The Chicago Traveler

Looptopia, the annual dusk-till-dawn artistic and cultural celebration, lights up the downtown area again this Friday, May 2. This all-night festivity features 300 artists in 100 venues for 14 hours. More than 100,000 people attended last year. Locals, tourists, students, families, artists, musicians'Looptopia invites and entertains them all.
Just to give you an idea, here's what you can expect to find:

Over 50 groups and soloists offering everything from jazz to electronica to pop to classical.
20 performers show off their moves in ballet, bellydancing, tap, salsa, fire dancing, and more.
Acrobats, circus performers, shadow puppets, experimental artists, and a preview of the 2016 …read more

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Former President Jimmy Carter offers a loving homage to his mother, Lillian Carter, in his new book, A Remarkable Mother. This extraordinary woman was trained as a nurse in Georgia during World War I and contributed as a Peace Corps volunteer in India. During her son's Presidency, 'Miz Lillian' published two books and won over the press with her charm.
Jimmy Carter will be reading from and autographing copies of his new book tonight. With Mother's Day approaching, it might be a good idea to pick up a copy for the remarkable mother in your life.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
Borders Books & Music: …read more

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For a few weeks now, I've been posting about the reality tv series, Top Chef: Chicago. Another culinary show I enjoy is Fox's Hell's Kitchen. The U.S. version of this cooking competition stars Gordon Ramsay, the incredibly successful and foul-mouthed British chef.
Ramsay will be signing copies of his new cookbook, Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food, in Macy's lower-level culinary kitchen. Be sure to stop in and say hello! Just don't tick him off. You'll be in for an earful.
Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) Dave Pullig
Macy's: 111 N State St; 312-781-1000Apr 29: 1:00 p.m.Parking pay lots availablePublic trans: Bus # 2, 3, 4, …read more

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I love ice cream. Which is probably obvious from these love handles of mine. But I love it even more when it's free!
Ben & Jerry's has been holding its promotional Free Cone Day for a few years now as a way of thanking their customers. This year, the ice cream gurus are celebrating their 30th birthday across the globe, and you're invited to the party. Today is your opportunity to get a FREE scoop of ice cream at participating outlets.
For a list of participating 'Scoop Shops' in Illinois, click here. Did I mention FREE?
Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) Casual Chin

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This season of the Bravo Network's Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
This week's Quickfire Challenge required each chef to make a unique dessert. It may sound simple, but desserts have been the downfall of many contestants in previous seasons. Desserts can be more complex than the entrees that precede them. While chefs can often throw ingredients together to make a meal, using 'a pinch of this' and 'a handful of that,' desserts frequently require exact measurements and recipes. Cooks may …read more

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When I first saw the Jay Pritzker Pavilion (which opened in 2004), all I could think was, 'What is that?!' This strange-looking band shell is the centerpiece of downtown's Millennium Park and is a work of acoustic-engineering genius .
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is an acoustical and architectural masterpiece in the Loop (across from the Aon Center). Architect Frank Gehry applied his signature style to this one-of-a-kind outdoor concert venue. Known for his touch of curving metal, the roof of the 4,000-fixed-seat amphitheatre is formed by 679 interlocking strips of curling stainless steel. Just behind the fixed seats lies the 95,000-square-foot …read more

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On Wednesday night, the Chicago Cubs became the second major-league team with 10,000 victories. And their opponents, the Colorado Rockies, certainly didn't make it easy for them.
It took the Cubs ten innings to defeat the Rockies, coming back in the ninth on a two-run homer and then a two-out RBI single from Ryan Theriot. The exciting game was the Cubs' sixth straight victory this season and was the franchise's 10,000th win. Only the New York Giants have more with 10,192 (as of Wednesday).
Of course, most of this year's team had no idea about the milestone, nor did they seem very …read more

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The story is not a unique one: Hero Cop is loved by all his friends, except for one surly suspicious fellow. Suddenly, Hero Cop is framed for a crime and loses all his friends and his honor. Hero Cop decides to take the law into his own hands to find 'the truth.' However, powerhouses Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey prevent this classic story from becoming a predictable mess in The Negotiator.

The Negotiator (1998)

Directed by:
F. Gary Gray

Produced by:
David Hoberman
Arnon Milchan

Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson
Kevin Spacey
David Morse
Ron Rifkin
John Spencer
J.T. Walsh

Distributed by:
Warner Bros

All Movie Guide
IMDb
Amazon.com

Released in 1998, The Negotiator follows Danny Roman (Samuel L. …read more

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Young hopefuls head to Los Angeles hoping to find their big break in Hollywood. Starry-eyed dreamers make their way to New York City looking for fame on Broadway. And what do budding performers find here in the Windy City? Chicago’s main reason for its improv-comedic fame: The Second City.
The term “Second City” has long been a nickname for Chicago, which once was the largest urban area second to New York City. In the 1980s, Los Angeles surpassed Chicago in population and area, but the moniker remained. Now it is the name of Chicago’s long-running (and perhaps most famous) improvisational comedy …read more

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Tickets go on sale this weekend for the following Chicago events via Ticketmaster:

Kenny Rogers
Rialto Square Theatre
Sun, May 18, 6:00 p.m.

Toby Keith
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Fri, Aug 1, 7:30 p.m.

Boy George
House of Blues
Thurs, Aug 7, 7:30 p.m.

Poison
Peoria Civic Center
Tues, Jul 15, 8:00 p.m.

John Mellencamp
Charter One Pavilion
Tues, Jul 22, 7:30 p.m.

O.A.R.
Charter One Pavilion
Thurs, Jul 24, 7:30 p.m.

Gwar
The Pearl Room
Fri, May 23, 7:00 p.m.

Photo credit: Wikipedia (1, 2, 3, 4); (c/o Flickr) ChicagoEye, neillharmer, Georgetown Voice

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