James Brown

The Godfather of Soul, The Hardest Working Man in Showbuisness, Mr. Dynamite, Soul Brother Number One, The Hit Man, The Creator, The Minister of the New New Super Heavy Funk, The Original Disco Man... James Brown. Thanks to my Cousin Carmel I was able to see him live last week at the House of Blues.

The show was amazing. We were hearing stories about him being old and not that good to see live, but the show was really good and he, I thought, was performing well. He is about a hundred years old so he obviously did not do the splits and when he went down on one knee and got his cape put on him he did not pop back up like you would have expected. He did however put on a great show and still had some of his old moves. He plays with a huge band behind him and they were really good also. The band is called the J&B's and they all would play little solos throughout the show which were all really good. The show is all a huge production and is more Vegas style than anything else, but that is exactly what I expected going to see someone called Soul Brother Number One.

The show was amazing and I am so glad that I was able to see the Godfather of Soul in my lifetime.

Munich

Went and saw Munich last night in the theatres. It was good, defiantly worth watching on the big screen. The movie was long, 2 hours and 44 min, my butt fell asleep and I still had an hour to go. The movie though had to be that long otherwise they would not have been able to tell any of the story.

The movie is not about the Munich Olympics entirely, which I thought it was going to be, instead it is more about what Israel tries do do because of what happened at the Olympics and really that the group Black September was able to get away with so much while the world watched and yet nothing was being done about it by the world community. The movie is obviously biased but does try and give you the other sides point of view, it doesget shot down quickly thhough.

The movie does leave some questions unanswered, thank god they were not all answered, but does a good job of making you think. The movie can be confusing at times, but keeps your interest throughout and tries to show the struggles that the Israelis and a little of what the Palestinians are going through.

Overall good movie lots of info and action and worth the admission price.

Water Towers

I have been thinking about water towers a lot, not the Water Tower, but water towers. They are on top of every old building over 6 stories high. If you are looking for them in the city you cannot miss them they are every where. I had heard about a project going on in the arcitectual world that involved making those old water towers useful in some way. I like this idea because they would not be tearing these great pieces of history down but instead modernizing them.

I was then told just the other day that the Chicago Cultural Museum was going to have an exhibit showing all of the projects that were entered. This includeds almost 100 proposals. Thanks Reilly for that find.

I am really looking forward to checking this exhibit out. The museum is in a great location right across the street from millenium park and down the block from the Art Institute, so there is plenty to do before or after you check out the water tanks.

It takes place at:
The Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602

The exhibit goes until the 29th of January. Info

Coast

This may be one of the best sushi places in Chicago if not straight up the best, period. I have eaten from Coast before and always been blown away by there food, but this weekend I was able to actually go to the restaurant. We did not have a reservation, luckily though they had an opening early in the night. I was also there with a great crew so I knew the night would all go well.

Like I said I was aware going in that there food was good, I have had some of there take out, but still did not know what to expect. My real fear was the price. Walking into the restaurant did not ease my tension. This place is very stylish. A low lit restaurant with the sushi bar along one wall and booths along the other. It was very "sharp" and "clean", with great artwork along the walls. We were then escorted into a second room with a similar theme except just booths along both walls. I was later told that this second room had just been added.

The great thing about Coast is that it is BYOB, so we brought a couple of bottles of wine with us. We started of the night with Edamame, which is just boiled soybeans. They were delicious once I was told how to actually eat them by Blair. After a laugh at the fact that I had no idea what I was doing we started to order.
First an Unagi, which is fresh water eel laid over rice, for everyone. Also an order of coast crab, a volcano, a couple of white dragons, the Alaskan, and a spicy tuna, the reason for naming them all is because we still got more after all this and the price was still reasonable in the end.

This restaurant from atmosphere to service; to especially the food was amazing. I will definitely be going there again and can't wait.

The Green Door

This is a great place to get some food at. I have always been impressed with there food and drink selection. The Green Door is a really old building in the River North area and has actually been around since right after the Chicago fire. This makes it unique in its own way because it is made out of wood, which they did not allow at that time so close to the loop. The original door is still used and you can tell that it is so old because of the slant that it is on.

This restaurant slash bar is great because of the people who work there's attitudes. Its not like Ed Debevicks, always yelling at you, but instead they are just really relaxed and nonchalant.

The Green Door has really good "bar" food and also great little side meals. They also have a very healthy beer selection with some interesting beers that I have only seen at this bar.

So if in that part of the city I suggest giving it a try, after work seems like a good time to get food there along with a pint.

New Years Eve

New Years this year was really fun, which does not normally happen. New Years eve is overrated. This year though I had a little pre party at my apartment along with the dudes upstairs, the usually 1610 gala. After that I went to a show featuring The Chicago Afrobeat Project and Bad News Jones.

These bands were really good and Impressed me a lot. The CABP was a jazzy funky type of band with what seemed like a million people on stage, including African tribal dancers (they were not really from Africa, but look as thought they were). They had all sorts of great instruments going on to the sax, djembe, drums, guitar, keyboards, it went on.

The second band was a more hip hop band, but with some true roots in jazz. I actually got to talk with one of the singers and they seemed like cool guys. This band came on second though meaning I could not truly appreciate the band at 2 in the morning on New Years, I'll catch them again sometime.

The Note had all the bells and whistles going on with the countdown and everything was done well. It was a good time and I am glad I went.

A finally got a picture

This is in my kitchen, but I have not been able to get a picture of it till now.

JosB (Hose Bee as in not Hose A)

My cousin Joe is coming back for a little bit. He has been in Russia for what seems like forever. Cant wait to see him.

Bears in the Playoffs

A little late , but have to mention how great the Bears are and how they are going to win the Super Bowl. I cant believe how good they look with Rex Grossman as there Quarterback it is like they are a whole new team.

Bears playoff tickets go on sale next tuesday. A limited number of tickets for the Bears' NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 14 or 15 at Soldier Field are scheduled to go on sale next Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Everyone better be ready. I cant wait.

Reebok Classics

I got exactly what I wanted for Christmas new shoes. I got three pairs, white and blue, blue and white and bears blue and orange. I also have my original white and white. These are the greatest shoes and I have been wearing theses shoes since my freshman year of high school. Best Christmas presents ever.

Texas Part II

I had never been to Texas before, it was very interesting. I went to three cities when I was there, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. In Texas they think they are the greatest and that they have, as a state, done nothing wrong. There is nothing wrong with this it is just funny. The people in Texas actually are some of the nicest people I have met.

In Texas it is no problem for anyone and everyone to own or buy a gun. This is kind of creepy, the fact that someone could have a gun at any given time and most likely does. It makes you not pick fights, not that I do that anyway.

They say they do everything bigger and better in Texas there fore when you get a hotdogs it is a foot long and a half a pound of meat. Or instead of an Expedition SUV which is huge to begin with they have a Texas sized Expedition, AKA a mini bus. They do love there trucks in Texas, white pickups in particular, and these are also huge. When thinking of a normal truck it is usually a F150 or 250, not in Texas though they ride in F450 and 550 which are bigger than any truck I have ever seen, the thing seats 7. That is a minivan with a truck bed attached to it, the thing is fricken huge.

In Texas they are also obsessed with the shape of there state and the Texas star. Anywhere it is possible to have one or the other, there it is. Every beer can, every road sign, on the highway walls, and flags everywhere. It is actually quite funny.

San Antonio though was very cool and was probably the best of the cities I went to. I got to see a Spurs game, they won, but the reason San Antonio was so cool is the way there city is set up. The whole city is on a little river, literally on the river. The shrine, the Alamo, is the center of the city. You walk down from the Alamo and there is a whole city down below literally on the river. Instead of a street separating the stores and restaurants its the river, it was very cool.

Houston and Austin were also very fun. All of Texas had great food. There Tex mex, the steaks the Mexican food, it was all amazing. In Houston we went to a small little Spanish restaurant right near Minute Maid Field called Irmas. At the restaurant they did not have menus they just brought us out a plate with all sorts of different spreads it was delicious. They also had a house lemonade that might have been the best lemonade I have ever had.

Another restaurant we went to was called Saltlick and it was just outside of Austin, or so we thought, in a town called Driftwood (nowhere near water). The food here was also excellent they had a deal where you get three servings of meat, (steak, ribs and sausage), also mash potatoes and colslaw. This was enough food for any one person but since we were in Texas the food was all you can eat, I had trouble finishing the one plate. The best thing about this place was the BYOB.

Overall I liked Texas a lot and suggest giving it a try. The temp though I hear gets to be 100 degrees in the summer with 100% humidity so go in the winter when it is 70.

Moe

I good band is coming to town called Moe and I think they are worth checking out. They are more of a jam band than anything else, but defiantly play some really good music. The opening band is actually really good too they are called Disco Biscuits and play some crazy music. I actually so them along time ago at the rave and enjoyed the show a lot so I am really excited for them coming to Chicago. The tickets are cheaper the earlier you get them so if you are going to go I suggest picking them up earlier and forget ticket master they are a complete rip-off.

Feb 2
Aragon Ballroom
1106 West Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL
all ages
$20

"Early bird" tickets will only be available until 1/3/06 for $20,
From 1/4/06 until 2/2/06, advance tickets will be available for $27.50
Day of show tickets will be $35.

Texas

The stars at night, are big and bright
deep in the heart of Texas,
The prairie sky is wide and high,
deep in the heart of Texas

Sorry I have been on vacation in Texas and could not get to a computer. I do have a few stories though.

Back in a second

Clark Bar

I found a bar that is great for watching Bears games, Clark Bar. It is somewhat of a dive bar and until recently I had not really seen very many people going in and out of this bar, but the reason it is perfect for watching the games is because on Sundays they have free Italian beef sandwiches, hotdogs and buffalo wings. They also have pints of Goose Island for only $3. The people there are great and truly appreciate everyone in the bar. During all big plays and at halftime the owner plays the super bowl shuffle throughout the bar. They also will buy you back drinks every once in awhile which has become rare now-a-days. I have not been to this bar on Friday or Saturday night so I cannot say what it is like other days, but they have really impressed me on Sundays.

Another nice little fact about Clark Bar is that it happens to be next door to the site of the Saint Valentines day Massacre.

Tons of Snow

Last night was insane, 10" of snow fell last night. Which means that today is a great day to go sledding. I was thinking of going back to my old neighborhood in Evanston where they had built a giant slide that was at the top of a little hill. When I was little we used to ride on that thing for hours. I am pretty sure though that they took it down. A kid probably got hurt and the parents pulled the plug on that one, oh well.

There are great places to sled through out Chicago, Warren Park on the north side, Mount Trashmore in Evanston, but one I have been hearing about lately is new because of Soldier Field and Northerly Island. They created a big hill so people going to games or concerts could get a nice view of the city, but it doubles great as a sledding hill. Check it out, you know you all want to.

The Sullivan Brother's

A really good Irish band that my uncles are in called The Sullivan Brothers will be playing a benefit at the Irish Heritage Center on Thursday this week. Not only is the band really good to listen and dance to, but the atmosphere in the Irish Heritage Center brings out the best in people also. They are playing for a good cause and everyone should really think about going if they have a chance on Thursday.

Sullivan Brother's Band Year End Extravaganza

December 8, 2005 - 6pm to 10 pm

Irish American Heritage Center

4626 N. Knox Ave, Chicago

Honoring Sister Theresa Sullivan's return to Chicago to minister in the Daughters of Charity/St. Joseph Services Outreach Program, which provides much needed support to high-risk Chicago area families. Join us and enjoy good music, friendly banter, light fare and drink! Plus, this may be your only chance to hear Irish Christmas Ballads!!!

$25 donation to Daughters of Charity/St. Joseph Services

Also, collecting new or nearly new donations for the children at St. Joseph Services after School Program at Casa de Providencia:

Books for 6th through 8th grade children

Education Software age 10 to 14

Children\'s Toys unwrapped for holiday distribution

RSVP: 773-278-0484 or email stjosephseervices@sbcglobal.net

If you unable to attend, donations may be sent to

St. Joseph Services

2516 W. Cortez St.

Chicago, IL 60622

New Hat

My green hat has gone into a semi retirement as of yesterday. I got a new hat and really like it. It is a hat from the Negro Leagues in 1947, The Black Yankees, it is pretty original and I am almost positive no one else has it.

The shower curtain did come in yesterday and has a ton of detail on it it even has places marked like the BaHai temple in Wilmette all the way to random conservatory's on the south side it is amazing. The only thing though is it had a ridiculously strong new plastic odor when we hung it up and our entire apartment reeked it has subsided now though.

I have a football game tomorrow and I think I am playing quarterback, cant wait. Wish me luck.

Shower Curtain

I hope my new shower curtain comes in today. How great is this thing? The entire "L" map is on the curtain, brilliant.

Blackalicious

Went to the Blackalicious concert last night at the Park West...It was everything I knew it would be.

The show was great, only problem not long enough (luckily for me though because I had to be up at 5:30am). The show was especially incredible because it seemed like they were really appreciative of Chicago. They would incorporate Chicago throughout there intros and rhymes.

Gift of Gab was accompanied by T the Truth, someone I don't know, but he was really good and could keep up with Gabs rhyming which is not easy. They played a lot in the little time they were there. Went from there new songs and style all the way back to some of there original songs. The back up singers were also amazing especially the girl, forgot her name, but will find out.

Well worth staying up later than I wanted and am glad I was dragged out my apartment to go. Thanks Vorell and Stevie.

Shuffle Bowling

I was just challenged to Shuffle Bowling tonight, a game of champions. Shuffle bowling is a fantastic game were you slide a puck similar to a hockey puck down a sawdusted wood table to an end that has bowling pins that are suspended just above the table. When the puck goes over the sensors it computes what a bowling ball would have done and the the pins spring up. This game is almost exclusively found in corner bars, but is great to play. What got me really excited though is searching the internet for old shuffle bowling tables I came across this great picture of a Parker Bohn III Pro Bowler. I think I might save up for the next ten years and buy this instead of a house, it is hilarious.

Derailed

Hope everyone had fun over the break. Thanksgiving weekend was a definite good time all around for me.

I saw Derailed this weekend with Clive Owens and Jennifer Aniston. It was Good, not great, but it did have a lot of Chicago shots. The movie is filmed all over Wilmette and downtown Chi. A good portion of the movie filmed on the Metra or just off of it(which they constantly, mistakenly call the red line, but whatever) .

I was scared Derailed was going to be a love story and be terrible, turns out I was wrong. It is a suspense movie that revolves around Clive Owens character being blackmailed and tortured by a thief that keeps taking his money. Like I said it was good, not great, maybe better if it was just rented, but if you have already seen Walk the Line this may be worth a trip to the movie theatre.

Homebrewing

Well I have started the process of brewing my own beer, hilarious. I went to this store over the weekend with a couple of friends called Brew and Grow, which is located at the end of a dilapidated road in a warehouse with no sign of life and a door that looks like it should have a beware of high voltage sticker on it. I almost walked right by it the first time, but there was a small sign on the door that just had work hours, no name just the hours. I thought I would give it a try, but was sure it was locked, it opened into a funny painted stairway and then into a very nice looking very well lit store.

This place was strange, yet easy going at the same time at first. In the store you kind of felt like you were doing something wrong. The store is completely committed to only two things growing plants (yes probably illegal, but if you are growing regular plants this place is great too) and brewing beer.

While walking around sipping on beers, they were letting us taste, I picked up one of the books and decided that yes I would give this ridiculous adventure a try.

So in a month I will let you know if I made a good beer or blew up my kitchen.

Thanks Dan for that find.

Bears

Bears are going far I can feel it. Another win over the weekend puts them at 7-3. 8 sacks and two interceptions, the Bears D dominated. They are truly the #1 ranked D fense and the offense is starting to look better also, a great sign.

Alex Brown....Sick

Chili Cookoff

Over the weekend I was able to go to a chili cookoff at a bar called The Hideout. The event was run by Time out Chicago Magazine. The bar is hilarious and seems like a place that truly does not want to be found. The bar is a great hole in the wall bar that plays real good live music daily. If you are ever in the neighborhood you should stop by this bar. Some really famous bands have even played there such as The Rolling Stones and, The Smashing Pumpkins.

The place was packed the day of the cookoff, but well worth it. the back room was lined with chefs standing around there creations all being served out of individual crock pots. When entering the room you are given a spoon, a sheet of paper for judging and a pencil and then you are thrown into the chaos that is a chili cookoff.

The 25 different chilis all had there own individual style, there was kobe beef chili, hot dog and guiness chili, spicy ,mild, choclatey...you name it they had something like it. Some of the chilis wer spectacular and some terrible. One even made a friend violently ill for the next couple of days.

On every tuesday night a great band plays there called Devil in a Woodpile, an intimate bluegrass band. they are worth checking out and they are originally from Evanston and used to play in a little music store on Central St. which makes them even better.

The Hideout
1354 W Wabansia
Chicago Il 60622
http://www.hideoutchicago.com/

Great Upcoming Events

Damian "Jr Gong" Marley House of Blues Nov 27 $18.50
Blackalicious Park West Nov 29 $20
Mos Def/Talib Kweli House of Blues Dec 9 $40 (what the hell)

And on Dec 15 Alex Kotlowitz author of There are No Children Here and Never a City So Real will be speaking at the Steppenwolf theater. Even if you have not read these books you should check it out. He has a lot of stories specifically about Chicago and probably has a lot of interesting things to say. Tickets are $25.

http://www.steppenwolf.org/boxoffice/productions/index.aspx?id=362

I have read Never a City So Real and highly recomend it, everyone who has read it has had nothing but great reviews about it. The book itself is short so it can be read easily.

Christmas Ale

If you haven't all ready I suggest going out and picking up the seasonal special of Goose Island Christmas Ale. All year I wait for this beer to come out. I think this beer might be the best Goose Island offers, which is impressive because all there beers are really good. Christmas Ale is a brown ale that is very hoppy (has a lot of flavor). Because of its strong flavor though if you are used to crap beers like most people are, myself included, then it can catch you off gaurd, but savor that first sip and you will realize just how good a beer it is.

I also suggest going to the actual brewery, the one on Clyborn not Wriglyville, for a pint and some food. The food there is actually really good. With your meal I suggest getting the sampler of beer. This way you can try out a few different types of beer with your meal. At the Brewery you can also try some beers they won't have in the stores.

Goose Island Brewery

1800 North Clybourn

Chicago, IL

312.915.0071

Snow

Today in Chicago is the first day of snow. It is not sticking but it is freezing and windy, just like always. I wonder what it is like in Europe?

I hate the winters. It is cold outside and everyone is stuck in there houses. When you finally do go outside you freeze go inside drink some hot cocoa, or soup and then burn your mouth. Also since everyone is wearing about a thousand layers of clothes you are bound to loose something that you had, wether it is your hat, gloves or whatever.

Man winter has not even started and I already want it over with.

That is what my stoop is going to look like in a couple of weeks...I can wait.

The Softball Team

What A Good Looking Team

Fried Chicken

It's been a little bit since last updated, sorry a hectic week. Last week though I tried to make fried chicken, it turned out alright I guess, but man that is some scary stuff. You bring the oil in a pan to about 350 degrees but there is know real way of telling when it is that hot because it does not boil. When making it the whole apartment filled with smoke, my eyes were watering and I was convinced that I was probably going to burn the house down.

The process of putting the chicken into the seemingly calm oil is about the scariest cooking experience I could imagine. As soon as the chicken hits the oil the pan erupts shooting little pieces of oil everywhere. The bubbling oil rises up higher and higher coming closer to spilling over the edge every second, but luckily it stopped right before the top. Then once in the boiling oil I let it rest sitting there bubbling for ten minutes until it was ready to flip and then the insanity started all over again.



It some how worked out though the fried chicken tasted good and the mash potatoes and steamed vegetables all tied it together. The meal was then topped of with what else....home-made tiramisu of course, ha.

next weird combo lasanga and pina coladas.

The First Place Bears

It is only fitting that the bears make the playoffs this year. First the Bulls Then the Sox and now I have no doubt the Bears are going to make it to the Playoffs this year. It is not that I am super confident in there amazing D and the new rookie quarterback, It is that I am confident in the failure of all the other teams in our division. The Packers are a disgrace and the Viking are really starting to miss Randy Moss. It is laughable to say, but are competition is actually the Detroit Lions and they don't even know how to beat a terrible Vikings team. Not to mention the Bears have already beat the Lions twice which gives us the win in any tie breaker situation. The Bears record is currently 5-3 and have a pretty good chance of finishing 10-6 or better.

GO BEARS

The Circus

The Circus is coming to town. I do not know when the last time I went to the circus was. It is playing at several different venues in the Chicago land area. One being the United Center, which is close enough for me to definitely check it out. The Circus will be here from Nov. 15- 27. The cost ranges from $11.50 to $50, I will be getting the cheap seats (better view of the tight rope walkers).

Can't wait to see the human cannonball.

Some not All

These are only some of the things I have been making. I do not have a picture of everything yet, but hope to soon.

Hospitals

Man, I hate the Hospital. Today I had to go to the Emergency room at the Loyola Medical Center in Maywood to get a tetnis shot. Yesterday I had a little mishap at work and put a sharp piece of metal a little ways into my hand.

I get to this college campus of a hospital and after a few minutes of driving around find where to park. Turns out, I did not really find the place where I was supposed to park and was off looking again. Finally I found the entrance to the parking lot, which was not easy. The entrance though was a little misleading because when I entered, what seemed to be where I would be parking turned out to be ALL, I mean the entire lot, for handicap spots. I then followed the cones and lines through and behind the hospital to the real parking complex, a labryinth of compact spaces 6 or 7 stories high.

Once inside the building, which may or may not have been the right place, I walked down some really blaned white hallways occasionally making a left or a right. There was, once in awhile, a sign or a map telling where to go, the problem though was I did not know what I was supposed to be looking for. It was like getting those automated machines on the phone that don't ever give you the option you were looking for. I needed a person to talk to.

Finally a help desk, "Excuse me, I need to get a tetnis shot..."
"sign in and sit down,"
"...but I dont even know if I am in the right place,"
"sign in and sit down."

After a little arguing and some persuading I was able to convince the bitter lady at the help desk to send me in the right direction.

"Go through those doors take a left and walk all the way down the hall, go through the double doors and then follow the red dotted line."

Was this lady now leading me a stray for not signing in and sitting. I was willing to take the chance.

Why do hospitals all smell like death?

I was walking for what seemed like forever and then finally ended up in the emergency room.
"sign in and sit down, we'll call you when we're ready." An hour later "Rus O" I jump up with anticipation could this be it my turn... no. Fill out some forms and then take a seat. Again my name was called, this was surly it... no. Nurse asks a few questions, then like all the others, "sit down we'll call you when we are ready.

What I couldn't believe is that this is the emergency room I wonder how long I would have waited in the room at the other end of the red dotted line.

When you are in the Emergency room though no one can complain because you have no idea what all the other people in the room are there for. All you can think is that they are definetley worse off then you.

One guy came in and with out saying a word signed in and sat down. For an hour he sat there with blood running down his arm and a giant fish hook through his hand, but who knows the guy next to him could have been internally bleeding.

Finally my turn, I thought that actually meant something. I was then moved from the waiting room to my own personal waiting room with a curtain. A half hour later the doctor comes in, "does this hurt, does that hurt..." "...we are going to need an X ray." I thought I was just getting a shot.

So off to the X ray room. I had not really noticed before, but when they give you an X ray they dont give you any protection yet they hide behind a lead wall when they take the picture. Hope I will be able to have children.

Once again I am back in the little waiting room. All of the sudden the nurse comes in with a huge needle and right in front of my face taps it and squirts some meds up in the air, what the hell is that all about I am already pissed about getting a shot don't flaunt it in my face.

After the shot, which was not pleasent, I waited another forty minutes. and then finally was able to leave, but it did take me another twenty minutes just to find my way out of there.

I hate Hospitals.