Hey ya’ll, a bunch of Chicago-area bloggers and websites are throwing a holiday bash (see the full list below).
Here’s the details:
So, come check it out if you dig this sort of thing and wear the best of your worst.
Event Co-Sponsors:
Windy Citizen - http://windycitizen.com
Progress Illinois - http://progressillinois.com
Outside the Loop Radio - http://outsidetheloopradio.com
Chicago Carless - http://www.ChicagoCarless.com
Lake Effect News - http://lakeeffectnews.com
Chicago Foodies - http://www.Chicagofoodies.com
The Urbanophile - http://theurbanophile.com
Backgarage - http://www.backgarage.com
Driftglass - http://driftglass.blogspot.com
Windy City Wine Guy - http://windycitywineguy.com/
Fun Sherpa - http://blog.funsherpa.com
Chicago Bar Project - http://chibarproject.com
Making Chicago Home - http://makingchicagohome.com
Sound Citizen - http://www.soundcitizen.com
Loud Loop Press - http://loudlooppress.com
Chicago Dining Examiner - http://www.examiner.com/x-396-Chicago-Dining-Examiner
Gals Guide - http://galsguide.com/chicago
Windy City Watch - http://windycitywatch.com
ChiTown Tattler - http://www.chitowntattler.com/?page_id=6
If you work in the Loop, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be here with me soon, drinking in a seasonal pub in the damn Daly Center. How many times have people built you a German pub stocked with real Germans next to your office? Some imported Bischoffs and Glühwein - we are talking Hot. Spiced. Wine. here, people. Not to mention the food stands and the candy store…
amen brother, amen.
German candy rules my life. I’ve been there at least 5 times in the past 2 years.
Overall, I am glad they have replaced the coin parking meters with the automated ones. I never had enough quarters in my car, and especially as rates have increased, plunking eight quarters down with frequency just wasn’t very feasible.
That said, the machines have become a bit of an annoyance*. Particularly if it is cold or rainy out, walking down the block to the machine, fumbling with your wallet to find your credit card, often having to reswipe for it to read right, and then twiddling your thumbs while you wait for the receipt can prove to be an annoying task. I realize it is less than 60 seconds of time overall, most likely, but it is one of those little mundane annoyances that just irks me. I am particularly thinking about what an enormous PITA this will be once the throes of winter are upon us. Trudging through snow in the wrong direction, having to take off your gloves, waiting out there impatiently. Not what I want to do when it’s 8 degrees outside.
Anyway, what WOULD be smart is if LAZ created something akin to the I-PASS, basically a little automated device that you could buy, stick in your window and fill up online with a credit card. It could have some sort of digital display and you would start and stop it as necessary for parking. I assume there are probably only about five rate fees in the city overall—you could perhaps make it so you would choose the zone you’re in and that number would display on the unit to ensure you are paying the correct amount.** People might want to steal them if they had $100s of dollars on them, but it could be set up to refill in increments of $20. This would not only solve the problem of annoyance for many people, but it would also save on paper*** and help to further Chicago’s pseudo-green mission.****
*This is totally a white wine
**This obviously needs some more thought.
***I have about a thousand of those little slips.
****Heavy emphasis on pseudo.
Considering that nearly half of the parking meter boxes malfunctioned when first installed, one has to wonder how durable the equipment will be in the Chicago winter, especially when you consider snow turning into water, turning into ice in these electronic boxes. Ever try using a laptop you’ve left in your car overnight in the freezing winter (or anything else electronic) and use it immediately? Doesn’t work so well. The problem won’t necessarily be the cold itself, but it’ll be what happens when the moisture melts from ice to water when temperatures heat up. Also, I would think that the display on the boxes is going to malfunction, too, in the cold weather.
The I-PASS for parking idea isn’t a bad one, if the city could find a manufacturer to do all of this cheaply and overcome some engineering hurdles. Having an LCD display on the device would require significant battery power for the device and then you run into those pesky Chicago winters that drain batteries rather quickly, causing a whole set of scenarios where you have money on the device, but your battery died and bam, you get a ticket.
My understanding of the I-PASS is that it uses RFID, which is extremely low power. As you drive by, the censors “check in” with the device and match the RFID to a database and your account. Using RFID rather than a countdown isn’t a terrible idea, but would require lots of manual labor by Parking Enforcement to walk the beats, check new cars in, charge accounts, etc. This would be too costly.
The best idea would be to have a combination of boxes and I-PASS. Let’s call it “I-PARK.”
Each box could cover a certain zone as a censor (i.e.: like a Wi-Fi router). When you arrive, you switch on your I-PARK, which pings the closest box every 15 minutes. The box records your ping, deducts it from your account. When you leave, you turn off your I-PARK. If you run out of money in your account, then the box fines your account and you have a negative balance. This way you don’t need an LCD display an could use pretty cheap and existing technology.
Now, for those who don’t have an I-PARK (i.e.: out of towners), they’d simply go to the box and do that whole receipt thing with a credit card, just like we do it now. You could even make doing this option a higher rate per minute, thus making out-of-town visitors pay more and bring money into the city.
Pricing models on I-PARK could vary as well. Upon purchase, those within the city limits could be a lower price than those who live outside of it. If you’re going to commute here in a car and take up parking space, then you’ll pay for not using the CTA/RTA.
Uptown Theater - Auditorium
Next to the Annoyance. Who knew this place was so beautiful? (I recommend flipping through the whole album.)
wow. definitely worth a click through.
“I want to go to there.”
In Chicago the CNA Building will display the AIDS ribbon and the words “FIGHT AIDS” in lights on the side of the building to support World AIDS day.
“…with Christmas Spirit” says the
SearsWillis Tower.
Chicago, pt. IV
One day in April of 1976, Chicago Daily News columnist Mike Royko decided to focus on Frank Sinatra’s arrival in the city ahead of a live show. In his column, Royko described the constant placement of Chicago cops outside Sinatra’s hotel as ‘wasteful’, derided his supposed ‘entourage of flunkies’, and remarked on what appeared to be - to Royko at least - a wig on the singer’s head. Luckily for us, Sinatra saw the column and wrote this fantastically unrestrained letter to Royko in response.
Full article here and click photo to view full letter
I was told about this yesterday and totally didn’t believe it but it is sadly true.
“That’s right, at 3 AM early Tuesday morning, Chicago’s winter parking ban will take effect and will remain in place until April 1st.
If you park your car on one of these streets overnight, you can be ticketed and towed. The tow will cost you $150 plus $10 a day storage fee and that’s on top of a $50 ticket.
This ban effects major city arteries, 107 miles of roadway to be exact, where no parking is allowed overnight from 3 AM – 7 AM, no matter the weather.”
Via The Expired Meter.
Chicago Flag inspired Christmas cards :) I take cards very seriously, these are Christmas ones I was eyeing when I still lived in Chicago. They’re darling but I’m teaching in Seoul right now so they just don’t seem fitting. Next year :)
Range Life Entertainment presents 6 days of indie films at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
Assassination of A High School President - Friday, December 4th 8:00pm
Featuring Mischa Barton and Bruce Willis. Director Brett Simon and screenwriter Kevin Jakubowski in person!
Last Cup: Road To The World Series of Beer Pong - Saturday, Decmber 5th 8:00pm
Director Daniel Lindsay in person!
White On Rice - Sunday, December 6th 5:00pm
Writer/Director Dave Boyle in person!
Adventures of Power - Monday, December 7th 7:45pm
Featuring Adrian Grenier and Jane Lynch.
Anywhere, USA - Tuesday, December 8th 7:45pm
Writer/Director Chusy Haney-Jardine in person!
Woodpecker - Wednesday December 9th 7:45pm
Writer/Director Alex Karpovsky in person!
Trust Us, This Is All Made Up - Thursday, December 10th 9:00pm
Writer/Director Alex Karpovsky and TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi (aka TJ & Dave) in person!