The fun of having both the Cubs and the White Sox in the postseason for the first time in 102 years was short-lived. After an entire season of being heralded as the best team in the National League, if not in all of Major League Baseball, the Cubs were swept out of the first round of playoffs last night in what can only be called an epic choke. Even a staunch skeptic like myself has a hard time dismissing the idea that something out there just will not let the North Siders make it to the World Series.

The city’s hopes now lie with the White Sox, who are already two games down in their series against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox in exciting (if desperate) fashion, forcing a one-game mini-playoff against division rivals the Minnesota Twins. While our hopes - or fears - of a Crosstown Classic have been crushed, there is still a chance for a little more October baseball in Chicago. If you like that sort of thing.

Personally, I feel like the season starts a month too early and ends a month too late. They call baseball players the “Boys of Summer” for a reason. There should never be a risk of a ballgame getting snowed out.

But whatever. The Bears are on at noon.

The Affinia Chicago is an upscale hotel on 166 East Superior Street. Next time your evening activities take you to the Miracle Mile, wrap up your night by taking the hotel’s elevator to the 29th floor to find C-View. You’ll be glad you did.

My boyfriend recently treated me to a night of theater (a nice substitute for our usual comedy shenanigans) followed by some very urban grown-up drinks at this al fresco lounge, which provides a stunning perspective on the lakefront skyline and Michigan Avenue.

C-View offers non-native fauna-enhanced outdoor lounge seating, which is to say, there are several tall palmy plants fringing the walls behind some of the seating arrangements. Plop down on one of the comfy couches or almost cabana-like chairs or sidle up to the terrace’s centerpiece, a long, tall wooden table with matching tall barstools. It sort of feels like you’re drinking and munching appetizers in a sexy tv show set in LA, and I mean that in the best possible way.

Of course, the specialty cocktails are pricey (my ginger beer/lime/vodka concoction was $13) and many of the hors d’oeuvres are teeny-tiny supermodel portions (a beef dish was about a spoon-sized dollop of chopped beef with a crispy rice cracker), but the view and the air are wonderful.

And when you remember that for the majority of the year, Chicago is freezing and dark, it’s important to grab all the al fresco you can before summer is over.

Photos by Elizabeth McQuern.

Back in February of this year, I heard some rumblings about a Chicago Comedy Festival taking place on Navy Pier during the autumn of this year. It’s supposed to have 100 performers, three stages, and a partridge in a pear tree. I know it’s still summer, but we’re not too far from autumn, and I have yet to hear anything more about this Chicago Comedy Festival (the website is just a placeholder with no information). I’m intrigued, but it’s easier to find information on the Just for Laughs festival coming to Chicago in summer of 2009. I was starting to loose hope that this Chicago Comedy Festival thing was going to happen.

Then today I found this youtube channel labeled Chicago comedy festival. This channel has been uploading segments of a documentary hosted by comedy legend Bob Zmuda about the Chicago Comedy Festival from 2001 over the past two days. If you have 30 minutes (or eight chunks of about five minutes) and you have an interest in comedy, then check out these videos. The documentary is filled with comedy treats, but one of the biggest treats for me was seeing one of my favorite rooms in Chicago, The Lincoln Lodge, pop up around the 2:30 mark in this segment. During that segment you also get to see alternative comics like Neil Hamburger, and SNL’s Fred Armisen playing his character Fericito. Of course, Chicago comedy stalwart, Zanies, is there with a whole mess of amazing comedians to numerous to list. To start you off, I’ll put the first part of the documentary here:

When asked to describe the new Chicago Theater Database, co-creator Dan Granata often throws out the simple explanation, “It’s like the Internet Movie Database, but for Chicago theatre.” However, Mr. Granata is quick to point out that it is meant to be much, much more. The CTDB’s mission statement describes it as, “a reference for the present, a record of our collected history, and a sustainable resource for building the next stage.”

Begun in the spring of 2007 as a personal project, the Chicago Theater Database, currently in beta, is now poised to become the central source for all information relating to the city’s theater community. Unlike the IMDb, however, the CTDB is intended less for archival purposes and more as a tool for today’s artists.

“There’s so much going on,” Mr. Granata said, “but nobody knows about it because it’s all so disparate.”

Mr. Granata began compiling the original data out of curiosity, starting with the big theaters like the Goodman and Steppenwolf and expanded from there. He hit a snag, however, when his computer crashed and all the data was lost. “I was basically depressed for about two months.” Then local performing arts trade publication PerformInk released their annual season preview. Using the raw data from the preview, Mr. Granata began the project again. This time he expanded the fields to include things like theater companies’ budget and non-profit information.

Mr. Granata made mention of the project on his blog, I, Homunculus. The blog later received a mention in a Time Out article, which caught the attention of sound designer Nick Keenan, whose own blog, Theater for the Future, was also mentioned. Mr. Keenan expressed an interest in the database project through a comment on I, Homunculus. Having been “called out,” Mr. Granata began work in earnest, this time partnered with Mr. Keenan, who even took the time to learn a new coding language. Since then the project has grown exponentially, and the CTDB has even partnered with PerformInk to produce the next season preview.

Among some of the features Mr. Granata hopes to include in the database is a calendar of opening, strike and rehearsal dates, and also venue availability. Mr. Granata hopes that having all of this information in a central location will help bring about a new era of Chicago theater. “I feel bad,” he said, “because we burn out so many young actors who could do better if they were armed with some basic information.” The community still operates on a “Steppenwolf mentality,” in which so many artists come here straight out of college with the intention of forming a company, but none of them have a real grasp of the current state of theater in the city. “It just doesn’t work with two hundred fifty companies.”

The Chicago Theater Database is now open to public viewing, although it is still in the early beta stages. The rest of the summer will be spent collecting data and ironing out issues such as how to list festivals, and how to handle name changes. According to Mr. Granata the team hopes to have the database “largely functional” within the next couple of months. Until then, the site is available to look around on, and see what data has been collected so far.

It’s Monday. We’re back at work after a great Chicago summer weekend. What could Monday possibly have for us to enjoy? How about this:

All you can eat?!?!? I know vegetarians are probably disgusted, and as an omnivore even I’m thinking, “two pieces of bacon should be sufficient.” However, I know that bacon has some ravenous fans that will take up this offer (or challenge).

To find out more head for the Whiskey Road at 1935 N. Damen. Even if “all u can eat bacon” is not your thing, it’s still a nice little bar. They have tasty burgers (beef, turkey, crab, and veggie). It’s also the only place I’ve found that serves one of my favorite foods, fried pickle chips. Plus, Monday is not only “all u can eat bacon”, but also movie night. I go to Whiskey Road on Thursdays at 9pm for a stand-up comedy open mic run by the awesome Chicago comedian Adam Burke (here’s a sample of his stand-up).

Don’t like any of those things? Then draw on the chalk board walls or enjoy some one else’s chalk drawing of the physical embodiment of two euphemisms for self love.

If you go tonight, let me know how much bacon u ate.

All hail the hail. (This is summer, right? Just checking.)

Roger Ebert has a blog. Everyone should read it.

Y’all know who Roger Ebert is. Chances are every one of you, at some point or another, has made a decision about whether or not to see a movie based at least partly on something he said about it. I don’t think anyone would argue there is a more influential film critic in the business today. And if you ever get a chance you should take a look at the Great Movies section of his website. Reading a few of those articles is the equivalent of the most in-depth Introduction to Cinema course you could ever hope to take. Mr. Ebert knows a lot about movies — but that is not why I read his reviews.

Beyond all the fun of the thumbs-up/thumbs-down business, there is one fact that goes shamefully unnoticed: Mr. Ebert is an amazing writer. This is why I’m so excited that he’s keeping a blog: More Ebert to read. And it covers everything outside the scope of his reviews, from his insights into the inner workings of film festivals to his early days as a sports writer in Champaign-Urbana. He of course touches upon his health issues, but as they are already well-documented elsewhere he only brings them up in his blog when they have to do with the main subject.

I believe the reason Mr. Ebert is at the forefront of film criticism is less because of his knowledge of film and more because of his ability to communicate his opinions. He is not a film guy who likes to write; Mr. Ebert is a writer who loves films. I love reading his take on the latest summer blockbuster or surprise indie sleeper, and I am getting as much joy reading everything else he’s got say.

There have been a couple of bicycling tragedies in the last few weeks here in Chicago, with two vibrant young people (one of them a fifth grade teacher) lost. Both stories are very sad, and very sobering reminders that real dangers exist for city folks who ride their bikes.

Where I’m from, suburban/rural Indiana, the worst hazards a cyclist faced were overzealous farm dogs and the occasional stray litter of pigs spilling out into the road. Here in the city, I’ve learned to watch out for cars, and, more specifically, it’s wise to assume that not only do cabbies not see you coming, they’re actually out to get you. I swear that every time I venture out on two wheels, even in broad daylight, there are at least two or three cabbies who pull sharp u-turns directly in my path, sometimes simply stopping right in front of me. Maybe they think my bike is a hovercraft and I can simply fly over the top of their cabs? I’m not sure. The point is: bike defensively, folks.

Now that the safety lecture is over, ten reasons to ride your bike more:

1. It’s free. It’s not $4.00 a gallon to fuel up, and it’s not $1.75 on your CTA card. Granted, at most gas stations it’s a quarter to pump up your tires, but mile for mile, biking is cheaper than any other form of transportation.

2. A wide range of health benefits: you will increase your stamina and boost your muscle power with all that cardio. You’ll also sleep better and enjoy elevated moods. Winter depression begone!

3. No pee smell, like on the CTA.

4. All that cardio will rev up your metabolism, and prompt your body to crave healthier food.

5. You get cool points every time you walk into a party or other social gathering with your helmet in hand. Double cool points if you rode through even the tiniest amount of precipitation. (”Dude, did you ride here in the rain?” Shrug this off casually with a “Yeah, whatever, it’s cool.”)

6. You’ll also score hot points. Exercise is good for your sexual health and with the inevitable few pounds dropped and an increase in your energy, you’ll be hotter and friskier before you know it. This is also an excellent reason to talk your significant other into joining you in biking adventures.

7. Extra snacking privileges - with all those extra calories burned, you’ll be able to get away with a lot more extracurricular eating, on top of all the veggies and fruits you’ll naturally be craving. Last summer I biked like mad and I was the fittest I’ve been in several years, despite treating myself at least once a week to a nutritionally terrible but utterly delicious McDonald’s cheeseburger and Lay’s potato chip snackstravaganza. (That treat is properly eaten with the chips crushed in the sandwich, by the way. Propriety and decorum be damned.)

8. Related note: food eaten while sitting on one’s bike seat are calorically void* — this includes any and all food purchased from mobile ice cream carts.

9. Enjoying the beauty of nature and the city and its inhabitants. The city observed at a biking pace is quite different from zooming along in a car or bus. You notice and appreciate things you hadn’t seen before. I also love biking up and down the Lakeshore Trail, taking in the fresh breeze, and overhearing tidbits of conversation from fellow park-goers. There’s a lot of marvelous diversity among our fellow citizens, and feeling connected to that is a pretty cool thing.

10. Opportunities to make more friends. Affect bullcrap political motivations for biking and pick up more greenies, hipsters, and vegan anarchists, if that’s your thing, pick up hippie chicks and dudes in bike shops and at red lights if you want to go that way, or join organized events like Critical Mass and make thousands of friends at a time.

On that note, please enjoy this video I made chronicling my first Critical Mass ride, in September of 2007. That was a night to remember — five blissful hours in the saddle and not one, but two amazing post-ride dinners. First, there was a fine beefy meal at Tank Noodle (supplemented by BYOB Guinness), and then, after a nearby birthday party, a 2:00 a.m. run to good old Standee’s on Granville, where I ordered grilled cheese with extra pickles and “whatever kind of pie you have.”

* wishful thinking

Edited to add: this enthusiastic pro-biking post was, indeed, followed up that same day in my offline life by my first real crash, which I wrote about on my personal blog. More of a thump than a crash, and certainly a lesson well-learned: don’t underestimate the might of the Windy City’s wind.

Yesterday turned out to be Incredibly Awesome Thursday, and I’m determined to make it a weekly occurrence. Essentially, Incredibly Awesome Thursday (IAT) involves saying “yes” to something that you normally wouldn’t, perhaps because it sounds boring, it’s too far away and you’re lazy, whatever. My “yes” last night was to a dance performance at the Chicago Cultural Center featuring Matthew Hollis’ and the Power of Cheer. My mom, a former high school cheerleader extraordinaire, was quite keen on going, so I somewhat reluctantly agreed to tag along…and it ended up being awesome. Incredibly awesome, in fact.

Matthew Hollis, an amazing choreographer, dancer, and performance artist, presented a taste of the work he’s developing with a grant from the Chicago Dancemaker’s Forum, a unique blend of cheerleading, modern dance, theater, activism and a little bit of therapy. Hollis and his troupe of equally talented dancers (did I mention they’re all in short shorts?) act out stories from Hollis’ life, including a particularly impressive number performed on teetering stilettos. The cheer that I can’t get out of my head? “Guns are bad, guns are gross, you might as well eat poo on toast!” Well put.

Before the performance, we popped into the Gallery 37 Store, which was chock full of fantastic artwork by Project Onward artists, from colorful silk screened tees and bags to vibrant pastel drawings. Project Onward is an organization designed “to support the creative development of visual artists with developmental, cognitive, and mental disabilities.” Rock on.

We also had a chance to investigate the Puppet Bike, which, unfortunately, was out of commission by the time we arrived, but even the outside of this happy little cart covered in whimsical paintings of frolicking bunnies and kitties was entertaining. According to the Puppet Bike website, the stage on wheels was created by Mr. Trusty for a bipolar friend who couldn’t hold down a conventional 9-5, but the portable theater offered the perfect solution–work when you want, park it when you get bored. I’ll definitely be heading down to Millennium Park this summer so I can see the Puppet Bike in action. (Metblog’s Fuzzy Gerdes beat me to the Puppet Bike punch in his February post, but I just had to ramble on about it again.)

So that, my friends, is what Incredibly Awesome Thursday is all about. Next week–who’s with me?

The Pitchfork Music Festival is coming back to Union Park this summer — Friday, July 18 through Sunday, July 20, 2008 — and the tickets go on sale this Wednesday (March 12) at noon CDT. Passes are $65 for a three day-pass, $50 for a Saturday/Sunday two-day pass, and $30 for a single day.

The first announced acts include:

• Friday - Public Enemy performing It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
• Saturday - Animal Collective, !!!, Vampire Weekend, Dizzee Rascal, No Age, Atlas Sound, Fleet Foxes
• Sunday - Spiritualized, M. Ward, Boris, Extra Golden, El Guincho