Ryan Field is a below average stadium in just about every way. Glad Northwestern is planning to…read morebuild a new one! The stadium is older than your average stadium and it has not been well maintained. They have a very odd setup for concessions. It feels like your at monster truck show : ) Everything is cashless. Food is nothing to write home about. You will typically find as many visiting team fans as Nwstrn fans. Band is not up to Big Ten standards. One thing I can say is that it's pretty easy to park in downtown Evanston and catch a free bus to the game. Highly recommended. If you've never been to a game at Ryan Field, expect it to be windy. RF is located very near to Lake Michigan and you can get a lot of lake effect wind. And if you're planning to be in downtown Evanston, don't forget to stop and get a burger at Bat 17 (great pregame meal!)

This might be the last season for Ryan Field, as it's slated to be demolished and replaced…read more It's an iconic stadium, but it was built in 1926 and it's in pretty poor condition. I'll remember the hundreds of Wildcats games I enjoyed here fondly, but won't miss the stadium one bit.

This was the first time that we went to the Chicago Center for Arts and Technology (CHICAT) to…read moreattend their opening reception of the exhibition "Where Our Voices Unite." This was not just an art exhibition; it was a wonderful celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month! The exhibition was professionally and tightly curated by Yidi Wang in their "Gallery 1701" that's on the second floor of CHICAT.  It was nicely lit with lots of natural light.  There was artwork with many different media. It was a beautiful space and show!  I also appreciated their mission!  The "Where Our Voices Unite" show runs from May 21st  to June 8th, 2026. All the staff including the curator Yidi Wang were very welcoming.  It was a nice surprise that we were served a delicious buffet with abundance of Asian dishes and fruits!  I have been to many art openings, but have never seen so much food in any of them before.  Wine and beverages were also served.  There were many large nicely table-clothed tables that we could seat ourselves.  It was literally a celebrative gathering for the AANHPI Heritage Month! It was nice that the 11th Ward Alderwoman Nicole Lee was a special guest and made a short speech.  The Executive Director Tina and two other directors also made a brief speech. CHICAT is a non-profit that is "building a community where creativity fuels enterprise", and is worth our support.

I'm a little biased about this place because my daughter was invited to display one of her photos…read morehere at a gallery opening during Bkack History Month! She's a college senior and was one of the youngest artists. It was a lovely event where their board was introduced, there was a nice welcome, a soul food buffet and drinks and the opportunity to walk through the gallery and meet the artists. There's a lot of black talent in Chicago and I'm so proud of her for this honor!

I'm not a huge fan of this museum normally but I absolutely loved this!…read more This was breathtakingly beautiful and seeing how Christmas looked around the world was wonderful to be able to do. There were people of all ages & all kinds here, this is something that I think everyone can find something they'll like about out of. I hope to make this a yearly tradition with my family.

I've been coming to the Museum to see the Christmas trees since I was a kid. I even once performed…read moreUkrainian Christmas songs as part of a bandura ensemble in the days of my incompetent musical youth. Now I bring my kids to see the trees every year. If there is an institution that Chicago and the surrounding suburbs love too much, it has to be the Museum of Science & Industry. Coming here before Christmas, you'll be surrounded by legions of elementary school kids on field trips diligently taking notes about every tree they see. To outsmart them this year, we decided to go AFTER Christmas. Well, since school's out this time of year, the legions of kids arrived with their parents and siblings instead. The result was a long line to get in, snaking around the lower level for what amounted to a 25-minute wait just to get into the museum. Still, it moved pretty quickly once you were in line. All the IMAX movies, coal mine, U505 and Star Wars exhibits were sold out before noon! It's worth the wait as you get to explore the main floor with its towering tree in the middle and all the ethnic trees in the corridors around it. For the first time, they removed the performance area from the tree exhibit hall to a small theatre where you can sit and watch the kids performing a foreign Christmas carol on water-lined steel drums and maracas. Some of the Christmas trees have elegantly crafted ornaments made of white drinking straws, woven straw, origami, and wood. Then others can be downright tacky like the Hawaiian tree with its mini-Hawaiian shirt ornaments. You see lots of obscure Eastern European trees like Belarus, Slovenia, Estonia, Serbia and more. Then there's countries like China and Egypt, where you wonder if they really celebrate Christmas at all, yet they have a tree. And no, the Chinese tree did not have lead painted toys hanging from it... It's not the same every year either. Each year, my wife and I have our own unofficial judging of the best trees. For 2007, we loved: 1. South Korea - amazing garland made of pink paper flowers makes this tree stand out from far away 2. Tanzania - adorned with African masks, gourds and even a wooden giraffe protruding from the branches 3. Poland - mobiles made of straws and fake flowers, plus hand-painted ornate bird and flower designs. (photos of each included with review) And when you're done, go see the rest of the museum. Before you know it, 3 hours have gone by and you realize you still haven't seen all it has to offer.

Truth in advertising - that appeals to me! And Reasonable Sewing Machines does just that…read more It's not Super Sewing Machines, it's Reasonable Sewing Machines - sewing machines that are used, reconditioned, repaired and sold at a reasonable price. Reasonable Sewing Machines has a reasonable selection of table-top machines, sergers, and industrial machines and they also provide scissor sharpening services at - you guessed it - a reasonable price! Ahhhh, the Age of Reason...I guess there's still some evidence it still exists!

The Great Halloween Costume Escapade of 2009 continues! Drama! Intrigue! Broken sewing machines!…read moreTears! Anger! The throwing of bobbins! Crap, I need a sewing machine or perish. What to do? Walk it on over to Reasonable Sewing Machines, tell Benny my tale of woe and am then promptly shown a newer model Singer in my price range. After a quick tutorial on threading this particular machine and the exchange of money and compliments, as well as a promise to return if only to just say hi, I skipped home, machine in hand. I've found a new machine, a new repairman and a new friendly face in the neighborhood in under 30 minutes. Cash only though. The man is no sucker.

#BecauseWeWon In…read more2013, the Chicago Blackhawks took home Lord Stanley's Cup for the second time in 4 years and their 5th time overall. Any fallout or backlash resulting from the second lockout in recent memory was quickly erased by the stellar play and gutsy effort by each skater on the team and both of our goalies, Ray Emery and Corey Crawford, and not to be forgotten, Coach Q's knack for finding the right combinations for each line throughout the season and deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Victory Rally is the ending point of the Victory Parade and the culmination of this shortened seasons' worth of determination and the reminder that there is but One Goal, which is to take home The Stanley Cup. The Rally took place this year at Hutchinson Field, the south end of Grant Park. Police presence was heaviest at the outer edges of the park, where they checked bags, and at the entrances and main thoroughfares. On this warm and sunny day, extra water fountains were placed near the existing spigots. The only issue I had was that no matter how much pre-planning you do to get to the rally and get the spot you want, it won't make any difference. You can camp out all night and wait at the barricades on Congress, but you'll still end up finding somewhere else to take up residence. I had dreams of being right up next to the stage but in reality, it was just too hot to stay there anyway, and we ended up finding shade among the small trees lining Hutchinson Field as we waited for the double decker buses to come down Columbus and make their way to the park. Still, there are enough Jumbotrons and speakers set up that no matter where you are, you'll still be able to see and hear everything that's going on. I was just glad to be there, and be in the presence of my fellow Blackhawks fans, bandwagon or not, it's nice to see Chicagoans united in celebration for a huge win over a tough Boston team for the title of 2013 Stanley Cup Champions. Let's Go Hawks!!

Thursday Night Out has always been a blast. My kids love to go because it's safe for them to move…read morearound and find their own food. The event sells food tickets. There are 4 tix in a book. Each book costs 25$ . You get a menu of all the places participating in the event. Mostly places on Lake st and Marion st. There is a different band each week. Great live music. I usually get there early. The event starts at 5pm. I get there early to grab a table for my family. If you get there later bring your own chairs. It does get super crowded and people won't stop asking "are you using this chair? Can I take this chair?". Good luck with that. It's the only part I don't enjoy. My family gets up to go find their dinner and at least 5 people will come to ask about the chair. Other than that. It's a fun Summer fest. It goes on from the first week of June to the end of August, only on Thursday nights.

100 DAYS OF SUMMER…read more From late May through August, Oak Park's 'Thursday Night Out' is a lovely street festival. I've lived in the area for nearly 5 years now, but it wasn't until Nichole C moved in that I bothered going to this summertime event. It takes place on Marion St between Lake & the train tracks, beginning around Memorial Day and going until just before Labor Day. Tickets come in panels of 4 for $20 (which equates to $5/ticket), something that apparently has gotten more expensive in the last few years. Not all items are worth your time, but a few are a decent value like the calamari from Mancini's and California roll from Sushi House. Although there's a tent selling alcohol, I'd recommend buying a six pack from Target or bottle of wine from Trader Joe's. Thursday Night Out is a widely-accepted BYOB event, and that's a very good thing. Some folks even bring candles! There's plastic chairs and tables set up but arrive super early to stake those spots out. You'll likely need to bring a few folding chairs unless you don't mind eating food on a curb. Crowd is mostly families but lots of younger couples, too. Live music plays from 5-8pm; we've heard everything from hippy dippy folk rock to rasta man reggae, even some soft jazz (which lulled me into an inebriated 6pm nap). Typically two different bands play each week, and it's always good stuff. Unfortunately, it really bothers me that for as big of a turnout as TNO generates, there's no port-o-potties in sight. Couple this with a strict "no public restrooms" policy for the participating businesses, so break the seal and you could be outta luck. * TL;DR * Live music, generous BYOB policy, excellent people watching.....and nowhere to relieve yourself. You have to use a food voucher to buy something at one of the participating restaurants and then use the restroom, this is your only "legal" option. Personally, I suggest finding a nice alley or secluded corner of a nearby parking garage to pee in/on (important note: this only applies to men. Ladies, I have no idea how y'all do your thing). Seriously though, ANY outdoor event of this size should have portable shitters. Thursday Night Out is still lots of fun, just watch your beverage consumption and tell your bladder to plan accordingly.

Heard a lot about this place from a lot of Islamic people in Chicago…read more Met a wonderful Manager name, Abdul Samad, a great gentleman, very helpful about his knowledge and the books and products in the store. I strongly recommend the store and their service! #PervaizKarim

My favorite spot to shop for Islamic art. They have the best and huge collection. I used to go to…read moreIQRA Book Center but the day I have discovered this shop, I am not going anywhere else. Four stars for some high price items. Definitely stop by, if you need to get any Islamic Art and do ask them to let you check out their stock in the backroom. You are not going to be disappointed.

we were on a college tour of Northwestern's campus. My daughter is interested in attending in a few…read moreyears so we're starting to look at colleges now to prepare for her future.

My thingy curves a bit to the left, so when I rise to full mast, it points in a Northwestern…read moredirection. Now that I've shared TMI, on with the review. Northwestern is one of the most beautiful college campuses I've ever visited. I absolutely love it. Located on the beautiful green tranquil shores of one of the world's greatest Lakes. Lake Michigan. This campus is very, very special. It is the jewel in the crown of Chicago education, and most people have never even visited the campus. If you do come to Chicago and you do have a car and you are up in the north suburbs, come and visit this campus and you will see why it is beloved by many of the students and faculty and tourists such as myself. But it helps if you know a girl who lives on campus. ;-). Nudge nudge. And also try DB3 donuts while you're up here. The original glazed and the Raspberry. Amazing. And so is the girl. Nudge nudge.