If you have found a way to bottle that energy, please let me know.  I would love to have some.  Caffeine just doesn’t do it anymore.

Happy Holidays

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Costumed representatives from the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Sky, and other businesses will compete in the relay race Freaky Fast 500 (hosted by Jimmy John’s) outside the Thompson Center. A cash prize goes to the winner’s charity of choice. (Oct 24)

• Ready for a real shopping scoop? Stop by the High Gloss Sample Sale where clothing samples and overstock are all discounted between 50 to 80 percent. You’ll find items from local designers as well as well-known labels from New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. (Oct 24-26)

• The 16^th annual Cocktails for a Cause benefits the Children’s Memorial Hospital and includes cocktails, appetizers, a DJ, and live and silent auctions. (Oct 24)

• The very first Windy City Comicon is a comic book convention that features everything comics, including statues, toys, games, writer/artist appearances, and—oh yeah—maybe a few comic books. (Oct 25)

• Just how much horror can you take? The Music Box Theatre presents Music Box Massacre IV, a 24-hour movie marathon featuring new and classic scary movies. (Oct 25-26)

• The second annual Eat, Drink and Be Scary—for Charity is a costume party and fundraiser at the International Museum of Surgical Science that benefits Normal Moments and the Foundation for Community Betterment. Expect cocktails, appetizers, a silent auction, a raffle, and a costume contest. (Oct 25)

• Fight breast cancer, literally. Tie on the boxing gloves for Knock Out Breast Cancer, and choose from a selection of fitness classes at Crunch Gym. All of the proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. (Oct 25)

• More than 400 dogs are expected to show up for Halloween for Dogs at Tails in the City. The fifth annual costume parade and contest awards prizes for “most original,” “best dressed,” and more. Proceeds go to Pets Are Worth Saving. (Oct 26)

• Love chili? Sample the wares of amateur cooks, and vote for your favorite at Sheffield’s Chili Cook-off. The outdoor competition also includes a separate buffet and draft beer pairings. Love to cook chili? Bring a large crock pot of your best recipe by 1 p.m. (Oct 26)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) MBK (Marjie), SheWatchedTheSky

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

Just because you want to be comfortable doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish. Check out the athletic wear at lululemon. This Bucktown store (just north of Skewerz) specializes in a wide variety of sportswear—for both men and women—that has received national and international acclaim from both athletes and yogis.

Fortunately, the garments do a lot more than just look good. With flat-seaming and reverse-stitch lining, they avoid skin irritation and allow for more movement. The workout apparel absorbs moisture (keeping you dry), and many are made of Silverescent, an anti-static, anti-bacterial, and anti-odor (thank goodness!) fabric.

Not only does lululemon offer clothing to fit your lifestyle, but they also provide plenty of accessories like water bottles, yoga mats, and gym bags. Some locations even offer free yoga classes.

Now those gym hotties won’t give you the cold shoulder.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) YoGeek Mami

lululemon: 1627 N Damen Ave; 773-227-1869
Mon – Fri: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sun: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Street parking difficult
Public trans: Bus # 50, 56, 72 or Blue Line train (Damen)
http://www.lululemon.com/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

If you catch a football game at North Park University’s Holmgren Athletic Complex, you’d never guess that there was anything abnormal about it. But underneath all those helmets and shoulder pads are tough, athletic women. The Chicago Force is Illinois’ Independent Women’s Football team, and in their six-year history, they have put together a 45-14 record.

The team consists of over 50 women, ranging in ages from 18 to mid-40s and from all different backgrounds and experience levels. The passion on the field is palpable, as many of the women finally have the opportunity to play the game they may have been restricted from for many years.

And don’t think that just because they’re girls, they don’t know how to knock you down. These ladies are a formidable Force, and they are just as tough—if not tougher—as any male player.

Their season is over for the year, but you can still hang out with them this weekend at their Pub Crawl on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) roniweb (1, 2, 3)

http://www.chicagoforcefootball.com/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• More than five dozen vendors from Chicago will sell art, antiques, jewelry, and more at the Fall French Market. The fair also includes French cooking demonstrations and kids’ activities. (Oct 17-19)

• Sixty local and national chefs are featured at the 20^th annual Celebrity Chef Ball, including Top Chef: Chicago winner Stephanie Izard, contestant Valerie Bonan, and Top Chef: New York contender Radhika Desai. (Oct 17)

• Oracle Productions holds their third installment of terrifying entertainment, Disturbed III. The audience stands still against the walls of a dark room during this 15-minute performance, while the action pops out from every unexpected corner. (through Nov 1)

• If your pup’s costume is just as great as yours (or better), enter him into the Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest in Margate Park, where winners in categories Best Homemade and Best Store-Bought will take home prizes. (Oct 18)

• Teams compete for a $500 prize in the outdoor B.A.G.S. (Bars Against Gun Shootings) Cornhole Tournament at Uncle Fatty’s. WKSC-FM 103.5 broadcasts live from the event, which includes food, a costume contest, and a raffle. (Oct 18)

• Sample wines from Kafka Wine Company and Italian food from Buca di Beppo on the Wind and Waves Tour, a two-hour architectural boat tour down the Chicago River. (Oct 18, Nov 15)

• Check out some wild looks created by seven local hairdressers at Spin’s Hair Ball. The event, which includes veggie appetizers and a silent auction, benefits the Tree House Humane Society. (Oct 18)

• Can’t get enough apple pie? Sample entries from 90 amateur bakers ($2 each) at the 4^th Annual Bucktown Apple Pie Contest. The event includes a silent auction, a cash raffle, and live music. (Oct 19)

• Support the American Cancer Society this month. Walk five miles as part of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer to raise funds for medical research. (Oct 19)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) peppergrasss, bunchofpants

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

Stretch Run is a bi-level sports bar (around the corner from Cyrano’s) with over 200 television monitors, so you can be sure that every broadcast game, race, and event you can think of is on display here. The club has an OTB license, so take advantage of being able to bet on fun names like “Hoof-Hearted” or “Look Behind You”.

A restaurant and marble bar occupy the main floor, where the American menu provides appetizers (stuffed potato skins, bbq ribs, cheddar fries, and more), sandwiches, wraps, salads, burgers (Kobe or Angus), and house specialties like baby back pork ribs and jerk blackened salmon.

The second floor is for those who are a bit more serious about their gambling. Here, one hundred monitors are slipped into private viewing cubicles, and a live teller is on hand. If you’re still new to wagering, you might be better off staying downstairs, where a friendly and helpful staff will help walk you through the process.

Stretch Run may just be your best bet for a great time downtown.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) slimdandy

Stretch Run Sports Club & Grille: 544 N LaSalle St; 312-644-4477
Sun – Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 12 midnight
Fri – Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Kitchen Hours
Sun – Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Fri – Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Street parking difficult
Public trans: Bus # 65, 156
http://www.stretchrunchicago.com/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

If you were a child in Chicago anytime between 1961 and 1994, you will recognize the following names: Cooky, Wizzo, Cuddly Dudley, Garfield Goose… These characters and more were all regulars on Bozo’s Circus and then on the even more popular The Bozo Show, both of which were produced locally and aired on WGN.¹

You might drive by the WGN television studios and not even know it. While most of the other TV stations in Chicago broadcast from beautiful skyscrapers downtown (including the NBC Tower), the WGN structure looks like a boring office building. That’s because it was constructed in 1963, in the shadow of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the threat of attack was a serious concern. In light of this, many TV and radio stations were built strong and without drawing too much attention to themselves. If there was an attack, it would be up to stations like WGN to broadcast important information to the country.²

The building is home to WGN Television and WGN America, and housed WGN Radio (720 AM) before it moved to the Tribune Tower. While best known for its coverage of the Chicago Cubs, WGN-TV has televised games from almost all of the city’s major professional sports franchises—the White Sox, the Bulls, the Blackhawks (but not the Bears)—and even football and basketball games from some of Chicago’s college teams.

Unfortunately, now that the L.A. Dodgers have swept the Cubs, no one will be watching any more Cubs games on the station this season.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) Scott Robbin, gingerbydesign, Aaron Brown: Photography

WGN Television: 2501 W Bradley Pl; 773-528-2311
Public trans: Bus # 49, X49, 152

¹ The Bozo Show. (2008). Retrieved October 5, 2008, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bozo_Show
² WGN Television. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2008, from Chicago Architecture Info Web site: http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/Building/1334/WGN_Television.php

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

This new space provides a safe and modern place for people and organizations to gather and share resources. Along with offices and meeting spaces, the community center also provides free wi-fi, a library, galleries, basketball and volleyball courts, a rooftop memorial garden, and a 170-seat theatre.

The Center on Halsted is more than just a physical building though; it provides programs and networks that meet the emotional and social needs of the GLBT community. Current services include:

Anti-Violence Project
Community Technology Center
Horizons Youth Program
IL AIDS/HIV & STD Hotline
Legal Services
LGBT Info Line
Mental Health
Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders
Sexual Orientation and Gender Institute

Finally, several organizations utilize the space on a regular basis, including The Association of Latino Men for Action, Amigas Latinas, GayCo Productions, the Windy City Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf, the Metropolitan Community Church, and more.

The long-anticipated Center on Halsted has successfully created a safe and beautiful space for people of all backgrounds to come together, learn, and develop relationships that inspire even more visions.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) Payton Chung, resedabear (1, 2, 3, 4)

Center on Halsted: 3656 N Halsted St; 773-472-6469
Daily: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Public trans: Bus # 8, 152 or Red Line train (Addison)
http://www.centeronhalsted.org/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Dia de los Muertos is still over a month away, but you can begin celebrating this weekend at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Dia de los Muertos: La Vida Sin Fin is the nation’s largest Day of the Dead exhibit, featuring local and international artists. Friday’s opening reception will include hot chocolate, free pan (sweet bread), and traditional candy skulls for sale. (Sept 26 – Dec 14)

• Why wait for Halloween for a fright fest? The Chicago Horror Film Festival is a three-day movie event including almost 30 frightful short flicks and feature-length films. (Sept 26-28)

• If horror isn’t your thing, check out the Asian Animation Film Festival, featuring films and shorts from Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. (Sept 24-27)

• Fall is here, meaning it’s time for the second annual Wrigleyville Fall Crawl. Participating bars will be offering $2 beers, food specials, and giveaways. (Sept 27)

• Prost! An admission fee of $25 at First Saint Paul’s Oktoberfest will get you a plate of dinner (bratwurst, sauerkraut, strudel, and more) along with two glasses of wine, beer, or soda. (Sept 27)

• Prost! The DANK-Haus is hosting its own Oktoberfest with German food, beer, folk dancing, and live music. (Sept 27)

• Estrojam 2008: Decibelle features local and international female musicians, artists, educators, activists, and community leaders in dozens of events across the city. Partial proceeds benefit the Young Women’s Empowerment Project and FAIR Fund. (Sept 24-27)

• You won’t see this at the Olympics. In the New Belgium Brewing Urban Assault Ride, teams of two engage in a bike-riding scavenger hunt to find checkpoints around the city. At each station, the teams will have to complete a quirky challenge. Past obstacles have included bike limbo, modified Big Wheels, and tiny bicycles. Registration fees benefit West Town Bikes. (Sept 28)

• The Broadway production of Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage arrives in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. (Sept 28 – Dec 7)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) peppergrasss, R Tys Tyk, sanja gjenero

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Filthy Pervert Seeks Same is a risqué comedy (directed by Michael Hampton) that explores how gay men find love—or lust—using today’s technology. (Fridays and Saturdays, Sept 19 – Oct 18)

• No, you’re not seeing things. The RedBall Project is a traveling art exhibit of a 15-foot (4.6 m) inflatable, shape-shifting sphere, stopping on bridges, in alleys, and at other specified locations. (ends Sept 25)

• The fourth annual Lincoln Park Fall Festival features live rock music and beer and food vendors. (Sept 19-20)

• Listen up, cheeseheads. The 17^th annual Musky Fest is an indoor-outdoor celebration of all things Wisconsin. Enjoy food and live music while WXRT-FM (93.1) crowns the Musky Queen. (Sept 20)

• The 12^th annual Hideout Block Party presents musical acts from all over the world, from A to Z. (Sept 20-21)

• Don’t mess with these ladies. The Windy City Rollers All-Stars battle with the Kansas City Roller Warriors for the last time in Cicero Stadium. They’ll be moving on to UIC Pavilion in October. (Sept 20)

• The annual 5K AIDS Run and Walk Chicago along the lakefront features live music, dance performances, and even a drag show. Expect to see cast members from Wicked and Jersey Boys. (Sept 20)

• Go Bears! The first home game of the season (12 noon CDT) will place the Chicago Bears against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Sept 21)

• Bartenders, show up and shake it up at Spybar for the On the Rocks casting call. NBC is looking for competitors for its new reality series featuring the nation’s best mixologists. The grand prize is $100,000. (Sept 21, 9 p.m.)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) noamgalai, Luiz Castro, (c/o SXC) David Dallaqua

Post from: The Chicago Traveler