Happy Festivus!

     Today is December 23rd. Happy Festivus Chicago! Here's our pole:

Feats of strength? How about Ditka

wrestling a bear

with one arm tied behind his back. I don't know about you, but I've still got Ditka winning by a country mile!

     Airing of grievances? Well, how much time do you have? How about Chi-Town Rising? I think it's gonna be cool, but what do you guys think of that slick trick they pulled getting rid of all the free tickets? That's worse than seeing Roger Daltrey topless. The Bears? This was always supposed to be a rebuilding year, and we've already accomplished the one thing I wanted to see(beating the Packers on Brett Favre night. Take that you damned Packers!) But what a way to crap your way out of a fighting chance at the playoffs. Baseball? The White Sox were actually supposed to do something this year. They didn't. Hockey? Let me talk to Mr. Patrick Kane right now: Kaner, I know you've got three Stanley Cups to your name, but you really can't keep carrying on like a drunken frat boy. It makes everyone look bad. The weather? Not many people would complain about 50s this late into December, but I have to say something. Boo to no White Christmas! These guys? Not being able to take a good-old Seinfeld joke? Boo! We do have a lot to be thankful for, but before we celebrate that other holiday on Friday, make sure to take a joke...and celebrate Festivus! 

P.S. If you have any grievances to air, feel free to comment below.

Connect With Your City

That's a Wrap! Midwest Day 4

     Music lovers of all stripes were back at McCormick Place West on Saturday to attend the final day of the 2015 Midwest Clinic. After a complimentary breakfast, the first event of the day was a concert by the Tara Winds. The spokesman for the band remarked that he was pleasantly surprised to see so many in attendance for an 8:30 AM Saturday morning concert. I guess we're all just that committed. The Tara Winds is an all-adult symphonic band that hails from the great state of Georgia. Many of its members hail from the Atlanta area, but the ensemble boasts members from all across the state. The band has been performing since 1988, and a few of those founding members even were performing with the group on Saturday. After they played through their program(which even included a piece by Eric Whitacre!), the next piece on the agenda was a morning talk from Arturo Sandoval.

     Mr. Sandoval is a Jazz Trumpeter from Cuba who has played on more than 15 film soundtracks as well as numerous albums of his own. His talk mainly touched on personal anecdotes from his life, like when the first person to give him a trumpet lesson declared that he would never amount to anything musically, which led to the quote "only God could say who will make it or not". Another story revolved around his first time in the United States. When he was signed to a record deal, he went from sitting in Cuba to performing onstage at Carnegie Hall all within the space of 24 hours. He wrapped up his talk by restating the point that you have to learn music by hearing it and playing it, not by merely studying it ad nauseum. After the Sandoval talk, it was back to the Skyline Ballroom for the final event of the day: a concert from the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

     The Civic Orchestra is a training division of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the only such relationship to exist in the entire country. The ensemble is designed to let younger musicians hone their skills, helping them to succeed as musicians. The ensemble is also known for presenting top-flight orchestral music to the people of Chicago for no charge. Saturday's concert was intended as a tribute to Arnold Jacobs in honor of the 100th Anniversary of his birth. Mr. Jacobs was a prolific tubist, who performed as part of the CSO from 1944 to 1988. To further honor Jacobs, the Vaughn Williams Tuba Concerto was performed, and recorded audio of Jacobs himself was played during the solos. As the concert ended, a representative with Midwest came onstage and thanked all of the attendees for their help in making the 69th Annual Midwest Clinic a success, setting the stage for next year's 70th Annual Convention.

Connect With Your City

You'd do it for Eric Whitacre!(and other stories): Midwest Day 2

     The throngs were back at McCormick Place West on Thursday for Day 2 of the Midwest Clinic, and interest was high in a session led by John Phillip Sousa IV. Yes, you read that correctly. Sousa's great-grandson is here at Midwest. He shared several stories about Sousa's life and music, such as the fact that he joined the Navy Reserves at the age of 61, and was so excited about being made an officer that he was even buried in his Naval uniform. He also shared that Sousa loved smoking cigars, shooting guns, and playing baseball. But the most interesting revelation was about the inspiration behind the title of one of Sousa's marches. One day, JP was at a fair when he saw this ravishingly beautiful girl. Feeling so moved he was compelled to write a song about it, which he titled "Fairest of the Fair". After the talk, there was a mad dash for the next clinic, and for good reason foo. This session featured John Mackey, Steven Bryant, Jonathan Newman, and...Eric Whitacre. If Sousa was the first composer to reach rockstar status, Whitacre is among the latest to do so. The anticipation of the attendees could roughly be approximated by this clip right here:

Just replace Randolph Scott with Eric Whitacre and it all makes sense

     By the time the talk started, the room was fulled to capacity. Finally, the four composers came out to reminisce about their time studying at Julliard. Newman shared how he initially was reticent to get into composing because he thought that composers were supposed to just slave away behind the scenes without ever being known themselves. Eventually, Whitacre got the other 3 of them into composing, and the rest is history. The 4 of them also shared some tips for aspiring composers in the crowd. After that session ended, the attendees got a treat. As the exhibit hall closed for the day at 5 PM, close to 100 members of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity gathered to sing holiday standards(and a few fraternity songs as well). All told, it was a fitting way to close out the second day of the clinic.

Connect With Your City

Under Lock and Key(and other stories): Midwest Day 1

     Wednesday morning, hordes of music devotees swarmed McCormick Place West to convene the 69th Annual Midwest Clinic. Greeting them was the usual assortment of Clinics, performances, and exhibits. One such exhibit was at the Hal Leonard booth, which featured concert band arrangements of different pop hits, such as: 

Take On Me,

and Hello

     
     However, the most attractive piece at that booth had a place of honor in the front corner: a score for Star Wars The Force Awakens. It is currently under lock and key, but on Friday they'll be able to start taking orders so that all band directors can have the latest Star Wars music. Also in the hall was something called the pTrumpet. Simply put, it is a Trumpet mad of plastic that sounds exactly like the real thing. This means that it is slightly more durable, which is a good thing if you give to children. Next up was a clinic about how to incorporate the Common Core standards into teaching music. The facilitator offered up several good tips to help out teachers.

     Passing by another booth devoted to selling different kinds of Australian music, the exhibitor was handing out pieces of Australian candy. And it had caramel in the middle! Yes! Another exhibitor was selling flavored reeds. These are exactly what they sound like, and are also quite interesting. Then I ran into another booth selling a program called Learning From The Legends. These videos feature an expert at an instrument giving what amounts to a videotaped private lesson on how to play a piece. They even go measure by measure through the piece and elaborate on how they like to perform it. You can find a link to their site here. All told, the first day of the Midwest Clinic went very well. We'll be back with more news from McCormick Place tomorrow.

Connect With Your City

Music To Chicago's Ears

     The chill in the air. The knowledge that Christmas will be here before we know it. And thousands of music educators/students bum-rushing Chicago for 4 days of fellowship. Ever since 1946, the Midwest Clinic has served as a rite of December in Chicago. What started out as a six-hour long meeting on the West Side has grown into a conference so large that it takes over the entirety of McCormick Place West. With 80+ clinics, more than 350 exhibitors, and a selection of the best school bands in the world, it is enough to make any music lover's mouth water. And true to form, I have a press pass for it. For the next few days I'll be giving updates from the Clinic as my schedule(and access to a computer) allows. Stay tuned for all the most current updates.

Connect With Your City

Name That Dolphin!

     For the past several days, all of Chicago has been abuzz about news coming out of the Shedd Aquarium. They need some help naming their new pacific white-sided dolphin calf. The male, who was born to Piquet back on June 1, is doing great and hitting all of the milestones that Shedd's Marine Mammals team have set for it. Now the Shedd has partnered with ABC 7 to allow the public to pick a name. Much like last year's naming contest for the sea otter, there are a number of pre-selected names to vote on(but unlike last year's contest, J.K. Rowling hasn't offered up her opinion on the matter):

• Kolohe, which means "rascal" in Hawaiian
• Makoa, which means "fearless" in Hwaiian

     Voting will remain open to the public(at this website) until 3 PM today, and the winning name will be announced LIVE on Wednesday during ABC's 6 AM news. Tune in to Channel 7 to find out the winning name, and make sure to stay tuned to Chicago 365 for all of your local Chicago stories.

Connect With Your City

Woo! Protests! Woo!

     The latest day of discord in the streets of Chicago over the shooting death of Laquan McDonald took a sharp turn into the surreal at City Hall today when the Coalition for a New Chicago was holding a press conference in front of the Mayor's office. The Coalition's goal is to gather support for a bill that would allow for Mayor Emanuel to be subjected to a recall vote. While the conference was going on, a man wearing a Cubs uniform jumped in front of the microphone to add his two cents:

     Hold on a second, that guy looks awfully familiar. Could it be?

     Holy Mackerel! It's Ronnie Woo Woo! According to Mary Ann Ahern of NBC5, Mr. Wickers(his actual surname) said in part that "[the] Mayor should go" No word yet on whether or not any Woos! were uttered during the statement.

Running Like a Girl...For Charity.

     Back on October 30, society types from all corners of the city gathered at the historic Drake Hotel to attend the Run Like a Girl Soiree, the annual fundraising event for Girls On The Run Chicago. GOTRC is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the building up of young girls through training them to run in a non-competitive 5k race. The Gala also had a racing theme to it, with several different areas designated as:

The Coat Check Area

The Food Line

And, The Bar.

     Once you were all settled in, you could peruse the silent auction items, grab food and drink, and even pick up a root beer float(with optional vodka infusion). After all of that, there was a slideshow presentation inside the main ballroom that gave an introduction to what Girls On The Run is all about, as well as featuring testimonials from girls who've gone through the program. After the presentation ended, the evening's entertainment arrived in the form of the band Spoken Four, who helped all of us dance the night away to a wide array of cover songs. Also present was a photo background where attendees could take pictures under a Finish Line(once again, keeping up with the racing motif), like this:

      All told it was a great night, that raised a good amount of money for a great cause.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Four Days In October

     On October 17, 2004, the Boston Red Sox found themselves with a big problem on their hands. They were down 3 games to nothing in the American League Championship Series to their hated rival, the New York Yankees. Improbably, they managed to win 4 games in a row, reach the World Series, and excise the Curse of the Bambino once and for all. Eleven years later, Theo Epstein's team finds itself in the same position. Except this time that team is the Chicago Cubs. Last night's loss at a rainy Wrigley Field put the Mets up 3-0 in the NLCS. Defensive lapses, an offense that still looks anemic compared to last week, all of them have led to where we are now. Also, simply the fact that the Mets are a good team.

     We are now left with but a few things: young players who (hopefully) remain blissfully ignorant of history, a manager who hasn't been rattled by anything all season, Jason Hammel on the mound, and something Cubs fans have plenty of: hope. Hope that the Cubs will pull off what has only been done once before. Hope that Ernie, Ronny, Harry, and all the other departed Cubs greats will look down and provide us some good mojo. Hope that tomorrow will not be the final game of the magical 2015 Season. All of these hopes culminate at 7:07 PM tonight, when the Cubs take the field for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Bash Brothers 2.0

     Going into tonight's game, everybody and their brother had come to expect great things from Jake Arrieta. And they were right to. Unfortunately, this was not to be a good night for our ace. The Cardinals got to him for 4 runs, matching his total for the past 2 months. Luckily, we were the beneficiaries of an offensive explosion. It all started off when the Schwarbino went deep to get us on the board first. Then after Arrieta gave up the first two runs in the 4th, Castro went yard as well to draw us even. After we got another man on base, Bryant cleared the bases to put us up 4-2. That one chased the St. Louis starter. Next Batter: Anthony Rizzo. Another Home Run. The Bash Brothers are back, and this time they're clean. Arrieta then gave up 2 more runs, and his night was over. At this point we're leading the Cardinals 5-4, which isn't exactly the most comfortable of leads. Luckily, Jorge Soler proceeds to hit another ball over the fence, scoring 2 more runs. This also means that he has reached base in each of his first 9 postseason plate appearances(in case you were curious, yes this is a record). 2 innings later, Dexter Fowler decides to join the party and hits one out as well. After rolling through a few relievers, the Cubs handed the ball to Rondon to put the game away. Bad news: Rondon serves up a 2-run homer with 2 outs already recorded. Good news: Rondon then puts the next batter away to render that homer meaningless and make the Cubs a winner.

     With all of that craziness, not only was Arrieta still the pitcher of record, but he actually got a win for this one. As so much digital and real ink has been devoted to saying already this season, these Cubs are different. On a night where Arrieta served up 4 runs, the offense hit six homers, more than have been hit in over 1,400 postseason games. The Cubs now enter Game 4 at Wrigley with a 2-1 series lead, and a chance to do something that hasn't been done ever: win a playoff series at Wrigley Field. Who knows how things will shake out, but it definitely will be historic.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: We're Going To Win Tonight.

     After Friday's loss, the Cubs were down 1-0 in the NLDS. Did they let that get them down? Of course not! Saturday's Game 2 saw the ball handed to Kyle Hendricks, who closed out the regular season on a tear, at one point hurling 12 scoreless innings between 2 starts. Things didn't start out too good, as the Cardinals jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Then the Cubs made their presence known in the top of the 2nd with an offensive explosion that featured two squeeze bunts which made Maddon look like some sort of mad genius, and continued with a 2 run homer by Jorge Soler that brought the boys home and capped off a 5-run inning(incidentally, Soler replaced the Schwarbino in the lineup. Good call.) Eventually, the Cardinals managed to hit 2 over the fence, which ended Hendricks' night. Our periodically quixotic bullpen actually held together quite well after that, with Travis Wood throwing 2 1/3 innings and Hector Rondon holding on to save a 6-3 Cubs win.

     Where does that leave us now? In a damn good place, that's where. We're tied at 1 game a piece. We're back at Wrigley for the next two games. Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant(whom I will be henceforth referring to as The Bash Brothers 2.0) haven't even gotten a chance to make an offensive contribution yet this postseason. Oh, and JAKE ARRIETA is pitching tonight. You know, the guy who hasn't lost a game since July 25. The guy who has given up a TOTAL of 4 runs since the beginning of August. The guy who tossed the first postseason shutout for the Cubs in 70 years in Pittsburgh. Putting it succinctly, the Cardinals are in for a world of hurt tonight, and Arrieta is just the man to deal it out.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Meet Me in St. Louis

     After the hoopla from Wednesday night's victory over the Pirates calmed down(and the team finally stopped celebrating) the next objective loomed large: the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series. The two franchises have played 2,344 games against each other, yet had not met in the postseason for 129 years, going back to the 1886 World Series. Needless to say, the hype train was leaving the station full steam ahead. Add in the fact that the Game 1 starters(Jon Lester against John Lackey) were teammates in Boston and the drama gets ratcheted up even higher. Finally the time came and the first pitches were thrown. Lester faltered a bit out of the gate, allowing two hits in the first inning to fall into an early 1-0 hole. After that, he righted the ship, at one point retiring 10+ batters in a row. Unfortunately, John Lackey was doing great too. Dexter Fowler hit a mammoth shot that would have scored two runs, if it hadn't been caught by a Cardinal on the warning track. Lackey only allowed 2 hits, including one to Kyle Schwarber(whom I will be henceforth referring to as The Great Schwarbino). Lester was doing well at keeping the Cardinals within striking distance, until the 8th inning rolled around and he gave up 3 more runs. The Cubs did not go quietly though, putting two men on base in the top of the 9th before ultimately striking out and losing to the Cardinals 4-0. After our dressing down of Pittsburgh, this showed us a few important things:

• We still might fulfill the prophecy and win the World Series, but it sure won't be a walk in the park.
• St. Louis is going to be a tough opponent to beat
• And finally, does anyone know of a way we can make about 4 clones of Jake Arrieta?

     That last point might have been slightly in jest, and we will get Arrieta again in Game 3. As for tonight's Game 2, Kyle Hendricks gets the start. Although he comes in with a pedestrian 8-7 record, he finished the season strong, hurling 12 shutout innings over his final 2 starts, earning himself this start. First pitch is at 4:37 PM from Busch Stadium.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Cubs? In the Playoffs? Believe it.

     After 7 years out of the postseason, and 3 hard years of rebuilding under Theo Epstein, the Chicago Cubs have made it back into the Playoffs. This year started out like the past several, with the goal being gradual improvement towards putting a competitive team on the field in 2016. That all started to change last November when the Cubs abruptly fired Rick Renteria and hired Joe Maddon, best known for taking the Rays all the way from the AL's cellar to the World Series in 2008.

     The next month, the team announced the signing of free agent Jon Lester, a veteran of postseason runs with the Boston Red Sox. The team was expressing the normal good cheer and high hopes at the Convention and Spring Training, but then the season started. The first few months of the season were good, the team was more than 2 games over .500 for the first time since 2009, and they were 7 games over by the All-Star Break. Then they got hot.

     With a 2nd half record of 46-25(with 4 games still to play) and the unrivaled performance of the true Ace of the pitching staff Jake Arrieta, the Cubs stormed towards the postseason without looking back. All the while Joe Maddon has been there keeping the team loose through the grind of a baseball season. And now, the Chicago Cubs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Playoff Express gets rolling next Wednesday when the Cubs take on their opponent in the National League Wild Card game(at this point likely the Pirates, and perhaps at PNC Park, but both of those could change). I'll be covering the Cubs for as long as this postseason party lasts. Make sure to stay with Chicago 365 this October for all of your Cubs news.

Connect With Your City

Secret Keef

     Back on July 11, a 13-month old boy was struck and killed on the South Side by a vehicle that was escaping from a shooting that killed 22-year-old Marvin Carr, who went by the name of Capo. Capo was a collaborator with rapper and local miscreant Chief Keef. Earlier this week, Keef announced plans to hold a benefit concert for the family of the child who was killed via hologram(why hologram? Because he's a wanted man in Chicago for non-payment of child support. What an upstanding citizen!) When plans were announced, it drew the ire of Father Michael Pflager of St. Sabina, who criticized Keef for the apparent two-faced nature of the concert, saying that "If Chief Keef is calling to stop violence, that's great. But his music and Instagram and Facebook pictures have to reflect the consistency of that. You can't say, 'Stop the violence,' but promote it in your music." After more pressure was applied, the concert was called off. But in a new development on Wednesday, the Tribune reported that the concert was back on for tonight, to be held in a "secret location" Your guess is as good as mine where that location is, but I'm guessing Al Capone's Vault. We'll be back with more developments.

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Central: Let's Party!

     Well, we rode the Lightning alright. And after 3 days worth of riding the city's bars harder than a mechanical bull, the Hawks are ready to parade in front of their city showing off their fancy new hardware. Crowds of adoring fans will clamor to see the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy. The double-decker buses will roll through the streets of the city as they did in 2010 and 2013, until they reach the jam-packed Museum Campus, at which point the festivities will move over to Soldier Field for the rally. (Why no Grant Park? The field still isn't dry from Monday's deluge, and putting 100,000 people in a muddy field is not a wise decision.) How drunk will the players be? Just how X-Rated will Corey Crawford get this time? How many people will expose themselves during the 2-hour wait? And will the weather hold together for all of it? All of those questions and more will be answered tomorrow. And believe you me, I'll be back with all of the gritty details.

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Final Central: Names

     Kyle Baun. Bryan Bickell. Daniel Carcillo. Corey Crawford. Kyle Cumiskey. Phillip Danault. Scott Darling. Andrew Desjardins. Ryan Hartman.Niklas Hjalmarsson. Marian Hossa. Patrick Kane. Duncan Keith. Marcus Kruger. Joakim Nordstrom. Johnny Oduya. Michael Paliotta. Ville Pokka. Antti Raanta. Brad Richards. Michal Rozsival. David Rundblad. Brandon Saad. Brent Seabrook. Patrick Sharp. Andrew Shaw. Viktor Svedberg. Teuvo Teravainen. Kimmo Timonen. Jonathan Toews. Trevor van Riemsdyk. Antoine Vermette. Kris Versteeg.

     These gentlemen are just 40 minutes away from winning the Stanley Cup on Home Ice for the first time in 77 years. They can make history. They've just got to close it out. Come on boys, you can do it.

GO HAWKS

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Final Central: Chicago Blackhawks man, Join the Hype Train!

     Ever since the Hawks won Game 5, the city has been salivating at the chance to win the Cup on home ice for the first time since 1938. Yeah, that's right. A National League Pennant has been raised in Chicago more recently than the Stanley Cup has been. Preparations for what might happen tonight are already underway. The Tribune Tower is decked out in a big Hawks banner:

     Nearby the Tribune Tower, the Official Blackhawks Store is doing land-office business, so much so that it might need to be renamed the Madhouse on Michigan. Meanwhile in Wrigleyville, the authorities are preparing right now. First off, the area already got a taste of Cup Fever on Saturday:

     Now combine that with what you may recall seeing back in 2013:

     And you've got something that the powers that be definitely don't want to happen again. To that end, there were reports of barricades going up all up and down Clark St. so that if the Hawks do win, the masses of liquored-up twentysomethings stay on the sidewalks. Finally, with the Hawks able to win it all tonight, there will be an additional guest at the United Center tonight. Earlier today, they were seen going through Security:

PUCK DROPS IN 7 HOURS

GO HAWKS

Connect With Your City

TrekTopia Day 2: Rubbing Elbows with Fans and Stars

     After the excitement of the first day, the fans were back at the Westin for another day of hobnobbing. Walter Koenig started things off by stepping onstage and talking about some of his more recent work, such as a fan-made series(more of which will be discussed later). After that I stepped into the lobby to do some work on a blog post, when I ran into a fellow fan. We exchanged pleasantries for a bit, then I stepped back into the theater to watch John Tenuto give another lecture, this time about the creation of Star Trek Voyager, going through the cast and sharing informative anecdotes about then, such as the fact that Janeway was originally played by an actress other than Kate Mulgrew. Tenuto then ceded the stage to Tim Russ, who covered many things in his talk, including the new project that Walter Koenig was referring to earlier. It's called Star Trek: Renegades, and it promises to take a slightly grittier look at Star Trek, as well as moving the entire saga forward in the Prime Universe(i.e. separate from the timeline that J.J. Abrams is working in). Russ showed a trailer during his talk, and you can check it out at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjeX5drV9ms


     After an intermission, Adam Malin(the head of Creation) and Richard Arnold(Gene Roddenberry's right hand man and an expert on Star Trek) came up to give some remembrances of Leonard Nimoy, who just passed away on February, including a promo for a film being directed by Nimoy's son, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLuU8v81EOw    


     Once the appeal was finished, all kinds of cosplayers took the stage to partake in the costume contest. This Annual event lets attendees compete against one another to win a $250 gift certificate. After the winner was crowned, the stage was cleared yet again to allow for the No Minimum Bid Auction, where all kinds of goods can be had for very good prices. While that was happening, I stepped away to do some work on another blog post, and who should sit down across from me? None other than Robert Picardo, who was doing some work at the computer. After a bit, Armin Shimerman showed up as well, doing the same thing. When I finished, I bid both of them safe travels and went back to the theater to catch Connor Trineer and Dominic Keating(both of them from Enterprise) take the stage. During their time they shared all kinds of anecdotes relating to their time on the show, the experiences that they shared during those 4 years, and even beyond to the present day.


     After that, the stage was cleared for Tim Russ to sign. While we were waiting, Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final was playing at the hotel bar. So there I am, watching the Hawks game in a Star Trek costume(yeah, I did that) in a hotel restaurant(#becauseitsthecup), when Dominic Keating walks in, waiting to meet up with Connor Trineer for dinner. After about 15 minutes of watching the game and making small talk, Connor shows up, and Dominic steps away. On my way back to the theater, I run into the same person who I saw earlier in the day at the computers, and we start talking about fandom. And in fact, as I finish writing this right now, two other girls are in front of me playing cards. That seems to be a common theme here. Fans come for the weekend, make new friends at the shows, and even rub elbows with the very same people they see onstage. I guess that's what the fandom is all about, and what has been keeping Trekkies coming back for 49 years. Long may it live(and prosper!).

Chicago 365: Stanley Cup Final Central: LET'S GO HAWKS!

     After a thrilling comeback victory at home in Wednesday's Game 4 that finally featured Patrick Kane getting a point for this series, the Final shifts back to Amalie Arena for Game 5. Ben Bishop took part in the morning skate, but there is no official word on his status for the game. There isn't even any official word on why Bishop hasn't played, so who knows what's really going on there? As far as the Blackhawks, our stars finally started playing like they mean it in Game 4, with Toews scoring a goal, Kane notching an assist, and Keith continuing his practice of living on the ice. Hopefully we can continue the press, because Tampa has proven to be relentless. Winning tonight would put us in a GREAT position, since then we can be one win away, and come back to our barn on Monday night with the Stanley Cup in the building. What an inspiration that would be. But we can't think about that at all till we win tonight. Puck drops in just over an hour.

GO HAWKS

Connect With Your City

TrekTopia Day 1: The 49 Year Mission

     Yesterday, hordes of Trekkies descended upon the Westin O'Hare for Creation Entertainment's 49 Year Mission Celebration in Chicago, and the fans were ready to greet their heroes. Chase Masterson started off the affairs by appearing onstage, talking about her recent work, and even doing some singing. After that it was time to welcome Garrett Wang to the stage, where he shared some anecdotes related to attending conventions, as well as relaying to us fans the story he wanted to see written for Harry Kim. Once Wang left the stage, fans were given the chance to test their knowledge by answering Trek trivia either Yes or No, with the winner of each round not only recieving a $200 gift certificate, but then being invited back onstage for further rounds with the ultimate potential to collect $1,200 worth of certificates.


     The festivities continued with Terry Farrell coming up to talk about her experiences being a model at the age of 17, working on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and her journey of learning to stand up for herself. After that Armin Shimerman came up to talk about his instrumental role in the evolution of the Ferengi on Star Trek, from their marauding first appearance on Next Generation to their current role as hapless, chauvinistic hyper-capitalists. John Tenuto then proceeded to come up and give a talk about the making of Star Trek VI, showing some rare production photos and sharing insider stories, such as the fact that all scenes on the Klingon prison planet in the movie were actually flipped(i.e. outdoor scenes were shot inside and indoor scenes were shot outside).


     After Tenuto gave out more informative nuggets of knowledge, Ethan Phillips took the stage. Phillips spent the time reflecting on his experiences working on Benson, Star Trek Voyager, and other work. Then the stage cleared and Terry Farrell was signing autographs on one side of the stage while Ethan Phillips was signing on the other. With that, Day 1 ended. We're back right now for Day 2, and I'll be back with those updates.

Connect With Your City

Awesome A+ Arianna

     Like many students graduating from Chicago's prestigious Kenwood Academy, Arianna Alexander will be going off to college in the fall. Unlike many of her fellow grads though, Arianna won't be paying a dime for her higher education. As a result of a prodigious session of applying to colleges, as well as her father's inspirational advice to apply for scholarships like they're going out of style, Ms. Alexander was accepted to 26 different universities(including 6 Ivy League schools), as well as receiving more than $3 Million in scholarships. Yeah, you read that right. Three Million Freaking Dollars.

     Arianna said that the response from colleges was "...a lot to take in. I received emails, letters. It was just like, 'Come here, come here!' They were bombarding me with all this information." And for good reason too, as Arianna graduated with a 5.1 GPA on a 4.0 scale. After much deliberation, Arianna has decided to go to the University of Pennsylvania in the fall, a choice that she credits in no small part to Paul Brush, one of her teachers. “He said, ‘Do you know about the Wharton School of Business? ‘I said, ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’” said Arianna. Mr. Brush had this to say about his influence: "As teachers, we have a big moment to play with the lives that we have in our classrooms."

     The scholarship windfall means a lot to her father, who has already put Arianna's three older siblings through college. "When she graduates from Penn...We expect bigger and better things for her," he said. Arianna is already starting to affect those plans, starting to lay the groundwork for the menus of the four restaurants she plans to own as part of her future desire to become an entrepreneur.

Connect With Your City

Weekends Can Get Crazy Around Here

     Summer is officially upon us, and it's hitting us with everything it's got. Trekkies from around the world are converging on the Westin O'Hare for Creation Entertainment's annual Star Trek Convention which goes through Sunday. Meanwhile, just up the road at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, MyFreeCams is hosting the Exxxotica Expo, a salute to all things hot and kinky. So we've got Trek fans and Adult Entertainment fans covered, what about Music fans? Fear not, for we've also got the Spring Awakening Festival going on at Soldier Field for those EDM lovers, and Blues Fest is happening at Grant Park. On top of all of that, Saturday will also see the World Naked Bike Ride taking place. And finally, even though we may be nerds, nudists, Adult Afficianados, EDM geeks, and bluesmen, we're all Blackhawks fans. Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final starts at 7 PM on Saturday. All that, and I'll be bringing as much coverage of it as I can to you.

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Final Central: Double Down and Win!

     The cards are on the table. After two one-goal losses in a row making them lose back to back games for the first time this postseason, the Hawks are down 2-1 in the Stanley Cup Final. We have to pull it out and win tonight. Get the puck to Kaner, work some magic, I don't know. But I sure as hell don't want to be going back to Tampa in a 3-1 hole to these upstarts. So the challenge has been issued. Let's win tonight!

GO HAWKS!

 



Summer 2015: Locked, Loaded, and Ready to Launch!

     As much it may not feel like it, we're in the first weekend of June. Summertime is fast approaching whether the weather is ready or not. From Star Trek Conventions to Erotica Conventions, L.A.T.E. night bike rides to Naked bike rides, the Joliet Pops in Bicentennial Park to Sir Paul McCartney in Grant Park, tourist traps to tourist Tastes, this summer's gonna(to borrow a line) hurt like a mother. Once again, Chicago 365 will be there on the front lines giving you all the most salient recaps of the fests and festivities that make a Chicago summer unlike any other. The craziness starts today, with the opening of The 606 and the Printer's Row Lit Fest. And as if that wasn't enough, the Hawks start Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at 6:15 PM. I'll be covering various facets of today's activities and will report back later. So let another summer of living vicariously through my blog commence!

Connect With Your City

(I'm ending this with Love Never Felt So Good, a song which really should have been the song of the summer last year, but didn't catch on. I'm not giving up on it!)

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Central: We Have Met The Enemy, and He is No Slouch(for most of the game anyway)

     Last night was Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, and for the first two periods, it really looked like the Bolts had us on the run. They fired one in past Crawford 4 minutes in, and then spent the next two Periods out-skating and out-playing the Blackhawks. Finally the Hawks broke through 13 minutes into the 3rd Period when Teuvo Teravainen shot one past Ben Bishop. 1:58 later, the Hawks would strike again with Antoine Vermette scoring on a goal set up by Teravainen. Crawford once again defended the net from a flurry of last minute shots, and the Hawks won to take a 1-0 lead in the series. In the lead up to the Final, much had been said about the Lightning's advantages, and that their dispatching of 3 Original Six teams served notice on the Hawks. And I will tell you, for the first 2 periods, I saw what they were talking about. In short:

     (Thank you Dennis Green). But then the craziest thing happened at the end of the game. All of a sudden the Hawks started finding opportunities. I've heard some comments attribute that to Tampa merely trying to hold on to the victory instead of putting the team away. If that's true, it's not good. If you're playing a team, you've gotta play to win. You've gotta play to kill EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. You can't let up for one minute, even if you're nursing a 3 goal lead.

     All week I've been eschewing talk of this being a short series, but if Tampa continues to let up while they're only nursing a 1 goal lead, this is going to be a 4-game sweep and we'll be having a parade next week. If the Lightning find their tenacity from the beginning of the game, this Final could easily go 7 games with many overtimes in between. What kind of series will we get? I guess we'll have to wait till the puck drops on Game 2(6:15 on Saturday) to find out.

Connect With Your City

Breaking News: #TraumaCenterNow

     While the rest of the city is engrossed in Game 1 of the Finals, apparently there are other things going on too. One of which is a protest at the University of Chicago. Apparently there is a protest going on over at the University of Chicago over people wanting to put a trauma center in. The University is saying no, people are getting upset, and things are going from there. You can catch some more updates here

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Central: The Quest for Forever Begins Now

     The recaps are over. The posturing has reached a fever pitch. The time for talk has ended, and the hype train is pulling up to Tampa's Amalie Arena for Game 1 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final. Much has been written about the disparities between the squads, about the fact that the Hawks are the most playoff-tested team in the NHL right now, and even the great disparity in experience between Joel Quenneville and Jon Cooper. But these teams are playing for something more than a title. They're playing for immortality:

     Most of the pundits are picking the Hawks, because it seems like the obvious choice. Even a woman's pet cockatoo seems to be committing to the Indian. However, the Lightning are not to be discounted. Their path to the Final went through Detroit, Montreal, and the Rangers. Three Original Six teams, not to mention knocking off New York at home in Game 7, breaching the fortress that is known as Madison Square Garden. Those facts give the Bolts a whole hell of a lot of legitimacy and panache. Even with those qualifications, I'm not picking against my home team.

Blackhawks in 6

Connect With Your City

GO HAWKS

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Final Central: They're Just Jealous.

     The Stanley Cup Final starts tonight, and if the Tampa Bay Lightning have their way there won't be very many Hawks fans in attendance. They are following the lead of the Predators, and restricting ticket sales to Florida residents. That part is dubious enough, but here's the rub. In certain areas of Amalie Arena, the team is actually RESTRICTING WHAT SWEATERS FANS CAN WEAR. Tampa, right now your policies are making you look like this:

Or are you just looking like this?:

     First off, this kind of bush-league move is so childish as to be embarrassing. Secondly, this will most likely have the opposite effect, as if anything it will inflame the passions of Hawks fans even more. Not only that, but I have a feeling that there are more than a few Florida residents willing to buy tickets on behalf of out-of-towners(for a piece of the action, of course). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there are MORE Hawks fans than there would have been. On the other side of things, Mayor Emanuel has issued a statement extending a big Chicago welcome to ALL Floridians here for the games:

     Yes Tampa fans, we'll gladly welcome you to our city, take your money, then let you watch as we beat the Bolts like they owe us money!

The puck drops in 8 hours, 27 minutes

 

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Stanley Cup Final Cental: RIDE THE LIGHTNING!

     The Conference Finals are over. Both teams have advanced, and Lord Stanley's Cup is awaiting it's newest suitor. On Saturday, the Blackhawks proved once and for all that it is:

     Up next awaits the Tampa Bay Lightning. After going through the Red Wings, Canadiens, and Rangers, the Lightning now become the first team to ever play 4 Original Six teams in the same postseason. The experts are extolling the youth and newness of the Lightning, as well as their tenacity in dispatching 3 respected opponents, culminating in their defeat of the Rangers in Game 7 at the Garden. Of course, they're not the only team who won Game 7 in hostile territory. The Hawks have experience on their side, not to mention one of the best, skilled, and most playoffs-tested rosters in recent history. We will see just who is the better team starting on Wednesday.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: One More For Half of The Marbles.

     This is it. The time for talking, posturing, and bragging has ended. The Blackhawks are in Anaheim tonight, trying to win 2 in a row for the first time since polishing off the Wild in Round 2. The fans are fired up. The city is alive. Bars everywhere from Winnetka to Chicago to Plainfield and everywhere in between are buzzing with fans hungry for another Hawks win. And the Hawks are gonna do all they can to give their loyal fans the win. Tampa Bay awaits in the Stanley Cup Final, but first we have to take care of business tonight. Puck drops in 13 Minutes.

ONE TEAM. ONE GOAL. GO HAWKS

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Playing For Our Lives

     Folks, the Duck Hunt isn't going quite as smoothly as it could be. After see-sawing through the first 5 games(including the longest game in Hawks history), and enduring passive-aggressive tweets from Emilio Estevez, we're at Game 6, as well as the doorstep of elimination. I could say that the Hawks are 9-4 in elimination games since their resurgence. I could say that the Hawks are 12-1 in Game 6 during that same time. But what I really want to say is just two words: Hawks Win. Let's make that happen tonight. I'll be back with a recap later

Game Update: Blackhawks lead 3-0 with 5:54 left in the 2nd Period.

GO HAWKS

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Duck Hunt

     Last night the Anaheim Ducks finished off the Calgary Flames in OT, which means we finally know who we're playing in the next round. The Series hasn't started yet, but thanks to some technical wizardry, I already have 5 minutes of game footage right here:

     Our last Conference Finals trip out west didn't exactly go as planned, but let's hope that the Hawks can use the momentum generated from dispatching Minnesota and take down Anaheim.

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Shot Part 2

     Last night the Bulls proved victorious in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, taking a 2-1 lead over Cleveland. This is significant by itself, as this is the first time that the Bulls have managed to win more than one game against King James & Co. in a playoff series. But that's not all. Last night's game was also special in how it ended. Let's roll the footage:

     On first glance, that might look A LOT like another game-winning Bulls playoff shot, one that I just mentioned yesterday. Let's see that one:

     Yup. Same team, same opponent, same situation, 26 years apart. Cleveland can't win for losing. As previously mentioned, the Bulls have now won two games against LeBron for the first time ever in a playoff series. Speaking of James, he was held to only 27 points in last night's game, down from his 33 in Game 2. Hopefully the Bulls can take this momentum and run with it. The Cavs may be down, but don't count them out just yet. The Bulls have to be tenacious and unrelenting if they want to make it through this round. Game 4 tips off at the United Center at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

     As for the Blackhawks, they're still cooling their heels at the door of the Western Conference Finals, awaiting their opponent. Last night in Calgary, the Anaheim Ducks scored 2 goals in the 3rd Period to win and take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Game 5 of that series is tomorrow night in Anaheim. Whoever wins the series faces the Hawks in the next round. It's playoff time in Chicago, and who knows what will happen next?

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Shot! The Sweep! The Return Of The King!

     Before we get to current playoff action, we have a memory to look back on. 26 years ago yesterday, Michael Jordan did this in Clevelend:

     It's Game 5 of the first round of the 1989 Eastern Conference Playoffs. Cleveland gets a layup to make it 100-99 in their favor with 3 seconds left. After a Bulls timeout, Jordan gets the ball, dribbles over to the hoop, and nails a shot right over the head of Craig Ehlo, who was guarding him. The shot is good, Bulls win 101-100, Ehlo crumples to the floor in despair, and Cleveland gets screwed over yet again.

     Back to 2015. Last night the Blackhawks came up to Minnesota and swept the Wild right on out of the playoffs. Crawford made 34 saves, Seabrook, Kane, Shaw, and Hossa all scored, and the team withstood a furious Minnesota rally. After advancing to our 5th Conference Final in 7 years, we now wait for our opponent. It'll be either Anaheim or Calgary, but we won't know for sure till at least Sunday. Till then, we wait. As for the other resident of the United Center, the Eastern Conference Semifinals come back to Chicago for Game 3 against(ironically) Cleveland. Game 2 saw LeBron come back with the headband, and the performance showed. His 33 points helped lead the Cavs to a 15 point victory back on Wednesday. As always, we'll be following the playoff action with a close gaze. Stay tuned for the details.

Connect With Your City

The Chicago Olympics

     While the 2016 Games will be starting off in Rio next summer, there is still an Olympics in Chicago. The Special Olympics, that is. Back on Monday, Soldier Field was the site of the Opening Ceremony of the 47th Spring Games. More than 15,000 spectators watched with adoration as 3,500 athletes paraded across the field to take their rightful place as Special Olympians. Starting things off was a torch-lighting ceremony, performed by Chicago Police Officers who were joined by members from the Misericordia team. Those assembled were then welcomed by the honorary coach for the games, White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija, who said in part that "It's a privilege as an athlete to be invited by my fellow athletes. Wishing all the athletes a great week of competition and good luck!". Samardzija's remarks weren't the only White Sox connection, as their charity arm provides funding for the uniforms of the Olympians.

     Luckily, the weather held off for the ceremony, and the rain was avoided. Having the ceremony at Soldier Field is a homecoming of sorts, as this is the same place where the first ever Special Olympics was held on July 20, 1968. Andrew Kane, a member of Team Envision Unlimited said that the Ceremony was "real fun. I like the marching and the parade. I'm ready to win a gold medal." Kane's enthusiasm is justified, as his basketball team is coming off of a win at the Special Olympics state championship, and he's ready to win again. "I have the basketball from when we won downstate, and my own trophy too...I'm going to win again. Yup!" You can check out Kane's quest for another gold, as well as the other 3,500 athletes all week at Eckersall Stadium at 2423 E. 82nd St., from 8 am to 4 pm.

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Hunting The Wild

     Last night in Minnesota, the spotlight shifted back to the Blackhawks, and they delivered marvelously. Coming into the contest the Hawks had history working against them. The last time the team won a Game 3 on the road was back in 2010. With the help of Patrick Kane's power play goal in the first period, and Corey Crawford's excellent job in net, the Hawks thumbed their nose at history, taking Game 3 to emerge with a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Things are looking really good for the Hawks. Only 4 teams(out of 180 that have been in this position)have ever rallied back from an 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series. Plus, the Hawks haven't lost a Second Round series since 1996. My prediction: Hawks in 5(but I'd be okay with a sweep too). The puck drops on Game 4 at 8:30 tomorrow night in Minnesota. As for the Bulls, they got it off to a great start by taking Game 1 in Cleveland, now it's time for a repeat performance. Derrick Rose & Co. square off with LeBron James & Co. tonight at 6 in Cleveland. Once again, stick with Chicago 365 for all your Chicago playoff updates.

 

Go Bulls

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Bulls Vs. LeBron

     After dispatching Milwaukee in 6 games, the next Bulls opponent is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sounds simple enough, but history might have something else to say about that.  For 3 of the past 5 playoff runs that the Bulls have had, the story is the same. Success in the early rounds, but then a meeting with LeBron James happens, and the Bulls are cleaning out their lockers 5 games later. Much like the Bad Boy Pistons, it seems that King James is this omnipresent stumbling block separating the Bulls from postseason glory. With the much heralded return of James to Cleveland this past season, it offered yet another opportunity for him to square off with the Bulls. That opportunity arrived tonight, with the Bulls and the Cavs tipping off their Conference Semifinal round in Cleveland. The Bulls continued to make use of the newly-revitalized Derrick Rose, who pitched in 25 points towards the effort, which ultimately culminated in a 99-92 Bulls win. With that victory, the Bulls have also snatched back home-court advantage for the series. Game 2 tips of in Cleveland at 7 PM on Wednesday. As for the Blackhawks, they sit comfortably atop the Minnesota Wild with a 2-0 lead, with Game 3 slated to tip off in Minnesota at 7 PM tomorrow(Tuesday) night. As usual, you can stick with Chicago 365 for all of your Chi-Town playoff action.

Connect With Your City

Welcome To Draft Town

     It's the talk of the NFL World. It's outside of New York for the first time in 50 years. And it's here in Chicago. Welcome to Draft Town. Over the past 2 days, teams have been making their picks(in front of liquored-up fans) in the historic Auditorium Theater. Today the activity shifts outside to Selection Square, where teams will be having representatives make picks right outside in front of the Auditorium. But that's not all. Grant Park has been transformed into Draft Town, a 900,000 square foot fan festival, featuring the Combine Corner, a flag football tournament, and a Super Bowl Museum. I'm headed there myself coming up, and any cool updates or anecdotes will be shared as time allows. Happy Draft Weekend Chicago!

Connect With Your City

Fandom Burlesque and Other Happenings

 

     There are thousands of people here at C2E2 this weekend. Hundreds of booths. And all of those folks are catering to all kinds of tastes, even those that may be slightly...unconventional. Towards that goal, Gorilla Tango Burlesque(Booth 584) exists to provide "Provacative Parody for the Discerning Nerd". At their booth they're selling prints of different posters for $5 each. Additionally, they're talking about their upcoming shows, which are titled:

• Boobs on Endor(Star Wars)
• Game of Thongs(Game of Thrones)
• A Nude Hope(Star Wars)
• 007 in Thunderballs(James Bond)
• Holy Bouncing Boobies(Batman)

     But there's more going on here than just that, upstairs there is a whole Fan Village, where attendees can chill out(some of them even on Yogibo bean bag chairs, which brand themselves as the "Next Generation of bean bag furniture[and can be found at Booth 236]), recharge, commune with other fans, and even check out the local chapters of both the 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion. Right next door to the Fan Village is the Cospitality Lounge, where cosplayers of all types can hang out, change, meet up, and get some last-minute fixes on their outfits.

     On the way up to the Fan Village, I walked through the atrium, which is this area:

 

     Needless to say, it was pretty crazy. One thing that was going on, were 2 Stormtroopers and an Imperial Officer holding signs and protesting, with such slogans as "Dude She's Your Sister", "Clone More Chicks", and "Support Short Trooper Equality". Always fun times at C2E2!

 

     Cosplay Tracker: Another Agent Carter(except this time with her roommate from the Agent Carter TV Show), several Wonder Women, several Ghostbusters, Willy Wonka, a Cheeseburger, several characters from Halo, and Mickey Mouse himself.

 

Connect With Your City

The Geek Bar

     A Comic-Con like C2E2 can be exhausting to attend. Some people just want a drink after doing all that nerding out. Luckily, the fine folks at the Hyatt McCormick have transformed one of their bars into the CBR Bar, which is a place where attendees can sate the thirst that comes with a long day of cosplay. In addition to a special brew by the folks up at Revolution Brewing(Galaxy Hero), there is a list of C2E2 edition cocktails as well, some of which include:

• The Secret Identity(Blue Moon/Amaretto)
• The Hero(Jameson with Apple Pucker, Sweet and Sour, and Lemonade)
• Unstoppable Force(Bacardi, Brandy, Orange Juice, and Sweet and Sour)
• The Villain(Peach Schnapps, Jack Daniels, Sweet and Sour, and Pineapple Juice)
• and many more

     If any attendees need to whet their whistles, the CBR Bar is the place to go for fandom-themed libations.

    Cosplay Tracker: Several Agent Carters(including one wearing Captain America's shield), at least 3 Poison Ivys, several Doctors, and one Hamburglar(I kid you not)

Connect With Your City



It's C2E2 Time!

     For the 6th year, throngs of fans of all things fandom will be coming through the doors of McCormick Place for the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo(or C2E2 for short). It is the land of vendors. It's the land of cosplayers. It's all things fandom and it's nuts. And I'm here for it. I'll be here rocking the Press Pass for the rest of today and tomorrow, giving all of you an insider's look at the goings-on here at McCormick. Stay tuned for the rest of the weekend for more updates.

Connect With Your City

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Let's Get Stanley!

     It's that time of year folks. The grass is green, the temperatures are warm, spring is in the air, and it's Playoff time yet again in the Windy City. For the seventh year in a row, the United Center will be doing double duty as the Hawks and the Bulls endeavor to bring home a title that won't be taken away. (For those of you who are curious, this isn't the longest streak of both teams making the playoffs. That would be the 13-year stretch from '84-'85 through '96-'97). The Bulls are in the playoffs, but their quest doesn't start for a few more days. The Blackhawks however, are on the clock starting tonight. Their first stop on a quest for a 3rd Cup in 6 years is in Music City USA, where they begin a first round tilt with the Nashville Predators in just under 2 hours. We'll be with you guys all the way through this double playoff run, and the ride promises to be just as crazy as ever.

GO HAWKS!!!!!

 



The Irish are coming! The Irish are coming!

     Tomorrow is it. Tomorrow is the day that the plumber's union does their thing and turns the river greener than the blood of a thousand leprechauns. Tomorrow is the day where the crowds will make you think the Hawks won the Cup again(and knowing him, Kaner might even be there). Tomorrow is Chicago's annual tribute to day-drinking, partying, and all things Irish. Tomorrow is what many people will be regretting come Sunday. Tomorrow downtown will be the epicenter of all craziness. Tomorrow is almost here. Rest well, Chicago. We're all gonna need to be in fighting shape for...tomorrow.

Connect With Your City

Challenge Accepted!

     Okay guys, remember that thing I told you about yesterday? The sandwich challenge? Well what I didn't tell you is this: I'm doing it tonight. In the words of Barney Stinson:

     I'm going over to Lucky's after work, where I will go up against 3 of their sandwiches. If I survive, I'll let you all know. If not, it's been an honor writing for you(but I think I'll survive) Cheers!

Connect With Your City

Wanna Get Lucky?

     In the world of food, Chicago has plenty of claims to fame. The hot dogs, the pizza, even the Taste itself. But when it comes to feats of gastrointestinal mastery, there are plenty of those opportunities as well. One such challenge comes to us from Lucky's Sandwich Shop, an establishment up in Wrigleyville. Before we go any further, let's check out a clip from Man vs. Food that talks about the challenge:

     Yup, you saw that correctly. 3 sandwiches. With fries in the middle. And you have to eat all of it. In less than an hour. If you successfully complete the challenge, you get a T-Shirt, your picture on the Wall of Fame, and the 3rd sandwich for free. If you finish in under 30 minutes, you get all 3 of them for free. It's quite the feat, and just one more way you can become a legend in your own city.

Connect With Your City

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

     Hey Guys! The City of Chicago officially turns 178 years old today! Woohoo! Back on March 4, 1837 the frontier village of Chicago was incorporated as a city. Despite having just 200 residents 4 years earlier, the city would see the population boom to 4,000 by 1840. Over the next several decades, industry and the railroads would converge to make Chicago one of the most important cities in the country. The fire of 1871 burned hotter than the flames of hell but could not burn up the city's ambition(in one particular way the fire actually helped, wiping away the downtown area to allow planners to start fresh with an actual plan in mind). The city didn't just recover from the fire, it came back stronger than ever, welcoming the world to its doorstep(and the Holmes Hotel) in 1893. The 20th Century saw some struggles with the decline in both railroads and industry, but the city weathered those storms, and is now a place where you can see cars, go on runs, take in a baseball game, and even see a world-acclaimed music festival. As Chicago enters Year 179, the future looks nothing but bright. Here's to you, Chicago!

Trivia Tuesday: The North Side Skipper

     Baseball is back, and so is trivia. But first off, the answer to the previous question. The year 2014 saw a minimum of 4 different festivals celebrating Bacon, including the Bacon Chase 5k/.05k, the Bacon, Sports and Beer Celebration, Baconfest, and The Great American Bacon Festival. Now, on to our next question: The Cubs and Sox both start their Spring Training games this week. In that spirit, here's the question:

Who is the new Manager of the Cubs?

 

     Seriously, that's it. No tricks here. But be warned, an easy question this week just might mean a harder question next week...

 

Connect With Your City