Sweet Treats!

  So after a long day of work today, I walked into view of Union Station and noticed one of my favorite things....freebie give-aways!  but this time it was times 2!  I scored a Haagen Dazs ice cream cone from USA Network.  They're promoting new shows like "Suits".  I also get to sample a new "Cool Juice" courtesy of Dominicks.  It's made from 100% Natural Juice and is a "Mango Groove" flavor.
  Thanks to Dominicks and USA Network, half of the people on my train were enjoying ice cream and juice today.

Guilty? OR Guilty!

  Today the verdict in the former governor, Rod Blagojevich, corruption trial was read.  Jurors found Blagojevich guilty on 17 out of 20 counts of corruption against him, including all 11 counts for his attempted sale of a U.S. Senate seat and 3 counts of the shakedowns of Children's Memorial Hospital and a racetrack executive.
  Blagojevich is the fourth Illinois governor to be convicted of crimes.  Many people believe Illinois has a long legacy of corruption under its belt.  How can this be stopped?  OR  Can this be stopped?

Taste of Chicago!

  Get ready to get your taste on this weekend!  Taste of Chicago runs Friday June 24th through Sunday July 3rd in Grant Park.  This year you'll have a chance to try the food of 59 restaurants.  Also, new this year, four of Chicago's music festivals will be incorporated into the Taste instead of being stand alone events like in years past.  The Chicago Country Music Festival, the Chicago Latin Music Festival, Celtic Fest Chicago, and the Chicago Gospel Music Festival will all be providing the music for your listening pleasure.  Along with this will be other bands cranking out tunes everyone knows and loves.  It'll be a feast for the senses! 

June Fests, Fests, and More Fests!!

Summer is a time for fests!  See what fests are going on just in June alone!

Fiestas Puertorriquanes:
June 14-19
Free
Celebrate Puerto Rican Heritage!  Enjoy both typical fest fare plus specialties from Puerto Rico.  Entertainment includes carnival rides and salsa and merengue performances.

Taste of Randolph Street:
June 17-19
$10
This annual culinary fest goes on for 6 blocks in the West Loop!  Enjoy live entertainment and great food!

Green Music Fest:
June 25-26
$5 donation
Third annual celebration of both music and the environment.  Enjoy Indie bands and browse through eco-friendly vendors.  Located on Damen Avenue between North Avenue and Schiller Street.

Singin' the Blues!

What: Chicago Blues Fest; the largest FREE Blues Festival in the world!
Where: Grant Park
When: June 10-12

  3 days and 5 stages of Blues.  What more can a Blues fan ask for?

Did I Miss Something?

  Now I know Chicago's sales tax is high but when I bought a flavored bottle of water yesterday and noticed a 12.75% sales tax on it, I was shocked.  I know how taxes seem to run rampant in Illinois so I decided to look online to see what exactly the sales tax was for a good like flavored water.  I couldn't pinpoint an exact tax rate for flavored water but I did find out that there is 5 cents added to each individual bottle of water bought.  This excludes flavored water and sports drinks.  This 5 cents is called the "sin tax" since now it is considered a "sin" to fill our landfills with plastic bottles.  People are encouraged to drink tap water out of re-usable containers.  I find that a reasonable argument.  From my online searching though, the origins of the 12.5% tax on my receipt still remains a mystery.

A little Bit of City Slicking...

  I've experienced my fair share of country life but got a nice taste of the "cowboys and indians" while on what I like to call our "Wild West Trip".  We traveled through all sorts of weather from cold to snow to rain to severe heat and got to see huge bison, eik, and little prairie dogs.  We walked through thick Yellowstone forests and trails of bubbling geysers as well as the "Badlands" of South Dakota.  We even got to see a couple of the sets from Dances with Wolves in Fort Hays, South Dakota.  Did you know that they had "stunt" buffalo in the movie that performed for Oreo cookie rewards? 
  We got to see Old Faithful, a geyser that has remained fairly consistent with its spewing.  Now I'm back to the city where the only thing consistent is the traffic and congestion.

The Grand Teton Mountain Range

Hot Spring in Yellowstone

Old Faithful

Upper Falls, Yellowstone

Custer Battlefield on the Little Bighorn River

Devil's Tower, Wyoming

Badlands, South Dakota