The Connoisseur's Club

Jumpin In the Lake

2008-01-04T12:28:00.000-06:00

For some reason someone convinced me that it would be a good idea to jump in lake Michigan on 01/01/08. So at 11:15 am on New Years day Ryan and I went down to North ave beach and I noticed right away this was not some small time show, the parking lot was already almost full and there were people all around. When we walked around that restaurant on the beach and saw the water I also saw about a 100 people standing around the swimmers entry point, now I knew people took this seriously. As we neared the lake I realized that I may have made a giant mistake, first off the wind and air was freezing, and I heard earlier on the news that the water temp last year was 54 degrees and this year it was 32. Once we got closer I really started to kinda freak out, there were giant chunks of ice floating around all over the water as the waves crashed in all around. It wasn't even a beach any more it was just a ledge of ice. Ryan and I waited for some more of our friends to show up before we took off our clothes. Colin and Brian showed up with a crew and then it was go time. They stripped down and to my hilarious amazement they were all wearing matching American flag speedos. The laugh was nice but didn't last long because now with my clothes off and my bare feet on the freezing cold snow I really just wanted to get this over with. Chanting USA! USA! we made our way towards the entry point. I got to the ledge looked in saw the ice and water and went for it, It was cold but the Adrenalin kept me going I ran about 15 feet out and then launched my self in and under the water. When I came back up my hair immediately froze but I was still feeling good. Everything was basically all good until there was a little bit of a bottle neck to get back out of the water, since you had to climb up the ice to get out, this is when I realized... I was cold and freezing cold. I started breathing heavier and just wanted to be back in bed, then I realized that even getting out of the water was not going to help me, man I was cold. So out of the water I fly and then run back to my clothes, right now my feet I think are frost bitten. I immediately wrap my feet in my two towels and just stand there. The pain in my feet makes me forget about everything else, all I want to do is get them warm. My entire body actually has ice on it and the only thing i can do is worry about my feet I finally get them in socks and shoes without even putting my pants back on and then I start to feel better. We get some pictures and then head back to the car. As soon as we were back in the car and sitting with the heat on in a large and somewhat chaotic traffic jam, It was all better. I really wasn't that cold at all and my feet were all good again. So even though that was ridiculous and stupid, I don't really think It would be that bad if I was better prepared with some awesome socks and or sandals so my feet were not directly on the snow.

More pics here

Najstock

2007-12-12T12:00:00.000-06:00

A few people I know are throwing an event called NAJSTOCK being held at Joe's on Weed. The Bands that will be playing are:

BULLY IN THE HALLWAY
TOM CARROLL & FRIENDS
REDMUSTASH
DAVE SODEN and PLATFORM 29

All of which I have not seen but from what I have seen and heard they are all awesome. So check it out they will be playing on Wed. Dec 26. The specials that come with the bands are 30$ all you can drink Coors Light, Well drinks and Wine from 10pm-2am and $2 Jameson drink specials. Joe's on Weed is a huge venue so lets show these guys our support and get as many people as we can over there.

No Country for Old Men

2007-12-11T16:04:00.000-06:00

Well I'm not going to be the first one to tell you its bad because like all the critics before me I have to agree this movie was amazing. This movie is another success by the Cohen brothers. A dark movie about a hunter who when out one day happens to come across a gruesome scene of a drug deal gone bad. He sees that there are no real survivors so he decides to find the money that was supposed to be exchanged. He doesn't have much going for him in his life its just him and his wife living in a trailer so when he does find the money he keeps it for himself. This though sets off a whole chain of events that causes a lot of bloody scenes, so maybe some girls may not enjoy it as much, but leads into a fantastic climax. This type of dark movie the Cohen brothers have actually successfully completed before in their movies Millers Crossing and Fargo and this new movie takes the cake. As soon as I finished watching it I did want to watch it again to see if I could pick up more. I have a feeling I will be seeing the film a few more times and like The Big Lebowski never get sick of it.

Los Nopales

2007-12-11T15:44:00.000-06:00

A great little authentic Mexican restaurant in the middle of Riverside I went to the other week is delicious and BYOB. Los Napoles is much bigger than I had first assumed when looking at the place from the outside. We were greeted from all sides when we walked in and the people did seem to get us a table as quickly as possible. We sat in the back and gave the waiter a presseco for him to open, right away you feel a nice calming atmosphere in the restaurant. Its is not loud and on this day it was not crowded, a few of us went there on the weekend before a movie. The food right away was delicious. We started off with some some cheviche. This cheviche was made up of shrimp and tilapia marinated in citrus juices and might have been the best I have had in the city. We then got quesadillas de espinacas, but had them add chicken, which actually turned out to be the special that day. Another successful appetizer down and then time for the main meal. We got Los Nopales Skirt Steak Special, char grilled skirt steak with frijoles borrachos, grilled cactus (los nopolas in spanish) salad, and fresh cheese sprinkled on top. Even though the three of us were splitting the food we actually all got are fair share and more. Obviously on a hungrier day someone could handle more on their own, but the point is they don't give you little tiny portions. I cannot complain at all about any of the food and its BYOB which makes it 10X cheaper than LasPalmas with comparable food. So if you are in the neighborhood, which not to many people are, so if you are just hungry for some good food its worth the drive and even a walk through the snow, there is also parking on the street.

Platform 29

2007-11-20T12:06:00.000-06:00

They are playing this Wednesday the 21st. Please go check it out they are amazing. It is at Tommy Nevins Pub (1450 Sherman Ave, Evanston, Illinois 60201) there should be a good showing. Their MySpace page here.

Sorry, but check out the Pics

2007-11-16T10:54:00.000-06:00

The Renagade

2007-09-14T08:41:00.000-05:00

Stevie once again will have her store Truche being displayed at The Renegade Craft Fair which is located this year on Division in between Wood and Damen. As every year there is a wide range of things to check out so I would check it out if you get a chance. It starts at Noon and goes till 10 at night on both the 15th and the 16th. Along with jewelry there is art work clothing nik naks and even food. It really is worth going to.

A Tribute To Dan

2007-08-29T12:53:00.000-05:00

Well as of the 1st Dan and Hilary are out of Chicago, Hilary to Dublin and Dan to Buffalo then Dublin. Dan was a friend of mine and the apartments since I moved in. I really will miss him. He was always a blast to hang out with. Dan was the first new person I met really moving into the apartment. I remember back when I was smokin cigs Dan before he even had met me knew I smoked, cause of the million cigarette butts in the trash, and taped a pack of camel lights to our door with a little note saying he got them at a bar, but doesn't smoke any more so he was giving them to me. Dan is a great soul and is a part of my history in that building so I am giving him a tribute through some funny pictures I have taken over the years. Have fun in Ireland Danny Boy, I'll miss you. I am grateful though of the fact that I now have an excuse to visit Ireland. Save me a spot on the couch.

My MBA

2007-08-21T12:06:00.000-05:00

So I am going for my Master of Beer Appreciation this year. I signed up at the Goose Island brewery to become "educated" on all of thier beers. What this means is that I have to sit down and try all of the beers that they offer, no not all at once, but over the course of more than a year. The way it works is you get a little checklist with all the beers they have broken down by: spring, summer, fall, winter, year round classics, and reserve. The seasonal beers only happen during that season, obviously, but also they can run out so you will have to wait till the next year. That is when you go to the year rounds and the reserves. I started just a few weeks ago and haven't really made to big a dent. I have 5 checked off out of the possibly 45. When you reach your first 15 different styles of beer they award you with your own growler, 64oz, and same with your 30th. On your final beer though you receive a shirt showing that you are an MBA graduate and also your name is put on a plaque and hung in the Clybourn street brewery next to all the other graduates. I will let you know my progress and any especially delicious beers I come across. Right now my favorites are the Matilda and the Christmas ale, we'll see if that changes.

An Activity Day

2007-08-13T22:54:00.000-05:00

Well I was feeling a little lazy lately, not really moving around that much this summer, so I planned an activity day. It actually turned out to not be the best day ever for it, but a good day none the less. So the plan was to go into Wilmette and pick up some bikes and cruise the North Shore. After a short ride we would then stop off at Gilson beach and jump in the lake for a swim and some kayaking. Then lastly a quick game or two of tennis. The day went really well and was a lot of fun I actually got to work out a little and not feel as shitty as I have been. Kayaking was a great time and was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be even in a some what calm Lake Michigan. After kayaking and swimming for awhile we grabbed a picnic in the Wallace bowl a little outdoor theatre in Gilson park that is actually a great place to see a play or even a little concert. Then a quick bike ride to dry off and we were off to tennis. This was somewhat new to me seeing as I have never really played tennis EVER, but it was a lot of fun. I knew tennis would be hard, but I didn't expect it to be as ridiculous as it was, trust me I need a lot of work. After all that a bike ride back home to find out that I also had a wedding that day and was late for it. In the end it was a great day with a crazy ending, but I cant wait to do it again. I highly suggest if anyone can get a hold of a kayak somewhere to give kayaking in the lake a try. Its a good work out and a lot of fun.

Just thought I would let you know what I did last weekend. Some more pics here

Nacional 27

2007-08-06T12:02:00.000-05:00

Went to a fancy restaurant the other day with Erin. I have heard a lot of good things about Nacional 27, so I thought I would check it out. The restaurant serves modern Latin food and has a new and interesting approach to its ceviche. They also seem to take great pride in their cocktails cause they have a lot to choose from. The strange and great thing about this restaurant is later in the night they clear away several tables and become more of a dance club, they have dj's and dancing going on till 2 in the morning. Our dinner was earlier so, missed this, but do want to go back and see what its all about. The drinks we had were actually really good and made me want to check out some of there other fancy drinks, but held off. There is a 100$ drink called the millionaire something and has gold in it, that's a little ridiculous and obviously I wasn't going near that. The food we had was really good, we started off with a watermelon and Ahi tuna cheviche, which tasted like no other cheviche I have had before. The cheviche tasted like they switched the lime from a normal ceviche and used watermelon, it was interesting. We then tried some tapas as an appetizer and got the chicken empanadas, which were also very good. For dinner I got the steak tenderloin medallions which was obviously delicious and melted in your mouth. The steaks came laid over potatoes these were phenomenal. Erin got the pacific blue nose "hauchinango", a tropical white fish, laid over a salsa verde with cilantro. Hers was really fantastic and didn't taste at all fishy. For dessert I got the churros with three cheese ice cream. At this point I was really full, but still managed to force this down cause it was so good. Erin got the better of the desserts. She got, cuatro chocolates, which was chocolate cake, chocolate sorbet, pudding and chocolate milk. Overall the food was amazing and the atmosphere made you feel like you were definitely in a nice restaurant, but the feeling we got when we were there was they were rushing us. We received our cheviche and tapas at the same time as our bread and drinks then 5 minutes later we received our main dishes. So we had to put our meals aside while we finished the first parts and the entrees some what cooled off. We figured what the hell though, but then when we did start finishing things our cheviche, empanadas, drinks and bread they never really came back to clear it off. It wasn't all that big a deal except that the food is kinda expensive so you figure you wouldn't really be rushed considering we were there at an early time and it was not that crowded. Any ways like I said the experience overall was good and I would probably go back, but I would go later maybe just for the tapas and the late night dancing.

Usagi Ya

2007-08-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

Usagi Ya, another of the many sushi places in and around Chicago, happens to be relatively unknown, yet very good. It's not the best in Chicago, but a lot better than most. This passed weekend I went there for my second time and was just as impressed with it as the first time. All the food was fresh and tasted delicious. Sometimes at certain sushi places the sushi is either not fresh or it's not the right temperature (either too hot or cold) and what I hate the most is when they use to much of the vegetable, whether it be cucumber or avocado or whatever instead of a good portion of meat. Well none of this even has anything to do with Usagi Ya because all their food has been great. I think the only reason it's not all that busy is because its on the corner of Division, Ashland and Milwaukee. There is a lot of other crazy stuff going on at that corner that makes a good sushi restaraunt being on the corner a little out of place. It might have something to do with that it is across the street from Nelson Algren park, which happens to always be full of homeless people, but I don't know. All I know is that I have been there and it's worth giving a try cause it's better in my opinion than Zen noodles and Sai cafe. Oh and their Saki was perfect.

ZK Foods

2007-08-01T12:13:00.000-05:00

I cant believe it has taken me this long to write about this place, maybe because I always forget about it, not at all because of its food though it is because of its location. For some reason when walking around my neighborhood I never really find myself on Milwaukee north of North ave and when I do I really only go to the Hair Cuttery or Blockbuster, which is strange because there is a lot of really interesting things over there. Anyways, This place is a hidden gem. ZK Foods serves a lot of home cooked style meals, but also has some interesting dishes you wouldn't normally see. It seems there main meals at lunch are soups and sandwiches both of which I have tried, the chicken chili, split pea, and a Reuben sandwich all of which were delicious and very well portioned (the sandwich was huge). I also was there another time and was able to try the mac and cheese, talapia tacos and had a bit of Erin's "Grilled Eggplant Sandwich with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, roasted red peppers and fresh basil leaves" which was cooked very well. I saw the meatloaf and the turkey sandwich that were also giant plates full, but also looked good, probably checkin one of those out next. I really did like there soup though and they have fresh ones all the time so if you just stop in there they have soups ready for carry out and made a sandwich for me to take out real quick, but there seating area is inviting so if you have the time I'd just grab a seat. If you happen to be walking by this place definitely check it out.

Wicked

2007-07-30T13:07:00.001-05:00

I finally got around to seeing Wicked the Musical. It was really good. I have never really been to a musical before so I didn't really know what to think, but like all the reviews have said it was not to be missed and I'm glad I didn't. The seats were in the middle and up one level. The view was really good and the price of the ticket was not too ridiculous, though they were still expensive. I really wish I had read the book, but still understood and enjoyed all of it. It really does make you feel like you are watching a movie. It's impressive how they change the sets so fast and so smoothly. The costumes are well made and the actors I thought did a great job. The songs they sang were overall well done. Some of the songs were catchy and some were just funny, and the choreography went well with all the songs. The whole thing was worth the money and should be checked out if you can get a ticket. I think it has become a lot easier to get good tickets where as before you couldn't get anything without spending over $200. Thanks Erin for coming with me and finding my ticket.

16" Softball National Championship

2007-07-27T15:42:00.000-05:00

If any random crazy fans of 16" softball were interested the "No Gloves" Championship is going on this weekend in Forest Park.

For the schedule click here

Philadelphia

2007-07-27T13:54:00.000-05:00

Ok there is a little to much to talk about and I'm a little late so i will say a bit and then have to let the hundreds of pictures I took tell the rest of the story. First things first, I love Philly. This was my first time there and I did not know what to expect and I was blown away, blown away by the history, the layout, the diversity, the night scene, and the people of this city. Nothing, the whole time I was there, didn't make me want to just move there. I cant believe how strange it is to walk around and see buildings that are hundred and hundreds of years old, and yet inside them might be a new restaurant or a bar. I went to Philly a week early for my cousin Mike Gawlicks wedding, he married Erin Victory. Mike was nice enough to let me be in his wedding as a groomsman, that was a lot of fun, but I'm getting ahead of myself cause I was there a whole week just experiencing the city before the wedding, which by the way was great and went really well. When I got into Philly it was about 8 pm and I actually didn't have any clue as to where I was and or where I was going, I also didn't have a place to stay and no one to meet up with. The Nondorfs got in earlier that day, but were out to dinner and Erin's sister Joy did not get off work till 11 so in the airport I followed some signs that got me to a train it said it was going into the city so I hoped on it. I was kinda hoping like in Chicago, DC or even New York the last stop on the train would be in the heart of the city, turns out its not. So I missed my stop, but not that big a deal, easily recovered. After turning around I got of in the middle of what they call Center City (the heart of Philly). Hmmm... well then I just kinda wondered around with a tux, a bag of clothes and a backpack for awhile and tried to find maybe a bar or restaurant that looked inviting to just hang out in till either the Nondorfs were done with dinner or Joy got off of work. The problem was that not only did I not see anything to go into, but it actually all looked kinda shady and therefore caused me to keep walking, I ended up in Chinatown for a little while which was nice cause there I didnt feel like anything would happen to me. I really didn't mind any of this except that the bags where getting heavy and there is no real way to hold a tuxedo bag. Finally I saw a sign, which I later realized where all over the city, that pointed directions towards landmarks. Al had told me that the hotel and where they would be around was near Independence Hall so I followed the sign, which was just an arrow pointing up, but it made me feel better any ways. Little did I know that I was still kinda far away. Eventually wondering through the streets of Philly at night I was able to meet up with the Nondorfs right near Independence Hall and I realized that I was able to be in the same spot as the signing of the Deceleration of Independence on the 4th of July and I that this is exactly where I wanted to be for the next week. All this happening within only 2 hours of being in Philly. Ok all that was just an intro and I feel it was already to long so I am not really going to say much else except that Lorenzo's on South street was the best pizza and of all the steak sandwiches, Geno's, Pat's, Jim's Ishkabibbles and others, Ishkabibbles in its little pink open window storefront had the best sandwich. I did try the wiz, I didn't put gum on a tree, but I did see "the playground where I spent most of my days" and ran the rocky steps among many other things. The whole trip was unbelievable and I cant wait to go back. I'll have pictures in blogs below.

Mr and Mrs Gawlick

2007-07-27T13:52:00.000-05:00

Not to many wedding pics I think I was to busy dancing. The wedding though was amazing and the reception afterwards was in the Penn train station and was the coolest setting I've seen. Thanks Victories. Some pics here

Philly Photos

2007-07-27T13:44:00.000-05:00

Independence Hall

The First Bank

Rocky and Joe

Masonic Temple

Geno's Steaks

Click on the Pictures to get my sets, or here

Happy Village

2007-07-27T11:15:00.001-05:00

I thoroughly enjoy this bar and hope to be frequenting it more often, not because of the booze or the people (not that there was anything wrong with them), but because of there beautiful beer garden and there ping pong room. The actual bar area is kinda dark and dive-y with a good bartender and a small crowd, so therefore liked by me. When you walk in there are the arcade games and the jukebox with small tables lining the left wall. The long straight bar is on your right and goes pretty much the length of the room. Behind the bar on the walls are your standard nic naks like a clock with Bobby and John Kennedy, along with the classic Christmas lights and beer promotions hanging all around the ceiling. At the end of the bar you can either go straight or you can go right. Right is the bathrooms, which for some reason have an unusually large urinal, no problem, except it is contrasted hilariously with an extremely small sink. Passed the bathrooms and in a second room was the ping pong room. Nothing crazy just two Ping pong tables with a bar in the back and little tables all around the room for people to watch or wait. What I thought was really cool about this room is that they have a little boom box sitting in the front of the room with a pile of cds people have left, the cds are all burned and mostly mixes that you have know idea what are on them, but it is definiatly an ingenious idea. Right next to the boom box is a port and speakers for an ipod. Say if you came early on a Saturday morning and not a lot of people are there, just throw on your ipod and play some pong to what you want. Back out through the bar and out the other door is the beer garden, its real simple, but looks amazing. Immediately to your right is a pond and a garden, straight in front of you is an archway covered in ivy and through that are the tables and chairs. It is not huge and I could see it getting packed on a nice day, but it is worth checking out. There is no food or at least none that I noticed, but the beers seemed cheap and reasonable and the place is really worth checking out.

I Know I Suck

2007-07-27T10:32:00.000-05:00

Sorry about no posts forever, Ive been in a funk, but I will be back and more reliable. I have several posts I want to do so I will get them going as soon as possible. I doubt I can get to all of them today but don't worry they will follow shortly. I will start it off with a short one...

I saw this bike on the street the other day and it is the coolest thing I have ever seen, I have actually had a concept in my head to make a bike for the last couple of years and this is about the only bike that has come close to looking like my design. Its made by Puma and costs a ton of money and I don't think you can get it in the US, but its really a pretty sweet bike. That cord in the picture actually helps hold the bike together and if you were to steal the bike and try and ride it without the key that cord snaps off and the bike becomes unrideable (I think I made that word up). This is one of the many cool things it can do besides its awesome look.

more pics

more info http://www.puma.com/bike/pindex.jsp

Happy Birthday Erin

2007-07-17T12:09:00.000-05:00

A Globe

2007-07-12T15:36:00.001-05:00

My Aunt Peggy Macnamara, who makes awesome watercolor paintings and has a couple of books out, was asked to paint a globe for the city of Chicago. Its sort of like the "Cows on Parade" they did a while back, but now they are using huge globes. Anyway if you are ever by the Shedd or the Field Museum check it out.

Platform 29

2007-07-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

"The Next Generation" are playing another gig and this one is important. the last show at Tommy Nevins was awesome but this seems like it is going to be much bigger and better and since they are movin on up they decided they need a name change, they will no longer be called The Next Generation, but instead they are going to be PLATFORM 29. They will be playing at the Irish heritage center on this Friday the 13th, so come down and show some support.

Here is the link http://irishfestchicago.com/irishfestchicago.aspx

(They are still called The Next Generation)

or click here

I'll Get To It I Promise

2007-07-10T11:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I have been out awhile first I had Connor and Molly's Wedding on Friday the 29th, then I had to wake up at a nice 5:45 to go to the airport so I could be back in time for the Patriot Games, and after that crazy weekend I went to Philedelphia on Tuesday night. I stayed in Philly from Tuesday till Sunday for a vacation and more importantly Mike Gawlick and Erin Victory's wedding, which Mike was nice enough to let me be a groomsman in. The whole week in Philly was awesome. I cant get it all in right now, but I will soon. Many stories to tell.

Can You Name That Bug?

2007-06-25T10:26:00.000-05:00

5$ to the person who can tell me what this is. Found it on the stoop.

Manu Chao

2007-06-22T16:16:00.000-05:00

I was able to go see a show last Sunday at the Aragon and it was a pretty cool experience. The person I went to see was Manu Chao. His band that plays behind him is called sound system. The Aragon was packed when we got there. Luckily we had tickets cause it was sold out and there was a line literally around the block. Manu Chao was born in Paris, France and after, forming a band, he moved to Madrid, Spain. That alone makes his music interesting, but over the years Manu has played with all sorts of different people - groups from Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Manu is very much influenced by the places he has been and therefore his music is very diverse. At any moment you will be listening to French, English, Arabic, Portuguese, but mostly he sings in Spanish. The concert was crowded, ridiculously hot with no AC, the sound was not the best (not to mention in Spanish most of the time) and yet this concert was one of the best I had ever been to. The atmosphere was unbelievable and it felt like at any moment the people in the crowd would run out into the streets singing his songs. The crowd felt as though they really were hanging onto every word that Manu Chao spoke. He would stop, say some words in Spanish ("papers for all") and the whole place would erupt into cheers with several different flags being flow in the air. Also, the music itself was like nothing I had ever heard before. He would go from a slow style of rock to reggae to what sounded like Rage Against the Machine all in the same song. Being down in the middle of the madness will not be forgotten. Once it was over and I was leaving with a shirt that was now completely covered in sweat and my ears ringing all I wanted to do was go out and by one of his CDs and if he is to come to Chicago again I will with out a doubt be there again.

The Patriot Games Part 4

2007-06-20T12:22:00.000-05:00

Well it is almost time again for one of the greatest events of the summer, The Patriot Games 4th Annual at Oz Park (Webster & Larabie, Chicago, IL). This year it is being held on Saturday the 30th of June. As usual we are expecting a great crowd with some real competitive games going on. Hopefully this year we can exceed our numbers from last year because like last year we will be donating money for a cause. This year we will be giving much needed money to the children of Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (Our Little Brothers and Sisters), a home for orphaned and abandoned children in the south of Mexico. Ellie has been volunteering at this home for the past 5 months now and has come to know and love all these kids. As usual there will be tons of food and plenty of beer along with great people and a ridiculous time. Shirts and teams will be decided around 11:30 this year so get there on time. We are hoping for 80 plus people which would be a similar style tournament as last year, but we are expecting something more around 70 more like the second year. The cost this year is the same as last year, $35, with that you get a shirt, food, beer, an amazing day and also a donation. If you are going and can mail a check early it is always appreciated, 1848 W Henderson Chicago, IL 60657. I hope to see everyone there.

The Next Generation

2007-06-12T21:20:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday I got to finally see The Next Generation and they were amazing. They are made up of Tommy Sullivan, Eddie O'Connor, Johnny Russo and Liz Sullivan. They also had a drummer but I don't know his name. The band played at one of my old suburban hang outs Tommy Nevins Pub in downtown Evanston. The concert showed a wide range of what this crew can do. They played I would say almost every song you would want them to from Wilco to the Grateful Dead and from Jurassic 5 to Irish Music. They have also written their own songs, which are all unbelievable. The band was made up of two guitars, a bass, a violin, a keyboard and drums - it was an impressive set up. The strange thing I heard over the weekend though is that Tommy Nevins stiffed them and they were not paid at all. They were told that the bar would collect a cover at the door that they would get and then any money the bar made over a certain amount they would get to split with the bar. Instead they didn't even collect a cover and they also didn't give them a cut of the bar money even though they made 300% over what they were supposed to. Anyways, whatever, bands life I guess. They are playing again real soon at the Irish Heritage center. I' ll try and figure out when.

Guess I'm A Truck Guy Now

2007-05-24T11:37:00.000-05:00

Just bought a brand new Toyota Tundra last night, I really like it. This is actually the first car I have really bought that was sold by a real dealership so my experience last night was interesting to say the least. All the stories are true and it is for sure intimidating walking into that little room were you are negotiating your deal, but it all went well.

More pics here

May St. Cafe

2007-05-15T22:16:00.000-05:00

May St. Cafe is a little place in Pilsen. It's a real "diamond in the ruff." This place is way off the beaten path, but that doesn't mean it's not frequented. The restaurant from the outside is a nice bright color green, impossible to miss from the road. The size is a little misleading and though it's definitely not all that big, there is plenty of room. The menu is Latino mostly, but like its deceptive size, it is much more than it looks. The menu is actually Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban food, but has both Asian and French influences. The food is truly unique and has its own style. All the food I tried was excellent and enjoyed by everyone at the table. We had two different kind of quesadillas for apps - the Cuban with beans and cheese and one with chicken in it. For entrees I had the shrimp diablo, an amazing dish that I thought was going to be small, but actually turned out to be the biggest meal. It was mostacolli type noodles with a spicy, rich sauce and a hefty amount of shrimp mixed up inside it all. Some of the other meals at the table were a pork tenderloin that was cooked to perfection and was very juice. It, too, was a good sized portion. The salmon came out with rice, beans, and tortillas which made awesome little tacos. Last, but not least and easily the most interesting of all the meals and probably the bravest order was the chipoltle cinnamon chicken fajitas. This was exactly what it sounds like and that's what made it so interesting. Cinnamon and chipotle don't seem like they could possibly work, but it did. It was something new and different, but still good. The price isn't too bad either. I mean it's not cheap, but it is a really nice restaurant and it is BYOB which cuts down on the bill greatly. Transportation really has to be by cab; you could find public transportation around, but it's a walk.

Looptopia

2007-05-10T19:18:00.001-05:00

This looks like it is going to be a lot of fun. I will be checking it out later tonight it is located all over the loop and Kim's show is actually projected onto the buildings in the city so it should look amazing. I highly recommend people see what this is all about.

"Commute"
by Kim Alpert
1 S. Dearborn

This surreal installation features distorted video of commuters in the morning and evening over the Chicago bridges zigzagging down the side of a building. The bridges will be replaced with clouds and the endless loop of commuters walking represents the waking like of the influx of people who come to work downtown.

Starts around 6:00pm and goes into the night.

Quenchers

2007-05-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

I love this bar, it is on the corner of Fullerton and Western across the street from an old school diner. This bar looks real sketchy from the outside and is sketchy looking on the inside, but the place and people are not. The crowd usually starts out consisting of old timers but has a younger crowd that shows up a little after work usually to sip on some nice beers from around the world. They have hundreds of beers in this small place. It is set up so that you pick what you want to drink by the country. So if one day you want some beers from a country like Brazil well then you can choose off their giant blackboard under the Brazilian flag and grab say a, Xingu (a great black beer) or you can get a Belgium Kwak in a hilarious glass that actually needs to be held up by some wooden contraption. Quenchers also has a back room where they almost always have something going on, live shows, parties, karaoke, etc. They have the usual bar food not all that bad but not anything special, they do have a popcorn machine if you don't want anything, something I always enjoy in a pub. This is a bar to definitely check out.

Asak's New Blog

2007-05-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

In honor of Asak's new blog, sportstalk19512 I thought I would talk about some of the amazing sports we had this weekend, minus one horribly disappointing Bulls game. There were five Cubs/Sox games, The Kentucky Derby, the NBA playoffs and a big time boxing fight. One thing the weekend really did was remind me of how much I like horse racing. It is truly the most exciting 2 minutes in sports. I forgot the thrill of the build up and the back stories. What was really amazing about the Derby this weekend is how "Street Sense, the 9-2 favorite, rallied from 19th under jockey Calvin Borel to pass the pacesetting Hard Spun in the stretch and draw away to a 2 ¼-length victory in the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs." It actually was amazing even after they showed the replay 20 times. Street Sense just rode the inside post passing everyone one by one and with only two or three horses left he moved right, threading the needle and then just flew in front of the leader. It was really fun to watch. That was only one of the many great events that happened, but the other sports talk I will leave up to Asak, such as is it really going to help the Yankees that they signed Roger Clemens or is there no way they can catch the Red Sox anyways or can the Bulls bounce back from such a crushing defeat.

Everyone check out asaks blog here

Lotties

2007-05-04T16:41:00.000-05:00

It used to be great till they decided they didn't feel the need to treat their regular customers with any sort of respect. Lotties is were we watched every single bears game, unless of course we were at the game. The bar has good food, really nice waitresses and tons of TVs. It's a perfect place to watch a game, there is only one problem and it is big enough for us to switch our location for next year, everything is overpriced. This wouldn't be that big of a problem except that when you bring 25 friends to a bar and they all spend hundreds of dollars you would think maybe once they would by you A drink back, but NO. We went the whole season without anyone we knew getting one thing free or even on discount. The other ridiculous thing about there stupid operation is that they don't keep a correct tab. They just charge you anything they want and always more. I had three beers once and was on a tab with Al who also had three and our bill was 80$. They just give you a receipt with millions of extra beers on it and when you say something they make up something to get out of it. The end all though was on the NFC Championship game against the Saints the Lotties decided they were going to raise there prices, almost every other bar in the city had specials that day to celebrate. Other bars realized that they would be making more money because the Bears were so deep in the playoffs instead of alienating people. Well their lose. Next year we will be at a different bar.

Cans

2007-05-03T12:27:00.000-05:00

This place is not all that great, but I still find myself here every once in awhile. This place is more of a frat bar then anything else. It is called Cans for the obvious reason that almost all their drinks come in cans. The food is decent but I recommend sticking with the appetizers. Cans almost always has some deal going on. Mondays used to be 20 cent wings - I think it still is - and Thursday is $4 tall cans which is a pretty good deal considering they are twice as big. The downfall of Cans though is the crowd and the TVs. I mean are you a sports bar or not, the TVs are in the most awkward spots and you usually need to break your neck just to get the best view. The crowd is made up of mostly meat heads in tight shirts looking for some action. Cans also loves playing bad music way too loud even when no one is there. The service is also terrible; the waitresses are for the most part good looking, but they thing they are the shit so don't expect them to smile, hang out or even come back with your drink any time soon. They do have a pool table though, a plus, if you could use it. Usually it is too crowded to get in a game since it doesn't have much room to begin with. I guess this bar might be good on a Monday, Tuesday after work, but definitely not that great any other time.

The Bucktown Pub

2007-05-02T22:01:00.000-05:00

The Bucktown Pub is one of my favorite spots. It's a simple corner bar with a chill atmosphere, and usually not that many people are in there, which I like. The bar used to be an old biker stomping ground just off the highway, but since then has gone through some major changes. It looks as if at one point it was more of a hippie rock n roll bar with black light posters and old 1960's concert posters. It is not that way anymore, but still real laid back. Some little perks that make this bar better than just the normal dive is the stale popcorn and the games in the back. They have, obviously, Golden Tee and pinball which are great, but the real reason I go back each time is because they have old school shuffle bowling, a great game in which you slide a small metal puck across a slick waxed surface sliding underneath what looks like pins hanging from above. Once underneath it triggers the pins to pop up and you play like regular bowling, a great game, that has been the start of even better nights. Another good thing about this bar is their summer beer garden which isn't the biggest in the world, but it's never crowded. The beer and liquor menu are nothing special but they have everything the average drinker would want. The only downfall is they don't have any other food besides the popcorn. This place is real good for a pint after work or before you go out on the weekends. The bar is ok on Friday, Saturday night, but it does get a little crowded. I like going there with a small crew and hanging out watching a Bulls playoff game before going out. Like I said, it's one of my favorite bars.

Floyd's Pub

2007-05-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

This is a nice little corner bar. I know one of the managers so I have been attending it whenever I can. I like how Floyd's is presented its dark and looks like a dive bar in its intended apperance but, the food is amazing and the beers range from a 2$ PBR to a 12$ imperial porter. The music is usually classic rock with some Al Green in there so I obviously like what they play. The food I ate there was a grilled cheese and cheese fries, both of which were amazing especially the fries. The grilled cheese was a double decker and actually had one layer of cream cheese. The sandwich also come with some veggies and ranch, the only reason I mention that is because there dip is made at there bar from scratch along with all there other sauces and dips. The cheese fries are what really caught me off guard because of how good they were. I'm not saying they are the best I have ever had, that title is held by Mustard's Last Stand, but its not really a comparable product because there cheese is smooth and almost like nacho cheese at a ball game but, not exactly. They also add their own spices to the cheese which gives it a nice ting. I also ate the mahi tuna sandwich a different time I was there, and this was a nice relief from tuna sandwiches I have had at other places in the past, which for the most part have been horrible. The Tuna was not dry it was not over spiced and sauced and it had been cooked very well. The price isn't to outrageous for food maybe a dollar or two more than normal bar food, but you do get more than you can eat. I saw the cheeseburger and it would more than fill any appetite and also one thing that looked amazing was the steak salad which I think had a full giant steak dinner that smelled amazing on top of some lettuce. That might be what I get next time. Beers are priced accordingly from like I said 2$ to 12$ bud, bud light at I think 3.50$. Over all I really enjoy this bar and will go back I need to see it on the weekend though.

I have been severely slacking lately so I am going to try something in the next couple of weeks, I am going to try and critic bars in my neighborhood on a daily schedule. I feel since I have been to a few and probably to many this would be the best way to get me back into writing, also some of the bars in the neighborhood might not be around for very long considering the amazingly fast pace that buildings are being bought sold torn down and rebuilt, so hopefully I will be able to keep up.

Souper Cup O Noodles

2007-04-20T17:05:00.000-05:00

Cup O Noodles is trying to kill me with there newest concoction. As some of you may already know, I actually used to only survive on noodles that came out of a cup, that is until the massive heartburns every night made me stop, but I have never fully let go of my favorite after work meal, but this, this is suicide. It has 270 Calories, 90 from fat, and it is 25% of your daily SATURATED fat. This ticking time bomb of a soup actually contains 53% of your daily sodium. The thing must be just noodles and salt. All of that is only if you eat half of the Cup which isn't likely, holy crap, If I am not at work on Monday you know why.

Greek Corner

2007-04-19T12:16:00.000-05:00

Great little Greek restaurant on the corner of Damen and Augusta. Its a small restaurant with a little seating area but this place would probably serve just as well getting your food for pick up. I'm not actually telling a big secret but I hadn't been here before and had always heard of this place. Its been written up in Timeout Chicago a few times so I knew It wasn't going to be terrible, but I was still pleasantly surprised. I got my standard Greek meal that I almost always get, a chicken gyro with all the toppings, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and tsatsiki sauce. This thing was huge, it was overflowing the pita and had cheese and sauce every where. The food was great and, for sure, it was filling. Also something I had never had before caught me of guard as being really good, avgolemono soup (egg lemon soup made with rice and chicken broth) For under 2$. At the end I took some bites of there baklava which was really sweet but also really good. If you are ever in the neighborhood you should check it out. In the summer they have an outdoor patio you can sit at but it is gated so you feel kinda like you are in jail. Also they are BYOB and its not hard to get really full for 10$ so its a nice little spot.

Chicago Baseball

2007-04-16T10:56:00.000-05:00

Wrigley

US Comiskular

I some how have already been able to go to both a Cubs and Sox game this year and both were a success. Sox won on a walk off hit by a pitch, strangest ending t o a baseball game I have ever seen and the Cubs straight blew the Reds out of the water. I am real excited about the rest of the year. Sorry Ray.

Bizarro World

2007-04-11T10:20:00.000-05:00

Snow on April 11th

Game On

2007-04-05T08:26:00.000-05:00

Im am officially being stalked. Interficio has begun.

Ron Of Japan

2007-04-04T12:05:00.000-05:00

I cant believe I have not written about this place before. I have loved their food since the first time I went there years ago. The other night I went to Ron of Japan in the city and as usual it was amazing. Ron of Japan is a teppan style restaurant, which means that they cook the meal at the table you are sitting at, with usually strangers sitting next to you unless you have a group of eight or more. Your plate which is steel sits right there on the grill and as the cook finish each portion he just scoops it on to your plate, some times there is a little theatrics involved. a giant flame or flippin knives and slapping spatulas

Now the eating, the waitress comes out and gives you a fresh towel to clean your hands and face with then takes your order. For dinner I ordered the crown fillet which starts off with some miso soup, delicious, then a salad, which has a spicy thousand island type dressing, also amazing, then the chef comes out with a cart full of meats and sauces, oh and a bucket of butter and egg sauce. The egg sauce which goes on everything is what makes their food so good. I know that it is probably not good for you since it is a heart attack in sauce form but its just so good. First he cooks the shrimp with egg sauce appetizer and then some vegetables everything cooked to perfection. Next maybe my favorite is the beef fried rice which I like to add my grilled veggies too and then dowse it in terryaki sauce and have them put some of the egg sauce in, later after eating some of it I add my main meal. The main plate is the Fillet which is unbelievable and cooked exactly the way I like it. So after trying to even fit all that goodness into my stomach, which normally doesn't happen, but this time I finished it all, there is dessert. Ice creams or pineapple I went with the rocky road. Another overall very enjoyable night out at the old Ron of Japan.

Ron of Japan

230 E. Ontario,

Chicago

Tel: (312) 644-6500

make reservations

Big 10-4

2007-04-03T13:21:00.000-05:00

My cousin Jimmy is the drummer for the band Big 10-4 and they are coming to Chicago on Friday so if you are around on Friday check them out they will be playing at the Park West at 9, tickets are $20.

The Manufacturer

2007-03-29T16:58:00.000-05:00

Started a new blog dedicated to the strange stuff I make when I can, its called The Manufacturer. Stevie designed it for me and it looks really cool. Check it out at http://themanufacturer.blogspot.com/

States I Have Visited

2007-03-29T11:21:00.000-05:00

create your own personalized map of the USA

Stevie showed me this. I think these are all the stateI have been to.

Giardiniera

2007-03-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

Well its getting warm outside which means BBQ season and that means hot dogs, burgers, and brats. Of course when making these you need ketchup and mustard, but don't forget the best condiment of them all Giardiniera. I didn't even no the greatness of giard until a few years ago when Cerone and Asak had me try out a brand they were marketing from That Pickle Guy, a good fresh giard with a lot of different vegetables, but not my personal favorite, although there muffalata is really, really good. Another good giard to check out is Bari, there's is a lot more about the peppers. There "spicy" is good, homemade, fresh taste but they have very little or no other vegetables, I do hear that there "really spicy" is unbelievable hot. The reason I am even talking about giards is because of one I had from a place called Heavenly Hot Dogs in Riverside. It was so delicious I found myself eating almost the entire jar with a spoon. All these Giardiniera's are really good and I am sure everyone has there own personal favorites, but I still claim that the best Giardiniera is Racconto, an authentic Italian giard with the perfect amount of spices to vegetable to oil ratio, in my opinion, but I am always open to try new ones.

Well Spring Is Here

2007-03-21T19:38:00.000-05:00

Spring is definitely here. It was a nice warm rain all day today.
more here

A Tavola

2007-03-21T09:35:00.000-05:00

Every once in awhile, I like to go to a fancy restaurant. This time I chose A Tavola. This unassuming place came recommended to me by a wine connoisseur named Ryan. When driving west down Chicago Ave. you would have a really hard time finding the place unless you were looking right at the addresses of the houses and three flats as they pass by the window because this restaurant is actually in a little house. At first I thought I was walking into the wrong place because the entranceway has two paths - the first goes up the stairs and the second is blocked by a curtain. A man then opened the curtain and said, "Welcome to A Tavola. Can I take your coat?" We sat down in the only room they had, which was no bigger then someone’s living room. There were probably 8 or 9 tables over all, but none had more than four people in them and most had just two.

The service right off the bat was quality. Not only did the host treat everyone with respect, but he also helped the servers out and would come to the table often to check on things. The place seemed as though there was not one server but instead two or three people serving the whole room with the host helping out. Even though you did not have your own personal waiter it instead felt like you had three personal waiters.

The menu was simple with a few appetizers, some pastas and chicken, beef or fish for an entrée. They have great seasonal food, which I tried and was very impressed. I had "the grilled marinated leg of lamb with roasted parsnip puree and toasted garlic spinach." I went with Erin. She got the oven roasted chicken served with parmesan polenta and garlic spinach. It looked really good but somewhat plain. She said it tasted good but was nothing special. Overall, though, everything at A Tavola was very enjoyable. For a pasta I got the tagliatelle Bolognese, which was amazing. It’s very small, but you can split it with someone if you get an appetizer. The entree was really good and the spinach was perfect. What seems to be their deal is a simple but fresh and well prepared dish with some good wines to complement it. The wines, which are predominantly, if not all, Italian wines, are all really good. I did not try them all but have heard of a few of them and they are all nice wines. We got the Nino Franco Prosecco Rustico, obviously one of my favorites, and Fattoria Del Cerro Vino Di Noble Montepulciano 1999, which was really very tasty.

This place, overall, was really good and left me full and with a smile on my way out. I recommend people check this out, but a piece of advice: don't go as a crowd. It is more of a date atmosphere.

Almanac Magazine

2007-03-20T14:29:00.000-05:00

A really cool new site that needs to be looked at called almanacmagazine.com which is an online magazine that showcases photographers and there stories, which was started by an old Chicagoan I know just started. So definitely give it a look.

The Blackberry Pearl

2007-03-14T12:10:00.000-05:00

Just got this amazing new Blackberry phone, The Pearl. Its Tiny and has a ridiculous amount of features. I cant wait to actually figure out how it works. I've never had a Blackberry so its going to take a little bit to get used to, but so far it doesn't look that bad. So happy to also be rid of Sprint.

Rosa's Lounge

2007-02-27T12:07:00.000-06:00

A couple weekends ago I went to this small, dark, hole in the wall blues bar called Rosa's with a few friends. It was easy to find, but not easy to get to. The only way to get there is by cab and this place really is all by itself. There are no bars, clubs or late night restaurants anywhere around that I could see. The atmosphere and the style in Rosa's was all it's own and quite amazing. It was like being at the bar Blues Halsted, but in the atmosphere and surroundings of Marie's (Rip Tide Lounge) This place had loud blues music playing from a small stage at the front of the room, but was not so loud you couldn't talk to your friends. The name of the person playing that night was Guy King, who I thought was really good and was nice enough to sing happy birthday to a friend of mine towards the end of the night. Rosa's is also not very crowded and makes for a more personal atmosphere. If you want you can sit in the front row or like us you can sit near the pool tables at the back and have the same experience. The prices seemed to be standard, I didn't notice them to be higher or lower than anywhere else. The one problem and it is a major problem is how hard it is to get a cab out of there. We called 2 cabs, we had the bar call 2 cabs, we waited for an hour, hour and a half and still nothing came. Finally we started walking, not to go home, but to find a cab. After a few blocks one finally stopped, but by this time the damage was done we were all somewhat pissed. Next time we are getting a designated driver if we go.

Well I Jinxed It

2007-02-26T21:54:00.000-06:00

So much slushy wet snow/hail/rain. It was like being in a snow globe this weekend.

Cubs Tickets On Sale

2007-02-22T17:40:00.000-06:00

Just a friendly reminder, Cubs tickets go on sale tomorrow. Here is some more info about getting tickets at the Chicagoist.

The Snow Is Meltin

2007-02-21T08:53:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited I can finally the ground again. The snow and ice have started to melt and the temps are getting warmer. Man I can't wait for the spring, the winter was starting to get depressing.

Interficio

2007-02-19T16:35:00.000-06:00

Well, just signed up online for a water gun assassination game for the spring, its called Interficio. It looks hilarious and hopefully fun. The basic rules are that you upon signing up you give your home address, work address and a picture of yourself to the mediator, at which time your info is given to an assassin. Once you are signed up you are later sent your own "mark" with all there information. So then for 28 days in April I will stalk and be stalked as I try to take out someone with a water gun. If I can get to my target before I am "off'ed" I will then receive a second assignment from the mediator and so on. The winner gets 1000$ so its worth the frightening realization of how easy it is to be taken out by water balloon. I'm starting a team that I am told Al, Mike and Vorrel are supposedly joining, if not I will be rollin solo, April should be an interesting month. I'll let you know how I am doing.

New Fan

2007-02-16T20:56:00.001-06:00

I made a new fan yesterday, well I didn't really make it, but I did upgraded it. I replaced the electrical sockets on it, I got a new glass cover for it and finally I made new blades for it. The old blades were laughably small and ugly so I thought I would make them longer and out of aluminum. I like how it turned out and hopefully it can make the room cooler in the summer.

Dumpstaphunk

2007-02-15T12:08:00.000-06:00

Went and saw this band last weekend at the House of Blues. Dumpstaphunk was really good, the show was to short though. They were the opening band and since its the HOB everything has to be in a perfectly timed and structured order. What they did play though was worth way more than the price of admission. The House of Blues on the other hand is ridiculous. They go overboard on how strict they are. I almost didn't get let in when they carded me, I guess they thought I was using a fake ID. They pass you through a security checkpoint, pat you down and wave the wand all over you before you even get in. In the HOB they also do not allow picture taking, so if you attempt it they take your camera and delete all your pictures then charge you while they hold onto your camera. All this didn't matter though because Dumpstaphunk put on an awesome show. The main act on the other hand was horrible so we didn't stick around past his first song. If Dumpstaphunk is in town again I will definitely be there, I just hope they play at a different venue

Las Vegas

2007-02-13T11:58:00.000-06:00

Well I haven't written in a long long time, lots of work. The Bears lost the Superbowl, I don't want to talk about it. Afterwards though at 5 am I flew to Las Vegas to set up for a convention. For the last couple of months I have been working really hard manufacturing some huge displays for a flooring company. It is very time consuming because there are massive metal displays that nobody has made before, so I need to not only figure out the best way to make them but at the same time show everyone else how to make them.

Las Vegas was cool I have not been there since Al and Shea's 21st birthday years ago. I was lucky enough to stay at the newest hotel on the strip this time, the Wynn. This hotel was no joke, it was huge and portrayed itself well, as being one of the nicest on the strip. It had all the normal casino amenities, but then added in a few things that made you realize you were in an expensive hotel. Things such as the Ferrari dealership right near the front, the three Italian named stores right in view of the entrance, stores so fancy that when you walked in they ask for your financial statements and all the stores have the guys in black suits guarding the doors. What was also nice was the layout some casinos just blast you with lights and noise but this one was... well obviously not subtle, but not at all annoying. As you walked into the registration area they had a nice little outdoor patio that looked out at a man made waterfall and lake, at night the lake would light up with all different colors. I didn't really have time to enjoy the casino though once I got to my hotel room I was off to the convention center across the street. Here is where most of my time would be spent.

For the next several hours Chris, my customer, and I were setting up displays for the Surfaces Show, a convention showing off any product that covers a surfaces, in our case wood flooring. When I walked into this place I could not believe how big it was, the ceilings was as high as the United Centers and the overall space was probably 500,000 square feet. The booth or area that we were to be setting up our product in was something like 5,000 square feet. The space next to us for another flooring company was 10,000 ft. These things were massive, one booth had several rooms and even stairs going up to a second level. All the stuff for these booths were being made as we stood there. People were erecting lighting systems, huge plasma screen TVs, anything to get people to come to there spot was being done. We even saw people walking a group of attractive women through there booth who would later be the ones working the space in some what scandeles outfits.

After the first day we were still not done but we had to eat. Also we were waiting on the other display people to move some equipment around so we could work. You would think this would be a good thing that I got to leave a couple hours early the first day, but I was stressing out so much about something going wrong the next day that I couldn't bring myself to go crazy in the casinos, plus its weird being in Vegas all by yourself, it makes you feel depressed. I did gamble but very minimally on the first day. Sat at the bar and played the slots while I had a drink then went looking for food.

The next day went really well and I got everything set up, luckily before I had to leave, my plane flight was for early afternoon. Before I left though I told Chris I needed to quickly stop and give the casino some of my money so we sat down at a roulette table and 5 minutes later, literally, maybe even less I lost $40, so not bad, but I wish I could have spent a little more time. I did place a bet on the Bears to win the Super Bowl for next year, 8-1 odds, not bad. They have the Chargers winning it all, ha, not without any coaches. Well works been slowing sort of, so I will start to try and write more often.

more pics here

I Love the Bears

2007-02-03T11:44:00.000-06:00

I was taken on a Bears city tour the other day by Al and Bill, it was great. I got to see all the amazing Bears lights and support throughout the great city of Chicago. Here are some pics from the tour....GO BEARS.

I know I havent been writing much, but I have been super busy at work and I will be writing some stories ( of wich I have many) in the next week I promise.

Happy Birthday Russian

2007-02-02T12:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Joe

Nuetral?

2007-02-02T10:17:00.000-06:00

Red

2007-02-01T10:49:00.000-06:00

Red or Orange

2007-02-01T10:46:00.000-06:00

Orange

2007-01-31T10:00:00.000-06:00

Vorrel may have takin this picture, dont know, but it is orange.

Green

2007-01-30T11:59:00.000-06:00

Blue

2007-01-29T09:19:00.000-06:00

For Stevies color week...

Brooklyn Beers

2007-01-28T21:33:00.000-06:00

I'm so happy, Brooklyn Brewery is now distributing in Chicago. One of if not my favorite beer is Brooklyn Lager, but it has not been in Chicago till now.

Flickr Pics

2007-01-23T21:57:00.000-06:00

Juicy Wine Co.

Johnnie's

A. Finkl and Sons

Buddy Guy

More pics here.

The Bears Are In The SUPER BOWL

2007-01-22T12:00:00.000-06:00

Orlando

2007-01-20T10:03:00.000-06:00

After Christmas my family and I DROVE down to Orlando Florida to go to my cousin Jimmy's wedding. It was a good time, the wedding was awesome. My family was a bunch of dancin machines. Before the wedding we all got to play a little golf and take in the great weather. I would write more but I have been so behind I will just show some pics.

Late Night Drivin

Just A Tree

Tee'n Off

Anole

The Alter

More pics here

Happy Birthday Vorrel

2007-01-19T15:02:00.000-06:00

mmmmmm chicken

Christmas

2007-01-17T19:07:00.000-06:00

This is an old one but have to try and catch up haven't done anything since Dec 31st. I am slackin. I will start at Christmas. My family had the usual Christmas, good times, and I received some great presents. We usually for Christmas dinner go to my cousins the Nondorf's, but since they had just thrown a Christmas eve party for some ridiculous amount of family members, 85, they did not have it this year, instead the Tobin's did, and as in all of there party's it was amazing. After a big bash over there we went to the O'Connors to finish up the night with some music and Miller products.

The Nondorf's Christmas Eve

Nagle and Johnny at the Tobin's

The O'Connor's

Congrats Connor and Molly

2006-12-31T13:14:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year

2006-12-30T17:46:00.000-06:00

Dont Get to drunk

2006-12-22T22:15:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas

Presents

2006-12-22T21:16:00.001-06:00

A Flask Belt Buckle

Bear vs. Packer Checkers

I got these gifts, amazingly, from Vorrel and Stevie. Thank you so much, they are amazing.

George's Hot Dogs

2006-12-14T15:12:00.000-06:00

I am a sucker for old school hot dog joints and this one is perfect. George the owner and cook is especially great. He is nice to everyone who walks in and really makes you feel like you are his best customer. Just the other day I walked in there with 2 minutes before close everything was put away and you could tell he was ready to close up. I walked in apologized and said sorry are you still open, he said yeah of course come on in. He struck up the grill again and got me a pizza puff and fries in no time. I didn't want to bother him so I was going to get my food to go, but it would have for sure been cold walking 5 blocks in the freezing Chicago winter, he though insisted that I stay and eat, he genuinely seemed to want me to stay so I did. The food was great and I was glad to be warm eating hot food.

Christmas meme

2006-12-11T15:49:00.000-06:00

Stevie asked me to fill this out.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Some are wrapped some are not depending on how he is feeling.

Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
My Moms bread

Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Waiting on the stairs while our Dad checks to see if Santa came, then he would always coming back and say "sorry not this year"

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
The brothers and sisters give each other presents

How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Big colorful bulbs maybe some ornaments, Im a fan of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree

Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Dislike it greatly

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
hmmm...

What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Anything by these guys Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum

Christmas Tradition growing up:
Going to a different Aunt and Uncles house for Christmas eve with a million family members

Least Favorite Christmas Tradition Growing Up:
None

Breakfast or Presents First?
Presents, I don't know if we even make it to breakfast

Winter Renegade

2006-12-08T18:53:00.000-06:00

Everyone should check out the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend. Its at Pulaski park In the Rec center and will be in three different rooms. Stevie will once again be displaying her awesome jewelry. The fair is running on Saturday and Sunday from 12-5. There is a ton of different things that are for sale there from scarfs and hats to necklaces and earings.

NFC North Division Champions

2006-12-04T11:46:00.000-06:00

Well, Rex Grossman played absoulutly terrible but the Bears still easily clinch the division, thanks to, once again, the special teams and the Defense. The final score was 23-13 with Devin Hester running back a punt and Rickey Manning Jr. scoring off an interception. The Defense also had three sacks and a safety. The Bears are 10-2 with four games left, now we are going for home field advantage.

First Major Snow

2006-12-01T15:58:00.000-06:00

Today it snowed like crazy in Chicago.

(not my picture, AP photo)

New York Flickr

2006-12-01T14:23:00.000-06:00

The Crew

Phat Cats

Arthur's

Downtown

Little Italy

Late Night Pizza

One and One

Pete's

I've decided no more novels. My camera broke when I was in New York so some of the pics are bad, but you get the point. Each picture above represents a part of the NY trip. The top one is a picture we tried to retake at every place we were at. Thank you so much Nell and Cerone, it was great.

All pics here

Chumley's (another novel)

2006-11-30T18:25:00.000-06:00

Well another one of many late story's from the island of Manhattan. It wouldn't be a trip to New York without going to one of my favorite bars, Chumley's. This was only my second time there, but I was just as impressed with it the second time as I was the first. My first time I was brought there by Cerone and when we got out of the cab at the corner he pointed down the closely lined apartment buildings and said alright its over there. What, where, over there, where only apartment buildings stood. As we started to walk down the block it sounded and looked as though one of these Greenwich Village residents was having a party and as one person came out of their apartment and the door shut behind him showing a great old wooden door with a gold 86 on the front and a metal gate over the small window, Cerone said alright go on in. It wasn't an apartment at all. I couldn't believe what a great place this must be. I could only assume, if the outside was this great what was the inside like. As we entered you immediately walk up a few steps still not really being able to see what you are going into. After walking through a second doorway you can now grasp what this place really is. As you look across Chumley's standing atop the three stairs that lead into the seating area you can really take in the old feel, its like you are in back the 1920's. The first section you see is for people trying to grab a bite to eat. The whole area is covered in packed booths with waitresses running around trying to serve everyone. I wasn't here for the food so I walked through this section to get to the center room. Here they have a few small tables but it is mostly a standing room. The bar is along the wall and behind the bar coming straight out of an old cooper wall there are taps serving only Chumley's special brews. Every beer is brewed by them, but they do have quite a nice selection, red, amber, pale ale, stout, they have what you need. In the center of the bar is a statue of a bulldog which is there representing the marines, somebody must have been a marine because there was memorabilia like that all over. Sitting on a ledge above the taps there is a pint of beer and above that beer is a giant picture of a fireman. When asked what the beer was for the bartender said, "for him" and pointed to the picture, Cerone then asked, "when do you take the beer down?", "when he's finished" he replied. This was not the only representation of firemen, it was all over the bar along with the entire history of the neighborhood and Chumley's. There are pictures of many authors, artist, and poets among them Ernest Hemingway. There books, in the original covers line the walls, this places walls are in themselves a history lesson. After trying all their beers we decided it was time to leave and the way we do that is of course through the back door which leads into an open courtyard which I am told was an old stable, then out through a gate and out you come onto a street around the corner from where you went in. This place is especially famous because of this back way out. Supposedly during prohibition when this bar was a speakeasy when the cops came knocking on the front door everyone would sneak out the back, leading to the phrase "they 86'ed the cops". I love Chumley's.

pics here

Its Late, But Still The Greatest Game Ever

2006-11-16T19:52:00.000-06:00

I cannot begin to describe how lucky I was a couple of weekends ago, not only did I get to go to New York and hang out with great friends but I was able to get to go to the friggen Bears vs Giants game at the Meadowlands.

Ok, so on game day we get on the first bus to Jersey and we are off. Its Nell, Cerone, Joe and I all out of are minds excited about the greatness ahead of us. It was a slight warm rain when we left, so Cerone and I were obviously wearing bright orange ponchos. When we get there we are let off right in front of the Giants stadium.

Pat is sitting with a friend of Garrs so we go looking for their tailgate tent. Joe and I were lucky enough to get tickets through a co-worker of Cerones who amazingly wanted us to go over him and his friend, Nell we were hoping to find a ticket for outside the stadium.

While Cerone was on the phone trying to find his friend in one of several ridiculously huge parking lot by having him describe the way to go, a man walked right by Joe and Nell..."Got one, anyone need one". What? Thats doesn't happen, we need one, we have been off the bus no longer than 10 minutes and we already have someone selling just one ticket, this is to good to be true. So, Joe tells him yeah we need one, but how much is it going to cost, (they were on stubhub.com and other sites for over $250 a ticket) well amazingly the guy says "face value", that being $75. This was getting better every second, but it could be a fake even though the guy look straight, but then he says yeah this ticket is right next to me and my friend I will see you in there. The guy had season tickets and just wanted to get his money back for the extra one . We gave him $80 and started to walk away but he was addimint about giving us the change and when he could only find 4 he said he was going to go back to his tailgate site and get the dollar, we new this guy was legit. We all had tickets now and no longer had to worry about that. The game day was off to an amazing start.

So since this place is huge and Cerone and his friend were not having any chance of finding us the right path, we stood next to a huge sign and had him come get us. When we get to his tent we meet his hilarious New Yorker crew and started grillin. They had a little habachi out there along with some chairs and a cooler full of beer. We brought food and beers also but nothing like these guys had. They had brought not only burgers, but also they had a cheese and meat platter, and a huge one at that, and also a tray of homemade buffalo wings, which were not suprisingly delicious, they are New Yorkers.

Ok, ok, food greatness, tailgating greatness,...I'll get to the game. When walking in everyone was going in around the same time so it was just a huge crazy wave of people trying to fit in through not enough gates. The jokes in the crowd and the general atmosphere was fun , but I really wanted to get in. Before going in Cerone left and went with the NY crew. Nell, Joe and I were now on our way in and we were about to split till halftime, back at the tent we decided that it was probably better that Nell and either Joe or I sat together and the other sat in the solo seat. I went solo first and we were going to meet back at half and switch. Outside the gate Joe and Nell went up and I went down, what lied ahead I had no idea. I did however know that I was going to be sitting by myself, a Bears fan, in the middle of the G mens house.

I walked to my area which took forever, I think it was at the other end of the field from where I was. I got to my section as I looked down the stairs towards the field in amazment I quickly glanced at my ticket, row 4, I looked at the top row it was something like 40, as the math poped in my head I almost jumped for joy and then once again looked down the stairs, but this time I counted up four rows and almost died. I walked slowly and in aww taking in everything around me as much as I could while still being pushed down the aisle by other fans trying to get to their seats. I was in the Meadowlands and I had seats to the Bears Game and I was sitting four rows up on the Giants side next to the end zone.

Once I got my bearings I sat in my seat took a couple of pictures the game began. At first I was a little scared the first quarter was just ok and Rex was really not that impressive, Rex threw an interception that was ran back to the 1 yard line, and then the easy score. The Bears retaliated with a Robbie Gould kick, but going into the 2nd quarter down by a score I was a little nervous. Some of my nerves may have come from the insane, shouting, yelling and swearing Giants fans all around me. In the second quarter there was not a real big improvent by the offense but the defense was doing all they could to stop every Giants drive but twice they had to let up field goals. The score was now 13-3. After that there was the Rex I had seen glimps of in the past games and right before the half Rex throws a nice little touchdown pass into the corner of the end zone. Halftime, 13-10, Giants.

At half I went up to meet with Joe and Nell. As soon as half came Joe called, "Louie where is your exact section, we will come meet you." When they finally met up and saw the greatness of the seats they couldn't just turn around. They said there seats were at the top of the stadium in the end zone and there was not Bears fan in site. Well since the day was obviously some how going in our favor every time, turns out there were two empty seats directly to my right and when I asked the guy who sold the tickets if he knew who's they were he said we could take them he didn't know where the people were.

So now for the whole second half Joe Nell and I sat in the fourth row in amazing seats. The Bears came out of half time with a quick score with a pass by Rex to "Moose" and then after another stop by the defense the Bears scored again with a short pass to Desmund Clark. The score was 24-13, now the Giants fans were gettin real angry they wanted everyones head, the coach, the QB, and the left guard, but before the 3rd quarter ended and not before a lot of the NY fans left they scored a touchdown, but the momentum was still in the Bears favor. And to start of the fourth quarter the Giants came driving down, but the Bears held them to a field goal and a long one at that, 52 yards, the kick went up...short, and in the hands of Devin Hester. He waited a second and then, he was off he ran with blocks by Hunter Hillenmeyer, then somehow the next 2 amazing blocks were also by Hillenmeyer. it was amazing from the back of the end zone Hester was flying all the way down the field and in a matter of seconds it was over Devin Hester had just tied the longest score in football history tying Nathan Vasher a cornerback for the Bears who got the record last year. The game and the night was going perfect.

The Bears would score again only minutes later, but the damage was done, nobody could recover from that and as the time dwindled down and the Giants fans left the stadium, I could only look around at the empty seats, Nell and Joe and thank God for how lucky I was that somehow Cerone got me tickets and that I was in New York and had just been to the greatest football game ever.

The Halloween Party

2006-11-08T13:14:00.000-06:00

More great pics Here

Grupo Di Amici

2006-11-07T16:02:00.000-06:00

IMG_3143, originally uploaded by Manufacturer.

This place is a hidden gem, it is right next to the Morse L stop in Rogers Park. They make brick oven Roma style pizza and they do it well. The oven has to be over 10 feet tall and is the centerpiece of the restaurant. They have a great wine list and a surprisingly large amount of food, I mean you would think the pizza is there bread and butter, turns out it is only a small part of their menu. There appetizer were phenomenal especially the buffalo mozzarella. We all split some entrees along with three pizzas which was more than enough food. We had pork chops and potatoes, along with veal ravioli and the pizzas. The food was delicious and there was nothing I could complain about. Hope to be back soon.

New Flickr Pics

2006-11-07T14:27:00.000-06:00

More here

RevoFuel

2006-11-01T13:09:00.000-06:00

Here is a website worth checking out, RevoFuel. It is a "nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding the marketplace for energy efficient products" which is very much needed concidering the way in which our country is headed. Anyways I will let you read it for yourself and make your own decisions, but do check it out, http://www.revofuel.org/wscraft/page.php?id=90.

Some Wines

2006-11-01T09:18:00.000-06:00

Some wines I have been drinking lately that are really, really good,

Cusamano
Colonia Las Liebres
Caldora
Nino Franco

And yes of course they are all Vin Divino Wines, what can I say Ryan is good at pushing his product.

The McRib

2006-10-31T15:47:00.000-06:00

Why, O, Why am I addicted to the McRib, I don't even know what this thing is made of and yet every time it makes its once a year appearance I need it. I know it has zero, if not negative, nutritional value, but the taste of the bbq sauce, that mystery meat and those way to many onions just have a grip on my mind and have for some time now. What is also funny is I think McDonald's knows they are addictive to people and use it to there advantage as seen in there ad campaigns http://www.mcrib.com/ , they must put something in the sauce, I mean it is so needed by people that there are actually websites devoted to following it around the country. Damn you Mickey D's, Why can I not stop eating your crappy food that makes me feel like shit right after I am done eating it. I would like to pretend that I am going to stop eating McDonald's and in particular the McRib, but there is no point in lying to myself. So for the next month that this stupid sandwich is out I will be having my own internal battles...Hope I can win a few.

Lindy Hop

2006-10-30T17:29:00.000-06:00

Tonight Carmel and I will have completed the first installment of our Lindy Hop classes from Big City Swing, so they are having us all go to the bar Fizz after class were we will be dancing a small portion of the night away. Its starts at 10 and I think is like 5$ to get in and anyone can come. They have live DJ's playing swing, blues, and jazz all night. I haven't been to this in awhile so it should be interesting hope I can remember the moves. Any one interested in coming should stop by it will be fun. Here is some stuff going on this week in the world of swing dancin.

Mondays @ Fizz Bar & Grill (3220 N Lincoln Ave)
Tuesdays @ Big City Swing (1012 W Randolph St)
Wednesdays @ Green Dolphin Street (Webster & Ashland)
Thursdays @ Images (see the Windyhop.org calendar for current dates / schedule)
Fridays @ Java Jive (see the Windyhop.org calendar for current dates / schedule)

Bears Shoes

2006-10-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

bears shoes, originally uploaded by Manufacturer.

I just ordered these shoes. I got to custom design them myself. They should be coming in next Friday just in time for my trip to New York were I will be watching the Bears beat the Giants.

New roommate

2006-10-26T12:14:00.000-05:00

IMG_1671.jpg, originally uploaded by trudesign.

Well Ryno, my friend and old roommate, moved out, so I put an add on craiglist for a new roommate and after many applicants I am now living with Erin McIntee. She is originally from Michigan, outside of Detroit. After college she did some traveling, then lived in Baltimore and worked in DC for the last year or so and now like most Michiganders is living in the Chi. So, there is a new addition to the stoop.

Halloween/Yelp

2006-10-24T14:32:00.000-05:00

Hope every one is ready for Halloween. I have my costum ready it should be hilarious, cant wait to bust it out. Stevie is throwin a bash at the old stoop, I'm excited.

Also, I found a new way to talk about things I like and dont like. Its called Yelp. So now I will be venting and complimenting a lot more over the internet should be fun.

Upcoming Shows

2006-10-20T16:16:00.000-05:00

A couple of really good shows are coming up at the Metro that should be looked at:

The Saw Doctors October 24, Jamie Lidell is playing on the 27, already bought my tickets for this one.

And the Chicago International Film Festival is going on this month along with the Haunted "L" rides which I plan on checking out. Its free, tickets are first-come, first-serve beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. Saturday.

Unbelievable

2006-10-19T16:27:00.000-05:00

I know this is late and should have actually been written on Monday night because of the greatness that took place, but I've been a little busy, sorry. Ok so on to the night in which I had three heart attacks. The Bears versus the Arizona Cardinals, just as an example of how bad the Cards are they put the point spread on the game at 12 and a half points, on Monday night football.

The Bears get the ball first and what do they do on the first play, a bomb to Berrian, deep, his man is beat and he is open the throw... LONG, crap, then three and out. Nothing to worry about though the game just started. Man were we wrong the Cardinals were picking apart the defense piece by piece in the first half. Short routes, catching the corners off guard who were playing them to deep. Massive protection for there rookie quarterback, Matt Lienert, giving him all day to throw. The run though that didn't have a chance. They were a unstoppable wall when Arizona tried handing the ball off to Edgerrian James.

The biggest problem though was the great Sexy Rexy, who was neither great nor sexy. He was over throwing passes left, right and up the middle, I think Muhammed had one catch. The game continuously got more and more depressing as the half went by. The score at halftime 20-0. We needed something to happen and fast.

Well, the offense came out after half and still were just as terrible, Rex could not get anything going, somehow they scored a fieldgoal, but the real story was that after half you could see a little something new in the defense, and that little something was the absolutely psychotic Brian Urlacher. The man was literally everywhere, he was in on or making ever single tackle. He stuffed all the Cardinals lines of offense. The rest of the D was also pickin up the slack of the offense and late in the third quarter caused a fumble and recovered it for a touchdown, but still the score was now 23-10.

In the fourth quarter the same was still happening the Bears offense was terrible the D was now lookin great and... Urlacher could fly, but all this was to no avail because all the Cardinals had to do was run out the clock and with 7 minutes left that is what they planned to do. Hand the ball off to the good running back let him go and let the clock die down in one of the biggest upsets in awhile. But, then with 5 minutes left and all hopes and dreams fading from all the wishful eyes of Bears fans all around me Urlacher strips the ball out Edgerins hands by shear force and will, the ball goes flying and then is immediately scooped up by Tillman who runs it all the way back for a touchdown.

The defense tired and beaten up has to immediately turn around and play D all over again but this time the hope is back and they have a attitude that cannot be defeated. The score is now 23-17. What does the D do led by Superman they stop them in three and force them to punt, but what does that even matter the offense has been playing like crap all game, well they punt to Devin Hester the rookie and he takes off with a nice block in the beginning, duckin and weavin in and out of Cardinals only a couple more Cards to get by and of course there is a guy comin right for him, but then out of nowhere URLACHER with a huge block to let Hester take on the kicker who he easily blows by, TOUCHDOWN. The Bears now lead by 1 and there are three minutes to play.

The defense, who now basically has not left the field in 7 minutes worth of play, is back on the field again ready to defend there small lead, but its not easy and they let up some big plays. Lienert lead them all the way down to the 22 yard line and with no time on the clock hands the ball over to there veteran kicker for a 40 yard fieldgoal. The kick is up and its... NO GOOD, wide left, he missed it, amazing the Bears win. The Bears Win. Chairs are knocked over people yelling and screaming all over the Chicagoland, drinks flyin, people are dancing. The Bears Defense and special teamed just pulled off greatness comback in the last 7 minutes off that game. It was truly unbelievable and something I will never forget. I am so glad that I would have never stopped watching that game, and don't feel sorry for those who did.

Oh and Happy Birthday Meg and Ditka

The Best Pint In The City

2006-10-10T11:23:00.000-05:00

There is a place called Celtic Crossings on Clark, just off of Chicago, that pours a mean pint of Guinness. They have the obvious "true" old Irish bar feel with the Bar tenders all from Ireland, and from what I can tell they are all named John, but why they are so great is their Guinness. They fly in Kegs weekly from Dublin and they know how to pour it right. Also they, like a true Irish bar, love to hang out and tell stories. Here there is no loud music or loud noises from a Golden Tee machine, there is just the sound of conversation and the occasional phone ringing. They do have though live Irish Music every once in awhile. So, if you are ever wanting to hang out and just talk with friends or hear stories and jokes from an old Irish man than this is the perfect place to get that and a great pint of Guinness

more pics here

Straight Domination

2006-10-09T11:58:00.000-05:00

Its Unbelievable how good the Bears look this year. They are truly the best team in the NFL right now. Another great performance in every aspect of the game. Everyone this week, as in weeks past, contributed; from the air and ground offense, to the solid foot of Robbie Gould and of course the monsterous defense. They were beating a supposed good team in the Buffalo Bills so badly that they brought in there second string quarter back and ran the ball for the whole 4th quarter. I am not going to jinx them to much, but if there is any team right now that has ever look like a shoe in to go deep into the playoffs this is it. The final score 40-7. GO BEARS.

Spacca Napoli

2006-10-03T12:04:00.000-05:00

WOW! This place was amazing. Thanks to Ryan for bringing me to this place. Ok, we walk in and are immediately greeted by the owner who gives us all big hellos as we sit at are table and even before our waiter gets there the owner, John, gives us all glasses of Presecco, an amazing sparkling wine from Italy. The waiter than came over to take our order.

We order some appetizers prosciutto and mozzarella and some salmon, it was unbelievable. We then ordered our pizzas two reds and a white. The first, diavolo, a red with spicy sausage slices and mozzarella, all of the ingredients are flown in from Naples weekly. Next we order a broccoli and sausage white pizza which was amazing and finally a four cheese red, which was dripping with flavor. Once our order was placed and we had drank a glass of our wine we walked up to the giant wood burning oven they had.

This thing was built right into the wall and all the material that were used to build it were flown in from... yep, Naples. We watched as the owners wife prepared the pizzas, not by tossing them but by smashing them to the circumference by hand. Once they were prepared they are sent into the oven, which I think burns at 1600 degrees. Ryan set his timer, a guy with a paddle rotates all the pizzas as they are inside making sure they cook evenly, 60 seconds later they were out of the oven and on there way to our table. The pizzas were like nothing I have had before, the crust the flavors the presentation everything made me realize that I have been eating a lot of bad pizzas. This place needs to be visited by me more often and I am sure it will be.