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Saturday, March 31st, 2012

Logan Square Literary Review Issue X Release Reception - Toggle a preview

The folks at the Logan Square Literary Review are wrapping up their latest issue and will be hosting a release reception at Uncharted Books (2630 N. Milwaukee Ave.) on Wednesday, April 11th from 7-10pm. This reception will feature readings from the Issue X contributors, a full list will be announced once it has been confirmed.This event is FREE and BYOB! It will last from 7 to 10 p.m.Issues of The LSLR will be for sale, as well as the entire stock of used books in the store! Beginning this day

Chiboulevards at 9:36 am

Bang Bang Pie Shop & Daddy Cool's - Toggle a preview

Bang Bang Pie Shop (2051 N California Ave) opened their doors on Thursday. The shop is looking super slick, so stop by and get some pie and coffee. As soon as I finish with moving, I’m going to swing by and get myself a well deserved piece of pie.  PS. moving from a third story apartment to another third story apartment is not the most fun thing to be doing on a Friday-Saturday. Also, Daddy Cool’s looks like their putting the finish touches up on the restaurant. The paper has pulled down

Chiboulevards at 9:31 am

Review: Lululemon Ride On Crop - Toggle a preview

Lululemon sent a pair of Ride On Crops along with the other items in the Ride On collection, but the sizing and style weren’t quite right for me. So I passed them along to one of the most faithful members of our bicycle gang to assess! In addition to being a badass cyclist who bike commutes from East Nashville to downtown more often than not, Lauren is a talented seamstress, so her opinion on clothing is probably worth a lot more than mine anyway. Without further ado, here’s Laure

Let's Go Ride A Bike at 8:31 am

"Bikes! The Green Revolution" at the Notebaert - Toggle a preview

Flash! We've heard that the news is out on the new exhibit at the Notebaert Nature Museum: Bikes! the Green Revolution.We have been excited about the exhibit since since early in the winter when Martha Williams, who is the great photographer behind Bike Fancy (link on our sidebar), let us know she was working with the museum by sharing some of her photographs with the curators.How great, because we love the way that Martha pictures bike life here in Chicago and hoped the infectious feeling of h

Chicargo Bike at 12:47 am

Friday, March 30th, 2012

Chicago bicycling exhibit opening at the Nature Museum this weekend! - Toggle a preview

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park is opening an exhibit about bicycling in Chicago that will be of interest to fans of this blog. "Bikes! The Green Revolution" is a tribute to the history of bicycling in our city, as well as a reflection of the importance of bicycling today. Notice how we didn't use the word "sport" in the prior sentences: This exhibit is about how riding bikes is a fun, sustainable mode of transportation.We promise to check out the exhibit and write a

Bike Walk Lincoln Park at 6:00 pm

Protected bike lane in Evanston announced - Toggle a preview

Active Trans salutes the City of Evanston for announcing plans to install a protected bike lane on Church Street this summer. The protected bike lane will separate bike traffic from motor traffic using pavement markings, upright lane separators and parking reconfigurations. This provides for a safer cycling experience since cyclists will not be traveling alongside vehicles. “We are thrilled with Church street's planned bike lane because it will encourage people to bike that may currently

Active Transportation Alliance blog at 3:04 pm

60 Second Cycling Summary; Upcoming Events and Week in Review - Toggle a preview

The weekend has arrived! While there is a chance of scattered thunderstorms on Sunday (and when hasn't there been a chance of scattered thunderstorms lately?), temps in the 60s and 70s will beckon us to get out and ride.  With the fierce March wind dying down, it's the perfect time to rediscover bicycling. My personal recommendation is easing slowly into spring riding by taking advantage of the many area forest preserve "loops" (like the Cuba Marsh trail) or a nice out-and-back on a l

Easy As Riding A Bike at 10:45 am

Andersonville's Decaying Crosswalks - Toggle a preview

Andersonville's Decaying Crosswalks: A-Ville Daily reports on a reader’s complaint regarding the increasingly “shabby looking crosswalks” in Andersonville. As I describe in my comment on the post, these “brick” crosswalks are done using painted stamped asphalt that doesn’t age very well. Newer installations use longer lasting dyed concrete. In any case, I’ve long been concerned about the lack of visibility of the crosswalks, some of which haven’t even had the faded crosswalk lin

Kevin Zolkiewicz's Blog at 10:01 am

All You Haters Unfold My Dahon - Toggle a preview

So, I've reached the milestone at which I'm supposed to be figuring out whether or not I'm going to be able to carry on normally with this injury, but of course, "normal" for me includes what everyone else refers to as "avid cycling." A year from now is not the ideal time to learn that would have needed surgery after all.So yesterday evening I walked Scooty-Puff the Spunky Folding Bike over to TATI to join His Snobbiness for the ride up to Lincoln Square, with the mistaken impression that

General Carlessness at 9:46 am

Critical Mass Bikers To Clog Friday Evening Traffic - Toggle a preview

Bikers "Mass" up traffic in Wicker Park It’s the last Friday of the month. That means those crazy hordes of bicycle riders of Critical Mass Chicago will take over the streets of the Windy City tonight for their monthly ride. Critical Mass steps off from Daley Center at 5:30 PM and will take a roughly 10 mile route unknown to anyone until minutes before the start time. But drivers on the road during early evening will risk getting stuck at an intersection for 10-30 minutes dependi

The Expired Meter at 9:27 am

Illinois Boasts Nation’s Largest Fast Charge Station Network For Electric Vehicles - Toggle a preview

Electric Car Owners Can Now Juice Up At Tollway Oases EV charging station outside a West Loop Walgreens Above the din from hundreds of traditional gas powered vehicles roaring past the O’Hare Tollway Oasis Thursday afternoon, Governor Quinn announced Illinois will soon be the home to the nation’s largest network of fast charging stations for electric cars. “We want Illinois to be the greenest state in America,” Governor Quinn said. “By installing the largest network

The Expired Meter at 12:16 am

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

Chicago Cherry Blossoms - Toggle a preview

I’m so happy to be back in Chicago for springtime.  I’m more of an autumn person, but I must admit that the city looks most beautiful during the short time period when cherry blossoms bloom. This year is way ahead of schedule.  Last year, the blossoms did not appear until May and the year before, not until mid-late April. Another lovely change is being able to bike without tights, which is always exciting after six months of covered legs. I’m so lucky to enjoy this beaut

Let's Go Ride A Bike at 6:01 pm

Intersections are long! - Toggle a preview

There are many intersections in Chicago that are so long that, while cycling, I can enter it (by passing the stop bar) on a green light, be in it during the entire 3-second yellow phase, and exit the intersection after it’s been red for several seconds. I don’t like this. I think it puts me at risk. We could make our intersections shorter or we could increase the length of the yellow and all-red phases. One of these intersections is Elston Avenue at Ashland Avenue. Going southbound o

Steven Can Plan at 2:33 pm

Chicago’s Dubious Distinctions - Toggle a preview

Chicago is a world class city that needs a world class transit system.  Unfortunately, we don’t have funds that even come close to covering the $15 billion in work needed to keep our transit system working properly and expanding service.  That will remain the case for the foreseeable future unless the state gets its fiscal issues straightened out. It’s difficult to know where to begin with such huge problems like that. The Chicago region’s Riders for Better Transit has proposed legislati

Center for Neighborhood Technology at 2:14 pm

Join the Riders for Better Transit Day of Action, April 12 - Toggle a preview

Our last Day of Action was a great success! Over 30 volunteers came to help us pass out flyers and get the word out about Transit Fast Forward! Time is running out to make this bill a priority for our state legislators! Come help Riders for Better Transit spread the word about important transit legislation. We’ll start the evening by passing out action alert flyers at a few downtown train stations, and then we’ll head to Boston Blackies restaurant for a few beers (cash bar) to celeb

Active Transportation Alliance blog at 2:00 pm

After extension vote, Transportation for America urges House leaders to get to work on a bipartisan bill - Toggle a preview

Transportation for America Director James Corless today issued the following statement in response to the House passage of a 90-day extension of the current federal transportation program and motor fuels tax: “While we are disappointed that Congress was unable to pass a transportation bill before the end of the current extension, the action taken today in the U.S. House will at least prevent a disruption of the federal transportation program and ensure millions of Americans continue to work by

Transportation 4 America at 1:31 pm

Congress punts again on transportation bill: Passes ninth extension - Toggle a preview

By Chrissy Mancini NicholsThough it seemed likely this week that Congress would finally approve a long-term transportation authorization, instead today, March 29, the House and Senate approved a ninth extension of SAFETEA-LU, the federal transportation law that expired in 2009. The extension will last 90 days. Because the House takes a two-week break beginning tonight, the Senate had little choice but to go along with passage of the extension to avert a total shutdown of transportation construct

Metropolitan Planning Council: The Connector at 1:00 pm

The Great Reordering of the Urban Hierarchy - Toggle a preview

My latest blog post is online over at New Geography. It is called “The Great Reordering of the Urban Hierarchy.” In it, I look at how the relentless expansion of the US federal government and the “spiky world” forces of globalizations are revamping the urban hierarchy of the top tier cities in the United States. While not a definitive view, it seems that New York is going from strength to strength, while Washington, DC emerges as America’s new “Second City.&

The Urbanophile at 12:38 pm

Kickstarter Project to Fund City's First Parklet in Andersonville - Toggle a preview

Kickstarter Project to Fund City's First Parklet in Andersonville: eco-Andersonville, an initiative of the Andersonville Development Corporation, has launched a Kickstarter project to build Chicago’s first parklet. The goal of the project is to raise $5,600 to help fund creation of the parklet. The Andersonville Development Corporation plans to fund the rest of the project cost, estimated between $10,000 to $14,000 for the first year. Parklets are small urban parks that typically replace two

Kevin Zolkiewicz's Blog at 9:21 am

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

All You Haters Support My Emotions - Toggle a preview

So... Anyone going on the Snob Ride on Thursday evening?

General Carlessness at 10:35 pm

New details on CTA Red Line north station rehab project - Toggle a preview

Here's an update on the CTA's "Red North Station Interim Improvements" gleaned from public meetings held over the last week by the CTA and the 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore and 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman. Bryn Mawr station improvements with CTA, TIF funds. In the original RFP for this work, the Bryn Mawr station was included in the project. Then Alderman Osterman asked the CTA to take it out and include Berwyn instead. Last week Osterman said he want a "larger scale project" at Br

CTA Tattler at 7:04 pm

Illinois EPA Convenes Group to Develop Stormwater Management Standards for the State - Toggle a preview

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) is moving forward this week with its plan to make green infrastructure a mainstay of stormwater management programs across the state. IEPA has convened a working group of stormwater policy stakeholders, including CNT, to devise statewide performance standards for stormwater management. At the working group’s inaugural meeting on March 29th, CNT Stormwater Program Manager Ryan Wilson will present a review of exemplary state programs from across th

Center for Neighborhood Technology at 1:26 pm

Manhatta - Toggle a preview

That great site How to Be a Retronaut pointed me at this great 1921 silent film of New York City by Paul Strand. It’s called “Manhatta” and provides a unique look at NYC at the early part of the 20th century. If the video doesn’t display, click here. Also on the Retronaut recently was this 1925 “infographic” from Popular Science Monthly about how we may live and travel in 1950, and how this new world might solve congestion problems….. A production o

The Urbanophile at 12:57 pm

Mountains, Shorelines, and the Midwest? - Toggle a preview

When you imagine scenic mountains and picturesque shorelines, you're probably not thinking about the Midwest.  Caves and islands?  Seriously? With sights set on the grandeur of the Rockies or the sandy beaches of the Atlantic and Pacific, there is a tendency to overlook the fascinating diversity of terrain within a day's drive of Chicago.  Have you ever seen the Ozarks or visited the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior?  Have you ever observed and absorbed these sights atop the saddle of a

Easy As Riding A Bike at 9:30 am

Bike Shop + Coffee + Beer: A Trend I’ll Follow - Toggle a preview

It seems to be a growing trend – at least in the US – bike shops that do double duty as cafes.  Whether it be just coffees and fancy sodas, or beer and wine, a  few bike shops around the country are adding a new retail twist to the traditional bikes + accessories line up. Red Lantern Bicycles opened back in July in Brooklyn, New York.  This month they finally received approval for the liquor license so they can now sell those PBRs to their thirsty clientele. Red Lantern Bicycles -

Ding Ding Let's Ride! at 7:21 am

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