The winter before last, auditions for the Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre’s production of Hairspray were held downtown, during the height of ‘Snowmageddon,’ which shut down most of the city. Actors, dancers, and vocalists, however, were undeterred, as director-choreographer Tammy Mader recalled in a conversation with The Pipeline last week at Happy Village, 1049 N. Wolcott.

“We had to stop the auditions, tell people to go back home, to get back safely,” she said.

Based on the 1988 John Waters cult classic film, Hairspray is set in the 1960s. The plot revolves around a chunky yet spunky teen Tracy Turnblad, who does whatever it takes to fulfill her lifelong dream of appearing on the popular Corny Collins Show.

Though the lighthearted musical has only been performed about 2,500 times, what differentiates this production, according to Mader, a three-time Jeff award winning director, is a focus on the roots of the original John Waters movie. Instead of an emphasis on “campy,” Maders says that she and her team went for a more understated and wry approach. Actor Michael Lindner played the role of Edna Turnblatt, Tracy’s mother, so convincingly, that Mader says, “You forget [Lindner's] a man playing a woman. He’s so maternal, so believable.”

Jack Helbig of The Chicago Reader called the production “yet another in Drury Lane’s series of high-spirited intelligently executed crowd-pleasers,” and credited its success to Mader, who “hasn’t just assembled a great ensemble of triple threats led by effervescent Lillian Castillo as plucky, plus-size heroine Tracy Turnblad. She’s also deployed them in a production packed with full-throated singing, full-throttle dancing, and flat-out funny comic acting.”

The secret of Mader’s success lies in her willingness to take on any role, from wardrobe to clean up and establishing strong connections and relationships within the theater community.

“Sometimes it’s fantastic and you’re working on a critically acclaimed show, sometimes you’re not. You just have to take what’s there to sustain and keep going. Reinvention is important, too,” she said.

In addition to her roles in live theater, both as a performer and director, Tammy teaches dance (and in fact was on her way to teach a class when she popped into Happy Village) and has done voice overs for numerous TV commercials. Next in Tammy’s pipeline will be directing ‘My One and Only’ at the Marriott Lincolnshire theater. She’ll also dance in Xanadu as well as do the choreography for Sunset Boulevard at Drury Lane which opens Jan. 31 and runs through Apr. 7, 2013.

Mader and her husband and two young children moved from West Town to Logan Square about a year and a half ago. Read more about what she loves about Logan Square (and commuting to Oak Brook via the Chicago boulevards) over on Our Urban Times.

Interested in seeing Hairspray, too? For reservations, call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111, or TicketMaster at 800.745.3000, or visit www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.

Looking for 50 shades of grey? No, we’re not talking about that book, but rather 50 shades of grey Italian made suits that you will find at Cavalini Menswear when it opens next week at 2014 W. Division in the former Couples Corner space at Damen and Division.

“Wicker Park is one of the best neighborhoods on the city,” owner Danny (also of adjacent D&D Liquors) said to The Pipeline. “The men here in Wicker Park deserve the finest suits.”

According to Cavalini’s manager, Marzena, pictured, the suits (of all colors, shapes, and sizes) will range in price from $100 to $800. Tailoring is available. In addition to suits, shoppers can find shirts, hats, socks, ties and shoes. Pretty much everything a guy needs in which to look dapper.  Look for Cavalini’s ad in the upcoming edition of the summer pipeline!

Over 60,000 people are expected to descend onto Division Street for the first fest of the summer season, the 6th annual Do-Division Street Fest & Sidewalk Sale, now expanded to three days, on Friday, June 1st through Sunday, June 3rd.  The fest will span 10-city blocks on Division from Ashland to Leavitt.  New this year is an even bigger Family Fun Fest, a fashion show, as well as some of the summer’s best live music, food, crafts, and local vendors.

Hours of operation are Friday, June 1st, from 5-10pm, Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 10 pm. The Do-Division Family Fun Fest is open from Noon- 6 pm on Sat & Sun only. There will be a $5 donation requested for admittance to Do-Division that will benefit local non-profits – the West Town Chicago Chamber of Commerce and participating non-profits.

This year’s music lineup is as follows:

Damen Stage: Programmed by Empty Bottle Presents

Friday, June 1st
Black Belles 8:30 pm
BBU 7:15 pm
Moon Furies 6:00 pm
Hosted by Peter O’Connell [Wham City Comedy] 4:45 PM

Peanut Butter Wolf 8:30 pm
Besnard Lakes 7:00 pm
Craig Finn 5:30 pm
Mannequin Men 4:00 pm
Peter O’Connell 3:50 / intro
In Tall Buildings 2:30 pm
Chris Connelly 1:00 pm

Sunday, June 3rd
The Antlers 8:30 pm
Pinebender 7:00 pm
Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons 5:30 pm
Teengirl Fantasy 4:00 pm
People’s Temple 2:30 pm
Eiren Caffall 1:00 pm

Leavitt Stage: Programmed by Subterranean and House Call Entertainment

Friday, June 1st
JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound 8:30 pm
Todd Hembrook & The Hemispheres 7:15 pm
The O’ My’s 6:15 pm

Saturday, June 2nd
Le Butcherettes 9:00 pm
O’ Death 7:45 pm
White Mystery 6:45 pm
Brown Bird 5:45 pm
The Blind Staggers 4:45 pm
Magic Milk 3:45

Sunday, June 3rd
Murder By Death 8:00 pm – PICTURED
The Soft Pack 6:45 pm
Gypsyblood 6:00 pm
Mutts 5:00 PM
Young Jesus 4:00 pm

The Do-Division Family Fun Fest: 

Do Division Street Fest & Sidewalk Sale has partnered with Friends of Pritzker School and LaSalle II PTO to create Do Division Family Fun Fest. Do Division Family Fun Fest, June 2-3 from noon to 6pm, has quickly become one of the premier family-friendly festivals in the city. Just off the main drag of Division Street, where the main festival is being held, there will be activities for the kids including live music, drumming, pony rides and hallmark vendors like Psychobaby, who will be transforming kids’ hair into punk hairdo’s.

The Family Fun Fest will continue to occupy a two-block stretch of Hoyne Avenue, north to Potomac. New this year is the Shedd Aquarium, who will bring several of their popular games such as the Penguin Plunge and the Polar Playzone as well as an opportunity to see some of their animals up close and personal throughout the weekend. We are also excited to have the Great Lakes Initiative, an organization that is focused on conservation and education about our most precious water source.  We will continue with Fun Facts about the Great Lakes and a quiz that promises to be an adventure in the neighborhood.

We’re bringing back many of the popular activities including The Easel Art Studio Craft Tent, punk rock hair styling by Psycho Baby, face painting, the Children’s Learning Place Toddler Zone, a bounce house, dunk tank and pony rides. And you can win prizes from Building Blocks’ famous Carnival Wheel.

Plus boogie on down at the main stage! See the full schedule below.

Main Stage Schedule:

Saturday, June 2:
Shakespeare All-Stars 12pm
ARCC 1pm
Mary Macaroni 2pm
Mad Science 3pm
Q and A with Sam from the Great Lakes Initiative 4pm
Sarah Parker 5pm

Sunday, June 3:
Dave Acoustic 12pm
Fiddle Billies 1pm
My Gym 2pm
Changs Martial Arts Demo 3pm
Awkward Cousins 4pm

Proceeds from Do Division Family Fun Fest go to Friends of Pritzker School and LaSalle II PTO, two public schools in Wicker Park.

The Sidewalk Sale (and Fashion Show in Moonshine Parking Lot)
Division Street between Ashland and Leavitt is packed with trendy salons, spas, cafes, bakeries and boutiques in addition to droves of popular restaurants that can satisfy any craving.  Throughout the weekend, many of these merchants participate in the elaborate sidewalk sale that spans the full length of the fest – offering great deals on everything from local designer garments to fine hand-made jewelry.  This year there will be an even bigger emphasis on the sidewalk sale, with participation from many more merchants.

There will be food trucks at the Polish Triangle on Milwaukee both days, along with a tent to distribute information and “anchor” the beginning of the Division Street Corridor.

A kid’s scavenger hunt is being planned in conjunction with the Family Fun Fest theme of oceans and great lakes.  Each business participating will have a marine life creature stenciled in chalk on the sidewalk in front of their business to identify participation. Families can stop in each business to obtain answers to educational questions relating to sea life. Once all of the answers are obtained, the card can be entered into a drawing to win a variety of prizes. The scavenger hunt will be both Saturday & Sunday, June 2nd & 3rd from noon to 6pm.

New to Do-Division Street Fest this year is the Do-Division Fashion Show produced by M.Go Fashion Salon (photo at right by Philin Phlash) taking place on throughout the day on Saturday, June 2nd in Moonshine Brewing Company’s spacious parking lot (1824 W Division). There will be both a boutique fashion show, featuring the Division Corridor’s top designers, and a kid’s fashion show showcasing the diverse apparel and styles that can be found at the shops on the strip as well.

For more information on the fest, call 312-850-9390 or visit do-divisionstreetfest.com.

Following is a message from Rose, manager of caffe De Luca, 1721 N. Damen, which will be closing its doors this Sunday after 13 years in business. All regulars are warmly welcome and encouraged to attend the post-closing gathering at nearby Silver Cloud. Aly De Luca plans to pop by and offer free tarot card readings, too, as she did at the caffe from 2009-11.

As you may know, Sunday May 20th is the last day our caffe De Luca Bucktown location will be open. Please come visit us as much as you can before we close at 5pm on Sunday for the last time! Also, as promised we will be having a get together at Silver Cloud Sunday May 20th at 6pm. Please come out and reminisce, take pictures with the staff and have a good time with us! Here is the info:

caffe De Luca Goodbye Gathering
Sunday May 20th at 6pm at Silver Cloud
1700 N. Damen

We don’t have a party package, so it is just a casual gathering, everyone taking care of their own tab.

Please feel free to pass this on to any caffe De Luca regulars you know who didn’t get it.

Seeing all of you has always been the best incentive to come into work!
Thank you again for 13 wonderful years! We couldn’t have done it without you!

Rose Hopkins – pictured
Manager
caffe De Luca
1721 N. Damen Ave.

It’s a buyer’s market and if you find the place you love, you should go for it! Sellers are understanding that pricing at the value of the home will get it sold. Several of the properties in today’s column went in less than a week! Check out some of these short times on the market.

There were 13 closings in Wicker Park and Bucktown this past week: 3 detached single family houses, 7 attached condos, and 3 multi-unit buildings. Thanks to Marc of Marc Harris Photography for snapping today’s spaces.  All photos by Marc Harris.

 

Sold – Detached

2227 W McLean 3 bedroom 2 bath 1 Story 3 days ($319,000 List price) $345,000

1428 N Elk Grove 4 bedroom 3 bath 2 Stories $620,000

1716 W Wabansia 3 bedroom 3.1 bath 2 Stories 4 days ($699,000 list price) $695,000 - PICTURED

 

Sold – Attached

1725 W North #207 1 bedroom 1 bath Parking space Condo-Loft 14 days $225,000 – PICTURED

1543 N Leavitt #2N 2 bedroom 1.1 bath Garage Condo, Vintage 1 day $260,000

2352 W Shakespeare #4B 2 bedroom 2 bath Garage Condo $367,000

2335 N Lister #D 3 bedroom 2.1 bath 2 Garage Townhouse 3+ Stories, $375,000

2215 W Wabansia #3 2 bedroom 2 bath Garage Condo, $390,000

1618 N Oakley #3N 2 bedroom 2 bath Garage Condo $412,000

2310 W Wabansia #1W 4 bedroom 3 bath Garage Duplex, Condo $462,500

 

Sold – Two to Four Units

2342 W Dickens 2 2 bedroom units Garage 13days $381,000 (Short Sale)

1217 N Damen 2 2 bedroom units Garage $520,000

1816 N Wood 3 Units, 2 3 bedroom duplexes + 2 bedroom flat $637,200- PICTURED

 

Quick take – What’s on the market now?

Type, (number), Max, Average, Median, Min Price

Detached (58 properties) $$4,499,900 $1,284,953 $939,450 $275,000

Attached (120 condos) $1,200,000 $396,623 $375,000 $119,000

2 -4 units (22 properties) $890,000 $527,845 $524,450 $250,000

 

*** Information sourced from MREDLLC; 5/14/12. Residential properties – Bucktown (Ashland, Western, Fullerton, North) and WickerPark (Ashland, Western, North, Division)

Do you have a real estate topic that you’d like explored in a future column, or a question about buying or selling a home? You can reach Eva by email, or 312-543-6819.

About the Author:  Eva Bergant is a Bucktown resident and local Realtor with a community driven style. In addition to being president of the Bucktown Community Organization (BCO), Eva has long served as the chair of the Bucktown Garden Walk.

In an impassioned phone interview with Chicago Pipeline Monday, embattled Congress Theater owner Eddie Carranza spoke about his reasons for filing a lawsuit against the city last week.

Carranza, who is seeking no monetary damages in the suit, said he is being discriminated by the municipality based on a broad reading of a law regulating alcohol consumption in theaters.

City ordinance 4-60-130(b) states “the operator of a theater presenting live stage performances” may sell liquor in their lobby one hour before the start of a performance, and during intermission.

Carranza said because his venue at 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. is a theater, albeit one primarily staging live music, authorities came to his venue enforcing a law that doesn’t apply to his business.

“We have the same, exact type of music theater liquor license as [The Congress’s competitors] do,” Carranza said, naming venues like the Vic Theatre, the Riviera Theatre, and the Aragon Ballroom.

“If you apply that law to us, you have to apply that law to every single theater in the city. That’s the basis of the complaint,” Carranza said. “If you crack down on us, you have to crack down on everyone else. It would kill live music in Chicago.”

Carranza also alleges police intimidation of Congress Theater staff, most notably in the treatment of general manager Ahmad Mahidi, who was taken into police custody and charged with violating city ordinances.

Friday April 13, 2012/ Photo by Alisa Hauser

Mahidi was charged with failure to cooperate with police regarding illegal activity in a licensed premise and with violation of hours of operation. Mahidi was taken into custody two-and-a-half hours before one ordinance he was charged with violating went into effect. No arrest was made, and Mahidi was released. On Friday April 13th, during a Meek Mill hip hop show, over 20 officers appeared after a fight among two patrons, where no arrest was made. The situation caused long-time theater neighbor Joe Kopera and eyewitness of the events to resign from his duties as a volunteer CAPS court advocate the following day.

The Chicago Building Code defines a “theater” as a building that presenting primarily theatrical performances, such as plays—not music concerts, as are the Congress’s specialties.

Carranza alleges the law was enforced at the behest of Ald. Proco ‘Joe’ Moreno (1st), who recently put the Congress in a Deleterious Impact/Public Nuisance hearing, the first of which was in April.  A minimum of three hearings are required when a business is placed into the deleterious impact process. The Deleterious Impact Public Nuisance Ordinance was established by former Mayor Richard Daley and went into effect April 11, 2007.  The ordinance was amended on March 13, 2012.

“[Moreno] found a loophole, he dastardly found a loophole to try to interfere with our business,” Carranza said. “Everything else he’s tried has failed. I don’t know why he applied this law on us. This is another attempt by the aldermen to screw us. He says he doesn’t shut us down, but his actions say otherwise.”

Carranza also says the Alderman is “very good friends with my competition,” insinuating they were also behind the increased attention.

“Our competition had a lot to do with initiating this,” Carranza said. “They spread the rumors to my alderman, and my alderman believed them. He didn’t find that loophole himself. My competition gave him that loophole to pursue.”

When pressed for proof of a correlating, conspiratorial relationship between Moreno and his competitors, Carranza said he had none.

“I can’t prove that that conversation took place, but only my competition would know about something that detailed,” Carranza said, regarding the law.

The Congress Theater has faced profound criticism in the face of a sexual assault of a suburban woman who tried to attend a New Year’s Eve concert, but was turned away because she did not have identification for an age-restricted show.

In the wake of the public outcry about the assault, direct criticisms of the venue, long held in disregard by many Chicago music fans, became much sharper.

“There is a difference between rock ’n’ roll seedy and downright disgusting. The Congress is the latter,” WBEZ music critic Jim DeRogotis said to Carranza.

DeRogatis cited his personal experiences as reporter at the Congress, as well as numerous conversations with “many of your neighbors and customers” for his questions to Carranza.

Users on Yelp, a consumer review-based social network, are particularly withering, criticizing the venue for a lack of sound quality, unsanitary bathrooms and for brutish nature of its security guards. Of the reviews on Yelp, 82—one-third of the 265 total user-submitted reviews—are one-star ratings.

Carranza acknowledged the criticism of his venue, but stridently defended it as well.

“No venue is perfect—nobody, not even the Chicago Theater,” Carranza said. “These shows are very complicated, and they’re a thousand moving pieces. Even with Morrissey, we had gay guys fighting. You know what I mean? No show is ever perfect.”

(Morrissey is a musician with a fervent cult following amongst discerning popular music fans, and is especially heralded as an icon amongst some gay and Latino listeners.)

Regarding Yelp reviews, Carranza deflected additional criticism as the complaints of bitter patrons who’ve been thrown out by security.

“Yelp is a terrible place to rate us. We kick people out for a variety of reasons. Those are the ones that are Yelp’in,” Carranza said. “The ones that complain, I guarantee you they’re getting kicked out.”

Carranza said he is confident the city will rule in his favor, and that the Congress is just as well run as every other venue in the city.

“Put this down, I’ll say this, and I’ll say it again: We are no worse, or no better, than every other professional venue out there,” Carranza said. “No worse, no better. The way we operate our venue is just as professional as [competitors] operate their venues.”

By Jon Graef

 

 

 

New digs

Orig. space

They say ‘home is where the heart is,’ and for Futurgarb, the friendly, run-by-siblings boutique (with a few resident felines) that we’ve been shopping at for as long as we can remember, this means not moving too far away from your home when you make a move!

In last week’s pipeline, at the very bottom, we’d included a photo of what looked like construction happening on the roof above Harold’s Chicken/Futurgarb that was snapped by Philin Phlash.

A neighbor wrote in to indicate that it looked like the boutique was moving out. We’d hoped it wasn’t the case, since we love Futurgarb. In fact, our favorite pair of jeans that are now falling apart after five years of use came from there, as did a green zip up sweatshirt that’s also ready to be retired.

Pictured is a random person in said sweatshirt from Futurgarb, a hat from Lenny & Me, and drinking a beer at Pint, circa 2008. Yeah, we don’t travel far!

Futurgarb’s new location at 1369 N. Milwaukee is literally just two doors north of its long-time space at 1359 N. Milwaukee, with the distinctive orange peeling paint facade, sandwiched between Harold’s Chicken and the University of Aesthetics. Now Futurgarb is just two doors south of Filter. Right behind a nice green tree. We look forward to popping by the new place soon!

 

About 50 area residents gathered at Lazo’s Tacos Restaurant (2009 N. Western) Tuesday for a meeting to hear Ald. Proco ‘Joe’ Moreno (1st) and City of Chicago Chief Financial Officer Lois Scott explain their support of the city’s newly approved Chicago Infrastructure Trust.

Moreno and Scott both gave opening statements about why they supported the 41-7 city council approved legislation creating it. Moreno and Scott explained the nature of the trust, why they supported it, and why it will be beneficial in their eyes to the city.

Moreno and Scott both said the purpose of the meeting was to provide additional information on the legislation, and to clarify the purpose of the trust. Attendees submitted written questions, which were interchangeably answered by Moreno and Scott.

The structure of the meeting provided for few follow-ups from the quiet crowd, but many direct questions from attendees were addressed, including those regarding transparency, privatization, and the financial implications of risk raised by the trust.

With the trust, the city of Chicago relies in part on private investment companies to fund infrastructure projects, which officials, including Scott, say are too financially unfeasible for the city to undertake on its own.

Such projects include improvements to city parks, train stations, and, most notably, the city’s water system, the privatization of which has been cautiously championed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. (An idea that has been strongly opposed.)

The $7 billion trust is a non-profit overseen by a five-member board of directors. The mayor, with approval of the city council, appoints the directors governing the trust. One member must be an alderman, and others must have expertise in finance, infrastructure and city planning.

The trust is then charged with finding projects that are financially feasible for the city of Chicago and its sister agencies—in Scott’s words, “schools, the CTA, the park district, the CHA, etc.

“Those projects might be projects that have been sitting on the drawing board for CTA, or schools, for many years, or haven’t been financed for lack of funding,” Scott said. “Or they may be new, and involve a technology risk the public sector might not be ready for.”

Scott cited common citywide problems, including late trains, bumpy, pothole-riddled roads, and schools in ill-repair, as examples of types of problems the Infrastructure Trust was made to address.

The trust has been subject to controversy about how transparent the process of which projects will be funded, city government to ensure no bias will oversee how projects funded by the trust, and how the private interests the city would work with can be held accountable to taxpayers.

In this regard, opponents of the trust who attended Tuesday’s meeting compared it to the city’s controversial parking meter deal, which involved the selling of public meters to a private company, for a loss.

The deal is widely lambasted by both aldermen and citizens alike. Both Moreno and Scott took pains to condemn it, yet also insisted that the Infrastructure Trust was a successful variant of a similarly private interest-minded plan.

“We are not leasing or selling any city assets. Let me make that clear,” Moreno said. “Quite frankly, it gets me angry, and it’s one of the reasons I’m having this meeting.

“The parking meter deal—that deal sold a public asset to a private company for a generation,” Moreno said. “OK? That is not what this trust is doing. We’re not making a decision to give the skyway away.”

Moreno assured residents the revised trust—which underwent several amendments before ultimately being decided on—would grant the council a strong oversight.

However, Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson wrote an aldermanic letter explaining that the trust, as it currently exists, “will only lead to legal disagreement and conflict down the road that will undermine public confidence in the integrity of this potentially beneficial program.”

Additionally, Moreno asserted during the meeting that Freedom of Information Act requests would apply to documents gathered by the trust. As of recently, they do not.

After the meeting, two Chicago residents and political activists, Dr. Lora Chamberlain and Rachel Goodstein, brought up the recent bailouts of the financial industry as examples of how the government lends help to private sector at the expense of the public sector.

Chamberlain brought up public banks in San Francisco as a counter example to public-private partnerships, arguing that wholly public enterprises are better for cities in the long term.

“Ours is the populist way,” Chamberlain said. “Theirs is the high finance way.”

Sewer workers on the 1800 block of N. Milwaukee Ave.

Another resident, Enrique Martinez, spoke highly of public-private partnerships, based on his own experiences working in the city’s Sewer Department.

“[Private interests] hold these people accountable,” Martinez said. “Best thing to happen to the city, going private.”

Goodstein spoke more negatively about them.

“Who are they looking out for?” Goodstein said, speaking generally of private interests. “We are always on the hook. Taxpayers are always on the hook. They burned us to the tune of their own greed. We need to invest in ourselves.”

Both Moreno and Scott said in the meeting that the risk of the trust would fall solely on the private investors, though no projects have been yet approved, and project approvals would take more than a year to implement.

Chamberlain was skeptical of that argument.

“Chicago taxpayers have been soaked enough by public-private partnerships,” Chamberlain said after the meeting.

By Jon Graef

 

 

Following is a cut ‘N pasted email from Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail. The Pipeline team is busy working on the production of our next printed publication. Thus, if you’d like to report on tonight’s meeting, presumably the launch of “Phase Two,” slated for Spring 2012, we’ll feature your dispatch here, or possibly in our weekly newsletter if we do one this week. The first person to actually comment and commit to covering tonight’s meeting gets…  to cover it!

From FOBT: “We are particularly interested in your feedback about access parks. After a short presentation, we’ll break into small groups to discuss the following access parks, and how ramps and other amenities will be designed:

-Ridgeway (trailhead)

-Kimball (a new park to be created)

-Julia de Burgos Park (between Albany and Whipple)

-Park 567 (presentation of the park design at Milwaukee and Leavitt)- PICTURED

-Churchill Field (Damen)

-Walsh Park (Ashland)

The meeting IS TONIGHT at 6pm at the Humboldt Park Fieldhouse, 1440 N. Sacramento. More details are in the flyer below – please be sure to invite your neighbors!”

June 2011/Photo by Philin Phlash

Ald. Proco ‘Joe’ Moreno (1st) stated his support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, apropos of President Barack Obama’s recent endorsement, Tuesday.

“I obviously support the President,” Moreno said. “I’ve held that belief for many years. I know others have.”

President Obama recently stated that he supports the legalization of same-sex marriage, while also saying the social issue would be best left up to the states to resolve. President Obama is the first sitting president on record to make such an endorsement.

The president also described his own views on the issue as having gone through an “evolved,” despite being on record as supporting same-sex marriage as a candidate for Illinois state senate.

June 2011/ Photo by Philin Phlash

Moreno said history will judge Obama kindly, and that the legalization of same-sex marriage is “common sense.”

“I think we’ll look back on his statement and say, quite frankly, that ‘yes, it was bold for the time,’ but we’ll look back on it and say, ‘well, yeah, that makes sense,’” Moreno said. “[Same-sex marriage legalization] is common sense, it’s human rights, it’s equal rights, and I applaud the President for [making his statement].”

In a phone interview with Chicago Pipeline, Moreno also gave an update on the ordinance introduced in March addressing inadequacies regarding Chicago Police Department protocol toward transgender citizens. The ordinance was introduced by Moreno, who co-sponsored it with Aldermen James Cappleman and Tom Tunney.

“We got that ordinance and that agreement, and now the discussion is whether you believe the police already have the measures [to address the transgender community] in place, or if there need to be stronger measures,” Moreno said.

Moreno mentioned a lawsuit brought against the city of Cicero because of transgender discrimination, saying having a city policy would help resolve such complaints.

Moreno also stressed the importance of how the ordinance addresses language, specifically which pronouns to use when referring to an apprehended transgender person, or a transgender person who needs assistance.

“We’re talking in details of how police should refer to specific individuals by pronouns—really specific stuff,” Moreno said. “We’re discussing that language right now.

“The problem [with addressing such issues] is that some in the transgender community have just not taken the steps, or do not know how to take the steps, to change their identification,” Moreno said.

June 2011/Photo by Philin Phlash

Moreno said while there have been many differences of opinions from the LGBTQ when it comes to the ordinance, he said several meetings with those local LGBTQ organizations – including the Civil Rights Agenda, and the Human Rights Council — to further refine and discuss the ordinance have gone well.

In April, however, LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Illinois withdrew its support of the ordinance, saying the ordinance was not the same one the groups had agreed to up to its introduction.

“The proposed ordinance that was introduced in March removed all major enforcement and accountability components that we had previously discussed were essential to include,” wrote Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, in a statement to Windy City Media Group.

The statement also noted that Center on Halsted and Lambda Legal withdrew its support. The Civil Rights Agenda, however, retained its support of the ordinance, highlighting existing tensions between the CRA and Equality Illinois.

Moreno, for his part, emphasized the importance of “having a policy on the books,” a phrase repeated often during the interview.

“Politics aside, we need to have a policy on the books,” Moreno said, adding, “As we continue to barter over small political agendas, our transgender community doesn’t have a policy on the books. We need to get something going because every day we don’t is another day the community doesn’t have a policy on the books.”

There are no upcoming public meetings to discuss the ordinance scheduled.

By Jon Graef

 

 

 

 

Twenty restaurants including Wicker Park’s Cumin are donating food to the 2nd Annual Ladybug Bash, to take place this Thursday from 7-11PM at Grossinger City Autoplex, 1530 N. Dayton Ave.

Proceeds will benefit Atia’s Project Ladybug Fund. There is a personal connection between Sanjeev, co-owner of Cumin, and Atia, who was diagnosed with cancer at 17 months of age and is now three years old.  Prior to working in the restaurant industry, Sanjeev worked in IT and Atia is the daughter of one of his former coworkers.

Learn more about the fund here.

Tickets start at $75.

 

 

First it was Milwood Pizza, named for the fact its location is at Milwaukee and Wood Avenues, at 1360 N. Milwaukee. Then, Milwood relocated to North and Ashland (but kept the Milwood name).

We watched the brown paper go up on the windows of Antico Taco, in the former Milwood space, though never got a chance to meet the owners, so read all about Antique Taco, which is owned by Rick and Ashley Ortiz, who’ve been cooking out of a shared kitchen for their Antique Kitchen Catering company, over on the RedEye as well as Eater.com.

Per Ari Bendersky of Eater.com, “The couple aims to showcase their shared passion for cooking traditional Mexican fare like masas and tacos as well as their love for antiquing.”

Anyone want to go on a lunch outing to Antique Taco this Wednesday? Per Eater, Antique Taco plans to open this Wednesday, May 16th!

In other newly opened news, we popped by Milano Nando Trattoria this past week, at 2114 W. Division (in the former Dee’s Place spot).  Check out today’s Thrillist which featured the cozy trattoria and its menu.

Bon appetit. And Happy Monday.  On a side note, there are just a few days remaining to join the upcoming printed magazine. Over 85 business, shops, and community groups will be featured in 30,000 printed copies, and maybe you, too!  Call 773-960-3997. At this point, we prefer to receive camera-ready creative, but if you need a custom ad done, we can do that.  Josh and  JR are busy making lots of fun ads. Alisa will be taking photos for a few ads today. In a world where traditional newspapers are unfortunately shrinking in size and scope, we believe there is still a role for print, though on an occasional basis. We print just twice yearly- summer and winter. The advertisers in the printed editions help to inform the content on our weekly e-newsletter, website, and blog.

Thanks to the many news participants who joined this past weekend. Here’s a sneak peek of the magazine’s cover, by Rick Liebenow who painted the covers for our past two printed publications. People hanging out in the park is reflective of the neighborhood we know and love. While there’s lots of huge summer fest crowd pleasers, and yes, we’ll be listing dates and info on those, it’s the advertisers in the publication who not just inspire our content but make the steep costs associated with printing and distribution possible. Thus, expect lots of off-the-beaten path places to be featured and community-focused-volunteer-run festivals. Thank you to all who’ve signed up thus far. Call 773-960-3997 to be part of the magazine.  If you would like to donate toward the costs of printing, click here. We will feature your name in print!! All proceeds will be applied toward printing, distribution, and compensating a team of five people working hard on the publication.

We just heard on the radio, at our mother’s place, where the radio is always playing, that 40% of men surveyed do not plan to buy their mothers or wives gifts this Mother’s Day. According to the announcer, these men ”will be in hot water.”

We here at the pipeline believe in the gift of time, rather than material gifts. Though for gift ideas, check out CeCe’s Mother’s Day Guide, including dining options at  Taxim, 1558 N. Milwaukee, and Cafe Laguardia, 2111 W. Armitage, both participating in upcoming print magazine, due out June 1st (yes, there’s still time…  thanks to Brasil Legal, Pinch Spice Market, and Park Schreck Gallery who joined the magazine yesterday!)  In the reader survey, someone wrote, “Iwouldn’t be willing to pay to subscribe to the pipeline, but I would be willing to shop and spend money at pipeline supporters.”  Thanks to all readers who might feel this way, too.

Most moms, including ours (we can’t speak for Lady Phlash, or CeCe’s or Davis’s or JR’s mom) would likely be happy to spend time with you today.  Phlash’s wife, S., is featured in the photo at far left, snapped during West on North’s opening party last summer.

Following is a Mother’s Day reflection by Gary Marks which we featured in a May 2010 Pipeline.  Marks is a local landlord and documentary filmmaker.

When my mom died last December my brother and I both spoke at the funeral. I had often thought about what I would say that day and long ago I decided that the speech would begin, “my mom was a blonde from the day she was born to the day she died”. Now certainly there was some vanity attached to that standing Friday afternoon beauty parlor appointment, but for me that blondness was more a symbol of my mother’s incredible resilience and her determination to continue caring about the things she thought were important.

She was a Big Band, Frank Sinatra loving 50′s girl and in the vernacular of her time I think they would’ve said “she was a real class act”. She was smart, she was funny and she looked like Grace Kelly and had the poise to match. She met my dad at a resort where he was playing and before you knew it they were raising three kids in a nice old house on Chicago’s south side. Then in 1962 a drunk driver struck my parent’s car and my mom was left crippled for the rest of her life. Read more by Gary Marks Here.

This Friday 2/11/2012 I went to Branch 50 of the circuit court located at Grand and Central for the preliminary hearing for the two defendants, Renaldo Jackson and T.J. Jones (alias for T.J. Smith) who were arrested in the attempted burglary and for having burglary tools in their possession at the rear door of a business on the 1300 N Milwaukee.

After listening to the testimony of the police officer and the questions presented by the defendant’s lawyer, the judge ruled that there was probable cause for the arrest. The case was then continued until 6/1/2012 at 9:00 AM and now goes to 26th and California in room 101 for assignment to a judge and court room. The defendant’s may or may not have their arraignment on the same day. Both defendants are being held at the Cook County Jail on a $200,000.00 Bond.

Additional burglary charges of other business on this strip of Milwaukee Ave are still pending. Video of these two defendants inside another business have been turned over to burglary detectives. Both Renaldo Jackson and T.J. Jones (alias for T.J. Smith) are currently on parole. Both defendants have several convictions including many burglaries dating back to 1980.

-Joe Kopera

Via the Sun-Times Media Wire, The Pipeline learned about a lawsuit filed by the Congress Corporation (owners of the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave.) in Cook County Circuit Court yesterday.

In the lawsuit, according to the Sun-Times, ”Congress Corporation claims police officers have issued multiple citations, stopped Congress Theater employees from selling alcohol and threatened to arrest employees because they were violating a city liquor law for theaters.”

As reported previously by The Pipeline, the concert venue has received numerous citations pertaining to a city ordinance that relates to the selling of liquor at music venues, which have the same incidental liquor licensing as theaters. The most recent incident occurred this past Saturday, May 5th, when the theater’s General Manager was taken into police custody at 12:30AM.  For more coverage, click here.

Jon Graef, a new member of the pipeline team, will be following up on the lawsuit as well as with Eddie Carranza, owner of the Congress Theater. Graef will report on any findings here.

Happy (rainy) Saturday. Two are dead and 17 are wounded from last night’s gunfire, per the Tribune.

There’s just one day left to find a perfect Mother’s Day gift. We suggest you check out One Strange Bird, as well as the many spots mentioned in CeCe’s round-up.

There’s just four days left to join the printed edition of the pipeline. We’re making 30,000 widely distributed copies of a full color 60 page magazine, with over 100 local shops, groups, and businesses represented in it, all of whom inform and inspire our content all year long!

Your Summer Pipeline will be the largest, most in-depth, and unique community-supported PRINTED summer guide in the city, so join it TODAY while you still can! Call 773-960-3997 so you won’t be like many folks who say after the fact, as they’re flipping through it, “How come we’re not in this?!”   Thanks to American Apparel for returning to the back cover spot! Here’s a few sexy swimsuits from their collection including a male model that looks way too much like ‘J.R,’ our editor, who is out of town. We hope it’s not him! (Actually we see the tattoos…  not him)

In other news, here’s what’s happening today. If we missed your news, add it as a comment.

10AM-Noon: Community:

Shredding & Electronics Recycling Day (K-Mart/Staples Lot) -  The SSA #33 sponsors this event, and it’s free, so give your tiny home office jaws of death a break and bring up to five bags of sensitive papers so that they can be shredded by Secure Eco Shred’s monster jaws.  As of this past January, it became against the law to toss cell phones, computers, TVs, batteries, and other electronics, so if you’ve got any of the aforementioned that you’re not using, dispose of them legally at the event. Ashland and Division.

 

11AM-2PM: 

Julia de Burgos Park Naming

Though a bit out of the neighborhood, we wanted to share news of a future Bloomingdale Access Point Park, at 1801 N. Albany (at Bloomingdale, map it!), namely because this news comes to us via Jason Walker, who met us in our ‘office’ at the now-closed Skewers last month and installed Google Analytics, which makes him our first (and only) volunteer statistician!  So, if you are a fan of the work being done on the trail, or are just excited about a new local park,  we encourage you to pop by today’s naming ceremony for Julia de Burgos Park, in honor of one of Puerto Rico’s most famous poetess.  The family friendly ceremony will take place from 11AM to 2PM.  More details on the park’s Advisory Council page.

11AM-6PM: Greenheart Earth Olympics

(Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen) Yoga, meditation, a parade, it’ll all be happening in the park, presumably with ponchos and rain boots unless we get some sun soon. Learn more about Unleashing Your Global Citizen and the day’s activities here.

Noon- 4:30PM

There’s a great kids show over at the Tom Robinson Gallery, 2416 W. North, featuring vintage erector sets! Featured is Max w/ Michael Thompson’s  “TOWER.” Can’t make it? Call 773 227 3144  or by appointment anytime.

 

2-5PM: Free Wine Tasting (Red & White Wine Shop) – Enjoy wines from Italy & France, poured by Rob Mosher of Tenzing Wines. At the corner of Oakley and Milwaukee. The Pipeline will be there. We were just there last night for beer to bring to Red & White’s BYOB neighbor, Irazu. Eat and drink local!

 

6-10PM: Art Opening: Relentless- click on the link to see which artists are participating in the group show. Featured is artwork by Tyler Cooey.

(OhNo!Doom Gallery, 1800 N. Milwaukee).

8-11PM: Anniversary Party (Arts n Spirits, 1921 N. Damen)

Congrats to Arts n Spirits on its 1-Year Anniversary. Stop by for a celebration!

Did we miss your event? It’s a big neighborhood and we are reliant on advertising in which to continue covering it, so join the printed edition if you haven’t already. Thanks to everyone for your support over these past three years. If you are a reader and would like to support the continued work of the pipeline, check out our Paypal link. Give ANY amount and we’ll thank you in print on our staff box page!! Some media outlets have pledge drives. Others make magazines. We hope you can be part of this one.

 

 

 

 

What does a neon camp fire look like?

Find out that and more tonight at the opening of Circa 1970s, Heaven Gallery’s first curated art exhibition, featuring works inspired by the 1970s, including the said neon camp fire, by Morgan Sims, and optical illusion art by Jason Lazarus.

Other participating artists include Eric Fleischauer, Theodore Darst, Mara Mullen, Robin Kang, Jessica Taylor Caponigro, Aron Gent, Lucas Blair, Matt Sauermilch, and Colin Leipelt.

The gallery is located at 1550 N. Milwaukee Ave. (above Lubinski Furniture).  Opening reception 7-11PM tonight. Gallery is open 1-6PM on Saturdays or by appt.

According to this blog post, “The decade expressed a sense of vitality and possibility, shifts in critical thinking and diverse approaches altered our understanding of art.”

We agree.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here for the May 10th Pipeline.

We are so thankful to everyone that’s helped us along the way. We look forward to putting together the best printed pipeline yet! It’s not just a one issue thing…  All advertisers in print inform and inspire our virtual content all year long. Links to all participants will be included in every pipeline for four months (16 weeks).

Though there is a long-standing liquor moratoria in place for the area where the new CVS across from the Polish Triangle is located at 1624 W. Division, 1st Ward Alderman ‘Proco’ Joe Moreno recently went to bat at City Hall for the corporation, which began selling packaged goods and liquor a few months ago.

For neighborhood associations like the 30-year-strong  East Village Association, whose members worked hard to put the moratorium in place, and for other groups like the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, the Wicker Park Committee, and area schools like Holy Trinity High School and Near North Montessori School that had opposed granting CVS a liquor license, the news of the corporation selling package goods was received with disappointment. The EVA was alerted to the news by a sign in the window at CVS advertising that beer and wine would be coming soon.  Per  a comment on this EVA blog post, “Community groups have no standing on liquor or zoning. An alderman has to put any changes before the City Council, so a community vote is advisory. An alderman may pledge to abide by such a vote, but that isn’t the case.”

This past Monday, The Pipeline attended the EVA monthly meeting at Happy Village to learn more. The alderman’s decision to green-light CVS for selling liquor has now caused existing and emerging businesses to petition for lifting the moratorium. These businesses include Thornton’s, which plans to open an urban food market in the vacated space on the southeast corner of Ashland and Division (next to the Evil Olive), Garden Gourmet Market at 1130 N. Ashland (pictured is co-owner, Maher Farhan) which opened back in January, and “QTA Services” at 1054 N. Ashland.

The alderman is now asking the EVA to consider reviewing individual applications from businesses hoping for an exception to the moratorium. A show of hands at the meeting indicated that many EVA members are in favor of keeping the moratorium in place.

EVA President Stephen McKnight, pictured, indicated that the vast amount of time needed to analyze requests and conduct background checks on applicants could be spent on other more rewarding efforts like greening the neighborhood.

“Just remember it’s easy when it’s [liquor sales] not on your block,” said EVA member Scott Rappe at the meeting’s conclusion, whereupon it was decided that the association would seek continued feedback from East Village residents (readers who live on the streets affected by the moratoria are encouraged to share opinions on the EVA Facebook page) and draft a resolution/stance on the matter to present at their June 4th meeting.

Most recently, the EVA was successful in preventing the Red Apple Convenient Mart at Damen and Chicago from receiving a packaged good license. According to a volunteer who spoke at the meeting, the effort took “140 letters of opposition, three different alderman. and the West Town Chamber of Commerce” for the filed application to be dropped.

Though unrelated, but perhaps of interest to readers, it is to be noted that the new Walgreen’s moving into the former bank building in Wicker Park has applied for a packaged goods license as well, though there is no moratorium in place at six corners, only a plethora of other spots in which to purchase packaged goods within a two block radius like Life’s a Cabernet, Cellar Rat, Evolution Wine and Spirits, Red & White, Universal Liquors (recent sold to new owners), W Crossings Grocer, and perhaps even the new 7-11 slated to move into the strip mall at 1658 N. Milwaukee Ave., if they apply for a license, too.

 

We are truly sorry to report that Skewerz, 1560 N. Damen, is closed, just a few months after its fourth anniversary party.  A new restaurant (independently owned) concept is slated to to move into the space by late July.

We know sources close to the matter, but since they say, “I can’t tell you, because you’ll write about it,” we’re in the dark about the next chapter for the highly coveted space adjacent to the Damen El stop too. RIP, Skewerz.

So instead of reporting on what’s next we’ll just write about what Skewerz meant to us, if anyone cares.

We missed Skewerz’s wi-fi lounge this past deadline night aka last night. This fun fact has no relevance now, but for those who liked to burn midnight oil, Skewerz, home of the best grilled artichokes, was open until 2AM on weeknights. On average we- OK, I- was there once weekly, sometimes more. Though we kept to ourselves mainly, given we were usually writing something, Skewerz was our “Cheer’s.” Even exes unfortunately knew to find us there.  And suitors. And friends that were worried about our mental health since they hadn’t seen us in awhile but knew where to find us on deadline night.

Philin Phlash’s photos were on the wall of Skewerz.

J. from Pint would come by on Wednesday nights to play darts, and tell me that I need to take risks, to not be afraid to write “more than just fluff.”

“You’ll get more readers if you write real stories,” he said. And then someone would throw a dart and almost miss the board. But perhaps having a death wish I was too lazy to move away from the dart board or to actually leave Skewerz, not until they were closing at 2AM, or 2:05AM.  I was usually the last to leave.

“What are you working on?” O., an employee, would ask.

“Oh, this neighborhood thing…  this thing that takes up all the space in my life…  this pipeline, ugh,” I’d say. Or mumble. Or whine. Aching lower back. Darn soft wifi lounge pillows! My fault for sitting on them for five hours, slouched over, typing with one hand, immobile, listening to the same reggae track that seemed to play the same songs for the past few years. Buffalo Soldier…

… If I were feeling especially manic, I’d leave Skewerz at 2AM and hop a cab to the all night Starbucks in Old Town and finish the pipeline there! Or sometimes go to a different all night cafe nearby like I did last night before finally giving up at 3AM and getting some shut-eye.

Mike, the owner of Skewerz, like many small business owners, lived and breathed his business the way I live and breathe the pipeline.  To put everything you’ve got into a venture is not a risk most people would be willing to take. Most people are sane.

One day, this was awhile back, Mike told me that he saw this poor guy on the street trying to sell cotton candy, but for whatever reason, nobody was buying it. So Mike decided to ask him how much it would be to buy the entire pole.

Skewerz then sold cotton candy for a few days until the guy came back to get his pole.

Like Phlash, I snap thousands of pictures, so I can’t find the photo of Mike with the cotton candy. But here’s Phlash’s son, Marty, pointing to his dad’s photos on the wall of Skewerz.

RIP, Skewerz.

On a side note, the adjoining Wiki Market (prior to the tiki wifi lounge), was the first time I ever met Phlash. He was selling his photos there.