South Loop Connection

The Scout Running Club starts today

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:46:00 +0000

The South Loop Running Club has partnered with The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen to form The Scout Running Club. Tuesday, January 31, 2012 is the launch. If you’re interested in joining, show up at The Scout at 6:15 p.m. and participate in a 5K run. After the launch, running club members will meet every Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. for 5K runs from The Scout.

Free Membership, Free Food!
Club membership is free. After each weekly run, The Scout will provide a free buffet and drink specials for runners. The club has acquired sponsors, including Goose Island Brewery. According to Allen Patin, founder of original The South Loop Running Club, more sponsors will be added soon.

Socialize and Stay Fit
Patin founded The South Loop Running Club to “bring fitness-minded people together in a social atmosphere.” With the advent of The Scout Running Club, it looks like his goal will be realized.

For more information, check out the club Web site by clicking here.

Ina’s on Randolph: The Breakfast Queen serves up avocados for breakfast!

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Samples from the tasting

Ina’s restaurant at 1235 W. Randolph St. in the West Loop has been one of our favorite breakfast spots since we moved to Chicago in 2003. Sure she does lunch too, but her Web site address is www.breakfastqueen.com! And don’t get us started about her vegetable hash (it’s awesome). Last week we had the opportunity to sample some new menu items made with avocados from Mexico.

At Ina’s Table
We were fortunate enough to sit at owner/chef Ina Pinkney’s table where we were served some interesting dishes and learned all about Hass avocados from Mexico. Also at Ina’s table was Cristy-Lucie Alvarado, Assistant Account Executive at Lewis & Neale in New York. Lewis & Neale is a communications agency specializing in marketing food and beverages.

Sampling menu (click to see larger)

Tasty and Beautiful
Some of the menu items included an avocado-mango parfait made with Greek yogurt, pureed mango, diced ripe avocado, and homemade granola; savory Indian rice and lentil pancake with shallots, tomato jalepeno, cilantro with side of avocado chutney; and spicy rock shrimp and grits garnished with andouile sausage, avocado and avocado sauce. All of the samplings were delicious (we cleaned out plates) and beautifully presented. The avocado not only added a splash of color to the dishes above, but a smooth creamy texture as well. Ina’s makes their own bread and rolls, served with meals. They are delicious, but at our tasting, they were served with avocado butter! The spread was light creamy and sweetened with a bit of honey.

If you’ve never been to Ina’s, you’re missing out on some great food, friendly service, and did we mention they have great vegetable hash?

Parking is Always Free
Ina’s is easy to get to by public transportation and if you have a car, she has free parking in her own lot. Have you been to Ina’s? If you have, let us know what your experience was like.

Three Peas Art Lounge Closed Until Further Notice

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:44:00 +0000

Closed Indefinitely
As reported earlier, Three Peas Art Lounge located at 75 E. 16th St., suffered water damage to their space on Christmas Day. According to a notice sent out today, the art lounge is “currently in the process of being put back together,” after being gutted after the flooding. During the clean-up process, no events are being booked.

The above notice was sent today via e-mail.

Sprout Playroom to open at 1454 S. Michigan Ave.

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

Update
Thanks to a friend on Twitter and an anonymous comment left here, we now know what Sprout is. Thanks to @solomotorrow for the first heads up. Here is a quote from their Facebook page.

Sprout Playroom is a unique, eco-friendly, indoor playspace located in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago. We are committed to providing a healthy and meaningful play experience for children by selecting only safe, sustainable and responsibly made toys and materials for our playspace. Sprout Playroom features recycled cork flooring, low VOC paint, reclaimed wood and is uniquely designed to utilize as much natural light as possible. Beyond our playspace, Sprout Playroom offers a multitude of workshops and classes to assist you in your quest to becoming a more eco-minded parent. Sprout Playroom also features a retail boutique which offers local, organic, fair trade, and recycled products and gifts for children and parents as well as a private event space for parties. We invite you to Love the Earth and Play!

The information from Facebook says they’ll be on the second floor of the Buick Building located at 1454 S. Michigan and plan to open spring 2012.

The company Web site is currently under construction, but click here to go to their site.

Nothing “Old” about Old St. Mary’s School in the South Loop

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:59:00 +0000

Oldest in the City
For residents of the South Loop, Old St. Mary’s Church on S. Michigan Ave. is a local landmark. But did you know that OSM’s is the oldest Catholic congregation in the city? The congregation formed in 1833 (as Saint Mary of the Assumption) and the original church was located on the south side of Lake St. In 1846, the church established the first Catholic grammar school in Chicago.

Establishing Roots in the South Loop

Snow boots neatly arranged outside a preschool classroom

When the church relocated (after many years at various city locations and a history that includes the Great Fire of 1871) to 1500 S. Michigan Ave. in 2002, young families in the emerging South Loop wanted their children to have access to a faith-based education. In 2004 Old St. Mary’s School opened its doors, with Barbara Spaniol-Smith as its first principal and teacher. The first preschool had 18 students. As the South Loop grew, so did the young families attending OSM’s church. With that growing population, the need for a new and larger school became necessary.

A Complete Elementary School
In the summer of 2010, construction of a new school began. It was completed in time for the 2011-2012 school year. According to current Old St Mary’s School principal, Mary Lee Calihan, the school now serves 259 students. Grades include preschool through sixth grade. According to Calihan, additional grades will be added each year until the school is a complete elementary school through the eight grade. The school has a five-year plan that includes knocking down the old school facility south of the church to build more classrooms and creating a junior high.

Modern Facilities

Students learn weather-related vocabulary words

We took a tour of the OSM’s facilities at 1474 S. Michigan Ave. recently. The school is bright, clean, and technologically up to date. Each class is equipped with SMART interactive white boards and students have access to laptop computers. As of this writing, the school is working on producing its own student-lead TV news program, in a small studio located at OSM’s.

Neighborhood School

OSM’s aims to be a vibrant part of the South Loop and encourages its students to give back in service to their community.OSM’s is a neighborhood school with approximately 75% of its students within walking distance, according to Calihan.

For more information on OSM’s, please visit their Web site and find them on Facebook. Below is the mission statement from OSM’s school Web site.

Our Mission

Old St. Mary’s Catholic School is dedicated to educating the children of its growing parish by:

Providing a solid foundation in the Catholic faith, within the context of a challenging academic program, one that takes advantage of all of the cultural opportunities available in the city around us.
Complementing the role of the family in nurturing a strong sense of dignity and self-worth in each child.
Developing an appreciation in every child of their connection to others by fostering a sense of concern and a commitment to service.
Encouraging habits that build strong minds in healthy bodies and that nurture secure and poised individuals who will be ready to meet the challenges of the present and future.

“The Artist”: A Fun Look at Film History

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

It’s Oscar and awards season, so you may be hearing the buzz about silent film, The Artist. It is unusual for a number of reasons, having no sound is just one of them. To help you understand what all the buzz is about, we thought you might enjoy this review from sister site, Classic Movie Man.

The 2011 release, The Artist is one-part A Star Is Born, one part Singing in the Rain, and another part The Jazz Singer. French director Michel Hazanavicius has managed to capture the look and feel of Hollywood when the movie studios were making the transition from silent films to “talkies.” During this transition, some movie stars managed to stay on top, while others faded into obscurity.

A Falling Idol
The Artist is the story of silent movie idol George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who finds his career on the skids with the advent of sound. In contrast, young starlet Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) finds her career soaring as talkies gain acceptance with the movie-going public. The film spans the years 1927 (the year of The Jazz Singer) through 1932, the year Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s all-star (and all-talking) blockbuster Grand Hotel won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

A Star is Born

Jean Dujardin as matinee idol George Valentin

The movie opens at the premier of Valentin’s latest action film A Russian Affair. While posing for photographs outside the theater, Valentin bumps into a pretty fan, Miller. A photographer snaps a picture of them together, which ends up on the cover of Variety with the headline “Who’s That Girl?” Miller uses her newfound fame and auditions for Valentin’s movie studio. Over the objections of studio boss Al Zimmer (John Goodman), she is given a bit role in Valentin’s next film at the star’s insistence. Once it’s clear that talking pictures are the future, Zimmer fires all his silent film stars, including Valentin who is convinced talkies are just a fad. In the meantime, Miller has progressed from bit roles to leads and is quickly promoted by the studio as one of its brightest new stars.

Using all his own resources, Valentin produces, directs, and stars in a silent epic that has the misfortune of opening on the same night as Miller’s latest talking picture. Miller’s film is a smash and Valentin’s is a bomb. Shortly thereafter Valentin’s wife (Penelope Ann Miller) leaves him, he goes broke, and he ends up living in a small apartment with his pet dog and faithful butler (James Cromwell). Miller, who has never forgotten his kindness toward her, buys all his possessions at an auction and keeps them in her home, unbeknownst to Valentin. In a fit of depression over his fall from grace, Valentin sets his films on fire and he almost dies. If not for his faithful dog (a cross between Lassie, Rin TinTin, and Asta) alerting a police officer, Valentin would have been lost.

Bérénice Bejo as future star Peppy Miller

Dancing Into Our Hearts
Miller takes Valentin into her home to nurse him back to health and for a time it looks like things will be alright. When Valentin discovers his possessions in storage in Miller’s Hollywood mansion, he returns to his burned out apartment and attempts to commit suicide. Miller suspecting the worst goes in search of Valentin. Finding him just in time, she convinces him all is not lost and that she loves him. Since she’s a major movie star, she insists on having Valentin costar with her in her next film, threatening to quit if Zimmer doesn’t relent.

A Plan Emerges
Remembering what a good dancer Valentin is, Miller comes up with a plan. The two perform a tap dance number for Zimmer and the movie production crew. During their number, we hear the music play and the sound from their tap shoes. Their performance is a smash and they get the go-ahead to make a movie together. Zimmer asks for one more performance and Valentin says “with pleasure,” revealing a heavy French accent.

Clever Use of Sound

Valentin at his lowest

Most of the film is silent with an accompanying sound track, but there are occasions where sound is cleverly employed. When sound movies begin to gain popularity, Valentin dreams “in sound.” The score borrows from other musical pieces and soundtracks, including a large part of Bernard Herrmann’s Vertigo score during the film’s climax. Hazanavicius reportedly did a lot of research for The Artist, including viewing many silent films so he could copy the best techniques. The research seems to have paid off. The Artist captures the look and feel of early Hollywood and Valentin and Bejo (Hazanavicius’s wife) are enormously appealing. Valentin is a cross between Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and John Barrymore, having a profile rivaling the latter. Bejo resembles Natalie Wood and Leslie Caron. But she seems to have Wood’s camera instincts; she’s always framed just right.

Look out Fred and Ginger!

Fictional History of the Movies
In an entertaining way, Hazanavicius has given us a fictional account of the history of the movies. There were many stars like Valentin who had foreign accents and/or a poor command of the English language whose careers ended with the advent of sound. Executives at M-G-M were extremely nervous when Greta Garbo spoke her first words in Anna Christie (1930). “Garbo Talks” they announced in pre-publicity for the film, but studio heads weren’t sure how audiences would react to her Swedish accent. They loved Garbo, of course, but not all silent film stars were so fortunate. When Valentin reveals his French accent, it’s clear he understood it could work against him in the new world of talking pictures. But just like in the movies, with the love and support of a woman like Peppy Miller, George Valentin’s career lives once again. For classic movie fans, The Artist is a rare treat in today’s motion picture landscape. Give it a try!

Greater South Loop Association Meeting Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:58:00 +0000

The Greater South Loop Association (GSLA) will be holding a community meeting this Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held at 1st District Police Community Room at 1718 S. State St. Tentative agenda below.

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:50:00 +0000

The Cubs Are Coming To Town

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Fan Convention At Chicago Hilton
The 27th annual Cubs fan convention is coming to the Chicago Hilton and Towers this month. The convention will take place from January 13 through January 15, 2012. Passes to the convention are $60 each. Proceeds from the event support Chicago Cubs charities.

The hours of the Convention are as follows:

Friday - 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday - 9 a.m. to midnight
Sunday - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

According to the Cubs’ Web site, all rooms at the Chicago Hilton and Towers are sold out. Rooms are available at the Palmer House Hilton.

Up-Close and Personal
If you’re a Cubs fan, this is your opportunity to get up-close and personal with your favorite players. Players will be signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans during the event. For more information, including any changes or updates in schedules, visit the Cubs’ Web site.

City Redistricting Meetings Set

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:51:00 +0000

From the office of 2nd Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti’s office:

Fioretti at the State of the South Loop in November

You are hereby notified that the Chicago City Council COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES, RULES AND ETHICS will meet on the following dates, times and locations in order to hold public hearings with two more dates yet to be determined on the City of Chicago's Redistricting Process:

Wednesday, January 11, 2012
DePaul University
Cortelyou Commons
2324 N. Freemont Street, Chicago
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 12, 2012
Progressive Baptist Church
3658 S. Wentworth Avenue, Chicago
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Local Business Temporarily Closed Due to Water Damage

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:51:00 +0000

On Christmas, Three Peas Art Lounge located at 75 E. 16th St. sustained water damage. A sewer backup has been blamed as the culprit. Co-owner and gallery curator, Maya-Camille Broussard said via e-mail communication that “A restoration company has been bought in, but I’m unsure as to how long it’ll take to put everything back together.”

Damage to interior of Three Peas Art Lounge

Three Peas Art Lounge has been a vibrant and exciting part of the South Loop since they opened here in 2009. Here’s hoping things get back on track soon.

South Loop Running Group Starting Up Next Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:18:00 +0000

South Loop Running Group
A new running group in the South Loop will be starting up January 11. 2012. The group, headed by a South Looper, will meet in front of the Dunkin’ Donuts at the corner of 16th and S. Michigan Ave. at 6 p.m. All paces (running and walking) are welcome.

The Route
The run will be about 4.25 miles. The running route will go south from Dunkin’ Donuts to 18th St., then east to cross over the ramp of the Metra train tracks; run around Soldier Field; run around Shedd; continue on the lakefront path down to Monroe (this will be the turnaround point); run back on the path until the fork at the Shedd; go west under the tunnel and come up at Roosevelt; continue west until Michigan; and go south to return to the starting point.

For more information, contact Anne via e-mail at anniemorgs@hotmail.com.

Angelo Out, Sears In, But Just Barely

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:40:00 +0000

According to ChicagoBusiness, Jerry Angelo is out as general manager of the Bears and Sears hired former Brookstone CEO Ron Boire to be in charge of merchandizing for Sears and Kmart. This wasn’t the best of years for the Bears or Sears. Sears just recently received $150,000,000 in tax breaks from the state to stay in Illinois, but has seen their profits fall and stock drop 20%. In yesterday’s New York Times, there is a rather lengthy article titled “Insight: Memo to Eddie Lampert-Dump Kmart.” Many business analysts think Kmart is damaging the Sears brand which many still believe can be rescued.

Once one of the most successful retailers in the world with a history that dates back to 1886, Sears Holdings is now the tenth largest U.S. retailer. To emphasize why Sears should dump Kmart, Roger Goddu, the former CEO of the Montgomery Ward chain said, “In a world that has Wal-Mart and Target, there is really no need for a Kmart.” That’s pretty tough.

South Loop Connection Wishes You A Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:30:00 +0000

South Loop Connection Top Posts Of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:30:00 +0000

2011 Brings New Businesses The South Loop
2011 was a pretty exciting year for South Loop Connection and the South Loop. SLC went over 100,000 page views this year, now averaging over 7,000 reads per month. After seeing many businesses fail in the neighborhood last year, there seemed to be a resurgence of new business openings in 2011. The businesses receiving the most attention were restaurants. Just about any post having to do with food jumped to the top of the leader board.

The list that follows includes the top-ten SLC posts for 2011. You’ll notice that all but one of the posts have to do with food or new restaurant openings.

Number 10—New Restaurant to Open at 1355 S. Michigan. On October 14, 2011, a sign went up announcing the opening of a new restaurant: Alain’s opening in the space formerly occupied by Entourage Men.

Number 9—Bear’s Defensive Tackle to Open Restaurant in South Loop. Later in October, we learned that the Bears’s Israel Idonije was partnering with chef Alain Njike to open “Alain’s” at 1355 S. Michigan Ave.

Number 8—Are You “Underemployed?” The only non-food related post to make the top-ten, focused on a new MTV show centered around recent college graduates trying to make it on their own.

Number 7—Opening Date for Waffles: August 10. 2011. The new South Loop breakfast and lunch spot had announced several opening dates, all of which attracted a lot of attention.

Number 6—Scout’s Honor: The Scout’s Grand Opening is Set For August 19th and 20th. Like Waffles, The Scout had announced several opening dates. Blog posts on this new sports bar in the old Opera space attracted a lot of reads.

Number 5—New Restaurant to Open at 1400 S. Michigan. In June, a sign went up announcing that “Waffles” was opening soon, attracting over 590 reads.

Number 4—On Target: The Burger Point. On October 28, we went to this new burger restaurant at 1900 S. State St. during their soft opening. The place was packed and we spent some time meeting co-founder Asha Mathew. More than 650 readers were interested in this new South Loop eatery.

Number 3—The Scout Waterhouse & Kitchen: One Cool Space. In May, we had the opportunity to go to a press preview of The Scout. Owner Chris Bravos gave us a tour and pointed out design details throughout. It really did turn out to be one cool space, with over 670 readers in agreement.

Customers wait outside of Waffles

Number 2—Cupcake Wars Chicago Style. You almost would have to be living under a rock if you didn’t notice the recent proliferation of food trucks in Chicago. This post featured several cupcake trucks selling their bakery creations all around the city. After this blog, GiGi’s Bake Shop and the “purple bus” became a South Loop staple.

Number 1—“Waffles” to Open Late June. Waffles eventually opened in August, but this June announcement garnered over 1,650 reads.

Thank you for your support in 2011. We hope 2012 brings more good things to the South Loop. What South Loop post was your favorite?

Teens Arrested in Roosevelt Rd. Shooting

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:11:00 +0000

Roosevelt Rd. train platform

Two Boys Arrested
Two teens were arrested in connection with the Roosevelt Rd. shooting that took place on Monday, December 26. Two boys ages 14 and 16 were taken into custody. The 14-year-old was charged with a felony count of aggravated battery and use of a deadly weapon. The 16-year-old was charged with unlawful use of a weapon.

Victim Treated and Released
The 21-year-old victim was shot in the torso on the Roosevelt Rd. Train Station platform. He was then taken to Northwestern University Hospital where he was treated and released.

Police recovered the handgun and the shooter has been identified by the victim.

Sources for this post: NBC Chicago, Chicago Tribune, and WGN

Update
According to a story posted to the NBC Chicago Web site, a man was robbed of his iPhone on the Harrison L stop platform. The 20-year-old man was attacked and knocked to the ground by five men. Robberies of iPhones and iPads, nicknamed “Apple picking” have been a concern for District 1 Commander Christopher Kennedy. At a recent CAPS meeting Commander Kennedy remarked that overall crime in the South Loop is down, but robberies, including strong-armed thefts of iPhones and other electronic devices have been a concern.

SLC Note: The original blog post, “Teens Arrested in Roosevelt Rd. Shooting” did not include attributions. This was an error on our part. Thanks to an anonymous comment, we were made aware of our error. SLC regrets this oversight.

Merry Christmas from South Loop Connection!

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:30:00 +0000

Something for the holiday season. Have you ever experienced or been part of a flash mob? These folks obviously nailed it and got the crowd going. What do you think?

Acadia Opens Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:58:00 +0000

Acadia, the latest upscale restaurant to open in the South Loop, makes its debut tonight. Located at 1639 S. Wabash Ave., this new venue looks stunning. If the pictures on their Website, blog and Facebook page are even close to accurate, you’re sure to be impressed if you pay them a visit. According to the restaurant’s blog, the name “Acadia” means was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern day Maine. The word Acadia comes “from the Arcadia district in Greece, which since classical antiquity had the extended meanings of ‘refuge’ or ‘idyllic place.’” Well, the space certainly look idyllic. They’re taking reservations for New Year’s. To take a peek at their menu, click here.

If you’re one of the lucky patrons this evening, or later in the week, please let us know what your experience was like.

Sara Lee Moving North American Operations to 2nd Ward

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:46:00 +0000

According to an announcement by 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Sara Lee Corporation “will relocate its North American Meats corporate headquarters in early 2013 to Chicago’s 400 S. Jefferson St.” Along with the new headquarters, 650 jobs will come to the 2nd Ward. Sara Lee owns the Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, and Ball Park brands.

Earlier this year, Sara Lee said it would split into two separate pure-play companies in 2012. A pure-play company is devoted to one line of business. Sara Lee plans to have an International Coffee and Tea business and a North American Meats company. Names for the two companies have not been released.

Christmas on Prairie Avenue: Nineteenth Century Style

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:46:00 +0000

This Christmas card depicts the Glessner House decorated for the holiday.

When Prairie Avenue was home to the “sifted few” back in the late nineteenth century, Christmas wasn’t the extravagant celebration it is today. Oh, sure, they exchanged gifts and had parties, but home decorations weren’t as elaborate or displayed as long as they are today. In fact, it wasn’t until fairly late into the 19th century before Christmas trees displayed were over three-feet tall. During most of the century, small table-top trees were the norm. Decorations for the tree were often hand-made, even on Prairie Avenue!

Tasteful Celebration
The Glessner House at 1800 S. Prairie, and one of the few surviving mansions from those glory days, helps shed some light on the Christmas traditions of the period. If you were to visit the home during the 1888 celebration, you’d have seen a small tree in the schoolroom, where Glessner children George and Fanny would have had it displayed on their desktop. For many years, holiday decorations were displayed mostly in the schoolroom. In later years, the Glessners had a large tree shipped by train from their estate in New Hampshire. The tree was displayed in the main hallway of the home. When you visit the museum today, you’ll see a large tree in the main hall. You’ll also see greenery tastefully hung throughout the house, as illustrated in the photograph here.

Collectable Christmas Cards
If you haven’t sent your Christmas cards yet, there’s still time. And you can purchase the Christmas card seen here at the Glessner House Museum gift shop. For information on these collectable Christmas cards call 312.326.1480. And for more insight into nineteenth life along Prairie Avenue, visit the official blog of the Glessner House Museum, The Story of House. You can also find the Glessner House Museum on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

3rd Annual Green Awards Event

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:19:00 +0000


The Alliance’s Gail Merritt hosted the event

The Greenest of the Green
Last night was the 3rd Annual Greener South Loop Awards at Columbia College, 1104 S. Wabash Ave. Gail Merritt hosted the event that recognized the “green, greener, and greenest” efforts of institutions, businesses, and residences. Don McLauchlan from Elara Engineering (consultant to 2010 Greenest Building winner Dearborn Tower) was the evening’s featured speaker.

The winners of the 3rd Annual Greener South Loop Awards are listed below in each category.

Institutions
Green: East West University (819 S. Wabash)
Greener: Roosevelt University (430 S. Michigan)

Businesses
Green: Overflow Coffee (1550 S. State)
Greener: The Forth Group (22 E. Cullerton)
Greenest: ORA Dental Studio (1827 S. Michigan)

Residential Buildings
Green: Film Exchange Lofts (1307 S. Wabash)
Greener: 1620 S. Michigan Ave
Greenest: State Place Condominium Association (1101 S. State)

Alliance Mission Statement: Alliance for a Greener South Loop works to make the South Loop a greener place to live, work, and play. We engage South Loop individuals, businesses, buildings, and city agencies so that we all “tread more lightly on the earth.”

For more information on the Alliance, visit their Web site.

Tribute Closes: Only in Business for Five Months

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:17:00 +0000

Tribute restaurant at 800 S. Michigan closed Sunday, December 4, 2011. After barely being open five months, the upscale eatery, specializing in comfort food, was unable to attract the crowds necessary to keep it humming.

A Rough Start
The original chef, Brandon Baltzley was fired after it was revealed he had a substance abuse problem. Sous-chef, Lawrence Letrero was elevated to Executive Chef in May, two months before opening. After several shaky starts, the restaurant had it’s unveiling on July 6, 2011. The first official day of business was July 7 at 6 a.m. In September, Letrero was out and Jared Case became the new Executive Chef and the menu was tweaked.

Space Transformed
Tribute transformed the old Savoy Grill into a modern, fresh space, featuring unusual and dramatic fixtures made with repurposed movie film from Disney’s 1951 animated classic Alice in Wonderland. The lounge area was cool and comfortable and the large outdoor space across from Grant Park was lovely this summer. But alas, it just wasn’t meant to be.

Chiropractic Office Moving into 1600 S. Indiana

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:05:00 +0000

The signs went up today. Active Body Chiropractic, currently located at 1509 S. State St., will be moving into a new office at 1600 S. Indiana Ave. The space empty since the building was completed in 2006, is currently being built out. A call to their present office finds them hoping to move into their new location February 1, 2012.

Opening is scheduled for February 1, 2012

Porkchop on Randolph

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:50:00 +0000

Oink, Oink!
You have to love a restaurant that unabashedly has an image of a pig on it’s menu and Web site landing page. Porkchop at 941 W. Randolph St. celebrates the pig, serving up classic comfort food in a cozy, unpretentious atmosphere. Porkchop has created a restaurant with a pub-like feel.

Laid-back Feel

There is a theme going on here.

Seating is comfortable and relaxed. Instead of napkins, each table comes equipped with its own roll of paper towels, conveniently bolted to the tabletop. Open for lunch and dinner, Porkchop has a good assortment of soups, salads, sandwiches, and main dishes.

Supper Time!
On a recent visit, the general manager explained the menu and suggested some vegetarian items. For starters, we ordered the blackened fish tacos with chipotle mayo, cabbage, and cilantro as an appetizer. The fish tacos were moist, tender, and flavorful. Since the name of the restaurant is “Porkchop,” we had to try the grilled pork chop with smashed red potatoes and apple sauce as one of our entrees. Our waitress “talked” us into ordering the pan-seared spicy catfish with Old Bay butter. Both entrees were expertly prepared and beautifully plated. The pork chop was plump and juicy and reminded us of home. Pork chops with apple sauce was a staple at the family dinner table growing up. The pan-seared spicy catfish, on the other hand, was not part of our mothers’ culinary repertoire.

Finishing Touches
For dessert we had “the Maker,” a root beer flow with vanilla ice cream and a shot of Maker’s Mark bourbon and Mexican-style cheesecake, which was not on the menu. The float tasted like a traditional root beer float, but with a little extra kick thanks to the bourbon. The cheese cake was light and creamy, which made us wonder if it was ricotta instead of cream cheese—apparently the recipe is a secret, so we couldn’t confirm the ingredients.

It’s all good!

Give it a Try
Prices for lunch and dinner are moderate. Our grilled pork chop with smashed potatoes and apple sauce was priced at $14. The pan-seared spicy catfish $14. The fish tacos (came with three tacos) for appetizer was $9. The Maker’s Mark root beer float and cheesecake for dessert was $9. If you love pork and other comfort foods like fried chicken (one of their specialties), give Porkchop a try.

South Loop Artist at One of a Kind Show December 1 - 4

noreply@blogger.com (South Loop Connection) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Billed as Chicago’s “Most ONEderful time of the year,” the oneofakind show at the Merchandise Mart is the perfect place to do your holiday shopping. More than 600 talented artists will bring their unique creations to the Mart from December 1 – 4, 2011. The Mart is located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood at 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza.

Artist, custom jewelry maker, and South Loop resident, Dobrila Pintar will be exhibiting her unique creations. One-of-a-kind jewelry pieces and glass-blown Christmas ornaments will be some of the items you’ll see when you visit Dobrila’s booth.

The oneofakind show lets you get up-close and personal with the artists and artisans. Artists will be available to speak with you and there will be demonstrations and workshops that you can participate in. Multi-day tickets are available for $12, $9 for seniors and students; children 12 and under are free.

Show Hours:

Two of Dobrila's hand-blown Christmas ornaments

Thursday, December 1 noon - 9 pm
Friday, December 2 11 am – 9 pm
Saturday, December 3 10 am – 7 pm
Sunday, December 4 10 am – 5 pm

Be sure to stop by and visit with Dobrila, where she hopes you’ll be “wishing on a jewel” this holiday season.

For more information, including how to purchase tickets for the oneofakind show, please click here.