CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS - SOUTH LOOP, UPTOWN, LINCOLN PARK, LOGAN SQUARE, EVANSTON
SOUTH LOOP
Great jazz pianists have always been easy to come by in Chicago, but one of the best has a new home.
The recently reopened Jazz Showcase, in the South Loop, lately has been showcasing top Chicago artists in ongoing performances. One deserving of the spotlight, is Willie Pickens, whose Wednesday-night spot could become a magnet for piano-jazz fans.
Though Pickens appears in many locations and bands across the city, his new spot at the Showcase places the focus precisely where it belongs-on his dynamic pianism. To hear Pickens leading a first-rate trio, in other words, is to gain a fresh appreciation for the creativity of his work. Click here to learn more.
UPTOWN
Keri Rainsberger is not rich. She works for a non-profit company for a scant salary. As most Americans are struggling financially, she hardly feels the pinch.
"I live so far below my means that it doesn't really register," says Rainsberger, the 31-year-old Chicagoan. "I don't have to think about money."
How can this be possible?
For starters, she has no car and commutes by bicycle. She also has no mortgage payment and chooses to live in an "intentional community," a partly shared space where $775 a month covers everything from utilities to meals.
This is a residential program at the Keystone Ecological Urban Center in Uptown. Her private quarters are about 400 square feet, divided into a sitting room, a craft room and a small bedroom. She shares bathrooms, showers, a kitchen and a large dining room with 28 other residents. Click here for additional information.
LINCOLN PARK
Just in time for back-to-school shopping, Frankie's on the Park opens Thursday in Lincoln Park. The target is boys and girls ages 8 to 18, with the attraction of about 80 brands such as Little Marc Jacobs, and the European line Essentiel. Along with gaming stations there will be a second-floor graffiti bar, where teens can customize their own shirts. The store spans a price range from $75 to $700 (for made-to-order dresses). Boys' suiting is covered too. Mention the Chicago Tribune before Halloween and get 10 percent off a purchase.
Watch for the grand opening party Sept. 5 and an in-store event Sept. 20 to help support Children's Memorial Hospital. The shop is at 2322 N. Clark Street. Click here for more details.
LOGAN SQUARE
What would streets be like without cars?
Now you will be able find out on two Sundays in October.
A network of inner-city streets will be closed off to automobile traffic from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 5 and Oct. 26, according to the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. Only bikes, scooters, baby strollers and walkers will be allowed.
Sunday Parkways is a first-time event in Chicago.
It will run along Chicago's boulevard system, connecting Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Garfield Park, North Lawndale and the Little Village communities. Major cross streets will be open to vehicles, however, so bicyclists and pedestrians will have to stop at intersections. Click here to read the entire article.
EVANSTON
More than 350 people and community leaders attended this year's UNITY Scholarship Recognition program honoring 2008 high school graduates and others in the education field held at Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Evanston.
Over $40,000 was awarded in scholarships and book stipends to graduating high school and college students at the ceremony.
"Our UNITY family of churches, organizations, fraternal groups and family foundations are very proud of the accomplishments of the students we honor today," said Sandra Hill, the 2008 UNITY Scholarship chairwoman. Click here for the whole story.
JENNIFER ARCAND & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
