Results tagged “oldtown”

Maybe he hasn't made Keith Olbermann's nightly list yet, but Sam Zell is quickly cementing his place among the "Worst People in Chicago" as he continues to antagonize Chicagoans since his takeover of the Tribune Co.

The double whammy of the Mondays and cabin fever can drive the most stout constitutions deep into their comforters. Here are some things to inspire you to layer up and head out.

--The Midwest Independent Film Festival starts a new season on Tuesday with the world premiere of Osso Bucco, which was produced in Chicago. The comedy revolves around disparate types stuck in an Italian restaurant during a massive snowstorm. Doesn't sound like such a terrible situation. The movie stars Illeana Douglas, who we've had a sort of crush on ever since Grace of My Heart. Several other cast members as well as the filmmakers will be at the show: 7:30 at the Landmark Century.

This Sunday, Old Town School of Folk Music is hosting a hootenanny! Kids are invited to come in their pajamas and tote along their favorite plushie for this twee pre-bedtime show featuring Wiggleworms teachers Lindsay Weinberg, Rob Newhouse, Elaine Moore and others. Chicago Children's Theater promises to bring their own, life-sized Teddy Bear to join in the festivities. Show starts at 5 p.m. at Old Town's Lincoln Square location, and tickets are $11 for members and $12 for everyone else.

Every morning on our way to work, the Brown Line takes us past a building declaring itself as Noble Horse Theater. We always peered down from our perch up on the L and wondered what this place is all about, and could sometimes even see horses hanging out in a paddock the size of three Old Town brownstones.

The clock to '08 is ticking. What are you doing to ring in the new year? If the answer to that question is a desperate, collar-loosening, sweat-inducing "I don't know!" then here are a few last-minute suggestions. Everything listed here will cost you less than $40 and was not sold out at the time of posting.

For many, going out New Year's Eve can be like going to junior prom over and over again; it's lots of fussy build-up with little payoff, leaving you with nasty hangovers, tacky swag, and, possibly, an awkward goodbye come morning. If swanky soirées aren't your thing, head to The Old Town School of Folk Music for The Punch Brothers for a refreshing alternative.

Moving forward in our quest to give you readers some options for going out on New Year's Eve so you aren't procrastinating.

Of all the egregious things the city can do to property owners, from jacking property taxes to the current favorite, the misuse of TIFs, none seems more unfair and ripe for abuse as eminent domain. For the uninitiated, eminent domain allows the city government to seize ownership of private property, paying the owner whatever the city deems as "market value". It's supposed to be used for the "greater public good", such as the expansion...

Is it just us, or has this week sucked ass? It seems like everyone we've talked to has wanted to stab the whole world in the neck this week. At least we have a bunch of things to do that are awesome..... The Old Town School of Folk Music has its annual craft fair tonight, plus their monthly First Friday series. Tomorrow, bust out your wallet at Renegade Craft Fair's holiday bonanza. We've noticed...

We know you head to Beat Kitchen to enjoy the likes of artists like Plane, New Duncan Imperials and Deadstring Brothers. Be prepared for your toddler to start dragging you back out when they hear about the “Concerts for Kids” shows on Sunday afternoons … at the same Beat Kitchen where you were rockin’ the night before. Once a month, Beat Kitchen opens up its concert space for local talent that caters to the younger...

Dust those cobwebs off your costumes, folks. It’s the Saturday before a hump-day Halloween, so that means tonight is the night to let it all hang out. That is, if your costume is of that genre. Otherwise, check out these Halloween haunts: The Six Corners Monster Movie Festival in Portage Park features seven classic horror movies both today and tomorrow. Tonight: Nightmare on Elm Street at 8 p.m. Internet gossip columnist Perez Hilton hosts his...

Award-winning food and drink writer Fiona Beckett will sign copies of her new book Food, Wine & Friends at the House of Glunz in Old Town this evening. The event runs from 5-7 p.m., and there will be a reception with wine and hors d'ouevres. Cost is $20 for the reception, $40 for the reception and a copy of the book. All you amateur sommeliers should be making a beeline to Sam's Wine & Spirits...

Naming the best bartender in Chicago is like trying to find an identical pair of snowflakes. Everybody has a favorite bartender and ours, a gruff, lovable fellow who told stories of Old Town's grittier days and always had a dram of bourbon at the ready when we walked through the door of our local watering hole, was recently fired from his job for refusing to serve Jaeger bombs to a group of Captain Awesomes who...

While the mention of the word "oil" can often bring about heated debates on rising prices and the war in Iraq, that’s not the case at Old Town Oil, which specializes in 100-percent extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars. This sliver of a store, located in the heart of Old Town, quietly opened three months ago and is the brainchild of four foodie brothers. After various trips around Europe, sampling the quality olive...

Or, since this will be an Oktoberfest-intensive installment, "Das Freitagsbüfett." Most of these are around the general vicinity of Lincoln Park, Lake View, and Wrigleyville. Things kick off this evening with St. Alphonsus' Sixth Annual Oktoberfest Chicago. Admission is $5, or free if you RSVP at going.com/oktoberfestchicago. First St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church hosts their Oktoberfest Saturday from 5-10 p.m. Cost is $20 ($15 for seniors, $10 for children under 12). St. Michael in Old...

- Say hello to Cuppy's. Another coffee chain opens its first Chicago location. - Taking parenting advice from Britney Spears, a 26-year-old woman left her kids in the car with the windows up and hot air blowing while she went to Cook County Criminal Court on the south side. - Oak Park/River Forest High School alumni Charles Simic was named poet laureate by the Library of Congress. - Keep drinking your beer, Cubs fans....

In 1907 Essanay Studios shot a short slapstick film on the streets of Old Town entitled An Awful Skate. It cost a few hundred dollars but went on to make thousands; perhaps as much as $10,000 (which, adjusted for inflation, would be about $216,000 today). A recent profile in the Trib gives a brief history of the once-booming studio, which had facilities in both Chicago and California. Between 1907 and 1917 Essanay churned out...

Leo Burnett was hurting last year when they lost the Cadillac account, but they just made up some mileage by winning the Buick and GMC accounts from General Motors Corp. GM says they want to focus their Buick ads more on cars and less on Tiger Woods. Hmm. Sounds like a plan. Starbucks is upping their fancy by kickin' up the salad ante. They now have two national and three regional salads offered daily...

Something’s buzzing in Millennium Park this summer, and it isn’t the type of bug you’re thinking of. The Old Town School of Folk Music’s Wiggleworms program heads outside this summer for free daily morning concerts; it’s the hippest place to see and be seen for the toddler set. The concerts follow same format as traditional Wiggleworms classes: interactive folksy kids’ songs, a chance to play along with simple instruments passed out to the crowd, and...

Any seasoned cook – pun intended – knows the value of a well-placed spice or two. And any Chicago seasoned cook, or professional chef for that matter, knows the value of The Spice House. Even before you enter the Old Town shop, your nose knows what lies behind those wooden doors and in those glass jars. This family-owned business – Chicagoist can’t get enough of these – began in 1957 in Milwaukee by Tom and...

If you are horrible kids like we are, you won't be able to make it home this weekend to see mum. There will be plenty to do this weekend to keep your mind off of it though. Besides, it's always great to take advantage of the great Mother's Day brunch specials around town. The Pony's will be playing at Looptopia around 8:45 p.m. Looptopia, Chicago's "white-night" like celebration will run from 5 p.m. - 5...

This week's theme: Cinco de Mayo. More specifically, the Anglicized version of Cinco de Mayo. Let's get on with it. Everyone Has An Opinion: In conjunction with National Hamburger Month, the folks at Yelp! have released a thoroughly underwhelming list of their top five places to get a burger in town. The site that brings together user reviews of all the "hidden gems, hot spots, and amazing small businesses you've never heard of or fanatically...

One million dollars doesn’t seem like a lot when Dr. Evil is extorting the world, but a million can go a long way towards the Old Town School of Folk Music’s new education center. Stepping in with the school’s largest gift in its half century existence are Gary and Laura Maurer. The new building that this donation is designated for will be across from the Lincoln Square location where we’re used to seeing the Robbie...

It's Easter, y'all. That means, in addition to the re-enactment of the Passion happening as we write this in Pilsen, churches will be filled, families will gather, and restaurants will offer Easter Brunch specials. We have a few for you, in addition to the usual complement of food news and notable events. So sit back and unbuckle your belts. Who Comes Up With These Names, Anyway?: Leave it to us to be late to the...

No witty introduction this week. Our fault for trying to impress the new staffers with barleywine ale and Dalmore. Thank God for French-pressed coffee. The buffet is now open. A Good German to the End: The closing of Delicatessen Meyer should have been a story we weighed in on earlier in the week and not relegated to the Buffet. To that end, Chicagoist extends a sincere mea culpa. Anyhoo, for those who haven't heard, the...

When we placed the call for new food and drink writers last month, we had an idea of what we were looking for. Then real life interceded. Some candidates dropped out of the running. Those that remained made their case, the quality of writing so good we felt bad having to cut someone. Then we envisioned some candidates in roles we didn't expect, and someone wrote us with an offer we couldn't refuse. When the...

Another Friday, another snowstorm, another installment of Empty Out Your Wallet. This week we’re not so inclined to whip out the credit card as we have been in past weeks, but here we go. We honestly didn’t know these guys were still around writing songs for the Adult Contemporary crowd. Apparently, they are still popular enough to fill up the Vic. Five for Fighting is best known for "Superman (It's Not Easy)," which was the...

EOYW is a day late this week, and your forgiveness is begged. Luckily, most of the shows below are not yet sold out, so our laziness will not be to your detriment. For whatever reason, some of the most talented musicians don’t become well-known until after they contract some life-threatening disease that warrants a tribute album. Alejandro Escovedo managed to recover from his bout with Hepatitis C to release The Boxing Mirror earlier this year....

Last week had us blind with excitement, but this week’s slate – aside from some sure things - has us cautiously optimistic. After emptying out our wallet this weekend, we’re grateful for tonight’s free Mixel Pixel show at Empty Bottle. We’re still on the fence about the band’s album Music For Plants, which swirls industrial dance grooves around shoegazer-y vocals and Nintendo-inspired keyboards. But it’s the kind of music that gives white kids permission to...