Hermene D. Hartman, asks in N’Digo, “Do black lives matter to blacks too?”

An excerpt:

Black men have to stand up for Black boys and teach and mentor and protect them. Black on Black crime is greater than police crime.

The police crime becomes more noticed because of its cruelty too often on minutia, but Blacks killing babies is outrageous. The three-year-old and the 20-month-old baby have done absolutely nothing riding in the car with your dad, sitting in the window at home, riding in the car with your mother, and sitting on the couch as a child should not get you killed.

Black Babies Matter, TOO

Related: From Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass: “What frightens the American left: Larry Elder’s new documentary ‘Uncle Tom'”

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There’s colors on the street
Red, white and blue
People shufflin’ their feet
People sleepin’ in their shoes
But there’s a warnin’ sign
on the road ahead
There’s a lot of people sayin’
we’d be better off dead
Don’t feel like Satan,
but I am to them
So I try to forget it,
any way I can.

2020 has been a shit show that we can’t turn off. We hear news that shocks us and shakes us to our core. It never stops. It’s happening EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!!!! And we’ve just now reached the halfway point of the year. There’s still six months left to go before we turn over the calendar.

There’s the daily Donald Trump incompetency. There’s the coronavirus pandemic which has killed more than 120, ooo Americans and has the rest of us scared, anxious and sleepless. We’ve seen the deaths of John Prine, Bill Withers, Carl Reiner and Kobe & Gianna Bryant. George Floyd!

2020 has been more than a little too much. There are days you need a break. There are days you need to get away from it all. There are days you just need to turn off your television. You need to shut down your overloaded brain. You need to say fuck it and turn up the music as loud as you can stand it!!

I see a woman in the night
With a baby in her hand
Under an old street light
Near a garbage can
Now she puts the kid away,
and she’s gone to get a hit
She hates her life,
and what she’s done to it
There’s one more kid
that will never go to school
Never get to fall in love,
never get to be cool.

Yesterday was one of those days. I was watching Rand Paul talking down and disrespecting Dr. Fauci again and started to shake my head. Next, against my best instincts, I watched Kayleigh McEnany lie to reporters and the public about the new Russia reporting. Then, it was time for a couple of news/opinion shows.

It’s enough to make you want to bang your head against the wall and not stop. The voice in my head said enough. When you reach that point, it’s time to find another outlet. At that point, I close everything up, find a tune, blast the sound and start…..

Keep on rockin’ in the free world,
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world,
Keep on rockin’ in the free world. 

It’s amazing how good it makes your feel! It’s like a great massage. When you do it, you’re always thinking why not do this more often. Life is way to short to be dealing with all the stress all the time.

We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler,
Machine gun hand
We got department stores
and toilet paper
Got styrofoam boxes
for the ozone layer
Got a man of the people,
says keep hope alive
Got fuel to burn,
got roads to drive.

Sadly, I know you can’t live this way forever. I know I’ll get back to reality soon enough. There’s too much going on to keep hibernating for too long. Trump. The election. The absurdity of trying to play sports in a pandemic. More Trump. Tribune Publishing. Did I mention Trump?

Okay…Okay…maybe I need another day. It’ll be okay if I take just one more day, won’t it? It won’t hurt anyone, right? I’ll be back sooner than later. Until then, I think I’ll just….

Keep on rockin’ in the free world,
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world,
Keep on rockin’ in the free world.

*Pretty sure you’ve figured out the lyrics and video are from “Rockin’ In The Free World”~Neil Young

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As the city eases its way in to Phase 4 things are starting to feel  a little more normal.

• The Lakefront and 606 trails are open
• Millennium Park is open.
• Restaurants are able to serve indoors.

All with guidelines and restrictions.

Thus it only follows that the temporary ban on ticketing and enforcement during the early phases of COVID is lifted.

In case you’ve gotten a little lax about checking parking regulations, not using your residential parking permits or paying deferred taxes, you once again need to become vigilant.

Beginning July 1, the City will use a staggered approach to phase in the collection of business taxes that have been deferred, as well as resume regular ticketing and collections. 

The resumption of collection activities will be phased in over a few months.  In addition to posting tax payment due dates online, DOF will be sending notices to taxpayers, utility customers and motorists about the compliance due dates and information about the City’s payment plan options. The temporary suspension of booting will continue.

Key dates to know:

Beginning July 1

• Late payment penalties will be assessed on past due utility balances.
• Past due payment plans will be defaulted.
• Collection and enforcement activities including booting will continue.
• Residential and municipal utility customers with payment due dates prior to June 30 will not be assessed additional penalties until July 1.
• Ticket enforcement activities will increase citywide including street sweeping violations.

Beginning July 15

• Certain deferred tax payments will become due.
• Motorists will receive a grace period through July 15 to purchase residential parking permits, city stickers and renew license plates before enforcement begins on July 16.

By clicking here, www.Chicago.gov/newstartchicago, residents can sign up for a flexible payment plans for tickets and utility bills with a lower down payment and up to 60 months to repay amounts due. 

Residents can learn more or make payments online at Chicago.gov/finance.

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The all-new 2020 Subaru Outback is — and always has been — based on the Legacy platform. Even so, I find it odd the Outback is technically classified as a wagon. It has standard all-wheel drive, a higher ride height and excellent cargo capacity. 

Plus, it just looks more like a sport utility vehicle than a car.

However, I suppose Outback’s car origins combined with a tight turning radius are what make it such an excellent urban vehicle.

The Hits

There’s a lot to love about the Subaru Outback. It has clean bold exterior lines with a rugged outward appearance. It has a higher ride height — but not so high that it’s difficult to get into or out of. It can handle some mild off-roading or — in Chicago terms — pothole obstacle courses fairly easily.

The interior is plush and comfy with cushy seats and soft textures throughout the vehicle. Any trim off the base comes with an 11.3-inch vertical infotainment screen, and the overall interior design is attractive and well designed.

The best thing about the Outback, however, has to be the overall ride comfort and interior quietness. The test vehicle was a top-tier Touring XT trim, and I’m not entirely sure if that made a difference with its plethora of leather-covered surfaces, but the Outback is quiet. Very little engine or ambient noise creeps into the cabin, which is nice for conversations, quiet contemplation or the desire to enjoy your music without distraction.

Because of the XT designation, that means the test vehicle was equipped with the up-level turbocharged 2.4-liter Boxer engine. It delivers 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration is smooth and seamless with this powertrain, and in my mostly highway driving experience, I didn’t notice any turbo lag.

2020 Subaru Outback (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

There is a base 2.5-liter direct injection as well. Having driven this at the preview, I remember thinking this is also a really nice powertrain. 

I’m also a huge fan of the standard safety tech on the Outback, which Subaru’s EyeSite with features such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist. Cool available tech features include automatic reverse braking and Driver Focus — which uses facial recognition to load a specific driver’s presets as well as make sure the driver is paying attention.

The Misses

With so much to love about the Outback, there aren’t too many misses, but there are a few. 

Let me start with the auto stop/start engine kill switch. It’s there, but rather than having an easily accessed hard button near the gear shift or ignition start, it’s hidden under layers of the info screen. I understand automakers really want you to keep this feature engaged for the minuscule fuel savings it offers, but a lot of people don’t like it and want it off. Since it can’t be disabled permanently in the Outback, make it more accessible. Please. 

Also while I like the large info screen on the center stack, a few of my followers on social media pointed out that the digital design is very busy and somewhat distracting. I like the big buttons so they’re easy to see while driving, but the more I look at it, the more I see and acknowledge the visual clutter.

2020 Subaru Outback (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

The last miss is something most people won’t notice. I only saw it because I’m a short driver and climbed behind my driving position to check out rear legroom. The problem: Unfinished bits underneath the seats. There were wires and bits of cotton fluff popping out — bad form for an otherwise stellar design.

The Trims

All-wheel drive is standard across the board, and and the XT trims denote the up-level 2.4-liter engine.

• Outback ($27,655): Equipped with EyeSight, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, raised roof rails, rear-view camera.
• Premium ($29,905): Adds Subaru Starlink, 11-6-inch touchscreen, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat, all-weather package with heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, LED foglight.
• Limited ($34,455): Adds leather upholstery, 12-speaker Harmon Kardon premium audio, LED steering-responsive headlights, passive entry, push-button start, hands-free power lift gate.
• Touring ($38,355): Adds Nappa-trimmed leather seats, navigation, power moonroof, heated steering wheel, DriverFocus, ventilated front seats.
• Onyx Edition XT ($35,905): In addition to the 2.4-liter engine, it has StarTex water-repellant upholstery, 18-inch black-finish alloy wheels, passive entry, push-button start, hands-free power liftgate, dual-function X-Mode with hill descent control.
• Limited XT ($38,755): In addition to the 2.4-liter engine, it mimics the regular Limited trim.
• Touring XT ($40,705): In addition to the 2.4-liter engine and regular Touring content, it adds power folding mirrors and 180-degree front-view monitor.

2020 Subaru Outback (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

The Chicago Factor

The Subaru Outback is one of those near-perfect urban vehicles — especially if you have a family or regularly haul stuff in the cargo area. 

It acts like an SUV but drives like a car, which makes it functional and comfortable to drive. Plus, with the standard and available safety technology, you’re less likely to bump into low-lying objects like parking posts. 

Because of its car origins, it’s easy to maneuver in tight urban spaces. Whether you’re in an alley or city parking garage, you have excellent visibility and turning capability. 

2020 Subaru Outback (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

Chicago in the last few months without question is a city that’s desperately searching for answers. After being hit with a world-altering pandemic, it has suddenly come to grips with the reality of another killer that just keeps creeping along and is just now finally being noticed. A gang war right in the midst of all the virus agony. After a record-setting May which saw the worst violence in sixty years, comes the June numbers that zoomed past those of May. Over 90 souls murdered and another 556 wounded, the victim list included a 1-year-old child, two 3-year-olds, a 10-year-old, and scores of teenagers.

Imagine a city in which 3 people a day are murdered and over 18 are shot on a daily basis and not being in a war zone? It’s a proven fact that Chicago’s City leaders have no clue what to do about it, except to look for either a scapegoat or haul out the usual excuses in an effort to deflect blame.  As you can see by the lead photo a scapegoat may have appeared out of the “BLUE.”

While the shootings and killings escalated at an alarming rate, police activity plummeted. Arrests for June were down 55%, street stops were down 74% and traffic stops dropped by 86%. All three of those play a vital role in fighting street crime. It kind of reminded me of the decline in activity from 2015 when the city released the video of the LaQuan McDonald shooting and then-Mayor Emanuel accused the Chicago cops of going fetal after a serious decline of police activity. Of course one has to remember that cops are human beings and after observing several high profile police-involved incidents Fraternal Order of Police President John Cantanzar says, “it’s going to cause officers to pause and say I want to go home today safe. I want to make sure I keep my job. And I want to make sure that I don’t go to jail. It’s not going to react first unless it’s a life and death situation. They’re going to stop and think first before they act.”

Chicago’s cops without question have reached a rock bottom when it comes to morale, they have a very deep distrust of the Mayor. After all, would you trust someone who is your leader who openly states that officers should be fired for petty offenses that should be handled by the supervisors? One incident involved a frustrated veteran cop who after being involved in rioting and burning of police cars gave the finger to a rioter that was caught on camera. She immediately called for his firing, this after she herself told the President of the United States “FUCK YOU.” Leadership is a foreign concept, meaning I can be frustrated but you’ll be fired for it.

Every cop in the city also saw her hold a press conference with the  Congressman Bobby Rush former Defense Chairman of the Black Panther Party, accusing cops of using his office to relax while the city was being looted. When in fact they were assigned there by a superior officer and the looting was hours behind them at 6 a.m. Those officers were on duty at that time for over 18 hours and yet the Mayor didn’t even bother to gather the facts before she made derogatory comments and actually wanted to have the cops charged with BURGLARY for being in Rush’s office. Add to that a few days ago the beleaguered  States Attorney Kim Foxx decided that demonstrators arrested for curfew violations during the rioting and any other offenses due to demonstrating not be prosecuted because over 70 percent were minorities. The question is does race or skin color absolve one from resisting arrest, fighting with the police, looting, and burning police cars?

Whatever is happening with Chicago’s cops whether they are intentionally slowing down or is the distrust so wide, the breach cannot be mended under the current leadership only time will but as one can clearly see Chicago’s violence is out of control and anyone who thinks it’s the fault of the police is clearly under the influence of politicians trying to cover their own asses and are clueless. More and more will die for sure.  The 4th of July is coming fast which is usually a horrific blood bath and already the city has announced that the Chicago cops from now until further notice will have only one day off a week. That will put an additional 1,200 officers on the street. Gee! here we thought the Mayor said Chicago is not going to arrest its way out of its violence problem. I wonder what those additional cops will be doing? Scolding comes to mind. Chicago’s street gangs have found exactly what they want. Terrified, confused leadership, both Citywide and in the failed Criminal Justice System in Cook County.

Even if you wanted to, the European Union won’t let you travel to Italy right now.

Not a problem. Stay home. Sip a Negroni and pretend you are on the Amalfi Coast without the teeming crowds.

The thought of getting on an airplane right now sends me into a panic. I can barely wear a mask in Jewel for twenty minutes let alone on an international flight.

A packed plane? Middle seats filled? Not a chance.

Thanks, but I’ll vacation in my own backyard without the need to wear a mask or worrying about a passenger behind me sneezing, even if it’s just allergies.

I’ve discovered the perfect summer cocktail to make life sizzle after being cooped up at home since March 21st.

Leave it to those Italians, the fine purveyors of tasty food and drink, to craft this jewel in a glass.

Thus, the Negroni. A classic cocktail perfect for these hot, sticky, humid days of a Chicago summer.

Rumor has it that Count Camillo Negroni had a thirst for a stronger version of his favorite drink, the Americano.

As the story goes, back in Florence in 1919, the Count asked the bartender at Cafe Casoni to substitute gin for the soda water. The barkeep also switched out the lemon peel for an orange.

Perfection was born.

Did you notice the year? 1919, during the Spanish Flu Pandemic. Hummmm? Is there a pattern here?

A COVID-19 cocktail worthy of pandemics.

It’s so easy to make, you don’t even need a recipe, just the right ingredients.

Negroni

1 oz. Gin

1 oz. Campari

1 oz. sweet vermouth

orange peel.

Mix ingredients over ice in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Gin? I refuse to drink gin you stammer. I know you don’t drink gin. Neither do I. It’s an acquired taste for sure. But I promise you won’t even taste it. You don’t want to mess with over one-hundred-years of perfection. Use the damn gin.

Campari is an Italian aperitif that has an herbal, bitter, spicy taste. They used to put crushed insects in the recipe. Don’t worry, not anymore. Campari and soda is another classic.

Vermouth, also an Italian aperitif, is an aromatic wine. Herbs, roots and barks are added to the wine base.

The only tweak I did was add a squeeze of fresh orange juice and an orange slice. Hey, if you are going to all that trouble to peel an orange, why waste the juice?

Mix these together and you have a taste of Italy to sip and savor while your chicken and corn are grilling.

Remember, please do sip. This drink is all booze and can sneak up on you.

Stay home this summer. Travel can wait.

You can dream about the sounds, smells, food, wine, art, ancient history, beauty and people of Italy and better days ahead within the comforts of home.

Meanwhile,

Cin Cin!

Salute!

Grazie, Count Negroni.

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Hey guys! Welcome to the official launch of “Styling with The Heath Dolls” We are 3 year old twins who love to express ourselves through fashion!  In fact, we believe that “Style is our Super Power” and our goal is to concur the world one look at a time!  We can’t wait to bring you so many fun and trendy outfit ideas while also introducing  some of our favorite boutiques, department stores, and brands to you.

Today we’ll be showing you three fun ways to rock  denim! That’s right, denim looks don’t have to be boring. It’s important to have fun and try new ideas We appreciate you being here and want to see you come back. Please be sure to subscribe to our blog to be notified when our next one goes live. Also, please let us know what you think of our looks in the comments and feel free to give us suggestions on what you would like to see next. We love you all and always remember that  “Style is your Super Power”

Love,

The Heath Dolls❤️❤️

Fancy Like Mommy

Photographed by Thomas | © 2020 TK Photography | www.tkphotographychicago.com

Photographed by Thomas | © 2020 TK Photography | www.tkphotographychicago.com

Photographed by Thomas | © 2020 TK Photography | www.tkphotographychicago.com

Let’s start with this amazing denim jacket. It boasts a classic medium wash denim that would pair good with so many things. The flower embellishment and silver draping tassel on the shoulders give it that unique wow factor! For this look we paired it up with silver sequin cigarette pants and kept it simple on the feet for a festive party look. Shop this look at http://www.fancylikemommy.com/

Accessories 

Can you say Show Stoppers?  These beautiful shades reminiscent of the ones worn by the beautiful Nikki Minaj were handmade by Jade-Ittreasures. Visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/JadeItTreasures?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=612453775  to get yours today!

MiMi’s Tot Closet

Photographed by Thomas | © 2020 TK Photography | www.tkphotographychicago.com

What can we say Denim and Lace are a match made in heaven. This pink lace two piece set gave us beautiful vintage vibes! Meadow (left) is wearing the set with light wash denim collar shirt underneath. Columbia (right) is wearing the set with a light wash Levi vest.  You can shop the two piece set  at https://www.mimistotscloset/

Accessories

These custom pearl aviator sunglasses completed this look nicely. Head over to http://www.Fancylikemommy.com to shop custom sunglasses

FancyLike Mommy 

Photographed by Thomas | © 2020 TK Photography | www.tkphotographychicago.com

Photographed by Thomas | © 2020 TK Photography | www.tkphotographychicago.com

Everyone should have at least one pair of fun jeans in their closet! These light wash bell bottom jeans boast tulle white ruffles on the bottom and we absolutely love them! We paired them with a simple white tee with sheer puffy sleeves for added flair! A simple ballerina shoe is all it took to complete this look. Head to http://www.Fancylikemommy.com to shop the look.

Accessories

Baseball caps are always a fun way to change up your look especially one worn with an outfit like this. This custom baseball cap was made to show off The Heath Dolls signature  pigtails. You can order your custom hats by visiting  http://www.Fancylikemommy.com

Gotta Love these leopard print heart shaped Cat eye sunglasses. You can order yours by visiting http://www.Fancylikemommy.com

The waist bags were the perfect addition to complete this look. Order yours today by visiting http://www.Fancylikemommy.com

Going into detail about every NFL uniform to review them and put into a tier list. In my third and final video of the series we’ll be reviewing the best NFL uniforms.

I’m tired of coming off like a Trump apologist and feeling the need to defend someone who is often indefensible. Why then do I do it? Because the one thing I hate more than anything else is hypocrisy. No, actually, I hate willful stupidity more. Wait, what I hate most of all is those who know the truth, know better, but lie with impunity to intentionally deceive others for the sole purpose of seeking power for themselves. Take your pick of who tops that list, A) the media, B) politicians, or C) unelected swamp rats AKA Deep Staters. That’s actually a trick question because the answer is D) All of the Above.

Those are my general hates, ones which I’m sure many others will agree. There is one category of individuals whom I truly loathe with every fiber of my being. I won’t make you guess but those who know me won’t be surprised at the answer – those who callously use the greatest pain a human being can know, the death of a child, in furtherance of their own agendas. May you rot in your own well-earned, specially reserved place in Hell. I mean that with all my heart.

What brought on this bout of hatred and loathing? Let’s call it Trump-Russia conspiracy 2.0. Before we cue up the next round of Congressional hearings, let’s look at some truths.

First, if this is true intelligence, whoever leaked it should be tried for treason. Same goes for every swamp rat that leaks any intelligence with an aim to undermine this President. These leaks do not erode the trust or support of the President, they reinforce his popularity. Rightly or wrongly, these leaks convince Average Joe and Average Jane America there are no ends to which politicians, the swamp and Deep State, with the gleeful assistance of the media, will not go in their attempts to smear the President.

These leaks make him a victim, and you know how Americans love the underdog, particularly when that underdog beat the odds and won. Remember, literally through election night in 2016, every pundit on every media outlet predicted Trump would lose.

So, Average Joe and Average Jane America look at all this vitriol and say, “yeah, he may be arrogant, bombastic, and a narcissist but I would respond the same way if I, my family, my child, were being attacked 24/7/365. So many of the attacks are just twisting his words and intentionally misrepresenting what he said anyway. And then when the accusations are proven false, crickets”.

I simply cannot fathom how those constantly attacking Trump don’t understand that Average Joe and Average Jane America take these relentless attacks on the President as personal. Yes, Trump is a billionaire and when he is no longer the President of the United States he will go back to a billionaire lifestyle Average Joe and Average Jane America can’t even imagine. Yet, they identify with him. They see these powerful forces unfairly and unjustly attacking him, undermining him and trying to remove him from office.

Average Joe and Average Jane America take particular exception to that last part, as they are the ones who voted him into that office. Many may not have voted for him as much as against his opponent, but undermining Trump means undermining the Office of the President and the system of government that is the bedrock of their worldview.

Next truth up for consideration is, if this is true intelligence, there really is no surprise here and it really isn’t – or shouldn’t be – news to anyone with a brain. Granted, most leakers and their willing mouthpieces in political circles and the media have long since proven they don’t have a brain, but rest assured there are lots of smart people in both our military and intelligence gathering agencies. Average Joe and Average Jane America are pretty smart, too.

The smart people know Russia is our enemy. The current Russian regime is well-populated with Soviet hard liners. The Soviet Union fell for many reasons, among which was their disastrous decision to attempt to invade, colonize and subjugate Afghanistan. Afghanistan is called the graveyard of Empires for a reason, and Russia is hoping to bury the United States alongside the Soviet Empire in that ancient dirt.

The last truth on this topic the above hated trifecta would do well to understand is, if this intelligence is correct, we need to remember why the Taliban and others in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere may be in need of a new funding source. First guess at that answer is, those pallets of cash and hundreds of millions in Iranian assets the former administration gave to Iran have probably run out. Average Joe and Average Jane America are smart enough to realize the bullets and bombs used against our troops aren’t being paid for by people who don’t have running water.

Now, for the part of this whole situation that makes me truly sad …

To the families of Cpl. Robert A. Hendriks, Sgt. Benjamin S. Hines and Staff Sgt. Christopher K.A. Slutman, please accept my condolences and advice. Those of us who are on this Gold Star journey longer than you know what you’re going through. Over the years we’ve heard similar stories that someone, somewhere knew or should have known something that wasn’t acted upon that may have prevented our loved one’s death. Many of us have been contacted by bottom-feeding lawyers who want to file lawsuits against foreign governments or entities, and even against American companies or individuals, for their supposed role in funding the war that cost our loved ones their lives.

We understand the desire, the natural need, to blame someone. Even when we stand in proud acknowledgment of the sacrifice our loved one willingly risked, we feel if there were only someone to blame, to hold responsible, our pain would soften. The idea that the loss of our loved one was preventable is one that haunts us all.

How do we live with this? How do we not scream, yell, demand someone tell us something that will make sense of it all? The answers to those questions, ultimately, must come from within ourselves. But, there are some things we can share with you, some truths that have been learned the hard way by too many others.

All of us know that no matter who is to blame, our loved one is gone. All of us know this impossible mixture of pain and pride will be our constant companion for the rest of our lives. Those of us further down the path none want to walk know one sad truth above all others…there will be many who will callously use our pain, our loss for their own purposes. We’ve been there and probably will be again, and we’re so very sorry for the additional pain you’re experiencing right now.

We also know that the best thing you can do, for yourself, is not let yourself be used. We’ve seen too many Gold Stars get even further destroyed by those who would use our pain for their purposes. Please heed this warning and know the sad truth that a broken heart can be broken even further. We hope and pray this doesn’t happen to you. That is a special pain that can literally be too much to bear. And we hope and pray those who callously inflict that pain on you experience a measure of their earned special place in Hell while on this side of the veil.

We are still into the Phase IV reopening phase. While indoor seating is still being allowed at minimal capacity, it’s better than the alternative.

Another weekend of beer debuts. Crushed by Giants, the brewpub started by the team behind DryHop, will do its first release at its space in the former Heaven on Seventh on Michigan Ave.

Also, the famed Billy Goat Tavern once again has its name on two craft beers, an IPA and Pilsner. The brands are made at Miskatonic Brewing in Darien, using new recipes aimed at the average beer drinker. Billy Goat previously had a partnership with Baderbräu, launching in 2017; that ended when the brewer suddenly went out of business six months later. Billy Goat had previously sold a draft-only “Billy Goat Dark,” which was basically their tap handle on Berghoff Dark, Schlitz Dark, or whatever dark lager they could get. (Josh Noel, Chicago Tribune)

Friday, July 3

Saturday, July 4

Sunday, July 4