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7 of the Best Wine Shops in Chicagoon November 18, 2020 at 2:47 pm

Whether it’s a full-bodied Cabernet, a sweet Sauvignon Blanc, or bubbly champagne, there’s nothing like a great vino. And you don’t have to travel to Napa Valley or the south of France to find your favorite bottle! Check out these exceptional wine shops in Chicago. Currently, most retail locations are closed right now and only offering pickup or delivery. 

2312 W Leland Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Looking for a one-stop wine shop in Lincoln Square? Peep out Augusta’s selection of unique wines. They also offer traditional wine and cheese gift baskets which can be customized with spirits, vermouths and amaro, sauces, preserves, sweets, European olive oils, and kinds of vinegar.

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3023 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

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If you’re more of a natural wine person, look no further. Diversey Wine is made with organically farmed grapes and no additives. And don’t forget to check out their wine club. For $50 a month, you’ll get two bottles of wine, tasting notes, pairing suggestions, and 10% off your purchase.

719 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60605

Since 2004, Printers Row has been serving up a curated collection of wines, small batch spirits, and local craft brews. Their mission is to bring to you the freshest, hippest, and most delicious selections available. Pro-tip: order 12 bottles and you’ll score an automatic 20% off. Boom.

1412 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

Wine nerds! Stop by this Roscoe Village staple for hundreds of bottles of wine, rare beers, bottled cocktails, and eccentric spirits. Not sure what to get? Ask their friendly staff for some suggestions. Order online for curbside pickup or delivery everyday between 12 PM to 8 PM. 

393 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60611

Nestled in the heart of River East, Uncork It! is your go-to for wine shops in Chicago. Explore the world without leaving your couch by choosing vino from one of 21 countries. Plus you can browse beer, liquor, cocktail accessories, and various gifts to dial up the fun. 

2108 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Wicker Park folks! If you’re looking for an exclusive bottle for a real aficionado, the staff at Joe’s can help you find something perfect. Score some great wine, beer, spirits, and various food items, Tuesday through Sunday. Don’t want to leave your house? They’ll deliver if you live within a mile.

1861 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

For over a decade, the folks at Red & White Wines have offered a wonderful selection of artisan wines in Bucktown. Join their Wine Club for $85 a month (also makes a great gift!). You’ll get three wines from their favorite producers and unique selections, a free wine tote, and 5% off all purchases.

Featured Image Credit: Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

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8 Reasons Why Chicago is a Better Place to Live than NYCon November 18, 2020 at 4:00 pm

When it comes to big cities in the United States, two metropolitan areas come to mind: Chicago and New York City. And while many will debate tooth and nail the positives and negatives of The Big Apple and The Windy City, we know that only one of these two reigns supreme. Chicago may be smaller in size but it trumps NYC in many of the necessary categories on the every-man’s checklist. From food to fortune, cleanliness to accessibility, these are 8 reasons why Chicago is better to live in than New York City.

Lower Cost of Living

The cost of a one-bedroom in the heart of Chicago is about half as much to rent than a one-bedroom in the heart of New York. Also, the costs associated with using public transportation are lower here.

No Trash Piles

Not only do trash bags accumulate regularly on New York sidewalks, but the problem is apparently worse than ever. Keeping Chicago’s trash in back-alley bins may not make for the best-smelling alleys, but it’s better than tripping over our own garbage.

Lake Michigan

Not only is Lake Michigan beautiful, but it’s easily accessible using public transportation or by car, and it has all of the charm of a large body of water without the risk of hurricanes. Getting to many beaches in New York means committing to a couple of public transit transfers and/or $20+.

Chicago Invests in Its Public Transit

While New York City’s aging subway system continues to deteriorate and suffer from long delays, Chicago has, in recent years, spent quite a bit of money updating some of its train lines— most notably the Red, Blue, and Purple lines.

Getting Around is Easier

Though New York does have a more extensive subway system than Chicago’s (New York commuter tracks cover over 1600 miles, while the “L” tracks only cover 224), that system does suffer from significant delays, and is more expensive for commuters. Driving a car in Chicago is very do-able (even reasonable, considering the sprawl of the Chicago metro area), while in New York the traffic is so reliably terrible and parking so hard to come by that it seems easier to stick with the subway.

Lower Population Density

The number of people per kilometer in New York is more than twice that of Chicago. Even an experience as simple as walking on the sidewalk (according to people who had moved from Chicago to New York) is very different in each city.

Airports are More Accessible

Both O’Hare and Midway are simple to travel to on public transportation (or by car, even), while getting to the airport in New York is a journey in itself. Somehow the closest airport to Manhattan is LaGuardia (…in Queens), and getting to JFK from Manhattan is a pricey and lengthy process.

It’s a City of Neighborhoods

Every Chicagoan knows that the true beauty of the city lies not in its downtown tourist attractions, but in the unique personality and atmosphere of each of the neighborhoods it encompasses. Boroughs just don’t compare.

Featured Image Credit: Jürgen Polle on Pixabay

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Chicago Bulls: 3 rumors to track on draft nighton November 18, 2020 at 4:00 pm

Chicago Bulls (Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)
Chicago Bulls (Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)

What are some things to watch as the Chicago Bulls prepare for draft night?

Later this evening, Chicago Bulls fans will have an opportunity to sit back and enjoy a night of excitement as they watch the 2020 NBA Draft unfold. Frankly, it’ll be a welcome change from the trainwreck that has been the Chicago Bears and the news that Theo Epstein is leaving the Chicago Cubs.

But enough with the bad news. Let’s focus on the good news, which is the Bulls, for once don’t have the seventh overall pick! Instead, they currently sit in the fourth position. However, that could change as there have been a number of rumors swirling around the league heading into tonight’s draft.

Now it’s important, as always, to remember these rumors must be taken with a grain of salt. However, let’s take a quick look at some of the rumors to keep an eye on tonight as you watch the draft.

Chicago Bulls moving on from Wendell Carter?

The latest rumor to surface this morning is that the team has been in discussion with the Golden State Warriors about the possibility of acquiring the No. 2 overall pick. However, that would take a significant amount of capital, including Wendell Carter Jr. and the fourth overall pick.

Rumor has it that if the Bulls made such a move, their target would be James Wiseman out of the University of Memphis. There are rumors that the Charlotte Hornets, currently at No. 3 overall, also like Wiseman, so if that’s the Bulls guy, they’ll have to work a deal with the Warriors.

It would be interesting if the Bulls gave up on Carter so soon, considering he was neither used nor developed properly by Jim Boylen. However, they may prefer Wiseman’s upside. Stay tuned.

Could the Chicago Bulls be eyeing Kemba Walker?

There is another rumor, albeit with a little less meat on the bone, that the Bulls have at least kicked the tires on Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker. While appearing on OMF on WEEI, NBA insider Kevin O’Connor confirmed as much, though he did not necessarily provide details on what the price would be.

You’d have to think it would include the fourth pick, but that seems like a steep price for an aging guard, despite how good Walker has been. This one may need to be filed under the “Bulls are just doing their due diligence” because it would be hard to see them give up so much for Walker.

Wild card in the mix with the Chicago Bulls?

One team that has also been looking to move up in the draft is the New York Knicks. The Knicks currently hold the eighth overall pick. Interestingly enough, they have already made a move to acquire the No. 23 overall pick from the Utah Jazz in exchange for No. 27 and No. 38.

While the Knicks are looking to move up to No. 2, it is unclear who their top target might be. It is possible that their target is still available when the Bulls are on the clock at No. 4. If so, could the Knicks try to make a move with the Bulls in exchange for their two first-round picks?

Next: Is Patrick Williams the Bulls’ target at No. 4?

The bottom line is tonight is going to be an exciting few hours for Bulls fans who will no doubt be glued to their television and Twitter.

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Chicago Bulls: 3 rumors to track on draft nighton November 18, 2020 at 4:00 pm Read More »

A Transition Nightmareon November 18, 2020 at 4:25 pm

The Quark In The Road

A Transition Nightmare

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A little noticed SOCTUS win for some Cook County taxpayerson November 18, 2020 at 5:03 pm

The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

A little noticed SOCTUS win for some Cook County taxpayers

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2022 Subaru BRZ: 228 HP + sub-$30K price tagon November 18, 2020 at 3:17 pm

Drive, She Said

2022 Subaru BRZ: 228 HP + sub-$30K price tag

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Jordan Reyes blends ritual, electronics, and western vibes on Sand Like Starduston November 18, 2020 at 2:00 pm

From the first wordless vocal incantation on “The Pre-Dawn Light,” which opens Jordan Reyes’s new Sand Like Stardust, it’s clear you’re about to embark on an auditory vision quest; as the Chicago multi-instrumentalist and vocalist slowly adds layers of chants at different pitches, the sound evokes a sunrise ritual. In the album’s promotional materials, Reyes says he conceived it as “a journey through human expression over the course of one day,” and it certainly unfolds as such. The second cut, “Drifter,” meanders into the morning rays with trance-inducing keyboard and dusty guitar, which made me imagine Cluster’s rustic drones with Ry Cooder hopping aboard. Reyes wears many hats in the music world: he owns the label American Dreams, plays in legendary Chicago band Ono, and he occasionally writes for the Reader. As he heads into new terrain yet again, he’s got another hat–a cowboy hat–to match his current vibe. Reyes has taken to the plains in search of the primordial beginnings of American music and the ancient traditions that bind together the blues, country, folk, and even experimental music. While his 2019 album Closer relied mostly on modular synthesizers, a rural vibe rolls through this avant-garde acid-western soundtrack, which explores Reyes’s Tejano heritage with bluesy lap-steel guitar and Morricone-esque layers of vocals (and even a whistle or two) on tracks such as “Dusted” and “A Grain of Sand.” Reyes situates those rootsier sounds side by side with synth gurgles and drum-machine beats in a fusion that evokes the image of the modern, post-everything cowboy, which he brings to life in the video for the album’s first single, “Rebirth at Dusk.” Harsh electronics that recall Reyes’s early recordings threaten to take over the dark “An Unkindness,” but Reyes balances that energy with the serene “As the Sun Dips” and the starkly ambient closer, “Centaurus,” which comes on like the primitive/futurist “Fourth World” work of composer Jon Hassell–and also includes the first lyrics of the entire LP. This lullaby of sorts recalls the sparse, dreamy music of Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis or the avant-garde compositions of Arthur Russell, and could suggest Reyes’s future aesthetic direction. For now, cue up your grainy VHS dub of El Topo with the sound off, hit play on Sand Like Stardust, and get ready for a journey to the wild west within. v

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Chicago Cubs: 5 superstars to trade this offseasonon November 18, 2020 at 12:57 pm

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 07: Javier Baez #9 of the Chicago Cubs throws a ball to fans during a spring training game against the Cleveland Indians at Goodyear Ballpark on March 07, 2020 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA – MARCH 07: Javier Baez #9 of the Chicago Cubs throws a ball to fans during a spring training game against the Cleveland Indians at Goodyear Ballpark on March 07, 2020 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs might be willing to trade some superstars if they want to rebuild properly.

According to a lot of people, the Chicago Cubs are going to start to remove themselves from the contender conversation. Theo Epstein is going to be gone as he leaves the organization. Jed Hoyer is going to be the new President of Baseball Operations for the Cubs and that might cause them to allow some popular players to go.

This team has known nothing but success since 2015 but they have underachieved at the same time. They built an organization that should have been able to compete for a long time but they failed to get to the World Series more than once. They are lucky that they won that game seven against the Cleveland Indians because if they didn’t, the Theo Epstein era would be a major failure.

Now, they are going to see some change happen to their organization and there might be some casualties to superstar players as a result. If some of those star veterans are all of the sudden gone, there is a good chance that they aren’t that good of a baseball team in 2021 and beyond.

They would, for most of them, get a very good return for those guys but it would take a long time to re-develop young talent and get them producing at the MLB level. It isn’t fun to think about rebuilding a team with a core that has given you so much, but they seem to have no choice. At this point, the 2016 World Series is long in the rear view and the honeymoon is over. Change is coming, whether we want to admit it or not. These are the five veteran stars that they might consider trading:

Next: Javier Baez

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