After the email exchange I had with Allyson on Wednesday, I feel compelled to write this review…read more First, I will take you back to September of 2010; it was not my finest hour by any means. I had graduated from college that May and had been sitting around the house collecting dust ever since. Once you have been unemployed long enough to see Family Feud go through two hosts, you know that the time had come to once again give your life purpose, so I actively began to tackle items on my bucket list. Through some research on handy-dandy Yelp, I discovered Sweatshop of Love. Last September, I started with Allyson's 'Holiday Present Prep' class (which she is repeating again this year). It is basically the class you make out of it. Everyone in the class contributes to a Google Doc list of homemade gifts that they would like to make for their friends and family. All class participants can access and alter it so everyone can encourage each other and get ideas for their gifts as well. During this 10-session course, I learned not only the knitting basics, but also how to make scarves, socks, mittens, gloves, bags, the ever popular beer cozy, and 80% of a sweater (I ran out of steam on it toward the end; smaller projects provide more instant gratification!). Granted, I was knitting like it was paying the rent and the rent was due tomorrow, but I couldn't believe the quality and amount of instruction I was able to receive for $95. Allyson is so sweet and patient; she will never say anything but encouraging things to you in class. I may not have had a job, but I still had the satisfaction of knowing I could make practical items for myself, which was (and still is) so invaluable. Almost immediately after Holiday Present Prep finished, I landed a job...and started a lunchtime knitting group. The student had become the teacher? Not quite Allyson caliber, but I knew enough to teach a group of ladies at work how to make 'Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth'. I felt like such a proud parent when my coworkers would come up to me on Monday morning and show me the progress they had made over the weekend. Anyway, this Wednesday, Allyson sent out an email regarding her upcoming fall classes, which included another item on my bucket list: learn how to crochet. Nice! If you are not ready to make that 10-week commitment, she also offers a one-night introduction to knitting and individual one or two-night projects you can choose to work on. If you are completely new to this and don't know where to begin, Allyson will also buy your supplies for the first day for an additional fee. So to sum it all up, you can learn some yarn arts at a reasonable price with a friendly group of people in a cozy coffee shop in Logan Square. If you have always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet, this is a great place to start! The only thing you stand to lose is that trip to Target when you need a new pair of socks.

The Sweatshop of Love totally rocks!…read more I had my first class with Allyson last year and she was super patient and understanding with me and my clumsy fingers. After she taught me how to knit, I wanted to take it up a notch and learn how to crochet. I went to her beginner's crochet class with a friend and we had a great time! We all chatted and drank coffee and had so much fun! She always takes the time out to help you and she never makes you feel stupid for not getting something the first (or second, or third) time. BONUS: She always sends detailed notes and instructions following a class so you don't forget what you have learned! I would HIGHLY recommend The Sweatshop of Love for your knitting and crocheting education!

Quasi-top secret club of altruists. Love this place!read more

I came out to support this local business for The Tribute to Love Jones Open Mic. An open mic for…read morepoets to show their creative talent based off the movie Love Jones. The ticket price was $20 which included a drink. I got there early to find a park. Parks around the Belmont Area is hard to find. I was lucky to find a meter parking space right in front of the Cafe. Doors were to open up at 6pm. I waited outside until 6:30pm before someone finally let us in. Ok, that knocked off a Yelp Gold Star. I walked inside there was a table where you give your name to check in and was giving a ticket for your drink. There was a menu for you to pick your drink and you could also purchase a slice of pizza. The cafe had real good vibes. There was a DJ playing some good music. The atmosphere was very chill and laid back. There were so many amazing talented poet in the place. Everyone who graced the stage that evening was phenomenal. I had been searching to find a live open mic poet jam. Even though it started off 30 minutes late. The staff was polite and was making sure everyone was comfortable. The drinks were good and well made. Even the founder of the cafe was behind the counter helping out the staff. The energy and mission of this cafe is something that is needed in every community.

What I'm awesome coffee shop. I visited during their fundraiser event and let me tell you. I was…read morenot disappointed. It's very limited parking in the area but you know it's Chicago. There is plenty of seating in the restaurant, comfy chairs, regular chairs, and even a section for live music and a DJ. The coffee drinks are named after very well-known hip-hop artist. I ordered the Kendrick Lamar and it was very refreshing made with oat milk. We were greeted pleasantly and enjoyed our visit.

Husband's family rotates hosting the large family holiday which alternates between Christmas and…read moreThanksgiving depending on the year. This year was our turn to host Christmas and I was stressed out about how we would accommodate everyone, which could range from 30-50 people. Not only were we passed the hosting torch from my in-laws, but we were the first to host outside of our home. I've lived in the neighborhood for almost a decade and passed this place countless times, but had no idea it was a VFW. When I reached out about renting the space, the post commander was super helpful. Husband and I took a tour and booked it. I came back once more to get photos and measurements so we could plan for the event. They have plenty of tables and chairs and the beams in the room have LEDs which we set to red and green to make it festive. We ended up with 50 people for a sit down dinner, which we did potluck. We got so many compliments on the party and the space. We had plenty of space for people to sit, food, and kids to play. The post commander was also our bartender (you can bring food, but alcohol goes through the VFW) and he was great with everyone from the older relatives to the smallest kids. We aren't up in the rotation again for 5y, but I wouldn't hesitate to host here again. They're not usually open, so you can't just show up and grab a drink at the bar, which is a shame because it's just the kind of place we would frequent. Overall this was perfect for our needs, including the price. You don't need to be a vet to rent the space.

This place just got a major overhaul. Fresh new interior and OMG, TV's galore!…read moreAlso, they host the best fish fry you will find in the state.

I've volunteered with Cradles to Crayons several times already by myself and with my kids. Their…read moremission and goals are clear and evident. They are extremely organized and can take large group of volunteers but also work with smaller ones. I highly recommend coming here as part of a group from work or even with your family especially if you have never volunteered before.

I've volunteered for countless field trips for my 3 kids over the years and Cradles to Crayons is…read moremy personal favorites. My son's class came here to help sort thru the many many bags of donations they receive. I thought the staff at Cradles to Crayons did an amazing job explaining to a group of 3rd graders how this was an opportunity to help those less fortunate and love that they also got to help with the process. We spent a few hours sorting thru piles of clothing and dividing them into different categories (winter coats, girls short sleeve shirts, skirts to name a few). The kids had a lot of fun and even got a few chuckles when they came across things like bras and thongs, which were thrown in the "recycle bin." After a few hours of work they took a tour of the amazing facility, ate lunch and the Cradles to Crayon staff wrapped it up by praising them on their hard work! My son mentioned it was a super fun day and I think he enjoyed it more than the other field trips we've taken this year (ex: Chicago History Museum). I've now been here 3 times for field trips with my kids and each time I make a note that I need to come separately of school. This time I'm determined to make the time to donate my time to this amazing organization and great excuse to clean out my closets ahead of time to make a donation!

It's very cool...but...so cool you almost can't figure out how to get in. There are two doors. The…read moreone before Family Dollar is the one you can get in. This location is NOT handicap accessible as far as I can tell. Could be because I arrived mid-show but there was not much staff or direction or interaction. I paid my entry fee with nary a word and enjoyed a very weird, but intriguing show of experimental electronic sound. Their sound system is impressive! Very 8D, I could really feel the movement of the sound and despite being remarkably off-putting, it was also visceral and intriguing. Parking in the area is a little weird and unreliable.

Stopped in for a Screen Printing show with artist from near and far…read more BUSY but the crowd was mindful of their space and flow offering relatively free movement despite the space constraints. Picked up a few pieces for myself to add to my collection and caught up with friends.

You'll recognize this private club's clubhouse as the place next door to the Lincoln Square Old…read moreTown School of Folk Music building with the big "Home of the Niedersachcen" sign/banner on it. So it is a private club, but they welcome newcomers who might be interested in participating or joining their club, which is comprised of German immigrants and German Americans or anybody who's interested in preserving German culture and traditions in Chicago. This in general means German holiday traditions, German Food and Drinking traditions, some German language (although not required) and German partying. And do they ever throw one hell of a party! I've been to several events here and had a fabulous time at each! The Kappenabend, or Hat night is a real hoot- everybody puts on their craziest hat and shows up and enjoys food and drink and singing German beer drinking songs. The first Saturday of every month is their open house night- a perfect time to show up and meet and drink with other German minded people. The clubhouse itself is great- like a mini German Restaurant basement bar. A beautiful mural of Hamburg is painted in one corner, a nice functional bar where various German Beers are served (and pretty cheap too!), and a small kitchen from which all manner of German food may emanate: yummy powdered sugar donuts to potato pancakes to Bratwurst- mmmm. The people I've met here have been very welcoming & friendly- and they've a great mix of stories to tell too! So of all the German-American type experiences in Chicago, a party at the Niedersachsen Club may be the closest you'll get to a little taste of Germany. Meyer deli up the street is the only other thing that comes close for me.