CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS – LINCOLN PARK, PORTAGE PARK, LOOP, OLD TOWN, EVANSTON
LINCOLN PARK
Clark and Diversey is definitely an area that's not lacking in restaurants. Presenting 2 Sparrows, your new home for reconnecting with the benefits of a good breakfast or a solid lunch, opening Monday. It's a basic city diner that looks like a remote shack in the deep forest led by two Charlie Trotter's vets. Enjoy biscuits with lamb sausage gravy or the corned beef on rye or even the fresh-ground burger with ketchup (with gravy, beef and ketchup made here).
PORTAGE PARK
Chicago is home to many unique architectural finds that you really have to search out. And ninety-two years after being founded, Drehobl Stained Glass in Chicago has outlasted most of the businesses that specialized in stained glass in Chicago, and now they're the caretakers of that art. They have restored windows for the likes of Anshe Emet Synagogue and the DePaul University Library. Now most of their work involves front doors and transoms, about half old and half new.
LOOP
BOO! It's the final gallery walk of 2011. This month, Pop-Up Art Loop welcomes a trio of artists and their paints, pigments and knives; a spine-tingling exhibit from the Chicago Photography Collective; and an orb-like sculpture that's stuffed with floating balloon animals (yes, that's right). Plus, Chicago Artists Month featured artists Sarah Belknap and Joseph Belknap make their return as their much talked-about exhibit Catastrophe is extended for another month.
OLD TOWN
Remember the Tumble Inn in the "Public Enemies" movie? That was filmed at the now closed Frankie Z's. Now Jerrod and R.J. Melman of Lettuce Entertain You fame are taking over the location and transforming it into a new restaurant. The concept is not yet known. The brothers are known for Hub 51 and Paris Club and have recently signed a deal to revamp Ben Pao with Bill and Guiliana Rancic.
EVANSTON
Evanston150, the group looking for projects that could improve the city in time for its 150th anniversary in 2013, has unveiled a list of 100 ideas it will seek a public vote on later this month. Voting is scheduled to take place October 15 and 16. The vote will narrow the list to 30 ideas, from which the selection committee plans to select 10 to urge the community to pursue over the next two years.
CATHY MALLERS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
