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Tag: Chicago

  • Maria Goretti: Remains Of Youngest Canonized Saint Continue Pilgrimage In America

    Maria Goretti is the youngest saint to be canonized by the Catholic church and the saint of purity, mercy and youth. Most especially for victims of rape.

    Maria Goretti’s remains, which include her skeleton and a wax mask over her skull, travel in a lighted glass casket.

    Some of the first few stops for the relic of St. Maria Goretti were in New Jersey and now the Chicago area where faithful Catholics lined up outside of their local Catholic churches to have the chance to pray to the saint and press their prayer cards and rosaries to her casket.

    For many, the visit of Maria Goretti’s remains was a spiritual experience.

    Maria Goretti was only 11 years old on July 5th, 1902 when she was attacked by an older neighbor, Alessandro Serenelli.

    Serenelli had bullied Maria Goretti for a long time, but on this fateful day, his aggression became sexual.

    Maria Goretti tried to fight off Serenelli, insisting that their sexual contact would be a moral sin and that she would rather die than submit to his desires.

    Alessandro was enraged and stabbed the young Maria Goretti 14 times. Maria survived until the next day, but the legend tells that Maria forgave Alessandro on her death bed.

    Serenelli also claimed to have had visions of Maria Goretti forgiving him while he was in prison for her murder.

    Maria Goretti was beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1947. She was canonized as a saint in 1950.

    Now, Maria Goretti’s feast day is celebrated on July 6th, the date of her death.

    This is the first time that Maria Goretti’s remains have been to America and only the second time for them to ever leave Italy.

    Have you had the privilege of visiting the remains of Saint Maria Goretti? Tell us about it in the comments below!

  • Demi Moore And Bruce Willis Show Up For Daughter Rumer’s Broadway Debut

    Demi Moore and ex-husband Bruce Willis reunited for daughter Rumer Willis Broadway debut on Monday.

    Rumer, the eldest daughter of Moore and Willis, made her debut on Broadway as main character Roxie Hart in the long-running American musical, Chicago. Her entire family was in complete attendance to show their support for Rumer. Apart from her younger sisters Scout and Tallulah, Bruce’s current wife, Emma Heming was also present during the momentous event.

    The whole family gamely posed for a group photo after the show, which Rumer posted on Instagram along with a heartfelt message: “These people are everything to me. I would never had made it to that stage without you guys.”

    Moore’s eldest daughter thanked her and Willis for their love and support: “Thank you to my amazing parents for supporting me my whole life and thru all my crazy ideas and adventures and pushing me to be the best version of myself…”

    She also wrote a special dedication to her sisters, saying “…and to my sisters for being my partners in crime, my confidants and for always letting me be my goofy unabashed self. I love you all.”

    According to Heming, Willis’ wife of six years, the actor is very proud of Rumer’s recent achievement. Heming also posted some photos of that night on her Instagram page.

    Tallulah also posted a photo of herself and Rumer in front of the theater with a caption: “An indescribably special experience to see you tonight on broadway @ruelarue I love you so much sestra.”

    The Dancing with the Stars champ is set to play Roxie until November 1st. She was supposed to appear on the musical on August 8 but had to push back rehearsals due to stress fractures on her foot.

    Moore and Willis famously separated in 2000 but have managed to maintain a friendly relationship to this day.

  • Bruce Willis Replaced by Steve Carell in New Woody Allen Movie–Was He Fired?

    Bruce Willis was recently replaced by Steve Carell in a current Woody Allen film already in production. There is some confusion about the reason Willis was replaced, with reports running the gamut from his being fired to production interfering with his upcoming Broadway role in Misery.

    The Boston Herald reports that Bruce Willis was set to star alongside Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeannie Berlin, Corey Stoll, Ken Stott, Anna Camp, Stephen Kunken, Sari Lennick, and Paul Schneider. Woody Allen serves as both writer and director.

    Now with Steve Carell in Willis’s role, prospective fans are no closer to knowing anything about the film. The plot is completely under wraps and no title has been announced.

    Bruce Willis will appear alongside New York theater favorite Elizabeth Marvel in the screenplay of Stephen King’s novel Misery starting this fall on Broadway. He will play the role of romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued following a car crash from a woman named Annie, who describes herself as his “Number One Fan.” When Annie reads Paul’s most recent manuscript and discovers he has killed off her favorite character, she begins torturing the author–forcing him to write a new novel.

    Kathy Bates played the role of Annie in the film adaptation.

    This is Bruce Willis’s first run on Broadway. He was beaten to Broadway by daughter Rumer Willis, however, who is starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago, beginning on September 14. Bruce Willis is set to star in Misery beginning in October.

    Do you expect Steve Carell replaced Bruce Willis in this upcoming Woody Allen film because he was fired or because of his obligations on Broadway instead?

  • Rumer Willis Turns 27, Receives Birthday Wish from Bruce Willis’s Daughter Mabel

    Rumer Willis turned 27 this past weekend, and it was likely the birthday wish that came from her three-year-old half sister that make her smile the most.

    Mabel is Bruce Willis’s daughter with wife Emma Heming. Willis and Demi Moore are the parents of Rumer Willis, along with sisters Scout and Tallulah Willis.

    Rumer shared a short video clip on her Instagram account that features little Mabel and her enthusiastic birthday message.

    “Best Birthday Message Ever courtesy of my beautiful sister Mabel,” Rumer Willis captioned the post.

    A video posted by Rumer Willis (@ruelarue) on

    Mabel Willis is positively adorable. It’s easy to see why her message was Rumer Willis’s favorite.

    Rumer shared at least part of her birthday with sisters Tallulah and Scout Willis, too, and posted a photo of the three girls on Instagram.

    “The perfect way to start my birthday….a moment of pure unfiltered joy with my beautiful sisters. I’m so thankful for them. There are the only a few people in the world that make me smile this big,” she captioned the shot–taken on a bed.

    A photo posted by Rumer Willis (@ruelarue) on

    It certainly appears like the Dancing With the Stars winner had a wonderful birthday. Next it’s off to Broadway for Rumer Willis, where she’ll star as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago.

    Fans can check out Rumer Willis in her Broadway debut from September 14 through November 1.

  • Gloria Estefan’s On Your Feet To Premiere In Chicago

    It took quite a while but Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s On Your Feet is finally dancing its way to a world premiere in Chicago.

    On Your Feet showcases the life of the one and only Queen of Latin Pop and her relationship with her husband Emilio, 19-times Grammy winner and record producer extraordinaire.

    The musical will show audiences how their dedication to each other, their heritage and their pursuit of the American dream led to their remarkable success. It will cover Gloria’s early years with the Miami Sound Machine and her miraculous recovery from a broken back in 1990.

    Bringing On Your Feet to the stage is a feat in itself. It’s rare that a bilingual, Latino-centered musical is showcased and biographies are especially tricky.

    However, the couple is confident that they can pull it off and Emilio is certain that “Chicago’s gonna bring us a lot of good luck.”

    It’s a sentiment that Gloria believes in as well.

    “The audience is a wonderful nurturing audience but also they’re savvy in the way of theater so it’s a great place to try your stuff out,” the 57-year-old hitmaker said.

    As expected, Gloria’s hits will also play an essential part. Audiences will be treated to well-loved songs like “Conga,” “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Don’t Want to Lose You Now” and the titular “Get On Your Feet.”

    While her hits will take center stage, Gloria won’t be.

    Instead, she’s leaving it to the very capable hands of Ana Villafane, who was discovered after a worldwide search for the lead.

    But who knows, Gloria said she might just “sneak in there and be my mom.”

    On Your Feet will open at Chicago’s Oriental Theater on June 2 and will run for five weeks. The musical will then be previewed on Broadway at the Marquis Theater on October 15 before beginning its official run on November 5.

  • Uber Is Now Delivering Food in NYC and Chicago

    If Uber can get you a ride in a reasonable amount of time, the company thinks it can also get you a hot (hopefully) meal in that same window.

    Uber has announced it’s expanding its UberEATS food delivery service to two giant markets – New York City and Chicago. Uber first started delivering food in Los Angeles under the name UberFresh, but changed it to UberEATS when it began testing in Barcelona.

    Uber is promising fast delivery – within ten minutes in some cases.

    According to Uber, it’s been a smashing success in LA.

    “The response to UberEATS has been amazingly positive. In LA (where it was previously known as UberFRESH) we continue to grow our roster of restaurants, have added brunch service on the weekends, and cut down delivery times to 10 minutes or less. Hot spots like Bay Cities, Bottega Louie, and Canter’s have expanded their reach and boosted their business. And our driver partners tell us they love having another way to earn more through the Uber platform,” says the company.

    Uber told The Verge that UberEATS has its own dedicated drivers, and it’s looking to deliver $9 to $12 lunches and $10 to $15 dinners (with a $3-$4 delivery fee).

    Uber promises food from “iconic” restaurants. The menu will be changed on a regular basis.

    “This week’s menu in New York City features an exclusive sandwich from American Cut, Kale Caesar salad from sweetgreen, steak sandwich from Num Pang, and more. In Chicago, we’ll be delivering the Pepito Torta from XOCO, Carne Asada Cemita from Cemitas, and more,” says Uber.

    If you live in one of the four cities with UberEATS, the service is baked into your Uber app.

  • Uber Driver Pulls Out Shotgun, Shoots Gunman

    Uber Driver Pulls Out Shotgun, Shoots Gunman

    Upon first glance at an “Uber driver pull out gun” headline, your initial reaction was likely oh no not another Uber assault. But this story is a bit different from the recent barrage of “Uber Driver assaults passenger” headlines. This shooting, at least according to prosecutors, was justified.

    NBC Chicago reports that a 22-year-old Chicago man is in the hospital under police custody after he was shot in the knee and lower back by a shotgun-wielding Uber driver.

    According to state attorneys, the Uber driver “was acting in self-defense and in the defense of others.”

    The 47-year-old Uber driver says he dropped off a fare and moments later saw a man firing a handgun in his direction, into a crowd of people. He says he pulled out his shotgun, for which he has a concealed carry permit, and fired six shots. At least two of the shots connected, and police found the gunman bleeding on the sidewalk. He was the only person injured at the scene.

    It is not against Uber rules to store a firearm in one’s car – as long as it complies with all applicable laws.

    Uber has not placed the driver on any sort of temporary suspension.

    While Uber’s not going to throw this guy a hero’s parade, it’s not a black eye for the on-demand car company. It’s had plenty of those as of late.

    On the same day the news broke of the Chicago Uber driver possibly saving the day, an Uber driver in San Francisco was arrested for allegedly running over a cyclist.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Alec Baldwin Tries His Hand At Rapping For Worthy Cause [VIDEO]

    Alec Baldwin may be starting a career as a rap artist. The actor was recently seen rapping in a video that Chance the Rapper posted on Instagram. The video shows Chance beatboxing while Baldwin raps beside him. This unlikely collaboration came about because Baldwin and Chance the Rapper took part in a fundraiser for Young Chicago Authors, an organization that Chance holds close to his heart. They were joined at the event by Alfre Woodard and A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali. The Young Chicago Authors is an organization that “engages youth in the act of storytelling through spoken word, verse, traditional journalism, playwriting, fiction and many other forms”.

    Chance the Rapper wrote on his Instagram post, “This is me beatboxing while Alec Baldwin raps, he is for the people. Him, Alfred Woodard and Ali from Tribe came thru the city to help raise money for YCA, the organization that built and developed myself and @Malcolmlondon into the leaders we have become. Give it up for them. Beautiful leaders we can all learn from #Chicago #LongLiveTheYoung #YCA.”

    Chance and Baldwin performed the song live to promote the YCA’s Louder than a Bomb poetry festival. The lyrics are actually taken from Carl Sandburg’s poem, “Chicago”.

    Alec Baldwin and Chance the Rapper have a lot more in common than you would believe. Both of them are philanthropists, with Chance being involved in a lot of charities and organizations in his hometown of Chicago. He frequently speaks out about the dangers of gun violence in Chicago communities.

    Chance the Rapper burst onto the scene with his mixtapes 10 Day and Acid Rap, with Acid Rap securing his spot as one of the best upcoming rappers in recent years. The mixtape received critical acclaim and was included in several “Best Albums of 2013” lists. In January 2015, Chance the Rapper was listed #7 on the “Forbes 30 under 30” 2015 music list.

  • Cara Labus: Teacher Accused Of Sex With Students

    Cara Labus, a suburban Chicago teacher was arrested Wednesday and charged with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for incidents involving two victims between the ages of 14 and 16.

    The two victims of Cara Labus allegedly engaged in sexual contact with her from December 2008 through February 2011, according to prosecutors in the case. Police have not said whether the victims were male or female.

    The abuse began while she was a teacher and basketball coach at Jerling Junior High School. Cara Labus kept in contact with her two victims after they graduated and reportedly had several sexual encounters with them after they left high school.

    That lasted until one of Cara Labus’ victims told a friend and then filed a police report.

    Around the same time, the victims told each other what had been going on, according to police.

    Cara Labus is currently employed at Hufford Junior High School in Joliet, the state’s attorney’s office said.

    However, she has been suspended from that position indefinitely until a time that she should be proven innocent.

    A spokesperson for Joliet Public Schools District 86 said in a statement Friday afternoon, “The District was served with a Condition of Bail notice for one of our teachers at Hufford Junior High School late this afternoon.”

    They added, “One bail condition provides that the teacher is not to have ‘contact with anyone under the age of 18 without supervision.’ Based on this information, the teacher will not be permitted to be at school indefinitely.”

    Cara Labus is currently being confined at home and is expected in court again on February 23rd.

    Such a tragedy that this is becoming so common in our country.

  • Amtrak Train Stabbing in Michigan Injures Four

    A 44-year-old Michigan man was taken into custody by police Friday, after he stabbed four passengers aboard an Amtrak train in the town of Niles, Michigan.

    According to a dispatcher at the Niles Police Department, none of the stabbing victims were killed, though authorities declined to comment on the severity of their injuries. The circumstances surrounding the stabbings have likewise yet to be revealed.

    Niles Police Chief Jim Millin said that the suspect, Michael Williams of Saginaw, stabbed a female and three males, including a conductor on the train at approximately 7 p.m.

    According to a Berrien County Jail spokeswoman, Williams appeared Saturday morning before a judge, who set a cash bail of $1 million. Williams is charged with four counts of assault with intent to murder, she said.

    Williams subdued on Train 364, the Blue Water line, which runs between Chicago and Port Huron, Michigan:

    Amtrak took to Twitter to comment on the stabbing:

    Amtrak Spokeswoman Kimberly Woods said the train was stopped at the Niles train station at the time of the incident. The 172 passengers on board were afforded alternate transportation.

    Amtrak, the brand name of The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, began operating in 1971. Today Amtrak operates 374 trains daily on 21,300 miles of track, at speeds up to 150 mph, over more than 500 destinations in 46 states. In 2012, Amtrak served 31.2 million passengers, and saw $2.88 billion in revenue.

  • Nordstrom Black Friday Shooting Victim Dies

    A man walked into a Chicago Nordstrom department store during its Black Friday event, and shot his ex-girlfriend in the back of her head, before turning the gun on himself. The victim has since died.

    Authorities say 31-year-old Marcus Dee approached Nadia Ezaldein, 22, shot her, and then committed suicide. Ezaldein was pronounced dead at 3:43 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Her family has since donated her organs.

    A Facebook page has since been set up in Ezaldein’s name.

    Ezaldein, a seasonal employee at the Nordstrom situated in Chicago’s Magnificent Mile shopping district, turned 22 on the day of the shooting. Police evacuated the store, and it remained closed on Saturday, before reopening on Sunday. Nordstrom spokeswoman Tara Darrow commented that the shootings were a “really sad and scary situation,” though authorities have deemed the store to be safe.

    Ezaldein had reportedly broken up with Dee last year, and he was accused of stalking and harassing her ever since, before shooting her at approximately 8:30 p.m., in front of a store full of Black Friday shoppers.

    Ezaldien was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, but doctors assessed that she had no brain activity, and she was taken off life support after her organs were harvested.

    Spokeswoman Darrow added, “We are deeply saddened to learn that our employee who was injured in Friday evening’s tragedy passed away this afternoon. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.”

  • Chance The Rapper Receives Award In Chicago

    On Sunday, November 9, Chance the Rapper was given the Outstanding Youth of the Year Award by the state of Illinois. The rapper took to twitter right away to share the news. “’For your outstanding contributions to the youth of the State of Illinois’ it’s an honor to bear that weight,” the young rapper tweeted. He also shared a picture of him and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel on his Instagram account with the caption, “I received the most important award I will ever win today”.

    Chance the Rapper got the award for his work with his father on the #SaveChicago campaign. The campaign aims to spread the word about gun and gang-related violence in the city of Chicago. The rapper has spoken openly about how he was affected personally by violence especially after an incident where one of his friends was killed in a street brawl.

    — Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) November 9, 2014

    Chance talked about the incident with MTV News. “I watched it happen,” he said in the interview. “He was 19 when it happened, I was 18, and I just turned 20 this year. It’s just crazy because I have a few friends that were older than me, but now I’m older than them.”

    He also explained that he is baffled by how people tend to romanticize life in Chicago despite the fact that murder is pretty much an everyday occurrence. “People wanna romanticize it and say, ‘there’s two sides to it, and it’s a beautiful love/hate story of violence and music.’ But it’s really just a very scummy place where people don’t have respect for other people’s lives. And it’s not gonna change until somebody, anybody, puts it right in front of everybody else’s faces.”

    Recently, Chance the Rapper appeared in the Adult Swim animated series Black Dynamite as the voice of Bob Marley. He was joined in the episode by Erykah Badu, who voiced the roles of a prostitute as well as Marley’s wife, Rita.

    — Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) November 10, 2014

    — [adult swim] (@adultswim) November 8, 2014

  • Google Shopping Express Becomes Google Express, Expands

    Google announced that it has changed the name of Google Shopping Express to just Google Express, is expanding it into more cities, and that it now includes more retail partners.

    Google Shopping Express was first introduced early last year as a local delivery service enabling people to get same-day delivery on some items. It initially launched in San Francisco with a handful of partners including Target, Walgreens, American Eagle, Staples, Toys R Us, and Office Depot. Since then, it’s slowly expanded into a few other areas like San Jose, Los Angeles, and Manhattan.

    Now, it’s coming to Chicago, Boston, and Washington D.C. under the new name, and has added new merchants: 1-800-Flowers, Barnes & Noble, Nine West, PetSmart, Vitamin Shoppe, Sports Authority, Paragon Sports in New York, Vicente Foods in Los Angeles, Stop & Shop in Boston, Giant Food in D.C., and Lux Roses, TigerDirect, Treasure Island Foods and Wrigleyville Sports in Chicago.

    “One year ago, the first Google Shopping Express order was delivered—a box of granola,” said Brian Elliott, Head of Partnerships for Google Shopping. “Our idea was to make shopping your favorite local stores as easy and fast as shopping online, and to help you get what you need delivered the same day. Since then, you’ve told us how we helped you restock diapers in the nick of time, made sure you had Bananagrams for family game night, and even made you feel connected to the outside world when you were home sick. Along the way, we’ve expanded to new locations, brought on more merchants, and offered more products. And now, we’re adding to the program you love.”

    In addition to the new name, location, and partners, Bay Area users who are over 21 can now use the service to order alcoholic beverages.

    Express membership gives users free same-day delivery or overnight delivery on eligible orders over $15, first dibs on delivery windows, and shared membership with a household member. It costs $95 per year or $10 per month. Alternatively, users can pay as they go at $4.99 per order.

    According to Google, over 7 million people can now use Google Express with 12 million of them in Northern California.

    Images via Google

  • Lauryn Hill Sells Out Brooklyn Concert After Kicking Out Heckler In Chicago

    Nobody likes a heckler, least of all Lauryn Hill. The way a performer deals with a heckler is an art form in and of itself. Truly great performers deal with hecklers in ways that make the audience remember the experience forever.

    Is Lauryn Hill a truly great performer? She threw out a heckler on July 16th, and we are still talking about it two weeks later. TMZ caught the footage, and Radio.com gave us some details.

    The place? House of Blues in Chicago. The heckler shouted something, probably in regards to Hill arriving on stage later than expected. Her response? Call over security.

    “Excuse me, excuse me, there’s a gentlemen over there who just did something I don’t like. Can you please escort him out and refund him his money?” She said.

    But then she addresses the heckler personally:

    “I don’t play that. I don’t need to win you over and you don’t need to win me over. …I do this because I love it, not because I owe you anything. You understand that? I do this because I love it. You can get on your blogs and you can tweet and say whatever you want to. I don’t give a rat’s a–.”

    Guess what? Just a few days ago, on July 28th, Hill was late again. This time at the Brooklyn Bowl in New York. When she got on stage, XXL Magazine said the crowd went wild. The audience was packed, and there was not a heckler in sight. According to the report it was “an unforgettable experience.”

    Too bad the heckler of a few weeks ago couldn’t have been more appreciative of what he had.

    Maybe he could have avoided getting thrown out.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kristin Cavallari Dropped 20 Pounds Two Months After Giving Birth

    Kristin Cavallari has already lost 20 pounds of pregnancy weight a little over two months after giving birth to her second child.

    The 27-year-old reality television star and husband Jay Cutler, quarterback for the Chicago Bears, welcomed son Jaxon Wyatt Cutler (Jax) on May 7.

    Their first son, Camden, was born in August 2012.

    “I’m still a couple of pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight, but it took a solid three months with Camden and I think it will be the same this time,” Cavallari revealed.

    How did she do it?

    “I started working out when Jax was three weeks old. I’ve been working out four to five times a week for 30 to 45 minutes at home, doing tons of leg work like squats, lunges and lifting weights,” Cavallari said.

    She’s had impressive results and doesn’t seem worried about those last few pounds.

    “My stomach needs the most work but that takes time more than anything and diet plays a huge role.”

    Cavallari didn’t change up her diet during her pregnancy but instead consistently embraces clean eating:

    “We eat a ton of veggies, chicken, grass-fed beef, bison and fish. We also love sweet potatoes and brown rice pasta. I either make a smoothie, oatmeal or eggs for breakfast and a salad or turkey sandwich for lunch,” she said. “I have a snack in the afternoon – usually nuts with dried cherries, chips with hummus, or an apple and almond butter. I also love avocados with olive oil and sea salt and I put coconut oil in or on everything.”

    Born in Denver, CO, Cavallari relocated to a Chicago suburb with her mother following her parents’ divorce. By the time she was in high school, she’d moved to California to live with her father.

    Not long after that she joined the cast of the reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County in 2004.

    In 2009 she moved to the spin-off series The Hills, where she remained for two seasons.

    Cavallari was a contestant on season 13 of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with professional dancer and series veteran Mark Ballas. The pair was eliminated relatively early, much to everyone’s surprise, ending up in 10th place overall.

    Cavallari’s more recent projects include a line of designer shoes for Chinese Laundry and an app that she says is essentially a blog about beauty, fashion, and health.

    Speaking of shoes, while pregnancy and motherhood may not have changed Cavallari’s diet, they have influenced her fashion choices:

    “I definitely wear a lot more flats than I used to. It’s too difficult carrying babies in heels. It makes me nervous!” she said in a recent interview with Glamour.

    Image via Instagram, Kristin Cavallari

  • David Bowie Classics to be Covered at MCA

    David Bowie Classics to be Covered at MCA

    The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago has been chosen as the U.S. venue for the David Bowie is… exhibit, which opened to great fanfare London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. The MCA exhibit is set to begin in September, and will run through January, 2015.

    David Bowie is… exhibits over 300 pieces, including costumes, handwritten lyrics, album artwork, set designs and rare performance media taken from Bowie’s almost 50 years as an entertainer. The exhibit is touted as the first-ever wide examination of Bowie’s broad influence on contemporary art, fashion, design, theater and contemporary culture. David Bowie is… also surveys the Thin White Duke’s creative process, as well as his collaborations with musicians, photographers and filmmakers.

    In tandem with the exhibit, Chicago artists will cover select classic David Bowie albums and songs for a series called Bowie Changes.

    On November 15th, Chicagoan glam rocker Bobby Conn will cover Bowie’s 1976 album Station to Station in a live set at the MCA. Station to Station is widely regarded as one of Bowie’s finest works, and was the vehicle for his last great character, The Thin White Duke.

    Here’s a live clip of “Station to Station”:

    On November 21, musicians are performing classic Bowie love songs, and on November 22, windy city sonic experimentalists Disappears will cover Bowie’s 1977 Classic Low. Also regarded as one of Bowie’s most influential albums, Low was the first of the “Berlin Trilogy”, a series of collaborations with famed record producer Brian Eno.

    Bowie’s “Warszawa” from Low:

    Bowie released his first album in ten years in 2013, entitled The Next Day, to favorable reviews.

    David Bowie, “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” from The Next Day:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Nuns Sue Strip Club: Ploy To Punish “Sinners”?

    Nuns have sued a strip club in a suburban Chicago Neighborhood for disturbances to their lifestyle caused by the club being too close. The nuns claim that the club disturbs their prayers and peace with throbbing music at night.

    “Our sisters’ sacred space has been invaded,” Sister Noemia Silva said. “At night now they hear the music when they’re praying. That’s uncalled for.”

    The damages are not only of a spiritual nature. They also say that they have been exposed to the normal nastiness that comes with the territory of a strip club. The sisters have seen “public violence, drunkenness and litter, including empty whiskey and beer bottles, discarded contraceptive packages and products and even used condoms,” according to the lawsuit.

    The lawsuit has been brought by the The Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, the village of Melrose Park, and three other Melrose Park citizens. They name Club Allure Chicago and the village of Stone Park in their suit, which they filed on Friday under the main issue of zoning laws.

    The state of Illinois has a law stating that places of adult entertainment must leave a 1,000 foot buffer between them and places of worship or schools when they build. Allure Chicago happens to be built right along the back fence of the the sisters’ property which includes three chapels, a house for retired sisters, and a home for young women who are contemplating becoming a nun.

    “The Sisters have every right to pray and work peacefully without disruption from a strip club in their backyard.”, said Peter Breen, the lawyer for the nuns.

    However, the manager of the club claims that they have acted reasonably and that precautions were taken so that the location wouldn’t be a problem. Could this be a ploy to put out of business an establishment that obviously disagrees with what the nuns believe? Maybe, according to Club Allure’s manager Robert Itzkow.

    “We spent an awful lot of money to make sure that this kind of thing would not occur. The whole thing is just a question of ‘we don’t like you; you don’t conform to our religious beliefs.’”

    He went on to say that the dancers “aren’t monsters. They’re daughters; they’re mothers, and some of them are Catholics too.”

    It sounds like the nuns are more worried about the patrons not the dancers, but either way, the nuns say they are the losers in the deal, not the $3 million club that may have to shutter it’s doors.

    Image via YouTube

  • Willis Tower Ledge Cracks; Patrons Never in Danger

    When Alejandro Garibay ventured forth from Stockton, Ca to visit Chicago, he was told that he must do one thing while there – visit the Skydeck at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). “I told them this was one of the things they definitely had to check out,” said Garibay’s cousin, who had visited the attraction five times previously.

    While Garibay and his compatriots were expecting to see startling views and a feeling of vertigo, the last thing they thought to see was their lives flashing before their eyes.

    After sitting on The Ledge, a glass box which extends 4.3 feet out into the air at the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower, to pose for a picture with his compatriots, Garibay noticed something wrong with the floor of the structure.

    “I thought it would be cool to get a picture of my cousins and brother. Then we started getting off and, as we pushed ourselves off, I could feel it cracking. It was completely shattering. I thought there was only cracked glass between us and 103 floors down,” Garibay recalled.

    As soon as he noticed the cracks, Garibay alerted the staff of the Willis Tower: “I walked them over so they could see and they were totally shocked and asked us to step away and then proceeded to start calling staff and techs and I don’t know who else. When we pulled our phones to start recording and take pictures they asked us to leave right away.”

    After a quick inspection of the situation, though, the Willis Tower was able to assure Garibay and others that no one was ever truly in danger.

    Spokesman for the Willis Tower, Randy Stancik, explained why the cracks appeared in the floor of The Ledge: “[The top layer of the Ledge] is designed to crack when somebody drops something on it. It’s not structural. The top piece is protective.” Stancik went on to add that the protection is there so one mustn’t wear those protective booties or socks “like you’ll have to do at the Grand Canyon.”

    The Ledge experienced a temporary shutdown on Thursday to undergo routine inspections and to replace the protective coating, but the experienced is up and running at full capacity again today.

    Despite the fact that the coating cracked, one should not be discouraged from visiting The Ledge. Constructed from three, half-inch sheets of 1,500 pound glass sheets, the structure is designed to hold at least 5,000 pounds – the average weight of one adult hippopotamus.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chicago $15 Minimum Wage Could Happen

    Chicago $15 Minimum Wage Could Happen

    If a group of Chicago aldermen’s plans prove successful, the minimum wage for the Illinois city could be increased to $15 per hour.

    The officials worked to introduce a proposal on Wednesday that would boost the city’s minimum wage.

    It’s been noted that a separate minimum wage proposal was put together by a panel Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed.

    That panel included aldermen in addition to Chicago business leaders and labor officials.

    It’s also possible that a minimum wage hike could come by way of a vote in November.

    Reports indicate that Illinois voters might be asked whether or not it’s desirable to see the minimum wage increased to $10 per hour from the current $8.25.

    “Study after study demonstrates that when you put money into the pockets of consumers, they spend it,” said Alderman Ricardo Munoz. “They don’t hoard it in their mattresses.”

    The logic behind the hike is that providing Chicago workers with a minimum wage that increases one’s “livable wages” means that in addition to having an easier time paying necessary bills, there will be enough money left to spend on local businesses.

    These businesses would in turn be able to better pay employees at every level.

    At least, this is the hope behind minimum wage hikes that are taking place across the country.

    President Barack Obama wants Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.

    Upwards of 38 states could be making adjustments to the minimum wage in the coming years.

    Michigan intends to raise their minimum wage to $9.25 per hour by the year 2018.

    For Chicago, the move is meant to keep the city competitive as the standard of living is among the highest in the state.

    Not everyone is thrilled with the idea of a minimum wage hike. The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce believes such an increase would put the state of Illinois, and most especially Chicago, “at a competitive disadvantage”.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chloe Bennet Says Acting Career Took Off When She Changed Her Name

    Actress Chloe Bennet believes her luck in Hollywood changed within days of adopting a new surname.

    The 22-year-old actress was born Chloe Wang, the daughter of a Chinese father and Caucasian mother in Chicago, IL.

    “I was having trouble booking things with my last name. I think it was hard for people to cast me as an ethnic, as an Asian American woman,” Bennet told The Toronto Star. “But I still wanted to keep my dad’s name, and I wanted to respect him, so I used his first name.”

    Bennet says that within a matter of days, she landed her first big role, a recurring spot on ABC’s hit musical drama Nashville.

    Bennet appeared in seven episodes of Nashville’s first season.

    From there she went on to become what some consider one of the breakout stars of the 2013-2014 television season when she landed the role of computer hacker Skye on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    Bennet is joined on the Marvel adaptation by another actress of Chinese decent, Ming-Na Wen, who was born in Macau and lived in Hong Kong before moving to the United States as a child.

    “It’s been great to be a part of a show which is groundbreaking in terms of being an American woman and being Asian on television because there’s people who don’t see a lot of that and I’m really proud of it,” Bennet has said.

    Bennet disagrees with critics who say the cast of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is too homogenous:

    “It’s funny to see people say it’s not an ethnically diverse cast,” she says. “This is the first show where two of the regulars are Asians of Chinese extraction.”

    Far from being out of touch with her Asian roots, Bennet has embraced them throughout her life.

    When she was 15-years-old, she left her investment banker father, doctor mother, and ethnically diverse set of six brothers (“two African American, one Mexican American, and the rest half-Chinese,” according to Bennet) behind in Chicago to pursue a music career in Shanghai.

    “It was pretty difficult,” Bennet admits. “I didn’t know anyone there and didn’t speak the language. For the first few months, every day was the same: six hours of dance and four hours of Mandarin. But I had to grow up fast. I like to call it my high school job.”

    After a few years in Shanghai and Beijing, she returned to the US, changed her last name, and set her sights on an acting career.

    “I wanted to be racially ambiguous,” she says.”It must have worked. The first audition I went to was for Nashville.”

    Bennet keeps her Mandarin skills sharp by practicing with Ming-Na on the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    “It’s a lot of fun,” she says. “We’ll talk in a nasty tone and pretend we’re saying bad things about the other actors when really we’re paying them compliments.”

    Image via Chloe Bennet, Instagram

  • Mike Ditka is Now the Spokesperson For Al’s Beef

    Football legend Mike Ditka is best known as the longtime coach of the Chicago Bears, but younger NFL fans may soon know him for more for Italian beef and pizza.

    Two Chicago restaurants this week announced that Mike Ditka will now be their spokesperson. Ditka will be the face of Al’s Beef and Nancy’s Pizza in the Second City and beyond. Both reseaurants are owned by Chicago Franchise Systems.

    “Al’s Beef and Nancy’s Pizza are Chicago legends in a city so close to my heart after being here for many years, and I couldn’t be more excited to support their growth and expansion,” said Ditka. “There is nothing quite like Al’s original authentic dipped Italian Beef sandwich or the original stuffed pizza filled with cheese and every topping imaginable from Nancy’s. Are you hungry yet?”

    As the new spokesperson, Ditka will be integrated heavily into marketing for the restaurants. This includes PR campaigns, branding, and store-level advertising.

    Along with the announcement of Ditka as spokesperson, Al’s Beef and Nacy’s Pizza have also announced plans to expand their operations well beyond Chicago. The restaurants will both soon increase their franchise expansions and revamp their existing locations. Chicago Franchise Systems is now searching for potential expansion locations across the U.S.

    Al’s Beef, which began in Chicago in 1938, currently has 17 locations in the U.S. including restaurants in California and Nevada. New franchise locations are already planned for Dallas and Chicago. Expansion locations for Nancy’s Pizza have also been announced for Texas, California, and Georgia.

    “We are thrilled to bring Mike Ditka into the Al’s Beef and Nancy’s Pizza family as he truly embodies Chicago where our brands were born,” said Dave Howey, president of Chicago Franchise Systems. “This partnership marks the beginning of some very exciting changes and initiatives that we’ll be rolling out over the coming months to support the continued growth of Al’s Beef and Nancy’s Pizza.”

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