Today’s column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

In Chicago, Marilyn statue scratches an itch

The WISCH LIST

July 23, 2011

In real life, Marilyn Monroe stood just 5-foot-5½.

But, these days, the Hollywood blonde is statuesque.

A week ago Friday, Forever Marilyn – a 26-foot-tall, 34,000-pound sculpture of Monroe captured in her iconic dress-flapping pose from the 1955 flick “The Seven-Year Itch” – was officially unveiled in Pioneer Court along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.

And ever since, the sculpture, designed by New Jersey-based kitsch artist Seward Johnson, has been blowing gusts of debate throughout Chicago, proving that nearly five decades after her death, Monroe can still make headlines.

And turn heads.

Forever Marilyn has its critics – ChicagoNow.com blogger Abraham Ritchie called it “Downright creepy and sexist,” – but she has her supporters, too. For example, a retired journalist friend of mine commented this week on his Facebook page: “With due respect to friends who find it offensive – I understand the reasons – it’s fun. And I’m guessing Marilyn would think so, too.

“([Ex-husbands] Arthur Miller and Joe DiMaggio, not so much.)”

As for myself, I lean toward that latter statement. And this week, Forever Marilyn stirred my thoughts about the many other statues in the Windy City.

And I thought I’d blow a few interesting facts your way …

Statues’ central park

Carving out a swath of green on Chicago’s North Side, Lincoln Park is one of the most popular parks among city residents.

And statues.

Since 1884, 20 statues have been erected throughout the 1,208-acre public space, with most going up between 1880 and 1900 and between 1910 and 1930. The majority immortalize wealthy individuals or politicians – including, the park’s namesake, Abraham Lincoln – while some depict historical events.

Among the statues in Lincoln Park, there’s also one honoring former President Ulysses S. Grant. But, ironically, in Grant Park, there’s no Grant statue there. But there is another Lincoln one.

You figure that one out.

Welcome to Andersenville

While Grant might be under-represented statue-wise in Chicago, Scandinavia makes a strong showing.

Particularly for guys named Andersen.

Curiously, among the 20 statues in Lincoln Park, there’s one of Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen, who guards a western entrance to the Lincoln Park Zoo. And, there’s another of Capt. Magnus Andersen, who sailed a Viking ship across the Atlantic in an open boat for Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, proving that Norse explorer Leif Ericson could have successfully crossed the Atlantic before Christopher Columbus.

La Salle County immortalized

There are 102 counties in Illinois, but out of all of them, La Salle County’s connections seem particularly prominent among the statues in Lincoln Park.

Of the 20, one depicts three-term Illinois governor and Civil War vet Richard J. Oglesby, who has a county town named after him. Two more, called The Alarm and The Signal of Peace, were given in memory of the Ottawa Indians, who have the county seat named after them.

And a fourth? Well, it depicts explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle, who has the entire county named after him.

The statues that roared

Perhaps the most beloved of all the statues in Chicago are the pair of bronze lions that guard the western entrance to the Art Institute along Michigan Avenue.

Most people know that every year during Christmastime, the lions have evergreen wreaths placed around their necks. And most know that whenever a Chicago sports team plays in a championship game, the lions are decked out in that team’s uniform.

But few probably know that the lions have names. When he created them, sculptor Edward L. Kemeys, christened the south lion as “stands in an attitude of defiance,” while the north lion is “on the prowl.”

Forever Marilyn had best watch out.

Nearly 50 years after her death, Marilyn is still turning heads.

Today’s column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

Exploring the Second City’s Second Shore

The WISCH LIST

July 16, 2011

You’ve heard of North Avenue Beach, Montrose Beach and 63^rd Street Beach. You know all about Navy Pier, have spied the harbors along Lake Michigan and savored the city’s skyline while zipping up Lake Shore Drive.

But when it comes to shorelines in Chicago, there’s a good chance that you’ve missed out completely on what’s perhaps the most pleasant of them all.

Say hello to Chicago’s Riverwalk, the best-kept secret in the Windy City – even though it’s kept right in the middle of everything.

“The Riverwalk is part of Mayor Daley’s vision to boost Chicago’s second shoreline, the Chicago River,” Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Bobby L. Ware said a couple of years ago when explaining one of the ex-mayor’s pet beautification projects.

“The river has played an integral part in the city’s past and the Riverwalk will play a vital role in the city’s future,” Ware continued. “It will be a place of recreation and reflection, a place where office workers and families can relax, and a great place to get a bite to eat.”

Well, thanks to my recent summertime explorations, I can vouch that the city’s Riverwalk no longer just will be those things.

It already is.

Tucked just below the way most people wander downtown Chicago – from the streets – the first sections of city’s river-level walkway opened in 2009, stretching from Michigan Avenue to State Street. Today, the Riverwalk, which was built out 17 to 20 feet into the river to literally create a new shoreline, winds under the Michigan and Wabash bridges and provides an uninterrupted route along the river from State Street to the lakefront.

Future plans call for extending the Riverwalk even deeper into downtown, but its current state is already fantastic. If you’ve taken an architecture boat tour in Chicago, you’ve likely already accessed part of the Riverwalk when you boarded a boat along it just below Michigan Avenue. But next time you’re downtown, I encourage you to skip the boat tour and conduct a river adventure on foot instead.

The Riverwalk provides the perfect place to enjoy Chicago’s architecture with an array of public plazas, outdoor cafes and bike rentals. It also features one of the city’s quirkiest, but least known museums in the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum (bridgehousemuseum.org), which is located in the southwest tower of the Michigan Avenue Bridge.

Beginning at river level and spiraling five stories up, the museum takes visitors past the massive gears of Chicago’s most famous movable bridge while also telling the story of the Chicago River and offering a 360-degree view of the city and river at its top.

The museum is open Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., between May 15 and October 31. General admission is $4.

All along the Riverwalk, you’ll find spots to grab a bite or drink, but the most unique is Cyrano’s Café & Wine Bar, located on the river’s south bank between the Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive bridges. An offshoot of its sister restaurant in River North, the café offers a menu of French dishes such as quiche Lorraine and homemade pate (although my American palate ordered the burger). There’s an ice cream shop and crepe stand, as well.

But what really sets Cyrano’s apart is the setting, as chef-owner Didier Durand designed the café area to resemble artist Claude Monet’s home in Giverny, France.

And, in fact, while sitting at a table at Cyrano’s surrounded by flowers and beneath a canopy of trees as a live guitarist strums in the background, one can almost mistake the Chicago River for the Seine and Michigan Avenue for the Champs-Élysées.

Vivé la Riverwalk.

It’s worth a visit.

Just a stretch of the Riverwalk, Chicago's "Second Shore."

This week’s column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

Temperature of Cubs-Sox rivalry: Tepid

The WISCH LIST

July 9, 2011

With the Midsummer Classic on tap for Tuesday, let’s take a our own All-Star break and dish a bit on the White Sox and Cubs …

A peace of Chicago

It’s been called the BP Crosstown Cup, the Crosstown Classic, the Crosstown Series, the Crosstown Cup and – hang on a second, let me catch my breath – the Crosstown Showdown.

At least it has been … if you trust Wikipedia.

But either way, I think we can agree that the rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox has always been called one thing.

Cross.

Every summer, grumpy baseball fans like to gripe about interleague play. They whine about how no one wants to watch series like Florida vs. Seattle, while ignoring the fact that no one really much wants to see Florida vs. Pittsburgh or Seattle vs. Kansas City, either.

And those happen every season.

Despite its inherent snoozers, I like interleague play. And I love Cubs-White Sox. My only beef with the annual city series is that in recent years the volatility in the stands has almost reached Barrett-Pierzynski levels.

The animosity between a sizable number of Sox and Cubs fans has made attending the games an increasingly uncomfortable experience – until this year.

Last weekend, I had tickets for two White Sox-Cubs tilts at Wrigley Field, and was struck by how docile the fans were, even out in the bleachers. I’d like to think that it’s because Chicagoans have reached a new level of maturity, but I saw the same kind of serenity during the two Yankees-Cubs games I attended last month.

And it’s more likely that the reason for the relative peace is because both teams’ fans just aren’t as engaged in their disappointing ballclubs this season.

Call it a truce of indifference.

Meet your Iowa Cubs … coaches

The Cubs have been a major league club for 135 years, but more often than not this season they’ve looked like they’re playing minor league ball.

Perhaps, though, that shouldn’t be a surprise considering that they’re being led by a bunch of rookies.

And by that, I mean the coaching staff.

Ponder this: For 2011, the Cubs have a manager (Mike Quade), a first base coach (Bob Dernier) and a third base coach (Ivan DeJesus) who are all in those roles at the big league level for the first time. They also have a pitching coach who’s handled a major league pitching staff just once – way back in 1995 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Fact is, this College of Coaches doesn’t even have an associate’s degree.

So, the next time the Cubs blow a sign, make a base-running mistake or fail to hold a runner at first, feel free to blame the players.

But question the coaching staff that GM Jim Hendry has put together, too.

A Dunn deal in Atlanta

If you think $56 million man Adam Dunn has been a free-agent bust for the White Sox, then get a load of Atlanta’s Dan Uggla.

Emphasis on the Ugg.

On Wednesday, SI.com baseball writer Jon Heyman slapped Uggla with his midseason “Least Valuable Player” award. At the time, the second baseman – who signed for more money ($61 million over five years) than Dunn last winter – was batting .178 with a .250 on-base percentage, both more than 100 points worse than his 2010 stats for Florida.

Heyman pointed out that, unlike Dunn, who switched leagues, became a DH and had an appendectomy, Uggla has no ready-made excuses for his struggles. All that said – and perhaps in response to Heyman’s slight – Uggla homered in back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday.

So maybe he’s not Dunn just yet.

From the Saturday, July 2, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

Chicago’s in a festive mood for July

The WISCH LIST

July 2, 2011

There’s only one thing that I don’t like about summertime.

And that’s how just as the season finally begins, it has this curious way of seeming as if it’s already flown by.

For example, the Fourth of July is upon us and just like every year, it seems to have arrived prematurely. Unlike Christmas, which can seemingly loom in the distance for an eternity even after the calendar flips to December, July 4 is a holiday that races toward you.

Perhaps it feels that way because after the Fourth, there’s not another major holiday until September (Labor Day), as August is the lone month of the year without one (ever notice that?).

Or perhaps all of this is just me.

Either way, in order to milk the most out of your summer, here are some Chicago street festivals that you should consider this month.

July 1-3: Wrigleyville Block Party

Some would say that during baseball season, Wrigleyville is a block party.

But they’d be wrong.

After all, Wrigleyville includes much more than just one block.

While the team continues to struggle, the Cubs organization has connected with at least one hit this season in the Wrigleyville Block Party.

Last month, the first of three scheduled block parties was held along Clark Street outside Wrigley Field during the Yankees series, and from the Wrigley beer vendors to the cover bands to the congenial crowds, it was a home run.

The second Block Party is taking place this weekend for the White Sox series and is ongoing from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Sunday, featuring music, food and drink. Unlike Wrigley itself, admission is free.

July 9-10: Roscoe Village Burger Fest

Chicago is known for its pizza, its Italian beef and its hot dogs.

But if the second annual Roscoe Village Burger Fest has anything to say about it, the Windy City will be famous for its burgers too.

Offering up patties made of everything from veggie and turkey to ground beef and steak, the event at the corner of Belmont and Damen avenues and featuring some of Chicago’s finest restaurants and live music is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days.

Participating burger vendors include Goose Island brewpubs, Select Cut Steakhouse, and 2010 “Best Burger” winner John’s Place, plus many more. A $6 suggested donation benefits the Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit chicagoevents.com.

July 15-16: Old St. Pat’s World’s Largest Block Party

For the 27^th consecutive year, Madison Street and Des Plaines Avenue in Chicago’s West Loop is playing host to the so-called “World’s Largest Block Party,” benefitting outreach activities for Old St. Pat’s church. The event annually draws an average of 18,000 attendees and claims that more than 70 couples have married after meeting during it.

This year, the party runs from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. each night with Cobra Starship and Plain White T’s headlining on Friday and Matt Nathanson and Barenaked Ladies on Saturday.  Tickets cost $40 for a one-night pass, $70 for two.

For more information, visit worldslargestblockparty.com.

July 22-23: Wicker Park Fest

If you’re looking to prep for Lollapalooza (Aug. 5-7), wind down from Pitchfork Music Festival (July 15-16) or simply don’t have the money for either, Wicker Park Fest could be music to your ears.

From noon to 10 p.m., you can listen to more than three dozen musical acts at the corner of Milwaukee and North avenues in Chicago’s eclectic Wicker Park neighborhood and observe the curious fashion combinations of its hipster residents.

All for just five bucks.

For more information, visit wickerparkfestchicago.com.

From the Saturday, June 25, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

How to do the Taste of Chicago – with taste

The WISCH LIST

June 25, 2011

It’s been a tough week for the Taste of Chicago.

And the Taste just started yesterday.

First, on Tuesday morning, with the city still jittery about the recent rash of downtown muggings by so-called “flash mobs,” new Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy was forced to hold a press conference in an attempt to soothe concerns about potential violence at the 31^st annual Taste.

In addition to the city adding more video surveillance at the Taste, McCarthy told reporters that this year, “We are deploying more undercover officers. We are not going to tell you the numbers because that would imprudent for us to do that.”

While McCarthy was clamming up, Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass was just getting started as he wrote on Wednesday that, “There aren’t alcohol wipes big enough for the Taste of Chicago.”

Kass went on to lament the food extravaganza’s sweaty masses, writing “I’ve just never been able to comprehend the lure of it all. It’s disgusting. Perhaps it’s the millions of people eating fried food, wearing fanny packs, sweating, trying out for ‘Jersey Shore.’ ”

While I agree that the Taste can indeed be a steamy boondoggle (I certainly avoid it on weekends), but it’s also not that bad. Not if you know what you’re doing.

And here are a few tips on how to enjoy the fest – and avoid its madness …

Where do I go?

Located in Grant Park, along Columbus Drive between Monroe Street and Balbo Avenue, the Taste runs through July 3. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day except July 3, when the fest closes at 6 p.m. Ticket sales cut off a half-hour before closing time.

What’s the price?

Admission is free. Food and beverage tickets are sold in strips of 12 for $8, with most Taste items costing between 2 and 12 tickets each. Credit cards are accepted at ticket booths, but the cash-only lines generally move more quickly.

How should I get there?

If you can use public transportation, do that. To get the latest RTA, CTA and Metra information, visit transitchicago.com. If you do decide to drive, your closest parking options are the Millennium Park garage, East Monroe garage and Grant Park North and South garages. Check millenniumgarages.com for information.

Parking is also available for $13 at Soldier Field in the Waldron Deck garage, where you can catch a free trolley to and from the Taste that runs from 10:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except July 3, when it stops at 5:30 p.m. You can pre-purchase parking vouchers at soldierfield.clickandpark.com.

When should I visit?

To avoid the craziest crowds, it’s best to visit the Taste midweek during the early-to-mid afternoon.

What should I eat?

You, of course, have your Chicago icons, including Lou Malnati’s pizza, Garrett Popcorn, Eli’s Cheesecake, Manny’s corned beef and more. But you might want to also try out Chinatown institution Lao Sze Chuan and the Brazilian-style steakhouse Texas de Brazil. Both are new to the Taste lineup and reportedly were quite popular during the event’s Daley Center preview earlier this month.

Who should I see?

The musical lineup at this year’s Taste doesn’t feature many big names, but you can catch popular 1990s band Soul Asylum at 5 p.m. today or see country music legend Loretta Lynn perform at 5 p.m. on July 1. For the full music lineup, visit explorechicago.org.

What else should I know?

Know that alcoholic beverages and glass containers are forbidden at the Taste and all backpacks, coolers, etc. are subject to search. As for those “flash mobs,” If you just stay alert and don’t stray off by your lonesome, you’ll be just fine.

From the Saturday, June 18, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

Take your father to some of Chicago’s hoods

The WISCH LIST

June 18, 2011

I’m haven’t yet enjoyed the experience of fatherhood, but for 35 years, I have been a son.

So, I’d like to think I know a little bit about what dads like.

For example, I know that mine likes baseball. And so for this year’s Father’s Day gift, I’m taking him to Sunday night’s Cubs-Yankees game at Wrigley Field.

Perhaps the Cubs will even be in a gift-giving mood and deliver a win.

Since Father’s Day is, well, tomorrow, I also know that it’s probably a tad late to be conjuring up gift ideas for yours. (At least, I hope it is). But if you do need a last-minute idea, or simply want to treat the dad – or dads – in your life to something special in Chicago later on this summer, here a few novel options to consider …

For the meat-loving Dad …

I’ve found that most fathers tend to be carnivorous, and if your dad fits that bill – like, really fits it – then The Frontier restaurant in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood is where he can go full boar.

Literally.

Located at 1072 N. Milwaukee Avenue, The Frontier opened earlier this year, offering a unique array of meaty fare amidst a backwoods Wisconsin cabin atmosphere.

On the menu, you’ll find duck tacos, venison cheesesteak sandwiches, elk shepherd’s pie and bison steaks. But, if you really want to make a night of it for your dad – and about a dozen family or friends – you can call the restaurant five days in advance and arrange for its “Whole Animal Service.” That means that they’ll spit-roast an entire pig, lamb, goat or wild boar and let you feast like a king.

In this case, Henry VIII.

For more information, visit www.thefrontierchicago.com.

For the music-loving Dad …

On December 4, 1956, the stars aligned and rock legends Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins all rolled in to the famed Sun Records in Memphis at the same to time to hold their first – and only – recording session together.

For the past couple of years in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, that star-studded jam session has been brought back to life through “The Million Dollar Quartet” musical at the Apollo Theater (2450 N. Lincoln Avenue).

Featuring hits such as “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire” and “Folsom Prison Blues,” the show is certain to satisfy the musically inclined father, both young and old.

For more information, visit www.milliondollarquartetlive.com.

For the beer-loving Dad …

In the Midwest, Milwaukee and St. Louis might be better known for their breweries, but thanks to Goose Island Half Acre the Windy City can hold its own when it comes to suds.

Both Goose Island Brewery (1800 N. Clybourn Avenue) and Half Acre Beer Company (4257 N. Lincoln Avenue) offer tours, offering a spirited experience for your dad.

Reservations are recommended for the Goose Island tour and required for the Half Acre Beer Company tour. For more information, visit www.gooseisland.com or www.halfacrebeer.com.

… And for the spa-loving Dad?

If your dad is tired of meat, music and beer, you can instead consider treating him to a day at the spa.

Yeah, really.

Located at 5151 N. Clark Street, Chicago’s SIR spa bills itself as the place “Where Men Get Their Go” and offers an array of men’s grooming and spa services, such as fully appointed lockers, rain showers, a relaxation lounge and a grooming club room.

I don’t really know what any of those things are, but if you’d like to find out visit, www.sirspa.com. Date packages to include moms are also available.

Today’s column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The Cubs need a shakeup — and I have the ingredients

The WISCH LIST

June 11, 2011

It rained again in Wrigleyville this week.

And then it poured.

By this point, though, I’m used to it. Both literally with the buckets of precipitation that the city has swallowed this spring and figuratively with the myriad miscues that the Cubs keep pumping out.

And I’m hardly the only one.

Fact is, if things keep going the way they have so far for the Cubs this season – which, by the way, is on pace for nearly 100 losses – the seagulls at Wrigley Field might outnumber the fans by September.

Or August.

Maybe July.

Yes, on the North Side of Chicago, it’s dark days – even when the sun shines – as the Increasingly Less Lovable Losers continue to bumble their way out of contention and into Chicago sports oblivion.

If you want hard evidence on how much cachet the Cubs are losing, ponder this: In 2009, the average attendance at Wrigley Field was a robust 39,610. In 2010, it dropped to 37,814. And now, after 31 dates in 2011, it stands at just 34,818.

If that keeps up, the team will draw nearly 390,000 fewer fans this season than it did just two years ago. And all those empty seats? Well, they add up to a whole lot of money.

Maybe even as much as Alfonso Soriano makes.

Clearly, with losses piling up and fans steering clear, the Cubs have to do something. Cages must be rattled. Straws need to be stirred. But, as FOXSports.com senior baseball writer Ken Rosenthal wrote earlier this week, “The worst thing about the Cubs? You can’t even blow them up.

“Left fielder Alfonso Soriano, immovable. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez, immovable. Right-hander Carlos Zambrano, movable only if he is in the right mood to approve a deal.”

That very well may be true, and I don’t expect many roster changes right now – although I do expect plenty when as much as $50 million comes off the Cubs’ books after the season.

Beyond the lineup, though, I think Chairman Tom Ricketts – who so far has succeeded only in erecting a Toyota sign at Wrigley Field – needs to make major changes to the team’s management to get disenchanted Cubs fans to buy back in. Mike Quade and Jim Hendry aren’t cutting it.

And there are two names I’d be most interested in seeing replace them and breathe excitement back into the ballclub in 2012:

Ryne Sandberg and Greg Maddux.

Now, did that wake you up, Cubs fans?

Last fall, I thought the Cubs made a mistake when they hired Quade as manager instead of Ryne Sandberg. I felt that Ryno had done everything asked of him by the organization and deserved his shot. I still do.

And while I hardly blame all of the Cubs’ current woes on Quade, I’m pretty sure that Sandberg wouldn’t be doing worse. In fact, judging by the 37-22 record and five-game first-place lead that his Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs were enjoying as of Thursday, it’s entirely likely that Sandberg would be doing better.

Either way, the Cubs would be more interesting.

And the same could be said if Maddux replaced Hendry. Now, currently, the four-time Cy Young Award winner is in just his second season as Special Assistant to the GM, so Maddux might be considered too green to run a ballclub just yet.

But I’d love to see what kinds of moves one of the most cerebral ballplayers of all time would make. And I know that a Ryno and Mad Dog would make me interested in the team again.

Which is a lot more than I can say right now.

Today’s column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The best Chicago fests June has to offer

The WISCH LIST

June 4, 2011

One month ago in this column, I gave thanks because the sixth-wettest April in 141 years of Chicago recordkeeping had mercifully come to an end.

Little did I know that it was to immediately be followed by the third-wettest May in the city’s history.

Fool me once …

But, now that the calendar has flipped to June – and summer has unofficially gotten underway – I figure that the weather in these parts has to turn around for good at some point.

Then again, look at the Cubs.

Nevertheless, I’m betting (cautiously) on warm weather sticking around this month, and with that wagering that you’d like some ideas about ways to enjoy the Windy City on weekends in June. Well, there’s no better option than Chicago’s famed street festivals. And here are this month’s best …

June 4-5: 57th Street Art Fair

Hyde Park is known as the home of the University of Chicago, President Barack Obama and, once upon a time, Amelia Earhart and Hugh Hefner.

But the historic neighborhood is also home to Chicago’s oldest juried (that is, panel-judged) art fair, held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 4 and from 10 to 5 on June 5 between Dorchester and Kimbark avenues on 57th Street.

At the fair, visitors can chat up artists from across the country who specialize in everything from glass, jewelry and leather to photography, painting, sculpture and more. Family-friendly and alcohol-free, the event offers playgrounds for kids and a diverse array of food vendors.

For more information, visit: www.57thstreetartfair.org.

June 10-12: Ribfest Chicago

Twelve years ago, it began as a humble block party in Chicago’s Northcenter neighborhood. Next week, it’s expected to draw more than 45,000 people.

Who will dine of 50,000 pounds of ribs and BBQ.

Ribfest Chicago, held from 5 to 10 p.m. on June 10 and noon to 10 on June 11-12 at 4000 N. Lincoln Ave., is one of the city’s most anticipated – and delicious – summer festivals. Besides its food, Ribfest is also a nationally recognized music festival featuring indie, pop, rock and country bands. A “Kids Square” area offers inflatables and games for children, while revelers can also catch RibMania, the Midwest’s only professional rib-eating contest.

For more information, visit www.ribfest-chicago.com.

June 11-12: Wells Street Art Festival

The 57th Street Art Fair is a dry (no-alcohol) event. The Wells Street Art Festival is not.

And, as a result, the lively fest, held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on June 11-12 on Wells St. between Division St. and North Ave., is known for both its art (ranked among the nation’s Top 10 art fests by Sunshine Artist magazine) and its revelry (the event attracts many 20- and 30-somethings to Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood).

In addition to 300 exhibitors, the fair also includes more than 20 food and drink vendors, a live-entertainment stage and an elaborate silent auction.

For more information, visit www.chicagoevents.com.

June 17-19: Taste of Randolph

Want to sample all of the top-rated restaurants in Chicago’s trendy West Loop neighborhood, but don’t have the time?

(Or the money?)

Well, then the Taste of Randolph, held from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on June 17, 2 to 11 on June 18 and 2 to 10 on June 19 at 900 W. Randolph St., is the street festival for you.

The 15th Annual Taste features restaurant vendors such as The Girl & The Goat (owned by Bravo Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard), Indian-themed Veerasway and Italian-focused Vivó. And in addition to tantalizing tastebuds, the event also delights eyes and ears with two stages featuring live cooking demonstrations and musical entertainment.

For more information, visit www.starevents.com.

Today’s column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

Heat check: Derrick Rose gets his own ‘Bad Boys’

The WISCH LIST

May 28, 2011

Twenty-three years ago, No. 23 became “Michael Jordan.”

But Michael Jordan didn’t yet become a champion.

In 1988, the Chicago Bulls star proved himself officially super as he averaged 35.0 points per game to earn the NBA’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors. In the playoffs, “His Airness” then dashed, dunked and tongue-wagged the Bulls into the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Where they met the “Bad Boys” of the Detroit Pistons.

And Jordan learned their rules.

The aggressive (and, yes, dirty) Pistons bullied MJ and his inexperienced teammates, winning the series in five games before Detroit rolled on to capture the conference title.

In 1989, the Bulls and the “Bad Boys” clashed once again, this time in the Eastern Conference Finals. And, once again, Jordan tasted bitter defeat as Detroit took the series 4-2 before storming their way to the franchise’s first-ever NBA title.

Come 1990, it was déjà vu all over again for Jordan as the Pistons beat Chicago 4-3 to capture the Eastern Conference championship and repeat with yet another NBA crown.

The next season, however, having suffered enough pain, heartache and frustration, Jordan made like Sir Edmund Hillary in sneakers and finally scaled his own personal Everest. And he did it in delicious fashion, as the Bulls swept the “Bad Boys” to win the 1991 Eastern Conference title and catapult themselves toward the first of six NBA titles.

This past Thursday night, after he crumbled down the stretch in the Bulls’ 83-80 loss to Miami in the deciding Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Derrick Rose – the Bulls’ first MVP since MJ – sat dejectedly in the interview room at the United Center.

“At the end, it’s on me,” he told the horde of reporters. “Everything is on me. Turnovers. Missed shots. Fouls. If anything, learn from it. That’s all I can do right now.”

And here’s what we should learn from this blistering series loss to the Heat:

Derrick Rose needs his “Bad Boys.”

And Chicago does, too.

Let’s be honest, since Michael Jordan retired from the Bulls in 1998, pro basketball hasn’t existed in Chicago. Not really. Certainly not in the way it once did.

But, this season, with Rose emerging as one of the game’s greats and LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh galloping through the playoffs clad in black hats – and black jerseys – things have suddenly become interesting again.
With Bulls-Heat, we have the makings of the next great NBA rivalry. And now it’s up to Rose to find a way to conquer the King.

In an old Nike commercial entitled “Rise” (watch the Jordan-LeBron James mash-up here), Michael Jordan narrates as images from his youth flash across the screen. He says, “Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I led you to believe it was easy, when it wasn’t. Maybe I made you think my highlights started at the free throw line and not in the gym.

“Maybe I made you think every shot I took was a game-winner. That my game was built on flash and not fire. Maybe it’s my fault that you didn’t see that failure gave me strength; that my pain was my motivation. Maybe I led you to believe that basketball was a God-given gift and not something I worked for – every single day of my life. Maybe I destroyed the game …

“Or maybe you’re just making excuses.”

After failing against Miami, Rose offered no excuses. And now we can clearly see what his future promises.

Yes, Derrick Rose needed his “Bad Boys.”

Now, let’s get him his “Scottie Pippen,” too.

Before he became a six-time champ, Michael Jordan had to first conquer the 'Bad Boys.'

Today’s column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

Chicago’s undisputed King of Beers

The WISCH LIST

May 14, 2011

As he slid me my glass of Belgian beer, I sent back to my American bartender a pop quiz.

“How long have you been working here?” I asked the guy with the bushy beard working behind the upstairs bar last weekend at a popular nightspot on Chicago’s far North Side.

“You mean, tonight?” he asked, as I took my drink. “Or overall?”

“No, overall,” I replied with a slight chuckle.

“Five years.”

“And, so,” I inquired, unspooling my quiz question, “how long did it take you to memorize all the beers on the menu?”

With a smirk and a wipe of the bar with a rag, the barkeep who had just served me a glass of Grimbergen Blonde pale ale answered: “I still don’t know all of them. Every time I come in to work there are, like, 50 new beers.”

And with that, you’re welcomed to Michael & Louise’s Hopleaf Bar – better known as just “Hopleaf” – a thriving pub in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood that during the past two decades has developed a cult following thanks to its remarkably extensive list of beers.

So extensive, in fact, that even Hopleaf’s bartenders can have a tough time keeping up it. Although you can hardly blame them, considering that, according to the Chicago Bar Project, Hopleaf (5148 N. Clark St.) offers more beers than any other bar in the Windy City.

And, believe me, that’s a whole lot of bars.

But we’ll get to Hopleaf’s grand total of available beers. Let’s first spend a few minutes learning more about the bar itself, which since 1992 has been located near the corner of Clark and Winona streets, just south of Foster Avenue, in the relaxed environment of Andersonville.

Featuring nearby street parking but most easily reached by cab, Hopleaf features an exterior that’s nondescript but easy enough to spot if you keep your eyes peeled for the hand-made sign above the front door that depicts a red, three-leafed hop plant that has become the bar’s familiar logo.

It’s an icon that’s become well known among hops aficionados nationwide, as people have been known to travel thousands of miles simply to sample the laundry list of brews at this beer lover’s paradise.

What they find upon entering Hopleaf is a dimly lit front room with wooden tables and green vinyl-padded wooden booths filled with members of the bar’s devoted – and ever-growing – following.

The pub is actually much more spacious than it appears on first glance, as Hopleaf also features an upstairs bar – where a smaller, but still huge, selection of beers are available – as well as a two-level dining room in the back. In 2003, the bar’s kitchen opened and has since become known among foodies for serving perhaps the best mussels in all of Chicago.

Throughout Hopleaf, the walls are adorned with original German art deco beer posters from the 1920s, featuring exotic brands such as Solanis and Biere Titan. But it’s above the long wooden front bar where visitors will find the most important wall ornaments of all – a pair of large chalkboards upon which Hopleaf’s stunning menu of beers are scribbled.

And at last count, that menu featured 308 different beers, including 41 on tap (mostly of the Belgian variety) in addition to 267 more craft brews and imports in bottles. Or in other words, enough to drink a different one every day until next St. Patrick’s Day.

Per the Chicago Bar Project, Hopleaf offers 31 more beers than the 277 available at The Map Room in Bucktown, making it Chicago’s undisputed King of Beers. Although, don’t order a Bud at Hopleaf.

You’ll get laughed at.