off the news that Michelle Obama is going to Copenhagen to push Chicago for the Olympics, the Daleys and a few Olympic athletes will be visiting the White House tomorrow to promote our bid.
If you're an admirer of artist Joseph Cornell (I am, to an embarrassing degree), you might want to stop by the Art Institute at noon today to hear a lecture on Cornell's fascination with ballet and its influence on his art.
We cover a lot of local lit in our Book Club, but for an encyclopedic view of the city's publishing scene, head to the Chicago Publishers Gallery at the Cultural Center. It features more than 1500 books from more than 125 publishers, plus magazines and online publications, too. You can also read the Book Club's coverage of the Gallery's opening in October of last year.
Geoff Dougherty, editor-in-chief of The Chi-town Daily News, has a Q&A up about the online newspaper's recent closing.
The Pilsen Community Market will be hosting a community garage sale for the next two Sundays
on a vacant lot at 18th and Peoria.
As part of their Real Pirates exhibition, the Field Museum is pulling out the stops for International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19) with pirate re-enactors, sword fights, treasure hunts, and more. Can I hear an ahrrrrr?
Your office has a communal fridge? Maybe it needs a compost bin. A new law says business composting is a-ok. Local nonprofit Healthy Schools Campaign already has its staffers calling dibs on naming rights to its composting worms.
Evolving out of beta testing never looked so sultry. User-contributed relationship confessional sites, ItWasOverWhen.com and ItWasLoveWhen.com is seeking couples (or extroverted singles) to lock lips and help with their redesign at their launch party. More details in Slowdown.
In case Twitter didn't tell you already, hometown boy Kanye West made headlines again at the VMAs last night -- this time for stealing the limelight from Taylor Swift as she accepted the "Best Female Video" award. Of course, conspiracy theories abound in the harsh light of day and apologies from the West camp came and went.
Chicago-based interaction designer Nick Disabato has launched a Kickstarter project to help fund his new book, Cadence & Slang. Simply put, Cadence & Slang is a book about interaction design. Help make it a reality.
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Second City is hosting a reunion of the cast members of SCTV (Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short and Dave Thomas) on Friday, December 11. Tickets go on sale today at 10am (see the Second City 50th anniversary page for details), and range from a standard ticket price of $175 to a VIP package for $750.
The NYTimes details Chicago's current influence on Broadway ... although it doesn't know Chicago does have an East Side.
Christopher Kelly, a roofing company owner who was recently indicted for his fund raising involvement with former governor Rod Blagojevich, was found dead today.
Loreen Niewenhuis has been taking a really long walk on the beach. Since March, she's hoofed it from Chicago through Indiana, up through Michigan, down through Wisconsin, following the shoreline in her attempt to walk all the way around Lake Michigan. She finishes the last leg of her trek at Navy Pier on September 26.
Andrew Gill of WBEZ.org loves this photo of the city, taken by Gapers Block's own managing editor David Schalliol. Click here for a larger version.
Bill and Jacky Grimshaw, next-door neighbors of the Obama family in Kenwood, are selling their house. [via]
Because Barack's got better things to do these days, Michelle Obama will be heading to Copenhagen next month to plead Chicago's case for hosting the Olympics.
...To volunteer for its Thanksgiving Day Parade! They have something for everyone, from tech crew, to gift bag stuffer, to poo crew. And since it's aired live, you might even get on TV!
Rebeca Mojica started Blue Buddha Boutique after a successful PR career, a sojourn in Germany, and a curious run-in with chainmaille. Got that? Since, the Chicago company's gone gangbusters creating handmade jewelry, educating the masses, and supporting local causes. They're now nominated as an "inspiring small business" in the Shine A Light competition from American Express and NBC Universal, in the running for up to $100,000 in grants and marketing support. Learn more and endorse them (before Sunday the 13th) by following the instructions here.
Breaking news: Chi-Town Daily News laid off its entire staff yesterday and is closing shop. We're working working on the story; expect more details soon. UPDATE: Editor-in-Chief Geoff Dougherty tells me "All is not as it seems!" and that "closing shop" is not accurate. UPDATE @: Here's a statement from Dougherty about the evolution of the site into a new venture. UPDATE 3: Read our full story in A/C.
Restaurant.com is offering super-reduced prices for their gift certificates, for use at hundreds of Chicago-area restaurants. The fine print is here.
A new website, direct2food.org, helps the needy find social services including food pantries and soup kitchens.
Blair Kamin reviews the "Big. Bold. Visionary. Chicago Architects Consider the Next Century" exhibit at the Chicago Tourism Center. Is it wrong to think the slightly creepy Blade Runneresque version of the Windy City, covered in a "transparent blanket that resembles a giant piece of Glad Wrap," is kind of awesome?
Chris Brunn sits down with chef Ryan Poli of Perennial to discuss their new (delicious-looking) vegan menu offering in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
The Trib is reporting that Bill Davies, the individual who purchased the post office last month, may not be the most reputable businessman.
There's a certain poetic irony to the thought of multiple bands called the Drifters performing all over the country, questionable strangers blowing through town for a gig and then disappearing into the night.
In honor of Michael Jordan's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame tomorrow, ESPN has collected the 23 most memorable moments of his career. (Surprisingly, Space Jam is not included.) More in Tailgate.
Hey, have you been reading The Echo Maker by Richard Powers along with us at the Gapers Block Book Club? Our September meeting is taking place this coming Monday, Sept. 14, at The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square. Check out the sample discussion questions on our blog, and visit Slowdown for complete meeting details. Hope to see you there!
Listening to the White House Press Secretary squirm after being asked why President Obama may not go to Copenhagen to support the Chicago bid is kind of enjoyable.
We give you the lowdown on every band playing Bloodshot Records' 15th Anniversary Beer-B-Q Saturday at the Hideout over in Transmission. Plus, a sweet Imeem music player featuring all the bands!
Random interesting tattoo photo shows a young lady's team and town loyalty.
Say what you will about what the recent Oprahpalooza on Michigan Ave. did to your morning commute, some of the retailers in the area are saying that having Ms. Winfrey on their street worked out well for their bottom line.
Tonight is Fashion's Night Out, Vogue magazine Editor-in-Chief's Anna Wintour international attempt to drive retail fashion. Although based in New York (naturally), Chicago has a few events and trunk shows lined up.
Billy Corgan has launched a new website, Everything from Here to There, which is intended to be a place "to discuss openly and without fear concepts of Mind-Body-Soul integration." If that's the sort of thing you're into, he's apparently taking submissions. [via]
Columbia College's Conversations in the Arts packs quite a wallop in its fifth year with Twitter co-founder Biz Stone (speaking Oct. 6), Huffington Post Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington and director Mira Nair scheduled to address media trends at the free series. RSVP info in Slowdown.
If you're annoyed with your iPhone dropping calls right and left, you may be heartened to hear AT&T is rolling out improved network technology in Chicago later this year.
Jake Austen details the discovery of the earliest known recording of Michael Jackson and his brothers in today's Reader.
Admit it, you've always wanted your own photobooth.
The Revolt on Goose Island may be over, but it looks like official problems for former Republic Windows & Doors officials may just be beginning.
The CTA is going to install high-definition cameras at all 177 train stations, starting with the Green Line. [via GBtips]
NBA star Dwyane Wade is donating money to help the public library in his home town of Robbins stay open.
The worst thing about Blagojevich's book is it fails to name names as promised, says Steve Rhodes.
The Green City Market's Locavore Challenge starts today: to participate, simply commit to, as much as possible, eating food grown or produced in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan or Wisconsin for the next two weeks.
Then you may want to consider buying Al Capone's Wisconsin retreat. It has "407 secluded acres with a 37-acre private lake, an eight-car garage and a guard tower."
Behold, the power of the intertubes, Metra riders! Starting today, Metra's 312,000 commuters can use the new website to buy tickets and monthly passes. Not only that, but those riding the rails can plot out their trips and receive e-mail alerts when trains are running late.
I had the good fortune to get an early look at the upcoming "Chicago" issue of Granta magazine and it is as fitting a tribute to our city as it is to the authors who have lived here and written about it. To get an idea of what the magazine contains, read my full review on the Book Club page.
Chicago's website may not be the best, but at least it's not Rosemont's. More.
In honor of this calendrical curiosity, Threadless has made all its shirts $9 for the day. Enjoy!
Anyone who rents a hotel room in Chicago may soon know if that hotel has a picket line. A measure to that effect was approved by the City Council Finance Committee 16-3 and will be voted on by the Council tomorrow.
A group of investors including the CEO of Mesirow Financial has made a bid to purchase the Sun Times Media Group. UPDATE: And the next day, the Sun-Times management cut wages above $25,000 by 8 percent.
This Friday is one of the biggest in Chicago's art world as nearly every gallery kicks off the fall season with an opening. Fortunately John Lendman created a convenient googlemap to many of the openings over in A/C.
Some Chicago runners are hanging up their sneakers and hitting the trail barefoot, or in new glove-like shoes intended to simulate the au natural feel. It's more natural, they say, and even cuts down on pain (once your feet get tough enough to handle the rocks and gravel).
Just when you thought you distinguished him among those blasted barber shop poles, Waldo and his friends have managed to lose themselves again--this time in downtown Chicago. Dawn your red and white garb and try to find him this Saturday with the Chicago Nerd Social Club.
Follow along as Eric Zorn reads Rod Blagojevich's book, The Governor, chapter by chapter: one, two, three, four and five so far.
The classic book Eight Men Out about the 1919 "Black Sox" may be much more fiction than fact, two Chicago lawyers argue in the latest issue of Chicago Lawyer.
...But fortunately none are Dave Matthews Band, as Steve Delahoyde eloquently demonstrates in his latest short.
Today is the first day for five newly built CPS schools. The total cost? $277.8 million.
Hey, did you get your photo taken by Ian from IDM Photography at the Gapers Block Party on Friday? If so, it's now posted in our Flickr account.
ExploreChicago asked five photobloggers (including our own David Schalliol) to document their explorations of the city's neighborhoods this summer. Check out their shots on Life By the Lake.
Whether you're heading to Oprah's big Michigan Avenue bash, or trying to avoid it altogether, Chicagosphere and the Parking Ticket Geek have the lowdown on the best way to get around downtown as you head back to work tomorrow.
Are you interested in being a background dancer for the Black Eyed Peas' appearance on Oprah's season opener this week? You have to attend a rehearsal tomorrow (and the taping on Tuesday).
Our own Steve Prokopy, aka Capone on Ain't it Cool News, interviewed Tribune film critic Michael Phillips and the New York Times' A.O. Scott about taking over "At the Movies," Siskel and Ebert's seminal film review show, after a year of poorly chosen replacements.
IBM released its annual Commuter Pain Index today, and Chicago has moved up a spot to fourth most painful in the country.
We visit a rooftop farming operation at Uncommon Ground in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Just a note: the doors open at 8pm for the Gapers Block Party at the Metro tonight -- which means you have an hour and a half to get in for free! But don't wait till the last minute to get in gratis, or you'll miss Panda Riot, who go on at 9pm.
The Chicago Bliss play their first game in the Lingerie Football League tonight against the Miami Caliente and Ditka's now involved -- but considering the field's 50 yards long and there's no kicking, will a serious fanbase develop? Meanwhile, there's a real women's football team that doesn't get enough attention.
It seems Venus Zine has closed their doors for the time being. Although their site is still being updated, an automated e-mail states that the magazine "will be reorganizing its efforts over the next couple of months to emerge successful in the new publishing market in 2010."
Baconfest Chicago has decided to postpone their pork extravaganza until April 10, 2010 due to lack of funding. However, the Baconfest VIP Bacon Cookoff is still on and will take place on October 24th at the Publican.
One of the greatest things about living in a big city like Chicago is that if you've got a niche interest, there's probably a store for you. Such as Robot City Workshop, your source for anything and everything robot.
Chicago Public Library's "Sound Off" contest taps local musicians to express how their city inspires them. Details in Transmission.
Ten must-do things this fall, courtesy of NewCity.
Uli Schmetzer didn't do himself any favors five years ago when he quoted a fictional person in an article, but the distance he gained from the ensuing scandal likely gave him the conscience to write his telling memoir ... if we can trust it.
Coudal Partners is running a quick contest in connection to Claire Zulkey's An Off Year (reviewed in Book Club last month): In just a couple sentences by email, tell them "what you would have rather done instead of starting on that first day of higher education" by noon tomorrow, and you could win an autographed copy of the book.
This is how ABC 7's Andy Shaw asked for an interview with former governor Rod Blagojevich after he was arrested last December. You can see how other media outlets begged (via email) for air time with Rod over at Gawker.
Gapers Block has just obtained a press release from Justin Oberman, a former federal official for homeland security and transportation, respectively, announcing his candidacy for Lt. Governor.
A new study from researchers at UIC and elsewhere confirms that, among other problems, 25% of workers earn below minimum wage, 70% don't get the meal breaks they should, and half of bosses illegally retaliate when complaints are made.
Ready for the Jazz Festival this weekend? The Reader has your guide to the fest.
According to the chief economist of the Australian Trade Commission, Chicago has three Os.
Is Sidetrack the best gay bar in the world? Gay travel site tripOut thinks it's a contender; you can have your say as part of their Gay Travel Awards. [via]
Among all the other stuff going on this long weekend, you should try to make it to Taste of Polonia, which will open your mind to what Polish food can be -- and features the musical stylings of Poland's Sidney Polak among others.
The Trib reports on a new ad for Budweiser made with shots from Chicago L trains, set to the Beatles song "All Together Now". The ad is airing only in Ireland, but of course it's on YouTube as well. (Of course, GB and Sun-Times readers knew about this a week ago.)
Either way, Red Kiva Lounge sells the concoction in a 180 degree fahrenheit container for $10 a pop.
Man! If my prom had been as much fun as the Chicago Messenger Prom, I may have gone to it. And if you love hamming it up, photo-booth style, then I'm sure we'll see you on Friday night at the Gapers BlockParty where Ian Merritt will have a photo booth set up. Did we mention it's FREE before 9:30?
In 2007, one of our home-grown dramas went to New York--August: Osage County, which won a Tony for best play. Next spring, the musical Million Dollar Quartet, about the night Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash got together at Sun Records, heads to Broadway. For now, you can still catch it at the Apollo Theater for a reasonable price.
A risky plan ends happily as Evanston graphic designer Gabriel Silverman discovers his stolen bike listed on Craigslist and shows up at the seller's house.
Longtime Chicago tech guru and Feedburner founder Dick Costolo is becoming Twitter's chief operating officer, according to TechCrunch. [via]
So, how well is enforcement of the "Twix clause" in the brand new candy tax going? Not so well, first day out. (Twix clause? Any candy containing flour is exempt from the increase. Here's a list of other surprising items landing on one side or the other.)
An opinion column in RedEye picks up on the "What can you do for me?" mentality of DC residents that makes it our nation's political hub. In the District, it seems nowhere is safe for a Chicagoan who just wants to enjoy a beer in peace, without being "networked" to death.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
Breaking Tweets reports "world news twitter-style." Founder Craig Kanalley caught the attention of Valleywag with his class at DePaul on the intersection of journalism and social media.
The Olympic Committee released a "technical analysis" [PDF] of the four cities vying for the 2016 Summer Olympics. They noted concerns with Chicago's proposed financing, housing and transportation for the event.
Appolicious is a Chicago-based social networking-ish site that helps you find the right app for your iPhone -- or whatever phone you have.
That chest pain is evidently the least of your worries in Chicago. Unlike other cities, our ambulances don't come with the equipment that identifies "widow maker" heart attacks, meaning delayed treatment and increased chance of permanent heart damage or death. "We are doing a disservice to our patients," said one local director of cardiology.
No, it wasn't the Hulk that did this, but you have to wonder how fast a car has to be going to overturn a garbage truck. Drive carefully, folks.
In Doubleback, Libby Fischer Hellmann pairs two of her dynamic female leads - Ellie Foreman and Georgia Davis - to uncover the truth behind the kidnapping of a young girl and the murder of her mother. Find out more about this fast-paced read in the full review over on the Book Club page.
Naked Girls Reading is exactly what it sounds like: nude women reading literary works to an audience at Studio L'Amour. Of course, it's not for everyone, but if it's for you, you might even considering entering the "So You Wanna Be a Naked Girl" contest at this month's event, happening Friday. (NSFW, obviously.)
Former Chicagoan Scotty Iseri (star of Scotty Got An Office Job and creator of the Paper Hat Game) is moving to Sydney. The move was hinted at in an article that appeared in Salon (!) and NYTimes.com (!!!), and confirmed by Aussie marketing Website mUmBRELLA.
Speaking of shopping, if you're thinking about spending time on Michigan Avenue from Wacker Drive to Ohio Street anytime between Monday and Wednesday morning, the street will be closed to vehicular traffic in order to tape Oprah's new season kickoff. If you want to get in on the O action, the show will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday and will be free and open to all. You can scope out the best seats ahead of time by reviewing this map [pdf] of the event.
South Siders are shopping less often in their own neighborhoods, a study by the Chicago Reporter and Chicago Public Radio found. The reasons are complicated, but one reason stands out: stores are following the white people.
Thriftista is, by its own admission, "yet another blog on living well for less." But rather than slumming it, the site finds deals on higher-end stuff, too.
Investigative journalist John Conroy writes a thoughtful and gut-wrenching article for Chicago Magazine on his perhaps random mugging last year while riding his bike on Lake Street on the West Side.
The Woodlawn Wonder of "I Hate My Developer" takes Joe Zekas of YoChicago for a walk around the Wonder's neighborhood.
The Chicago Tribune, that great purveyor of folk wisdom, shows you how to build an electric guitar just like Jack White (in a dandy little hat) does in It Might Get Loud. Properly, you'll be building an electric diddley bow, which is much more fun to say. (via)
Chicagoist's Lauri Apple takes a tour of East Chicago, Indiana's historic and crumbling Marktown district.
Dan Hynes officially declares his candidacy for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Chicago Public School buses get an upgrade: new GPS systems and cleaner engines.
Philip Blum, a cellist and, after 54 years, the longest-serving member of the CSO, passed away yesterday at the age of 77.
For only the second time in 120 years, London-based Granta Magazine is devoting an entire issue to a single city: Chicago. And we're reaping the benefits, including a literary-star-studded kick-off September 14 hosted by Chicago Public Radio's Steve Edwards and featuring local authors Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler's Wife) and Aleksandar Hemon (The Lazarus Project). The issue features 26 other locals; check Slowdown for more details.
Kenilworth comes in at #62 on Forbes' list of the most expensive zip codes in the US -- a list whose numbers have come down a bit in recent years. Six other suburbs make the top 500. (Thanks, Dee!)
GB's own Brian Lauvray also writes for travel site Trazzler. You can help send him to New York for two weeks (we promise he'll come back) by voting up his story in the site's #NYCGO contest.
The "Tribune Watchdog" story yesterday about a $40 million given to Chicago State that the university didn't ask for was good -- and awfully familiar to readers of the Chi-Town Daily News, where it's been written about twice already. [via] UPDATE: Ironically, the Reader's Michael Miner reported today on the Tribune as a victim of the same copycat game.
The Red Cross has given up searching for David Gimelfarb, the Chicago grad student who went missing while hiking in Costa Rica three weeks ago. His family plans to hire locals to continue the search; you can help by attending a fundraiser at Dollop tonight; details on Facebook.
You've hopefully noticed the ads and announcements about our big annual party this Friday at the Metro -- so you know we've got Nikki Lynette, The Hood Internet, Blane Fonda and Panda Riot. We have some other fun stuff planned, too, including a photo booth by IDM Photography, a found imagery slideshows by Big Happy Funhouse and Square America, giveaways and more! And did we mention it's free before 9:30pm? Yep. Tell all your friends!
Blair Kamin has glowingly reviewed the renovation of the 104-year-old Homan Square Power House, which powered the West Side Sears complex before the firm moved to the Sears Tower. The building will be used by the Henry Ford Academy: Power House High. Historic and pre-renovation photographs are available through the Power House's official site, and a handful of post-renovation photographs from the grand opening celebration are available elsewhere.
