Man Commits Suicide Beneath CTA Tracks

Yesterday morning the Chicago Police Department received a call reporting a suicide by hanging at 2446 W. Eastwood Ave. According to the CPD, a local man hanged himself beneath the train tracks at the base of the CTA platform. A Center Square Journal reader who lives on the 2500 block of West Eastwood reported,...

Lincoln Square’s Evening Farmers Market to Run Through Fall

Good news for fans of the Thursday night Lincoln Square Farmers Market and for those who have yet to discover this gem: Its run is being extended through October 28, with earlier hours, 3 – 7 p.m. (The market will take a break Sept. 9, returning Sept. 16.) Conceived as a companion to the...

Industrial Workers of the World Operate Out of Northcenter HQ

Maybe you’ve passed this building at 2117 W. Irving Park Ave., but did you know that it’s the headquarters of the international labor union, Industrial Workers of the World? The organization was originally headquartered in Chicago but, starting in the ’90s, began to move around – to Ypsilanti, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati—until returning...

Sticky Rice: Adventurous Eaters Welcome

The friendly waitress at Sticky Rice, 4018 N. Western Ave., assured us that the fried bamboo caterpillars we ordered as an appetizer were “clean worms” since they never touched the ground. Surprisingly, the worms turned out to be the least exciting thing we ordered. Sticky Rice specializes in Northern Thai cuisine, but their huge...

Family Grounds Anniversary Party

Prior to having children, John TenBrink and Brady TenBrink traveled the world. With each new destination came a new cafe experience. It was then, some 13 years ago, that the TenBrinks made a pact to one day own and operate their own cafe—and then came Sophia, and Dylan, and Liviya. Children typically bring a...

Northcenter Ribfest Grants $19k to Local Nonprofits

The Northcenter Chamber of Commerce awarded $19,583 yesterday to nonprofit organizations that provided volunteers for the Chamber’s 2010 Ribfest Chicago. The ceremony, held at the monthly Chamber member luncheon, distributed checks to nine local organizations. Ribfest Chicago, a three-day street festival, attracted just under 40,000 people this year. The fest was mostly staffed by...

Want to Win Tickets to See Pavement? Use Your Noodle

Wowee Zowee! Laurie’s Planet of Sound (4639 N. Lincoln Ave.) is giving away tickets to the Sept. 13 Pavement show in Millennium Park (Pritzker Pavilion at 7 p.m.) But rather than draw a name out of a hat (“Random drawings are sooo last year”), they’re leaving the drawing—or, to be more specific, the arranging—up...

Gaztro-Wagon Is On a Roll

Looking for dinner tonight? Look no further than Gaztro-Wagon! The mobile food truck offers a variety of “naanwiches” (fresh flat bread stuffed with various ingredients) and is scheduled to stop by the Ravenswood Metra Station for dinner this evening. On July 28 the Chicago Food Truck Ordinance was proposed to City Council and given...

‘Stretch to the Cure’: Bloom Yoga to Donate Class Proceeds to Cancer Research

Yoga and Pilates studios across the U.S. are joining with the National Foundation for Cancer Research for “Stretch to the Cure,” a week-long event to help fund cancer research. During the week of Sept. 20-26, these studios will donate the proceeds from at least one of their classes to NFCR. Local yoga studio Bloom...

Community Celebrates New Chase Park Playground

Earlier today, Mayor Richard Daley, Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th), Chicago Park District Superintendent/CEO Tim Mitchell, and community members gathered at Chase Park (4701 N. Ashland Ave.) to dedicate a brand new playground. The 7,481 square foot playground renovation features new equipment, rubberized soft surfacing (for wheelchair accessibility), two sets of swings, and separate play...

City Provisions Deli Opens Next Week

City Provisions is a company that caters to people who want only the best organic, locally sourced food. Offering wedding and events catering, as well as monthly supper club/farm dinners, it is operated by an old friend of mine, Cleetus Friedman. I met Cleetus maybe 10 years ago in an improv class at Improv...

Tiny Lounge: Friendly Bar With A Lengthy Beer List

Tiny Lounge, 4352 N. Leavitt, offers a rare combination of tasty food and creative cocktails in a sophisticated setting. The trick is, you have to be able to find the place. Since there’s no signage, some people mistake the Tiny Lounge for an extension of Bowmans. But the personalities of the two taverns couldn’t...

Give Summer a Proper Send-off: Greekfest, North Side Summerfest

With another school year just around the corner, summer is (like it or not) slowly winding down. But of course, we can’t say farewell to the season without a few more festivals! If you’re looking for an action-packed weekend, be sure to hit up these two local fests: St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (2727...

The Davis

The Enterprising Kitchen: Finalist in Great Places Contest

As previously reported, earlier this summer the Metropolitan Planning Council and Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) sponsored the “What Makes Your Place Great?“ Contest, showcasing some of Chicago’s most cherished public places. People submitted a photo or video and written description of their favorite off-the-beaten-path place. A committee will choose three “placemaker” winners, and there will...