Results tagged “interview”

WBEZ's Alison Cuddy sat down for a one-on-one with Mayor Daley and while we can't say she was soft on Daley, there are no major revelations in the interview. Daley defends his decision to dip into the parking meter fund for the 2010 budget; when asked how that money will be replaced, Daley simply says, "You replace money as the economy gets better," and then makes a joke about praying for the economy to get better. On the subject of TIFs, the Mayor said, "Most TIF funds don't generate any money." And on the topic of TIF transparency, Daley chuckles when Cuddy mentions the Chicago Reader and then seems to brush off the question with a less-than-genuine answer. Not that we're surprised. On the subject of privatizing other city assets, Daley side-stepped the question, saying, "There's no market. If there's no market, you cannot lease a public asset," as if to imply, "No." Which we don't believe as getting fair market value for the asset never seemed to be Daley's main concern. Other topics tackled include his approval rating and youth violence, on which Daley still manages to find a way to blame the media for something.

Earlier today, we ran part one of our interview with Londonist editor Matt Brown. While he's explained some of the context of London's role in hosting the Olympics multiple times, he's also shared with us some of the concerns that locals have had with the build up to the games. And while Brown personally likes "big bold projects that can inspire," he also pointed out one of the potential downsides to hosting a high-profile global event, (perhaps more frightening to Americans that to the English): terrorism. "The very day after we got the Olympics, terrorists detonated four explosive devices on the transport network, killing 52 - the single worst terrorist incident ever in London. It's thought there was no direct connection with the Games. However, in the immediate aftermath, there was renewed solidarity and support for the city, which manifested in greater support for the Olympics. I don't think that's a continuing factor, but it was relevant in the early days after we won the bid."

With the IOC less than a day away from reaching a decision about which city will host the 2016 Summer Games, we thought it might be a good idea to talk to someone that lives in a city that's hosting a summer games soon itself: London. Amidst confusion over what exactly Greenwich Mean time and Chicago time is, we met up with Londonist editor Matt Brown via IM for a conversation about the impact of the games on a major city, and what the residents of that city think about hosting such an event.

We continue our chat with Kevin Smith. You can get up to speed with the first half of our interview if you haven't already read it.

"I suppose I should say that all my roots are all in Chicago," Wallace Shawn told us. "Both sides of my family. My parents were very identified with being from Chicago, really. My childhood memories of visiting the relatives in Chicago are central to my being. And all sorts of things that some people associate with New York, I associate with Chicago, like going to hear jazz. I went with my uncle to hear Erroll Garner in Chicago." Shawn is usually thought of as the quintessential New Yorker (in fact his father William was the long-time editor of The New Yorker) but his new book is published by Chicago-based Haymarket Press. Essays is Shawn's first all-nonfiction collection, with pieces about the theater and writing, and impressions of living in post-9/11 America.

Rick Bayless has consistently been in the news in recent weeks. First, there was his winning Top Chef Masters and earning a $100,000 check to his Frontera Farmer Foundation. After two years of planning, today Bayless opens XOCO (449 N. Clark St.). Inspired by the legendary Churreria El Moro in Mexico City, XOCO is Bayless's tribute to Mexican street food: tortas, hearty soups, churros and chocolate. Anticipation among food media and foodies, not to mention the pared down, simple menu, has primed XOCO to be the Publican of 2009.

Proving that a 10-year-old could do the same job as half the TV anchors, Damon Weaver, the youngster who made headlines for his interview with then-Senator (and now VP) Joe Biden a few months back, finally lands the big fish, President Barack Obama.

Be sure to check Part 1 of the interview here if you haven't.

Toni Preckwinkle has been the Fourth Ward Alderman for nearly 20 years. She ran for the post twice prior to winning, in 1983 and 1987, against incumbent Tim Evans. "I came to Chicago when I was 18 years old to go to the University of Chicago. That was 1965, and I've been here ever since. I usually describe myself as having a dilettante's major - I was a general studies and social sciences major and then I got a Master of Arts in Teaching degree. I'm a high school teacher by profession," she says. She got into Chicago politics after working with Paul Simon on his race for State Treasurer. "I started working on independent politics in the community in Hyde Park and South Kenwood, with the Independent Voters of Illinois. Larry Bloom, who was married to one of my college classmates, decided to run for Alderman of the Fifth Ward. I was precinct coordinator for him. So I kind of worked my way up from precinct worker to precinct captain to precinct operations. He won, unexpectedly. I think he thought he'd have to take a couple of runs at it before he got elected."

       

We were fortunate enough to spend some time in MK's kitchen with Pastry Chef, Tony Galzin. In addition to letting us peek over his shoulder as he plated desserts, he answered questions on how he became a pastry chef, trends in the industry, seasonal ingredients and how to best incorporate and enjoy dessert. Also, tomorrow, we will feature video of Chef Galzin working in the kitchen.

After watching this video, you can just imagine John Harwood standing on Pebble Beach, cell phone pressed firmly to his ear, talking to his editor back at CNBC. "Dude, seriously, he caught the fucking fly with his bare hand. Yeah! First try. Of course we have it on film - I nearly crapped my pants when I saw it. I thought 'Oh my god, this is gold. It's like Mr. Miyagi! Yeah, we'll get it over to you right away."

Several weeks ago, I tried to start up a feud with WFLD Fox 32 Meteorologist Amy Freeze to stir up some excitement in our Chicago media fantasy baseball league. Needless to say, Freeze stayed classy and didn't take the bait while we went on to split our first head-to-head match-up and my team promptly tanked. Amy has bounced around the country, reporting for stations in Denver, Portland, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia before winding up in the Windy City, having covered not just weather, but a variety of stories including the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

For fans of mystery novels, Walter Mosley needs no introduction. Mosley is best known for his Easy Rawlins mysteries such as Devil in a Blue Dress and Six Easy Pieces but his literary prowess spans several genres. In under 20 years, Mosley has written 33 books in genres such as mystery, science fiction, young adult, several nonfiction books, and even erotica. Winner of awards such as a PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, an O. Henry Award, and even a Grammy (for his liner notes on a Richard Pryor boxset), Mosley has also been recognized for the way he addresses race in his writing, winning the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award.

In case you missed it, President Barack Obama (did you know: he used to be a Senator from Illinois?) visited The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (ugh, Letterman wasn't available?) and talked the economy, AIG, and ruffled a few feathers by comparing his bowling game to the Special Olympics.

Maybe you’ve seen Alana Bailey’s Hideout calendars on the flyer-covered wall at Earwax Cafe, or her sold-out Hideout Block Party print on the door of Boulevard Bikes. Or you wrapped your holiday presents with gift wrap that she designed for Paper Source. Since 2006, Bailey’s recognizable screen printed posters have been decorating Chicago’s bars, businesses, and telephone poles with minimal, dramatic illustrations that balance intricate shapes with scalloped lettering.

Not content to just go away, Drew Peterson keeps talking, this time to CBS 2. It was the same old, same old from Bolingbrook's Most Notorious Ex-Husband™, who maintained his innocence, insisted his engagement to Christina Raines was genuine, and bad-mouthed the two men who have publicly claimed that D-Pete killed Stacy Peterson. Of course, there's no beating this quote from the interview when asked if he thinks he'll serve jail time: "Innocent people go to jail all the time. And guilty people get set free, so I don't know." Next up for Drew: a book entitled If I Did It.

Last week, we took an in-depth look into L2O, with an opportunity to get Stolpman into the kitchen to photograph some of Laurent Gras' menu dishes and the preparation of them, while Jacy explained some of the design aesthetics of the restaurant (located in the space formerly occupied by Ambria).

As Sunday's Super Bowl approaches, it's a good time to look back and reflect on some of the football legends that have come before Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger. Specifically, it's not hard to think about Wheaton's pride and joy, "The Galloping Ghost" Red Grange. A star athlete at Wheaton High School, Grange then took his skills to the University of Illinois where he further flourished under legendary coach Bob Zuppke. From there, Red went on to a stellar NFL career with both the Chicago Bears and the New York Yankees, who were Grange's team of his start-up American Football League, his challenge to the NFL. Grange's shadow is still cast over football today: ESPN recently named him the greatest college football player of all time. Grange was considered one of the great sports legends of the early twentieth century, along with Babe Ruth, Bobby Jones, and Jack Dempsey.

As we prepare for Pat Quinn to be sworn in as the 41st Governor of Illinois upon Gov. Blagojevich's impending removal, we thought we'd dig back into the vaults for this interview. Kevin Robinson sat down with Quinn in April 2007.

To say writer Nami Mun has led an interesting life would be a gross understatement. Mun was born in Seoul, South Korea and moved to the states with her family when she was young, growing up in the Bronx. A teen runaway, her jobs have included being a bartender, a photojournalist, a street vendor, an Avon Lady, and a criminal investigator. After getting her bachelors from UC Berkeley, she got her MFA form the University of Michigan, where she won a Hopwood Award for fiction and the Farrar Prize for Drama (she's also won a Pushcart Prize and earned several fellowships). Her work has appeared in The Iowa Review, Tin House, and the Evergreen Review.

After a 9-7 season and no trip to the playoffs, the Chicago Bears are certainly looking to improve. But can hiring the former head coach from the first NFL team to ever go 0-16 possibly help? Rod Marinelli, fired by Detroit after their debacle of a season, was seen at Halas Hall over the weekend where he apparently interviewed for a job with the Bears.

The family of Illinois' First Lady, Patti Blagojevich, has come to her defense in the wake of the charges brought against her husband by federal agents. State Rep./sister Debra Mell, Chicago Alderman (33rd Ward)/ father Dick Mell, and brother Rich Mell sat down with NBC 5 for an interview in which they sought to set the record straight on the woman some media outlets have referred to as "Lady Macbeth." Said sister Deb, "That is not my sister. My sister is a good woman, a good mother, a great friend, my closest friend, that's not my sister, no." Ald. Mell, who's relationship with his daughter has been strained since Mell accused the governor of promising positions in exchange for campaign contributions, said, "This is a pressure cooker that she's living in. And right, wrong, indifferent, whether they put themselves there, I don't know. All I know is what I see...She said, as rough as it is, what happened two years ago when her mother died was harder." The family denied any talk of a federal investigation into Patti's real estate dealings.

The last time we checked in with Stephanie Izard, her life was on the cusp of some serious life change thanks to her winning Top Chef: Chicago. The combination of Izard's cooking skills, willingness to face any challenge and ebullient personality made her a viewer favorite and the first woman to win the competition.

If you watched ESPN's Monday Night Football last night, you've seen Chris Berman talk to Senators McCain and Obama, but it's worth a gander if only to hear Obama diss the NCAA's BCS system. [via Awful Announcing]

As Election Day comes ever closer, the Trib managed to catch-up with the elusive GOP VP candidate Sarah Palin who hasn't given many interviews, especially since the Katie Couric debacle. During the interview, Palin addressed the controversy over her alleged $150,000 wardrobe upgrade and even compared herself to Hillary Clinton.

I think Hillary Clinton was held to a different standard in her primary race. Do you remember the conversations that took place about her - say superficial things that they don't talk about with men, like her wardrobe and her hairstyles, all of that, that's a bit of that double standard. Certainly there's a double standard. But I'm not going to complain about it, I'm not going to whine about it, I'm going to plow through that because we are embarking on something greater than that, than allowing that double standard to adversely affect us.

Writer and This American Life contributor has been one of our favorites for a very long time. Mixing wit, history, and memoir into a smorgasbord of awesome, Vowell's writing has a thoughtful, if sometimes cynical, perspective that always keeps us laughing. Over the course of her previous books, she's examined the Love Canal, talked about firing a cannon with her father, toured Civil War battlefields, and took a road trip to visit the sites of presidential assassinations. Now she's back with The Wordy Shipmates, an exploration of John Winthrop and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Exploring their lives through original documents, speeches, and diaries, Vowell pieces together their existence and explores how the colony and its policies ultimately shaped our nation, all the while mixing in her trademark mix of humor and even pop-culture references.

To say that many of us at Chicagoist are news and politics junkies is a gross understatement. We devour it. And several of us are the nerdy types that enjoy a Sunday morning viewing news shows, including Face the Nation with the incomparable Bob Schieffer. Schieffer has been covering the news for over 30 years and has established himself as one of the premiere broadcast journalists of his (or any) generation, as well as an oft-called upon debate moderator. And, lucky us, Schieffer is hitting town this week for a pair of appearances to promote his new book, Bob Schieffer's America, a collection of commentaries Schieffer has offered at the end of Face the Nation over the years.

] But polls and electoral maps are also key to understanding the shifting opinions of voters, and Daniel Nichanian's Campaign Diaries has been a consistent source for that data.

Some weeks it feels like the world is out to get us, and this was one of those weeks. Luckily, our spirits were lifted as soon as we saw these adorable prints from laurageorge, who believes that we should all feel good more often. And her illustrations definitely achieve that goal. Her prints are seemingly simplistic designs filled with little touches and details (go to the close-ups of Tell Me, pictured) that make them unique instead of just cutesy.

For our part, we've never found diamonds that interesting. Sure, they're sparkly, but they also spark war and social injustice. Give us a brilliant blue sapphire or glittering ruby for our precious jewels. We love the jewelry on Recycled Rings because it joins our love of re-imagining traditional rings and the knotted designs with tiny beads sewn in are unique and wonderful (like the Middlebury ring, shown).