Thursday, July 03, 2008
The Book Bike
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Posted by: |
Craig Nelson |
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Photo: |
Courtesy of Something to Read |
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Wicker Park
Beginning July 5th, a most curious bicycle hits Chicago streets and parks: The Book Bike. The only bicycle built for books will visit random Chicago parks every Saturday (weather-permitting) and open its doors to reveal a treasure-trove of books for the taking which have been generously donated by publishers all over the country: from Not For Tourists to McSweeney's to Akashic to Fantagraphics, this oddity is packed to the brim with free books. The Book Bike is a part of Something to Read, a literary initiative founded by writer and editor G.M. Levinson (reviews editor of Make: A Chicago Literary Magazine and an associate editor for the online journal Is Greater Than) to promote and support all things literature in Chicago. The Book Bike will make its inaugural journey to the heart of Wicker Park at noon. Don't miss out. The books are free to anyone in the park on a first-see, first-take basis! |
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Wednesday, July 02, 2008
If You Name It, They Will Come
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Lemmings
Thanks to the continual sprouting up of boutiques, coffee shops and mediocre restaurants offering "American-style" cuisine (fried foods with extra cheese and sides of ranch), the boundaries between Bucktown and Lincoln Park continue to blur. Mercifully, the bar Lemmings hearkens back to the days when Bucktown was a fringe neighborhood full of uniquely architectured buildings with cheap rent and bars with cheap drinks. The tall boy cans of PBR are welcomingly priced at $2.75 a pop and the startlingly jovial atmosphere on a recent Friday night begs for you to stick around and cajole a few Irish Car Bombs out of the bartender who's more than happy to pour them since he's (apparently?) been jonesing for one since his shift started five hours ago. The clientele is more "Brah, check it: I just hung up my MBA over my middle-management desk! Yo, what's the Cubs' score?" than I would care for but one has to remember that Hey, you're in Bucktown aka Lincoln Park West. The spot does offer free wi-fi which led to the interesting scene of one of the aforementioned white-collar 20-somethings strutting into the bathroom with his laptop in one hand, beer in the other all the while yammering on his bluetooth. |
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Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Of Noodles and Men (J/K)
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Joy's
Boystown knows its Asian cuisine. Restaurants like Ping Pong, Bamee's, and Joy's Noodles and Rice are well-priced, well-decorated (of course), and delicious. Joy's is the largest of the pan-Aaian restaurants centered around Broadway and Belmont, and is definitely one of the best. Reasonably-priced noodle favorites like Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mao define the menu, and delicious appetizers like vegetable rolls and crab rangoon guarantee over-indulgence. The wait staff is polite, fast, and pure Boystown, giving the restaurant a unique, infectious affability. A great place to take a date, gay or straight. Joy's Noodles is the pride of Boystown. |
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Monday, June 30, 2008
Half-Price Maki
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Tank Sushi
Word on the street has unofficially anointed Tank Sushi this year's chosen sushi spot. But if dropping 40 bucks on a few mid-sized (albeit fancy) rolls breaks the bank, don't walk away from your feelings! Tank offers a half-priced maki list during weekday lunches and weekend happy hours. Even if you've reached the point where unlikely food combinations fail to excite you, at least you won't ever have to come to terms with the fact that you paid $15 for a roll with strawberries in it. So call up all your broke freelance writer/musician/environmentalist/perpetual-student friends who really want nothing more than to eat some guilt-free escolar. |
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Friday, June 27, 2008
Glamorous Grog
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Lush Wine and Spirits
Think you know what the corner liquor store is like? Think again. Lush has totally destroyed the idea that every liquor store should be bland-looking and full of crappy fluorescent lighting. This shop is outfitted in beautiful dark wood that creates a luxurious shopping experience, even if you're just buying a ten dollar bottle of cava. Most of the store is devoted to wine, and if you don't know what to buy, the super-friendly staff will jump to your assistance. You can even try certain selections at their tasting bar or go to one of their events. They also sell books to help you learn even more about the world of adult beverages. A couple of coolers at the back are devoted to a small but nice beer selection. Bonus: A lot of them can be purchased as single bottles, which is a great way to sample microbrews. |
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