ART SHOW: Artist Nadine William's work is among the art featured at Edgewater's holiday fest.

Festive Streets, Storefronts, and Shopping
Noon-4pm: Two free trolleys along Broadway & Devon
Enjoy roaming carolers, a storefront decorating contest, and special holidays promotions from area businesses.

Holiday Fair & Community Tree Lighting
2pm-5pm: Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway
Join us and local ethnic organizations to celebrate with food, crafts, music, and information about how the winter holidays are experienced around the world and participate in a holiday sing-along!  The entertainment program will begin promptly at 4 pm with the tree lighting immediately following. 

Edgewater Artists in Motion Holiday Art Fest
11am-6pm: Two locations, 5501 N. Broadway & 6056 N. Broadway
Enjoy an art fair from the Edgewater Artists in Motion and purchase work from local artists for the holidays.

Fred Mohs is currently giving his take on the Edgewater renovation. He is urging the State-Langdon Neighborhood Association to take a position on the project, and hopefully to side with his neighborhood group, Capitol Neighborhoods Inc, which State-Langdon seceded from last year.

According to Mohs, the Edgewater developers have not paid attention to zoning regulations from the project’s beginning. For instance, he cited its ignoring the Lakeshore Development Ordinance, which requires all property owners to get a survey of the surrounding area to determine how far back from the water the property must be set.

Mohs nevertheless voices support for high rise student housing. He has contrasted the development proposed earlier in the meeting, for an eight story student apartment complex, which he believes is based off of existing rules, with the Edgewater, which he believes is based on exceptions to the rules.

“An Edgewater Hotel can be built without these objections,” Mohs concluded.

Via Brenda Konkel, the Hammes Co. is asking the Common Council to override the Landmark Commission’s rejection of the Edgewater renovation project. Here is the letter sent to the city clerk by head developer Bob Dunn.

In an interview with me, Ald. Mike Verveer said he could not make a prediction on the prospects of the Edgewater renovation that was rejected by the Council Landmarks Commission on Monday. However, Verveer noted that there was a circle of Council members, including Council President Tim Brueur, President pro tempore Mark Clear, and Ald. Bridget Maniaci, who have been working with the mayor and potential Edgewater developer Bob Dunn to get the project approved.

According to Verveer, Brueur and Clear – neither of whom have districts near the Edgewater – have become the mayor’s point men on getting the project approved. Maniaci, whose district does cover parts of the concerned neighborhood, has cited support from her constituents as the reason for her voting to approve the renovation. As of this time, Maniaci has not responded to an email in which I asked her if she believed the project would be moving forward.

Verveer is reluctant to override the Landmarks Commission’s rejection of the renovation plan. “Never in 30 years has a certificate from the Landmarks Commission been overturned. I have a hard time believing the Council, in all its wisdom, should overturn the decision made by the experts on Landmarks,” he told me. In addition, he cited historical preservation as a priority. However, he emphasized his hope that the project would live on, and that it would change its plan to fit the expectations of the commission.

Dunn has until noon tomorrow to decide whether he wants to try and push the project through the Council. Bruer says he believes the project is dead.

Meanwhile, the mayor is strongly urging the Council to resurrect the renovation, emphasizing the public amenities (the improved lake view), the job opportunities and the tax revenue. On his blog he criticized the commission’s interpretation of the zoning restrictions on height.

As you may have read this morning, the Edgewater renovation project was rejected by the Council Landmarks Commission. Ald. Bridget Maniaci was the only member to vote in favor of the $93 million changes the Hammes Co. have proposed for the hotel.

The commission’s vote is not the final nail in the coffin. At least not technically. According to my discussions with council members in the summer, there are no cases in recent memory of the Council overriding Landmarks’ decision. A 14 vote majority (out of 20) would be necessary for such action.

Any predictions on the matter? Any insight? Come on Erik Paulson.

Chicago Public Library now offers many new services on its website, including books, music, and video that can be downloaded.  Another interesting option is the digital collection of photographs and information related to Chicago and its history.  One very interesting section features Edgewater.  To see the photographs, which include our club’s meeting place the Fireside, click here.

For the second consecutive year, Key Club performed a service project raking leaves for seniors in Edgewater.  The club worked on this project with State Representative Harry Osterman, who said, “I look forward to expanding this service next year and for years to come.”

We thank the dedicated students and their good leader Rachel Urquhart for showing such dedication and Kiwanis spirit.

On Thursday, November 19, 2009, our club was privileged to be invited to attend reopening ceremonies for the swimming pool at Swift School.  Mary Scheuller (whose children learned to swim at the school’s pool), Gloria Aykroid, Ed Hutchinson, and Clay Cerny enjoyed a lively presentation and great hospitality. 

The evening began with a great performance by Sullivan High’s Steel Drum Band.  We were treated to appetizers and desserts before the ceremony began. 

              Sullivan’s Steel Drum Band

Principal Harlee Till recognized the community leaders and faculty that make Swift a great place where young people grow and learn.  Principal Till had special words of thanks for 48^th Ward Alderman Mary Ann Smith, who was a major force behind the complete remodeling of the pool and locker rooms.  In her honor, the facility will be known as the Mary Ann Smith Aquatic Center.

                                The New Pool

We donated ten large white towels to help the school.

                 Ed with Principal Till & the towels

 After the ceremony, the happy, but hungry Kiwanis members went to Ras Dashen to enjoy our favorite Ethiopian food.  

    Chicken, Lamb, Red Cabbage, Lentils &

              Popeye’s Favorite — Spinach

 All in all, it was a very fine evening.

Given the fact that Seattle may be lucky to get a week of snow each year, this Northwest city might not be an obvious choice for a Winter Wonderland to experience the joys of Christmas. But what it lacks in snow, it makes up for in festive spirit and Northwest residents discovered long ago that a trip to the city for Christmas shopping can be rewarding indeed.

From Seattle Center to Westlake Center to the Pike Place Market, the usual visitor attractions become just a little more special on a chilly winter’s day. Throngs of excited, bundled-up families and couples sample the seasonal offerings at Westlake such as Quest carousel rides, or the kettle corn and elephant ears nearby. Christmas music is everywhere, while vendors make balloon animals for the kids.

Make it an overnight trip and it’s even better. First, you’ll be sure to see the numerous Christmas lights along downtown streets including the famous star on Macy’s, the Space Needle lights and many other special seasonal touches. And, by staying overnight, you can turn a shopping trip into a true getaway.

Our base of operations was a Seattle landmark, the Edgewater Hotel. Maybe you remember that the Edgewater was famous during the Sixties when the Beatles stayed there and fished right out their window. In fact, it became the obvious choice for many famous rock groups that came into town during that period to play for one of Pat O’Dea’s spectacular rock concerts.

Today the Edgewater has a classic elegance that combines the best location in Seattle with an updated interior design that evokes the Northwest’s rich Native American heritage. The first thing we saw when entering our waterfront room was a Washington State Ferry – just out the window and across the waters of Elliott Bay. Our view made us feel like we were traveling on a cruise ship with nothing but water between us and the ferry. This, of course, is the major attraction of the aptly-named Edgewater – a location literally out on the water with incredible views of Puget Sound and nearby islands.

Our room featured many Northwest accents such as a log headboard on our comfortable king-size bed, bark trim and a wood panel above the corner fireplace, Native American designs on the carpets with knotty pine baseboards, and Indian characters and designs on the wood-frame entertainment center. In the bathroom, a large claw-style bathtub looked awfully inviting, while the modern colors and fixtures made the room look like something you would see in a magazine on interior design. The floors were amber quartz slate, while the room also included a glass-enclosed European spa shower.

With a room at the Edgewater – which features a constant parade of boats just outside your window — there is the temptation to just stay there and enjoy the endless sights and sounds. But our main objective this trip was to check out the city’s Christmas activities, so we walked over to Pike Place Market, just a few blocks from the hotel.

The market is one of Seattle’s most recognizable symbols – right up there with the Space Needle. That probably has something to do with the way TV sports announcers always make a point of showing footage of the market while broadcasting Seattle Seahawks or Washington Huskies sports telecasts. Typically the shot is one of the fish handlers throwing King salmon – thus we were pleased that, upon our arrival, the fish were indeed flying. Just like the 50 or so other visitors standing around watching, we had seen for ourselves the famous Pike Place Market fish throw.

Those fish handlers in their sweat suits, hoodies and aprons aren’t the only reason to stop by the market at Christmas time. The market goes all out in its decorations and, in fact, has Christmas trees available – not that we wanted to cart one back to the Edgewater. Take a walk just north of the first fish market and you enter a beehive of activity where it seems like just about anything you want is for sale – fresh fruits and produce, honey, herbs, dried flower bouquets, jams and jellies, nuts, fruits, chocolates, tee-shirts, purses, you name it. There actually are several fish markets in the same building, as well as restaurants where you can dine on fresh fish before you even leave the market..

Just across the street from the market, in front of the Starbucks, a musical group called Slimpickens was warming up the crowds with lively 1930’s style music played in a four-piece configuration: guitar, stand-up bass, violin and washboard. Dressed in 30’s garb, the group also seemed to be getting a Depression-era response to their music: lots of smiles and toe-tapping, but not many coins dropping into their prominently placed cup.

Along about here we encountered Piroshky, Piroshky, a tiny take-out restaurant serving up fresh Russian piroshkies for just under $5. These were just baked and, if you’re wondering, the piroshky is a little like a flakey turnover filled with meat, cheese or other fillings. They’re delicious and, for us, provided a quick and inexpensive lunch.

Some friends of ours went instead to Von’s Grand City Café, just a few blocks from the market on Pine Street where the meal was fine but they reported back that this was the first time they had encountered canned champagne. They ordered a split of champagne and the can that was delivered to their table had a straw attached – which our friends said reminded them of the fruit drink boxes they get for their kids. Of course that’s what visiting the “Big City” is all about – experiencing new things.

A few blocks from the market is Westlake Center, a modern, multi-story shopping center with upscale stores and – because of its location near Macy’s and Nordstrom — the epicenter of retail activity downtown. It’s here that, for just $2 each way, you can hop on board the Monorail – originally built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair – and zip over to Seattle Center where their Winterfest celebration has continual holiday entertainment and one of the coolest model railroads and miniature Christmas towns your kids will ever see.

Soon it was time to head back to the Edgewater, where we watched the fog roll in and marveled at how the few sailboats that were out on this wintery day were able to dodge the Washington State ferries. Thank goodness for foghorns and radar, we would guess. Just a few minutes walk from the Edgewater is the Spaghetti Factory, where we enjoyed a tasty but inexpensive dinner.

The night was restful and, when the sun came up the next day, the skies were blue and the views from our room were like a picture postcard. No need to lose that view while having breakfast — downstairs at the Edgewater we stopped in for a hearty meal with the best views in town at the hotel’s award-winning Six Seven restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised at the reasonable prices, given the restaurant’s prime location and upscale reputation.

More downtown exploration was on tap for our second day, with no shortage of merchandise available at unusually good prices. Soon it was time to go home, but it wasn’t like a trip home from the mall in which you’re exhausted and swear never to go shopping with the multitudes again. Yes, we’d accomplished our Christmas shopping all right — but we also felt invigorated by an unforgettable holiday trip to Seattle’s Winter Wonderland.

For more information on Seattle, go to www.visitseattle.org or phone 206-461-5840. For more information on the Edgewater Hotel, please visit www.edgewaterhotel.com or phone 1-800-624-0670.

At today’s meeting, Greg Katzman shared some news about one of our favorite groups, Care for Real.  In 2007, the food pantry in Edgewater served 750 households.  Today that number has skyrocketed to 3,000.

Greg asked the only question:  What can we do to help?  It’s great that we do the Non-Easter Egg hunt, but that’s a long way off, and the needs of our neighbors are serious, real, and current.

There is an article in a great local news website Lake Effect News that underscores what is happening at Care for Real.  Take a minute and read this article (click here).  Let’s work as a club to find a way to do more.

From the mayor’s blog:

It’s a pretty straightforward vote. If the City Council votes this week to take tax incremental financing support for the Edgewater Hotel out of the budget, it’s pretty much over. Almost 1,000 jobs, over $1 million in new taxes, much better public access to Lake Mendota. All gone.

The mayor further emphasizes that even those who have doubts about the project need not vote to kill it right now.

Approvals will still be needed for zoning, design, landmarks and more. Even the exact TIF agreement will need to come back to the Council. Nothing’s guaranteed.

However, there are also alders who are against TIF funding for private businesses period, such as Jed Sanborn. There are others who believe TIF funding is OK, but believe the city has over-extended its use of it.

Vote predictions?

Read about what is happening in our RDEK meetings;

Refugee teens make film about their confrontations with violence in Chicago – chicagotribune.com

Principal Harlee Till sent me this email & invitation.  Let’s get a group together to show our support & let’s do something about towels.

Clay,

We would love to have you, and any other members of the Kiwanis Club attend our dedication ceremony. Unfortunately, I do not have an address for any of you. Please forgive the email, but I wanted to make sure that you were invited!

Hope to see you there.

Harlee Till

 Harlee S. Till

Principal

George B. Swift Specialty School

 George B. Swift Specialty School

 You are cordially invited to the

grand re-opening of our newly renovated 

swimming pool

Please join us

November 19, 2009

5:30 pm. – 7:30 pm.

5900 North Winthrop

Chicago, IL 60660

R.S.V.P By November 9, 2009

773-534-2695 or hstill@cps.k12.il.us

 Light refreshments will be served

Donations of large white bath towels are greatly appreciated

A few months ago, several club members enjoyed a fine lunch at Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant on Broadway.  Yesterday, the restaurant was reviewed on Channel 11’s Check Please.  If you did not join us, you will want to watch this 5 minute clip to get a flavor of the restaurant and its wonderful chef.  If you did eat at Ras Dashen, you will want to watch because it will remind you of how good the meal and service were. 

Click here for a link to the segment, then click on the photo for Ras Dashen.

599 // October 27, 2009

Great Pumpkin Patch, experience described a couple days ago.

Daruma in Englewood, opened in 2004, is still producing some of the best and most creative Sushi and Sashimi creations in Bergen County.

Babaloo! Havana’s Cuban Cafe in Edgewater is still banging out delicious Latino delights.

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Nicholas Senn High School is hosting:

El Festival Latino

When:  Saturday, October 17, 2009

10:00 a.m. – noon

Rain or Shine!

Where:  5900 N. Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60660

On front campus of the school

(Rain location inside the school)

Music, Food, Dancing, Vendors, Games, Student Work and Performances!

Fun for the whole family!

All are welcome!

 We thank Senora Urquhart for sharing this information with Kiwanis.

after a hiatus due to wedding planning, wedding and honeymoon, i’m now in full-force farmers market mode. especially now that there’s less than a month left in the season!

this past weekend i went to two farmers markets. the first was the edgewater farmers market. i actually forgot that i had been here before and was bummed because this is probably my least favorite of all the farmers markets. it’s really small, which is fine as long as the quality holds up, but in this case it’s not true. the produce is fine but it’s really expensive. there’s one booth that sells heirloom tomatoes for $5/lb which is unheard of even at farmers markets. they aren’t very friendly either which makes me feel okay about ragging on them, although i won’t name names. there aren’t any particularly good or interesting bakers either. there are other farmers markets somewhat nearby (north center, lincoln square or lincoln park for instance) that are much more worth your while. i did, however, pick up some leeks and made a very tasty leek and potato soup (potage parmentier) courtesy of julia child (i’m on a huge kick right now!). i made a few changes to the recipe below because it seemed that the soup would be way too thin made the way she suggested.

leek and potato soup

ingredients
1 lb. peeled potatoes, diced
1 lb. thinly sliced leeks
2 quarts water
1 tblsp salt
4-6 tblsp whipping cream
2 tblsp minced chives

directions
simmer the vegetables, water and salt together, partially covered for 40 mins until the vegetables are tender. mash the vegetables with a fork or through a food mill for a finer soup. set aside uncovered until just before serving, then reheat to the simmer. off heat and just before serving, stir in the cream by sponnfuls. pour into soup bowls and decorate with chives.

the second market we went to this weekend was the lincoln park farmers market, not to be confused with green city. in contrast to edgewater, this one was great and really got me in the mood for fall. it was the largest nichols farm stand i’ve ever come across. they had so many kinds of potatoes and apples, it was crazy (see pics below)! i picked up some pumpkins on a stick… no really, that’s their name, some free range eggs and some beautiful pears that we ate last night with cheddar as an appetizer. i’m now ready for all the football, chillier weather and leaves changing that seem to be forced upon us.

edgewater green market
saturday through october, 7 am to 1 pm
6034 n. broadway

lincoln park farmers market
saturdays through october, 7 am to 2 pm
lincoln park high school parking lot
armitage ave. & orchard st.

one of the things i love about living in chicago are the discoveries i find when i’m walking around the neighborhoods.  this was on my walk from home to Soothe Your Senses day spa (for a lovely massage ~ a gift from a friend, but that will be a blog post later this week … it deserves it’s own space).  on rosemont, i spotted this lovely garden apartment window.  how ingenious.  i love it so much i wish i had thought of it.

i think that it’s just so beautiful.

I don’t cover City Hall much anymore, so most of what I knew about the proposed Edgewater Hotel expansion I read either online or in what remains of Madison’s newspapers. Frankly, I was puzzled why the mayor was prepared to offer a $16 million subsidy in the form of tax-increment financing.

Madison’s TIF policy is notoriously tough…as in a Dick Cheney kind of way. First, city staff waterboards the developer-applicants until they confess all their financial details and then the Common Council and city committees subject them to months of hostile interrogations. Often blood is spilled, and projects die.

A classic example involved Gary Gorman, one of the state’s premier builders of affordable housing, killing his $84 million mixed-used project on East Washington Avenue in 2006 when the penny-tight, pound-foolish city offered him $2.2 million in TIF for first-phase construction when he asked for $4.2 million.

So I was puzzled why the Edgewater developer would seemingly be showered in subsidy. To learn more, I attended one of the project’s public presentations and talked to ten or so City Hall insiders and business leaders. I basically ran down my concerns and asked them to agree or disagree.

No one gave me what I consider a convincing case for such a deep-pocketed public investment in the Edgewater expansion. This is what I wrote for a guest opinion column in Isthmus.