Looks like Tom Westgard's old office space at (I think) 6970 Sheridan (at Lunt) is going to become a video store, according to the notice of a zoning change request found taped to the window as I walk by it today.
What's a video store? People actually use those nowadays?
Now Open: Five Guys
Over on her Tales from the Lake Shore blog, Neighbor friend Red Haired Girl reports on the new Five Guys Burger Joint, just opened at Sheridan and Arthur/Loyola.
I can't wait to try this place out. I tried to go there for lunch yesterday, but it was too busy. And I'm in Indiana for most of the rest of the week, so it will have to wait until this weekend.
I can't wait to try this place out. I tried to go there for lunch yesterday, but it was too busy. And I'm in Indiana for most of the rest of the week, so it will have to wait until this weekend.
400 Theater Opened Last Night
Kate and I went to see Public Enemies at the New 400 Theater (formerly the Village North) last night. Our experience was mostly positive, and we're definitely glad that the theater is back open again. I hope they're not quite done renovating; there's some disappointing, incomplete facade work on the outside around the doors, and the inside hallways and lobby looks like the grandest expense spent was put toward a coat of white paint. Also, the screen in auditorium #4 seems to have a hot spot in it, perhaps due to a bump on the wall or a shadow from some leaking light source.
I'm sure I've made the new owner very unhappy with those statements, but I have to call it like I see it.
That being said, it's great to see the theater here; it provides a valuable service to Rogers Park, and helps to keep our neighborhood alive and vibrant. I want the theater to succeed, and I hope the plans for success include putting a little more elbow grease into making the place shine.
I'm sure I've made the new owner very unhappy with those statements, but I have to call it like I see it.
That being said, it's great to see the theater here; it provides a valuable service to Rogers Park, and helps to keep our neighborhood alive and vibrant. I want the theater to succeed, and I hope the plans for success include putting a little more elbow grease into making the place shine.
Parking on Pratt and Sheridan?
We rented a car to go out of town last week, as we occasionally do. We returned to Chicago on Monday night, but weren't able to return the car until Tuesday morning, as Enterprise wasn't open in the evening. Yuck, a night of street parking. My least favorite thing about Rogers Park.
That got me thinking -- is it possible to get occasional temporary parking permits for the permit parking in the neighborhood? I don't actually own a car, so I wouldn't be buying a city sticker. If it's allowable to occasionally get a temporary permit, how does one go about doing that?
That got me thinking -- is it possible to get occasional temporary parking permits for the permit parking in the neighborhood? I don't actually own a car, so I wouldn't be buying a city sticker. If it's allowable to occasionally get a temporary permit, how does one go about doing that?
Beware: Woot Sent My Mom Dying Flowers, Doesn't Care
I just wrote the following email to Consumerist, CC'ing Woot. If you're considering buying something from Woot, you might want to read this first.
Dear Ben and Co. at Consumerist,
Dear Ben and Co. at Consumerist,
Straight Dope Chicago: Is Rogers Park as bad as they say?
Cecil Adams answers the question, is Rogers Park unsafe? Short answer no, he says, followed by a ton of detailed analysis on crime statistics and comparison data between community areas. A very interesting read.
(H/T to Thomas Westgard)
(H/T to Thomas Westgard)
It's Office Hunt Time
I'm considering moving my office out of the building where Sonny's is. The owners of that building have been nice, but I either want to move downtown or find something with more light and a more interesting space in the neighborhood.
As I embark upon my investigation, I note a couple of empty spaces nearby.
As I embark upon my investigation, I note a couple of empty spaces nearby.
Wife in Chicago Tribune Today
Here's a link to the story online.
You'll have to stop in to your neighborhood 7-11 and pick up the print version to see the pictures. If you do, make sure you buy at least 150 copies, because the Trib needs money.
In the article, I'm referred to as an Internet marketing director, which is my Standard Answer to the "so, what do you do?" question, the one I give when I don't want to explain about email and spam fighting.
You'll have to stop in to your neighborhood 7-11 and pick up the print version to see the pictures. If you do, make sure you buy at least 150 copies, because the Trib needs money.
In the article, I'm referred to as an Internet marketing director, which is my Standard Answer to the "so, what do you do?" question, the one I give when I don't want to explain about email and spam fighting.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Rogers Park
Kate and I rented a car for a long weekend drive to Minneapolis and back. Looking online, I found that there is a new Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Rogers Park, at 6816 N Clark Street (between Pratt and Farwell).
When making the reservation online, I found that I couldn't include the damage waiver and liability insurance in the online quote. This isn't that uncommon, as it seems that most rental companies don't allow you to include that in the online quote. This bothers me, though, because the insurance is an amorphous blob of a cost center, something they can puff up the price of at the counter to see if you're paying attention. (At least, that's been my experience in the past.) I wouldn't even utilize the insurance, but now that I have no car, why have car insurance? So, I use the car rental company's insurance when renting a car. Not cheap, but still cheaper than owning a car.
Doing my research onlilne, I found that Budget's online quotes can include insurance if desired, so I quoted it out via Budget as well, figuring that if I didn't like what I was hearing at the Enterprise counter, I'd walk and head on down to Budget instead.
Thankfully, that turned out not to be necessary. Enterprise called me an hour before my reservation, confirmed everything, and at my request, quoted me an updated price that included the damage waiver and liability insurance. (The full cost turned out to be much lower than Budget, too, even accounting for insurance.)
They provided me with a PT Cruiser, which is one of those many cars that I would never buy for myself, but it worked fine, and it was in very good shape. Very happy with it.
Long story short, next time we need to rent a car for an out-of-town trip, I'll go with Enterprise again.
When making the reservation online, I found that I couldn't include the damage waiver and liability insurance in the online quote. This isn't that uncommon, as it seems that most rental companies don't allow you to include that in the online quote. This bothers me, though, because the insurance is an amorphous blob of a cost center, something they can puff up the price of at the counter to see if you're paying attention. (At least, that's been my experience in the past.) I wouldn't even utilize the insurance, but now that I have no car, why have car insurance? So, I use the car rental company's insurance when renting a car. Not cheap, but still cheaper than owning a car.
Doing my research onlilne, I found that Budget's online quotes can include insurance if desired, so I quoted it out via Budget as well, figuring that if I didn't like what I was hearing at the Enterprise counter, I'd walk and head on down to Budget instead.
Thankfully, that turned out not to be necessary. Enterprise called me an hour before my reservation, confirmed everything, and at my request, quoted me an updated price that included the damage waiver and liability insurance. (The full cost turned out to be much lower than Budget, too, even accounting for insurance.)
They provided me with a PT Cruiser, which is one of those many cars that I would never buy for myself, but it worked fine, and it was in very good shape. Very happy with it.
Long story short, next time we need to rent a car for an out-of-town trip, I'll go with Enterprise again.
Gizmodo: Thanks, but no thanks.
Tis a shame that Gizmodo doesn't get any sort of active feedback when I unsubscribe from their RSS feed, as I've done today. I'm a long time reader of their blog, but they've gone overboard today. The site is completely unreadable, and the posts are filled with crap and/or fake, made up stuff. I know it's April Fool's day, but it's just not funny. One joke (maybe) is funny. Screwing up a large, active site entirely for a whole day is lame.
So, goodbye, Gizmodo. You've been removed from my RSS reader.
And thank you, Engadget, for not doing the same thing.
So, goodbye, Gizmodo. You've been removed from my RSS reader.
And thank you, Engadget, for not doing the same thing.
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