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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Wednesday, May 15
A new city ordinance prohibits children under 18 from using tanning equipment. Looks like they'll have to get their ultraviolet radiation fix the old-fashioned way: at the beach. Swim at your own risk, though: city officials have decided that they'll only close beaches when the lake's been contaminated by overflowing sewers.
Tomorrow is Chik-Fil-A Appreciation Day (also Chik-Fil-Gay Appreciation Day), and the Chicago Republican Party is celebrating by holding a press conference at City Hall announcing the filing of civil rights complaints over Ald. Moreno and Mayor Emanuel's comments about the chain's opposition gay marriage. (On that note, read Ramsin Canon's thoughts on the matter.)
The streets of downtown Evanston will be full of tinkerers and crafty people as the city hosts a Mini Maker Faire. Saturday night's events include a Power Racing Series Power Wheels race.
The expanse of empty grass and trees you see to your right when you cross under the Stevenson on Cicero headed toward Midway was once LeClaire Courts one of the many housing projects shut down by the CHA in recent years. It's completely gone now.
Although it's gone on Google Maps' satellite view, you can still drive through the emptied buildings on Streetview:
Jay Ryan is one of the most respected screenprinting artists today. He's teaching a master workshop at the Evanston Art Center on Aug. 11.
Restaurateur Michael Kornick talked about his life in the restaurant industry and the growth of the city's culinary scene in general at the Interview Show last month. [via]
And with that, director Lana Wachowski, formerly Larry, made her public debut in a video promoting the upcoming film Cloud Atlas, which she made with her brother Andy and German director Tom Tykwer.
The Wachowskis, who grew up in Beverly, built Kinowerks, a film pre- and post-production studio in Ravenswood, in 2008.
Here's the "really long trailer" they mention in the video:
The Drew Peterson trial finally got underway with opening arguments this morning. The Tribune is posting updates from the coutroom.
Among the Eagle Scouts returning their badges in protest over the Boy Scouts' ban on gay troop leaders and scouts is Oak Park's Rob Breymeier.
Chicago's racial segregation extends, perhaps not surprisingly, to our nightclubs.
Chicago is already losing US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald; now Robert Grant, head of the city's FBI bureau, is retiring and going to head up Disney's global security team.
The Interrupters and Hoop Dreams director Steve James and author Raj Patel are currently answering questions on Reddit.
UNO is taking over part of St. Scholastica Academy this fall, and will open a charter school catering to Latino immigrant students. St. Scholastica will continue to run a senior academy until its currently enrolled students graduate.
Shelby Harris, the oldest man in America, passed away this weekend in downstate Rock Island.
Skim Milk sells t-shirts that you probably wouldn't wear to your grandparents' house, but you might wear one to Lollapalooza.
Crain's delves deeper into Motorola Mobility's move to the Merchandise Mart (previously), including how it'll affect Libertyville's economy.
The map of the city that could potentially be covered by cameras under Emanuel's "Children's Safety Zone" ordinance was obtained by the Sun-Times, and it's as bad as everyone thought it might be. Fortunately, only 50-300 of the possible 1,500 cameras will be installed -- for now -- under the agreement City Council made with the mayor.
Chicago-based Jellyvision, known for its trivia game You Don't Know Jack, helped a fan propose to his girlfriend.
Sixteenth Ward Alderman Joann Thompson was hospitalized after collapsing at an Englewood music festival on Sunday.
More than a dozen people entered Mildblend Supply Co. Saturday night and stole around $2,000 dollars worth of merchandise. More in Mechanics.
WBEZ reports on the ongoing saga of City Parking Lot #47 at Devon and Rockwell.
The SNS Post has teamed up with Mark Nilsson from "190 North" to produce a quick video of a couple things to do in Chicago each weekend.
The Chicago Department of Transportation recently contributed an unlikely product to the Lincoln Park Zoo: food, in the form of bamboo from a Chinatown roadside. [Thanks, Chris!]
Darren Calhoun explains how he got an entire L car to sing "Lean on Me" in NewCity.
Grub Street reports that Bleeding Heart Bakery has placed a Craigslist ad liquidating its Belmont store this weekend, likely spelling the end of the controversial bakery empire. (Food Network chef coats and other items are up on eBay.) The anonymous anti-BHB blog claims eviction notices have been received for both the bakery's current locations. Meanwhile, the former BHB West Town location reopens as the West Town Bakery & Diner this weekend. UPDATE: BHB posted on Facebook on Friday that they are closing August 5.
Jason Prechtel already had some reservations about the draft Chicago Cultural Plan. Participating in one of this week's town hall meetings didn't make him feel any better.
The Ladydrawers collective of comics creators are running an IndieGoGo campaign to produce an anthology of statistics about the comics industry.
Slightly Insulting Chicago Posters (previously) now has an Etsy store where fresh silkscreen posters are for sale.
If you've taken a dip in Lake Michigan, you may have noticed that it's a bit warmer these days -- and not just because of this heat wave.
Motorola Mobility is moving its Libertyville office to the top four floors of the Merchandise Mart in order to be closer to Google HQ -- and 1871 as well.
Psychologist and criminal justice professor Arthur Luringo discusses five beliefs about homicides in Crain's.
T-shirt designer Nathan Pyle is running an animated gif contest on Threadless. The submissions are pretty fantastic.
If you're using RSS to read GB, here's another feed to add to your reader: Under the Hood, which delivers headlines (and excerpts) from all our topical sections. You might also pick up our Slowdown seven-day look.
Aurora native Anna Li has been removed as an alternate for the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic team after tearing a ligament in her neck earlier this week during practice.
Time Out's annual "cheap eats" issue this week is all about tacos -- where they're from, who makes the best al pastor, and where to go on a taco crawl. Meanwhile, Grub Street Chicago has 25 recommendations of its own.
At the Chicago Phoenix, Joseph Duggan Lyons writes about the opportunities and challenges posed by new HIV prevention drugs.
Lupe Fiasco broke down on MTV's "RapFix Live" last night while watching a tour of his neighborhood he did for the network in 2006. "The dudes in that video are in prison, a couple of fed cases, and then there's ghosts," he said. "You see people that, that ain't there."
The Reader shares the story of a heroin addict getting one more chance at getting clean
Two Chicago folks want to build some whimsy and expectation for the upcoming election by producing the Election Day Advent Calendar. You can support them on Kickstarter. (See other local projects on our curated page.)
According to Eater, a "No Soup For You" Food Truck will be in Chicago on Friday, July 27. No word yet on planned stops or a route for the truck, which will feature "free iconic Seinfeld" treats and The Soup Nazi himself, Larry Thomas, so check this Facebook page for updates (and be careful when asking for bread).
Crime in Chicago is a new site that helps visualize crime trends by ward and date.
The food truck ordinance was passed by City Council today, just after the lunch hour. In Drive-Thru, Robyn Nisi explains why this might spell the end of the fledgling food truck industry.
The last boats in this year's Race to Mackinac crossed the finish line yesterday afternoon. Sail World has a preliminary list of winners.
The Paris Review makes a visit to the town where Daisy Buchanan lived in The Great Gatsby, and sheds a little light on Fitzgerald's ties to the town. [via]
Poverty as a CTA map, showing each station's placement on the hardship index. [via]
Delfino Mora, who died after being attacked in an alley by teens playing a vicious game (previously), was the lead singer of one of Mexico's most popular bands in the 1970s.
What's the best neighborhood for families? The Huffington Post invites you to vote for one of eight qualifiers in its Neighborhood Showdown. (An earlier version of this post linked to HuffPo's original article, which used the term "neighborhood deathmatch." After receiving feedback about the use of that phrase during what's almost certainly the city's deadliest summer, the editors removed the phrase and renamed their voting tool altogether.)
Chicagoland (and the Land of Lincoln itself) will be well represented at the London Olympics.
The Chicago Force held on to win 35-34 over the Boston Militia, which means the undefeated Force is going to the Women's Football Association championship this year. Tune in Aug. 4 when the game will be broadcast live on ESPN from Pittsburgh's Heinz Field.
First Ward Alderman Joe Moreno and Mayor Rahm Emanuel are joining the outcry against Chick-fil-A.
CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union reached an agreement last night in which the district will hire 477 new teachers to help offset the longer school day. Negotiations continue on the overall teachers' contract.
Time Magazine takes a look at "pop-up grocery stores," with an emphasis on Chicago's Fresh Moves, a mobile produce market on a repurposed CTA bus.
Think you've got a killer cocktail recipe? Enter it in Public Hotel Chicago's contest and it could earn you $1,000.
Jenn Gibbons, the founder of Recovery on Water who's been rowing around Lake Michigan to raise awareness of exercise's role in breast cancer recovery (previously), was sexually assaulted as she slept in her rowboat in rural Michigan. She posted on her blog that she intends to keep going, although she'll be bicycling from her current location to Muskegon MI, from which point safe harbors will be more assured.
William Balfour was sentenced today to three consecutive life sentences plus 120 years for the murder of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew. Judge Charles Burns told him his "soul is as barren as dark space."
With so many of them these days, a programmer from the Old Town School of Folk Music explains how it's done.
Crain's talks to business owners in Austin about their struggle to stay afloat amid the worst of this summer's violence and crime. UPDATE: Whet Moser ran the numbers to figure out which neighborhood is the deadliest per capita.
But Common and his manager, Derek Dudley, narrowly avoided foreclosure on an apartment they own together.
Terin Izil, creator of Camp Promise, is eating, drinking, wearing, and maintaining personal hygiene only with products that have the Olympic rings until the end of the Olympics to raise money for her organization. Follow along at 5RingDiet.com
Two new local labels: Closed Sessions from Soundscape Studios and Epitonic from, well, Epitonic.
Over at Chicagoist, Benjy Lipsman does a good job of explaining the Big Ten's decision to sanction Penn State above and beyond the NCAA's ruling.
The City agreed to settle two lawsuits related to Jon Burge torture cases -- which means former Mayor Daley won't have to testify. Meanwhile, jury selection resumed in the Drew Peterson trial.
Apparently Tony Bourdain's tweet about canceling his shoot for "The Layover" at Budacki's was just a trick to get rid of the fans who would have crowded the place on the promise of a $1 hot dog and a glimpse of a celebrity chef. He ended up there on Saturday after all.
Shortformblog summarizes the scandal and repercussions of the Journatic/TribLocal fiasco.
The facade of an Art Deco building at the corner of Milwaukee and Spaulding will soon be removed and replaced with (less distinctive) brick. The building, which dates back to the 1930s, was first owned by the Hump Hairpin Manufacturing Company.
Impress These Apes is back with another season starting tonight. Watch eight comedians try to be funny enough to satisfy the panel of ape judges.
One way to celebrate would be to participate in #Foodiechats today -- either online or in person at the Vienna Beef Factory Store this evening. Details in Slowdown.
Chicago magazine offers a tour of Chicago-style barbecue joints. I can't help but notice that it's significantly different from Sky Full of Bacon's list.
Here's Michael Gebert's Beard-nominated documentary of the history of Chicago-style barbecue:
Sun-Times Media fired a Pioneer Press photographer after it was discovered that she had fabricated at least 22 quotes in a recurring "question of the week" feature.
The late great Ron Santo was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. His widow, Vicki, delivered a speech in his stead.
You may have noticed. Here's a little more info about what we've done.
Vince Jose Cancasci did the redesign, with technical assistance from Jim Allenspach, David Schalliol and myself.
The redesign is mostly confined to the front page. We've moved some things, changed the look of others and added some new stuff.
If you come across something that doesn't work right or looks a little wonky in your browser, please let us know!
Roger Ebert reflects on the Aurora, CO shooting and the links between mental illness and guns, and violence and publicity.
The annual Tour de Fat rolls into Palmer Square tomorrow, and Bill Bushnell of Elmhurst will be trading in his car for a new bike and a commitment to car-free living for a year.
Keep your eye out for Letherbee Gin, a new locally distilled gin from the bartender and former general manager at Lula Cafe.
The French Pastry School is hosting an ice cream social at the Clybourn Treasure Island tonight from 5:30 to 7:30pm. The only hitch is, it's all raisin ice cream.
The Art Institute's DotBot uses your computer's webcam to make Roy Lichtenstein-esque comic portraits.
Do you peek into apartment windows and backyards as you trundle past on the train? You're not alone.
In NewCity, Galen Leonhardy recalls his role in saving a woman from drowning in Belmont Harbor. He wasn't able to save her friend.
Hotelier John Pritzker has purchased the Chicago Athletic Club and plans to turn it into a hotel.
The food truck ordinance passed out of committee yesterday and will soon be voted on by the full City Council.
The Chicago Tabernacle church has withdrawn its attempt to rezone the Portage Theater for religious use. Read more about the theater's rich history -- and maybe go see Sherlock Holmes (the 1922 edition) there tonight.
Photographer Jessica Garrett caught lightning striking the Sears Tower on Wednesday night. Her boyfriend turned a couple frames into an animated gif.
Ashley Pruneau, a cook at Mana Food Bar, was attacked in her home on July 1 by a man who broke in and beat her with a hammer that she'd reached for in self-defense. She's undergone one surgery, will need at least one more, and is recovering with family in Ohio. Coworkers have set up a fund to help defray medical costs.
The Trib's Kevin Pang has created one-, two- and three-day dining itineraries for visitors wanting to eat their way through the city. You will no doubt disagree.
Jobs for Youth Chicago is an organization helping low-income people aged 17 to 24 find work in professional environments. If you're looking for a young go-getter, give them a call.
Both the Board of Education and Chicago Teachers Union rejected a mediator's recommendations, moving the CTU a step closer to striking. (Previously.)
WBEZ's Louisa Chu and Food Truck Freak are live-tweeting today's City Council discussion about mobile food truck ordinances. UPDATE: the Ordinance, which places a lot of very unrealistic expectations on food trucks (fines for parking within 200 feet--or for more than two hours--in front of a restaurant, and requiring GPS monitoring) passed, and will go for full vote in front of City Council next week.
The Reader's cover story this week explores the dangerous world of LGBTQ homeless in Chicago. (Related reading here on GB: It's not Easy Peeing T; Lessons from Death; Hanging on by a Sequin)
This month's Dwell features important women designers, and among those featured are the local collaborators of Quite Strong.
Forbes lists Bob Chinn's Crab House in Wheeling as the highest grossing restaurant in the US. It earns $24 million a year in food alone.
Whet Moser digs into the history of "point'em out, knock'em out," the "game" three teens were playing when they allegedly killed 62-year-old Delfino Mora (previously).
The Romney campaign has decided to make Chicago a critique of President Obama, but NBC5 and The Daily Beast aren't having any of it.
The Adler Planetarium has a webcam trained on the skyline as part of the Midwest Haze Cam project. Reader Bob Soron happened to be watching it as last night's storm rolled in.
A client of nail artist Astrowifey got her nails done up with a map of the CTA. Chip a nail, lose a transfer. [via]
At Learnapalooza Chicago, you can study everything from origami to harm reduction.
Bring a new children's book to Next Door in Lakeview, and it will grace the shelves of Manierre Elementary School's library. Next Door'll see your book and raise you a backpack full of school supplies, which will be donated to Lakeview High School.
The latest issue of TriQuarterly went online this week. It's just one of the many publications participating in the Printers' Ball this Friday; read our preview in Book Club.
Bad Chicago Drivers chronicles both cyclists and motorists whose bad manners endanger those around them. Courtesy of BikeCHI.org.
Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts was on "Eight Forty-Eight" this morning to talk about LPAC, the political action committee focused on lesbian issues that she helped launch this week.
Chicago screenwriter Jack Marchetti would like to make his film 4 of a Kind (which is currently featured on our curated page of Kickstarter projects) before losing his sight to cone rod dystrophy.
While not so good for buyers, the many, many homeowners who've seen their property values crater will be happy to hear that local home prices are finally on the rise. UPDATE: Reader Juan-Pablo Velez shared on Twitter a map of housing prices year over year; Cook County's been in the negative since 2006.
Art On Track's Kickstarter for its 2012 art train made to full funding last night -- but there are more Chicago-based projects worthy of your support on our curated page and Kickstarter in general.
Don Glasell will sail in his 50th Mackinac race this Saturday. Watch the boats set off at the Chicago Yacht Club.
Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson revealed a number of cases of fraud, graft and other corruption in his quarterly report, delivered yesterday. Download it here.
The Chicago Architecture Blog argues that we should be working to preserve the 400 block of South Clark Street, because "it transports you back to late 1960′s shithole-era Chicago. ... It shows the city how far it's come in the last few decades, while reminding us that this is still the every-day reality for so many thousands of our neighbors being left behind."
Chicago Movieoke takes it the 'burbs on Saturday, July 21. Recreate your favorite movie scenes, karaoke style at this after-hours event sponsored by the Oak Park Public Library's genre X book discussion group. Movieoke is free and 21+; a cash bar will be open for enhanced performance and spectator enjoyment. More details on Facebook or at genre-x.com.
The Taco Bell at Clybourn and Wrightwood has 4.5 stars on Yelp, thanks to apparently the best customer service you'll ever find in a fast food joint.
The CTA plans to overhaul its maintenance facilities, to the tune of $205 million.
The police aren't the only ones paying out millions a year in disability, the Sun-Times reports. The Chicago Fire Department pay more than $27 million to 390 firemen and paramedics, although the rules are different.
The Fear Experiment, which our own Niki Fritz participated in this spring, returns this fall with two new challenges: a capella singing and stepping. Mandatory information sessions are this Wednesday and Thursday; register here.
Just shy of a year after killing off Q101 in favor of an all news station whose ratings never rose above dismal, Merlin Media transformed 101.1fm again this morning. The new i101 plays "adult hits"; the radio company launched Q87.7 in May to fulfill your alt-rock needs, if your radio dips down that low on the spectrum. Chicagoland Radio & Media has more details about the switch.
Sometimes the best show at Wrigley is in the stands.
Phil wins a bet from regis wakefield on Vimeo.
Anthony Bourdain is in town filming an episode of "The Layover" for Travel Channel. He'll be at Budacki's in Ravenswood on Saturday from 1 to 3pm. Be there and enjoy $1 hot dogs in celebration, and keep an eye out for him elsewhere around town. [via] UPDATE: Or maybe not. Bourdain tweeted this morning, "How NOT to get your place on TV: ‪#cancelthatshoot‬!"
Tribune Editor Gerould Kern explains what's going to happen next with TribLocal now that they've fired Journatic.
Pastor Corey Brooks has been walking across the country (previously) to raise money to build a community center on the site of the seedy motel he helped get demolished. He stopped here at home this weekend, halfway through his journey.
After a controversial budget in January that reduced library hours (previously), Mayor Emanuel announced that neighborhood libraries will reopen on Monday mornings.
Bears training camp starts in two weeks, but it's not too soon to start criticizing Jay Cutler. Let's hope his on-field huddles are more inspiring than his seventh-inning stretch.
You have one last chance to see Fever Year, the film by Xan Aranda about Andrew Bird. It's screening Aug. 1 at the Music Box as part of the Summer Music Film Festival.
The latest draft of the Chicago Cultural Plan was released today. Your next opportunity to share thoughts is at a town hall meeting July 24 at Malcolm X College.
According to columnist Georgie Anne Geyer, Chicago's rising murder rate is due to too many "illegitimate" children growing up without fathers at home. "Solve that, and find out where the plethora of guns is coming from, and train more women to say no to unmarried sex and more men to say yes to fatherhood -- and you'll solve the murder problem."
The Chicago Police Department pays $18 million a year in disability payments -- including quite a bit to people injured years ago who have gone on to work other jobs.
A couple entrepreneurs want to build a blues museum and venue in Block 37, but as Crain's reports, the question is whether such a thing would be a big enough draw.
Mayor Emanuel, Obama's former chief of staff, weighed in on the Mitt Romney-Bain Capital story this weekend: "Stop whining," he said on ABC's "This Week." "If you want to claim Bain Capital as your calling card to the White House, then defend what happened at Bain Capital."
The Gathering of the Juggalos, which will be held August 8-12 in downstate Cave-in-Rock, released a 24-minute-long announcement of the acts scheduled to appear (Geto Boys, P-Funk, Warren G, Raekwon, DMX, Biz Markie, etc.).
The CPD is moving forward with plans to fund CeaseFire, the somewhat controversial anti-gang violence organization profiled in the documentary The Interrupters, in an effort to reduce violence.
A 16-year-old has been arrested for murder after posting a video on Facebook of himself beating 62-year-old Delfino Mora to death in an alley off Devon Avenue over the weekend. Two other teens have also been charged in the case.
The Trib announced earlier this evening that they will no longer be using the services of controversial news content provider Journatic. The Tribune is an investor in Journatic, which also lost the Sun-Times' business last week after This American Life profiled the company's questionable practices.
A "vertical play farm" concept from Chicago's Architecture for Humanity is among the finalists for a playground design challenge on GOODmaker. Vote it up!
Ever wonder where they're measuring from when a highway sign says it's X miles to Chicago? Grid Chicago explains.
Nothing like looking at pictures of old Chicago bowling alleys to help a summer Friday go by. [via]
WGN profiled Cecil Locke, proprietor of the Touch & Go Chess Party that's in front of the Art Institute most days in the summer. We did the same earlier this year, in comic form.
Uber launched on-demand ice cream trucks today only. From noon to 6pm on Friday, downtowners* can make a truck request, and it'll show up with ice cream sandwiches, cookie sandwiches, push-ups and bomb pops -- as well as free swag. $12 will get you five cold treats.
*Sadly, the ice cream trucks will be serving the Loop, River North, West Loop, Gold Coast only.
Twelve CPS administrators were removed from their jobs after the city's Inspector General discovered they falsified paperwork in order for their own children to qualify for free or reduced cost lunches at their schools. It gets worse: the city found 55 more CPS employees in the last four years who have also lied on their paperwork for the lunch program.
Designer and past GB contributor Craighton Berman draws the country in a new music video for Marbles the Brain Store's new CD, Brain Beats.
If our own Pitchfork preview isn't enough for you, here are a few more: Loud Loop Press, Reader, Time Out, Tribune -- and Pitchfork's founder and president share their favorite new acts at the festival with WBEZ. Time Out also plans to post live reviews of every act. If you're going, you might want to download the schedule app.
In honor of Friday the 13th, the Trib runs down 13 Chicago sports superstitions of various vintages.
Sarah Best, formerly with ExploreChicago and creator of Dance Films Kino, will be curating a Chicago edition of Dances Made to Order in 2013. The Dance Center at Columbia curated the month of May this year.
Willowbrook-based Tru Fragrance is creating a line of perfumes inspired by gardens around Chicagoland -- and incorporating flower essences grown in the area.
Do you find EveryBlock too... inclusive? Nextdoor.com lets you create a private social network for your neighborhood, where you can bitch about the neighbor's uncut grass in peace.
The Bitchpork, the underground, truly indie alternative to the Pitchfork Music Festival, is back again starting tonight.
"Project Runway" will have a pop-up photoshoot booth on Pioneer Square this weekend.
Going to the Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend? We've got a preview for you in Tranmission.
The Metro celebrates 30 years as one of Chicago's best rock clubs with a retrospective exhibition of photography and memorabilia at the Inland Steel Building downtown at 77 S. Dearborn. It opens with a reception tonight from 5pm to 8pm, featuring DJ sets by Mister Wolf, Mother Hubbard, Greg Corner and Zebo.
So either Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. is in rehab for alcoholism in a facility in Arizona, or he's being treated for a mood disorder. Whichever it is, Jackson's ongoing, unexplained medical leave is no longer just a local story.
If you're willing to give Kellogg's your contact info, you can get two free tickets to see Carly Rae Jepsen, along with Boys Like Girls and Austin Mahone, at Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island July 19.
Laurie's Planet of Sound has an informal list of what used CDs you'll never find at their store.
FoGB Dan Henrick and Kate O'Leary have launched "Stand Down," an animated series for A.V. Club interviewing standup comedians about tough nights on stage. First up is Patton Oswalt with a tale of bad jokes under hotel stairs. [via]
Do you speak Colbertian? Learn how now, and it might help you learn another language later.
The elevated train system is outdated, and Rails to Car Trails has a plan to update the El for the 21st century: replace those rails with asphalt for a road system in the sky!
Actor Gary Oldman did a dramatic reading of a passage from R. Kelly's memoir Soulacoaster last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
NoRedInk is a startup created by Jeff Scheur, an English teacher at Whitney Young High School, that aims to teach students improve their grammar and writing skills.
Slightly Insulting Chicago Posters does basically what it says in the name. It's The Chicago Neighborhoods but mean.
The Crosstown Classic could be cut down to three or four games next year as Major League Baseball revises interleague play.
Even if you don't have tickets to the Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend, you can attend the free pre-party at Threadless HQ on Friday and feel like you do.
Just so you know, you're not allowed to skateboard on the breakers just north of Navy Pier in Lake Michigan. [via]
Skate Island from Dalba on Vimeo.
MAS Context continues to outdo itself in every issue with its newest, Communication.
The Art Institute launched two new free iOS apps for its 91,000 members: a Digital Member Card for iPhone and a digital version of Member Magazine for iPad. Handy for sure, but they're no Magic Tate Ball.
Forgotten Chicago still has room on its annual Calumet River boat tour this Sunday, July 15. They've also got a Blue Island Bertrand Goldberg tour and a bus tour of Clearing and Ford City coming up.
You'll be able to try free samples of Asian carp at the Taste of Chicago. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will serve carp sliders at a booth near the Congress Parkway entrance on a first come, first served basis.
The Expired Meter got City Clerk Susana Mendoza to demonstrate how to remove the old city sticker from your windshield. This is your last week to buy a 2012 city sticker.
Chicago ad man Kevin Lynch's wife has a habit of falling asleep in the passenger seat as soon as they start driving. So he starting taking pictures.
Shopping complexes like Water Tower Place, Northbridge and 900 N. Michigan could get flashing LED signage under a new ordinance before City Council.
The Neo-Futurists are starting up the audition process once again, and if you're a writer, director or performer you're invited to apply! The Andersonville theater company is looking for new ensemble members willing to make a long-term commitment to create theater in the Neo-Futurist aesthetic. Details at the theater's Website.
Last night Greater Good Studio's George and Sara Aye launched a Kickstarter to develop a new, innovative CTA app, and they want your help to create it. Read more about the project in our exclusive interview with the Ayes -- and see more interesting Chicago-based projects on our curated Kickstarter page.
Chicago police caught a man suspected of a gang shooting in New York by searching his name on Google.
Fulton Market Cold Storage, kittycorner from The Aviary and Next at Morgan and Fulton Market, is being converted into condos and offices.
The RedEye notes that there's a rise in the number of scutigera coleoptrata scaring the bejeezus out of Chicagoans this summer. Don't worry, they're almost entirely harmless to humans.
Video via Boing Boing.
A collection of Eliot Ness memorabilia is going up for auction later this year. You'll be able to bid on such items as his Department of Justice credentials, a business card and posters from his failed bid for the mayorship of Cleveland.
XKCD thinks Illinois looks like an upside-down mobster. We got off a little better than Georgia and Missouri, though.
Illustrator and comic artist Luke Radl created a cartoon of his visit to Chicago for the NATO Summit protests last month, augmented with audio, video and photos.
Police Chief Garry McCarthy is "under the gun" to reduce homicides. Chicago magazine profiles the man and the mission.
Pete Anderson came across a 1922 poem dedicated to restaurateur Billy Boyle, the proprietor of a famed "Chophouse in the Alley" on Calhoun Place.
"I've become less conservative since the Republican Party started becoming goofy," said Federal Appellate Court Judge and UofC Professor Richard Posner in an interview on NPR last week. He also thinks the patent system has gotten out of sync with modern business, particularly regarding technology.
Sox pitcher Jake Peavy was added to the American League All-Star Game roster after Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson was put on the DL with a blister.
Tickets for Taste of Chicago concerts aren't selling, Greg Kot reports. No surprise there, since they were previously entirely free shows, and it's still free to sit outside the Pritzker Pavilion.
Apparently if you're a single traveler in Chicago, you should hang out at hotel bars, visit the white sandy beaches(!?), and skip the vegan smoothies at Filter. At least that's what the New York Times recommends in its latest embarrassing travelogue. (At least they recommend avoiding the Viagra Triangle.)
Still need to get some work done during casual Fridays, but don't want to do it on the couch? Coworking space Enerspace is offering free space on Fridays this summer; just email ahead to reserve.
Chicago is the second best city in the US and Canada for hotels, according to Travel+Leisure, and the Waldorf Astoria Chicago (formerly the Elysian) is the best "large city hotel" in the continental US and 22nd in the world.
Actually, there's no discount at all on this Groupon for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Just $9 worth of helping others.
Eighteen percent of CHA's public housing units are vacant, despite around 40,000 families being on the waiting list for an apartment. Part of the reason is the future of the historic Lathrop Homes complex is still undecided.
Tomorrow's the date for the third annual Great Midwest Ukefest, put on by the same people who bring you Chicago Ukulele Cabaret. The festival is a full day of performances, along with an introductory strumming workshop for players of all levels, and it's happening at Chief O'Neill's starting at 11am. Full details in Slowdown, or see the event page on Facebook.
When we celebrated the release of This Bright River with author Patrick Somerville last week, no one would have expected that the book would be panned by the New York Times based on a misreading of the first chapter, and that Somerville would then have an email exchange with the culture editor through the book's fictional protagonist.
NBC's Maggie Hendricks tries to make a case that Chicago should bid again for the Olympics. I'm of the option that... no.
John Greenfield and Andrew Bayley (previously) biked the perimeter of newly redrawn 1st Ward, highlighting the tortuous shape it's been twisted into in the name of political gerrymandering.
Newcity's Eric Lutz put together a history of the Chicago Whales (Wrigley Field's original occupants) and their player-manager Joe Tinker, who'd won the World Series with the Cubs in 1908 and 1909 before taking over the short-lived Federal League team.
Monthlys is a new app that helps manage your services and subscriptions, such as housekeeping or coffee of the month clubs.
Ben Joravsky and Mick Dumke dissect the politics behind Chicago's new pot law.
How much would you pay for Illinois license plate 1? Gov. Quinn wants the plate, which has been out of circulation for a decade, up for auction, with the proceeds benefiting programs for veterans.
Congressman Joe Walsh criticized his opponent Tammy Duckworth on CNN yesterday, stating that "all she does is talk about her military service."
Bravo, This American Life: after the radio program aired a piece about Journatic, the Chicago-based company responsible for generating (questionable) news content, the Sun-Times announced that they will no longer use Journatic's services.
WGN has sold tens of thousands of records from its archives to Wicker Park record store Dusty Groove. (Thanks, Ron!)
If you've been pickpocketed on the CTA, there's a really good chance it was by him.
Derrick Rose isn't the only Bull missing the Olympics this year; Joakim Noah won't play for France due to his ankle sprain in the NBA playoffs.
Many suburbs are canceling their fireworks displays due to fire hazard concerns with the heat and dry conditions. Navy Pier's big show is still happening, though, and the fireworks displays in Evanston, Oak Park and Skokie are also reachable by CTA.
You may recall our reporting back in March of an off-leash dog attacking and killing another dog at the Montrose Dog Beach. The owner of the attacking dog turned out to be an off-duty police officer, who was suspended over the incident. Today the Tribune reports that the dead dog's owner is suing him.
Just in time for Independence Day, the White Sox have introduced the Giant Slugger, a two-foot-long hot dog. It'll set you back $26; antacids sold separately.
Emmanuel's current downtown wi-fi push involves making traffic and street lights 'smart polls,' which would allow constant access throughout downtown, as well as on underground on the CTA.
Seen some oversized Monopoly game pieces in Logan Square? They're the work of Bored, a new anonymous artist or artists interested in creating 3-D street art. More pictures at Christopher Jobson's site, though it looks like the art project dates back to April. (via)
Frustrated by the lack of restaurant kitchen-optimized disposable storage containers, The Southern's Chef Cary Taylor designed and produced ModPans, which are based on industry standard modular metal containers.
OK, not exactly. Join GB, Do312 and the RedEye at Churchill Park (not Wicker Park as previously announced) for #WaterWar2012, a free-for-all water balloon fight starting at noon on the Fourth of July. BYOBalloons, though we'll have more than a few on hand, too. See you there!
Trotter's To Go, the take-out sister restaurant to Charlie Trotter's, has closed. Trotter's itself will close later this summer. (Incidentally, charlietrotters.com is no more as well.)
Tribune columnist Clarence Page is being investigated for giving a speech at an event supporting an Iranian organization on the US terrorist list. He was paid $20,000 and flown to Paris for the event.
If you've got a kid who's nearing school age and you don't want to move to the suburbs, School Sparrow can help you figure out which neighborhood you should move to for the best school options.
Roger Ebert writes about how science fiction fandom made him the man he is today in "Asimov's Science Fiction."
A 16-year-old died after falling inside the vacant Ravenswood Hospital, which he was exploring with to friends Monday. GB staffer Monica Reida compiled a list of Chicago hospitals that have closed in the past 12 years.
Want to celebrate your independence by going on a date? Newly launched Project Fixup's first batch of events start Friday.
Waxwing Puzzle Co. still has a couple spots left for its "Speakeasy" game next Saturday, July 7, in which participants work to solve a murder mystery set in the Prohibition era.
The gun buy-back program the City ran last month netted 5,500 guns -- but some of them came from pro-gun group Guns Save Life, who turned in "junk" guns and received $6,240 in gift cards, which they used to pay for an NRA shooting camp for kids.
J. Harley created a gorgeous timelapse video of the city.
Love Letter to Chicago from j. harley on Vimeo.
Speaking of Cubs and Sox, a few of them are going to the All-Star Game: Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Chris Sale from the Sox, Alfonso Soriano, Starlin Castro and Bryan LaHair from the Cubs.
City Prints Map Art makes posters of Wrigley Field, Sox Park and other baseball stadiums -- in addition to cities like ours. They're on sale on Fab.com right now. [via]
Hedy Ratner, co-founder and co-president of the Women's Business Development Center, married her longtime friend, Mort Kaplan, in a surprise ceremony this weekend.
That storm that gave us all those crazy photos on Friday turned into a derecho or "land hurricane" that kept rolling all the way to the Atlantic, downing trees and knocking out power in Columbus, DC and elsewhere.
Journatic, the company that now "produces content" for TribLocal, had a years-long practice of running fake bylines on stories written by its Filipino employees, This American Life reported.
Today on Cartoon Movement, Luke Radl has posted "My Kind of Town", a multimedia comic depicting the NATO protests from May.
