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Tired of streaming services and binging The Office for the umpteenth time? Check out these Chicago theaters that are streaming their work online. Experience some of the best talent Chicago has to offer from the comfort of your own home. The best part of stay-at-home theater is you can still enjoy without having to change out of your pajamas!

Masque of the Red Coronavirus

Black Button Eyes Production is playing its new project, Masque of the Red Coronavirus, online. The play is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death and inspired by newspaper articles about how the rich are dealing with the current pandemic. This 18+ satirical criticism piece is a must-watch.

Out Of Touch

Annoyance Theater has a new show about quarantine life available to stream. The play was created by cast members and crew only a couple of days before the stay-at-home order was implemented. The show is available with a suggested donation of $5.

Late At Eight

This late-night treat hosted by Tim Lyons features a diverse lineup of talented artists including performers, comedians, writers and more! Shows are available to stream every Friday at 8 PM.

Kill Move Paradise

This moving play by James Ijames centers around the afterlife of a group of people forced to analyze their past actions as they sit awaiting their future to be determined in a waiting room. The streamed show from TimeLine Theatre is adapted from previously filmed performances.

Other theaters are offering videos of short performances, like the Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble, which has excerpts of works like What We Carried and I Bet You Think This Dance is About You. Connective Theatre Company is streaming short plays by various artists about the pandemic showcasing different points of view. Also, the Goodman Theatre is offering a streamed version of their highly acclaimed production 2666, a 2016 adaptation of Roberto Bolaños’s great novel.

Whatever your choice of theater entertainment, Chicago artists are finding ways to broadcast their work. Show your support to local artists and stream their readily available content!

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It’s been a few weeks since our beloved city came to a halt. Bars are now ghost towns, public parks are eerily empty, and restaurants can only offer takeout or delivery in order to flatten the curve. While most of us have been spending an absurd amount of time glued to the TV and trying to limit our toilet paper use, there’s a local legend who’s gotten crafty in quarantine. He’s famously known as the Tamale Guy and he offers happiness in the form of a traditional Mexican dish. And now, during the pandemic, he offers delivery. 

Tamale Guy, whose real name is Claudio Velez, is familiar in the community for carting around coolers packed with cheese, pork, and chicken tamales. He spreads love to the hungry—sometimes tipsy—Chicagoans around Bucktown, Wicker Park, and Logan Square bars without kitchens. The best part? Tamale Guy seems to magically appear at various times and locations without any rhyme or reason. Like an elusive superhero whose superpower is feeding the famished. He’s known for his minimalist sales approach by simply asking, “Tamales?”

With Chicago shut down, Velez hasn’t been able to sling his famous cuisine. But recently, Velez saw an opportunity to keep his business running. He decided to test out delivery for the die-hard tamale lovers and his phone number was privately shared online. Velez is now busier than ever with locals organizing huge orders for neighborhoods. One particular order fed over 160 and reached $1,000 in sales. Folks lined up in a commercial parking lot, following social distancing rules of being six feet apart.

So, how do you get in on the tamale action? Well, it’s not as simple as placing an order on Postmates or UberEats. Plus, he doesn’t have a website (someone get this guy a website!). Velez wants to operate at a smaller scale and keep his information private, for obvious reasons. He does have a Yelp page with 294 reviews but alas, no contact information.

Perhaps the best way to get your fix is to follow @TamaleTracker on Twitter, an account organized by over 7,000 superfans. The latest house delivery occurred in Lakeview East on April 10. A few lucky Twitter users claim to have his number on speed dial, so a quick DM could land you the goods. While you’re at it, you can support Velez and other small businesses by purchasing a Tamales T-shirt designed by Kyle Hollings (@misterkanos on IG) from Barrel Maker Printing.

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Apparel design for Claudio Velez // T-Shirts sold through @barrelmakerprinting to benefit Claudio during this crisis. Other designs available which support other small businesses in Chicago! Check them out and support if you’re able! // https://stores.barrelmakerprinting.com/ssbc/shop/home // #design #menu #tamales #tamaleguy #salsaverde #illustration #character #characterdesign #chicago #latenightsavior #local #supportsmallbusiness #comida #comidamexicana #nopica #apparel #screenprinting #tshirt #tshirtdesign #distressedunrest #vintage #drinklocal #logansquare #bucktown #wickerpark

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A post shared by Mister Kanos (@misterkanos) on Apr 14, 2020 at 5:13pm PDT

Maybe a silver lining in all of this? According to our friends over at Eater, Velez says he eventually wants to open a restaurant. Well, Tamale Guy, you have our business.

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While everything is closed down, Chicago bookstores are bringing their inventories online. Browse for something new to read this week!

Bookends & Beginnings

For fans of NPR and The New York Times, Bookends and Beginnings keeps up with the most honorable mentions by the renowned news outlets. This is an independent and woman-owned bookstore. From Otessa Moshfegh to Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison to James Baldwin, they’ve got an incredible selection of noteworthy titles.

Shop Bookends & Beginnings on their full-service website. There are hundreds of books listed online, including a section for pre-order options. Shipping is available.

Challengers Comics

Challengers Comics has been in the comic book game for over 50 years. While some of us might be avid full-length text, novel readers, the stay-at-home order might be hindering attention spans. With the combination of captivating, no-frills dialogue and spellbinding visuals, we’ve found solace in graphic novels. 

Their entire graphic novel inventory is available online. Orders are being fulfilled by delivery.

Memoir for Me

Memoir for Me is a special spot. The company works to capture life stories through personal interviews and creates beautiful keepsake books. This is an awesome project to keep adults and children alike connected to parents or grandparents who they can’t see during this time.

Check out their website to learn more. Interviews are being held via conference call and send completed projects straight to your doorstep.

Women & Children First

Women & Children First is one of our favorite bookstores in the city. Their inventory is centered around feminist themes and they stock over 30,000 books by and about women, children’s books, and the best LGBT+ literature. Check out the latest Jesmyn Ward book or grab a classic by bell hooks.

Available inventory has been updated on their website. Anything you don’t see, give them a call to inquire for special order. Orders will be fulfilled via doorstep delivery.

Volumes Bookcafe

A book nerd does not walk through Wicker Park without going into Volumes. While their selection isn’t the largest, they have a specially curated collection of available literature. We recommend Normal People by Sally Rooney. This project is headed to the big screen, so grab a copy before going to see it in theaters.

Parts of their inventory are listed online, but give the shop a call to inquire for recommendations or specific titles. They are offering curbside pickup and delivery.

Pilsen Community Books

When Pilsen Community Books opened a few years ago, it instantly became one of our favorite spots for good vibes and even better book selections. While we can’t shop in person, we can enjoy the same je ne sais quoi from a carefully curated Instagram presence. Their titles specialize in literature and translation, original copies, and social justice.

Check out their website, Instagram, or give them a call to order. Expect your order via doorstep delivery.

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Chicago has a notoriously sinister history, but there are a few crooked characters that stick out like sore thumbs. These are some of the most famous murders to happen in Chicago.

H.H. Holmes

H.H. Holmes was born in New Hampshire in 1861, moving to Chicago, abandoning his wife and child at 24 in 1885. When he moved he decided to change his name to Holmes, mimicking Sherlock Holmes. Holmes purchased an empty lot and built, what people call today, “The Murder Castle.” This Murder Castle had shops on the ground floor and apartments above them. The castle featured soundproof rooms, disorienting mazes, and secret passageways. The basement was said to be filled with acids and a crematory where H.H Holmes finished off his victims. He delusionally claimed to have murdered 27 people, but only 9 were confirmed and many he claimed to be dead were, in fact, still alive.

Richard Speck

In Richard’s early life, his father passed away, so his mother remarried and moved them to Austin, Texas. With an abusive stepfather playing his only father figure, this caused Speck to act out. He was landed in jail for theft and fraud in 1963, which led to him being released on parole. But he ended up right back in, this time serving 16 months for aggravated assault. After his second release, he fled to Chicago to seek shelter with his sister Martha. On July 13th, Richard Speck found himself on the patio of a communal home for eight nursing students on the south side of Chicago. Speck forced his way in at gunpoint and gathered all the nurses to empty their purses. All eight women were brutally beaten and murdered through the night into July 14th. Police were hot on his trail for 12 days, but they eventually caught him and he found guilty of all murders. Having served 19 years in prison thereafter, he died in December 1991, of a heart attack.

John Wayne Gacy

John Wayne Gacy had a normal upbringing in the outer suburbs of Chicago. In 1964, John married and moved to Iowa where he managed his father-in-laws Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. He was charged with the sexual assault of one of his employees and sentenced 10 years. Gacy moved back to Chicago, where he remarried and started a contracting company. He committed his first murder in 1972, his victims were all male and either young adults or teenagers. After his murders, he would often dress up as a clown for sick children and birthday parties. He was under suspicion in 1978 when a boy disappeared and was last seen with Gacy. Police, knowing his past, searched his Norwood Park home to find 29 corpses along with 4 more he dumped in a nearby river. He spent 14 years on death row and in May 1994, he was put to death by lethal injection. His last meal was a bucket of KFC chicken.

William Heirens

William Heirens grew up in Lincolnwood, a suburb of Chicago. On June 5th, 1945, he was convicted of his first murder. Josephine Ross was found repeatedly stabbed in her Chicago apartment. His killings spanned across a long period of time between December 1945 and January 1946, killing two other women. He is famously known as the lipstick killer because his crime scenes were left with messages scrawled on the walls in lipstick. He was Chicago’s longest-serving prisoner until his death in 2012.

The Grimes Sisters

The Grimes Sisters murder case is a chilling unsolved double murder of Barbara and Patricia Grimes ages 15 and 12. Their disappearance launched one of the biggest missing persons cases in the history of Chicago. The two girls went to see a local movie and never returned home that night. In local Willow Springs, the two girls’ bodies were found days later after a brutal snowfall had melted, on the side of a highway behind a guard rail. To this day, the case is still unsolved.

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Sports fans across the planet remain stuck at home with plenty of free time in their schedules ever since the coronavirus shutdown the sports world last month. While this time has certainly been difficult and boring, us Chicagoans can’t help but miss our favorite teams this time of year. Normally, we’d have both the Cubs and White Sox playing with the start of the MLB season, as well as some Chicago Blackhawks hockey. But things have changed. Luckily, we took the time to find some of the best throwback games and highlights from Chicago sports history to help with your sports needs!

Chicago Bears: 1985 SuperBowl

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It might be one of the oldest games on this list, but for those of us who weren’t around to see it live, this is a must-watch. This highlight in Chicago sports history takes us all the way back to the 1985 SuperBowl, where our Bears faced the New England Patriots. Nowadays, a box score of 46-10 would make you think the Patriots ran away with this game. But that wasn’t the case here. In this dominating performance, this Bears team featuring players like Walter Payton, Richard Dent, Jim McMahon, Dan Hampton, and William “The Refrigerator” Perry beat the Patriots in SuperBowl XX.

Honorable Mention: 2010 – Week 3: Bears Shutout the Green Bay Packers

Chicago Bulls: 1993 NBA Finals Game 6

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Next up on this list is game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals. This game capped off the first 3-peat for the Chicago Bulls in the decade and Jordan received his 3rd Finals MVP in the series. While he would go on to retire the following season, there’s something to be said about never needing a game 7 in the Finals. Out of all the championship games he played, this is one of the most exciting ones that comes down to the final seconds against the Portland Trailblazers.

Honorable Mentions: Michael Jordan Flu Game & Game 3 Eastern Conference Semis (D. Rose Game Winning Shot)

Chicago Sky: 2015 OT Win vs Atlanta Dream

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Keeping with the basketball trend, the Chicago Sky are up next on our list of Chicago sports highlights. In this overtime victory, the Chicago Sky take down the Atlanta Dream with a final score of 100-96. One of the biggest highlights from this game comes from former Sky, Elena Delle Donne who put up a whopping 45 points against the Dream. Talk about a baller!

Chicago Cubs: 2016 World Series Game 7

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It wasn’t hard deciding on the best throwback game for the Chicago Cubs. While this is one of the more recent games on this list, it’s definitely one that every Chicago sports fan could rewatch. In Game 7 of the World Series, the Chicago Cubs would take the Cleveland Indians to extra innings as they finally ended their century-long championship drought. Even Sox fans couldn’t root against Cubs in this one. That last out by Kris Bryant still gives us chills.

Honorable mentions: Jake Arrieta No Hitter (2015) & Carlos Zambrano No Hitter (2008)

Chicago White Sox: 2005 World Series Game 4

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Chicago is the city of championships, and it’d be foolish not to include the White Sox championship here. The White Sox don’t get a lot of respect from baseball fanatics, especially from Cubs fans. But they were the first team in the city to win the pennant this century. And it only took them four games. That being said, South Side fans are in for a treat with this White Sox throwback!

Honorable mentions: Mark Buehrle Perfect Game 

Chicago Bandits: Bandits Shutout USSSA

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While Chicago loves its baseball, our professional softball team, the Chicago Bandits, have been tearing up the league in recent years with three championships in the past decade. It was difficult to find the full game replays from their championships, but that didn’t stop us. In this highlight game, the Bandits shutout the USSSA 2-0, a team they frequently face in the NPF Championship.

Chicago Fire FC: 1998 MLS Cup

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The Chicago Fire FC haven’t found much success in recent years, but things weren’t always that way. Back in 1998, the Chicago Fire were founded and joined Major League Soccer. During their first year, the team went on to win the MLS Cup against DC United and shocked the league. Hopefully, the team will regain that winning spirit in the next couple of years.

Chicago Blackhawks: 2013 Stanley Cup Game 6

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Chicago hockey fans will never forget when the Blackhawks tore up the league in the early 2010s. One of our favorite highlights from the Chicago Blackhawks comes from game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals. Up 3-2 in the series, the Blackhawks were looking at a game 7 back home as they were down 2-1 late in the 3rd period. But, as we all know, they never needed it. The Blackhawks would score twice in a period of 17 seconds to come back and hoist their second trophy of the decade.

Honorable mention: 2010 Stanley Cup Game 6 OT Winner

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Normal life might be put on hold for now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stock your kitchen with all the food and ingredients you need! Check out these 15 Chicago grocery stores delivering now:

Hyde Park Produce

Get those greens! This family-owned grocery store is open for business and also accepts online orders.

Supermercado Martin

This is a fully-stocked grocery store offering pickup and delivery, as well as discounts to senior citizens, nurses, and doctors (you might feel like you’ve aged 65 years in the last month, but these discounts are for the real seniors),

Chicago Indoor Garden

You can get fresh vegetables delivered to your home from this Humboldt Park organic urban farm.

NutMeg’s

Never fear: your bread will never be lonely when you have such a selection of nut butters from which to choose.

Relish Catering Kitchen

Though typically a catering business, Relish has recently switched over to delivering grocery items, as well as meal packages.

Arlington Crest Farms

This vegetable farm in Palatine delivers organic produce and offers CSA shares.

Hooked on Fish

Craving a fresh catch? Hooked on Fish is delivering fresh seafood all over the city.

Lemaster Family Kitchen

Now that so many of us are cooking more at home than ever before, this might be the best time to add freshly-ground spice blends to your cooking arsenal.

Star Farm Chicago

With this CSA, you can add on eggs or bread to your order, and delivery is free for seniors and single-parent households.

Second City Prime Steak & Seafood

If you like to indulge in the finer things, Second City Prime has you covered— get deliveries of high-quality meat and seafood, with free shipping for the entire Midwest.

OjaExpress

If you need harder-to-find groceries for a wider variety of cuisines, this is the delivery service you need.

Picnic Wine & Provisions

You may have to restrict any picnicking to your living room (or, at best, your backyard), but at least the food can be great with delivery from Picnic Wine & Provisions.

Closed Loop Farms

This South Side urban farm is delivering freshly-harvested greens and working with other local farms and vendors to bring more healthy food items to more people in Chicago.

Dirk’s Fish & Gourmet Shop

Get fresh fish, produce, and other essentials all delivered conveniently together from Lincoln Park!

Gene’s Sausage Shop

Don’t forget your protein— to go with your butcher shop items, you can also replenish your beer, wine, and liquor with delivery from Gene’s.

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Mary Jane is known by a lot of names these days, chief among them: legal. Quarantine doesn’t have to be dull when you have your best buds. Check out this list of top marijuana strains, and see if you can find them at Chicago dispensaries near you. Happy 420!

Space Monkey

85% indica; 15% sativa

Out of this world, y’all. Space Monkey is ideal for days on the couch with a package of Oreos. When you don’t want to feel overwhelmed or stressed from quarantine life, escape to sublime relaxation with your primate friend from the stars!

Mimosa

30% indica; 70% sativa

You might not be able to brunch on Sunday, but you’ll brunch erryday with Mimosa. Mimosa is the perfect wake ‘n’ bake strain that increases focus and lifts your energy. If you’re confronted with a stressful work-from-home day, Mimosa’s citrus aroma and woody flavor will let you carpe the diem with these easy-breezy brunch vibes.

Gelato

55% indica; 45% sativa

Ben and Jerry’s ain’t got nothing on Gelato — and that’s saying a lot! More of a head high than a body high, Gelato effortlessly pairs tranquility with its earthy aromas and creativity with its sweet taste. You may not be Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked… but you’ll be ready for some!

Girl Scout Cookies

60% indica; 40% sativa

Stock up on your favorite cookies before you light up your Girl Scout Cookies strain. Although best for folks who are better acquainted with smoking marijuana, Girl Scout Cookies alleviates arthritic pains while giving you a euphoric sense of well-being. The flavor profile is sweet with a nutty, vanilla aroma. Thin Mints? Never heard of ’em.

Wedding Cake

60% indica; 40% sativa

Wedding bells may not be ringing this spring — in person. Say “I do” to this strain. This strain will give more of a head high than anything – but don’t let that fool you. The more you acquaint yourself with Wedding Cake, the more you’ll feel an intense body high. Wedding Cake is appealing because it makes your body feel heavy and warm while keeping your mind creative and aware.

Pink Lemonade

80% indica; 20% sativa

Make lemonade with your quarantine lemons… sort of. Pink Lemonade is an ideal strain for those who need a little more inspiration with their work and creativity. This strain is a favorite among people because it can help you maintain focus without making you feel amped up. Not available at neighborhood lemonade stands.

Cheesecake

70% indica; 30% sativa

Cheesecake, much like its name suggests, is a creamy and sweet strain with dank candy aromas. Cheesecake is best for folks who want to feel relaxed, heavy, and sleepy while still being able to participate in (or even lead) conversations. You’ll have a sweet, almost lackadaisical awareness of your surroundings, so cheesecake is best for staving your anxiety and inviting sleepy vibes.

Triple G (AKA Ghost OG)

70% indica; 30%sativa

Marijuana’s version of the Holy Trinity. Triple G is the union of tranquil relaxation, increased appetite (!), and deep, almost profound, contemplative thoughts. Not for the casual smoker or those new to the weed bandwagon, Triple G floods your senses with a sleepy creativity, while also giving you a heavy body high.

Zkittlez (AKA Skittles, Skittlz)

40% indica; 60% sativa

Taste the rainbow — and maybe see it, too! Zkittlez is a euphoric option for those who can get past the initial effects (most notably slight pressure around your head and eyes). Once your senses are hyper-activated, you’ll feel, taste, and see the rainbow! Flavors of the Zkittlez strain are sweet and sour — almost berry-like nature. A fan-favorite, Skittlez is ideal for those who want to declutter their mind from cyclical thoughts while feeling physically refreshed and mentally uplifted.

Alien OG

50% indica; 50% sativa

Greetings, nervous Earthling, and indulge in one of the greatest strains for those who experience exhausting anxiety. Alien OG has hints of lemon and pine, which bring you a clean spark of creativity and a touch of relaxation. Take me to your dealer!

With crazy times of quarantine, explore better living through plants!

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As most of us are social distancing right now, we all are probably starting to miss our friends and family that we’re used to hanging out with. It can be hard to go so long without seeing loved ones, but until this is over, one Chicago pastry chef came up with the idea of quarantine-themed cakes.

Emily Nejad, the owner of Bon Vivant Cakes, is trying to bring joy and humor in a time like this. These heart-shaped cakes serve eight and are available in two different flavors, chocolate, and birthday cake, with four different fillings, vanilla buttercream, cookies ‘n cream, salted caramel or strawberry preserves.

Once choosing the flavor of the cake, customers have to make the decision of what phrase they want on top of the cake. You can choose from options like, “Can’t Touch This,” “Free the TP,” “Confine Me Daddi,” or “Stay Home.”

You can pick up or have these cakes delivered to the people you miss most.

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