CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Bucktown and Wicker Park, Old Town, Andersonville, Portage Park
Lakeview: Senator Elizabeth Warren is scheduled to speak at the Music Box Theatre on April 22. She will be speaking about her new book, “This Fight is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America’s Middle Class”. Her talk begins at 2:30 pm and books purchased at the event will be pre-signed by the Senator. Music Box partnered with The Book Stall, an independently owned book store in Winnetka, to bring this event to Chicago. Tickets are $31; find more information here.
Lincoln Park: Much to the neighborhood’s chagrin, O’Brien’s Restaurant in Old Town is headed for demolition station. The demolition permit was issued on Tuesday this week. The building, located at 1528 N. Wells St., is to be replaced by a 13-story luxury hotel. The original proposal called for an 18 story building, which residents hotly contested, stating that it would destroy the character of Old Town. The hotel boasts 200 rooms, a rooftop lounge, and patisserie. O’Brien’s will re-open in the hotel after the project is completed next year.
Bucktown and Wicker Park: Are you a budding competitive eater? The Chicago Pizza Summit is the place for you. 12 people will be chosen for this much anticipated pizza eating competition. To enter, you must submit a one-minute video of yourself eating as much pizza as you can, while also displaying personality and creativity. After a round of online voting, the top contestants will advance to the live summit on April 9. Held at Chop Shop (2033 W. North Ave.), there are two sessions, one from 2 to 5 pm and one from 6 to 9 pm. In addition to potential pizza-eating fame, the contestants will also receive two free tickets to the event. Enter yourself here!
Old Town: If you’re a resident of Chicago, you’ve surely seen the “Wizard of Oz” statue, located in Oz Park. This week, residents showed their support by laying flowers at the foot of the statue. The dog who modeled as Toto for sculptor John Kearney passed away earlier this week. The statue was dedicated in 2007 and was the last of four statues Kearney made for Oz Park. Kearney was commissioned by the Oz Park Advisory Council and the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce. Owner Jackie Kelly, from Provincetown, Massachusetts, was touched by the show of support for her dog, daVinci.
Andersonville: Bar Roma is a popular new spot in Andersonville, lauded for its Italian cuisine. Their website states, “Bar Roma is excited to be the newest addition to Andersonville’s ever-evolving dining scene. Specializing in meatballs, house made pasta, and wood-fired dishes, Bar Roma highlights the cuisine of Rome, Italy, and its surrounding area.” Bar-Roma has just announced it will be serving weekend brunch as well. Brunch will be served Saturdays and Sundays from 1030 am- 2 pm. Looking at the menu, my eye was caught by the Colazione di Straciatella: creamy Straciatella, grilled grapes, and local honey served with toasted ciabatta. I’m also intrigued by the Maritozzi con La Panna: French toast, banana, almond, mascarpone, and crispy bacon on the side.
Portage Park: This weekend marks the second gathering of the “Social After Six” program. The Six Corners Association hopes to introduce people to less-widely known parts of the Six Corners Shopping District. Association director Kelly Wefenstette says, “We’re partnering with local businesses to host these events in a way that gets people through their doors for a new, fun lighthearted experience and will cultivate a relationship between customer and business that continues after the event is over.” This weekend’s event will be held at Filament Theatre (4041 N. Milwaukee Ave.) from 6-10 pm. There will be over 500 board games and a large supply of tacos from Lomas Verdes, sold for $1 each. Buy your tickets here for $5 or for $10 at the door.
RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
