The Chicago Traveler

• The annual three-day festival, Lollapalooza, takes place this weekend with performances by Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, and many, many more. (Aug 1-3)
• Play a game of Australian football at 6 p.m. in Waveland Park thanks to Chicago United’s Friday Night Metro. Everyone is welcome to participate, and coaches are on hand to explain the rules. (Aug 1, 15, Sept 20)
• Ready? OK! Matthew Hollis and the Power of Cheer pick up their pom-poms and put on their best cheers in Let’s Go Love! (Aug 1-3)
• Get your shop on at the Andersonville Summer …read more

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As I’ve learned from La Gondola, you can’t judge a restaurant merely by its appearance. The same goes for Taste of Peru, located in a strip mall on the far north side. What was once Chicago’s “best kept secret” is now packed every weekend with hungry regulars, all anticipating the authentic flavors this family establishment has to offer.
Featured in my International Chicago series, the small space is spattered with Peruvian posters and photos, and it’s obvious how much owner Cesar Izquierdo loves his home country. More impressively though, he shares that love through the menu. Seafood lovers will appreciate the …read more

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More and more people have been making a conscious effort to live “green.” The popularity of Chicago’s Green City Market is proof of that, as customers support local farmers and buy high-quality, organic foods. You can easily keep away from foods that put chemicals in your body, but what about the products you put on your body?
Many companies use animal byproducts, mineral oils, artificial colors, and harsh chemicals in their soaps, cosmetics, and lotions. In response to all this manufactured nastiness, Chicagoan Victoria Slone created Lotions & Potions. She has extensively studied the practices of aromatherapy, herbalism, and homeopathy and …read more

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With low lighting, a handful of booths and tables, and a reasonably priced wine bar, Firefly is the perfect setting for an intimate date.
This Lakeview space with red walls and comfy booths has a seductive, sultry atmosphere that appeals to couples of all kinds. Located near the bars and clubs of the Boystown Halsted strip (just a couple doors south of Sidetrack), Firefly gets fairly crowded with both hetero and same-sex couples and has a long wait list on weekends, so you may have a better chance at nabbing a table during the week.
The French menu’s appetizers include standouts like …read more

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As I reported a little over a week ago, Hot Doug’s and Time-Out Chicago challenged people to create a brand new hot dog recipe. The winner’s entry will be featured on Hot Doug’s very own menu for at least a week.
So which dog is the lucky victor? The New Chicago! Created by Kevin Haas, this dish celebrates the Windy City’s diversity:
Mexican chorizo sausage, Asian pear chutney, Indian paneer cheese, chili mustard, served on a multi-grain roll. As the original Chicago dog reflected our immigrant heritage (Greek, Italian, and Jewish immigrants), this encased meat reflects our new and future immigrant population. …read more

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Despite what the name might suggest, Big Chicks is a north side bar that mostly caters to gay men and is miles away from the Boystown scene, both literally and figuratively. Located in the Uptown neighborhood, the bar features plenty of unique artwork and often has a crowd as mixed as its drinks. From preppy boys and jocks to blue collars and “bears,” everyone is laid back and attitude-free.
This watering hole is more than just a few bartenders slinging drinks. Big Chicks often hosts community events, raffles, and free Sunday barbecues. This small bar gets crowded on the weekends, …read more

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While Chicago’s architecture is incredible in terms of shapes and sizes, it doesn’t always offer much in the way of color. Most of these giants of steel and glass are some shade of black or gray. Standing out from the crowd in a unique red dress is the CNA Plaza.

While the building only stands 44 stories tall at 601 feet high (183 m), it takes on a prominent role in Chicago’s skyline. And in case you’re wondering, the 1972 structure also has a red interior as well, including the columns and lobby escalators.
Near the Harold Washington Library and the Auditorium …read more

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As the CTA Tattler finds, drunk Cubs fans can make for amusing entertainment.
Robyn at Drive-Thru is less than impressed with Calvin’s BBQ… and with her attempt at making crème brulee.
Don’t forget about the GB Book Club’s Book of the Month, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Coincidentally, the Guardian UK reflects on the politics of Oz. (Bit of trivia: Just before writing the classic book, Baum and his family moved to Chicago, then called “the White City,” with a beautifully modern skyline.)
Is the Shake Shack’s logo a rip-off of Steak ‘n Shake’s? Time-Out Chicago has their answer.
What foods out there do …read more

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Many films that appeal to the young-adult audience are full of clichés and what I call “after-school-special” romanticisms. While Save the Last Dance is not an incredible film, it does present characters that are a little closer to reality than the stereotypes too many movies rely upon.

Save the Last Dance (2001)

Directed by:
Thomas Carter

Produced by:
Robert W. Cort
David Madden

Starring:
Julia Stiles
Sean Patrick Thomas
Kerry Washington

Distributed by:
Paramount Pictures

All Movie Guide
IMDb
Amazon.com

The film opens with Sara (Julia Stiles), a teenager from the suburbs, moving to Chicago to live with her father Roy (Terry Kinney) after the unexpected death of her mother. Roy lives in a rough neighborhood …read more

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After losing fiancé Ryan Reynolds, Alanis Morissette explored her grief through her latest album, Flavors of Entanglement. While raw emotion has been a part of her music in the past, this album shows a more vulnerable and, consequently, lovelier side to the artist. She’ll be at the Chicago Theatre on Thursday, October 2. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 11 a.m. (CDT).
To see a video of Alanis’ first single off the new album, check out fellow b5media blog, Ear Sucker. And keep up with the news on talented women in the music industry with She Plays Music.

Photo credit: MvanM (c/o …read more

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