The Chicago Traveler

I’ve recently moved to a new apartment, and it’s been quite the process of figuring out just how to furnish and decorate it. There are so many options and styles! It’s no wonder that some people just prefer to mix and match, encouraging an eclectic atmosphere.
Willow in Ukrainian Village (just down the street from Dodo) was made just for those people. The hip and traditional come together to create a style all its own. Fancy dinnerware sits alongside “oddball” pieces from local designers, and tabletop items are quirky enough to initiate conversation. Where else are you going to find pastel …read more

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Chicago will be holding the 29th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival this weekend, August 30 through September 2. It begins with a ticketed concert at the Chicago Symphony Center and moves to Grant Park for three days of free, wonderful music. It’s the city’s longest-running lakefront music festival and features local, national, and international performers on three stages, not to mention an art fair and an outdoor wine garden. Jazz fans can enjoy sounds of Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden, John Medeski, John Scofield, Billy Martin, Chris Wood, Ernestine Anderson, Frank Wess, and many, many more. Come experience the funk, rock, soul, …read more

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Football season is coming soon which means many hours in front of the television. Many fans of course want to watch games on the biggest set they can possibly find. Well, they don’t come any bigger than this: Abt Appliances in Glenview is selling the world’s largest plasma TV.
This 103-inch Panasonic is 475 pounds of high-definition. At 7 1/2 feet wide and 4 feet high, this massive screen has over two million pixels, and you can have them all for only $70,000. (The base is an additional $5,000, and the installation costs $5,000 as well.) There are only …read more

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At some places, when you order a burger, all you get is a bun and some beef, maybe some cheese. That’s definitely not the case at Hop Haus.
The beef patty has received a makeover thanks to the folks behind the local Leona’s chain. They recently re-concepted the River North outpost and re-opened it as Hop Haus. Burgers, beer, and sports are now what this spot is all about. It’s open until 4 a.m. so it’s the perfect place for a post-party meal after a long night at one of the many clubs in the area (like Club 720, just a …read more

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So you’ve got that busted bike sitting in your basement or out on the porch, and you keep telling yourself you’ll have it fixed when you “have the time.” After all, who wants to lug a broken bike all the way to the repair shop? Well now you don’t have to. This bike repair shop comes to you.
On the Fly is a 16-foot Workhorse Heavy Duty truck that is equipped with enough tools to cover every problem you can come up with. Joe Ebervein and Rich Kwaitkowski do everything from basic bicycle tune-ups to frame straightening to gear and brake …read more

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If you’re looking to get decked out in cutting-edge, high-end duds from head to toe, look no further than Intermix. It’s what every fashionista in Chicago is talking about.
Intermix exploded into the fashion scene when its flagship store opened in New York City in 1993, and although locations can be found across the country, its first Chicago outpost just recently emerged in the Gold Coast (just a block away from Tails in the City and Le Colonial). Chicago’s growing fashion scene is nothing to be scoffed at, so this store fits right in.
“Intermix” literally means “to mix things up,” and …read more

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Today’s article was going to be dedicated to one of Chicago’s oldest bridges, but then I realized… what about the River beneath it? At 156 miles (251 km) long, it is not impressively large. However, the Chicago River is a significant piece of the city nonetheless, an incredible example of Chicago’s 19th century civil engineering. What makes the Chicago River so incredible? It flows backwards.
Initially, the Chicago River flowed from west to east into Lake Michigan. But as Chicago continued to boom, sewage being dumped into the river would end up in the lake, which was the city’s drinking water …read more

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We all know at least one woman who seems to have everything. And just when you think she couldn’t possibly have more, there she is with a new dress, handbag, or boyfriend.
What’s her secret? Perhaps she knows about SHE Boutique, where She Has Everything. SHE Boutique offers clothing that is sophisticated and modern, serving as a mecca for the fashion-forward-minded. From little black dresses to casualwear, this place offers an incredible selection of designers, including Chan Luu, Sweetface, Bishop, Ditto Jeans, and Kara Janx from the second season of Project Runway (pictured left). There are also plenty of swimsuits, shoes, …read more

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The old-school barber shop is part of a dying breed, but in Roscoe Village there is a spot that still gives guys the traditional shave and haircut but with today’s style: the Belmont Barbershop.
No frou-frou spa treatments here: just haircuts and shaves. Although the owners are trying to stick with tradition, this barber shop has some modern luxuries that some old-fashioned guys may not be used to. The simply-named business has become a focal point in the neighborhood, where men can come together and talk about things going on in the world, much like the barber shops from back in …read more

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Think country-western can’t be couture? Macy’s hosts the annual Glamorama, a fall fashion extravaganza. This year’s theme is The Good, The Bad, and The Beautiful. The rodeo will meet Rodeo Drive tonight at the Chicago Theatre at 8 p.m. Guests will be arriving via red carpet beginning at 6:30 p.m. Keep an eye out for Food Network chef Cat Cora and country music star Gretchen Wilson. They’ll be attending for sure, but past attendees have included Ellen DeGeneres, David Schwimmer, Pamela Anderson, Ryan Seacrest, Brooke Shields, and Queen Latifah… so who knows who else could show up this year! This …read more

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