European Super League might be falling apart as Chelsea, Man City lead exiton April 20, 2021 at 8:25 pm

LONDON — Chelsea and Manchester City were preparing to dramatically abandon plans to join a breakaway Super League on Tuesday, threatening to implode the project by a group of elite English, Spanish and Italian clubs less than two days after it was announced.

Chelsea was preparing documents to tell the Super League it wants out of the 12-team plan, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Chelsea was yet to send its decision to the organizers of the new, largely closed competition that would split the teams away from UEFA’s existing Champions League.

The BBC and Sky Sports also said City was withdrawing after being among six English clubs along with three elite teams from both Spain and Italy who signed up to the Super League.

The decision appeared to be confirmed by the British government, which had threatened to introduce laws to stop clubs forming a new European competition that Prime Minister Boris Johnson called a “cartel.”

“Good news that Chelsea and City have seen sense, and I urge the rest to follow swiftly,” Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden tweeted. “The whole ESL move shows how out-of-touch these owners are. They have completely misjudged the strength of feeling from fans, players and the whole country. Football is for the fans.

“Our fan-led review will still happen and I remain convinced of the need for reform. We must make sure this never happens again.”

Liverpool was publicly urged seemingly to desert the Super League by Kenny Dalglish, the legendary former player and manager who is now a director of the club owned by the Boston Red Sox ownership group.

“The last few days have been difficult for everyone who loves Liverpool Football Club and I really hope we do the right thing,” Dalglish tweeted.

It was unclear if Manchester United, which is owned by the American Glazer family, was still clinging onto the Super League project. But United vice chairman Ed Woodward was preparing to announce his resignation, people with knowledge of the decision said. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the decision publicly. They said Woodward would not leave immediately.

Chelsea’s decision to leave the Super League came as fans protested outside the club’s Stamford Bridge stadium ahead of Tuesday’s game against Brighton and as English opposition to the scheme intensified.

The Premier League threatened to sanction the six rebel clubs and Prime Minister Boris Johnson considered introducing laws to stop them forming a new European competition he called a “cartel.”

Divisions within the Super League clubs also grew with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola saying the Super League would damage the integrity and values of sport. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has also expressed concerns about the actions of his club’s owners.

The Premier League has already threatened the six Super League clubs with expulsion if they go it alone in Europe. The other 14 clubs met on Tuesday and “unanimously and vigorously” rejected the Super League plans.

“The Premier League is considering all actions available to prevent it from progressing, as well as holding those shareholders involved to account under its rules,” the English top division said in a statement.

The six clubs, driven by the American owners of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, have teamed up with the Spanish and Italian teams to rip up the structures of the European game.

Tottenham is also part of the breakaway that would see the teams guaranteed entry each year into the Super League rather than having to qualify through the previous season’s Premier League placing.

“Sport is not a sport when the relationship between the effort and the success, the effort and reward doesn’t exist,” said Guardiola, whose Manchester City side leads the Premier League. “It’s not a sport. It’s not a sport when success is already guaranteed. It’s not a sport when it doesn’t matter when you lose.”

Premier League officials were also part of a meeting alongside representatives of fan groups led from Downing Street by Johnson, who told them the government would “drop a legislative bomb” on the Super League if necessary.

“I think it’s not in the interests of fans, it’s not in the interests of football,” Johnson said later in a news conference.

The government could adopt the 50-plus-1 rule from Germany that gives fans the majority of voting rights, nominally to protect clubs from being controlled by private investors. The Super League aims for 15 founding Super League clubs — three places are yet to be filled — and only five spots with more open access.

“How can it be right to have a situation in which you create a kind of cartel that stops clubs competing against each other, playing against each other properly, with all the hope and excitement that gives to the fans up and down the country?” Johnson said. “I think it offends against the basic principles of competition.”

Everton decried the “preposterous arrogance” of Super League clubs. Everton’s nine titles are the fourth most by a team in the history of the English top division, and the club from Merseyside was considered part of the country’s elite in the 1980s and early 1990s.

“The backlash is understandable and deserved — and has to be listened to,” Everton’s board of directors said in a statement. “This preposterous arrogance is not wanted anywhere in football outside of the clubs that have drafted this plan.”

Everton’s majority owner, British-Iranian businessman Farhad Moshiri, has spent heavily in recent years in an effort to push the team, which is managed by Carlo Ancelotti, into the group stage of the Champions League for the first time.

West Ham is also pursuing a top-four finish to qualify for the Champions League for the first time. The east London club said the Super League was an “attack on sporting integrity, undermines competition.”

European Super League might be falling apart as Chelsea, Man City lead exiton April 20, 2021 at 8:25 pm Read More »

Jim Steinman, songwriter of Meat Loaf and Celine Dion hits, dies at 73on April 20, 2021 at 8:30 pm

NEW YORK — Jim Steinman, the Grammy-winning composer who wrote Meat Loaf’s best-selling “Bat Out Of Hell” debut album as well as hits for Celine Dion, Air Supply and Bonnie Tyler, has died, his brother said. He was 73.

Bill Steinman told The Associated Press that his brother died Monday from kidney failure and was ill for some time. He said Jim Steinman died in Connecticut near his home in Ridgefield.

“I miss him a great deal already,” Bill Steinman said by phone Tuesday.

Jim Steinman was born on Nov. 1, 1947, in New York City.

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012 and won album of the year at the 1997 Grammy Awards for producing songs on Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You,” which celebrated its 25th anniversary last month and featured the Steinman-penned power ballad “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.”

Steinman wrote the music for Meat Loaf’s classic album “Bat Out of Hell,” released in 1977 and one of the top-selling albums of all-time. It has reached 14-time platinum status by the RIAA, which is equivalent to selling 14 million albums in the U.S. alone.

Steinman also wrote Meat Loaf’s 1993 album, “Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell,” another commercial and multi-platinum success that featured the international hit “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” He also worked on 2006’s “Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose,” which closed the “Bat Out of Hell” trilogy.

He also composed the rock musical “Bat Out of Hell: The Musical,” which premiered in 2017 at the Manchester Opera House in Manchester, England.

Steinman was responsible for Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which topped the Billboard charts in 1983 and earned Tyler a Grammy nomination. When Tyler’s song was No. 1, another Steinman production — Air Supply’s “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” — peaked at No. 2, giving Steinman the Top 2 spots on the chart.

“There is no other songwriter ever like him,” an emotional and teary-eyed Meat Loaf said at Steinman’s induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Here I go getting emotional…

“I can never repay him,” he continued. “He has been such an influence, in fact, the biggest influence on my life, and I learned so much from him that there would be no way I could ever repay Mr. Jim Steinman.”

Meat Loaf and Steinman joined forces again for Meat Loaf’s most recent album, 2016’s “Braver Than We Are.” The songs were written over a 50-year period, and include several originally intended for “Bat Out of Hell.”

Jim Steinman, songwriter of Meat Loaf and Celine Dion hits, dies at 73on April 20, 2021 at 8:30 pm Read More »

The Federal Government’s ICE trap: How a Serbian refugee/prisoner granted parole—but detained by ICE– is facing a death sentence in Bosniaon April 20, 2021 at 8:06 pm

Academic Ink-lings

The Federal Government’s ICE trap: How a Serbian refugee/prisoner granted parole—but detained by ICE– is facing a death sentence in Bosnia

The Federal Government’s ICE trap: How a Serbian refugee/prisoner granted parole—but detained by ICE– is facing a death sentence in Bosniaon April 20, 2021 at 8:06 pm Read More »

Jury reaches verdict at trial over George Floyd’s deathAssociated Presson April 20, 2021 at 7:50 pm

In this image from video, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin listens as his defense attorney Eric Nelson gives closing arguments as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill preside Monday, April 19, 2021, in the trial of Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. — In this image from video, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin listens as his defense attorney Eric Nelson gives closing arguments as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill preside Monday, April 19, 2021, in the trial of Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. | AP

The verdict, arrived at after about 10 hours of deliberations over two days, was to be read late in the afternoon in a city on edge against the possibility of more unrest like that that erupted last spring.

MINNEAPOLIS — The jury reached a verdict Tuesday at the murder trial of former Officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd, the Black man who was pinned to the pavement with a knee on his neck in a case that set off a furious reexamination of racism and policing in the U.S.

The courthouse was ringed with concrete barriers and razor wire, and thousands of National Guardsmen and other law enforcement officers were brought in ahead of the verdict.

Floyd died last May after Chauvin, a 45-year-old now-fired white officer, pinned his knee on the 46-year-old Black man’s neck for about 9 1/2 minutes.

The jury, made up of six white people and six Black or multiracial people, weighed charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, with convictions on some, none or all of the charges possible. The most serious charge carries up to 40 years in prison.

Earlier in the day Tuesday, President Joe Biden weighed in by saying he believes the case is “overwhelming.” Other politicians and ordinary citizens also offered their opinion.

“It shouldn’t be really even questioned whether there will be an acquittal or a verdict that doesn’t meet the scale of the crime that was committed,” Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, said in Brooklyn Center, a suburb just outside Minneapolis. The congresswoman said the Chauvin case looks open-and-shut.

Guilty verdicts could mark a turning point in the fight for racial equality, she said.

“We are holding on to one another for support. Hopefully this verdict will come soon and the community will start the process of healing,” Omar said.

In Washington, the president said that he had spoken to Floyd’s family on Monday and “can only imagine the pressure and anxiety they’re feeling.”

“They’re a good family and they’re calling for peace and tranquility no matter what that verdict is,” Biden said. “I’m praying the verdict is the right verdict. I think it’s overwhelming, in my view. I wouldn’t say that unless the jury was sequestered now.”

The president has repeatedly denounced Floyd’s death but previously stopped short of commenting on the trial itself.

Ahead of a verdict, some stores were boarded up in Minneapolis, the courthouse was ringed with concrete barriers and razor wire, and National Guard troops were on patrol. Last spring, Floyd’s death set off protests along with vandalism and arson in Minneapolis.

The city has also been on edge in recent days over the deadly police shooting of a 20-year-old Black man, Daunte Wright, in Brooklyn Center on April 11.

___

Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan. Associated Press video journalist Angie Wang in Atlanta and Associated Press writers Doug Glass, in Minneapolis, Mohamed Ibrahim in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed.

Jury reaches verdict at trial over George Floyd’s deathAssociated Presson April 20, 2021 at 7:50 pm Read More »

Casey Bloom, a familiar face at Chicago harbors who landed a record yellow bass, dead at 93Maureen O’Donnellon April 20, 2021 at 7:50 pm

Casey Bloom with the yellow bass he caught on the Wolf River in Wisconsin in 2012 that broke a 40-year-old record for a yellow bass caught with a hook and line. | Provided

Caught on the Wolf River near Lake Winneconne in Wisconsin, it was 15 inches long and 2.27 pounds — a monster for a yellow bass. He nearly threw it back.

Casey Bloom caught a Morone mississippiensis that was a real monster.

A monster fish. Mr. Bloom caught the outsized yellow bass in 2012 on the Wolf River near Lake Winneconne in Wisconsin. Measuring 15 inches long and weighing 2.27 pounds, it broke a 40-year-old Wisconsin weight record for a yellow bass caught with a hook and line.

Though small enough to hold in his hands, it was a leviathan compared to a typical yellow bass.

In an article in the Wisconsin State Journal, outdoor reporter Patrick Durkin said Mr. Bloom’s fish “might be as rare and impressive as any muskie, bear or buck mounted above a Wisconsin bar.”

“Yellow bass are typically six to nine inches, so fish 15 to 16 inches are definitely reaching maximum lengths for the species,” said Karl J. Scheidegger of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Mr. Bloom, a Northwest Sider who fished for nearly his whole life — about 88 of his 93 years — died April 10. He had congestive heart failure and recently was diagnosed with cancer, according to his son Gary Bloom.

Mr. Bloom used to be a familiar face at Belmont Harbor, Montrose Harbor and Navy Pier. After retiring, he’d head almost every day to Lake Michigan, where he enjoyed an easy camaraderie with other retirees and anglers.

“If the fish weren’t biting, they’d sit down and talk for hours,” his son said.

Mr. Bloom shifted his fishing to Wisconsin after he bought a retirement home near Oshkosh on Lake Winneconne.

Casey Bloom and his brother Larry holding a Northern pike. — Casey Bloom (right) and his brother Larry holding a Northern pike.

When he caught his record yellow bass on April 21, 2012, Mr. Bloom had no idea what a feat that was and thought of throwing it back.

“I thought it was just a fish,” he later told the Chicago Sun-Times.

But his son had a hunch the catch was special. So they took it to be weighed by Wisconsin DNR officials on the certified scale at the Winneconne Piggly Wiggly.

State biologists weren’t even sure at first it could be a yellow bass. One was quoted as saying, “It’s like a 7-foot human.”

Mr. Bloom held the hook-and-line record for a Wisconsin yellow bass until a 16.1-inch, 2 pound, 12-ounce fish beat his catch in April 2013, a record that still stands.

He had his fish mounted. It’s still on display above the cash register at Critters Wolf River Sports in Winneconne, owner Chris Boucher said.

Young Casey grew up in Bucktown in a house that was one of many torn down to build the Kennedy Expressway.

His mother was Harriet Jendrey, and his father Casimer Bloom worked for Brach’s candy. Mr. Bloom’s paternal grandfather, who was from Poznan, Poland, was named Kazimierz Kwiatkowski when he arrived at Ellis Island, where an immigration official told him that Kwiatkowski translated roughly to “flower.” Henceforth, he told the new immigrant, his last name would be Bloom.

Casey was born Casimir Bloom. He went to St. Hedwig and Drummond grade schools.

It was easy for a kid to make a little money back then, in the 1930s, his own kids remember him telling them.

“He said you could go to a junkyard on Ashland Avenue by the river, and you could rent a big pushcart or wagon for a nickel, and go down the alleys,” his son said. “They would pick up cardboard, newspapers, bottles, brass, copper. That’s how they made their spending money.”

Casey Bloom served in the Army during the Korean War.

He worked summers as a “boat boy” at a resort in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, where he sold bait and attached motors to boats.

After a year at Tuley High School, “He quit because he needed to help his mom and dad pay for their house,” his son said.

He became a gift-box glue operator at a company now known as Field Packaging Solutions. He worked there 43 years, broken up by a stint in the Army during the Korean War, serving stateside.

He and his future wife Gloria met at a bowling alley. They were married for 62 years, until her death in 2018.

Casey Bloom with a 28-pound muskie he caught in Canada.

In addition to fishing, Mr. Bloom liked to hunt rabbit, pheasant, quail, duck and deer. “Everything that was shot, we ate,” his son said.

Casey and Gloria Bloom with their children Gary, Mary Alice and Nancy.

In addition to his son, Mr. Bloom is survived by daughters Nancy Napier and Mary Alice Graf, his brother Lawrence and sister Maryann Bloom Barnett, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

His kids tucked his fishing hat and a favorite pole in his casket as well as a pack of the Dutch Master President cigars Mr. Bloom liked to puff. He was then cremated.

“We’re going to end up taking some of the ashes up north to the [Wolf] river,” his son said. “He wanted to be put to sea.”

Contributing: Dale Bowman

Casey Bloom, a familiar face at Chicago harbors who landed a record yellow bass, dead at 93Maureen O’Donnellon April 20, 2021 at 7:50 pm Read More »

7 Chicago Takeout Joints for the 4/20 Late Night MunchiesAlicia Likenon April 20, 2021 at 7:37 pm

Happy 4/20! Today we’re celebrating our favorite *legal* drug, marijunana. Whether you’re rolling a fat blunt, hitting a vape pen, nibbling some edibles, or taking a few dabs, one thing’s for sure: you’ll be high AF. And well, you’ll be hungry. So before you smoke up, scope out this list of late night munchies around Chicago.

Posted by Maxwell Street Depot on Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Maxwell St. Depot

Now here’s an idea: get lit while listening to Snoop Dogg then stuff your face with some dogs. This no-frills fast food joint is known for their bone-in pork chop sandwich, savoury sauteed onions, and perfectly crisp fries. Open 24 hours for all you night owls. Get your order in here.

Bon Giorno, Happy Holidays to all.here is our Christmas Holiday Schedule.Thurs Dec. 24th Christmas Eve (10am to 3…

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Posted by Super Submarine on Thursday, December 24, 2020

Super Submarine

This counter-serve style restaurant on Ashland offers gyros and sandwiches along with wings and perfectly deep fried fare. From chicken nuggets and shrimp baskets to twelve different types of subs, there’s something for every stoner. Open 9am to 6am. Get your order in here.

Celebrate Founder’s Day with us tomorrow, Monday July 10, 2017, with $2 polish sausage sandwiches, 2pm-6pm only. 1250 S. Union Ave., Chicago.

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Posted by Jim’s Original on Sunday, July 9, 2017

Jim’s Original

Cannabis connoisseurs! This old-school hotdog stand (started in 1939) is home to the original Maxwell Street Polish sausage. Other popular items include the double all-beef hot dog, pork chop sandwich, and double cheeseburger. And the best part? It’s open 24/7 for all your after dark cravings. Order on Doordash here.

Posted by ChiCafe on Saturday, September 1, 2018

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Chi Cafe

Feeling some chinese food? Chi Cafe has the hookup. Open 3pm to 2am, you can literally find just about everything here. Favorites include their Cuttlefish Roll, Marinated Duck, Smoked Duck, and Deep Fried Tofu. Keep blazing, stay amazing, and get your order in here.

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Big Star

Puff, puff, pass the tortilla chips. This bourbon and beer-focused, taco-slinging, late-night honky-tonk in the heart of Chicago’s Wicker Park is sure to fill you up without letting you down. Big Star classics include nachos the size of your head, tacos for both carnivores and vegetarians as well as killer guacamole. Order delivery or curbside carryout here.

Posted by Restaurant Traspasada on Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Traspasada

Love a good herb? So do the folks at Traspasada…although their favorite green is cilantro. Get down on some dope authentic Mexican eats including pork tacos, carne asada burritos, chicken enchiladas, etc. etc. Their menu is pretty extensive so you may want to order ahead of time here.

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Cheesie’s Pub and Grill

Someone must’ve been super high while designing Cheesie’s logo. Because it’s a grilled cheese…smiling. So there’s that. But let’s talk about the food. Is there anything better than gooey, melty dairy slapped between two pieces of perfectly toasted bread? Answer: no. Especially after a few J’s. Order here and do the thang.

Late Night Munchies Chicago Featured Image Credit: Big Star on Facebook

The post 7 Chicago Takeout Joints for the 4/20 Late Night Munchies appeared first on UrbanMatter.

7 Chicago Takeout Joints for the 4/20 Late Night MunchiesAlicia Likenon April 20, 2021 at 7:37 pm Read More »

Dingers: A Chicago Cubs Podcast; Episode 36 – Dinger Derby WeekendNick Bon April 20, 2021 at 6:00 pm

Join the Dingers Crew this week as they break down the Braves series, #KB4MVP, and throw behind the ESPN trash of a broadcast.

The post Dingers: A Chicago Cubs Podcast; Episode 36 – Dinger Derby Weekend first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More

Dingers: A Chicago Cubs Podcast; Episode 36 – Dinger Derby WeekendNick Bon April 20, 2021 at 6:00 pm Read More »

As Derek Chauvin jury deliberates, Biden calls case ‘overwhelming’Associated Presson April 20, 2021 at 6:43 pm

The jury of six white people and six people who are Black or multiracial resumed deliberations Tuesday morning.

MINNEAPOLIS — The jury at former Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial in George Floyd’s death deliberated for a second day Tuesday in a city skittish over the outcome as President Joe Biden weighed in by saying he believes the case is “overwhelming.”

The racially diverse jury — anonymous and sequestered from the outside world — resumed deliberations in the morning as lawmakers and fellow citizens alike delivered their own opinions about the combustible case that triggered protests, scattered violence and a reckoning over racism in the U.S.

Guilty verdicts could mark a turning point in the fight for racial equality, she said.

“We are holding on to one another for support. Hopefully this verdict will come soon and the community will start the process of healing,” Omar said.

In Washington, the president said that he had spoken to Floyd’s family on Monday and “can only imagine the pressure and anxiety they’re feeling.”

The president has repeatedly denounced Floyd’s death but previously stopped short of commenting on the trial itself.

Prosecutors argued that Chauvin squeezed the life out of Floyd last May when the white officer knelt on or near the 46-year-old Black man’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes. The defense contended that the now-fired white officer acted reasonably and that a heart condition and illegal drug use led to Floyd’s death.

The jury of six white people and six people who are Black or multiracial spent just a few hours on their task Monday after the day was mostly consumed by closing arguments. They will remain sequestered until verdicts are reached.

Chauvin, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter The most serious charge carries up to 40 years in prison.

The city has also been on edge in recent days over the deadly police shooting of a 20-year-old Black man, Daunte Wright, in Brooklyn Center on April 11.

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott joined a group of residents Tuesday to call for transparency and accountability in policing.

The mayor said he has met with Wright’s family several times and vowed to “do all that’s within our power to make sure that we are implementing the kind of changes that would prevent another Daunte.”

“What this community is saying is that his life is going to continue to matter,” Elliott said.

After the jury got the Chauvin case Monday, Judge Peter Cahill rejected a defense request for a mistrial based in part on comments from California Rep. Maxine Waters, who said “we’ve got to get more confrontational” if Chauvin isn’t convicted of murder.

The judge called her comments “abhorrent” and “disrespectful to the rule of law and to the judicial branch” and told Chauvin’s attorney that Waters “may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned.”

Still, two defense attorneys in Minnesota said they consider a successful appeal over remarks like Waters’ or Biden’s extremely unlikely.

“Anybody who thinks undue publicity is going to get a case reversed in this day and age is just wrong,” said Joe Friedberg, who is unconnected to the case. “Just from a pragmatic standpoint, with social media, I don’t think it can ever be done again.”

Brock Hunter, past president of the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said a successful appeal would be unlikely unless there were direct evidence that Waters’ statements affected jurors.

___

As Derek Chauvin jury deliberates, Biden calls case ‘overwhelming’Associated Presson April 20, 2021 at 6:43 pm Read More »

12 Things to Do on a Chicago Stay-cation – Your Kinda TownMira Temkinon April 20, 2021 at 5:43 pm

Taking a stay-cation in your own city offers tons of uplifting and memorable experiences. Hang out in Chicago like a tourist and come away with a fresh perspective of the city you call home. Check out these new attractions and undiscovered gems waiting to be explored.

Start on the River

See Chicago’s architectural jewels from the water. Cruise on a Wendella Architecture Tour for a true sense of history and place in Chicago’s 130 years of design innovation. Captain Craig Wenokur told us the best description of Chicago’s architecture is really diversity, creating a skyline with structures built from 1920 to 2020. Many older buildings along the river have been repurposed. Once empty factories have been turned into the city’s hottest condos. Hop on one of their 45 – 90 minute Chicago River Architecture Cruises and you’ll be impressed by the dynamic vision of the city builders. And you’ll love being out on the water!

Sleep in a Museum

As a guest at two other 21C hotels, I was primed to enjoy their newest Chicago location. Conveniently located just steps away from Michigan Avenue, the 4-star 21C Museum Hotel is within easy walking distance to everywhere! Here, you’ll be surrounded by two stories of contemporary art featuring sculpture, tapestries, photographs and paintings that create a hip vibe. Free and open 24/7, the historic 21c Museum actually brings a new cultural resource to Chicago’s vast art scene. But it’s the elegant details, unique amenities like the Nespresso coffee maker, Malin & Goetz bath luxuries and bathroom fixtures that made staying at the 21C such a joyful experience. The bed was uber-comfortable and the bedding exquisite, matched only by the expansive views of the city. What’s really funky is their signature Evergreen penguins that (pre-Covid) could be found in the halls, in your room or even your shower! The entire experience evoked a real sense of inspiration and relaxation.

Visit the New Monet and Chicago Exhibit

No matter how many times you’ve been to the Art Institute, there’s always something new to see. Featuring more than 70 works of art, Monet and Chicago traces the history of the French Impressionist and his relationship with the city that started in 1888. Seeing these masterpieces up close is a thrill you don’t want to miss, through June 14. Their other new exhibit is the fabric portrait quilts of Bisa Butler demonstrating colorful and cultural memory. Through September 6.

Photo courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago

Be Friends with “Friends”

“The Friends Experience – The One in Chicago” puts fans front and center of the popular TV show through an interactive 2-story experience. Have serious fun as you explore 12 nostalia-filled rooms that bring back the memories featuring video clips, larger-than-life photographs, props, costumes and more. Step inside Joey and Chandler’s apartment, Rachel and Monica’s kitchen and Central Perk where you’ll find everything “Monica clean.” This is Instagram bliss at its best!

Photo courtesy of The Friends Experience

Go Digital at Immersive Van Gogh

No trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to the new Immersive Van Gogh, a visually spectacular digital art exhibition that invites audiences to “step inside” the iconic works of post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. Through art, light, music and movement, the experience envelops your visual and audio senses. Get immersed in the music, too with Edith Piaf’s “No Regrets.” Stand in one of the circles on the main floor, then step up to the balcony for a higher perspective.

Grab a Seat on Chicago’s Crime Scene Tour

Almost as famous as Michael Jordan is the reputations of most-wanted criminals, John Dillinger and Al Capone. Get all the deets on America’s original crime legends on this 2-hour tour. Hop on and off the bus where the real events took place, see videos of the historic events and find out what really happened. Elise, our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, making the stories come alive. You’ll come away knowing “crime doesn’t pay!” Chicago Crime Tour also offers Night Crime Tours, if you dare!

Dining Divine!

As a Chicagoan, you know dining is an experience to be savored. From mouth-watering steaks to ethnic cuisine to brunch, Chicago maintains its reputation for outstanding restaurants that rock. Here’s the buzz.

Go Deep!

Chicago’s newest entry into the foodie tours is Finger Licking Deep Dish Pizza Tours. Created by former Chicagoan Don Cortusi, founder of Finger Licking Foodie Tours of Las Vegas, the self-guided Deep Dish Pizza Tour includes three of Chicago’s most iconic pizza landmarks. Schedule between 11 am – 6 pm for your two-hour stairway to pizza heaven! Get seated quickly and dig into fresh hot pizza in just 10 minutes. Start at Gino’s East, then walk to Pizzeria Uno and end at Lou Malnati’s for a Signature Deep Dish Pizza, topped with ½ cheese ½ sausage or veggies. With the optional beverage package, pair your pizza with a local Chicago beer at each stop. Best part, you can take the leftovers back home. Look for more Finger Licking Foodie Tours coming soon.

Eleven City Diner Delivers On Oversize Everything!

This eatery takes deli to a whole new level. Founder Brad Rubin opened Eleven City Diner about 15 years ago with a single mindset – to do it his way. The results are in — slam dunk, the best deli in the whole city. Grab breakfast all day, try his home brew Root Beer, slurp homemade malts and shakes, see smoked meats in a sandwich stacked like Willis Tower, matza balls the size of baseballs, oversized potato pancakes, and ginormous cakes. The atmosphere is warm, friendly and authentic. Dine in, pick up, or delivery. If you haven’t been, high tail it over to Eleven City Diner and see for yourself.

Get Casual and Creative at Bernie’s

I had an Uncle Bernie and he would have loved this place. Named after the owner’s grandfather, Bernie’s is a part of the Peas & Carrots restaurant group, Chicago’s first opening in 2015. Serving an American-style menu with a twist, Bernie’s most popular dishes are their burgers and ground lamb hummus, all locally sourced. We started with the fresh kale salad that was chock-full of apples, almonds and quinoa. Dine on the braised short ribs with heirloom carrots, asparagus, polenta and mushroom sauce. Or try the glazed salmon that was rich and tasty. Head up to their seasonal rooftop patio for great views while you dine.

Indulge in Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse – The Ultimate Chicago Dining Experience

Hope you’re hungry because Gibsons has been Chicago’s go-to place for USDA prime angus steaks going on 23 years. This intimate iconic restaurant serves up fabulous steaks, seafood and classic cocktails, coupled with unsurpassed attention to details that makes it such a spectacular dining experience. Which steak to choose from? I went with the New York Strip, masterfully grilled to perfection with just the right amount of seasoning. Tasty sides included yummy double-baked potato and creamed spinach. My husband opted for the Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut with asparagus pesto. We splurged, calorie-wise, on the luscious Carrot Cake, with more than enough to take home.

Hang Out at R.J. Grunts

This is Chicago’s first date place, celebrating its 50^th anniversary in June. Still known for its awesome burgers, giant hand-scooped milk shakes and the city’s first salad bar, R.J. Grunts was Richard Melman’s original eatery that launched a restaurant empire, Lettuce Entertain You. Try the Tuna Melt Trio plate which was enormous with crisp fries. Or the Grunt Burger with fried onions and bleu cheese that continues to delight. Manager Ron Forsman told me some 20 years ago, the company wanted to shut Grunts down and the outcry from the neighborhood was so intense, they decided to keep it open. Lucky us. Come enjoy all that Grunts is famous for in the heart of Lincoln Park.

Let Chicago Greeters Show you Around

Get up close and personal with Chicago neighborhoods through Chicago Greeters, now available for locals, too. We were escorted through the Gold Coast, South Loop and Lincoln Park with a friendly, knowledgeable guide. Enjoy a free 2-4 hour visit based on your choice of neighborhoods and interests. Register at least 10 days in advance. Or, check out an Insta-Greeter for an hour-long walk of downtown. Guide Judith Robinson showed us around the Gold Coast, with its art-deco architecture, well-maintained buildings and million-dollar homes. One gem was Restoration Hardware in the historic Three Arts Club, which featured six floors of home furnishings and a gorgeous café setting. Rush on over, ASAP.

To plan your own Chicago Stay-Cation, go to Choosechicago.com

The post 12 Things to Do on a Chicago Stay-cation – Your Kinda Town appeared first on UrbanMatter.

12 Things to Do on a Chicago Stay-cation – Your Kinda TownMira Temkinon April 20, 2021 at 5:43 pm Read More »

GGTB Ep. 93 – Jekyll & HydeNick Bon April 20, 2021 at 4:33 pm

Losses to the BoSox bookend a brilliant double-header sweep that saw Hendriks and Kopech dominant. TA is back and providing a much needed spark however Abreu has yet to get going. Hot and Cold; Feast or Famine. Nick and Pat are looking for some consistently as the Sox head into CLE.

The post GGTB Ep. 93 – Jekyll & Hyde first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More

GGTB Ep. 93 – Jekyll & HydeNick Bon April 20, 2021 at 4:33 pm Read More »

The Federal Government’s ICE trap: How a Serbian refugee/prisoner granted parole—but detained by ICE– is facing a death sentence in Bosnia

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