events Archives

As promised, here is a rockin' photo gallery from the 2nd annual Chicago Snuggie Pub Crawl, which took place today in Lincoln Park.

Snuggie-clad party people took to Lincoln Avenue today between noon and 8 p.m., circulating between The Apartment/Lions Head Pub, John Barleycorn, Kendall's, Kelsey's, Halligan's and O'Malley's, to celebrate discounted drink deals, Karama Connection and America's most-adored sleeved blanket.

Karama Connection's Executive Director and one of the event's organizers Connie Naber estimated that this year's Snuggie Pub Crawl raised between $15,000 and $16,000. Though she serves as the Executive Director of the organization, she takes no salary or profit, so 100% of the proceeds will go toward Karama Connection's projects in Tanzania.

Part of the money will go to help orphans in Tanzania, but most of it is used to create self-sustaining projects in the country. "I'm not creating a welfare system," Naber said. Instead her efforts aim to provide sustainable assistance for people who need it.

If you didn't make it out to the crawl but you would like to support Karama Connection's efforts, you can explore investment opportunities here.

According to many of the Snuggie Pub Crawl's attendees who also went to last year's event, this year's turn out was smaller but the crawl was still fun.

"Last year was more into the Snuggie thing, this year is more into the drinking thing," explained Robbie Nimmer, who wore a blue Snuggie with a graphic print of Cookie Monster's face.

Despite this year's lower turn out, Tawnia May of Indianapolis insists that she and her friends from Las Vegas will continue to make the Chicago Snuggie Pub Crawl an annual tradition.

But I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...

Not sure exactly how I let this one (almost) slip under the radar, but don't fret my pet--I caught it in time. Yes, the second annual Chicago Snuggie Pub Crawl has arrived!

Tomorrow, Saturday April 10, the Snuggie Pub Crawl kicks off at Lincoln Park's very own The Apartment at 12:00 p.m. Closing ceremonies are in the same place at 7:30 p.m., with the pub crawl callin' it quits at 8.

 

Awesome Barb over on ChicagoNow's That's Awesome has full details and a gallery full of shnazzy Snuggie fashion ideas ripe for your picking.

 

[The skinny: the Snuggie Pub Crawl is a fundraiser for Karama Connection's AC-Orphanage, powered by Fate-Monkey.com. You can rest assured that your ticket purchase ($22 in advance, $25 at the door, discounts available for groups of five or more) will go toward providing clean water, food, education, clothing and housing for orphans in Tanzania whose parents were victims of HIV and toberculosis. According to this ticketleap blog post, The Apartment will collect non-perishable donations for CPD's annual food drive at check-in, too.]

You can live the Snug life, too! Chicago's Second Annual Snuggie Pub Crawl is Saturday, April 10 starting at noon. (Although I believe this photo comes from a similar event in California). Photo by flickr user Carlos Almandarez.

If you need a reason to go besides simultaneously helping orphans, day-drinking, and wearing a Snuggie in public in a socially-accepted way, there will also be some pretty great drink specials and a raffle with prizes like Lollapalooza and Cubs game tickets.

 

Eight hours of day-drinking normally sounds like a big disaster, but I'm pretty sure that the Snuggie makes it more than okay. You can count on Lincoln Park Now to be on the scenes, snapping photos for a sweet Snuggie gallery, too!

 

The news after the jump obviously can't measure up to the excitement factor of a Snuggie bar crawl, but you should "continue reading" for information on some other upcoming Lincoln Park events, too...

 

When I was a freshman at DePaul, I decided to start volunteering as an English teacher for a Burmese refugee. Another Burmese refugee and incredibly inspirational Chicago Burmese community leader, Poe Clee, was an enormous help to my student and her family.

He helped them adjust to life in Chicago, he helped them find valuable resources they needed, and he used his incredible English language skills to help them communicate with doctors and officials whenever they needed him.

What does this even have to do with Lincoln Park, you ask? Well, for the first time in 4 years, Poe Clee is going back to the refugee camp in Thailand where he lived before moving to the United States, and he is hosting a fundraiser at Small Bar in Lincoln Park on Friday, March 26 in order to raise money for soccer equipment for the kids at the camp.

Burmese people love soccer the same way Lincoln Parkers love the Cubs (or hockey--the Blackhawks!--did anyone go to the Brent Seabrook meet up at the Starfruit Cafe a few weeks back?). From the looks of the pictures on Poe Clee's poster, it looks like the kids in the camp could really use some new gear.

So if you're not doing anything on Friday and you want to support Poe Clee's cause (and maybe even meet a real life Lincoln Park Now blogger--me!) come out to Small Bar at  1415 W. Fullerton at 7.

DETAILS:

I have basically wanted to write this post my whole (blogging) life. Now, thanks to a RedEye tip, my wildest Lincoln Park Now blogging dreams are coming true.

What is she talking about, you might ask yourself? Let me spell it out for you: there's a winter storm watch in place starting lat tonight night. In a 24 hour span, Chicago could accumulate up to 10 inches of snow. That means snow everywhere--especially in the parks.

And as all you dear readers obviously know, Lincoln Park has got a LOT of parks.

This can only mean one thing. A lot of snowmen.

Good afternoon, Lincoln Park, and I hope this cloudy, gray final-day-of-December is treating you well! Hopefully some of our followers on Twitter will respond to our New Years Resolutions inquiry, and I can post those up for your viewing pleasure later today.

But I have a special New Years treat for you right now, dear readers.

There's no place like home for the New Year. Photo by flikr user Zol87, text added by me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zol87/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

What do beer, free rides, 5k runs, hip hop music, and butterflies have in common? This is a Lincoln Park blog, so I'm sure you can make the connection...

Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report, used with permission of Wikimedia Commons

 If you are a member of Colbert nation or a junkie who shoots The Office parodies on your Flip cam, maybe you can commiserate.   Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, also known as laughing gas, tickled Chicago when they reunited on Lincoln Park's Second City's stage for its 50th Anniversary Saturday night.

Those Best In Show deities like Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara were also on hand, and a celebrity-packed class of comedians who span fifty years of funny.  It hurts, right?

 

Little did I know when beginning to research Lincoln Park that I would encounter a Stephen Colbert cameo on a 1990 episode of WTTW's Wild Chicago amidst several topless respondents to that week's Dumb Question segment.    Back around the time he was Steve Carell's Second City understudy, Colbert was still wearing plain white tee's with dogs and muscle buddies.

See for yourself.

1616 N. Wells has been a talent incubator for half a century now.  Grooming the likes of most Saturday Night Live castmembers who didn't get their start in Los Angeles' Groundlings improv troupe, the Second City theater has been a Lincoln Park home to the likes those aforementioned, and not to mention John Candy, and Tina Fey.

Since you're probably festering with regret and/or jealousy to have missed the $125 per ticket alumni reunion show, indulgence is here.

By now, most people have probably secured their Thanksgiving plans and are daydreaming about all the delicious food to come. What's not to love about Thanksgiving? It's a day devoted to lounging, eating, and reminiscing with relatives.

But there's another holiday on the horizon that celebrates a different kind of binging--Blackout Wednesday!

I recently learned that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest party nights of the year. I am not sure why this never occurred to me previously, since it makes a lot of sense. People are home (or soon to be headed home) for the holiday and won't have to work the next day. That means that they are free to party hard the whole night before Thanksgiving with very few consequences.

And what better way to nurse a hangover than with cranberry sauce and stuffing?

If you're looking to spend your Blackout Wednesday in Lincoln Park, then you've come to the right place! Lincoln Park Now contacted the 5 highest-rated Lincoln Park bars on Yelp! and  compiled a list of their Blackout Wednesday bar specials just for you!

Looks like Mr. Potato Head's had a few too many! Where will you choose to blackout in Lincoln Park? Photo by flikr user Kevin Briody.

Just as you are beginning to maybe appreciate the onslaught of holiday media, we've compiled some bulletins to help fill your calendar.   Lincoln Park is absolutely saturated with opportunity to kickstart the season's festivities.  Some free, some frugal, and let's face it 60614, some are priced for the city's fattest pocketbooks (and you tell us if its worth every penny).  Whatever your circumstances, we think this list might help excite your spirit at least a little. 

You know those teeny-tiny, adorable little puppies that are all the rage in Lincoln Park? Well, they've worked some Chicagoans into a rage of their own.

Today at about 1:30 p.m., Twitter user @Davie_St posted two tweets about a big protest he discovered outside of Pawsh Puppies at 2120 N. Halsted in Lincoln Park:

@Davie_St: Passed a lively, homegrown protest outside a Lincoln Park froo-froo doggies-for-sale boutique. Looked like fun!
@Davie_St: Sign: "Here $1500 buys one sick dog. At animal shelters, $1500 adopts 150 dogs." Ah, good point.

A group of protesters from the Puppy Mill Project picketed outside Pawsh Puppies in Lincoln Park for 3 hours today, according to Pawsh Puppies store manager Alex Gershbeyn. Photo by flikr user kellymcheese.

Closing in on the last pre-Holiday weekend, you might be heading out to the Lincoln Park pubs.  Braving the Miller Lite free double decker bus that begins Saturday just might have to happen.   If you're looking to economize further, we've got some specials on hand.  You be the judge.

 

(and for those of you not going to see New Moon tonight, but still looking for a hip screening):   

 

Gaper's Block dropped the word on what's up at Facet's Cinemateque (1517 W. Fullerton Avenue) this evening:   a $9 ticket can be purchased on Facet's website for the Pitchfork-sponsored premiere of All Tomorrow's Parties, a documentary musical film featuring musical acts: 

Battles, Sonic Youth, Belle and Sebastian, Patti Smith, Animal Collective, Grinderman, Iggy and the Stooges, Portishead, Mogwai, Slint, Grizzly Bear, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Gossip, Daniel Johnston and The Boredoms.

 

 

What's red and white and jogging all through Lincoln Park? On Saturday, December 5 at 9 a.m. the answer will be runners dressed in Santa costumes--and a lot of them!

 

Lincoln Park Now is proud to announce the first ever Santa Shuffle 5k run in Lincoln Park, hosted by Adrenaline Sports Management.

 

After a week long binge on delicious Thanksgiving leftovers, you might find yourself feeling just like Santa with a belly-full-of-jelly. What better way to work it off than to leave the one horse open sleigh at home and dash through Lincoln Park on foot?

 

Ho-ho-hilarious! Next Saturday, a crowd of Santas will race through Lincoln Park for the Santa Shuffle 5k run. Photo by flikr user HowardLake.

There are little bits of news to be found everywhere in Lincoln Park today!  Last-minute notice of how to donate bone marrow to a national hero, nail polish, and that proposal from the Chicago Park District 2010 budget to raise program prices in Lincoln Park more than in other Chicago neighborhoods... and more: we've got your latest here on Lincoln Park Now. 

                       Photo: Jenn Kloc            

 

Executive Director of the Better Government Association Andy Shaw opened the candidate's forum yesterday at DePaul with the suggestion that the Cook County Board President's race will be the "most important race on the ballot."

And Todd Stroger never showed.

Beside the empty seat marked for the incumbent Cook County President, 4th ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Terry O'Brien, and Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy Brown responded to Shaw's questions, some of his own and several audience submissions. 

The 43rd Ward Democrats committeeman Michele Smith was elated by the opportunity to co-sponsor a debate so critical, and to call it a  "Lincoln Park-centric" event.

Does everyone remember Molly's awesome post about Todd Stroger and the BGA-moderated panel at DePaul this Sunday? Of course you remember! You totally bookmarked that blog post, wrote it down in your day planner, and called up all your friends and neighbors and told them about it, too, so that you can all go together after church or brunch.

Because that's how awesome and important it's going to be.

Well, on the off chance you can't make it out on Sunday, even though you really want to, we decided it would be a good idea to start a conversation going about the panel on here.

What kinds of questions do you want answered at the panel discussion? Are there any questions you have for Todd Stroger, Toni Preckwinkle, Dorothy Brown, or Terrence O'Brien?

Post your questions or concerns in here, and Molly and I will do our best to ask them for you tomorrow!

We halt this search for the best place too see glistening pints overflow on Lincoln Avenue this weekend to give you the in on something we find positively fabulous, and not at all nerdy. 

 

So, Lincoln Parkers, may we subtly suggest the possibility of spending your last 50 degree weather Sunday of 2009 steered toward DePaul University's Student Center (Belden at Sheffield) at 1 p.m. this Sunday, November 15?

 

The Better Government Association (BGA) and your own 43rd Ward Democrats have organized what promises to be a proper meeting of the minds amongst those vying for the democrat nomination for the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners seat in the 2010 primary on February 2. 

 

 While BGA President Andy Shaw moderates, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger will take on opponents 4th Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy Brown, and President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Terrence O'Brien.

 

In case you haven't heard, the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce has spoken out against
President Stroger's veto power....