Around the South Loop and Chicago

The fountain becomes a Christmas tree at Trevi Square.



The Art Institute lions are decked out for the holidays.




Elvis and Anita are coming to town.



Are folks really sitting outside Eleven City Diner at 1112 S. Wabash Ave.?

South Loop knitters meet with Florence Hardy (second from right) at Three Peas Art Lounge.

We're practically Bedford Falls; we have our own Christmas tree lot!

Look at this beauty I walked past in the West Loop! Looks like a 1967 Cadillac Fleetwood to me.

Trader Joe's: The "Traditional Press" Catches up

What we can to look forward to when Trader Joe's comes to town

If you've been reading this blog or following folks on Twitter or Facebook, you know this is old news, but here it is from Crain's.

Trader Joe's plans new grocery store in South Loop Consumer Crain's Chicago Business

Just Another Sunday in the South Loop During Football Season

Flatbed trucks in place on Wabash Ave. by 16th St. ready to tow cars parked illegally

Flatbeds as far as the eye can see, well, at least until 18th St.

Coffee with Alderman Fioretti at Prairie Avenue Gallery

Marcy Baim, owner/operator of the Prairie Avenue Gallery at 1900 S. Prairie Ave. is hosting a coffee for 2nd Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti, Saturday December 4, 2010 at 10 a.m. The event is billed as a "conversation with Alderman Fioretti."

The Keith House is one of the surviving Prairie Ave. mansions and is the home of the Prairie Avenue Gallery.

Alderman Fioretti is running for reelection to represent the 2nd Ward after deciding not to run for mayor of Chicago. To RSVP for this event or for more information, call 312-907-7909.

Loretta or Cary: Who Is more Beautiful?

Loretta Young: a photographer's dream

The Faces of Beauty
Both Loretta Young and Cary Grant were known as much for their classic movie star looks as their acting abilities. Young, a star since the days of silent films, is considered one of the screen’s great beauties. Her big expressive eyes and lovely cheekbones made her a photographer’s dream. Grant’s was the face that the top female stars of the 1930s wanted next to theirs on the big screen.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...
When Young and Grant costarred together in The Bishop’s Wife (1947), audiences were faced with two of the most beautiful and most photographed faces in the movies. With those two great faces on the screen side by side, the question comes up; who is the most beautiful of all?

Publicity photograph of Cary Grant

Dressed to Impress
In the film, Grant plays a very dashing angel named Dudley. Dressed by five-time Oscar-winner Irene Sharaff, Grant looked as if he just walked off the set of Hitchcock’s Notorious (1946). He’s as dapper as, well, Cary Grant. Young on the other hand, plays Julia Brougham, the wife of a Bishop (David Niven). Throughout the movie, Young is dressed modestly, but beautifully. Likewise, her hairstyle is pulled back, simply styled, but framing that beautiful, luminous face.

Vanity, Vanity
Like the public that adored them, Young and Grant were aware of their respective good looks and did all they could to present themselves on screen in the best way possible. The story goes that when director Henry Koster blocked out a two-shot between Young and Grant, both protested that the blocking did not exploit the best sides of their faces. To appease the two stars, Koster had them look out a window in the same direction. This shot satisfied Young and Grant because their best sides (the left sides of their faces) were photographed.

I'm not Paying for Half a Face

 Tyrone Power and Young

When producer Samuel Goldwyn saw the dailies (film shot that day), he was critical of Koster’s decision to shoot the scene in such a manner. When Koster asked Young and Grant to explain why the shot was set up and filmed this way, Goldywn let go with one of his famous “Goldwynisms.” He said to both stars “Look, if I'm only getting half a face, you're only getting half a salary!” Young and Grant, both being freelance movie stars and not contracted to a major movie studio were also conscious of workplace politics.

After that confrontation with the boss, the subject of what side of their faces looked better on film never came up again.

Coming Soon: Interview with Best-Selling Author Karen Abbott

Check back next month for an interview with best-selling author Karen Abbott. Abbott's first nonfiction book, Sin in the Second City chronicled the rise and fall of the notorious Levee District in Chicago.

For her second book, American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare, Abbott chose Gypsy Rose Lee as her subject. This new biography, of the show business legend, chronicles her humble beginnings from playing second fiddle to her pretty baby sister to her rise and eventual triumph as the queen of burlesque. This interview will post on December 28, 2010.

Around the South Loop and Chicago: Happy Thanksgiving!

South Loop Connection would like to wish everyone a "Happy Thanksgiving." We hope you enjoy some of the shots around Chicago and the South Loop. Most of the photographs were taken this week. How many locations can you recognize?

Rainy days and Mondays: This past Monday wasn't the best day to walk to work.

The new Old St. Mary's school is going up fast.

2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti and 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell at the "State of the South Loop"

Fall colors morph into winter sparkle at the Blackstone Hotel.

Workers insulate the wall of a building on S. Michigan Ave. just south of Johnson Publishing

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas: sprucing up (pun intended) S. Michigan Ave.

The clock inside the Chicago Hilton and Towers lobby

Commuters cross Wacker Dr. with the Merchandise Mart in the background

The view of Trump Tower from Lake St. and Wabash Ave.

Flirting with Flirty Cupcakes on Lake St. between Clark and Dearborn

The Boeing building and points south

Picketers in front of the Congress Hotel

The Glessner House Museum porte ccohere is lighted for an evening event

Trader Joe's Coming to Roosevelt and Wabash?

True or South Loop Urban Legend?
I know, I know, you’ve heard this rumor a million times since you moved to the South Loop. New fuel was added to that fire this past Saturday at the State of the South Loop meeting with Aldermen Fioretti and Dowell.

A Supermarket is Coming to that Address
During his address, Fioretti said that a supermarket would be opening up in the old Sam’s wine store. He added that he couldn’t mention the name, but that it would be upscale. Well, that could suggest Trader Joe’s. But what about Fox and Obel? As some of us may recall, before Sam’s moved in, it was rumored that Fox and Obel was opening at Roosevelt and Wabash. In fact, this rumor actually made the pages of the Tribune, as I remember.

Most Supermarkets in Town
When the new supermarket opens, whichever one it is, I think the South Loop will have set some kind of record for the most supermarkets concentrated in a very narrow corridor; they’ll all be within walking distance of each other.

I’m hoping for Trader Joe’s. I love the one at 44 E. Ontario St., but it’s a bit of a hassle shopping there if you don’t have a car. One within four blocks of my house would be heaven. That means I’ll never run out of peanut butter and organic jelly!

What do you think? Is Trader Joe’s coming or not?

UPDATE: It's official. Trader Joe's has applied for a business license for 1147 S. Wabash Ave. Click here for details.

Looking for the Perfect Holiday Gift?

Stress-free Holiday Shopping
Order a gift bag from Overflow Coffee Bar.  Save yourself time, energy and stress.  They offer FREE delivery in the South Loop!  Your purchase also helps this new South Loop business and makes a positive difference in the lives of farmers and for the environment. 

Gift Bags Make it Easy

These bags are CREATE YOUR OWN!  Select your own unique variety of coffee, tea, hot cocoa, chocolate and Overflow branded items.  You check off what you want in the bag and they put it together for you.  You can select one item, five of the items, or all the items, it's up to you.

More information is available at the Overflow Coffee Bar Web site.

Help Change the World
Overflow Coffee Bar’s mission is to give South Loop residents, ,and workers the opportunity to change the world.  They are coming to 1550 S. State in 2011 but they are already offering items (including the holiday gift bags) for purchase on their website.  Every purchase helps them open sooner and with a better chance of success.

To learn more about Overflow Coffee Bar check out the cool video below.

OVERFLOW Hits the Streets of the South Loop of Chicago from Brandon Neely on Vimeo.

Announcing South Loop Shout Out!

This could be you, sort of.

South Loop Shout Out!
Do you have something great you’d like to share with your neighbors in the South Loop? Do you have a problem with dog owners not cleaning up after their pets in front of your building? Is there a new store or restaurant in the South Loop that you like? Have an idea that would make life in the South Loop better? Do you have a club or organization that you’d like to talk about? Thought about writing a blog, but want to test the waters first?

Well, this is your opportunity to let your voice be heard. Here are some of the rules (you knew there would be rules, didn’t you?).

Guidelines for South Loop Shout Out! Writers
Blog posts should be no longer than 500 words. Posts cannot be anonymous; your name will be attached to anything you have published on the South Loop Connection blog.

It's Easy!
Blog posts may be submitted in Microsoft Word or any other word processing program you are familiar with. If you don’t have access to word processing software, you may provide your submission via e-mail. Please, to the best of your ability, proof and spell check your work upon submission. SLC reserves the right to edit for length and clarity.

South Loop Shout Out! will not publish personal attacks on individuals or groups, but will consider opinions and viewpoints on a variety of issues related to life in the South Loop.

The comments and issues expressed in South Loop Shout Out! are the opinions of the writers and not the opinions of the SLC blog.

Send submissions to sreggie@sbcglobal.net, include “South Loop Shout Out!” in the subject line, and let your voice be heard.

"Meet Me at the Movies" after "Laura"

There Never Was a Woman Like Laura
We had a great crowd last night for the screening of Laura starring Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews. By an interesting coincidence, Friday November 19 marked Tierney's birthday. She would have been 90 years old.

Some of the "Meet Me at the Movies" crowd

To Weather Mark Tavern We Go!
After the movie, about 15 of us went to Weather Mark Tavern 1503 S. Michigan Ave. to eat, drink, and discuss the movie. Those who had never seen Laura before were stumped as to who the murderer was. The 1944 classic was voted the fourth best film in the mystery genre in 2008 by the American Film Institute and the music by David Raksin was ranked number seven by the AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores in 2005.

These ladies are regular "Meet Me at the Movies" attendees

State of the South Loop

Second Annual State of the South Loop
The Second Annual State of the South Loop meeting took place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, November 20, 2010 at Britten Banner, 1420 S. Michigan Ave. There was a meet-and-greet, with coffee supplied by Overflow Coffee Bar, from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The meeting was planned and organized by the Greater South Loop Association.

 South Loop residents came out in force for the State of the South Loop

Aldermen Present the State of Their Wards
The main speakers were 2nd Ward Aldermen Bob Fioretti and 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell. Both gave overviews of their wards, the current challenges ahead, and their respective accomplishments. Fioretti pointed to the Pete’s Market in development at Madison and Western and the Target at Jackson and Racine. Fioretti also talked about the road repair work on State and S. Indiana currently taking place (both Fioretti and Dowell are responsible for this work). Dowell took pride in the development and construction of the Columbia College Media Production Center at 1600 S. State, as well as the establishment of the DayStar School at 1550 S. State. Both aldermen reiterated that there are many challenges ahead, in part due to the downturn in the economy. In spite of these challenges, their outlook was optimistic.

Ald. Bob Fioretti, Greater South Loop Association president, Deb Soelig, and Ald. Pat Dowell

Neighbors, Organizations, Local Educators, and Schools
Other speakers included Eve Kronen, a South Loop realtor, Gail Merritt from the Alliance for a Greener South Loop, Pam Focia from the South Loop Dog PAC, and Bill Van Emburg from the Prairie District Neighborhood Watch. There were additional brief presentations from Tara Shelton, principal, South Loop Elementary School, Danielle Croyer, law teacher at Jones Prep, and Julie Murphy from the Local School Council.

Board Holds Annual Election

Following is a release from the Greater South Loop Association on their annual elections.

The board of directors of the Greater South Loop Association received nominating petitions for the board of directors and held an election on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Britten located at 1420 S. Michigan Ave.

Deb Soehlig will continue to serve her second year of her term and has served on the board for a total of 5 years to date. Priorities for this year will include our "Shop the South Loop" initiative, hosting candidate forums for the upcoming aldermanic elections and, as always, "bringing neighbors together."

• Effective October 9th, Gail Rutkowski continues as vice president, Eric Westberg, secretary, and Bob Wilson, treasurer
• Other directors on the board are Dennis Beninato, Jeanette Johnson, Jeff Key, Joe Leamanczyk, Mark Stern, and Norma Jordan.
• Bill Van Emburg is newly elected to the board and will focus on safety and community policing efforts. Bill manages the "Prairie District Neighborhood Watch" and looks to offer his leadership to other areas of the South Loop that are looking to establish similar programs.
• Special thanks to Gail Moody who has served as the Bash on Wabash Volunteer chair for the past two years. We wish her continued success in her new job at Private Bank!
• We invite all community members to attend community events, neighborhood and association meetings, and by supporting our local businesses.

For more information, please contact Jeanette Johnson at 312-296-7563 or info@greatersouthloop.org.

www.greatersouthloop.org

Park Plans Presented to Community

Plans for a new park at 16th and S. Wabash Ave. were revealed last night, November 17, 2010, at the 1st District Chicago Police Station, 1718 S. State St.

Beth Meier Tomlins, Project Manager, Planning and Development for the Chicago Park District, introduced the park plan championed by Second Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti. The actual conceptual plans developed by Altamanu Inc. and Terra Engineering were presented by John Mac Manus.

Meeting attendees mingle after park presentation

Mac Manus presented two concepts: A and B. Concept A was “curvilinear” in its design. It contained separate fenced areas for small and large dogs. It also included trees in raised planters and artificial turf. The artificial turf would be resistant to germs and bacteria. An earthen berm would face north toward 16th St. as a people space and a buffer for noise. The feature of  Concept A that seemed appealing to most in attendance was the path circling the fenced in dog spaces.

Concept B was more straightforward with clearer delineated spaces for dogs and people. It incorporated a lot of the same features as Concept A (trees, artificial turf), but it appears from the design that Concept B may utilize the space more fully. Both concepts included a water feature.

The plans are still in the conceptual stage. Tomlins and McManus took questions from South Loop residents in attendance, encouraging feedback. The majority seemed to be in favor of the park, although there were several who took issue with the need for a dog park, sighting noise and other factors. Some expressed their desire to combine the dog space with a people space, and still others voiced their desire for a park specifically for children.

According to Tomlins, construction on the new park could begin next summer. The funding is through TIF money. The project cost is estimated between $2 to $4 million, including environmental remediation.

Around the South Loop

To those visiting Chicago for the first time, it's a revelation. Those of us who live and work in the city, sometimes forget how beautiful it really is. The mild fall we've had has brought forth some vivid leaf colors all around town. And because we live in a "living" city, things are constantly changing: old buildings come down, new ones go up; old businesses close, new ones open to take their place.

Below are just a few recent shots of Chicago and the South Loop.

Did you notice these beautiful trees along Michigan Ave. just south of Randolph St.?

Construction of the new school at Old St. Mary's

A look at Museum Park in the early morning

Johnson Publishing celebrating Ebony Magazine's birthday

The grand staircase at the Sante Fe Building

Planter showing beautiful fall colors in front of the Blackstone Hotel

Columbia College Buys Johnson Publishing Building on Michigan

Johnson Publishing Company has announced that they've sold their building headquarters at 820 S. Michigan Ave. to Columbia College Chicago. The publishing company's most famous publications include Jet and Ebony magazines.

Johnson Publishing has been at 820 S. Michigan Ave. since 1972

Although the exact cost of the sale has not been revealed, it is estimated to be in the neighborhood of $8 million. Johnson Publishing plans on leasing the building for 18 months before moving elsewhere. Like many publishers, Johnson has gone through a period of downsizing and restructuring.

New Park Meeting Tonight November 17 at 7:30 p.m.

New Park Coming to 16th and Wabash

Alderman Fioretti and the Chicago Park District have scheduled a meeting to discuss the proposed park at 16th St. and Wabash Ave. The meeting will take place on Wednesday November 17, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the 1st District Chicago Police Station, 1718 S. State St.

Dog and People Friendly
This park is a long time coming, but it promises to be a great addition and asset to the residents of the South Loop, whether you're a dog owner or not. Although the park has dogs and dog owners in mind, the CPD will present a park design that will benefit and accommodate pet owners and non-pet owners alike.Two recently park additions to the city, Mary Bartleme Park (Adams-Sangamon) and Lakeshore East, have successfully integrated dog areas into the park designs. For pictures of the Mary Bartleme Park in the West Loop, click here.

Residents that have questions prior to the meeting are encouraged to contact Maritza Garcia in the 2nd Ward community service office at 312-263-9273 or maritza.garcia@cityofchicago.org.

2nd Annual "State of the South Loop" Saturday November 20 at 9 a.m.

The 2nd Annual State of the South Loop event will take place on Saturday November 20 at 9:00 a.m. at Britten Banner, 1420 S. Michigan Ave. Featured speakers for this event include 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti and 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell. Both will give updates on their respective wards.

Additional South Loop Community information will come from the following individuals, groups, and organizations.

• Grant Park Advisory Council, Bob O’Neil
• Real Estate Overview, Eve Kronen
• South Loop Dog PAC, Doug Freyman
• Alliance for a Greener South Loop, Gail Merrit
• Prairie District Neighborhood Watch, Bill VanEmburg

Coffee service will be provided by Overflow Coffee Bar.  Contact them to place an order for coffee beans and they will deliver them to you at the meeting with a 10% off discount.

To print a flyer to post in your building or office, click here.

Around the South Loop

Road work continues on S. Indiana Ave.

The tree of life arch above the front door of the Glessner House is a work of art.

Marcel Florist & Gardens at 1471 S. Michigan Ave. is selling Fraser fir Christmas tress.

South Loop landmark White Palace Grill on Roosevelt and Canal

Docent Council Established at Glessner House Museum

Jackie Walker Dunscomb was elected chair of the Docent Council for the Glessner House Museum at a meeting held this Saturday morning November 13, 2010. Walker Dunscomb will be responsible for organizing programs and events for the docents, as well as addressing broader topics such as what items to stock in the museum store and the upcoming 125th anniversary of the Glessner House.

Glessner House Museum executive director, Bill Tyre, addresses docents

If you are a regular reader of the SLC, Walker Dunscomb is no stranger to you. She's an author, (I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet) speaker, and Vice President of the Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance (PDNA).