New issue out now!
In addition to the international competition going on at Medinah Country Club this week in the Ryder Cup, pitting the best European golfers against American ones, there’s a huge table tennis tournament taking place in Chicago this week. I just found out about the Chicago International Table Tennis Festival 2012 yesterday. Want to know more about the tournament? Go to the website at www.killerspin.com.Yeah, I know, I’m clueless – but in my defense, there’s always so much going on in Chicago, I can’t know everything, and I can’t write about it all by myself, and I’m pretty focused on my son’s homework and soccer at the moment.
Here’s another event that was only vaguely on my radar: Prince. This week my husband got a last-minute ticket to see His Purpleness. Not only did Prince do shows at the United Center Monday-Wednesday, he played after-shows at the House of Blues, and a friend of my husband’s was lucky enough to score two tickets around 5 p.m. on Wednesday night for the final such show. Apparently the first HoB concert didn’t actually happen, leading to a big brouhaha among fans. Here’s an article about the first night’s disaster. I’m sure everyone and their mother did a review of the United Center shows so I’m not linking to any of those. And I can’t post any images because HoB banned cellphone photography. Although I’m fairly certain many unauthorized pics were taken.
What I did do this week: A show at Lincoln Hall with the Raveonettes, following dinner at Uncle Julio’s using the gift certs I won at the Cosley Zoo. Although my husband still wants his ashes spread at the Metro when he dies, he now thinks of Lincoln Hall as his favorite live music venue. It is pretty cool, the sound is good, and the food is yummy there. Plus, there are stairs and a ramp for handicapped access that provide good sightlines for short people like me.
I’d never been to Uncle Julio’s before, and it was fun. One of those big Mexican restaurants, with lots of lively chatter and good drinks (sangria was my poison last night). The menu has some classics and Tex-Mex favorites, although I picked a special, the Acapulco Shrimp, with cilantro rice, mango salsa, and grilled shrimp with a honey-lime glaze (if I remember the description right). I recommend Uncle Julio’s, if you’re in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on North Avenue and willing to pay around $20 for your entree.
In the meantime, the next issue of the Windy City Guide is out. Here’s what it looks like:
FYI, the WCG is distributed at around 400 locations in and around Chicago. You may find it in your hotel room or in the hotel lobby, at local Barnes & Noble stores, Whole Foods, apartment and business buildings, Great Lakes Naval Base, a few restaurants here and there and a bunch of other places. Let me know if you would like to locate one. I will also post a link when the issue goes online (yes, the whole thing).
And self-promotion achieved. Later.
Four Stars 