The Chicago Traveler

August 29th, 2008

Labor Day Weekend 2008 (Aug 29-31)

• The African Festival of the Arts is Chicago’s largest neighborhood festival, featuring three music stages, ethnic cuisine, and more than 300 vendors selling everything from fine art to skin care products. Presentations include book discussions and dance workshops. (Aug 29 – Sept 1)
• The 30th annual Chicago Jazz Festival is the city’s longest-running lakefront […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

June 19th, 2008

Weekend Quickies

• The 11th annual Taste of Randolph Street stretches from Peoria Street to Racine Avenue and features food from local restaurants, a wine garden, chef demos, and art vendors. (June 20-22)
• At the Daley Plaza, the Thai Festival Chicago 2008 presents dance performances, Thai boxing demonstrations, food, fashion, and more. (June 19-20)
• Watch the Chicago […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

April 26th, 2008

Cubs Win 10,000

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 […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

April 11th, 2008

Friday Film: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Many kids have faked an illness in order to stay home from school. That, however, would never work for me. My parents’ theory seemed to be: “Can you walk? Can you breathe? Then you’re going to school.” One famous fictional teenager gets away with it and decides that he’s not going to waste his day […]

By Matt B -- 3 comments

April 4th, 2008

Apostrophe Catastrophe

As I reported on Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs honored Ernie Banks with his very own bronze statue in front of Wrigley Field. It included an inscription of his catchphrase:

See the problem?
At least half the people I asked leaned toward the inscription, mouthed it—Lets play two, lets play two, lets play two—then shook their heads, no. […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

April 1st, 2008

Chicago Cubs Honor Ernie Banks

Even Ernie Banks himself couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Is that me?” he asked. The Chicago Cubs unveiled a bronze statue of the Hall of Famer outside Wrigley Field yesterday. The likeness stands at bat with a Louisville Slugger in his hands and a grin on his face. That grin was exactly the same as the one […]

By Matt B -- 3 comments

March 27th, 2008

Seven Wonders of Illinois

The Illinois Bureau of Tourism asked the state’s residents and visitors to nominate their favorite destinations in Illinois. In May of 2007, seven of these were selected as the Seven Wonders of Illinois.

• Chicago: Wrigley Field. The atmosphere, neighborhood, and fans put this stadium in a league of its own. It’s not just a ballpark; […]

By Matt B -- 4 comments

March 26th, 2008

Wrigley Field

Yesterday was Opening Day for Major League Baseball, so it is only appropriate to dedicate a post to Chicago’s one and only Wrigley Field. It is one of Chicago’s most recognized landmarks and is one of the few remaining ballparks without a dome, with real grass, and without a large-screen television. And while a few […]

By Matt B -- 11 comments

February 18th, 2008

Ah One, Ah Two, Ah Three!

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Chicago legend Harry Caray. He was the iconic radio and television announcer for the Chicago Cubs.

Holy Cow!
Harry Caray trained himself to use this expression to avoid any chance of using profanity on the air.

Harry Caray, born Harry Carabina, began his baseball career with the St. Louis […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

December 7th, 2007

Friday Film: Major League

Directed by David S. Ward, Major League is one of many baseball films that came out in the late 1980s. And while it may not have the same clout in film society as standards like Bull Durham or Field of Dreams, it has won its way into many viewers’ hearts and is considered a classic […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments