Wine Gang

Ideal for Drinkers seeking to get (gently) schooled by pros
Last summer, somms Danielle Norris, Kyla Peal, and Marie Cheslik debuted Slik Wines, which offers virtual wine education. Their club, Wine Gang, includes two bottles each month selected by one of the founders. For March ($59), Norris celebrates Pisces season with wines she calls “evocative oceanside delights.” You’ll get a link to a video of the somm waxing on about the choices. Norris says: “We want it to feel like your homie sent you a Tik Tok that’s just for you.” Pick up at Lost Lake (3154 W. Diversey Ave., Logan Square), where you’ll also get a 10-percent discount, or have it delivered for $15. slikwines.com

Easy Does It

Ideal for Oenophiles who want personalized service
You can’t kick back on Easy Does It’s Logan Square patio at the moment, but you can sign up for a club that matches the aptly named bar’s vibe. Choose two minimal-intervention bottles for $45 or $75 a month (the pricier option features more limited bottlings), or get four for $115. From there, it’s all about you. Partner Zack Eastman says you can let them know your preferences each month, and they’ll tailor their selection for you. You also get 5 percent off store purchases and first dibs on hard-to-find wines. Pick up at Easy Does It (2345 N. Milwaukee Ave., Logan Square). easydoes.it

Bummer Wines

Ideal for Natural wine lovers (or those who aspire to be)
This Pilsen-based club, run by David Rodriguez and Victor Sanchez, provides a crash course in natural wine, with two bottles a month for $60. The pair, who work in marketing and advertising, started the club to direct friends to wines from family- or minority-owned producers, particularly those in Latin America. “Wineries like Bichi in Baja California are making wines that rival those from France and Italy,” Sanchez says. Pick up at All Together Now (2119 W. Chicago Ave., West Town); free delivery in Pilsen. bummer-wines.com

Bottles Up

Ideal for Trying rare bottles
Melissa Zeman’s Lake View East shop offers the most affordable club: $30 for two bottles centered on a theme or region (like holidays or Sicilian varietals). “We rule out anything that’s been in the shop before,” Zeman says. “The point is to have clubbers be the first to try them and determine what makes the shelf. A couple times, we’ve featured wines you can’t get anywhere else in the state.” Big spenders can choose $60 or $90 subscription levels that feature rarer wines. Pick up at the shop (3164 N. Broadway). bottlesupchicago.com

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Okay, here’s a dining experience unlike any other: Sushi Suite 202 is sushi speakeasy in the heart of Chicago! From the moment you swipe your keycard and step inside the exclusive 500 square foot space, you’ll be blown away. Michael Sinensky and Erika London are the team behind New York’s popular Sushi Suite 1001 and the Sushi Suite in the former Versace Mansion in Miami.

They brought their talents to the Windy City to deliver a one-of-a-kind sushi experience at the Lincoln Hotel. 

The Ambiance

When you think “hotel” you might be imagining dull carpet and, ya know, mini soaps. But that’s quite the opposite of what you’ll experience in Sushi Suite 202. Step inside to discover an elegant space–complete with warm wood millwork and jewel-toned velvet furniture and you’re in the most intimate date night spot in the city. A touch of Japanese flair elevates the ambiance. 

A six-seat cocktail bar is cast in stone and finished with a solid wood top. The main lounge seating area is set up like a cozy living room with cushioned ottomans for relaxed seating and intimate side tables to hold your cocktails. But the main attraction? A six-seat sushi bar, nestled in the back of the suite where a king bed once lived.

The Cuisine

Prepare your tastebuds for incredible fare. At the sushi bar, you’ll be treated to a whooping 17-course 75-minute omakase sushi dining celebration starting at $149 per person. Executive Chef Kin Wangchuk always brings his A-game and chef Jordan Dominguez (@tronski192 on Instagram) has cultivated a following of his own, as patrons wait weeks on end to have Chef Dominguez tell them a story unlike any other. It’s a beautiful thing; creating 17 unforgettable pieces of nigiri sushi running from prized Hokkaido uni to succulent botan ebi all made from sustainable fish sourced globally. 

The Details

Sound like your jam? Sushi Suite operates Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00pm to 11:00pm at 1816 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614. Make your reservation online here. Just a heads up, they can accommodate shellfish allergies but not vegan/vegetarian restrictions. When you arrive at the Hotel Lincoln, you’ll need to check-in at the front desk and get your keycard to unlock your experience.

Make a Reservation at Sushi Suite 202.

Featured Image Credit: Sushi Suite 202

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Chicago Bears: Aggressive approach to QB position a must in 2021 by Dominique Blanton

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a really good start to their season. Since starting 0-3-1, they have turned things around and are now a player in the Central Division. They may or may not make the playoffs but they are surely going to be in the mix. They are overachieving but it is as a group rather than being carried by something that is unsustainable. Patrick Kane, Kevin Lankinen, and scoring/defending by the committee are what allows them to win. There are some really nice forwards up at the NHL level.

Unfortunately, the talent that is up at the NHL level has caused their AHL squad, the Rockford Ice Hogs, to have a really tough season. The AHL got its season underway early in February and things have not been going well for the Ice Hogs. On Monday night, they were defeated by the Cleveland Monsters by a final score of 7-3. That was Cleveland’s first win of the season as they are now 1-2-1-0. Unfortunately, the Hogs don’t even have their first win yet as they are 0-5-1-0.

This is a little bit concerning for the Blackhawks organization. Yes, they are overachieving at the NHL level a little bit but they are not anywhere close to a Stanley Cup contender. This isn’t like it was in 2007 when they had future Hall of Famers coming up the ranks. They have Alex DeBrincat, Kirby Dach, Ian Mitchell, and a bunch of middle-six forwards in the bank.

There is still a long way to go in terms of building organizational depth and the poor play by the Ice Hogs proves it. There are some recognizable names like MacKenzie Entwistle, John Quenneville, and Evan Barratt but nothing more than that. It probably doesn’t help either that none of Lankinen, Collin Delia, or Malcolm Subban are down there. All three of them are with the Blackhawks at this time.

Brad Morrison and Chris Wilkie lead the team in goals with three. They are also the two leading scorers with four points. Cody Franson leads the team with three assists. It is a team that hasn’t scored a whole lot which makes sense as they don’t even have a win.

One thing that might surprise some people is the fact that Scott Darling is on the roster. He played in one game and it didn’t really go his way. He made 22 saves on 27 shots so he had the .815 save percentage and five goals against. Darling was once a terrific piece to a Stanley Cup-winning team but his career has gone south ever since he left the organization (before coming back). He is an easy guy to root for but his chances of being an impact NHL player again are slim.

As for the other goaltenders, Matt Tomkins plays the most. He has five games played but his numbers aren’t great either. He has a .881 save percentage and a 4.06 goals-against average. His record of 0-4-1 mirrors those numbers. Cale Morris played in relief one game and made 13 saves on 14 shots so that wasn’t that bad. Don’t be surprised if he gets a look soon enough.

How can this get better? Well, chances are it won’t get much better this year. They need to continue drafting and developing in order for the Ice Hogs (and the Blackhawks) to get to where they want to be. It is a long process that is not going to happen overnight. Nobody should discount how important it is to make sure that the Ice Hogs are an improved team in the not-so-distant future.

Hot: The Blackhawks have some potential award winners this year

They are going to be back in action again tonight when they take on the Cleveland Monsters again. It is a chance to redeem themselves from last night and finally get that first win of the season. Cleveland is the AHL affiliate for the Columbus Blue Jackets who the Chicago Blackhawks happen to be playing as well.

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Chicago Bulls should keep focus on a playoff push in 2021 by Ryan Heckman

The quarterback search so far is off to a rough start for the Chicago Bears. They swung and miss on Matthew Stafford, who went to the Los Angeles Rams. They pursued Carson Wentz but ultimately did not want to make an offer to the Philadelphia Eagles. Wentz ended up at his preferred destination the Indianapolis Colts. Where he will not get the hard coaching that he needs, and he does not have to look over his shoulder on the QB depth chart to protect his fragile ego.

As Bears fans rejoice of Carson Wentz, not in a Bears uniform, the reality is that the Colts found a possible answer at QB while on the flipside, fans are starring at the possibility of Nick Foles behind center in 2021.

With the Houston Texans being firm on not making Deshaun Watson available, Oakland Raiders playing mind games with the availability of Derek Carr, and the uncertainty with the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott situation, the Bears are in a tough spot entering the new league year.

What can the Bears do? There are a few avenues left for the Bears to go as far as addressing the position. They can continue to monitor the trade market for veteran QBs. The free agency route is also available to go out and get a veteran. This option is attractive because they will not have to sacrifice draft capital. The best option that’s left is to trade up for their franchise QB.

The Bears have to be aggressive in fixing this position. Similar to how they were in 2017, but with better evaluation. They have to identify who can be the guy for the future. Whether that’s Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, or Mac Jones. If they are able to get an established high-end veteran (Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick, or Andy Dalton) to serve as a placeholder for the eventual rookie QB, that’s even better.

Related Story: Could Bears make a run for Teddy Bridgewater?

Showing Chairman George McCaskey and President Ted Phillips that you can effectively solidify that position could go a long way in their job security moving beyond 2021.

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Billy Donovan missed out on the Ryan Arcidiacono experience years earlier.

The Bulls coach is making sure that’s not happening a second time.

So while going 10 or 11 deep from game-to-game isn’t always ideal for any NBA coach, Arcidiacono makes it easier for Donovan.

The guard is always ready, no matter how long the layoff from his last in-game minutes, he’s always going to bring some much-needed toughness to this roster, and he’s always going to bring energy.

Can’t lose situation as far as Donovan was concerned.

“Whether it be practice or shootarounds or whenever he’s called upon you know exactly what you’re going to get,” Donovan said of Arcidiacono on Monday. “To have a guy like that available with some of the injuries we’ve had to go through, based on putting him in at any point and time or juncture in the game, and you know exactly what you’re going to get. And I’ve got a lot of respect and admiration for him because he’s a total team guy. He’s great on the bench even when he’s not in the rotation. He’s good lifting those guys up. I think he’s been really, really valuable to our team.”

Donovan has actually known that for awhile, going back to his days as the Florida head coach. He was recruiting Arcidiacono, and thought he had landed the guard out of the Philadelphia area.

Heck, Arcidiacono even thought he was heading to the Sunshine State, until Villanova coach Jay Wright did a last-minute push, getting Arcidiacono and his parents to attended the program’s version of “Midnight Madness.”

Game, set, match, and Arcidiacono was a Wildcat.

Years later, what almost was, now is, and Donovan is glad to have the hard-nosed guard.

“I’ve always been a guy that regardless if I’m playing 20 minutes, no minutes, five minutes, 30 seconds, I’m always going to come in, bring energy, bring energy on the bench, whatever I have to do to help our team win,” Arcidiacono said. “I call myself a utility baseball player out there because [Donovan will] throw me out there and be like, ‘Alright, you’re playing off the ball with Sato and Coby in the game, with Coby just in the game,’ whatever the case is I’m like alright, I’ll go in for 10 seconds, whatever you need from me I got you, and I think that’s what the coaching staff and Billy expects out of me.”

Bill of health

Both Otto Porter Jr. (back) and Lauri Markkanen (right shoulder sprain) made some progress before the team flew to Houston on Monday, and while Donovan was holding out hope that at least one can return before the All-Star Break, he wasn’t holding his breath.

“I think as this week unfolds and we get closer to the All-Star Break, we’ll certainly have to look at OP because he hasn’t been able to do a lot of cardio stuff,” Donovan said. “I don’t know if either of those guys will be back before the All-Star Break or not. I think a lot of it is going to depend on if they do get some time under their belt and can come back, have they had enough of a period of time to get themselves ready to play? I’d imagine both of those guys have been really, really diligent about working out and trying to take care of themselves, and doing what they can to keep their conditioning up.”

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Two firefighters were injured after a fire broke out Monday at a house in South Chicago.

The blaze was reported about 8 p.m. at a two-story home in the 8600 block of South Phillips Avenue, Chicago fire officials said.

A mayday alert was issued, and two firefighters were taken to area hospitals, officials said. One was in good condition and the other was in fair-to-serious condition.

All other firefighters were accounted for, officials said.

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Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the Senate Judiciary Committee chair, said he was “hopeful” Lausch won’t have to resign by the end of the week.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., hinted Monday that the Biden White House will allow U.S. Attorney John Lausch, overseeing probes of top Democrats in Illinois, to remain on the job and not be forced to resign at the end of the week.

“I can just say that Senator (Tammy) Duckworth and I continue to present our case to the White House, that the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois should be allowed to continue until a successor is chosen. I am hopeful that that will end positively when we’ll know, I hope soon,” Durbin said.

Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, commented on the Chicago-based Lausch’s status after the conclusion of the first of two days of confirmation hearings for President Joe Biden’s attorney general nominee, the Lincolnwood-raised Merrick Garland.

Earlier this month, all U.S. Attorneys nominated by ex-President Donald Trump who were still on the job were told to resign by Feb. 28.

With the deadline looming, Lausch has not yet submitted his resignation, a signal he wants to stay on for now.

Before the order came down asking for the resignations, Durbin and Duckworth said they told Biden White House counsel Dana Remus “in direct conversations” why it was important to let Lausch, the top federal prosecutor for the Chicago-based Northern District of Illinois, stay on the job until his successor is confirmed.

The senators were blindsided by the decision to not grant an exception for Lausch.

The Democratic Biden White House appeared tone deaf to the appearance of removing a federal prosecutor who was investigating public corruption of Democrats.

U.S. attorneys are nominated by a president and must be confirmed by the Senate. Presidents have the power to fire U.S. attorneys.

By moving ahead to force Lausch out, Biden triggered an uproar in Illinois, uniting the Democratic senators, four of the five House GOP members, the Illinois Republican Party and newspaper editorial boards in protesting the move to fire Lausch while he is leading public corruption probes and prosecutions of top Democrats in the state.

Lausch’s office in 2020 implicated then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in a long-running bribery investigation that has led to charges against ComEd and members of Madigan’s inner-circle.

Madigan has not been charged and denies wrongdoing. He was ousted as Speaker and last week quit his House seat. Under federal scrutiny, Madigan on Monday resigned as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

In a rare bipartisan move, Trump, Durbin and Duckworth all supported Lausch. He was confirmed on a voice vote for a four-year term on Nov. 9, 2017. Searching for a successor and winning confirmation is a process that could take months.

Lausch managed a somewhat significant feat in the last three years, maintaining the support of Illinois’ Democratic senators while serving as the Justice Department’s top prosecutor in Chicago under a Republican administration that enjoyed little popularity in the city.

Earlier this month, when White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked about the firings, she said requesting U.S. attorneys to resign at the start of a new presidency has been “commonplace among previous administrations, and we look forward to working with the Senate to swiftly fill these openings in the coming weeks. The president has also made clear he wants to restore the independence of the Department of Justice and to ensure it remains free of any undue political influence.”

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Retired in Chicago

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Why can’t novels be more like my favorite TV show?

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By Marianne Goss,
today at 2:28 pm

No surprise in a recent WTTW announcement that Call the Midwife is viewers’ favorite show. As was clear when I wrote about it in 2017, it’s an all-time favorite of mine.

When I started rewatching Call the Midwife a few weeks ago, it was going to be one episode a day. That quickly grew to two or three as the uplifting BBC production proved to be perfect mental-health booster during the pandemic.  

Qualities that I think are hard to find in a literary novel — such as hope, warmth, gladness, and change for the better — are present in spades in the television series. Call the Midwife did begin as an adaption of a book, but it was nonfiction — the memoirs of Jennifer Lee Worth, a young nurse-midwife who lived and worked with Anglican religious midwives in the impoverished East End of London in the 1950s. Heartwarming and inspiring stories such as Call the Midwife are the lifeblood of memoirs but often pooh-poohed in literary fiction circles.

Back in the 2000s, frustrated by the gloominess of much literary fiction, I began a search for upbeat novels that resulted in the website Positively Good Reads. To spread the word about the site, I sent a press release to some people in the book business. A few questioned the very notion of upbeat literature. Problems aren’t usually resolved in real life, one said.

Even a good friend chided me for wanting happy endings. It isn’t necessarily happy endings that I want, I’d explain, but I hope to finish a serious novel not wanting to jump off a bridge. Hardship and tragedy can be expected in realistic fiction, but I want the characters to learn and grow from these challenges.

If Call the Midwife had been on television then (series 1 ran in 2012), I could have pointed to it as the kind of story I’m looking for.

With its 10th season coming up on PBS this fall, and having long moved beyond the true incidents in Worth’s book, the BBC-produced drama reliably manages to balance sadness and sweetness. The residents of Poplar, as the East End neighborhood is called, have dealt with every hardship that writer Heidi Thomas could imagine over the series’ long run, including postpartum mental illness, backroom abortions, diseases, congenital disabilities, domestic abuse, generational tensions, and the ever-present extreme poverty. Finding support from one another and strength from within, Poplar residents and nurse-midwives come through the suffering. Without sugar-coating, each episode ends with my faith in humanity renewed.

Television critics praise Call the Midwife. “The cast is marvelous, the gritty, postwar set pieces are meticulously recreated, and . . . the story always has its eye on uplift and good cheer,” said the Washington Post‘s Hank Stuever. “[W]e go on, buoyed by hope and love. Not exactly an original message, but it is one that Midwife delivers convincingly,” wrote David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle. 

It perplexes me then that literary critics, in contrast, are wont to accept as a given that serious fiction in book form must be dark because real life is dismal. 

Whether or not you’ve already seen past seasons of Call the Midwife, I recommend taking advantage of the rebroadcast on Netflix. If you don’t have Netflix, WTTW Prime (Channel 37) is rerunning episodes at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and midnight and 9 a.m. Wednesdays. You won’t be able to start from the beginning, but each episode is self-contained, and you’ll catch on to the main characters. If you are hooked, you can tune in to season 10 on WTTW beginning in October. Good news for us fans: Call the Midwife has already been renewed for an 11th season in 2022.

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Meet The Blogger

Marianne Goss

A retired university publications editor and journalist, I live in the South Loop and volunteer as a Chicago Greeter. Getting the most out of retired life in the big city will be a recurrent theme of this blog, but I consider any topic fair game because the perspective will be that of a retiree.

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• Why can’t novels be more like my favorite TV show? »

  Marianne Goss on Retired in Chicago
  Posted today at 2:28 pm

• An overdue list of pandemic diversions »

  Marianne Goss on Retired in Chicago
  Posted Monday at 10:16 am

• Reflecting on my reading habits »

  Marianne Goss on Retired in Chicago
  Posted February 8, 2021 at 9:23 am

• Why aren’t hearing checks part of routine screening? »

  Marianne Goss on Retired in Chicago
  Posted February 1, 2021 at 9:28 am

• Leanne, I wish you could read this post »

  Marianne Goss on Retired in Chicago
  Posted January 25, 2021 at 7:33 am

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  Margaret H. Laing

  1 week, 5 days ago

  Beautifully put, Marianne. Thank you. I’m the same way in some things; if I don’t have a character whose company…
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  Marianne Goss

  2 weeks, 6 days ago

  In reply to Margaret H. Laing:

  Interesting way to check whether your hearing ability has changed, Margaret.
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  Margaret H. Laing

  2 weeks, 6 days ago

  Thanks for an interesting analysis. My doctor isn’t calling me in for a while yet, so I have a do-it-myself…
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  Marianne Goss

  3 weeks, 5 days ago

  In reply to UptownMJ:

  Could you let me know that you received my reply? Thanks.
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  Marianne Goss

  3 weeks, 5 days ago

  Your comment came on the very day book group was meeting, so I was able to share it. Thank you.
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