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Hottest Chicago New Construction Neighborhoods 2020 – Single Family HomesGary Lucidoon October 14, 2020 at 6:58 pm

Getting Real

Hottest Chicago New Construction Neighborhoods 2020 – Single Family Homes

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Hottest Chicago New Construction Neighborhoods 2020 – Single Family HomesGary Lucidoon October 14, 2020 at 6:58 pm Read More »

Chicago Craft Beer Weekend, October 16-18Mark McDermotton October 15, 2020 at 3:38 am

The Beeronaut

Chicago Craft Beer Weekend, October 16-18

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Chicago Craft Beer Weekend, October 16-18Mark McDermotton October 15, 2020 at 3:38 am Read More »

The 5 Best Spots to Order Soup in ChicagoAudrey Snyderon October 13, 2020 at 6:13 pm

As we see some of the last above-freezing nights of the year, Chicagoans know that a new season approaches: Soup Season. Sure, some people (for reasons yet to be understood) probably eat soup during the summer. However, there’s a new chill in the air that gives you the urge to fill your stomach with hot soup and stew. If you’re looking for a warm meal on a cold day, we have created a list of the 5 best spots to order soup in Chicago.

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2943 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657

One of few establishments specializing in soup, Lakeview-based Soupbox offers 12 freshly-made varieties of soup every day to warm the bones of many a hungry Chicagoan. Keep things simple with a bowl of Classic Chicken Noodle, or go all-out with a bread bowl of the Signature Lobster Bisque.

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1141 S Jefferson St, Chicago IL 60607

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Among Manny’s “everyday” soups (and at the top of the list) is the much-loved Matzo Ball soup. In addition to the regular soup roster, there’s a different soup at this restaurant each day of the week. Stop in on a Wednesday for some Mushroom Barley, or try the Vegetable soup on Fridays. No matter what you get at Manny’s you can expect that it’s the best soup in Chicago.

Photo Credit: La Casa de Samuel Facebook Page

2834 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60623

Take your pick of caldo, sopa, or crema at this Mexican restaurant in Little Village. If you’re feeling more of a zesty-broth situation, try the Caldo de Pollo Xochitl: a chicken soup with onions, avocado, rice, jalapeño, and cilantro. For the garlic lovers, there’s the Sopa de Ajo: garlic soup with Chihuahua cheese and broiled bread.

4201 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630

This Korean restaurant has two main entree sections on its menu, and one of them is chock full of soups. For the meat-eaters, there’s Ssyal Samgye Tang: a Cornish hen soup seasoned with ginseng, garlic, and green onions. In addition, you should consider ordering the  Yukgae Jang, a beef soup including egg, bean sprouts, and green onions.

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1549 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60642

This Noble Square Polish restaurant, whose neighbors recently came together to support the establishment as it struggled from slow business in the wake of COVID, has an impressive entré menu. If you’re looking for the best Polish soup in Chicago, we recommend traveling to Podhalanka to try some of their more traditional flavors— like the Zurek (sour borstch), or the Kapuskniak (cabbage).

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: Manny’s Deli on Facebook

 
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The 5 Best Spots to Order Soup in ChicagoAudrey Snyderon October 13, 2020 at 6:13 pm Read More »

Voting in Chicago: Necessary Information on Early and Mail-in Voting LocationsBrian Lendinoon October 14, 2020 at 6:35 pm

COVID-19 has put much of the 2020 Presidential election into focus on how voters can ensure their ballot is cast in a safe yet secure manner. With that, more and more voters are turning to vote-by-mail and early voting as a way to combat long, potentially dangerous, lines at the polls on November 3rd. Early voting in Chicago kicked off on October 1st, while vote-by-mail ballots began being sent out a few weeks ago.

However, October 14th is a huge date for voters as it pertains to the ward that they live in. After going through the process ourselves, we decided to give a round-up of simple information for folks still looking to vote early, safely, and still have their voices heard.

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Early Voting Sites

The Loop Super Site opened October 1st and any resident of Chicago can use this facility to drop off their mail-in ballot or register. Beginning Wednesday, all voting sites around the city will open. There will be one site per ward and you can find your ward here. Look it up with your address here.

Hours of Operation.

  • Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 7 PM
    Saturday – Sunday: 9 AM – 5 PM
    Election Day, November 3rd: 6 AM – 7 PM

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The Locations

So long as you are registered, you can use any of the polling places during early voting in Chicago. (list via Block Club Chicago)

  • Loop Super Site at Clark & Lake, 191 N. Clark St.
    Ward 1: Goldblatts Building, 1615 W. Chicago Ave.
    Ward 2: Ogden Elementary School, 24 W. Walton St.
    Ward 3: Beethoven Elementary School,  25 W. 47th St.
    Ward 4: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center,  4314 S. Cottage Grove
    Ward 5: Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave.
    Ward 6: Deneen Elementary School, 7257 S. State St.
    Ward 7: Burnham Elementary School, 9928 S. Crandon Ave.
    Ward 8: Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave.
    Ward 9: Curtis Elementary School, 32 E. 115th St.
    Ward 10: Sadlowski Elementary School, 3930 E. 105th St.
    Ward 11: Sheridan Elementary School, 533 W. 27th St.
    Ward 12: Kelly High School, 4136 S. California Ave.
    Ward 13: West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St.
    Ward 14: Edwards Elementary School, 4815 S. Karlov Ave.
    Ward 15: Carson Elementary School, 5516 S. Maplewood Ave.
    Ward 16: Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave.
    Ward 17: Southside High School, 7342 S. Hoyne Ave.
    Ward 18: Carroll Elementary School, 2929 W. 83rd St.
    Ward 19: Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St.
    Ward 20: Fiske Elementary School, 6020 S. Langley Ave.
    Ward 21: Turner-Drew Language Acad., 9300 S. Princeton Ave.
    Ward 22: Ortiz De Dominguez Elementary School, 3000 S. Lawndale Ave.
    Ward 23: Dore Elementary School, 7134 W. 65th St.
    Ward 24: Herzl Elementary School, 3711 W. Douglas Blvd.
    Ward 25: Jungman Elementary School, 1746 S. Miller St.
    Ward 26: Casals Elementary School 3501, W. Potomac Ave.
    Ward 27: Suder Elementary School, 2022 W. Washington Blvd
    Ward 28: Westside Learning Center, 4624 W. Madison St.
    Ward 29: Burbank Elementary School, 2035 N. Mobile Ave.
    Ward 30: Lorca Elementary School, 3231 N. Springfield Ave.
    Ward 31: Falconer Elementary School, 3020 N. Lamon Ave.
    Ward 32: Pulaski Elementary School, 2230 W. McLean Ave.
    Ward 33: Bateman Elementary School, 4220 N. Richmond St.
    Ward 34: Dunne Elementary School, 10845 S. Union Ave.
    Ward 35: NEIU El Centro, 3390 N. Avondale Ave.
    Ward 36: Hanson Park Elementary School, 5411 W. Fullerton Ave.
    Ward 37: McNair Elementary School, 4820 W. Walton St.
    Ward 38: Hiawatha Park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve Dr.
    Ward 39: Sauganash Elementary School, 6040 N. Kilpatrick Ave.
    Ward 40: Mather High School, 5835 N. Lincoln Ave.
    Ward 41: Oriole Park Elementary School, 5424 N. Oketo Ave.
    Ward 42: Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St.
    Ward 43: Lincoln Park High School, 2001 N. Orchard St.
    Ward 44: Inter American Elementary School, 851 W. Waveland Ave.
    Ward 45: Hitch Elementary School, 5625 N. McVicker Ave.
    Ward 46: Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave.
    Ward 47: Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.
    Ward 48: Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway
    Ward 49: New Field Elementary School, 1707 W. Morse Ave.
    Ward 50: Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.

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

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

Featured Image Credit: Vote Chicago

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Voting in Chicago: Necessary Information on Early and Mail-in Voting LocationsBrian Lendinoon October 14, 2020 at 6:35 pm Read More »

A monument to Pierre Kezdy on the gig poster of the weekSalem Collo-Julinon October 14, 2020 at 11:00 am

click to enlarge
omg_pegboy2020.jpg

Our poster this week is for a drive-in concert and anniversary party. Artist Jay Ryan created it for a celebration by longtime Chicago punk band Pegboy, who are commemorating 30 years of music. They’ll be joined by three opening acts–Local H, Stiff Little Fingers front man Jake Burns, and the Bollweevils–for an outdoor drive-up show in the parking lot of SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. There’s sure to be a tribute to former Pegboy member Pierre Kezdy, who lost his fight against cancer earlier this month. Kezdy spent time in Pegboy and in seminal punk band Naked Raygun, where his comrades included future Pegboy founder John Haggerty.

The Reader is still happy to accept suggestions for posters to feature each week–and given the precariousness of in-person concerts these days, fantasy gig posters remain fair game. E-mail [email protected] with your contact information and submission. Even though a few music venues are back in business in a limited way, staffers who’ve lost work and tips in recent months or who can’t yet return to their jobs still need your support–here’s our list of fundraisers. And don’t forget record stores! The Reader published a list of local stores that will let you shop remotely.

ARTIST: Jay Ryan
GIG: Pegboy, Local H, Jake Burns, and the Bollweevils, Sat 10/17, 5 PM, at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview
ARTIST INFO: thebirdmachine.com

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A monument to Pierre Kezdy on the gig poster of the weekSalem Collo-Julinon October 14, 2020 at 11:00 am Read More »

On May You Be Held, Sumac are a beast of free improvisation, noise, and metalBrad Cohanon October 14, 2020 at 1:00 pm

There’s a lot of room in the vast and aesthetically diverse landscape of metal, but one powerhouse trio occupies its own sound-deconstructing universe: Sumac. The heady metal-centric music that guitarist and vocalist Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom), bassist Brian Cook (Russian Circles), and drummer Nick Yacyshyn (Baptists) churn out is such a left-field beast that it smashes any and all classification. Their vision has gloriously mutated with each sprawling slab of heaviosity: on their 2015 debut, The Deal, 2016’s What One Becomes, and 2018’s Love in Shadow, Turner, Cook, and Yacyshyn have delved deeper each time into uncharted realms where the calculated brutality of metal and the mind-bending spirituality of free jazz meet. Now, galvanized by a pair of collaborations between Sumac and Japanoise titan Keiji Haino (and by the influence of sound explorers such as noise artist Daniel Menche and guitarist Tashi Dorji, both of whom have releases on Sige, the label Turner runs with his partner and Mamiffer bandmate Faith Coloccia), these deep-thinking brothers in arms sail further beyond the boundaries of extreme music with forward-looking abandon. May You Be Held is the sublime and deafening amalgam of Sumac’s guiding forces. Its five marathon tracks manifest the band’s omnivorous breadth in feasts of drone, doom, and sludge laced with free improv and noise freak-outs that channel the aforementioned Haino and Menche. Striking the perfect balance of cutthroat precision and spontaneous fire breathing, Sumac embrace the wild-eyed ecstasy of free jazz and come out with their own sonic language. Like the cosmic jazz of John and Alice Coltrane, the ghostly, hypnotic soundscapes of May You Be Held, such as feedback-belching opener “A Prayer for your Path” and the organ-driven “Laughter and Silence” (with guest keys by Coloccia), create a ritualistic atmosphere of spiritual uplift despite their dark overtones. Then there are the epic shredders. The 20-minute title track tops stadium-ready buzz-sawing riffs with Turner’s bloody-throated wails, while the 17-minute blitz of “Consumed” shape-shifts through batshit-crazy time signatures, hardcore-level fury, and lumbering doom and gloom. You might be tempted to call May You Be Held cosmic metal, if anything, but ultimately Sumac are a genre unto themselves. v

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On May You Be Held, Sumac are a beast of free improvisation, noise, and metalBrad Cohanon October 14, 2020 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: Three reasons to consider Le’Veon BellVincent Pariseon October 14, 2020 at 11:05 am

FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 14: Le'Veon Bell #26 of the New York Jets runs drills at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on August 14, 2020 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 14: Le’Veon Bell #26 of the New York Jets runs drills at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on August 14, 2020 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
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Chicago Bears, Le'Veon Bell

Chicago Bears (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

Le’Veon Bell is available and the Chicago Bears should take advantage.

The Chicago Bears are 4-1 which is something none of us expected to say at the beginning of the season when they were getting destroyed by the Detroit Lions early in the game. They have shown the ability to win football games despite facing challenges in said football games. With all of the success that they have had so far, however, they have a self-admitted bad offense. They need to really start scoring more points or they will be in big trouble.

The New York Jets are one of the lowly NFL franchises. They just can’t seem to do anything right and that was made even more apparent on Tuesday night. They released their star running back Le’Veon Bell and now he is free to go wherever he wants. The Jets never saw him get to the level he was at back when he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Nobody expects him to be the best running back in the NFL anymore like he used to be but there is little doubt that he can still be awesome. If he was put in the right situation, it could be something that really helps out both parties. The Bears could really use a running back of his caliber so if they could figure out a way to make it work, they would instantly become a better football team.

There are plenty of small reasons to want Bell in Chicago. There are, however, a few in-depth reasons to see him as a good fit. These are the three biggest reasons to want Bell to take his talents to the Chicago Bears:

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Chicago Bears: Three reasons to consider Le’Veon BellVincent Pariseon October 14, 2020 at 11:05 am Read More »

From ghostly to gothic to goofy, theater artists celebrate the seasonCatey Sullivanon October 14, 2020 at 12:15 am

Exal Iraheta grew up listening to tales from Central American mythology. “The stories, kind of like Grimms’ fairy tales did in Europe, didn’t shy away from real danger,” the playwright, screenwriter, and School of the Art Institute alum recalled. “For me, I’ve always thought of horror and scary stories as a way of releasing something, or experiencing life from a different perspective.”

A different perspective is precisely what theater artists looking to stage seasonally spooky shows are getting this Halloween. In this Our Year of WTF-Even-Is-This-Anymore Conflagration of Terrestrial Hellscapery, the theatrical offerings leading up to Halloween/Samhain/Day of the Dead are a regular night gallery of creature features gamely determined to send the good kind of creepy shiver down your spine. But in a year when terror is rather the norm or at least increasingly normalized–be it the relentless edge-of-a-cliff anxiety of being unemployed or the constant awareness that one sneeze from a stranger could literally kill you–Halloween shows are hitting a bit different.

For artists like Iraheta, crafting seasonal shows in a climate already steeped in fear is about dealing with both the fictitious terror and the IRL context it’s playing to. His short play Date From Hell takes the stage in Random Acts Chicago’s Scary Stories: Dark Web. The on-demand stream plays October 16-31. Random Acts’ short film series, Random Acts of Horror, gets an encore livestream October 21 at 8 PM, with other content (including their variety show, Freak Show Cabaret) streaming October 26, also at 8 PM. (All Random Acts programs are available through the company’s YouTube and Facebook pages for a $5 suggested donation.)

“My story is about a person trying to meet someone online. I think it speaks to loneliness we’re all experiencing in quarantine–I’m so lucky I’m quarantining with my husband, but I see that loneliness everywhere. There’s like this hovering need to connect, you’re left asking so much sometimes: Who are we really meeting and talking to on the other side of that screen? How is this changing how we see relationships in general?” Iraheta said.

“My (lead) character gets the chance to do a video date–which turns out not to be the best idea,” Iraheta said.

Other Chicago artists are leaning into the gothic. Among the best eerie podcasts ripe for consumption, there’s HartLife’s Unwell, which plays like a cross between Dark Shadows and A Prairie Home Companion, without the soap-opera cheese of the former or the treacly folksiness of the latter.

The Ohio-set story of a prodigal daughter who returns to a hometown that’s decidedly creepier than she remembers stars Chicago’s Shariba Rivers and features a writing crew that includes Bilal Dardai, Jessica Wright, Jessica Best, and story director Jim McDoniel. Two dozen episodes comprise the first two seasons, with a third slated to drop in January.

“We found ourselves being careful about how dark we wanted to go. We don’t shy away from the possibilities of death and murder, but we never wanted to do bleak,” Dardai said. “There’s a certain brightness to Unwell. There’s the gothic parts which are eerie and macabre and occasionally full of horror. But there’s also the–for lack of a better word–kind of the midwestern part, which is down to earth and all about human connections. I feel like part of the reason our audience is so devoted is because they get the thrills and chills, but they are also able to be completely invested in the characters and their relationships.”

Investment is also the nexus of the PlayMakers Laboratory ensemble (formerly Barrel of Monkeys). For 23 years, the company has coached generations of Chicago’s schoolchildren to craft short stories, poems, songs, and plays that Lab teaching artists then perform and produce professionally. This year, the Lab teaching artists have been working remotely, guiding roughly 20 third-to-fifth graders toward creating the tales of That’s Weird Grandma: House Par-tay!, running through November 30. Even under the challenging circumstances of working remotely, the Lab remains true to its guiding principle: “No idea is a bad idea,” said artistic director and teaching artist Brandon Cloyd. “If we’re talking about serious characters and somebody starts joking around about Poops McGee, we won’t tell them to be quiet. We’ll ask about who Poops is.”

“Agatha’s Eggsitential Conundrum is one of my favorites,” he added. “It’s about a witch having trouble making an egg salad sandwich. And then a dog steals the sandwich.” Literally, the skit is (obviously) objectively hilarious. Metaphorically, it’s the kind of universal experience kids give voice to so plainly, this year above all perhaps. We’ve surely all been there: wrestling something into compliance, only to see it fall into oblivion.

“The trends we tend to see with our scary stories typically deal with the police and gun violence,” Cloyd said. The students also have an ear toward pop culture, particularly when it comes to Jordan Peele and Nia DaCosta’s twice-delayed-because-COVID reboot of Candyman. The urban legend about a supernatural slasher ghost who haunts the Cabrini-Green housing projects was initially made into a movie in 1992. The remake is slated for release in 2021. “Candyman still feels relevant to these kids, even though most of them weren’t even born when it first came out,” Cloyd said.

But there’s more on their minds than urban legends, he added. “The most common theme I’ve seen in my 15 years is plays about recycling and climate change. They’re acutely aware of that. We had a dance routine with a voice-over of Greta Thunberg. But honestly our biggest hope right now is just to have a fun, exciting distraction.” v






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From ghostly to gothic to goofy, theater artists celebrate the seasonCatey Sullivanon October 14, 2020 at 12:15 am Read More »