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Sunday, September 30, 2012

Shots Around the Sloop: Looking Down

First of all, just wanted to say thanks to everyone who sent us some of their Shots Around the Sloop last week.  We got a great response and are excited to show off your skills and our neighborhood over the course of the year.

Second, we figured it would be best to restart Shots Around the Sloop with two shots from an arial perspective.  Thus we wanted to give a quick shout out to Joe Zekas of the website YoChicago for taking some awesome shots of the South Loop from their recent helicopter trip around the city:
For the same pictures in high res click here to go to YoChicago's Flickr page.

(Hat tip: JZ & YoChicago)

Friday, September 28, 2012

New Apple iOS 6 Maps Melts Buckingham Fountain

The iPhone 5 was all the rage these past couple of days and while their sales numbers are absolutely redonkulous not everything has been smooth sailing for the newest god phone.  The biggest issue is their new maps app which doesn't use Google Maps anymore.  As a result, people are finding some odd things when they search around their city.  Our favorite is their weird, melted Buckingham Fountain:

The Chicagoist has some more Chicago weird maps for your viewing pleasure.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Chicago Magazine: Alain's to Reopen on Monday (10/1)

There has been quite a lot of buzz about Alain's (1355 S. Michigan) around the Sloop and city since a green eviction notice appeared on the window earlier this week on Monday.  Since then the eviction sign came down (on Wednesday 9/26) and yesterday a couple of readers sent us a link the Chicago Magazine dining blog Dish that states:
The fledgling South Looper Alain’s was forced to close temporarily after being served with an eviction notice last weekend. Things will be up and running again by Monday.
It's been a busy and tumultuous week on South Michigan Avenue.  Who knows what's in store for today.

Stay tuned!

Interactive Chicago Gang Map Buzzing Around the Interwebs

Shootings and violence have been an ongoing issue and concern throughout Chicago recently.  It seems like a day doesn't go by without some form of shooting going down in the city.

WBEZ has a fascinating and slightly controversial article, interview and interactive map that has been getting a lot of play throughout Chicago news sources, blogs and social media.  While it's not something to take lightly, we were naturally curious to see what information the interactive Chicago gang map would have about the Sloop.

Is our neighborhood infested with gangs?  how does it compare with other neighborhoods?  Am I living in a gang territory?

Before we dive in too deep, we wanted to preface these maps with a disclaimer from the CPD's Chief of Organized Crime:
CPD Chief of Organized Crime Nicholas Roti appeared on The Afternoon Shift (interview on WBEZ's websiteto address several questions about the maps, their use and their limitations. On the question of why the department doesn't dessiminate gang territory maps on its own website, he said such data is a double-edged sword. The department, he said, uses such information internally and, through the Commission's gang book, shares it with suburban police departments.
But on the other hand, he said he'd be concerned if the maps are too easy to pass around. "We don't want to either glorify a gang or maybe unintentionally cause a gang rift," Chief Roti said. "You [a gang member] could look at a map and say, 'They got way more territory than us.'"
Chief Roti also expressed concern about the possibility that such maps would stigmatize any particular Chicago neighborhood as being affiliated with gangs. "That not only goes into people buying homes," he said. "That could go into businesses looking to start there."
So with that said, it appears that the downtown core doesn't appear to have as many territories as the South Side, West Side and North Side (note that the pins on the map are 2012 homicides in the city).

And specifically looking at the the South Loop, it looks as if it isn't particularly ripe with gangs.  The one exception is that a gang appears to have "territory" around the Hilliard Homes and the Old Harold Ickes homes (which were knocked down a couple of years ago) around the Southwest portion of what we consider the South Loop:

So what does this mean?  We're not going to try to draw any conclusions because it's seems like that's what the CPD Chief of Organized Crime said to do.

If you have thoughts let us know, but please keep comments constructive.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Karamela...We Have Lift Off?

Apparently their is a lot of misinformation floating around the internet (SHOCKING!?!) about Karamela's Cafe, the new spot at 1250 S. Michigan that looks like it's been ready to open for awhile.

According to a post we did in regard to a weird post on their alleged Facebook page (Karamela...we have a problem) the owner ditched the cafe.  We reached out to the contact on Facebook and according to that person the project was in limbo.

Image from Jnette R. on Yelp
Fast forward to yesterday and we received another email from a reader:
I just saw on Yelp that Karamela Cafe is opening this Friday, Sept. 28: It's been sooo long since the signs went up in there, so it's about time!
Talk about some internet drama.

It is true that someone named Jnette R. posted to Yelp that Karamela Cafe was opening on Friday, September 28th.  She also posted some nice pictures of the interior, machines and food (although it was a little ironic that she also gave Karamela a 5 star rating -- but we digress).

Anyway, we will just have to wait and see if this rumor is true.  We hope so!


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Eviction Sign Appears on Alain's Door (1355 S. Michigan)

A reader writes:
Sloopy,
Looks like Alain's got evicted today.

This ain't good and it eerily reminds us of a similar post we did at the exact same location in April of 2011 regarding Entourage Man.

We've been happily covering the blossoming scene at 14th and Michigan and Alain's (1355 S. Michigan) was one of the places we were pretty excited about.  Maybe it wasn't meant to be?  I guess we will have to wait and see.

Yelp has given it pretty good reviews (4 stars) but the Red Eye said it was good but could use a couple tweaks.

Anyone have any more information on this one?

UPDATE:  9/26 - 9:30am
As of this morning, the green eviction sign was off the front door at Alain's.  Does this mean they're reopening?  We're not sure.  We will see.

(Hat tip: BK!)

Monday, September 24, 2012

Construction for Mariano's Fresh Market About to Begin

There has been a lot of anticipation for the planned Mariano's Fresh Market that is slated to come to the South Loop.  A reader sent us the picture above and states:
New sign up at 16th & Clark.
Maybe construction to start soon?
Well over on our message board there has been a lot of conversation on this particular topic and one poster let us know that the Alderman Pat Dowell sent out an email about an official groundbreaking ceremony:
Neighbors and Friends:
You are cordially invited to the official groundbreaking of the new Mariano's Fresh Market to be built at 1625 South Clark Street. The event will be held on Friday, September 28, 2012 at 1pm. Mariano's is expanding its presence in Chicago with a three story commercial building consisting of a 65,000 sq. ft. grocery store, a surface parking lot with 50 parking spaces and a two floor parking deck above the grocery store with 140 parking spaces on the second floor parking deck and 150 spaces on the third floor of the deck. 
Mariano’s Fresh Market is unlike any other store and I am excited to bring them to the South Loop. I hope you will come out and celebrate the beginning of what will be a welcomed addition to our community. 
Please come out and meet Bob Mariano, President and CEO of Mariano's and his team. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been invited.
So there you have it, work is about to begin.

(Hat tip: EK & TJ!)

Saturday, September 22, 2012

This Week on the Sloopin Message Board (w/o 9/17)

The message board this week had an interesting discussion about River City as well as some sleuth work by JeffWagg to find out that a Bollywood movie was filming on the Chicago River in the Sloop.

Here are links to these new threads:

Thanks for the discussion and contributions!

Friday, September 21, 2012

Shots Around the Sloop: We Need Your Shots!

We don't have a shot around the Sloop this week and instead of us simply going outside to take a picture we thought we would do a quick post asking for help.

While we love taking photographs of our lovely neighborhood, the best ones we've received come from  you!  With that said, next time your out and see something rad, whip out your trusty smartphone and take a shot.

With that said, we're not going to leave you hanging.  Here is a link to all 132 Shots Around the Sloop and here is one of our favorites that a reader sent us (which is hopefully symbolic for the Bears game):
(Hat tip:  GH!)

Sloopin Ranked 6th Best Neighborhood News Site in Chicago

Well this is nice to hear:  Sloopin is Ranked the 6th Best Neighborhood News Site in Chicago (on page 10 of this pdf)

From Chicago Community Trust's recent press release:
Two reports were released today (9/13) at the 2012 Chicago Community Information Summit at The Chicago Community Trust:
  • The NEW News 2012: Ranking Chicago’s Online News Scene, by Thom Clark and Emily Culbertson of The Community Media Workshop, and
  • Linking Audiences to News II: 2012 Network Analysis of Chicago Websites, by Rich Gordon of Northwestern University and Zachary Johnson of Syndio Social. 
The reports used a variety of quantitative and qualitative measures to identify the most noteworthy sites and to shed light on changes in the landscape since similar studies were conducted two years ago.
We've had some conversations with people at The Chicago Community Trust and are honored to be ranked in this thorough, time intensive report.

According to their ranking (on page 10 of this pdf) Sloopin's synopsis was:
If you're interested in the local news scene, the conference video is live and interesting (depending on your definition of interesting).  According to their research, the "neighborhood news" portion is
Innovation is happening on the neighborhood level. The biggest diversity in sites, business models and news presentation is happening in neighborhood news, where online start-ups compete with weekly papers and efforts funded by foundations and nonprofits. Add to that innovation EveryBlock and the New Communities aggregator, and you see the most diversity in online news approaches in neighborhoods.”
We like to hear this and agree.  Hopefully you do as well.

Thanks for your support!

Sloopin Crew

Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Venue Opens at 1550 S. State

When we saw this article in the Chicago Tribune we were a little perplexed.  We like to think that we know a thing or two about the neighborhood and apparently this new club, called The Venue (1550 S. State), went completely undetected by us.

Anyway, the Chicago Tribune provides some background:
Image from The Venue's Website
He has spent most of his adult life in the demanding and financially precarious world of music. Despite that, John Devens remains a sane man, and so it came as a mild shock to learn that he has decided to become the artistic director of a new music club in the South Loop. 
"Yes, it's a very tough and risky job, but this is really a labor of love," said Devens, standing on the sidewalk in front of the building that will house The Venue, a simple name for a bold and potentially important (but yes, tough and risky) addition of the city's entertainment scene, at 1550 S. State St. 
Recently Devens and some friends were putting the finishing touches — draping the walls with black fabric, arranging tables and chairs and installing soundboards — on the new club, transforming a room sometimes used for church services into what he hopes will be, as Devens says, "a great chance to showcase Chicago talent."
We grabbed the picture from their website and it appears that the place could use a little more character (at least visually).  To be fair, a picture does not always do justice and we are definitely intrigued by the concept.

We love music and hope that The Venue does well and helps bolster the neighborhoods music chops.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Installation of Stop Light at 13th and Wabash Begins 10/1

Good news for those of you who have almost been hit by a car at the corner of 13th and Wabash.  A reader writes about Alderman Fioretti's most recent news letter:
Hey sloppy just saw this from the aldermans office. Great spot for light because I have personally almost been hit by a car there at least a dozen times crossing the street.
Traffic Light Installation at 13th and Wabash
A traffic light will be installed at 13th and Wabash, with construction beginning on October 1st and ending around Thanksgiving. Alderman Fioretti secured funding for a traffic light at this busy intersection over a year ago, in response to constituent requests. This project is part of over $53 million in infrastructure improvements that have come to the South Loop through Alderman Fioretti's leadership.

As you may or may not remember (luckily the internet stores everything), this intersection has been a hot topic for awhile here on Sloopin.  Way back in May of 2011, we had a post "Danger Zone: 13th and Wabash Intersection".

This garnered a pretty healthy debate and back in November of 2011 it appeared that work was being done to install lights on Wabash.  It didn't happen then, but we heard it was still coming in June of 2012.

So here we are.  Hopefully it will happen soon because a man in a motorized scooter was struck at this intersection by a charter bus just two weeks ago (via the Tribune).

Image of Motorized Scooter being hit by Charter Bus (via Chicago Tribune)


(Hat tip: HS, MT and N!)

Bear Down with Kroll's Bearsmobile Tailgate this Sunday

Sponsored Post

ATTENTION BEARS FANS! 

Kroll's South Loop is excited to offer an incredible tailgate experience at the Bearsmobile this Sunday (9/23) before the Bears battle the St. Louis Rams.

Da Bearsmobile Tailgate will start four hours before the game and will include all you can eat and drink.

The menu for the tailgate includes some amazingly delicious options prepared by a professional chef -- Lobster, Dino Ribs, Porkchop Lollipops, Huge Turkey Legs and much more.  The tailgate will also have a bartender pouring top shelf liquor and beer.

And if that doesn't quench your thirst for football, food and drinks, after the Bears game you will have preferred access at Kroll's.

Spots are limited and will be reserved by cash or credit card on a first come first serve basis. Tickets are $50 per person. Please call for more details (312.235.1400).

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

A Sloopin Retail Roundup

And the businesses keep on coming...

Over the weekend we had a lot of news on the business front in the Sloop.  Without further ado:

Dental Group of Chicago has moved into the building at the corner of Michigan and 16th (1556 S. Michigan).  They are open for business and are relocating to the Sloop after serving Rush hospital for 40 years.  Their sign also states that they have "Multi-Dentist and Specialist Groups serving all your dental needs in one location".

Annie's Accents officially opened this past Saturday (9/15) at 1237 S. Michigan (where House of Sole used to be).  According to a press release:
Anie’s Accents, in part, reflects the personal fashion sensibility of its owner (Andrea White). White’s own style of dress is casual and elegant, with a penchant for loose, flowing garments. And, although White prefers neutral colors for herself, she plans to delight her customers with vibrant accent colors that add “pop” to any ensemble.

Finally, Chicago Ink & Toner has opened its door at 824 S. Wabash.  This is the space where Canady Le Chocolatier used to be.  It's also ironic that Cartridge World closed it doors and a new Ink & Toner store has already opened up shop (we're guessing that this is happenstance as opposed to strategic).

Congrats to these three new businesses and welcome to the Sloop!  Best of luck!

(Hat tip:  DJ!)

Monday, September 17, 2012

Floyd's Barbershop Moving into Recently Closed Cartridge World (27 E Harrison)


Remember when we wrote that Cartridge World was closed?  Well that was 11 days ago and in that time, a new sign announcing Floyd's Barbershop (27 E. Harrison) quickly went up (see image above).

What is Floyd's?  Well according to their website:
Floyd’s 99 shops focus on old school customer service, where customers are every employee's number one priority. It mixes its excellent service with the new style appeal of an experienced, talented staff with unique and fun personalities to match the Floyd's 99 attitude that keeps their loyal customers coming back. Surrounded with posters of hot bands and music artists plastered on the walls, customers can watch one of the plasma TV's or log on to the Internet at one of the shop's customer computers, all while taking in the music on Floyd's 99's own radio station. Then to top it all off, every customer receives the Floyd's 99 signature hot lather neck shave* and aaahhh…shoulder massage.
While we typically don't get super excited about a barbershop, it's definitely an improvement over a Cartridge World if you ask us.  It's interesting because there is a Sports Clips going in at 10 E. Harrison.  Seems like they cater to the same person.

According to their website they will be opening up in the fall of this year (so pretty soon!).

We've never been to Floyd's Barbershop?  If so, how did you like it?

(Hat tip: MM!)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Come Join the Chabad of the South Loop for the Jewish High Holidays Tonight


From a new spiritual leader in the Sloop:
Hi,
My name is Rabbi Leibel Moscowitz and my wife Chaya and our 16 month old daughter Chana recently moved to the South Loop to establish the Chabad Jewish Center of South Loop.
Our mission is to educate, inspire and help every Jew increase their level of Jewish knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment. With unconditional love and respect, Chabad of South Loop welcomes all Jews with a non-judgmental and pleasant approach. So whether you are a student or young professional, child or senior Chabad has something for you! 
The High Holidays (Jewish new year) is right around the corner and for the first time there will be High Holiday service and a community Rosh Hashana dinner in the heart of South Loop! At our services you will find a warm and welcoming environment, Commentaries and explanations, User-friendly; regardless of affiliation and most importantly we believe that at the time of the High Holidays the doors to open are open and so are ours! there is no admission, tickets or membership required.
We are proud to announce that we will be holding services at VenueSIX10@ Spertus Institute 610 S. Michigan Ave. and High Holiday dinner at Chabad of South Loop.
For more information about the holidays and Chabad of South Loop in general please visit our website at www.Jewishsouthloop.com 
It is a great honor and privilege for us to join the South Loop community and we hope to be able to meet all of our neighbors and get know you guys.
Thank you and keep up the great job you guys are doing!
Rabbi Leibel Moscowitz
Director Chabad of South Loop

Saturday, September 15, 2012

This Weeks on the Sloopin Message Board (w/o 9/10)

What does hair, wifi, eggs, new stores, cta cuts, drinking, flying objects and a locals selling stuff have to do with one another?  They all were discussed on the Sloopin message board this week.

Thanks again to everyone for the posts, comments and discussion.  In case you missed it (or would like to join the conversation) here are some of the new topics discussed:

Friday, September 14, 2012

Underemployed, MTV Show Filmed in the Sloop, Set to Premiere

Remember back in May of 2011 when we posted about a show filming in the neighborhood?  Well that show was thought to be a new series by MTV called "Underemployed".  Well it looks to be premiering this season on MTV and after watching the trailer (below) it seems like it's pretty well produced:

While it clearly is being marketed to college kids and recent grads, it's probably worth a watch.  It's gotta be better than "Guys with Kids".  Jimmy Fallon (who is the executive producer) should be embarrassed for putting his name on this one.  Anyway, we digress.

We will be watching "Underemployed" and trying to find "shots around the sloop".

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Artist's Cafe Now Open


Good news!  For those of us looking for some new food options, Artist's Cafe (1150 S. Wabash) is now open!

Has anyone been?  We're eager to go, but haven't been yet.

It's nice to see some new life at night at this corner.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Karamela...We Have a Problem


The 1200 block of South Michigan was oh so close to having 100% occupancy of the ground level retail space with the recent opening of Bottle & Botega and the impending opening of the UPS Store, Accents by A'ni and Karamela.

Unfortunately, it looks like we're going to have to wait a little longer to hit this goal.  Yesterday we got an email from a perceptive reader who found a peculiar posting on the Facebook page for Karamela (1250 S. Michigan):
Cafe Karamela Saturday via mobile
So the owner of Cafe Karamela decided to leave the amazing people he hired behind, with no explanation and disappears. For amazing baked goods and crepes, you can contact Krys Palomita Marie via Facebook. Don't forget to like the Painted Lady Bakery Emporium Facebook page!

So we reached out to Krys and got a confirmation from her that this was indeed true.  Pretty mysterious and unfortunate if you ask us.

The place has been ready to go for awhile now, so it was strange that it was taking this long to open its door.  Does anyone have the scoop?

(Hat tip: AS!)

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

2012 Lolla Cleanup Costs $350K to Fix Damaged Grant Park

Craziness in a muddy field at 2012 Lollapalooza in Grant Park (from Chicago Tribune)

It rained again at this year's Lollapalooza festival and that meant Grant Park was significantly damaged.  As a reminder, in 2011, C3 (the group that is responsible for Lollapalooza) spent $1 million to fix Grant Park and came under fire for how long it took to repair the high-profile park.

Well the cost appears to be less this year (according to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune), but we still need to see how long it takes them to fix everything:
Promoters of the Lollapalooza music festival now say it will cost $350,000 to restore Grant Park after this month's event. 
Earlier this month, the promoters and the Chicago Park District said it would cost about $150,000 for landscaping work in the park, which has hosted the festival for the last eight years.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Can We Call State Street the "Pizza Row" of the Sloop?

A reader tips us off to the "pizza row" of the Sloop:
The space between Ace Hardware and Urban Grocers on the 700 block of S. State is being built out. The guys at Ace said that it's going to be a pizzeria. Interesting, since Pauly's is two doors north and Lou Malnati's is 1/2 block south. This is the first time that all the retail space at 2 E. 8th will be occupied that I can ever remember.
(Hat tip: MJ!)

Saturday, September 8, 2012

This Weeks on the Sloopin Message Board (w/o 9/3)

Another week, another solid week of topics.  Thanks to everyone for the posts, comments and discussion.  We learned a lot of good new stuff about the neighborhood  In case you missed it (or would like to join the conversation) here are some of the new topics discussed:

Friday, September 7, 2012

NEXT STAR VODKA's Chicago Cocktails:
Basil Leaf's Chicago Mule

Sponsored Post

Every Friday, NEXT STAR VODKA will be kicking-off the weekend with a reoccurring segment featuring a new Chicago Cocktail from a local restaurant or bar.  Cheers!

This week's featured NEXT STAR Chicago Cocktail:
Basil Leaf's Chicago Mule
      • 2 oz Next Star Vodka
      • 6 oz Ginger Beer
      • Squirt of fresh lime juice
      • Stir and serve with garnish (if desired)

Basil Leaf Cafe is located in the heart of Lincoln Park (2465 N. Clark) and according to Zagat is known for the “large selection” of “nicely prepared” pasta dishes.  

NEXT STAR VODKA is Chicago's craft vodka.  Utilizing small batch micro-distilling methods, a custom-made copper still and premium Midwestern grain, our master distiller inspects each batch to ensure that our smooth vodka is second to none.  Click here to find a location selling or serving NEXT STAR VODKA.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Prairie Art Group Hosts Second Annual Art Show Tomorrow Night (9/7) at 1900 S. Prairie

A nice neighborhood group writes:
Hi Sloopin,
I am a member of the Prairie Art Group. We are a neighborhood group which meets twice a month. We use the meeting time to work in a supportive inspiring environment with fellow artists. We are having our second annual show on Friday Septemeber 7th at 1900 S. Prairie from 5-9pm. I am attaching the invitation.
(Hat Tip: SH!)

Cartridge World Closes Up Shop on 27 E. Harrison

Image from Google Maps
A reader writes:
Hey Sloopin,
I just recently noticed that Cartridge World on Harrison between State and Wabash is closed. One for the 2012 closed list.
(Hat tip: JM!)

More Info About Snap Fitness Coming to 1212 S. Michigan

YoChicago profiles some of the changes at the 1212 S. Michigan rental building and towards the end talks about the build out for Snap Fitness (0:46 second in):


It's interesting to hear that residents will get access for free, but even more intriguing to us is that the entrance will be from Michigan Avenue.  It's not a huge deal, but it's good to see more "retail" open on the street.


Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Spa Anjou (724 S. Dearborn) Opens in Printers Row

Living in a city can be stressful.  Lucky for us we have a new spa, Spa Anjou (724 S. Dearborn), to help give us some relaxing treatment:

Here is their story (via their website):
Spa Anjou invites you to an enriching and revitalizing spa experience of the finest quality. Located in the beautiful landmark building Printers Row of downtown Chicago, we pride ourselves in offering a sanctuary of peace, tranquility, relaxation, and rejuvenation away from your hectic everyday life. Our all-qualified beauty experts provide the art of skincare, precision waxing, various beneficial body treatments and the latest nail services. We also keep up with the latest innovations in our field of expertise, to provide you with the state-of-the-art therapy. Please come and experience being embraced by the healing energy through our friendly, caring, and professional environment. We deliver traditional as well as modern services that will make you look and feel amazing from head to toe. Spoil yourself or someone you love! We all deserve to feel wonderful!
Sounds nice.  Hopefully they live up to this.

Regardless, it's great to see some new life on one of the most prominent retail streets in the Sloop!

(Hat tip: MJ, DWK, MC!) 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

CTA Hosting De-Crowding Meeting Tonight at 6PM

So a couple readers sent us a quick note and wanted us to post about the CTA's meeting on de-crowding (from Chicagoist):
CTA is holding a hearing on its recently announced “de-crowding” plan 6 p.m. tonight at its headquarters downtown. (567 W. Lake St.) The plan—the first major restructuring of the transit system since 1997— would eliminate 12 underused bus routes and transfer the savings to adding train cars to every “L” route except the Yellow and Pink lines.

First off, sorry we didn't post this sooner.

Second, there is some potential changes to the Sloopers if the plan moves forward.   Specifically the 129 bus route (see route in image) which takes people to and from the Metra stations as well as various places in the loop may be cut.

If anyone goes, let us know what you find out.

(Hat tip: AS & Save129)


Artist's Cafe to Open on Saturday, September 8th?

A couple of weeks ago we noticed that the sign for the Artist's Cafe (1150 S. Wabash) was up and pondered if that meant they would open soon.  If you've walked by recently you probably also noticed that the brown paper was off the windows exposing a colorful and modern looking interior.

On Saturday, we received an email from a friend of the blog giving us a good scoop on the opening date:
Saw in one of your earlier posts speculation about when this will open. I was there today (Sept 1st) and was told by the owner that she's opening a week from today. Here's a pic if you want to use it:
Inside of new Artist's Cafe (1150 S. Wabash)
This is great news.  Looking forward to trying it out!

(Hat tip: JZ!)

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Shots Around the Sloop: Training to Save Lives

Chicago Fire Department Training Center on Taylor between Jefferson and Canal

Saturday, September 1, 2012

This Week on the Sloopin Message Board (w/o 8/27)...

Week two of our new Sloopin message was fun.  Thanks to everyone for the posts, comments and discussion.  We learned a lot of good new stuff about the neighborhood  In case you missed it (or would like to join the conversation) here are some of the new topics discussed: