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Fifty years later, Joni Mitchell will still make you feel “Blue”on January 30, 2021 at 3:26 pm

I’ve Got The Hippy Shakes

Fifty years later, Joni Mitchell will still make you feel “Blue”

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Fifty years later, Joni Mitchell will still make you feel “Blue”on January 30, 2021 at 3:26 pm Read More »

Notre Dame women’s basketball is all smiles with Olivia MilesMike Berardinoon January 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm

Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey called Olivia Miles “one of the most dynamic guards I’ve ever seen.” | Notre Dame athletics

The nation’s No. 2 high school point guard is getting a head start with the Irish. She joined the team this week and could make her debut Sunday.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Future Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner might not even be the most prominent early enrollee to hit campus this month.

Olivia Miles, the nation’s second-ranked high school point guard and generally considered a program-altering personality on and off the floor, joined first-year coach Niele Ivey’s Fighting Irish women’s basketball team this week after completing the mandatory quarantine.

Her senior season at northern New Jersey’s Blair Academy delayed by statewide COVID-19 restrictions, Miles instead got a head start on her highly anticipated college career.

“I had never thought that this was even an option until one of my [high school] teammates did it,” Miles said Friday on her 18th birthday. “This is such a great opportunity. I love the girls at Blair. I love my team. It was definitely hard. But I was doing something for myself that could really benefit me in the long run.”

Miles’ debut is set for Sunday at Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. Her first home game won’t happen until Feb. 18 in the rematch with the Orange.

Thanks to the NCAA’s decision in October, winter-sports athletes get to play this season without burning a year of eligibility, regardless of whether their season is affected by the pandemic. Even though Miles would suit up for at most only seven regular-season games, she still could make an impact for an Irish team that’s tied for fifth in the ACC at 6-4 and is 8-6 overall.

A crowd-pleasing passer and long-range shooter who has modeled her game after Steph Curry and Trae Young on the men’s side along with WNBA stars Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, Miles is a throwback who waxes just as poetic when recounting the passing abilities of Magic Johnson and Steve Nash.

“Olivia is an impact player; she’s a program-changer,” Ivey said. “When you see her and she steps on the floor, she has that ‘it’ factor. She’s got a flash to her game. She’s great in transition, and she’s got vision we’ve probably never seen in this program.”

Considering Ivey played and coached for Notre Dame national championship teams on either side of her WNBA playing career, that’s high praise. The lead recruiter for more than a decade under her Naismith Hall of Fame mentor Muffet McGraw, Ivey returned to campus upon McGraw’s retirement last April.

A former national championship point guard herself, Ivey moved quickly to secure Miles’ commitment within two days of being announced as Notre Dame’s coach. Until the pandemic shut down the 2019-20 NBA season, Ivey was a Memphis Grizzlies assistant who had a key role in molding NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant.

Ivey first saw Miles play as an eighth-grader, and her recruitment began in earnest the next year.

One of McGraw’s first text messages upon announcing her retirement was to Miles, who had been strongly considering Notre Dame, Stanford and North Carolina. Along with her parents, Maria and Yakubu — chemical and software engineers, respectively — Miles prioritized academics over basketball in her recruitment.

“Just an amazing family — a very humble, very well-grounded family,” Ivey said. “They have done a phenomenal job raising a great young lady. I’m blessed they gave me the opportunity for her to come early and trusted me with my vision and everything I’m going to try to do for Olivia.”

The coaching change proved to be well-timed in terms of Miles’ decision.

“With Muffet, I loved her, but I felt such a more deep connection with Niele,” Miles told the podcast. “The amount of power in her personality and her voice and what she wants the culture to be and how she wants to run things and how she wants to speak up — that I was inspired by right away.”

While McGraw, 65, was at the end of a long and storied career, the 43-year-old Ivey is just getting started. Her son Jaden is a freshman guard at Purdue, so relating to college-age players comes naturally.

Miles has said talking to Ivey — about life, basketball and their shared commitment to social-justice issues — is “so easy.”

No one should be surprised if Miles makes the transition to the college game look just as smooth.

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Notre Dame women’s basketball is all smiles with Olivia MilesMike Berardinoon January 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm Read More »

SOPHIE, Grammy-nominated musician, dies at age 34Associated Presson January 30, 2021 at 2:43 pm

2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival - Weekend 2 - Day 1
SOPHIE performs at Mojave Tent during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 19, 2019 in Indio, California. | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

SOPHIE, the Grammy-nominated producer and recording artist who had worked with the likes of Madonna and Charli XCX, has died following an accident in the Greek capital of Athens. She was 34.

LONDON — SOPHIE, the Grammy-nominated Scottish disc jockey, producer and recording artist who had worked with the likes of Madonna and Charli XCX, has died following an accident in the Greek capital of Athens. She was 34.

In a statement, U.K. label Transgressive said the musician, whose full name was Sophie Xeon, died in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“Tragically, our beautiful Sophie passed away this morning after a terrible accident,” the statement said. “True to her spirituality she had climbed up to watch the full moon and accidentally slipped and fell.”

SOPHIE, who was born in Glasgow, began releasing music in 2013 and worked with Vince Staples as well as Charli XCX and Madonna.

2016 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival - Weekend 1 - Day 2
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella
Sophie performs onstage during day 2 of the 2016 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on April 16, 2016 in Indio, California.

She first used her own image and vocals for the October 2017 single “It’s Okay To Cry.” The recording paved the way for SOPHIE’s debut album, “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides.” Released in June 2018, it received a Grammy nomination for best dance/electronic album.

Tributes have poured in from across the LGBT community for an artist widely considered one of the most pioneering in the music industry.

French singer/songwriter Christine and the Queens described SOPHIE as a “stellar producer, a visionary, a reference,” who rebelled against “the narrow, normative society by being an absolute triumph, both as an artist and as a woman.”

She added: “We need to honor and respect her memory and legacy. Cherish the pioneers.”

Sophie was a stellar producer, a visionary, a reference. She rebelled against the narrow, normative society by being an absolute triumph, both as an artist and as a woman. I can’t believe she is gone. We need to honor and respect her memory and legacy. Cherish the pioneers. pic.twitter.com/3kyRl1KabY

— Chris (@QueensChristine) January 30, 2021

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SOPHIE, Grammy-nominated musician, dies at age 34Associated Presson January 30, 2021 at 2:43 pm Read More »

Local Beer Review: Revolution Coffee Eugeneon January 30, 2021 at 5:11 am

The Beeronaut

Local Beer Review: Revolution Coffee Eugene

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Local Beer Review: Revolution Coffee Eugeneon January 30, 2021 at 5:11 am Read More »

SWAT team sent to John Hancock Center after gunfire reported on residential floorSun-Times Wireon January 30, 2021 at 4:00 am

The John Hancock Center, 175 E. Delaware Pl.
The John Hancock Center, 175 E. Delaware Pl. | Google Maps

About 8:15 p.m., the SWAT team was sent to the building in the 100 block of East Delaware Place after people inside the building reported hearing a gunshot, and found a bullet that had flown into an apartment, Chicago police said.

The SWAT team was responding to an incident at the John Hancock Center Friday after gunfire was reported in the residential area of the building.

About 8:15 p.m., the SWAT team was sent to the building in the 100 block of East Delaware Place after people inside reported hearing a gunshot, and found a bullet that had flown into an apartment, Chicago police said.

No injuries have been reported so far, police said.

Further information was not immediately available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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SWAT team sent to John Hancock Center after gunfire reported on residential floorSun-Times Wireon January 30, 2021 at 4:00 am Read More »

The 12 Best Secret Speakeasies to Seek Out In ChicagoAudrey Snyderon January 29, 2021 at 6:00 am

Looking to add a certain je ne sais quoi to your weekend routine? Speakeasies have just the right kind of mystique to make your night out one-of-a-kind.Once upon a time, when the Feds put a ban on alcohol, Chicago was the nation’s breeding ground for speakeasy bars. Though legislation repealing Prohibition was ratified back in 1933, our cultural fascination with the Prohibition era (and with much of the mob activity that marked it) keeps us going back to basements and backrooms made to emulate that time in our history.

Not only can one find a swanky, dimly-lit environment that evokes the shady underworld of Al Capone, but creative and delicious cocktails have also become a hallmark of the (sometimes) password-protected, contemporary speakeasies in Chicago. Better yet? We’ve got all the keys to getting inside even the most hidden of speakeasies bars.

speakeasies chicago
Photo Credit: The Drifter via Facebook

The Drifter

676-8 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60654

This bar is everything a speakeasy should be, with an intimate space, hidden entrance, unique performances, creative drinks, and the right amount of kitsch. In fact, it’s an original, dating back to the Prohibition Era. Just enter the Green Door Tavern and head down the stairs in the back to find this speakeasy bar in Chicago. You’ll be placed in a waiting room, most likely, since the bar’s capacity is a meager 37, but trust us, a visit here is sure to be a memorable one.

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speakeasies chicago
Photo Credit: Watershed

Watershed

601 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654

We’d consider this bar to be a more subdued version of a speakeasy—perfect for a relaxed gathering. The underground, dimly lit space has comfortable seating and a menu that exclusively features regional spirits and beers. Just stroll into Pops for Champagne and take the stairs at the back corner of the bar to discover Watershed.

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Three Dots and a Dash

435 N Clark St, Chicago IL 60654

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Over a summertime weekend, the line for this tiki-style speakeasy bar in Chicago can easily stretch down the alley outside. Luckily, the fruity concoctions are pretty fantastic and the bar bites are delicious, so it really is worth it to brave the line. Keep it classic with a Mai Tai, or try something new with the Trouble in Paradise: Japanese whiskey, toasted sesame, and Sirop de Canne.

speakeasies chicago
Photo Credit: Brando’s Speakeasy via Facebook

Brando’s Speakeasy

343 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60604

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For those curious enough to venture into the Loop, Brando’s Speakeasy is the perfect first stop. Enjoy a fine-crafted cocktail from their sumptuous drink menu, or join the party at the karaoke lounge. Not a night owl? No problem. Check out Brando’s for their awesome happy hour specials: Monday–Thursday, 5–7 pm. And, to be fair, this one isn’t all that hard to find. We won’t even tell you how.

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Visit the Most Romantic Destinations in Chicago

speakeasies chicago
Photo Credit: Sushi Dokku

Booze Box

823 W Randolph St Downstairs, Chicago, IL 60607

For small bites and sake aplenty, there’s Booze Box. Located under Sushi Dokku, this hangout is great for those looking to indulge in late-night Japanese cuisine. Relax under the cozy red lamps and sample small plates, like the spicy tuna maki and crab deviled eggs. First head to Sushi Dokku, then take the alley around the corner until you find a door with a little sticker that reads “Booze Box.”

Milk Room

12 S Michigan Ave, Chicago IL 60603

The Milk Room is a tiny speakeasy bar in Chicago that sits on the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association. It accommodates just 8 chairs, serves up “spirit-forward” cocktails, and prides itself on using high-quality and hard-to-find ingredients.

speakeasies chicago
Photo Credit: The Franklin Room via Instagram

The Franklin Room

675 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60654

Whiskey aficionados, this one’s for you. Located in the River North neighborhood, The Franklin Room features fare for all; whether you’re looking to indulge in their exquisite tavern menu or take a look at their exclusive whiskey collection, there’s something for every party. Sure, the door is hiding in plain sight, but the bar itself is subterranean, making it feel like a retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city. And as an added bonus, oysters are $1 every day, from 5–6:30 pm!

chicago magic lounge
Photo Credit: Chicago Magic Lounge

Chicago Magic Lounge

5050 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

Chicago Magic Lounge is sure to make your night out anything but dull. Serving up magic tricks in a speakeasy-style atmosphere, it can’t get any weirder than downing a How Houdini Died cocktail and watching it fill up again on its own (just kidding, this doesn’t actually happen here… but it’d be cool). Enter this unassuming speakeasy bar through a laundromat on Clark Street and find a massive theatre space hiding just beyond the washing machines.

Bordel Chicago
Photo Credit: Bordel Chicago Facebook

Bordel

1721 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Featuring Prohibition-style cocktails, burlesque shows, and a warm-lit ambiance that takes you back to the early years of the 20th century, Bordel is one of the most authentic-feeling speakeasies in Chicago. You’re almost convinced this place really has been here for 100 years, but this modern concept is just a seriously good disguise for a great cocktail bar. You’ll find this on the second floor of Black Bull, a Spanish restaurant on Division. The unmarked door to the right of the Black Bull entrance leads up a flight of stairs, where you’ll be treated to all kinds of burlesque entertainment.

Janitor’s Closet

312 W Chestnut St, Chicago IL 60610

Located at the Fieldhouse Jones, this intimate space includes just 15 seats for its guests to experience intriguing craft cocktails, which include flavors from both around the world and close to home in the Midwest.

Room 13
Photo Credit: Room 13 Facebook

Room 13

3222 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

The Old Chicago Inn is secretive enough without its hidden speakeasy, but Room 13 just builds the allure. The recipes used in the cocktail-making here are as ancient as the Prohibition itself, but still totally enticing, and with a dress code that encourages 1920s style, Room 13 is, in the best way, stubbornly faithful to its theme. Book a room at the Old Chicago Inn to get exclusive access to this speakeasy bar.

The Violet Hour

1520 N Damen Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

Easily the classiest speakeasy on this list, The Violet Hour takes on an ambiance worthy of the Great Gatsby. Featuring inventive and tantalizing cocktails like Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Penguin’s Suit, you’ll be transported back to the scandalous Prohibition-era as you sip on your gin.

There’s a mural on Damen Avenue that looks like a series of steam-punk clockwork. Find the handle by feeling your way along and you’ll be rewarded by the best speakeasy in Chicago.

 

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: The Franklin Room Instagram Page

 

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The 12 Best Secret Speakeasies to Seek Out In ChicagoAudrey Snyderon January 29, 2021 at 6:00 am Read More »

Efterklang’s Casper Clausen steps out on his own on the dreamy Better WayJamie Ludwigon January 29, 2021 at 10:30 pm


Danish-born musician Casper Clausen is best known for fronting the long-running Efterklang, which plays exploratory and often ornate electro-infused indie rock, and for performing with that group’s synth-heavy and relatively spontaneous sister project, Liima. This year, for the first time since he began making music as a teen, he’s stepped out from a collaborative setting.…Read More

Efterklang’s Casper Clausen steps out on his own on the dreamy Better WayJamie Ludwigon January 29, 2021 at 10:30 pm Read More »

360 Chicago Observation Deck Atop Hancock Building ReopensAlicia Likenon January 29, 2021 at 8:17 pm

Looking for something fun to do? The popular 360 Chicago observation deck, TILT thrill ride, and BAR 94 have all reopened to the public for the first time since November 18th! Stop by for stunning views of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. And unlike the busy Willis Tower, here you’ve got some space to maneuver as you take in the sights. Perfect for date night or a fun activity with the kids.

Experience the best of Chicago

360 CHICAGO Observation Deck delivers breathtaking panoramic views of the Windy City from 1,000+ feet above the iconic Magnificent Mile. The observation deck is home to Chicago’s highest thrill ride, TILT. Plus, BAR 94 is 360 CHICAGO’s stylish bar and café, where you can kick back and relax with a handcrafted cocktail or beer while taking in the best views in the city.

Health and safety is a top priority

Not only do you get amazing views but you can also feel safe during your visit. The folks at 360 Chicago are closely following all recommendations of the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago and using EPA and CDC approved cleaning agents. The handlebars and glass in TILT will be sanitized after every guest and social distancing will be enforced for the duration of the TILT experience. BAR 94 offers grab and go food options and disposable items such as cups and flatware. Of course, they’ll be operating at a limited capacity following the guidance of local and state authorities. 

Here’s what you need to know

Address: 875 N. Michigan Avenue, John Hancock Building 

Order tickets online at: www.360chicago.com 

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Regular prices: Adult (12 and over) $25; Youth (3 to 11) $15; Children under 3 free admission

TILT tickets: $8

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Hours: Friday through Monday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; last entry 30 minutes prior to close

Keep in mind: if you’re traveling from a COVID hotspot, you may need to quarantine for a 10-day period prior to attending. Get more information here to ensure you’re following the City of Chicago’s Emergency Travel Order. 

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The post 360 Chicago Observation Deck Atop Hancock Building Reopens appeared first on UrbanMatter.

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360 Chicago Observation Deck Atop Hancock Building ReopensAlicia Likenon January 29, 2021 at 8:17 pm Read More »