#332: If the Cosmologist Ain’t Drinking, It’s No Party

June 11th, 2014 § permalink

As some of you might recall, I’ve been out of town for the last few weeks. I loaded up the site with as many new stories as I had ready, but to fill some gaps I’ve been tossing in occasional “favorites” from Getting Strange, a blog I ran from 2008-10 on the late, lamented WindyCitizen.com.

The blog was a search for Chicago subculture and acted as sort of a protozoic 1,001 Chicago Afternoons. I’ve already rerun stories of nude bicycling and Boystown during my trip, so for this the last of the Getting Strange flashbacks, we go back to June 25, 2008, for a tale of dark matter and darker porter. » Read the rest of this entry «

#331: Dumpster Tapes

June 9th, 2014 § permalink

Alex is short and funny. She laughs and whirls, cracks wise on tangents, then smiles a big flashing, mile-long grin to bring it back home. She goes to shows, teaches young girls to play the bass, jokes and giggles and wants to bring about real reform in immigration policy.

Ed is tall and also very funny. It takes a while for his funny to come out. It’s dry, witty. His deep voice sounds serious even when he’s not. It takes on an urgency when he’s talking about music, writing, music, cinema, music. Anything he loves, he stresses the words. He wants you to feel what he feels.

Together, Alex Fryer and Ed McMenamin are the team behind Dumpster Tapes, a cassette label of punk, garage and other DIY bands. They want you to listen to their music. » Read the rest of this entry «

#330: And Now, the Gays

June 6th, 2014 § permalink

As some of you might recall, I’m currently traveling the Caucasus and Asia Minor with my dad, as one does.

I’ve loaded up the site with stories to run while I’m gone (social media and newsletter handled by the amazing Benji Feldheim), but there were still a few gaps, gaps I’m filling with revamped and refurbished stories from Getting Strange, a blog I wrote from 2008-10 for the now-defunct Windy Citizen.

So, from Aug. 5, 2008, here’s a tale of friendship, Speedos and the dreamy eyes of Colin Firth, a piece originally entitled “And now, the gays.” » Read the rest of this entry «

#329: The Latest Installment of “What the Fuck, North Side?”

June 4th, 2014 § permalink

Under the candelabra of wine bottles, the pianist played.

He played from a raised platform in the center of the circular bar, his shining black grand piano surrounded by a Plexiglas barrier. He played beneath that elaborate candelabra of wine bottles and glass as the 5:20 p.m. crowd straight to the piano bar from work sipped dark reds to wash away the first day of a week already sour. » Read the rest of this entry «

#328: The Unsigned

June 2nd, 2014 § permalink

The old public bath building is beautiful. It’s plain, yes. Stone façade covering the bottom two-thirds of the front. Brick for the rest, coming to a flat, square roof with some triangular ornamentation on the front.

Simple and pretty, with a few flourishes to show people cared. Some swirled carvings in the tile. And a name carved in the stone: JOSEPH MEDILL PUBLIC BATH. » Read the rest of this entry «

#327: All Bike Rides Should be Naked

May 30th, 2014 § permalink

Hi. I’m in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, with my dad right now.

That’s right.

Over the next few weeks, Joe and I will be traveling through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, which makes it really hard to scout for stories in Albany Park and Beverly. I’ve loaded up as many stories in advance as my schedule allows, but there were a few gaps. So you’re in for a treat. » Read the rest of this entry «

#326: The Lost Gallery

May 28th, 2014 § permalink

At the corner of Carroll and Wood in the industrial part of town, just south of the railroad tracks and an Allied Waste transfer station — an open warehouse piled with two stories of garbage — alongside a corrugated metal warehouse, dingy and drained, someone tried to make the world pretty.

It didn’t go well. » Read the rest of this entry «

#325: My Place

May 26th, 2014 § permalink

I stopped at a spot I’ll never go to again. » Read the rest of this entry «

#324: Gucci

May 23rd, 2014 § permalink

He feeds Gucci rabbits, but keeps him away from the toy dogs he trains for work.

“Snake behavior,” the man said as the 12-foot yellow python curled heavily around his neck and explored the air. “If something’s too big for them to eat, he just won’t touch it.” » Read the rest of this entry «

#323: An Unripped Sky

May 21st, 2014 § permalink

Sideways lightning knocks from cloud to cloud, clobbering from behind with a shaky internal glow. A streak at times. A rip across the sky, light from darkness, bright power from threatening grays and greens.

A city night looks green to me, as I wait for a storm to start. » Read the rest of this entry «

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