Chicago’s Englewood B.U. is as much an alchemist as a rapper, combining elements to create effects that defy easy explanation. On his new debut, 99 B.U.…Read More
A history of John Porcellino’s midwest influence
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Long live the King-CatMegan Kirbyon February 16, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »
The man stood outside and kept asking to be let inside before he fired shots through the door, police said.
A woman was critically wounded after a man she knew opened fire through a closed door Tuesday morning in Woodlawn.
The man stood outside and kept asking to be let inside before he shot through the door, Chicago police said.
The woman, 26, was shot in her abdomen and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
The shooting happened about 5:15 a.m. in the 6200 block of South Champlain Avenue.
The shooter left the scene and was not in custody, police said.
Woman critically hurt by gunfire in WoodlawnDavid Struetton February 16, 2021 at 3:57 pm Read More »
Polish culture has a profound place in Chicago’s history and the delights of its cuisine are found abundant. The pączki is perhaps the most popular and Chicagoland bakeries expect to sell thousands and thousands of them this Fat Tuesday.
A pączki is essentially a donut, filled with something sweet such as chocolate or fruit or custard and topped with icing or sugar. So just like a normal donut except for the fact that there’s a bit of alcohol and a very rich flour. They’re also a fan favorite every February as Chicago celebrates their iteration of Mardi Gras. You know we love a good guide so we’ve honed in on our 10 favorite spots around Chicago for the best pączki this year. Note, between COVID-19 restrictions and the snow-pocalypse of this past 24 hours, you may need to utilize your favorite delivery service or cross your fingers one of these is right around your corner for your pączki this year.
3329 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
5442 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60630
Online | Pick up at 4650 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Posted by Wiklanski’s Bakery on Monday, June 15, 2015
6006 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60634
2445 N Harlem Ave, Chicago, IL 60707
1124 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
5523 S Narragansett Ave, Chicago, IL 60638
5450 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60630
5927 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630
2907 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60608
For a fully encompassing list of all of the places to grab a pączki in Chicago this year, you can utilize this guide put together by Block Club Chicago. They have also put together a how-to guide on making your own pączki at home if you want to put your own spin on the Polish delicacy. And be sure to snap a picture of your pączki this year and send it to us at @urbanmatterchicago on Instagram! We’ll share your post for the festivities this year!
Pączki Featured Image Credit: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
The post 10 Best Places in Chicago for a Delicious Pączki For Fat Tuesday appeared first on UrbanMatter.
As the city of Chicago and its’ robust restaurant scene begins to slowly reopen, people are awaiting word on their favorite neighborhood spots. Good news for fans of KINTON RAMEN in West Loop as they’ll reopen on February 17th for dine-in, takeout, and delivery with a great menu special to boot.
They’ll be reintroducing themselves to the restaurant district with an incredible three-course special a meal including choice of any signature ramen for the entrée, side choice of Komi Chicken, karaage fried chicken in a komi sauce topped with arugula, pickled red ginger and garlic chips or Taru Taru Chicken, a karaage fried chicken served in a garlic taru sauce topped with arugula and a spicy chili seasoning, as well as matcha cheesecake to sweeten the deal. Available for dine-in, takeout or delivery for just $16.99, diners may enjoy the special through March 2.
“As the city of Chicago begins to re-open, we are overjoyed to be bringing our upbeat, chef-crafted ramen experience back to diners in the safest way possible,” said James Kim, Founder and CEO of Kinka Family. “Whether dining in with us or ordering for takeout or delivery, we look forward to connecting with our loyal fans once again and warming hearts across the city with our feel-good offerings, made from scratch in-house daily.”
Patrons can take advantage of this deal in person or by ordering directly through KINTON RAMEN. Should you choose to use a third-party delivery service such as Uber Eats or Grubhub, the price is $19.99. For dine-in, KINTON RAMEN is open for both lunch and dinner from 11:30am-10:30pm. The entire experience offers the same food and drink and unmatched energized atmosphere as usual, but with the necessary precautions for health and safety in place you can expect a comfortable, worry-free meal upon your return.
For more information about KINTON RAMEN West Loop or to place an order, please visit www.kintonramen.com. Follow KINTON RAMEN USA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT KINTON RAMEN
Established in May 2012, KINTON RAMEN was one of Toronto’s first Japanese ramen restaurants. Led by Executive Chef Aki Urata and his team of professional ramen chefs, KINTON RAMEN strives to offer guests an extraordinary dining experience every time. Using the freshest ingredients to make the best quality noodles and broths, KINTON RAMEN invites customers to taste their exceptional ramen bowls right down to the last drop.
For more information, please visit www.kintonramen.com.
ABOUT KINKA FAMILY
Founded in 2009, KINKA FAMILY aims to revolutionize the Japanese hospitality experience. KINKA FAMILY owns and operates a diverse portfolio of restaurants and cafes in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Tokyo, each with unique offerings, atmosphere and service-style. Included are: KINKA IZAKAYA, a Japanese pub famous for its bustling atmosphere; KINTON RAMEN, one of the first ramen shops to open in Toronto; JaBistro, a contemporary and sophisticated sushi and sashimi bistro; KINTORI YAKITORI, a cozy, tapas-style skewers and snack bar; NEO COFFEE BAR, a modern Japanese bakery and café.
Featured Image Credit: KINTON RAMEN Instagram
The post KINTON RAMEN Reopening West Loop Location For Dine-In With a Three-Course Special appeared first on UrbanMatter.
For the Chicago Bears, a major question that surrounds the team in 2021 is what the defense will look like.
For the third time in four seasons, head coach Matt Nagy is set to have a different defensive coordinator. In 2018, Nagy stuck with Vic Fangio. 2019 and 2020 provided the opportunity for Nagy to work with veteran Chuck Pagano. Now, heading into 2021, Nagy has another defensive coordinator, with Sean Desai taking over the reigns.
You aren’t a good team unless you win a couple of games a season that you don’t necessarilly deserve to win. That was the case for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night.
They won in overtime after playing a less than perfect game. The Hawks aren’t going to be world beaters or anything like that but they have earned enough respect for us to think that they can beat the Red Wings.
It’s unlikely that we’ll ever see Zach LaVine and Jonathan Toews go at it in a face-off. And we may never get to witness a jump ball between Patrick Kane and Daniel Gafford. But that doesn’t mean we can’t compare these two teams.
With only two Windy City franchises playing this time of year, we thought it’d be fun to put the Chicago Bulls vs the Chicago Blackhawks and ask, who’s the more exciting team right now? Is it the Chicago Blackhawks, who have won six of their last eight and are currently sitting at a record of 8-5-4? Or is it the Chicago Bulls who are 11-15 and coming off a recent overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night? There’s only one crown for King of the United Center, and we’re here to decide who will wear it home.
Don’t let their record fool you, the Chicago Bulls are an exciting team to watch. Of their last nine games, the Bulls have only won four. But, it’s important to note that four of the five losses have come within only four points. The big thing that gives the Chicago Bulls some credit as the more exciting team is the fact that they’re loaded with young talent. Coby White and Zach LaVine have proved themselves to be a power duo behind the arc. In a Wednesday night game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Bulls ran away with a 129-116 victory where they hit on 25 3-pointers. During that game, White and LaVine combined to make 17 of those shots! The league might find themselves with another set of Splash Brothers to watch out for if they keep it up.
Each win puts the Chicago Bulls that much closer to a playoff appearance, which also adds to the excitement for this team. Currently in the NBA standings, the Bulls are tied with the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks for the 9th spot in the Eastern Conference. This tight playoff race is sure to add to the drama as the season goes on.
A stretch of ten games with only three wins in January? Nope, never happened. Despite the slow start to their season, the Chicago Blackhawks have been tearing it up in February. If we were to base this battle for the United Center on recent records, the Blackhawks would run away with it hands down. Plus, the only times they’ve lost in February have been by one goal or a shoot out.
Our favorite win as of late came in the form of an overtime nail-biter. On February 13, the Chicago Blackhawks stole a win from the Columbus Blue Jackets after Alex DeBrincat scored after 35 seconds of OT play. And if you thought that game was exciting, the teams’ prior matchup with the Blue Jackets ended in a score of 6-5 just two days earlier. The Chicago Blackhawks didn’t end up winning that one, but a close hockey game with 11 goals scored? We’ll take that any day of the week.
Given the way the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks have been playing lately, it’s a tough decision for who the more exciting team is. But if we had to choose between the Chicago Bulls vs the Chicago Blackhawks, we would pick the Bulls. Their recent OT victory showed us that we can finish close games out on top, and their three-point onslaught against the Pelicans earlier in the month was nothing to brush off. If the Bulls can keep playing hard and lighting it up from three then who knows where this team will end up come summer.
At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.
Tell us what you think matters and what we should write about next in the comments below!
Featured Image Credit: Chicago Blackhawks Instagram
The post Chicago Bulls vs Chicago Blackhawks: Who’s More Exciting Right Now? appeared first on UrbanMatter.
A short video clip from one of my photography sessions capturing Chicago Winter Storm 2021. Creating time-lapse from over three thousand jpegs. A few zoom effects and edited in PowerDirector 15
Surprising results from this little camera after using it all day to do photos and finally taking these last couple of videos. It handles the weather very well. I am still learning the menus and its limitations, but so far, I like the results that its given me.
Chicago snow storm | Snow storm timelapse | winter snow midwest | Snow and weather in Chicago 2021 | storm of the year | timelapse of big snow storm | Sony A6300 and storm timelapse
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My name is Frank G, I am a photographer/musician. The main subject in my night photography includes the heavy metal music scene here in the mid-west. I will also showcase events and concerts in the Chicago land area. A few landscape photos and candid street photography can also be viewed by visiting my galleries on Flickr and Facebook.
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Our collective COVID pandemic experience has forced us to confront our humanity and, whether we want to admit it or not, our mortality. We’ve confronted a potentially fatal diagnosis at every turn.
Who can tell us how to embrace and discern this moment?
Chicago media veteran and theater critic Ed Tracy, host of the Conversations (@PicksInSix) podcast featuring commentary for the performing arts, music, dance, literature and new media, and former Pritzker Military Library leader, offers a way, while at the same time reminding us of our own personal care responsibilities.
Tracy has had his own harrowing experience with his mortality — and his new book, “Gorilla In the Room and Other Stories,” provides a mindful roadmap for confronting our COVID-era angst and emerging triumphant.
He found out after his first screening, at age 53 in June 2008, that he had Stage 3 colon cancer.
He had had warning signs: A lack of energy, trouble staying hydrated, certain foods firing off what he had thought was irritable bowel syndrome.
Yet after his cancer diagnosis, he turned to writing — the work that he had always turned to in times of grief and despair.
The resulting book, due out Feb. 23 [https://www.conversationswithedtracy.com/gorilla-in-the-room], comprises an uplifting, heart-rending and ultimately energizing collection of a stage play, essays and intimate letters and stories that serve as a pathway for anyone confronting a life-transforming diagnosis or wakeup call.
“I’m trying to destigmatize the whole process,” says Tracy, who writes convincingly that the bowel-prep potion and process required before a colonoscopy pale in comparison to cancer treatments.
“My general feeling is that I am not an expert,” he says. “Rule #1 is that cancer is, ‘Nobody’s cancer journey is the same.’”
It’s a particularly timely message because March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colon cancer generally starts in one’s large intestine. It can start as small, non-cancerous clumps of cells called polyps that form on the inside of the colon. Over time, some of these polyps can become colon cancers, especially if they’re not caught and removed during a colonoscopy.
At the same time, Tracy, who describes himself as “an incredibly positive person,” turns to his role models for even more inspiration. First, his father. Though Tracy’s outings with his dad on hunting trips were unsuccessful, he recalls, “I find now that walks in an open field are the best things I can do for myself. I am often on my way to or from a stream teeming with trout or walking along a path that leads to the stunning view of an autumn sunset. It’s times like these that I think about all the hours I have spent alone in a vast field, wondering about all of the stories that I want to share with you, old friend.”
Tracy says when he started getting chemotherapy, the cancer-fighting drugs in his system enabled him to recall very specific and lasting impressions of experiences throughout his life, and the memories all flooded back at the same time.
Readers benefit. They meet Medal of Honor recipients, theater and media personalities from Chicago and beyond, doctors, Tracy’s family, and even Werner Klemperer and Buster Keaton’s widow. It is meant to inspire you, the readers, to face the challenges in your own lives, live with and learn from your mistakes, practice forgiveness, cherish accomplishments no matter how small, and remember to respect and honor the people who had faith in you along the way.
And it took work. As Tracy describes the play-writing process: “It’s the product of getting up every day and using your imagination to get through to the next story — like any director [does].”
And the letter writing, too: “I don’t think we write enough letters to people. A letter is an opportunity to really think about words and how important they are. People have found those to be really impactful.”
To his daughter: “I wanted to be sure that before whatever happens does, I have taken at least one brief moment and one quiet time in my life to reflect and write to you and tell you how absolutely proud I am of your work, your energy and your love of life. Don’t ever lose that. These are your most endearing qualities, and I love you all the more for them.”
And the memories, including of Tracy’s close friend, the late newsman John Callaway, who served as an internet justice of the peace when he presided at Tracy’s wedding to his wife, Denise, on Dec. 31, 2008.
Tracy writes, “The letters all start the same way: ‘Dear John, I’ve been thinking a lot about …’ and then we’re off into some story, the end of which I rarely know. Eventually, I discover a point, remember lessons I have learned, reminisce about people I have met or who have influenced my life along the way, or rediscover a particular event worthy of writing about.”
Of his mentor, Ed Feidner, professor emeritus of Theatre at the University of Vermont, Tracy recalls Feidner’s great stage performances and the important lessons he imparted.
Tracy writes: “I screened Kenneth Branagh’s masterpiece Hamlet recently and thought about Ed Feidner during many scenes. I was mysteriously transported back to a class or a rehearsal or a cup of coffee in [Feidner’s] office when he would tell me about the significance of the ghost, how its appearance might be magically staged — or where and with what lighting and costumes.”
From these renewed appreciations, Tracy says he considers himself “a cancer veteran” and part of “the Club” of every other such veteran.
“I’m still a fighter,” he says. “If I don’t make the right choices every day, I’m putting myself at risk.”
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