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Spring Updates

2006-04-15T23:40:00.000-05:00

Hello Folks,

I'm back - with a slight twist. With all the access I have to a myriad of products and cool stuff - I thought I'd start writing more about them. Consider this your own version of 'Daily Candy' or Pop Culture 'Stock Ticker'. Stay tuned for more updates, gadgets and things I think are plain interesting and worth discovering - from Chicago and beyond.

Till then,
Blagica-

1st Christmas in Chicago

2005-12-23T21:51:00.000-06:00

This is the first year I won’t be going back to Detroit for Christmas. A rigorous work schedule, crazy fall expenditures (including Thanksgiving’s trip), along with the chance to be with my sweetie pointed me to the decision to stay in Chicago. Granted, I am going to miss my 2 year old nephew open his first bowling ball set from his Auntie. I won’t see the expression on my mom and dad’s faces when they see the Omaha Steak meats I shipped. I won’t see my brother in law laugh at getting his own copy of “Monty Python’s The Holy Grail.” I will, however, be thankful for having a family that loves me, who aren’t too far away and who understood my decision to spend my first Christmas away from them.

I will get to see this city shut down on Christmas, or part of it, at least. I will go to my boyfriend’s Catholic church and see what that mass is like (he’s coming to my Orthodox midnight mass on January 6th). I will get the full-circle experience of not only shopping on State St during the holidays, but possibly go back for the day-after-Christmas-extravaganza.

I will take this Christmas and log it into my memory as ending one of the most transitional years of my life. In one year’s time, I came back from France, bought a new home, had two jobs, met the love of my life and watched and heard my nephew say my name. I always take December 25 to reflect on how the year went, how I changed and how I’d like to improve.

I also take time to remember how lucky I am to have two legs, two arms, a healthy family, close friends (a few at most, more than that is too many) and a zest for life that at one time, was seen as naivety by others, but has grown into a trait that I cherish and will never let go of. Blagica or Blahgeetsa…take your pick. She ain’t going anywhere.

Merry Holidays!

iGo, You Go, We all GO!

2005-11-15T18:36:00.000-06:00

I’ve lived in the city for seven years now. I am proud to say that I haven’t had a car or insurance payment in that time. The CTA and Chicago’s plentiful taxis got me around most of this city. Some long bike rides on my reliable red two wheeler, then I eventually moved up to my high-powered passion: a red, 2-stroke, 150 CC scooter.

As I began to explore more of this city I realized that I wanted to ability to go to Trader Joes', Costco or even a close suburb if I wanted to. I didn’t want to rent a car for a few hours and most of my friends don’t have cars. What to do? My sweetie totes me around in his truck, but I can’t always rely on that. Enter Europe’s answer to the urbanites’ need for a car for short term runs: iGo. Genius.

iGo is a shared car program that, for a sign-up fee of $125 (they are running a special for $75), folks can be a part of an environment friendly world of happy auto drivers – at a fraction of the cost of owning or leasing a car. Starting at $6 per hour and $.50 per mile, city dwellers can run to the store, go to a doctor’s appointment or use the car to go pick up a friend at the airport. How does it work?

Simply go to one of numerous parking lots in the city, type in your code, hop car, type in a code again and voila, you’re off. Need to go to a late night show and don’t want to park the car late at night? No problem. iGo lets you keep the car from 11pm to 7 am without charging by the hour. Just make sure you made the reservation overnight. Now, how fun is that? Gotta fill the car up with gas? No sweat. A handy dandy gas card comes with your membership. Just filler up! iGo supplies a list of stations that take that card. Not close to a station of their choice? No PROBLEM! Just use your credit card and iGo will pay you back. Wait, what about insurance? No PROBLEM. Taken care of.

If you need the car to go to Detroit for the weekend (like yours truly), you should still rent a car. In the meantime, this gal is happy to stop going to auto dealerships and calling insurance companies for a quote on a car I may not use that often.

Thanks, iGo. I know I will be driving your cars soon. One more thing, they have hybrids to boot!

Reserve – The Velvet Rope with Nerve

2005-11-03T15:46:00.000-06:00

‘Twas a Saturday night in Chicago, the kinda night that’s a bit crisp, but enough to get by with a makeshift Pashmina shawl (in my case, TJ Maxx knock-off, but still does the trick). I met some friends at Tuscany on Taylor– one of the best old school Italian restaurants in the city, hands down. Conveniently located on Taylor street in the heart of our own Little Italy, Tuscany never lets you down. From the classy, seasoned waiters (all men, very European) to the service and good prices, it’s a bonafide winner in my book. I always leave that restaurant feeling taken care of, respected and as if I had dinner with my grandpa.

From there, we headed out to Lake Street and its influx of clubs and lounges. Now I’m not a big clubber, but a buddy was in town from Vegas, so I wanted to say hi. Besides, Reserve was one of the newest cool clubs in town so I just HAD to go, right? Ahem. On top of that, Nicole Ritchie’s fiancée, DJ AM, supposedly DJs there now and then. A connection to Nicole? Oh man oh man, I just must go now! Maybe Paris will make an appearance?

I confidently approached the velvet rope, knowing I was on the list (our friends “reserve”d a table). Smartly dressed fellas OK’d my entrance and waived my cover charge. Don’t get me started on cover charges. Paying some place $20 to get in BEFORE I even know if I like the joint? Please. I had to go back outside to get one of my friends, whose cell phone wasn’t working. I quietly waited for her, yet the ‘Front Door Mafia’ wouldn’t even let me WAIT in the foyer for her. Ok, boys. I get it. This is your night to be ultra powerful and I’m just a peon in your hipness. Let my Detroit-bred soul relax and not unleash some tactful tongue lashing on you, addressing you with vocabulary that you might find difficult, in addition the Macedonian and French comments I could throw your way. Just let my friend in, okay?

I went inside the club to yet another set of velvet ropes…this time it was to the area upstairs where are nice VIP table was waiting for us. Our table hostess, complete in a fake diamond choker, short black dress and cat-like smile was sitting waiting and purring for us. The boys loved it. We sat, had a few drinks and I did my customary observing. The gals holding their Cosmos, the fellas with the same shirts and same haircuts were gazing at those gals, while I stood up and danced in my own made up Dance Floor. I had a blast.

Reserve is known for its ability to mix two different songs at once. I thought I’d like this set-up…that quickly turned sour. I was grooving to old Michael Jackson and the next thing I knew, George Michael came in from nowhere and I didn’t know if I should be standing on my toes yelling ‘Shamon’ or shake my butt to have ‘Faith’. Sigh…

It was getting late, I didn’t feel like having any more Red Bulls& Vodkas and I didn’t want to lose a whole Sunday sleeping in. I said good-bye to our out-of-town friends, thanked them for the table, organized my purse belongings in the bathroom stall and made my way down to the land of velvet ropes. Out the door I went, with a stream of people waiting to get in…and a made a mental note to make another RESERVation…at Tuscany.

Double Door and Sub Sub – A Funky Bucktown Combo

2005-09-19T20:29:00.000-05:00

I was at DoubleDoor the other night watching Comasoft perform. Comasoft is the brain-child of a friend/old co-worker of mine, Jay Ramirez. He puts on a good show, along with makes a killer soup that I’m yet to try. If you haven’t been to Double Door, you are missing out on a Chicago music staple.

Double Door lives at the cross-section of Damen/North/Milwaukee in Bucktown. Its housed legends from The Rolling Stones to the upcoming singing phenom, Nikka Costa. The place doesn’t serve food, but the beer is cheap and they have FREE coat check. The guys at the door are always laid back and the crowd is there to have a good time. A simple formula, right? You’d be surprised by how many joints in this town complicate things with velvet ropes, burly bouncers and pretentious girls that think they rule the city by telling you there is a $25 cover. I say phooey. When you’re done listening to some live music at Double Door, swing over across the street…

To my favorite small, laid back, club/dance spot: Subterranean. If you go on Saturdays, the DJ spins old school hip hop and funk. Just grab a t-shirt, throw on some jeans and you’re set. Blue line stops right at Damen, along with the North Avenue bus. Cabs are plentiful at night.

Chicago - Help Katrina Victims

2005-09-10T17:17:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

There are many places to drop off supplies for the Katrina evacuees in or around Chicago.

Take a look at Craig's List to see how you can help. I just called Bob at the Inner City Youth Foundation. Evacuees are arriving on Tuesday and they need anything you can contribute. Shampoo, baby food, diapers, clothes, food, water, etc. I plan on taking the #1 Hyde Park bus down to 45th and Michigan to drop things off.

If you have time this week, please make it a point to visit the Inner City Youth Foundation or any drop-off in Chicago, including the Chicago Red Cross. Have some space to offer a Katrina victim? Couch? Basement? List it here at Hurricane Housing.

Do You Know Gioco? You Should.

2005-09-05T23:39:00.000-05:00

I know I still owe you Ravinia tips, but I had to get this note out about a phenom dinner I had at one of my neighborhood restaurants. I’ve had the pleasure of checking out Gioco for lunch, but had a doozy of a treat on Saturday night.

A small group of us gathered for an intimate surprise party, thrown by a dear friend, Lyle. He managed to secure the back of Gioco – a small, hidden ‘Al Capone-type’ speakeasy. Dark walls, a wine cellar and a family table like we were in a little Italian village completed the setting. Our host and waitress were sweet, well mannered and made sure we were taken care of.

The meal consisted of simple, but explosive tastes. Calamari with fried lemons, beet salad, two pasta dishes and margherita pizza to DIE for. Even the asparagus melted in our mouths. Hats off to the team behind Gioco and its sister restaurants: Marche and Red Light. KDK Management does a wonderful job of bringing diverse and unique restaurants to our city. I’m happy to say that one of them is right down the street from me.

South of France Meets Ravinia

2005-09-01T13:48:00.000-05:00

Finally. I thought the summer was going to fly by before having the chance to see a show at Ravinia. With how active my summer’s been, I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity. What is Ravinia?

Imagine an outdoor venue nestled in the middle of trees, a suburb and easily accessible by train, Metra. One has two options to take in the sights and sounds of music…sitting on the lawn or getting a seat in the Pavilion. ‘Lawn seats’ at Ravinia may be on the ground, but people turn that green piece of grass into a gorgeous vision of candlelight, fold up table&chair sets, wine, cheese and laughter. The Pavilion is still viewable around its perimeter, so lawn dwellers can take a break from their group and see a performance live. The grassy knoll at Ravinia is equipped with speakers, so you can sit back, relax, enjoy a glass of Pinot, look up at the stars and listen to the music.

I love the Gipsy Kings. I absolutely adore their music, spirit and the way they make me feel when I hear them. How can you not? Their ghostly voices, precision in strumming those guitars and gets a crowd going – and the majority of the crowd doesn’t understand the language being sung. It was last night when I visited the Gipsy Kings for a second time, my first being at the Chicago Theatre last year. My beau and I had Pavilion seats this time around, but took strolls along the walkways of the park, stopping for wine and the unbelievable amount of people we saw. The Kings came to the stage, with that familiar good-natured and happy personality unique to them. The Park roared, people jumped out of their chairs, clapped their hands in unison and for the rest of the night, we all had one common interest: enjoying the hypnotic sounds of the Gipsy Kings. Now that’s what I call human bonding. The remaining two hours were amazing. The highlight of the night was hearing my favorite ballad of theirs, “Un Amor”. I had the song translated in English and the words are beautiful. I don’t want to give away the song’s meaning.

Ravinia Tips coming up in the next post.

Design Can Be in Your Reach

2005-08-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

Is it a Chicago thing? Who knows, but I wanted to share an experience I’ve had with some cool Studio Execs at the Design Within Reach – Tree Studios locale near Chicago’s Mag Mile.

I moved into my new place in May. Since January, I’ve been scouring the Internet and looking at design ideas. My tastes tend to be pretty modern, circa Charles and Ray Eames or Mies van der Rohe. These tastes translate into some hefty price tags. My research led me to Design Within Reach, a national furniture/home accessories store with a knack for great, high-end design. There are two locations in downtown Chicago: one at Kingsbury and Clybourn, the other on Ohio, east of State. I’d take my lunch break, walk over to the Tree Studios and circle the different levels of that place salivating over what I wanted. Then, it happened, sales.

DWR had some great deals on bar stools, shelves and floor samples over these last months. It’s because of their ‘on-top-of-it’ Studio Exec team that I saved a hefty sum on everything from flooring to an office chair. Two gals (I forgot their names!) and a fella helped me with my painstaking decisions of colors, budget and layout. It shows that taking your time choosing styles you like and waiting for a good deal pays off. In addition to that, working with laid-back, but savvy design folk makes that entire process easier. Don’t be intimidating by the prices when you visit any one of DWR’s stores. Most furniture is classic, licensed through industry powerhouses like Herman Miller. You’ll have a lot of this stuff forever.

Special ‘thanks’ to David for calling me when the Chicago Shelving went on sale, disassembling the floor sample then helping me load my dad’s SUV with the pieces. David is a glass blower and sculpture on the side. Check out some folks he works with: KOG Hot Glass Studio and Making Glass.

One of Chicago's cornerstones is architecture. This is balanced by the theories of good design...get some at DWR.

Summer Turns to Fall...

2005-08-29T13:22:00.000-05:00

..not just yet, but close.

It’s the week before Labor Day - the week I always get a teary eyed about. Chicago summers may be brief, compared to the steady weather of San Diego, but we cherish it. We wake up in the morning, look at the sun coming up over Lake Michigan and give it a big fat kiss. We plan our weekend travel around what festival is going on. We cancel parties outside of the state because we don’t want to miss that free music lesson on Balbo or that free movie in Grant Park. We train for 5k and 8k charity races. We get up at 5 am and swim laps near Oak Street Beach, prepping for the annual Mrs. T’s Triathlon. We take naps on a late Saturday afternoon, with the excitement of the annual LATE Ride. We are dedicated to this city in the summer and take every opportunity to soak in its offerings.

I look back at my summer and can’t believe it flew by so quickly. New home, new job new neighborhood. I get up every morning, open my balcony door and look to the East. I said ‘good morning’ to the edge of Lake Michigan that touches the back of the Field Museum. I then turn to the West and wave to the cars going to work on I-94. I look South and wave to the early bird shoppers going into Jewel. I look below me and watch my neighbor swim her usual laps in our building’s pool. I walk down 11th Street to my bus stop and wave to the construction workers taking care of the main Columbia College student center. I climb on the #3 bus and chat with my fellow passengers. By the time I get to Wacker and Michigan and see the top of the Wrigley Buildings’ clock, I’m about to burst with how much I enjoy my home.

Then, when we least expect it, autumn comes to the Windy City. Crisp walks in Lincoln Park, hot chocolate at local cafes, football games, long walks around the Lake, turtleneck sweaters, cooking dinner and cozying up on the couch and finally, the big preparation for winter and the holidays.

Soak up as much of the Chicago summer as you can, September 21 is a ways away.

Letting the Village Girl Play

2005-08-25T13:55:00.000-05:00

Chicago has a phenomenal program every summer simply called, Chicago Summer Dance. Nestled smack dab on Michigan and Balbo, a dance floor and stage are set up outside. During the week, I believe it’s Wednesday thru Sunday, folks can gather on the dance floor, learn a new dance, then party away till the wee hours (actually 11 pm). From hip hop to tango, every style of dance was represented this summer. The dance floor is right near my South Loop home, so moseying over for a little computer break is very easy. On August 18^th, however, it was the kind of Chicago night that I will never forget.

It was Balkan dance night on the 18^th. Now, this may sound ultra-odd/cheesy, but the spirit and music of Macedonian/Serbian/Bulgarian songs is just so moving and fun, you can’t help but to go nuts. My old dance teacher, John Kuo (yes, Asian and knows Balkan dances like nobody’s business), was there with his Bulgarian wife, Galia. I was late for the dance lessons, but didn’t need to learn much. Now, if you know anything about Balkan even Turkish dancing, it’s the process by which people are in a circle holding hands and moving to the same motion. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow. Macedonian dances tend to be slower and more pronounced, Serbian very quick and fast and Bulgarian involves a lot of up and down shoulder movements. Good thing for me? I know most of themJ.

Dancing on Michigan Avenue, under the stars, classic village music pouring from the stage, gazing at every race and gender learning steps I grew up with as a child was mesmerizing. I was fascinated, overjoyed and didn’t mind that I was sweating in 90 degree heat. I jumped, twirled, led dances and sang along to some of the oldest Macedonian music I can remember. My entire family is in metro-Detroit. To have a fleeting moment that night of being connected to my roots and my family, surrounded by strangers was one that I will carry for quite some time. Thanks, Chicago. Now, I wonder if Mayor Daley wants a quick dance lesson?

Block Parties are Alive and Well

2005-08-16T23:35:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of attending two back-to-back neighborhood block parties this weekend. Reminded me of those days as a kid where, in my Baba’s (grandma’s) cul-de-sac, the neighbors teamed up with goodies galore. I have a theory that the backyard deck started the slight demise of folks not meeting up in the front yard. I always had a backyard as a kid, but I also had a good sized porch. I spent many a day, rain or shine, hanging on the porch, spying on the neighbors and picking up a street roller skate hockey game. You don’t see that activity as much these days…

I went to the North side and visited the Retro on Roscoe fest. I showed up in time to watch a U2 cover band and I have to say, I was pretty impressed with the Bono look/sound alike. Kids in strollers, couples arm and arm, beer flowing and good vibes lined Roscoe Sunday afternoon. The sun was hiding all day and finally made an appearance. Enough to warm us up, but not daunting in a way that was annoying. Found parking on Addison, to boot, can’t beat it. The sangria from Volo was pretty darn good, too.

Monday was the kind of festival that was close to my Old World heart. I went closer to my South Loop home and attended St. Jerome's annual ‘Velika Gospa’ Croatian festival. This may have been a Croatian festival, but it was in the heart of Chicago’s historic South Side Bridgeport neighborhood. Just about every walk of life visited the fest, full of lamb, kabobs, good music, friends and a NYC, "A Bronx Tale" sort of feel. My church back in Detroit has the same type of festival for its Macedonian crowd. Seeing old folks interacting with the hipsters, talking about old times, seeing the street change over the years and passing on traditional dances and language was a nice sight to see. I was so close to downtown Chicago, but I felt like I was in another country for a bit. Ironically, in Mayor Daley’s old stomping ground. I can see why home values in Bridgeport are up and why no one wants to leave. It’s a quiet place in the midst of our bustling city, coupled with the best team in baseball, the Chicago White Sox. Gotta love Ozzie.

I always say to family and friends, ‘you can’t beat a Chicago summer’. It’s true. You can’t. Free festivals, get-togethers and block parties abound. Just pick one, make some new friends and fuhgetabout your troubles. Have a glass of vino and listen to a story from the local butcher or flower guy. You’ll learn something new. I promise.

Chicago Fashionistas at Glamorama

2005-08-13T20:55:00.000-05:00

The Art Institute of Chicago and Marshall Field's teamed up for the annual fashion and music spectacular – Glamorama. I attended this two years ago and was able to hit this year’s fest with three lady friends of mine.

Let’s keep this in mind… we are a Midwestern city and no, we aren’t ever going to be New York City (thank goodness). I stood at the entrance of the Chicago Theatre watching the somewhat ‘fashion elite’ of the Windy City pile in wearing a plethora of looks and designs. Granted, I think some people tried way too hard to say “I may live in Chicago, but dang it, I know my Gucci from my Prada!” After seeing too much foundation on some women and cleavage that peeked out of circa JLo at the Oscars green dress, I was proud. Oh, it wasn’t Fashion Week and no, it wasn’t The Couture houses of Paris, but it was something.

P. Diddy aka Puff Daddy aka Sean Combs opened the show via taped monologue and got the crowd going with his hip-hop, yet business like swagger. Why can’t the fella just take off those glasses for once? The B-52’s performed some of their big hits and all I could think was, wow, they can still shake it, along with questioning how many bottles of hair spray went into the back-up women’s hair-dos. Ryan Seacrest actually showed up and represented his new clothing line. Yes, people, Mr. Bright Smile has his own clothing line, “The R Line”. I don’t even know what it was, so it wasn’t worth typing about. The appearance highlight of the show was hands down the headliners, The East Village Opera Company. A combination of opera, rock and moving vocals, I was glued to my seat. This group is going to explode soon.

Of course, the clothes. The scenic backdrops were set up to match the designer and their vision. Field’s did a good job, but the music mixes weren’t right. They’d start with one song, then mix in something else and they lost me. And the ladies. The Sean John line was up and the Chicago Theater was blaring with hip hop diddies. I was bopping in my seat and just hoped that one of those cat-walking girls would just shake a bit at the end of the runway. Have some fun, strut, do SOMETHING. Nada. The boys, on the other hand, made up for it. They didn’t have to do much, but it was enough to show they had a good time and the crowd was thankful for the occasional bicep flex or sultry grin.

All and all, nicely done. Short, but it is a fashion show, afterall. I’m looking forward to ‘glaming’ it up myself this fall. Now if I can only get that cat-walk strut down…

A Little Coco in My Pazzo

2005-08-13T20:24:00.000-05:00

This week was the 10th anniversary of Coco Pazzo. To celebrate, the Café version of this Chicago Tuscan favorite offered a meal deal. Salad, mushroom risotto and caramel dessert for ten bucks. To boot, they gave each patron a handy dandy wooden spoon, complete with a risotto recipe.

There are two locales with similar names, but in different parts of the city with varying price points. Coco Pazzo is in River North and pricier. Coco Pazzo Cafe is near Streeterville. Rumor has it that Jennifer Aniston fell in love with Coco Pazzo Cafe during this summer’s Chicago filming of the upcoming Vince Vaughn flick, “The Breakup”. Alas. Why is it that our lovely city and its restaurants only get notoriety when some celebs visit? I take that back. As a local, I do appreciate our restaurants and those of us that live in Chicago KNOW we have some of the best eateries in the country. However, it’s not until some tabloid talks about a restaurant and what Hollywood big wig ate there that we get nods from other cities.

Whether it’s Jennifer Aniston’s or gasp, Jessica Simpson’s approval, I had another week of loving where I live, eat and breathe Chicago’s own culinary delights. After all, we DO have Mr. Rick Bayless who is now on FoodTV's "Iron Chef America". And with that, I’ll stay a little loco for my Coco’s, Uno's and Carmine's. Bon Appetito!

A Drive-In Minus the Car

2005-08-12T16:20:00.000-05:00

What a night last Tuesday was. I finally, finally had the chance to experience the annual Chicago Outdoor Film Festival. This particular night was a special one – an old, classic Robert Mitchum movie, “Night of the Hunter”. This old black and white scared the pants off me as a kid and it managed to bring some of those old memories back. No rain, good eats and dreamy companion…a gal couldn’t ask for anything more. Here are some ‘outdoor movie tips’ and hurry up…the festival ends August 23, so get with it people.

Seating. I brought two lawn chairsand a blanket with. I recommend the ‘closer-to-the-ground’ version of the chair. Why? Less obstruction for the folks behind you plus believe it or not, it’s more comfortable. The proximity to the ground is ideal for snacking, too. The park, sadly, was filled with waste from birds flying above. Ok, so that happens, right? Don’t wear flip flops and bring some plastic bags if you feel like being a personal pooper scooper. I saw a genius idea for this. Bring a plastic ‘liner’. Place this on the ground, followed by your blanket ON TOP. Nice. I almost walked up to that lady to pat her on the back.

Le Toilet. There are tons of Port-o-Potties mulling around at the entrance of the park. Be sure to show up with an empty bladder IF you decide to picnic around 630, as we did. The City of Chicago supplied nice outside sinks with soap to cleanse yourself post toilet use. Bravo. But alas, a lot of guys still exited the can and never washed their hands.

Parking. There is parking at the handy dandy new Millennium Park Garagefor $13 or, you can park on Columbus and feed a meter. $.25 for 5 minutes. Come on, folks. It’s Chicahwgo. There has to be some racket going on somewheres, right? Walking is a great plan. Just take the red line to Jackson or Harrison and mosey on over. Don’t forget about your bike. The Mayor is an avid fan of biking and there are bike racks all over the place. Be sure to wear a helmet and let people see you at night.

Food. This is all you, but I recommend bringing napkins, plastic cups, plastic silverware and bags for disposal. Alcohol technically isn’t allowed, but we managed to stash this in my bag. Stars, a great movie, and good eats? I need to have some vino.

Other than that, enjoy yet another fun FREE thing to do in our lovely city of Chicago. I give it two thumbs and a wink up.

Canada - Not Just for Saying "AY"

2005-08-08T22:28:00.000-05:00

Bienvenue a Quebec! My mother and I spent a relaxing mommy/daughter weekend in the beautiful scenery of Quebec City. Getting there was a cinch, but connecting wasn’t. I took a 6 am flight out of O’Hare into Detroit Metro. That flight is always a breeze, no travel delays of any sort, right? Wrong. We left 30 minutes past our departure time because the computers didn’t report something back to the Captain in time. Meanwhile, my mom was in another terminal in Detroit waiting for me to hop on her plane. Lovely. The plane landed at DTW and I mastered the art of airport bum-rushing, but trying to look cool as I did it. Left, right, left, right, my hips twitched like one of those Olympic SpeedWalkers. Needless to say, I finally saw my cute mother. Outside the gate, alone, waiting for me to board. Making sure the plane didn’t take off without me. I was so relieved to see her. Then, we were off…

Our little plane (leather seats, nice touch) descended into Quebec’s airport and we departed the plane like circa 1960s politicians…walking down the stairs. We loved it. I did a fake wave to the non-existing crowd and we were whisked into Immigration. Needless to say, I had some brief opportunities to practice my French, but those Quebecois definitely speak different than Parisians. It was a struggle to get through it, but I managed.

We stayed at the Loews Le Concorde, atop the main drag of downtown Quebec City. It was the perfect weekend to travel. Sunny, some wind and plenty of budding flowers. My mom loved it. The horse and buggies, the sun, the Chateau Frontenac, the ‘Bonjour Madame’ and the ‘Voilas’ were what we both needed. Don’t get me started on the shopping. We spent a whole Saturday drooling over fashions at St. Foy – Quebec’s retail paradise.

As our plane left the tarmac en route back to Detroit, I looked down at the farms, said my last ‘Au revoir’ and prepared myself for life back in Chicago It was a quick trip, but enough to quench my travel thirst. I highly recommend a visit up North to our Canadian neighbors. The exchange rate isn’t what it used to be, but still worth a visit. Need a travel resource? Check out Orbitz for air and hotel deals.

HotHouse Chicago – A Hot Bed for International Music

2005-08-02T22:46:00.000-05:00

Being a Balkan girl, my Saturdays back in Detroit were filled with a weekly morning Yugoslavian (now Macedonian) radio show . Announcements were made about weddings, engagements, graduations and news from the Old Country. It’s these weekends that continue to this day in my own home. I play old tunes, clean my apartment and occasionally break out in a little dance from my folk group days. When I moved to Chicago, I thought I’d lose this tradition and thanks to iPods and mp3s, I can play the same songs over and over. The music was actually one big story, songs my grandparents sang in the villages about hardships, rejoicing and celebrating life and family. To my surprise, I discovered a venue in my neighborhood that not only showcased artists from Eastern Europe, but across the entire globe, too. Booyah.

HotHouse is located on Balbo between State and Wabash, Harrison Red line, State bus or Roosevelt Orange/Red/Green line stops. I think it’s one of the best places to see live International artists. Funk, bossa nova, spoken word, tango, salsa, gypsy, afro beats…you name it, it’s at HotHouse. One of my favorites is Goran Ivanovic, an award-winning guitarist whose fingers fly across those strings – it’s mesmerizing. The venue is small and intimate, the staff is great and when you leave your first show, you’ll be kicking yourself for not seeing more. I kick myself everyday…I live right around the corner from it, but don’t have time to go as much as I’d like.

Coming up in September, the Chicago World Music Festival. Check out the acts coming up…some are playing at HotHouse and others are playing around the city. So the next time you’re contemplating a visit to a regular neighborhood pub, tired ‘uber-hip bar or don’t feel like watching “Sex and the City” reruns at your friend’s place, check out HotHouse. If nothing else, you’ll try something different and I promise, you’ll be dancing and prancing out of that place like James Brown on a bad day...and that's a good thing.

Chicago Theater – More Bang for Your Buck. Sorry NYC.

2005-07-31T12:41:00.000-05:00

I moved to Chicago in 1998 and it wasn’t until the last two years or so that I realized how terrific this theater community is. Did you know that there are approximately 200 stages, big and small in this fine city? Don’t get me wrong, I love going to a the local Cineplex and seeing an over-paid actor say a few lines after countless retakes, perfect make-up and perfect lighting, but lately, I prefer seeing the raw emotion on stage. Here are some non-scientific, but pretty close to par Chicago facts:

-“The Producers”, "Mamma Mia" and “Spamalot” all began in Chicago before going to Broadway in NYC.
- Countless comedians and actors trained at the loved Second City. Including John Belushi, Tina Fey, Bill Murray and Bonnie Hunt…to name a few.
-It’s true. Actors that have their roots in the Windy City come back to visit, teach classes and mix in the crowds on Michigan Avenue undisturbed, loved and appreciated. These include John and Joan Cusack, Sean Hays, Jeremy Piven, David Schwimmer and this summer’s visitor, Vince Vaughn. Don’t forget the talent that founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company – Gary Sinese and Terry Kinney.

If you are someone that wants to study, live and breathe acting, come to Chicago. Whether it’s Improv or classic theater, the training you’ll get here is unparalleled – in addition to the support you’ll get from The League of Chicago Theaters. This fine group is the advocate for the theater houses all over the city. Fundraising, promotions and getting the word out about your production is their game. They’re amazing at what they can do and on top of that, the people working at the League are genuine, good people. Another fun tidbit? If you want to see a last minute show the week or day of, walk over to the HotTix booth on Randolph and Michigan, near the Cultural Center, and get ‘em for half off. To boot, all proceeds from the HotTix sales go right back to the theaters. Now if that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

And the next time you consider spending $10 at AMC to see a movie that got a-ok reviews where the lead actor is dating a younger actress for publicity, take that $10, make it $15, walk down the street to your local playhouse and see some live theater. And guess what? If you like the show, you can most likely talk to the actors AFTER the show and chat about what you liked and didn’t like. Pretty cool, huh? I doubt the Hollywood Powers That Be would like you tapping Tom Cruise’s shoulder to say, “Um, hi. Could you explain your motives behind that scene? You know, the one where you clenched your teeth and gave that devil smile. It really struck me.” Yeah, that’ll be the day.

Chicago CTA Bus Driver Catches some ZZZs…on Me

2005-07-30T18:43:00.000-05:00

So there I was, following a regular routine on a beautiful Chicago morning. I hopped on the X3 Bus up Michigan Avenue. As usual, I pass a hello on to my bus driver, take my seat and gaze out the window at Grant Park.My iPod was blaring James Brown, I was indeed feeling good and looked forward to those 10-15 minutes of getting lost in my music before the work-day started. I was admiring Mayor Daley's investment in our Park District’s flowers (though he isn’t giving our cops their pension…mayor likes planting flowers instead) when it happened. Thud, then a jerk.

Now, it’s typical to have these sudden stops in a big city like Chicago. Daily traffic, crazy cyclists or just plain, dumb pedestrians don’t get the hint and like to cause accidents. Luckily, no one was hit. Our bus was just close enough to hit the bus in front of us, but stopped. Something in our intuition, or as we like to call it, MacGyver Instinct, told me to keep an eye on Mr. Bus Driver. His rear-view mirror gave me a bird’s eye view of him. I’ll be gosh darned, the fella was falling asleep. I’m not talking like the occasional oops, ‘I’m dreaming’, but the ‘I’m-driving-all-night-to-Florida-and-need-to-slap-myself-awake’. At first, I actually found comedy in watching this poor guy keep his eyes opened. After all, traffic was barely moving and it’s not like he was taking us on the Kennedy. When the first few chuckles were over, anger was the next emotion.

Ok. I don’t care if you are a bagger at Jewel or a Airline Pilot, but whatever job you take, take it and do it well. I’m not forcing you to take the early shift. I’m not forcing you to be a Bus Driver. Heck, I respect the the CTA and its workers…giving me a ride to work for these last 7 years. I’m quite thankful. But for crying out loud, if you are going to be responsible for a load of people in a moving vehicle, don’t expect Keanu Reeves or Sandra Bullock’s "Speed" skills to help you out. Next time, call in sick, catch some zzz’s and let me enjoy my Motown playlist on my iPod in peace.

2005-07-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

Chicago's South Side is Where It's At

2005-07-26T22:25:00.001-05:00

Hi All,

There's been a surge in development these days...with the bulk of it being in Chicago's South Loop. At the same time, the Greater State Street Council is revamping the stretch of State Street from Congress up to Lake. A new Urban Outfitters is going into the old Toys R Us space and CBS is building a new studio across the street from the flagship Marshall Field's Store. Depaul just opened up a new Barne's and Noble right at Jackson and State. That type of rebuilding and inventing extends towards Chinatown and Museum campus.

The Roosevelt CTA stop is where most of you hop off to visit Soldier Field or Museum Campus. The next time you're down there, take a nice walk along State, Roosevelt, check out the new Target or even the weekend fruit market down on Canal. There are condos going up left and right, but from what I hear, other stores are coming in town like Whole Foods, Best Buy and Home Depot. Keep heading west and you'll hit the Halsted corridor and the excitement of UIC. Brand spanking new condos are up, along with a quality size Barbara's Best Sellers book store. Nicely set up for studying or book scanning, this isn't your typical Retail chain.

So the next time you feel like avoiding Lakeshore Drive heading North, take a pit stop on Roosevelt, find a place to park and get to know another Chicago neighborhood on the rise.