Wicker Park Bucktown Pipeline
People Inspired Community Driven Content Since April 6, 2009 3-22-2011
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SPRING INTO
A HEALTHY SMILE
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William DeJean, DDS*
1363 N. Ashland
Ph: 773-384-3885
*FREE WHITENING for 1st Time Patients w/ insurance!!
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Pipeline 100 Participants Would you like to join us? Deadline: April 6, 20011.
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Asrai Garden
Bake
Bon Bon Vietnamese Sandwiches
Brad Waters Coaching
Bucktown Barber Shop
Bucktown Community Organization
Cafe Campo Rey
Cat & Mouse Game Store
City Sole/Niche
Copenhagen Cyclery
DeciBel Audio
The Den Theatre
Eva Bergant, Realtor
Eyeporium Gallery
Eye Want Eye Wear
Challenger's Books and Comics
Gorilla Tango Theatre
Gunner's
Jackson Junge Gallery
Jake's County Meats
Juan the Spanish Tutor
Julie the Dog Walker
Lubinski Furniture
Odd Obsession Video
OhNo!Doom Collective
Piece Pizzeria & Brewery
Pint
Pot Pan Thai
Rapid Transit Cycleshop
Red & White Wine Shop
Rogue Gallery
Solao Fitness
SmallBar
Sterling Goss Fine Meats & Purveyors
Store B vintage
The UPS Store
Tom Robinson Gallery
U.S. Cleaners
Wormhole Coffee Shop
Yarnies Love You
Your Shoe Repair Shop
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WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
PUMP IT UP. Sweat. PUMP IT UP. Repeat.
$400/YR $250/6MO 1 FREE WORKOUT
w/ mention of Pipeline. Bucktown Fitness Club
2100 W. North
p: 773-235-3455
M-F: 6AM-10PM
Sat.: 8AM-10PM
Sun. 10AM-7PM
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Miko's Flipside
1846 N. Damen
Tues-Sun: 11AM-7PM
It's New!
It's Underground!
It's a kid-dog-friendly pop-up
coffee n' cake shop
In a word, YUMSTERS
In a second word, PIE
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The Wormhole Coffee Shop
1462 N. Milw.
Coffee
Edibles
Internets
Good-Times-Now
p: (773) 661-2468
M-F: 7AM-midnight
S-S: 9AM- midnight
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Why, Hello There
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 |
Stephanie was in Wicker Park to meet up with some friends at iCream
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Pardon our dust. We're trying on a new template. It was the first day of spring this past Sunday when we decided to clean up our look, at least virtually. Speaking of looks, we enjoyed seeing Angelic Pretty fashions on the streets. Stephanie asked me if I knew where iCream was, and then I followed her there to meet other Angelic Pretties.  |
Photo by Philin Phlash; click to enlarge
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Moving on, thanks to the many of you who've joined the Pipeline 100 this past week. In no particular order, gratitude to the Bucktown Community Organization, Adam of DeciBel Audio, Phil of SmallBar, Phil of Copenhagen Cyclery, Natalie of Asrai Garden, Scott of City Soles/Niche, Sean and Nate of Red & White Wines, Tom of the Tom Robinson Gallery, Annette of Eyeporium Gallery, Julie of Let's Be Franck Dog Walking and Personal Assistance, Juan of in-home Spanish Tutoring, and Ryan of The Den Theatre.  | Norman is the only one of nine children to carry on his father's barbershop tradition.
Will one of Norm's daughters take over his shears next? |
Thanks also to Norman of Bucktown Barber Shop, which has the distinction of being my inspiration for starting a Yelp account, since I felt compelled to share that the guy's still around town. Many thanks to Paula Barrington, former executive director of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, who'd suggested that I pop in on the barber shop. And a final thanks to Dika, Phlash, and Pat for their dedication, and to my intrepid coworker Susanna, who 'ad'ventured out to the Viaduct Theater to check out the Monday Night mud wrestling scene-- slightly out of the neighborhood but worth the trip. Working with a talented team like the aforementioned makes me understand why we need to keep on keeping on.  | Click on the photo of the corned beef eating contest to see more photos snapped by Philin Phlash on St. Patrick's Day 2011 |
Inspiration is everywhere and one can feel it in the spring air and on the patio of Big Star, as seen on Phlash's blog, where he covered the St. Patrick's Day scene and popped in on a corn beef eating contest, which benefited the Franciscan Outreach Association. OK, let's get on with it, with you. |
SPACES is Made Possible by Eva Bergant, @properties Realtor
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BREAKING NEWS... The upper portion of this column is being hijacked by a longtime local known only as "Sam the Garden Man." Sam threatens to hold us all captive as he writes some lovely stuff about the First Snow Drops of Spring.
 | Snow Drops; photo by Sam
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Snow Drops are one of the "first" of the spring flowers to pop up. Or as the name implies, we might think of this delicate beauty as one of winter's "last." The flowers are a pure white and hang down from a four-inch stem like a drop of water sometimes, with a bit of green at the petal tips. On a sunny day the petals will open out like an umbrella to accept the ministrations of whatever early bird bug is out and about. Pushing up through the snow, the drops can be invisible until the snow finally melts. The flowers come from small bulbs and will over time form small gatherings. There is the irony that the first of our flowers is the same color as the snow we were wishing to banish from our mind set. --Sam the Garden Man
In other news, there were 10 Bucktown/Wicker Park closings this past week. Five were detached single family homes and 5 were attached: 2345 W Belden, 3 bedroom, 3 � bath, contemporary home, $588,000 (Foreclosure); 1821 N Paulina, 4 bedroom, 3 � bath, open airy home, $604,500; 1510 N Wood, 3 bedroom, 3 bath, restored and modern home, $640,000; 2012 N Hoyne, 4 bedroom, 4 bath, open plan home, $708,000; 1752 W Wabansia, 4 bedroom, 3 � bath, ultra modern home, $770,000 (Foreclosure); 2340 N Elston #2F, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, Garage spot, Condo, $247,000; 2221 W Cortland #3, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, Garage spot, Condo, $284,000; 2117 N Damen #2, 2 bedroom, 2 � bath, 2 parking spots, Condo, $356,000; 2039 W Webster, 3 bedroom, 2 � bath, attached garage, Townhouse, $375,000; 1151 N Damen #3C, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, tandem garage spots' Duplex Penthouse Condo, $459,000 (Short Sale) *** Information sourced from MREDLLC;3/21/11. Attached Property and Detached Property residential Bucktown (Ashland, Western, Fullerton, North) and Wicker Park (Ashland, Western, North, Division) Do you have a topic you'd like to see explored or a real estate question? Send it in. If you'd like more information on properties currently on the market or selling your home just drop me a note.
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Dispatch from a Night Out with the Mud Queens
by Susanna Porter |
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photo by Susanna Porter
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Monday night wrestling took on a whole new meaning at The Viaduct Theater in Roscoe Village on March 21st. The extremely entertaining, all-girl Mud Queens of Chicago took over the stage with a rowdy, dirty and overtly sexy demonstration. The Mud Queens are the brainchild of Meg Bell, aka The Folsom Prison Manhandler, who, after a night of absinthe-drinking, decided she needed to spice up the city of Chicago. One of the original queens, Rainbow Bite, said they were inspired after watching the Jello Wrestling at the finale of a local carnival, and in 2004, the Mud Queens were born. The group started doing warehouse parties and, with Meg's connections with local venues, are now are doing 3 or 4 shows a year in Chicago.
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Photo by Susanna Porter
| Each girl has a stage persona that includes a nickname along with an ostentatious and frequently skimpy costume. Rainbow Bites's "rival" Judy Jinx, a fairly new member of the Queens (who found the group online and contacted Meg), clad in a ripped-t-shirt bikini and decked in tattoos and piercings, said the experience is "amazing" and is very excited to be a part of the team; this was Judy's second match. Another newer member, Killer Cupcake, aka Jenna Crile, met Meg while working at a bar where Meg was promoting the group. She says every show has been sold out, and indeed, an hour before the show began the doorman was turning away crowds of people begging to get in. Monday night was the big comeback for one of the original members, Cassandra Romanelli, aka Lugnut Lucy, who took a few moments with her trainer, Renee (a former wrestler with a black belt) to get pumped up before the show. Renee informed me that Lucy is 9-0 for wrestling matches and it is her first match since coming back to the city after three years in London.
Read More. --Susanna Porter |
LINKYPOOS is Sponsored By Cat & Mouse Game Store by Nandika Doobay
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 | "It is a happy talent to know how to play." - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
Say "Cheese" and Win!... Cat & Mouse Game Store is working on a photo collage for their store, and they want YOU to be a part of it! Submit a photo of you and your family or friends with a favorite game or puzzle, and you'll be entered to win a $25 Cat & Mouse gift certificate. One winner will be chosen at random, and a second will be selected by the staff as their favorite. And don't worry, we won't sell your picture or use it in ads, and we promise not to draw a funny moustache on you. We'll just add it to the collage that will be displayed in the store. To submit your photo, send an email to Linda, or post it on Cat & Mouse's FB page no later than April 10th.
According to this Sun-Time Media Wire article, a fire broke out on a roof in Bucktown around noon last Thursday, near Elston and Webster. No injuries were reported.
The Huffington Post has this great article about where you can dump the things you don't need anymore, once you get around to that spring cleaning. Places include Buffalo Exchange, 1478 N. Milwaukee, where you can sell your unwanted items or even trade them in for discounts on new junk.
Chicago Now features this photo gallery of last Friday's celebration at Spa Soak, 1733 N. Milwaukee. Owner Jennifer Olson recently teamed up with Emily Eisenberg of Tulle Boutique to create a one-stop-shop for all things beauty and fashion related.
The Feast has more information on the new vegan eatery coming to the old Burger King site at 1480 N. Milwaukee. According to a press release from the East Village association, Native Foods Cafe will occupy 3,100 square feet, have ample outdoor seating, and offer quick-serve organic and vegan foods. Expect it to open in time for summer.
Local Yahoo! contributor Mary Johnson digs up the 411 on newly opened Antico, 1946 N. Leavitt. Johnson's article states that the space will seat up to fifty and will serve lavish European breakfasts, sizzling salamis, seasonal desserts, and seafood and meat dishes. They will even have a garden patio soon!
Check out Pop Sugar writer Kate Stahl's Guide to Damen Avenue's Designer and Big-Brand Shops.
Blogger and yoga instructor Bridgett Blough visits Renegade Handmade, 1924 W. Division St., where she loves to purchase their unique greeting cards.
Chicagoan Stephenie Park, who tied the knot with her husband at Wicker Park's taco and whisky joint Big Star, is now a contender on NBC's "America's Next Big Restaurant." Park's vision for the future of fast food is called Compleat, which she says will offer a variety of delicious but healthy options at fixed caloric counts. Check out this article about her on NBC's Web site.
David Schneider, the chef at Wicker Park's modern Greek restaurant Taxim, will be on the April 10 episode of Iron Chef America on the Food Network. Schneider will go up against Iron Chef Cat Cora.
Grub Street Chicago says that young chef Frank Mnuk is looking for investors to help him open a 90-seat bistro in the former Mado spot, tentatively called Brigadoon. According to the article, Mnuk says they will use "products that are grown, raised, or made locally."
-ND
[Ed Note: This past week in the Reader's weekly chef challenge column, Key Ingredient, chef Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate made carrot cake using Sorghum Syrup and then challenged Mark Steur, chef of The Bedford, to make a dish using bananas. And it should be noted that Key Ingredient's creator, Julia "Spike" Thiel, along with Sky Full of Bacon's Mike Gebert, picked up a 2011 Beard Award nomination in the journalism category.]
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Gleeks and Freaks: A Glee Burlesque Musical |
 | Poster design by Katherine Fisher |
In his program notes for Geek Girl Burlesque's latest production, writer and co-director Joseph H. White thanks the creators of the Fox TV show Glee for creating something "so awesomely outrageous that it was hard to parody." Well, you could have the girls take their clothes off.
Which, of course, is the whole point of a burlesque show. In fact, the TV show, about a geeky high school glee club that features big production numbers, might be beyond parody, but for the Geek Girls' purposes it did serve as a framework for a string of dance routines, and a context that allowed half the cast to take the stage in cheerleader uniforms, easily ripped off when the time came.
Sex wasn't the point--dance was, and (here's big news) dance in and of itself is sexy. Each routine involved the performers singing to recordings of pop songs that had been featured in the TV show, and ended with the performers stripped down to panties and pasties. The dancing, choreographed by co-director Ellen Domonkos, was muscular and loose, while what plot there was--the Glee Club girls raise money to go to a big glee club competition by stripping--was enough to get things started. The really talented cast pulled off stripping in a wheel chair, stripping drunk, and stripping pregnant--until the pillow under the dancer's dress was also removed. The one really pertinent line of dialogue was one of the actors saying that the theater's bar was open all during the show. It's that kind of show. Gleeks and Freaks: A Glee Burlesque Musical plays Thursdays at 9:30 PM through April 28 at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee. Tickets are $15; to purchase tickets visit gorillatango.com or call 773-549-4549; 18 and over only. --Pat J. Daily |
Hello from Phlash Town
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 |
Photo by Philin Phlash
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PHLASH TOWN USA, Chicago my kind of town, your kinda town, how can anyone from anywhere not love this town? OK, I know it's not a town, and I know nobody here calls it CHI-TOWN. One thing I do know is CHICAGO likes to have fun and party like no tomorrow on days like Saint Patrick's Day, which is not one day but many days of wearing green and being Irish, even if you're not. It's OK.
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Photo by Philin Phlash
| Here, I meet people of all race, creed and color, happy to be IRISH and so am I cause I am, because you are what you are, and what you are, is called human. March 17th 2011, no parade today, no dying the river green today, if you survived Saturday you now have the legal right to do all over again the same but different, drinking all day, or having to wait til you got out of your 9 to 5 to dash off to your fave watering hole,bar,tavern,party,event,it was all going on all over town, every, and I mean every place was packed with people, it was a great day and a great night, from a Cornbeef eating contest to help raise money to feed the homeless over at the Fransciscan Association's Marquard Center, to the Mystic Celt -XRT makin the blues green, with my kind of guy, that's Buddy Guy, and a cat named Brooks and a band that blew me away called the Uptown Sound, hear what I saw or see what I heard, in PHLASH TOWN. Read/SEE more. --Philin Phlash
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This Sunday will be the final Logan Square Indoor Winters Farmers Market of the season. Will you be there?
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Community News is Sponsored by The Logan Square Indoor Farmers Market. This Sunday, March 27, is the Market's final sunday, per this e-newsletter.
Expect an Indoor Picnic. A Farewell Celebration.
Maybe some Blueberry Freeze Pie using Roedger Bros. blueberries, which you can stock up on at the market. Don't try this pie recipe at home, though.
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 | One of our favorite sidewalk cafes. What's yours? Let us know. |
Now that the shamrock shake nonsense is over, it's time to dash across the neighborhood for a Frosty.... 15 percent of whatever you eat or drink at the Ashland/Division Wendy's this Thurs. night from 5-8PM will be donated to Jose de Diego School.
Via the latest SSA #33 e-newsletter (March 18) we leaned about The Sidewalk Caf� Program Application Package for 2011. The sidewalk caf� season began on March 1 and ends on December 1. Sidewalk Caf� Permits have a 9 month term and must be applied for, and issued, every year. In a sidewalk cafe in your pipeline? Download a City of Chicago Sidewalk Cafe Application today.
The next set of holidays are right around the corner. Passover begins at sunset on Monday, April 18, and the annual Easter egg hunt in Senior Citizen's Park will take place April 16, per the Friends of Holstein Park's latest monthly edition.
The latest news from the chamber of commerce, which includes important news about Free Swipe Reform, can be read here.
 | Matthew takes to the stage during a performance by visiting NYC-based Jewish rapper, eprhyme, this past Saturday night at The Living Room |
Though much has been written about the redevelopment of Wicker Park's buildings into corporately leased or owned spaces, a three-level space at just north of the Six Points intersection of Milw./Damen/North, is slowly transforming into a community space available for rent or art exhibits, special events, musical acts and more. Read/See More from Eprhyme's Wicker Purim concert.
This past week there was a special CAPS meeting at the Wicker Park Bucktown Library about graffiti and Nandika was there. Her story, in italics, is as follows:
During last February's epic Snowpocalypse, while the blizzard created near white-out conditions and area residents huddled inside their homes, vandals took it as an opportunity to get a lot of work done. And by work, I mean destruction of property. According to 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack, around 400 buildings were hit on the night of the heaviest snowfall.
Boldly drawn tags exploded along the Blue Line's path, many of them brazenly colored in with lettering that looks as if it took some time to create -- not the hurried scribbles of a tagger on the run. Much to the delight of hipsters, but to the chagrin of property owners, the neighborhood was transformed into something resembling an 80s music video over the course of one night.
Alderman Waguespack held a special meeting about graffiti and vandalism last Wednesday, at the Wicker Park Bucktown library. READ MORE. --Nandika Doobay
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Tidbits & Such is Jointly Sponsored By Odd Obsession Underground DVD and Movie Rental, 1822 N. Milw. M-F 2-10PM; Sat Noon-10PM; Sun. Noon-9PM The UPS Store #3173, 1658 N. Milw. M-F 8PM-7PM, Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun. Noon-4PM
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Veggie Bite, at Milwaukee and Paulina appears to have closed, based on this empty storefront.Gary of Sapere Art Gallery, a former Pipeline sponsor, has transitioned to greener pastures known as a full-time corporate job. But Sapere, which Gary started, lives on in the Flat Iron Arts Association building, 1579 N. Milw. Read all about it here. In other transition news, we learned via Our Urban Times that Jamie Simone will be stepping down as longtime SSA #33/WPB program director, a move which will enable her to spend more time with her adorable infant daughter.  | Marianof Siboney Cafeteria
| Siboney Cafeteria is now open at 2165 N. Western, serving fast sandwiches in the quaint cafe space formerly housing Pura Belllaza. We enjoyed this Sandwich de Ropa Vieja which contains plaintains inside of the sandwich and hit the spot. The First Ward was mentioned in this NBC Chicago blog.  The mood was festive this past Thursday as Celtic music poured through the speakers in a building near Roscoe Village. In a break room, I came across retired Chicago Police officer-turned-security guard Jim Douglas, right, who was enjoying a meal of Shepherd's Pie made by his wife, Chef Christine, who formerly worked as a chef for the Blue Chip Casino. Jim proudly reported that the pie he was eating looks much better on his wife's blog, The Food Daily, which would've been added to our blog roll if we didn't just change templates and decide to replace the blogroll with the Pipeline 100 Participants whom we wanted to recognize and acknowledge for being awesome supporters of this e-newsletter. Learn about the project here. Need an incentive? In addition to being part of our printed listings, Pipeline 100 participants - listings and display ads-- will comprise the pool from which we mine editorial coverage! Looking for work? A local pizza place is hiring ASAP. Open availability late nights is a must. Stop in at Santullo's, 1943 W. North, while the potential gig's still hot, and ask for Jeremy. Got a BFF? Issue #003 of American Apparel's new and impressive online weekly e-store is offering a special discount, as well as links to unique items like vintage Swatches.  | Jill and Brian look in on their first burger from J. Wellington's on 3/15/2010 | Need a late night BYOB? J. Wellington's was featured in this Metromix account of five lesser known BYOBs. [P.S. Happy One Year Anniversary to J. Wellington's! Here is where The Pipeline and JW were one year ago, 3/16/2010.] I popped in at UStoreIt, 2647 N. Western, where manager Paul gave me (and now you) the scoop on the next storage unit locker auction, slated for Thurs., April 14, at 2:30 PM, to be led by auctioneer Brook Snyder. According to Paul, last month a man bid $5 on what looked like an old mattresses, only to discover a Garmin GPS and an Apple laptop. "Another guy paid $1200 and got rooms fulls of new furniture and an autographed Superbowl football. I think it was all worth about $20,000," Paul said. We ran outta time for a contest last week, but hope some lucky reader interested in winning a copy of Oldest Chicago will know where I took this shot of hot dogs in the sky. If you know the name of the place we're referencing, which is also featured in the book, let us know. A free copy of Oldest Chicago courtesy of publisher Lake Claremont Press can and will be yours! Last but not least, we are giving advance warning to the possibility of calling in sick to your inbox next week (March 29). Between our FT day job, this e-newsletter which we often work on from 5 to 8AM and on nights/weekends, sciatica, soliciting for the Pipeline 100 Project ( deadline April 6! reach out and touch us asap!), a desire to celebrate our mom's birthday and catch up with friends this weekend without thinking about a deadline, and an email we just got from someone reminding us that, "The candle that burns brightest burns shortest," something's gotta give and we're not sure we're ready for it to be our body. If there's any breaking and/or interesting news we'll post it to Streets of Wicker and will be back in your in-boxes Tues. April 5. Thanks for your patience and pardon our dust as we strive to get better, at least physically. |
The Week Ahead is sponsored by the Jackson Junge Gallery and Framing 1389 N. Milw. P: 773-227-7900
Tues-Sa. 11AM-8PM Sun. Noon-5PM
| Wed. March 23 6 to 8PM: Business Networking: March Margarita Mixer (M.GO Fashion Salon) 6:30-8:30PM: Aussies Kissing Kiwis: New Zealand Earthquake Relief Fundraiser
Thurs. March 24 5 to 8PM, Jose de Diego School Community Night at Wendy's Restaurant 7-10PM: Atomic Sketch (Green Eyed Lounge- check in first to see if happening)
Fri. March 25 7 to 10PM: Online Gallery Release Launch (Johalla Projects) 8 to 10PM Lecture: Love, Lecture & the Soul (The Silver Room) 8PM Theatre Opening: Polarity Ensemble's Ephemera (Josephinum Academy) Various locations and Times: Zine Fest
 | Click to enlarge |
Sat. March 26 Noon to 4PM: Sam Marts Architects & Planners Open House 7 to 11PM: LaSalle II Spring Thaw (Mercedes Benz) 8 PM: Nelgen Algren's Annual Birthday Party
Sun. March 27 10AM-2PM: Indoor Farmers Market (Congress Theatre) 7PM: Iowa City Writers Visit Wicker Park
Mon. March 28: 4-8PM: Sam Marts Architects & Planners Open House
Sat. April 2
4-7PM Art Opening: Rinus Van de Velde (Monique Meloche) Thurs. April 7 5 to 9PM: An Evening of Art and Shopping to Benefit Burr Elementary School (Clever Alice)
 |
Wicker Park Choral Singers/
Photo by Aynsley Floyd
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Sat. April 9 11AM-6PM: 6th Annual Cheap Thrills Multi-Boutique Sale (EsKell, Tangerine, Penelopes, City Soles/Niche)
3PM: How Does Your Garden Grow? Wicker Park Choral Singers Concert
6:30-11PM: School Fundraiser: Angels of Hope (St. Mary of the Angels)
Thurs. April 14 2:30 PM: Storage Locker Auction (U-Store It, 2647 N. Western)
Sat. April 16 10-11AM: Easter Egg Hunt in Bucktown's Holstein Park
Thurs. April 28 7 to 9PM: Spring Fling Dance (Jackson Junge)
ART GALLERY WATCH:
Closing March 26:
Ebony G. Patterson (moniquemeloche)
Sugar & Splice (OhNoDoom Gallery)  | A striking and colorful piece by Bruce Riley, at Eyeporium Gallery |
Just extended: Side Effects: Bruce Riley (Eyeporium Gallery)
Closing April 8: Impasto (Coalition Gallery) Closing May 1: Irena Saparnas (Jackson Junge Gallery) **Are you a local gallery located within Wicker Park or Bucktown with a current and or future show? Let us know. **Pardon our dust as we undergo a makeover in this section. Let us know if you like this new format. Let us know if you don't. Thanks.
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