Miami skyline. Photo by Mira Temkin

When you think about a vacay, think Miami as images of the waving ocean, swaying palms and blaring music invade your imagination. Where else but South Beach can you experience a melting pot of cultures; Cuban, Mexican, South American and more, all beating with a rich, pulsating energy? Walk down the streets and you’ll hear a million different languages with jazz, Latin, salsa and hip hop spilling out into the streets, inviting you to dance.

Here are just a few of the ways to enjoy the Magic City and South Beach, also known as SoBe.

Taste Authentic Ethnic Cuisine  

Empanadas, ceviche and hot sauce at Bolivar on a Miami Culinary Tour

Eat. Walk. Taste. Learn. Savor delicious foods and get all the deets on the area’s history and culture. See Miami Culinary Tours for a collection of walking tours that go the extra mile. On the South Beach Tour Food & Art Deco Tour, you’ll stop at several cool restaurants and historic sites. We walked through Ocean Drive (yeah, no cars, it’s now pedestrian-friendly) along with all of those on bikes and Segways. On Collins and Washington Avenues, you’ll learn about art deco, architecture and famous movie sites. Hello…remember the Birdcage? Our tour guide, Robyn, regaled us with legends and lore of South Beach like Gianni Versace.

Versace Mansion. Photo courtesy of Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

We started at Bolivar, a Colombian restaurant that presented a crunchy empanada and ceviche. Next stop was Havana 1957. You’ll think you’re on a movie set from the 1950s. Savor a sample of Ropa Vieja and fried plantain. Then try a “clean taco” at the Naked Taco and chase it all down with Italian gelato from Mamma Mia. Their “Little Havana Food & Cultural Tour” was named “The Top 10 Cultural Experience in The World” by Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice award. Check out all their excellent food walking tours at www.miamiculinarytours.com/

Party Hearty at Bayside Marketplace!

Head for Bayside Marketplace, Miami’s most popular hot spot. This two-level, open-air festival center features more than 150 unique shops and stores as well as 12 delicious restaurants. Check out the free live music performances.

See Millionaire’s Row Along Scenic Biscayne Bay

Mega-Home on Millionaire’s Row. Photo courtesy of Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

Imagine the glamorous homes of the rich and famous or your own dream house? Sit back, relax and enjoy a cocktail aboard the Island Queen while you cruise by the gorgeous mansions of Millionaire’s Row, home to P. Diddy, Shaq, Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estevan and more! From Fisher Island to Biscayne Bay, you’ll see sights on this 90-minute narrated sightseeing cruise. Pass by the Port of Miami, the Miami skyline, Miami Beach and see the elegant cruise ships waiting in dock. Miami isn’t known as the Magic City for nothing, and this sightseeing cruise takes you past homes that take your breath away.

Just like Miami Vice – Thriller Miami Speedboat

Thriller Boat Ride. Photo courtesy of Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

Get your Don Johnson on when you board this lightning-fast, 45-minute Thriller speed boat ride on Biscayne Bay. Get more thrills per minute as you speed past the city of Miami Beach, Fisher Island, Star Island and the mansions. Take a selfie or two of you and the beautiful Downtown Miami Skyline.

Museum of Illusions

Selfie heaven at Museum of Illusions. Photo courtesy of Museum of Illusions.

Speaking of selfies, head to the Museum of Illusions for selfie heaven! This new museum on Lincoln Road, South Beach’s most popular pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, is awesome. Check in, get a tripod and lock your cell phone onto the tripod. Then, get ready to check out all of the cool rooms. Take a selfie shooting hoops, navigate a broken bridge, relax on the beach, stand on a ledge and lots more. As a bonus, you can SMASH a plate. Take out all your stress as you write a name on the plate and SMASH it into the wall. Afterwards, take a hike along Lincoln Road for the best coffee con leche.

Make plans to hit South Beach soon for the heat, hip-hop and foodie heaven. For more information, check out miamiandbeaches.com.

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Chicago House Athletic Club announced that the team’s anthem, ‘This Is Chicago House’, by Vince Lawrence and Chuck “The Voice” Roberts, is currently in consideration for GRAMMY Award Nominations for the 64th GRAMMY Awards, which will take place on Monday, January 31st, 2022.

‘This Is Chicago House’ by Vince Lawrence And Chuck Roberts is being considered for the category of Best Dance Recording and ‘This Is Chicago House’ By Vince Lawrence And Chuck Roberts – Marshall Jefferson Remix is being considered for Best Remixed Recording. The initial round of voting for both of these nominations is underway, and will conclude on November 5th. Nominations for the 64th GRAMMY Awards will be announced on November 23rd.

“Much like soccer, House music is a universal language spoken and understood by all,” shares Chicago House AC Chief Operating Officer, Night Train Veeck. “It has been such a special and humbling opportunity to be able to collaborate, from our team’s very inception, with House Music legends Marshall, Vince, and Chuck in creating this track. We are proud to play a small part in honoring the House music community, and the beautiful city that created it.”

The track’s producer, Vince Lawrence and writer/performer Chuck “The Voice” Roberts, are two of the most iconic artists when it comes to Chicago House music, which was born in Chicago in the 1980’s. Both artists have lived and breathed the genre since it first appeared in venues around the Windy City. The duo collaborated with Chicago’s new pro soccer team to produce ‘This Is Chicago House’ in conjunction with Slang Music Group. The track speaks to every moment in the history of the global House Music family. From legacy to future possibilities, Vince and Chuck focus on the beat, groove and hook, in a way that defines what it means to “be house”.

“House Music is the story of hard working Black entrepreneurs yearning to create joy in their community, young Black teens inventing their own ‘summer jobs’ when there were few to be found, inclusivity for every type of human and so much more,” explains Slang Music Group’s Vince Lawrence, who wrote and produced ‘This Is Chicago House’ inspired by Chicago House AC. “House Music is ours, it’s for us, started in our city, but we share it with the world for all to enjoy. House Music is the groove we started right here on the Southside, but get little credit for these days. This is Chicago House. There is nothing like it anywhere.”

Since adopting the track in August 2021, Chicago House AC has found creative ways to integrate the team’s anthem into many different facets of Chicago’s new sports brand. ‘This Is Chicago House’ is the music fans hear during matches at SeatGeek Stadium, in team videos and social media content, and more.

“The two things that bring people together, more than anything, are soccer and music. This is what makes Chicago House music and Chicago House AC special,” explains Chicago House AC midfielder and Team Captain, Drew Conner. “To have our team named after House music and it’s birthplace was something that immediately drew me and many others to the club. After hearing our team’s anthem ‘This is Chicago House’, I knew it was something special that both music and soccer fans could rally behind. The energy in this song is infectious and the message is clear. House is all about inclusivity, self-love and respect for others. Although the House music genre has spread all over the world, and split into many different sub-genres, this song is a reminder of where it all started. 10/10 great walkout song.”

Fans can listen to both tracks here:

‘This Is Chicago House‘ by Vince Lawrence and Chuck Roberts |

‘This Is Chicago House‘ Remix by Marshall Jefferson |

About Chicago House AC

Founded in 2020, Chicago House Athletic Club is a community-based professional soccer team that plays its home matches at the 20,000 capacity SeatGeek Stadium at 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview, Illinois. The team competes in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA,) a U.S. Soccer sanctioned third division league. Led by Managing Partner, President & CEO Peter Wilt, Chicago House AC is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) committed to using its platform for social justice, diversity, equality, inclusion and community improvement. The club’s name is a tribute to House Music, which was created in Chicago in the early 1980’s. Fans can help #BuildTheHouse by purchasing tickets at www.chicagohouseac.com/tickets or by calling our Ticket Sales Team at (312) 444-0976. For more information on Chicago House AC, please visit www.chicagohouseac.com and follow the club on social media @ChicagoHouse_AC. Our City, Our House.

About Slang Music Group

Slang Music Group is a minority owned, multi-featured music and sound house that produces national Gold & Platinum award winning recording artists and delivers modern sounds to the ad industry seamlessly. The group’s producer/engineer/remixers have worked for top selling acts such as Beyonce, Pink, Johnathan Davis (KORN), John Legend, Enrique Iglesias, Kanye West, Iggy Azalea, Charles Jenkins & Wyclef Jean to name a small portion of a very diverse list. While composing and licensing music for commercials, film and TV, members of The Slang Music Group have also been working with burgeoning new talent from all over the world. For more information about Slang Music Group, please visit www.slangmusicgroup.com.

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The Chicago Bears are in a weird position. On one hand, it’s only halfway through the season. At 3-5, the Bears could still see a turnaround and push for a Wildcard spot. On the other hand, it doesn’t look as though Chicago could do something so gutsy. This is a team with plenty of issues, […] Chicago Bears: 3 contenders to trade with at the deadline – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

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Four people were killed and two teens were among 23 wounded in citywide shootings since this weekend. | Sun-Times file photo

Two of those who died were shot on Belmont Avenue in Avondale.

Six people were killed and 22 others were wounded by gunfire over the weekend in attacks across Chicago.

Two men were shot and killed early Saturday in Avondale on the Northwest Side. The two men, 28 and 26, were shot shot minutes after midnight in the 2700 block of West Belmont Avenue, Chicago police said. Both were taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center and pronounced dead. Their names haven’t been released.
A man was killed in Austin on the West Side Saturday afternoon. The 26-year-old was in a car in the 900 block of South Monitor Avenue when he was stuck by gunfire, police said. The unidentified man was shot in the neck and taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead.
A man was killed and another wounded in a drive-by Sunday morning in West Garfield Park. About 7 a.m., they were standing in the 400 block of South Kostner Avenue when a white car pulled up and someone inside started firing shots, police said. Keith Melton-McKinney, 56, was struck in his head and shoulder, authorities said. He died at Mount Sinai Hospital. The second man, 39, was struck twice in the shoulder and stabilized at Loretto Hospital.
A man was killed Sunday morning in Ukrainian Village. A man, about 30 years old, was found on the ground around 1 a.m. with a gunshot wound to the torso in the 900 block of North Damen Avenue, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died, police said. His name hasn’t been released.
Sunday morning, a woman was fatally shot in Gresham on the South Side. Kailah Bledsoe, 22, was shot by a woman who walked up to her around 10:30 a.m. in the 7600 block of South Morgan Street, police said. Bledsoe was struck in the face and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. No arrest was made.

Nonfatal attacks

A 15-year-old boy was shot Saturday afternoon in Gresham on the South Side. About 3:45 p.m., the 15-year-old was near an alley in the 7900 block of South Justine Street when he was shot in the chest, police said. The teen was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in serious condition, police said.
A 16-year-old boy was shot while waiting for a friend Friday night on the Near West Side. The teen was standing outside about 7:30 p.m. in the 300 block of South Western Avenue when someone in the back seat of a black Kia fired shots, police said. He was struck in the thigh and taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in good condition, police said.
A man was shot in his living room Sunday morning in Chicago Lawn on the South Side. The attack happened around 1:15 a.m. in the 6100 block of South Campbell Avenue. The 22-year-old was was shot in the shoulder and grazed in his head, police said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in fair condition, police said.

At least 18 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago this weekend.

Last weekend, three people were killed and 26 others wounded in shootings in Chicago.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

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A day after dropping to 3-5 on the season, the Chicago Bears now face a harsh reality: they really aren’t that good. This season was never supposed to end in a Super Bowl by any means, but seeing the team play competitive football is the goal at this point. Hampered by a clueless head coach […] Chicago Bears should begin fire sale by trading these 5 players – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

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