2012 Chicago Air and Water Show

  It's that time again...the Chicago Air and Water Show will be hitting the lake and sky this weekend.  Prepare for large crowds and lots of entertainment.
  This huge event is completely free and runs from 10am to 3pm this Saturday and Sunday (August 18th and 19th). 
  The headliners include the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, and the U.S. Navy Parachute Team Leap Frogs.  Other entertainment includes the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, Kirby Chambliss in the Red Bull Edge 540, Sean D. Tucker and Team Oracle, The Red Bull Air Force, Dave Dacy in the Super Stearman, the Firebirds, Lima Lima Flight Crew, Bill Stein's Airshow, Chuck Aaron in the Red Bull Helicopter the Chicago Fire Dept. Air/Sea Rescue, plus a large amount of Military Aircraft.
  Enjoy the weekend in Chicago!

Another Early Morning Smile

Yesterday morning I saw a brief moment that touched me and started my day off with a smile.  Every day I come out of Union Station on Madison Street and there are usually a couple of people standing near the bridge asking for money.  Yesterday morning there was a young man sitting on the ground near the crosswalk.  I noticed that another man had stopped nearby and had opened up his themos lunch sack.  He pulled out a small bag of chips and handed it to the man on the ground.  Almost every day I see people giving money to the poor but this really touched me because this man was sharing his lunch with someone less fortunate.  It's the small things that count in life.

Early Morning Smile

  There are towers on the corners of the Michigan Avenue bridge over the Chicago River.  There are doors that lead into these towers that I presume are for city workers.  On one of the steel doors, someone had written in black marker "Prosecutors will be violated".  For some reason that just made me smile.

My New Travel Blog

  Thank you to everyone who has been following my Chicago blog.  I have recently started a new blog that I would like to share.  Over the years I have done some traveling to Europe, Central and South America and within the United States.  I wanted to create a blog that would share my experiences and provide information to people that would like to visit these same places.  My new blog is:

http://carpediemtraveling.blogspot.com/

Target on State

  There's a new Target opening July 29th on the corner of Madison and State Street.  Yesterday and today Target has a stand set up in the plaza by Ogilvie Train Station where they are giving out free iced coffees.  Yesterday morning they were also giving out free $5 Target gift cards which was a fun morning treat.  This new Target Store will be a convenience for many people living and working in the Loop/Michigan Avenue area.

It's Hot Hot Hot Out...

....so how are Chicagoland gardens doing?  I don't know about every garden in Chicago, but so far mine is hanging in there.  Despite the heat, the plants seem to be growing larger and some are even in the early stages of producing veggies for me.  The tomatoes seem to be loving the sun the most while the peppers seem to be a little stunted by the heat.  I've been vigorously watering every day to every other day and I've kept my garden pretty green except for a few brown spots here and there.

My garden

Peppers are a little stunted compared to the huge tomato plants

 Yellow flower waiting to turn into a pumpkin...with a couple flowers that shriveled from the heat.

Browning leaf

Tiny zucchini - can't wait!  

A Half Hour Storm Leaves Many Hours of Destruction

  Yesterday a quick but destructive storm hit the Chicagoland.  Most of the destruction seemed to be in the Western suburbs but Chicago itself did get some wind and a little rain.  Below is a photo I snapped of the sky before I closed and locked our patio door so that I wouldn't blow away.  Luckily our property had very little damage but other damage in our neighborhood included siding coming off a house and a large fallen tree blocking a neighbor's entire driveway.  There were many other trees that were knocked down and branches were all over the roads.  We also lost electricity for a few hours which made me panic because of the heat and all the frozen food in our freezer which was no longer being kept cold.  No frozen food was lost and so far I haven't heard of any serious injuries from the storm.

Possible Metra Delays Due to Heat Today

  FYI for Metra riders:  There could be delays on the trains today due to the high temps.  Possible delays are estimated at about 15 minutes.  I can deal with that as long as they keep the air conditioning pumping!

Another Metra Fatality

  Unfortunately this morning marked another fatality on the Metra Milwaukee District West Line.  At about 6:20am, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a train near Hanover Park train station.  This train was actually the train that I ride into Chicago almost every morning.  When I heard the announcement that all trains going east and west were at a standstill, I made the decision to walk back to my car and drive over to Arlington Park to pick up the Union Pacific/Northwest Line. 
  As I keep stressing, please be careful around trains.  Metra's slogan is Look, Listen, Live!

A Couple Father's Day Freebies

  I always love posting the freebies especially on Mother and Father's Days.  Here's two for tomorrow and Happy Father's Day to all the dads!

--Most TCBYs will give dad a free yogurt

--Dad can enjoy a free breakfast and free cup of coffee at IKEA stores (Schaumburg) until 11am.

Al Green Day

  It has just come to my attention that today is "Al Green Day" in Chicago.  He is performing at Ravinia tonight starting at 7pm.
  Enjoy the day and stay cool!

Make A Wish

  As I was getting ready for work this morning, I saw Make A Wish on the Channel 5 news.  They were asking for people to donate their airline miles.  I was interested and made a note to myself to check my own airline miles.  Then when I got to Michigan Avenue en route to work, Make A Wish was also there handing out fliers.  They're looking for airline miles for the following airlines:  American, Delta, United and US Airways.  The airline miles help children with life-threatening medical conditions to be able to travel to their "wishes".  If you would like to donate your airline miles you can give online at http://www.wishes.org/ or call 312-602-WISH.

A little Mob Wives Chicago

  Last night I saw my first episode of that new show Mob Wives Chicago.  I didn't get to see the whole episode but it was pretty much what I expected.  Fighting and bad-mouthing.  Even though the show is similar to those other "feisty women" shows, I was interested about how many shots of Chicago there would be.    There were a few fun shots of Wacker Drive and Taylor Street.  The show was filmed during the winter so there was snow on the ground and the "wives" were trying not to fall in their heels.  One thing that confused me was that the women were actually more "mob daughters" then "mob wives".  From what I gathered, each woman had a father that had been part of the Chicago mob.  Either way, it's always fun to hear about media entertainment that is filmed with Chicago as the backdrop.

My Absence

  I know I haven't posted in a while.  I've been debating about starting up a new blog about travel and my travel experiences.  I'm still figuring out what I want to do.  These last few days Chicago has had beautiful weather.  Perfect weather for eating outside and wandering aimlessly.  This weekend is suppose to bring hotter weather....beach days anyone?

2nd and Final Day of the NATO Summit

  Today was the 2nd and last day of the NATO Summit.  I was home from work today along with many other Chicagolanders.  I had heard on the news that there was suppose to be a big protest this morning in front of Boeing.  Boeing has an office about a block from the Madison entrance to Union Station.  That's the entrance that I use every day.  There are other entrances in and out of Union Station but I prefer that entrance because it gets me directly into the train tunnel.  Last I heard was that the initial Boeing protesters were not very large in number but it was anticipated that they would pick up more people along the way.
 Over the weekend there were some police/protesters clashes.  Arrests were made including the arrests of 3 people that were thought to be involved in a terrorist plot.  From what I've seen on TV, it seems like police were handling things well and there was no repeat of the 1968 riots.  Tomorrow will bring a new day to Chicago and I will see the remnants that NATO has left behind.

Won't You Please Come to Chicago....

  About 10 years ago I watched a movie called "The 60s".  A part of the movie showed the 1968 Democratic Convention and the background song was "Chicago" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.  Yesterday while I was walking to and from work, that song was playing in my head..."won't you please come to Chicago......we can change the world".  It's amazing how many people have come to Chicago to do just that.
  Like many businesses, my office decided to close for today and Monday.  Therefore unfortunately I have no photos to share, however I have been keeping up with the NATO happenings via the news.  I have a friend who also works in Chicago and her office was open today.  She said that Michigan Ave. had been closed due to protests.  I saw on the news that protesters swarmed the Michigan Avenue bridge.  The same bridge I walked down just yesterday.  Some of the protesters even ripped down a NATO banner that hung on the bridge.  The news commented about how even though many streets were filled with protesters, many Chicagoans had gotten "out of dodge". 

All Quiet on the Chicago Front

This morning the train was quiet with the usual commuters.  The sidewalks (at least where I was) were full of people walking to work.  I didn't see any protesters, I didn't hear any helicopters, I didn't notice any police cruising around.  It seemed like a normal Chicago morning....landscapers working hard on the Michigan Avenue planters and joggers taking advantage of the cool breezes on Wacker Drive.  Just a normal Chicago morning.  Hopefully tonight when I'm traveling home, it will be a normal Chicago evening.

NATO Decor

  This morning I took a couple of photos of NATO flags and banners.  Chicago is welcoming NATO with open arms (and lots of security).

NATO Preparations

  We've been hearing about NATO for the last few weeks.  We've been anticipating protests and making preparations.  Now the time has come.  NATO weekend is finally here and is Chicago ready?  Yesterday morning there were protests in front of the Obama campaign office in the Loop.  News stated there were about 125 protesters and 8 were arrested.  There are more protests expected today with the height of protests expected on Thursday and on into the weekend. 
  Here's a list of NATO preparations that I have heard:

-Those working in the Loop during this NATO time-period should not wear business suits or business attire so as not to be targeted by protesters.  It was recommended to "blend in" with the crowds.
-Metra.....Saturday, Sunday, and Monday there is to be no food or drinks on the trains.  Also no backpacks or bikes.  Expect random screenings and searches. 
-Certain trains running from the southside are expected to be cancelled.  Any trains that are running are expecting delays. 
-Note all expected street closures.  There are definite street closures around McCormick Place and Lake Shore Drive. 
-Highways could be closed to the public as NATO officials and delegates arrive and are shuttled into Chicago from various airports in the area.

I will keep my blog up to date with new NATO news.  This morning I could feel some tension in the air especially with the constant sound of helicopters overhead.  People tend to get uneasy knowing that they're being watched.  I also saw a large police van cruising the Mag Mile.  It was empty but had plenty of space for rowdy protesters or trouble-makers. 

Goodbye Marilyn

  The infamous Marilyn Monroe statue that overlooked Michigan Avenue has traveled on.  The controversial statue has been disassembled and will now be seen in Palm Springs, California.  Even though the statue received some negative reactions, I'm sure it will be missed by Chicagoans.  I got used to seeing it every morning, in good weather and bad.  Interesting that it's left just before the anticipated chaos of NATO.

Caught on Camera

  This evening I was on LaSalle walking towards the train station.  I approached a restaurant/bar called English which I have actually been interested in checking out.  English has a nice seating area on the sidewalk and always seems to be busy with an after-work crowd.  As I got closer, I realized that there was a 2 person camera crew filming in front of English.  I slowed, wondering if I would be able to continue on my way or if I would be forced to cross the street.  One of the camera crew waved me on and I passed by two women sitting at an outdoor table, talking loudly.  I glanced over and somehow placed the women to be part of the new reality show, Mob Wives Chicago.  I wasn't positive but they seemed to fit the part.  When I got home and googled the new show and viewed the photos of the 5 women involved, I confirmed that in fact, I had walked through the filming of Mob Wives.  According to online, the show is suppose to air in June.  With all the reality shows out now a days, I've wondered if I would ever bump into filming in progress.  This afternoon I did and I'll see in June if I'll get to see a nice view of the back of my head on camera.

Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day

  Today is Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day.  The building next to my building is currently under construction so there are construction workers constantly around the site.  This morning I was pleasantly surprised to see a young girl with a pink hard hat on accompanying a group of big construction workers.  Should be an interesting day for her!  

Chicago Hockey Will Continue in the Fall

Unfortunately last night was the last night for the Blackhawks this season.  Their 2012 Stanley Cup chapter has ended and the fall will start a new season for them.  I saw a lot of Blackhawks pride these last couple of weeks with many flags and even the Peninsula lions wearing Blackhawks jerseys. 


In other random news....

There is talk of an additional $1 tax on packs of cigarettes in Illinois.

I just read that Social Security could be out of funds by 2033.

Tax Day Freebies!

  April 17th your tax returns are due and due to this "special" day, many stores and restaurants are offering freebies.  Fair trade off?  Probably not for most people but it's always nice to get something for free....

Free:

Free Arby's Curly Fries
Free order of Angus Shanghai steak at Panda Express
2 Free Bites at Cinnabon
Free scoop of Yogurt at Maggie Moo's from 4pm to 7pm

Almost Free:

Half price fountain drinks and slushies at Sonic all day
15% off orders at P.F. Changs
Buy one individual meal and fountain drink, get one meal free at Boston Market
Free appetizer or dessert with entree purchase at Chili's


See Tax Day Coupons at :  http://www.taxdayfreebies.com/

White Sox Opening Day

  Good morning Chicago!  I had previously mentioned the Cubs Opening Day and today is the big day for the White Sox.  The first pitch is a little after 1pm today.
  A building on Wacker near the Lyric Opera House is proudly displaying its huge White Sox flag.  I also saw a few people wearing White Sox gear and I'm sure I'll see many more.  Good Luck to the White Sox today!

My Monday....

....started with me walking out of the train station and being blinded by the morning sun blaring through the buildings....

.....and ended with my eyes being treated to the beautiful colors of the rainbow.....

You know it's Springtime in Chicago....

....when it's the Cubs opening day and the first thing you see when you walk out of the train station is a man wearing a Soriano jersey.

....when it's still chilly out but all the tulips and daffodils are in full bloom.  I've been meaning to take a photo of all the beautiful spring flowers but I keep forgetting my camera!

....when it's still chilly out but people are still eating in the outdoor seating areas of restaurants.

Look Who Else Has Been Noticing the Warm Weather....

  Chicago's flowers!

 These bulbs on Wacker Drive were sticking their heads out to see why it was so warm!

These little guys on Michigan Avenue didn't want to wait for April showers, they wanted to come out now!

Last Monday was Pulaski Day...

  Pulaski Day is unique to the city of Chicago.  In honor of Chicago and Pulaski Day, rapper/singer, Kidd Russell, wrote a song about Chicago and Pulaski Day.  The music video has beautiful shots of Chicago and I always love to hear songs that boast about our city.  Check out the song and music video on Youtube.  I've included the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PehRPYbhCg

Warning; May Contain Graphic Content

  In the 12 years that I've been riding the Metra, thankfully I have never witnessed first-hand a person getting hit by a train.  Yesterday morning was the first time that I did witness an extremely close-call.  Every morning there are the usual few people that quickly dart across the tracks as the train is approaching.  Yesterday was no exception.  Three people ran across as the train approached the station with a fourth person slowly walking towards the tracks.  I thought the lagging person was going to stop but instead he started to walk across.  I almost thought he was wearing headphones, but couldn't be sure, which may have been what was distracting him.  The train started blowing its whistle like crazy and I saw the person look up and then take a couple quick steps to make it to the platform as the train almost took his life.  It was such a close call that the conductor used the emergency brake and stopped the train before its normal stopping place for passengers.  I overheard someone say that the conductor probably thought he had hit the person. 
  Now even though I have never witnessed someone getting hit by a train first-hand, I have heard about it and I have witnessed the aftermath.  I've heard stories of people getting hit at a station and how nearby passengers have gotten sprayed with blood or hit with body parts.  About 8 years ago, I was on a train into Chicago with a couple of friends.  A train before our train had hit a person and all trains going through the "scene of the accident" were moving at a slow pace.  I was surprised that our train was actually allowed to go through the accident area because most of the time they stop all other trains.  As our train was slowly going through the accident area, we looked out the window and to our surprise, we saw the person splattered across the tracks that were sitting next to the tracks our own train was on.  However, you wouldn't have known it was a person because it no longer resembled a human being.  The best way I could describe it was that what I saw looked like bloody, raw chicken sitting on the tracks.  Again, I was surprised that we were allowed to see the "accident scene" but maybe in a way it served as a warning to people.  All over the station and on the train, Metra uses the phrase "Look, Listen, Live!"  Some people need to take this phrase more seriously.

G8 Summit No Longer Being Held In Chicago

  "Occupy" protesters are happy to hear that the G8 Summit will no longer be held in Chicago mid-May but will instead be held at Camp David near Washington.  President Obama decided to move the G8 Summit to Camp David because he wanted a more "intimate" setting.  However some are saying that it was moved because it was expected to bring violent protesting and riots.  Many believed that Chicago did not have the type of training and security needed to control violent protests.  NATO will still be held in Chicago in May and Chicago's leaders are hoping to show the world that Chicago can live up to international standards.

Looking to buy a house?

  How about Michael Jordan's old Chicagoland home?  Today it was put on the market for $29 million. 

 What do you get for $29 million? 
9 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, 5 fireplaces, a 3 bedroom guesthouse, pool area, outdoor tennis court, 3 multi-car garages, and of course an indoor basketball complex featuring a full-size regulation court. 

 Oh yeah, and you also get the satisfaction of knowing that Michael Jordan used to live there. 

Will Chicago Become a Hostile Environment?

  Last week our building did a routine indoor fire drill.  We walked down a stairwell to our designated floor and talked about what to do in case of a fire.  Then the Chicago fire officer that was conducting the drill mentioned the G8/NATO conferences that will be in Chicago in May.  He mentioned that the drill was not just for a fire but also for potential hostile environments.  He also said that once it got warmer outside, we would practice another drill and actually go outside to a designated meeting spot.  The G8/NATO meetings will be held at the McCormick Place but attendees will be staying all over the city.  Plus many protestors are expected.  Many articles have already been written about Chicago's security concern and the massive protests.  I wonder what kind of effect this will have on everyone who lives and works in Chicago.

Is this February in Chicago?

                       Clear sidewalks and streets?  No ice and snow?  What is going on here?

How Corrupt Is Chicago?

  This morning's news discussed a study that found Chicago to be the most corrupt city in the United States.  Even though we hear on and off about our city's corruption, I didn't realize we were worse then other large cities like New York City.  This study was performed by former Chicago alderman, Dick Simpson.  He estimates the cost of Chicago's corruption to be around $500 million.  This "cost" covers bribes, theft, police brutality along with many other illegal ploys. 
  The study brought up other world cities that had previously been very corrupt, like Hong Kong and Sydney, and stated that through a lot of hard work, they are now considered to be "clean" cities.  It was suggested that Chicago could do the same with the support of its citizens and many years of hard work.  Is there a possibility Chicago could be corruption-free in the future?  Could we ever be considered "clean" like Hong Kong and Sydney?

Metra Delays

  Due to a freight train derailment earlier today the Milwaukee District West Line has been experiencing delays.  From the latest news update, delays have been 30-45 minutes.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Did you know 1993's "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray was filmed in Woodstock, IL?

Woodstock has a nice, old-fashioned town square that made the perfect setting for this movie.  Woodstock even has it's own website that promotes "Groundhog Days".  It has events that include free showings of the movie, a chili cook-off, pancake breakfast, and a dinner-dance.  The events span through this weekend.  You can watch "Groundhog Day" for free today at 5pm in the Classic Cinemas Woodstock Theater.  There are also viewings on Saturday and Sunday at 10am.
  For more info check out:  http://woodstockgroundhog.org/

No Hat, No Gloves, No Problem!

  I have to say that I'm absolutely loving this weather.  One year ago, almost to the date, Chicagoland was struggling with a blizzard.  People were stranded in their cars and the phrase "digging out" was being used on a regular basis. 
  Now, one year later, Chicagoland is enjoying spring-like weather with a high today of almost 60 degrees.  This morning joggers were sporting shorts and many people were wearing spring jackets.  It doesn't look like the nice weather will last but at least we get a taste before spring finally does arrive.

Early Morning Creepiness

  Yesterday morning I was walking along the Chicago River on Wacker Drive when something pink caught my eye.  Someone had spray-painted the words "Death Awaits" in bright pink on one of the stone planters.  Besides the odd choice in color, I also wondered who this was directed towards.  Maybe it was directed towards everyone or maybe the author wrote it about him or herself.  Either way it was too much creepiness for me at that hour of the morning.

Illinois Can't Get The Monkey Off It's Back

  What monkey am I talking about you ask?  The Debt Monkey of course!  This morning's news discussed how Illinois is becoming more and more behind in its debt.  It was admitted that even with the increase in the income tax, Illinois still can't pay off its debt fast enough.  There have been suggestions by our government to borrow more to make the payments but many don't think this is a good idea. 
  Right now things are looking just about as gloomy as the sky today.