The Chicago Traveler

Due to a few changes here at b5media and some big changes in my own career path, I have made the difficult decision to step down from The Chicago Traveler.
I have had such a great time writing the nearly 750 posts over the past year and a half. I want to thank b5media—especially Mary Jo Manzanares—for the opportunity to share my passion for Chicago with hundreds of readers.
Of course, I thank each and every one of this blog’s visitors. The Chicago Traveler could not exist without its audience. It has been an absolute pleasure exploring and learning about my hometown …read more

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Today is Blog Action Day, an annual nonprofit event wherein bloggers, podcasters, and videocasters from around the world post about the same issue on the same day. The online event aims to raise awareness on a global level.
This year, online media members are discussing the complex issue of poverty. Obviously, there is no simple answer to this worldwide problem, but Blog Action Day enables thousands of people to openly give their own perspectives, creating discussion, ideas, and hopefully real-life action.
Here in Chicago, a city with numerous resources, there are plenty of ways to get involved in the effort to end …read more

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October is the month of Halloween, bringing with it all things scary and sometimes sinful. Time-Out Chicago features seven strolls through Chicago that are based on the famous seven deadly sins.
Feeling gluttonous? Indulge in delicious treats while ambling through Oak Park. Got to have it all? Take your greedy little self downtown through the shops, the banks, and the skyscrapers. And you sex-driven folks (call me!) can visit some of Chicago’s former and current adult-minded locations in River North.
For the complete list of TOC’s seven sinful strolls, click here.
Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) ♥♥peppersmom♥♥

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One of the reasons I love living in Chicago is the availability of mass public transit. Even though it may be slow at times and the CTA is threatening yet another fare increase, I know that no matter the time of day, I can usually get where I’m going (or at least close to it).
But I have to admit, even though I can ride the bus or train at all hours, that doesn’t mean I’d necessarily want to. Rowdy Cubs or Sox fans on the Red Line might be annoying, but shady characters on the ‘L’ overnight can make …read more

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About two weeks ago, the CTA began testing its new “max capacity” reduced-seat ‘L’ cars on the Brown Line in an attempt to provide more space (and garner more revenue) from overcrowded rush-hour trains.
About a dozen seats were removed from the trial rail cars, allowing each to hold approximately 25 more riders than normal cars. Originally, the CTA planned on removing all of the seats from these cars, but engineering studies showed that this would actually provide too much capacity. If filled, they would have exceeded the train’s maximum weight limits.
With more people on their feet, the CTA has improved …read more

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This weekend, anyone and everyone’s been talking about the Chicago Gourmet, the inaugural “celebration of food and wine.” Andrew Huff of Drive-Thru attended the Opening Gala, which was a hit; however, the high cost may have kept more than a few people away. According to the MenuPages Blog, the upscale festival could have used a few more cheese and crackers and a little less wine. Zef Frank at Time-Out Chicago was impressed by neither the food nor the vintages. Their opinions may fall on deaf ears, however; the Chicago Tribune interviewed a few top Chicago chefs, none of which were …read more

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It’s been a while, but b5media’s Travel & Culture Channel is celebrating another Theme Day soon, centered on “Changes.” Change is necessary, but it can be stressful, and we Chicagoans certainly know stress. In fact, last week Forbes declared Chicago as America’s Most Stressful City. Eep!
Chicago has had to endure plenty of changes recently: flood-inducing rains, a depressing economy, expensive gas prices, and an unbelievable sales tax. Combine all this with the country’s second-highest population density, and you have the formula for a stressful situation.
Forbes examined the country’s 40 largest metropolitan areas and looked at things like unemployment rates, housing …read more

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Years ago, while riding the ‘L’ underground, I always found it amusing to see passengers confusedly looking at their cell phones and wondering why they didn’t have any signal. Didn’t they realize that they were several feet below the surface?
Nowadays, being under the streets doesn’t have to stop you from texting, gabbing, Twitter’ing, Flickr’ing, and other cell-phone what-not, depending on your carrier. More than two years ago, U.S. Cellular signed a lease with the CTA to use the wireless infrastructure in the subways, allowing customers to get a cellular signal even while underground. Earlier this month, Verizon Wireless also struck …read more

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The Chicago Traveler and all of us here at b5media send our thoughts and well-wishes to all those along the Gulf coast who have been affected by Hurricane Ike.
I also want to extend my sympathies to many in the Chicagoland area. The hurricane’s residual effects brought two days of steady, pouring rain. Rivers and creeks overflowed their banks, and many communities were flooded. Streets, cars, and hundreds of homes were submerged in several feet of water. Families were encouraged to evacuate their homes and take shelter in locations designated by the American Red Cross.

In Northbrook and Prospect Heights, firefighters had …read more

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Michael Nagrant has posted a long, thought-out list of “Best”s in Chicago at Serious Eats.
Do you want More cupcakes? The folks at MenuPages Blog and Chicago Bites sure do.
It’s apple season! Drive-Thru recommends stocking up on delicious apple cider.
Much to everyone’s surprise, the final Red Line slow zone repairs were completed about a month ahead of schedule, according to the CTA Tattler.
Time-Out Chicago reviews the latest episode of Project Runway.
The CTA is in big economic trouble. An editorial at the Chicago Tribune blames Governor Rod Blagojevich: after offering free rides to the city’s veterans and elderly, he cut the state …read more

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