Luck of Irish Not With South Side Parade This Year

Erik Sorensen, NBC5 Street Team

It will be a somber St. Patrick’s Day for those of us slowly coming to terms with the absence of our beloved South Side Irish Parade. On March 25th of 2009, the South Side St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee announced that the event would be cancelled, indefinitely. The decision was welcomed by some, but widely regarded as the end of a cherished era by most.

For many, the parade was as much a staple for their neighborhood as any event; so much so, that it grew in popularity every year and eventually became too large to manage. Or so the explanation goes.

South Side Irish Parade Route

While there were many legitimate factors that influenced the cancellation, (namely public intoxication, trampled property, unruly behavior) none represent what gave the parade its heart and soul: the families. It was about gathering to celebrate our Irish heritage, but you always got the sense there was more to it than that. Droves of families and friends poured faithfully each year into Western Avenue like a green human river; walking distances from as short as their front lawns to neighborhoods miles away.

Some of my earliest and fondest memories can be attributed to that parade. I watched it with my family and relatives as a child; marched in it as a boy scout; attended it with dear friends as a teenager; played in it as part of the Marist High School Marching Band and returned to it as a spectator, and an adult. It was an event to share with your children, and your children’s children. A gathering of proud people surrounded by the buildings and streets they love. It was the celebration of the neighborhoods the event represented, and the stores you rode your bike to as a kid. It was the South Side Irish Parade, and it was ours.

(Replacing the event will be the South Side Irish Parade Family Fest, held on Saturday, March 13th, hosted by the Beverly Arts Center. The daylong festival features family-friendly activities including: bag pipers, an Irish soda bread contest, a small children’s parade, dancers, a best dressed “Irish dog” contest and an array of Irish-themed arts.)

TICKETS
Admission (from 11am-4pm): $10 Adults,
$7 Seniors, Free for children under 12
Admission (after 4pm): All tickets $25

http://www.beverlyartcenter.org

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Move your body with Fitness Expert….Amy Leffel-TEAMiFIT.

Eric Smith, NBC5Chicago Street Team

On location at TEAMiFIT Lifestyle Center-676 N. LaSalle Street-with Founder, President and Wellness Coach-Amy Leffel.

Speak a little bit about your background-life before TEAMiFIT and how all this happened?

I received my undergraduate degree at Indiana University in Exercise Physiology and Public Health.  I worked as a personal trainer and exercise specialist-teaching fitness classes at gyms across the city.  Then I went back to school to get my masters degree in Education, where I worked with kids from 1st grade all the way up to 8th.  While as a school teacher, I was also teaching fitness classes and working as a personal trainer on the side.  So I have about seven years working in fitness.  This has been my passion, so doing this doesn’t feel like work.

Amy Got Soul

The initial concept was exercise on location at different outdoor venues across the city.  What gave you the idea to get started that way?

I’ve had this vision a long time.  April through September every year we hold outside classes.  So you’ll have classes happening all around the city…Lincoln Park, West Loop, West Town, River North, Gold Coast, Lake View and South Loop.  We also take these classes to the beach.  And as the weather cools we bring this more of this action to our space here.

So what makes TEAMiFIT different?

TurboKick

TEAMiFit is a one-stop shop promoting health and wellness!  You can come here and get fitness classes for adults and kids.  We have Strictly CORE, TurboKick, Zumba, Strength Boxing classes and more…we’ve got all kinds of flava flava-including Power Yoga and Power Pilates.  We’ve got specialized workshops like plyometric training focusing on high-intensity movements for high impact.  We also have small group personal training called ‘Armed and Dangerous’ for only six people, to work with a personal trainer at a discounted price.  And beginning in November we are going to have educational classes ‘Doing Life Together’, where our lifestyle coaches will educate based on personal experience using their expertise to focus on what our members want.  Topics will include like how to eat right when working out, how to balance life, how to spend smart over the holidays, educational self-massage, couples massage, etc.  The lifestyle coaches will be here to educate and build relationships with our clientele.  We’re basically doing life together.

TEAMiFIT

Amy is definitely on the move in Chicago and wants to get your body moving.  For additional information and register for classes visit TEAMiFIT online and Facebook.  To hear the entire interview, download the audio casts below.

Part 1  Interview w/Amy ‘Body’

Part 2 Interview w/Amy ‘What You Waiting For?’

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African Festival of the Arts Celebrates the Big Two Oh!

Stephanie S. Green, NBC Chicago Street Team

 

This Labor Day Weekend, the African Festival of the Arts celebrates its 20th Anniversary at Washington Park!  It is always a favorite and highly-anticipated way to end the summer and this year will be no exception!  Enjoy vendors with a variety of fabulous merchandise:  art, photography, clothing, accessories, body products, jewelry and so much more; delicious food; and, fantastic musical acts, including The Ohio Players, Booker T. Jones, Ahmad Jamal, George Clinton and many more national and local artists, fashion shows and dance.  Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and spend the whole day with plenty to keep you occupied and plenty of room to spread out, relax and regroup, and then continue to check out the vendors in the African Marketplace! 

There's Something for All Ages!

And don’t forget about the Pavilions where you will find activities to suit every taste!  At the Children’s Pavilion youth of all ages can learn and enjoy games, music, dance, storytelling, theater, arts and crafts all day long! Contributors include: Hyde Park Arts Center, the Field Museum and other family-focused institutions that offer fun, educational and interactive programs. Many social service agencies will be represented in the pavilion to provide answers to family, parental and children’s questions.

The ICE Theaters Film Pavilion presents daily screenings of short and full-length films that interpret the culture and experiences of peoples living in all parts of the African Diaspora.  They’ll also feature a showcase of films produced mainly by black filmmakers from around the world, including a section of works produced for and/or by black youth. Enjoy free popcorn, get free movie posters and learn more about Black World Cinema, an independent film series available only at your neighborhood ICE Theaters.

Ohio Players & George Clinton, too!

The Festival is world renowned for its assembly of artists from around the Diaspora featuring original paintings, sculptures limited editions, prints, photographs, and ceramics. This year, the Fine Arts Pavilion will include artists such as Stacey Brown (festival artist of the year), Emerson Williams, Uwa Hunwick, Bayo Iribhogbe, Frank Frasier, Melvin King, Rondell, Nii-Oti, Akosuah Bandele, Marvin Sims, Ousmane Gueye, Dana Easter, Dimali, Isodor Howard, Samuel Akainyah, and Dayo Layoe.

Visit the AFA Pavilion Page for more on the Chrysler Financial Pavilion, Author and Book Pavilion, Meet the Artists Media Tent, The Drum Village, Spirituality Pavilion, Health and Wellness Village, Cyberspace Pavilion, Quilting Pavilion and the HipHop Stage and Pavilion!  Visit the Festival Schedule Page for the full entertainment schedule, created by Soleil’s To-Dos and featuring the wonderful, interactive calendar features that you’ve grown to rely on!

Just Chillin'

But wait – there’s more To-Do!!!  That’s right – be sure to visit the “All Chill Zone” at the Soleil’s To-Dos booth.  (You’ll find the booth number and location at www.so-LAZE.com, on the Facebook Page, through our Twitter Feed or by calling (773) 268 To-Do (8636).)  We’ll be stone cold chillin’ and giving you the perfect spot to catch up with friends, sit and eat, slap a few cards, wax poetic and groove to the beats – including live music!  Yes, thanks to Sam Martin, the Idea Doctor, you can expect some special guests to stop through and grace us with some mini-performances.  BYOChair, or cop a squat in one of ours, if available, and chill for a while!  We’ll also be doing some special giveaways including theater; concert tickets; dinners; and, for one lucky woman, a one-hour photo shoot with Lee Bey Photography!

So, whatever your plans this weekend, be sure to make a visit to the African Festival of the Arts!  The Festival runs from Friday through Monday, from 10am-10pm.  General Daily Admission, $10 in advance; $15 at the gate; Seniors and Children (Under 12 – over 65), $5; Daily Family Pass (2 adults and 4 children under 12), $30; Adult (4-day) Weekend Pass, $30.

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Christmas In July

Janelle Rominski, NBC Chicago Street Team

Christmas is coming this weekend to Chicago’s Union Station as Disney’s A Christmas Carol Train Tour arrives.

July 24 – 26, get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the all-new motion picture, Disney’s A Christmamas Carol, starring Jim Carrey and directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The best part, it’s all FREE!

A five-car train will be on Track One and will feature an entirely interactive experience. Visitors will enter through the first car, and proceed through the length of the train where they will enjoy many exhibits.

Those exhibits include a digital portrait gallery, a model shop featuring actual models used in the filming of the movie, the Tunnel of Technology where people will learn about the motion-capture techniques used in the film, an HP TouchSmart PC Face-Morph station where kids & and adults can age themselves and alter their photos (like Jim Carrey does to create the seven characters he plays in the film) and more.

The world’s largest inflatable state-of-the art 3-D theatre will be located in the Great Hall, and will feature exclusive clips from the film.

Throughout Union Station, the halls will be decked, snow will be on the ground (yes, snow in Chicago in July) and carolers will sing Christmas favorites.

Website: www.ChristmasCarolTrainTour.com
Tour Dates: Friday, July 24 – Sunday, July 26, 2009
Opens 9 am Daily
Chicago’s Union Station
225 Canal Street
Free Admission

Want more Rominski reads? Read more right HERE!

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Chicago Botanic Garden Summer Guide

Janelle Rominski, NBC Chicago Street Team

The Chicago Botanic Garden has many spectacular events happening all summer long to suit people of all ages.

The Garden, that is located in Glencoe, recently held a wine festival and have begun several special events. Those events include Hot Summer Nights, Music on the Esplanade, Garden Chef Series, Dancin’ Sprouts and more!

Alma de Tango

Each Thursday from 6 pm – 8 pm, the Hot Summer Nights music series features live music and dancing to a specified genre of the evening. Dance instructors are available and will teach mini-lessons relating to the musical style of the night.

Last Thursday, Garden guests were treated to an Argentinian and Uruguayan musical performance by Alma de Tango.  Professional dancers were also on hand to teach the tango.  This evening the Garden hosted Hawaiian music and coming soon are nights filled with Cajun, Brazilian and Celtic music.

Professional Dancers

Music on the Esplanade takes place Tuesdays from 6 pm – 8 pm where local musicians showcase genres of music including Big Band/Swing, Calypso, Blues and Jazz.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the Garden Chef Series are hosted by distinguished chefs from restaurants in and around Chicago.   These chefs prepare dishes made from garden fresh ingredients.

For the children, Dancin’ Sprouts takes place on select Wednesdays and offers musical entertainment for the little ones.

The Chicago Botanic Garden events are free to attend and regular parking fees apply to nonmembers.

For more great events and information, visit the Chicago Botanic Garden online at www.ChicagoBotanic.org.

Want more Rominski reads? Read more right HERE!

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Cupcakes That Can Change Your Life

D.C. “Fete Select TV” Crenshaw, NBC Chicago Street Team

Sometimes you just know when you know.  I’m talking about an instance where you experience something and it just feels right.  For example, meeting a spouse or significant other for the first time, selecting a college, interviewing for a job or…umm… tasting a cupcake?  I didn’t know that eating a cupcake could be a life changing experience until recently.  That’s because the newly launched Naperville based Foiled Inc. has the most moist, most fresh and best tasting cupcakes that I’ve tasted.   Hands down!

 There has been a trend of specialty cupcake shops that have recently opened, but none of them can compare to Foiled Cupcakes.  Owner Mari Luangrath started her company Foiled Inc. to help people enjoy memorable experiences through her cupcakes.   She called a childhood friend that is an Executive  Pastry Chef about her idea and voila they were in business.  Unlike other bakeries, Foiled doesn’t use a storefront, but differentiates itself as being Chicagoland’s first and only exclusive on-line designer cupcake delivery service.  The cupcakes are handmade using only the finest all-natural ingredients, such as traditional foil cupcake wrappers, real butter cream frosting, handmade fillings, and European Garnishes.  They offer twenty standard flavors every day, as well as additional monthly flavor offerings that are available for a limited time.  A few of the unique standard cupcakes offered are:

Ooey Gooey – Chocolate cake, caramel filling, caramel buttercream, ganache topping, and a pinch of sea salt.

Pinkalicious So Delicious - Chocolate cake, raspeberry jam filling, raspberry buttercream, and a dainty raspberry garnish.

The Cinnful Apple – Vanilla cake, baked apple filling, cinnamon buttercream, and sweet cinnamon sugar sprinkles.

Foiled also sets themselves apart from the competition by adding a little humor with each cupcake.  Their signature “Quippies” are little tag lines of humor inserted into the cupcakes themselves for an extra special surprise..  They also offer customized “Quippies” for special occasions.  Cupcakes retail for $38 per dozen and delivery is included.  They can whip up designer cupcakes by the dozen with as little as 12 hours notice.  Foiled delivers in Chicago and the West Suburbs and pride themselves on customer service.  Orders can be made on-line, by phone or fax.  For more information log onto www.foiledcupcakes.com.

Check out www.eFete.net and watch Fete Select TV  for an inside look into the newest and hottest restaurants in Chicago.

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Harry Potter and the Hogwarts Express Steam into Town

Candace Jordan, NBC Chicago Street Team

The premier of the Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry Tuesday night was beyond my wildest expectations.   I must say, I consider myself one of the biggest Harry Potter fans on the planet and this show blew me away.  In a 10,000 square-foot exhibit space you can see over 200 artifacts from all of the Harry Potter films and some things you just couldn’t imagine…..like being able to sit in one of Hagrid’s over-sized chairs inside his hut, viewing a life size Buckbeak and centaur up close and personal, throwing quaffle balls into the Quidditch rings, the flying Ford Anglia “borrowed” by Ron and Harry, seeing the Triwizard Cup and Harry’s wand and glasses, props and artifacts from the Yule Ball, walking into the Great Hall and seeing for yourself those magical candles hanging from the ceiling, being sorted by the Sorting Hat (I was in Gryffindor) and even the Hogwart’s Express!!  The Museum of Science and Industry beat out 40 other institutions vying for the honor of being the first to present this extraordinary collection of Harry Potter memorabilia.  It opens on Thursday, April 30th, and runs through September 27th.    Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for children age 3-11.   Prepare to be SORTED! 

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Campfire Ball 2009

D.C. “Fete Select TV” Crenshaw, NBC5 Street Team

Get ready for summer camp with a city twist. Come support One Step At A Time Camps for kids with cancer at Campfire Ball 2009.

 Reserve your tickets now before they’re all gone! N9NE Steakhouse & Ghostbar host this spectacular event, including:

• Inventive cocktails & camp-themed favorite foods all night long
• Hot DJs rocking the house and keeping the crowd pumping
• Several chances to support camp kids with fabulous silent auction items
• Raffle prizes and more…                         

Saturday, April 18th  

                   ~N9NE Steakhouse & Ghostbar

           440 W. Randolph Street 

                                                             Chicago

It’s all the fun without the curfew.

Get your tickets today! 

 

                               $75 per ticket when you buy them now

                              $100 per ticket at the door

 

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A Street Fight For Softies

LaShonda Matlock, NBC Chicago Street Team

Break out your favorite pajamas, teddy bear and pillows because the feathers will be flying Saturday at the Chicago celebration of International Pillow Fight Day.

This year’s local event will be held in front of the Art Institute (111 S. Michigan Ave.) between 2 – 4 p.m.

Click here to read the rest of this post on nbcchicago.com.

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An InTREEging Event With Marty Casey This Saturday

Cara Carriveau, NBC5 Street Team

Okay, a few months ago, when Marty Casey abruptly left The Lovehammers…my FAVORITE BAND…I was beside myself.  Angry, disappointed, and a slew of other not-so-happy emotions.  I bit my tongue, literally, purposely not speaking on the record to anyone in (or formerly in) The Lovehammers.  I figured it’d be too easy to spew something in the heat of the moment that might be regretted later.  I knew that after some time passed emotions would subside.

I’m somewhat surprised that I’m ready to see Marty Casey perform this weekend.  My daughter’s birthday is this week and she’s never had the chance to see him play, so part of her gift is to experience his acoustic performance Saturday at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.  Marty will be there this Saturday afternoon 3-5 in the store signing autographs and then performs a live acoustic set at 5:30p.

The first 100 people to purchase his “Trees” dog tag necklace will receive a free CD single of “Trees” (a special acoustic version featuring Marty Casey and Dave Navarro).

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Something Extra for Fall!

Jennifer and Brooke, NBC5 Street Team

Woooo! After squeezing in a last minute summer vacation, situating Brooke back into the school routine and getting her signed up for fall activities, I’m finally getting a chance to catch a breath. This year, however, I had to cut down on some of Brooke’s extracurricular activities now that daily homework has been added into her equation. But for those of you out there looking for some interesting options, I have a few suggestions that may help.

• For your aspiring little gymnasts and rock climbers, check out Lakeshore Academy in River West.
• Chicago Multicultural Dance Center offers a variety of dance styles including ballet that either you or your little one will enjoy. It’s located in the South Loop.
• For the musically inclined, the South Loops’ Sherwood Conservatory of Music has a smorgasbord of vocal and instrumental classes for all ages.
• With eight Chicagoland locations, Language Stars is great for an introduction to, or reinforcement of a foreign language.
• The Entertainment Project in Wicker Park will help your little thespians and artists fine tune their creative niches. 

I know there are countless more programs all over Chicagoland that are excellent options for kids. Feel free to Comment back and share your favorites!

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OMG, The Jonas Brothers!!! Woof Woof!!!

Cara Carriveau, NBC5 Street Team

In my last post I described how seeing Eddie Vedder with my husband was so cool because he is such a big fan. To be truthful, I also like Vedder so it wasn’t like I was sacrificing anything going to that concert. However, taking my daughter and her two friends to see The Jonas Brothers Sunday night was absolutely an act of sheer love for my daughter. Nothing against The Jonas Brothers, I think they’re really talented and I even like their new songs – but I knew that there would be thousands of loud screaming girls. Boy, was I right.

Just Before We Almost Headed To The Wrong Venue. Oops!

The night began with me almost taking them to wrong venue.  I thought the concert was at Charter One Pavillion dowtown along the lakefront.  Just before I drove away the father of one of the girls I was taking ran to my car to tell me it was at The First Midwest Bank Amplitheatre in Tinley Park.  Okay, so both venues are named after banks - I have an excuse to be confused!

Ouch, My Ears!

Once we got to our seats I offered many times to go get the girls something to eat or anything else they needed – not just to be nice, but to get away from the screaming crowd.  Honestly, I’ve been to many concerts and none – including Metallica and Def Leppard – were anywhere near this decibel level.  It wasn’t The Jonas Brothers being too loud, it was the screaming girls in the audience.  I was pleased to discover a “parents tent”.  But it was empty.  I walked a bit further and found where the parents were – in line for beer!  

My Daughter Rockin'

My only real complaint of the night was that there were not enough people working the merchandise booths.  There easily could have been double the booths and quadruple the workers so the huge lines would have moved a bit quicker.  The long wait to get out of the parking lot was expected with a sold out show, but the the late night construction on I-57 caught me off guard.  Our trip home was excruciatingly long.  

The Jonas Brothers and their opening acts put on a great show.  The best part of the night:  The audience could text messages to appear on the huge jumbotrons.  My daughter Jeri texted “Bark If You Like Joe Jonas“.  Hearing 30,000+ people bark on her orders was priceless!

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Dancing Lollapalooza Boy

Cara Carriveau, NBC5 Street Team

I have many memories of Lollapalooza. Great music. Fun people-watching. Interviewing artists like Duffy and Tally Hall. Surprisingly delicious and affordable food at the concert. Running into friends I hadn’t seen in years. Hearing “Come Sail Away” by Styx sampled by one of the artists on stage (loved that!). The sea of urine on the sidewalks surrounding Grant Park (didn’t love that, especially the smell).

Without a doubt, though, my fondest memory is that of bringing my 3 year old son Sam. We tried our best but couldn’t secure a sitter on Saturday. Since kids under 10 get in free at Lollapalooza we took him with us as soon as he woke up from his afternoon nap. I am pretty certain that he was youngest mosher for Rage Against The Machine. Luckily, we were able to keep him far from the rowdy crowd in the press area. Earlier we took him to see The Toadies play. To say he loved them is putting it mildly.

Check out this video (try to watch until the very end – it’s got a cute finale):

Did your parents take you to Woodstock???

Click HERE to see a ton of Lollapalooza photos.

Type my name in the search bar to see/hear more of my posts including interviews with Alanis Morissette, The Bravery, Lovehammers, O.A.R’s Marc Roberge, Triumph’s Rik Emmett, Matthew Santos, Shooting Star, Mike Tafoya, Absentstar, comedian Lee Camp & more.

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“Love On The Line!” Pink: A (Love) Courier Service in Chicago

Fayth aka Relaxocat, NBC5 Street Team

I don’t really care for the color pink and I’m not mushy.  On the other hand, I love interactive art installations and unique things that make you say, “Wow, that was really cool and now I’m all happy!”  So with no further adieu, let me introduce you to “Pink: A (Love) Courier Service”.

Love on the line...

In July I found out about some great people that come from Austin, Texas.  One of them is the Street Team’s new blogger, Desiree.  The other people are artists, poets, and performers that comprise “Pink: A (Love) Courier Service”.  What is it?  Don’t  think about cheesy flowers or cards, neither of which can convey your message.  “Pink” is the most unique interactive art (and cycling) project to arrive in Chicago in some time.  And time is limited because Pink is only around until August 15th.  You absolutely must go because it’ll brighten your day and the day of someone you “Pink”.  It’s a courier service delivering your love notes in a bottle.  This is not a business so really they do this out of love for their project.  They don’t define love for you; no cliche’ cards, no “hearts and flowers” or things that will taint your experience.  The experience is one that is not only fun, it is strangely simple and it’s almost confusing (except for typing on a manual typewriter, which was actually cool).  Who needs email and text messages for love notes anyway?

Click here to see a slideshow of the Pink experience.  A couple of my friends “pinked” people and one of them loved it so much she became a volunteer courier, code name “Cicada”.  Show up at the “Love Factory”, housed in Wicker Park.  A white room with pink accents and furniture, but NOT girlie or overdone.  It’s bright, simple, and inviting.  You are gleefully greeted – “Welcome to Pink! Are you familiar with our service?”,  follow the pink dotted line, then take time to decide what to type – yes, that’s “type” as in typewriters, not computer keyboards – onto your pink piece of paper.  If you need help or guidance, ring the bell on the desk and they’ll help you out, point you toward books of poetry for inspiration or maybe tell you something funny to make you relax.  They seem to know that the simplicity is disorienting for some.  Once you’re done, make your donation in the jar on the table (this is a non-profit project so don’t be a cheapskate because someone is after all delivering your love), and send your note down the line – don’t forget to shout, “Love on the line!!” – everyone else will too, so do it because it’s exhilarating.  Sometime thereafter your message is bottled and delivered by a pink clad volunteer bicycle courier to anyone you want to send some love to within the city limits.  Pick up some “Pink” gear – big bottles of massage oil look appealing especially if you consider how happy your love note recipient is going to be.  If you’re a guy and think that this is a “chick” thing, you’re wrong.  I hung out there for nearly an hour and only saw guys sending notes.

“Pink” is the project of Jaclyn Pryor aka Heffi McHefferson who began “Pink” back in Austin where 2,007 people sent notes.  The project then rode off to Portland, becoming “Pink On Tour”, landing here on July 26th.  Don’t walk in there like I did and say, “I’m looking for Jaclyn.” because everyone who volunteers there goes by a code name, hence everyone in the room will say, “There’s no Jaclyn here!”.  I thought, “Ok,  I’m Relaxocat!”.  Remember, though this is a service, it’s also performance art.  I was relieved to hear from Heffi that she wasn’t a fan of the color pink either. She told me she chose it for many reasons, but the project had her “reprogram” how she felt about it.  She was right, the project changed my vibe about the color too.  Are you wondering how it’s art?  You have to interact with the project to understand, but in simpler terms you can also elect to allow your note to be printed in an upcoming book that they will soon have published.  Heffi, Nancy, Prince Pony or anyone in the factory will chat you up if you want to find out more.

• What: Pink: A (Love) Courier
• Where: 2215 W. North Ave. (click here for a map)
• When: Until August 15th – Wed-Sun, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Cost: Free, but please donate to support the project
• More info: Pink and Pink In Chicago

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Pump It Up!

Jennifer, NBC5 Street Team

Pump, pump, pump, pump it up! That’s what Brooke did for her birthday soiree this past weekend at Lincoln Park’s Pump It Up The Inflatable Party Zone.

Located in an inconspicuous location at 815 West Eastman, Pump It Up seems small on the outside but is an inflatable play-structure wonderland.  I couldn’t have asked for a better solution to my annual “where should I throw the next birthday party blues.”

Planning this event was truly as easy as 1-2-3 — except for a few decoration requests made by Brooke. They host, they set-up, they cater-in food from Tomato Head (a quaint little pizza place next door), and they CLEAN-UP afterwards!  The clean-up part is always a big ol’ plus in my book!

In addition to being a great private party venue, Pump it Up has public playtime hours and special event programs such as Bounce for Autism.

While it could be considered another “Generation Posh” favorite, it’s definitely a fun place for the whole family. I can vouch for that after seeing my dad swoosh down one of the those inflatable slides.

Brooke’s Blog: My favorites are the ginormous slides and rock climb!  (Ginormous is something like gigantic… Brooke has her own journalistic privilege.)  

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Sister Hazel performs at Brookfield Zoo

Cara “Caras Basement” Carriveau, NBC5 Street Team

Come join me and 101.9 WTMX at The Brookfield Zoo tomorrow (Sunday, June 22).  Sister Hazel performs at 4pm, part of their Zoo Tunes series.  All concerts are free with general zoo admission and take place on the East Mall.  Limited seating is available.  Park in the zoo’s main (North) parking lot.

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A Revolutionary Way To Think About Health & Fitness

Cara “Cara’s Basement” Carriveau

Okay, there are a gazillion gyms in Chicago. I’ve had memberships over the years to 5 different area health clubs. I have to admit I only hired a personal trainer once and when I did it was the owner of the Powerhouse Gym in Crystal Lake (it’s no longer there). He did it as a favor to me, charging me half price, but his attention to me was also only half there. When we worked out he often stepped away to greet members and answer the phone. When I asked for help with my diet he went to his computer and printed off a list of foods to eat. I thought to myself, “Where’s the PERSONAL part of this training?”.

Now that I’m married to a health & fitness expert with over two decades of experience including personal training, I understand that all personal trainers are not equal. Just yesterday my husband was blindly contacted by a company looking for a personal trainer. He’s not even interested in doing that anymore but looked at the job qualifications out of curiosity and it indicated that applicants could be “working towards their certification” – in other words, an uncertified personal trainer could be hired by this gym to train people. Huh?

 

My husband Bill Busch does something that most personal trainers cannot do. It’s called Muscle Activation Techniques. It’s a very effective way ofdealing with weaknesses and in my case eliminated my back pain which is totally awesome! He’ll tell you he’s treating the weakness and the fact that the pain goes away is simply a side effect – but I’ll take the pain-free result any way I can get it. He still trains people, but don’t call him a personal trainer. He’s more like a personal fitness mechanic. His actual title is MAT Specialist.

Check out his Fitness From The Inside Out podcast. It will make you think twice before hiring a personal trainer, that’s for sure:

You can meet Bill Busch and many other health industry experts at the 2008 Avenue Health Fair at the Oak Park Library, 834 Lake Street, Oak Park, this Saturday 10am-2pm. It’s free with complimentary health screenings and hands-on mini workshops. Kids are welcome. Bill Busch will be part of a panel of experts adressing obesity and stress. Be sure to look for us at the Fitness From The Inside Out table.

Type my name in the search bar or click HERE to see/hear more of my posts including interviews with The Bravery, Lovehammers, Triumph’s Rik Emmett, Shooting Star, Mike Tafoya comedian Lee Camp & more.

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Looptopia’s FAO Schwarz Family Fun

Jennifer, NBC5 Street Team

So much to see, so little time.  However, Brooke and I made sure we stopped at Looptopia’s FAO Schwarz Family Fun.  To say that this was a great idea is an understatement — check out Brooke’s pictures and blog! 

From now until 10pm the FAO Schwarz nestled inside Macy’s on State Street is all the buzz. Highlights of tonight’s activities include a book reading by Kayte Christensen of the Chicago Sky, a rockin’ performance from kid’s favorite Jeanie B, face painting, balloon making and much more. Adults may also find some good ole’ shopping fun as well!

Brooke’s Blog: I was surprised by all of it!  I loved my flower balloon bracelet the most!

 

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