In my book, if in no one else's, Chris Holmes ranks as the greatest squandered talent of Chicago's alternative-rock era, a time that was lousy with them, and he places far ahead even of Christian Lane of Loud Lucy and Dave Trumfio of the Pulsars (who never really wanted to be a rock star anyway, and who remains an active and talented record producer out west).
Maureen Ryan
After 13 years of outstanding work at the Chicago Tribune, Maureen Ryan says she decided to call it quits as TV critic when "it just seemed that the Tribune's priorities and mine were heading in different directions." So different, in fact, that she doubts they'll fill the position now that she's left.
Joanna lives in Old Town.
The Spice House, Old Town (photo by Kymberly Janisch, via Flickr)
Steve Dolinsky is on vacation this week. We are re-publishing some of his past posts to keep you company! Steve will return on August 24th.
The best baba gannoush in Chicago (photo by Steve Dolinsky)
I've seen it spelled a number of different ways: baba gannoush/ganoush/ganouj, etc., but no matter how you spell it, the dish is pretty much always the same - roasted, chopped eggplant, combined with garlic, tahini and spices, whipped or finely-chopped into a spread that is ripe for wedges of warm pita bread. ‚ The reason we're homing in on Taboun today, is because, quite simply, they make the best baba-g in town.
After Mark's hilarious "jump" post yesterday, I couldn't help but think about the book "Jump" by Philippe Halsman. Do you know it? It's been a favorite of‚ mine for years, and has been experiencing a much-deserved comeback recently.
Here's the book.
Here's an article about it in The New York Times.
Here's the link about the "Jump" photography exhibit in New York, still up for another few days.
So what do you think, should we stage our own "jumpology" exhibit right here? Let's see how many of you are keen to take a photo of yourself jumping (for joy). A fun experiment, and pretty simple, right? Snap the photo on your phone or fancy camera or whatever... do it today and I'll something put together for us by Friday. Share it here.
jump jump
jump away!
amy
Mike North
It amazes his admirers and infuriates his detractors, but somehow Mike North always manages to land on his feet. Just five days after his low-rated morning show on WBBM-Channel 2 was canceled, the veteran sports talker has resurfaced with Fox Sports Radio.
Details of North's duties are still being worked out, but the network announced this week that he'd been added to the roster of hosts. "We couldn't be happier to have Mike join the Fox Sports Radio family," said Don Martin, vice president and general manager of the outfit based in Sherman Oaks, Calif. "His credentials in sports talk radio speak for themselves."
If you're wondering how North was able to make the deal so fast, look no farther than to Jeff Schwartz, his longtime friend and business partner, who became a consultant for Fox Sports Radio at the end of June. "I guess I'm still persuasive," Schwartz told me Tuesday night. "Always have been and always will be."
Yesterday, weeks of tedium and speculation came to an end when the jury in the Blagojevich trial returned their verdict. To give you a behind the scenes look at the media circus that ensued, I tagged along with WBEZ reporter Tony Arnold to the lobby of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. This is part of our occasional video series, The City Room. I tried to capture all the important moments with an eye toward documenting the scene and what it felt like to be there, not just what was said by the news-makers. Check out the video I put together- I think it's one part 24 episode, one part cell phone ad and one part claustrophobic panic attack.
I'm off getting married and honeymooning and all that so, in my absence, some good friends are filling in. Today's look at Honolulu comes from Casey Ishitani .
In the 2010 Mercer Quality of Living Survey, Honolulu was ranked as the top American city. The findings were based on factors such as transportation, ecological development and medical services. However, the city provides paradoxes to the generalized perception of "Paradise." Honolulu is second only to San Francisco in average apartment rental prices ($1255 for one-bedroom apartments, with an average of $1693). Adding to the high-priced rent is high-priced food, even with local farms and markets. Not to mention the often-conflicting reports on the violent crime rate, which is either climbing or falling depending on which newspaper you are reading.
