Chicagoist's New Year's Predictions And Resolutions
Another year, another broken resolution, right? Well we looked into our crystal ball and this is what we think is going to happen in Chicago in 2012. We probably can't change the future, but we can change ourselves, and that's what New Year's resolutions are all about.
Rob Christopher predicts Pres. Barack Obama will be throwing another victory party in Grant Park. That's much more likely than what Caitlin Klein predicts, "The Cubs will win it all. This is our year." Tim Bearden sees the Bears losing out to the Lions, and Lovie Smith will finally be showed the way out of Halas Hall.
Tankboy thinks @MayorEmanuel will pop back out of the time vortex to join the Republican primaries and further drive Mitt Romney mad when @MayorEmanuel becomes the frontrunner. Samantha Abernethy predicts the real Mayor Rahm Emanuel will continue to butt heads with the Chicago Teachers Union, leading to another showdown this summer. Chuck Sudo goes further to say the city will see its first teachers strike since 1987. Samantha also fears jeggings will continue their reign of terror.
Kim Bellware thinks the city will see more big box and franchise outposts open up (i.e. Steak n Shake, Target) while neat places like Fox & Obel struggle. In the meantime, nothing big will happen with the Cabrini-Green space just yet, while something big will finally happen with the Uptown Theater. The Chicago-based tech scene will continue to grow with businesses and incubators like Technori, Dabble and Sandbox thriving.
Anthony Todd thinks the food scene will still consider every word that comes out of Kevin Boehm and Nick Kokonas's mouths to be gossip-worthy gospel. One major critic will be vocal about their disappointment in each of the 2012 menus at Next. The small plates trend will continue as long as the recession does, as restauranteurs keep trying to trick people into thinking food at their restaurants is reasonably priced.
Chuck Sudo thinks both the local hamburger and craft beer bobbles will finally reach breaking points, while Chicago's distilleries will continue to grow in number and quality of product. Amy Cavanaugh sees rum challenging whiskey as the ubiquitous liquor. Anthony predicts that (perhaps over the next couple of years) we'll see fewer prohibition/speakeasy replicas and instead see cocktail establishments emulating other eras and themes - 50s, 70s, etc - much as Highball Lounge is trying to do.
As for the music scene, Kim thinks overall it will continue to flatten out, with each summer festival sounding more and more alike. Tankboy disagrees and sees the burgeoning local music scene will grow stronger and more diversified, which Jake Guidry says has already happened with DJs and electronic dance producers. As for street festivals like WestFest and Do Division, when they are attracting better bands than non-headliners at Lolla then there's obviously a problem. Kim also fears the under-the-radar spots that host more experimental/off-mainstream music, like The Mopery and Ottoman Empire, will close.
Well, there are our predictions. So what are we going to change in 2012?
Chuck Sudo
I resolve to not make any resolutions, thereby keeping and breaking a resolution at the same time.
Anthony Todd
Spend less time in gastropubs and more time in ethnic restaurants. Explore the diversity of specialized grocery stores (and I don't mean Fox and Obel) that serve the many communities of Chicago. Stop trying to make insanely complicated drinks with infusions and learn to master 5-10 new classic cocktails with 5 or fewer ingredients.
Tankboy
To randomly check out more local bills of unknown bands because this city is offering up so much great music lately and I want to hear as much of it as I can.
To spend more time on the south side exploring cool hangouts and finding refuge in new bars.
To plan more Chicagoist reader meet-ups!
Samantha Abernethy
I resolve to get out of my neighborhood more often. I'm not going to suddenly hang out in Gold Coast because that'd be torture, but I want to spend more time in places like Old Irving Park and Humboldt Park.
I want to get over my fear of biking in inclement weather and learn the basics of bike management.
Amy Cavanaugh
I recently moved to a new neighborhood (Lakeview) and I want to find a go-to bar. Suggestions welcome: I like quiet dives and watching baseball.
Steven Pate
Steven wrote up some resolutions for movie-goers to have a more enjoyable experience at the theaters this year.
Kim Bellware
Visit and support more small gallery spaces and see more of the city's art offerings beyond First Fridays.
Eat at at least one of the fancy-pants restaurants that comprise Chicago's "culinary leader" scene.
Make better use of the learning opportunities at Chicago-only places like The Chicago Community Darkroom, Old Town School of Folk Music and The Chopping Block.
Learn the name and basic stats of every player with The Chicago Fire.
Enjoy more free cultural events like Art Walk and Movies in the Park this summer.
Spend more time at cultural events on the South Side, particularly for music and dance.
