Lake Claremont Press, Chicago's Press

All Things Local "Defies a Blizzard"

2011-02-17T14:56:00.009-06:00

Our All Things Local party at the Chicago Cultural Center went on in the blizzard aftermath on February 3, bringing out about 175 hardy Chicagoans to celebrate our four latest guidebook releases, Oldest Chicago, The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats, Carless in Chicago, and Historic Bars of Chicago. Chicago Publishes, the online presence of the City of Chicago's Publishing Industry Programs, which made this event possible, posted a recap.

Authors Jason Rothstein, Christopher Garlington, David Haynes, David Witter, and Sean Parnell all gave readings from their books, and David Witter (Oldest Chicago) even sang and played the harmonica with the Chicago blues band assembled by Scott Madden and including JC Cleavenger, Dan Lopotta, and Scott Carleton.

Thanks to Bess Titus (Schlitz) and Terri Champelli (Schubas) for arranging the free Schlitz and Patrick Rhea (Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket) for arranging the donation of the Route 66 Beer, bottled by Chicago's own Filbert's.

Combine live Chicago roots music, great beverages, and Ann Sather cinnamon rolls, and is it surprising some guests declared the event, "the liveliest thing they've ever attended at the Cultural Center"? Wonderful food donations from Artopolis (LCP's favorite Greektown lunch place) and Pizza Rustica and West Town Tavern (both featured in Carless in Chicago) also helped provide sustenance before we all had to head back out into the cold.

Thanks, too, to these other iconic Chicago businesses featured in our new books for their contributions to the bounty of raffle prizes winners could choose from: The Metro, Schubas, Twin Anchors, Millers Pub, Flourish Bakery, Hot Doug's, Willowbrook Ballroom, Cigar King, Active Transportation Alliance, and Preservation Chicago.

Short but sweet, this event toasted the accomplishments of our new authors and the many distinctive businesses and institutions that make up our local landscape. Congratulations and thanks to you all!

All Things Local / Next Party & Free Book Offer

2011-01-22T11:50:00.003-06:00

We had an incredible response to our All Things Local party at the Chicago Cultural Center on February 3 and we're very sorry that we can't accommodate everyone who's RSVPing for the event, including many of our long-time supporters. Thank you for understanding that for everyone's safety we have to draw a line and stick with it.

We'd like to extend the special party discounts to everyone who can't make the party, offer you an additional book free with any purchase, and give you free shipping.

If you take advantage of this book sale, we'll include your name in the party raffle to win great prizes from Chicago classics like Twin Anchors, Miller's Pub, The Metro, the Willowbrook Ballroom, the Old Town Ale House, Hot Doug's, Flourish Bakery, and more.

We'll also put you on the list to be notified first for our next book party--for Michael Corcoran's Hollywood on Lake Michigan: 100 Years of Chicago and the Movies.

New Books

Historic Bars of Chicago ($15.95) - $14
The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats ($15.95) - $14
Carless in Chicago ($15.95) - $14
Oldest Chicago ($16.95) - $14

Backlist Books

What Would Jane Say? City-Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicagos ($18.95) - $15
Sports Traveler Chicago ($15.95) - $12
Rule 53: Capturing Hippies, Spies, Politicians, and Murderers in an American Courtroom ($19.95) - $15
For Members Only: A History and Guide to Chicago's Oldest Private Clubs ($18.95) - $12
On The Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department ($17.95) - $12
The Chicago River: A Natural and Unnatural History ($16.95) - $12
The Chicago River Architecture Tour ($12) - $10
Finding Your Chicago Ancestors ($16.95) - $10
Finding Your Chicago Irish ($17.95) - $10
Wrigley Field's Last World Series ($16.95) - $12
A Chicago Tavern ($10) - $8
Creepy Chicago ($8) - $7
Muldoon: A True Chicago Ghost Story ($15) - $12

Special Volume Offer for Party

Buy any 2 books, get a 3rd book free.
Buy any 3 books, get a 4th and 5th book free.
Buy any 4 books, get a 5th, 6th, and 7th book free.
Buy any 5 books, get a 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th book free.

Additional Offer for You

Choose another backlist book free.
Free shipping.

Order by...

phone: 312/226-8400
fax: 312/226-8420
email: lcp@lakeclaremont.com

You're Invited for a Winter Celebration of All Things Local

2011-01-14T10:37:00.002-06:00

Party with us at the People's Palace...

All Things Local: Local Authors, Local Topics, Local Businesses, Local Publisher

WHERE: Chicago Cultural Center, 1st Floor Publishers Gallery (Randolph Entrance)

WHEN: February 3, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Lake Claremont Press is partnering with the Publishing Industries Program of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs to bring you this smashing celebration of all thing local releated to the release of our four newest guidebooks.

--Historic Bars of Chicago (Sean Parnell)
--Carless in Chicago (Jason Rothstein)
--Oldest Chicago (David Anthony Witter)
--The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats (Sgt. David J. Haynes & Christopher Garlington)

Sample food and drink--including Schlitz beer honoring its proud Chicago tied-house heritage--compliments of some of the local businesses featured in our guidebooks.

Win raffle prizes donated by some of the local businesses featured in our latest releases, including the Willowbrook Ballroom, Hot Doug's, Twin Anchors, Miller's Pub, The Metro, Schubas, Flourish Bakery, and the Old Town Ale House.

Enjoy Chicago blues and roots music led by Scott Madden, who has performed at the Chicago Blues Festival and the Taste of Chicago.

Meet the authors and buy autographed copies of their books at great discounts.

Meet with representatives of local organizations that also support the mission of these books, including the Chicago Bar Project, Active Transportation Alliance, Preservation Chicago, and Local First Chicago, and learn what cool things they're up to.

Space is limited. Please RSVP to: lcp@lakeclaremont.com.

Carless in Chicago? Orange Line Wonders

2011-01-04T14:50:00.003-06:00

Today's rail touring takes us to the wonderful restaurants and food shopping along the Southwest Side's Orange Line.

Midway (4600 W/5900 S)

For the rare Midway station traveler who isn't airport bound, consider a pierogi pilgrimage to Bobak's Sausage Company (5275 S. Archer).

Pulaski (4000 W/5100 S)

Stuff yourself like a cabbage at Szala's Restaurant (5214 S. Archer), making a visit before or afterwards for book browsing at Ex Libris Polish Book Gallery (5040 S. Archer).

Western (2400 W/4900 S)

You'd never guess from this semi-industrial neighborhood that you are just blocks away from amazing small-batch cheese. The Great American Cheese Collection (4727 S. Talman), a cheese distributor serving restaurants and gourmet shops, opens its warehouse to the public every alternate Saturday morning, and often features guest businesses selling other artisanal food as well.

35th/Archer (2200 W/3500 S)

This is your stop for two Southwest Side classics: Huck Finn Donuts (3414 S. Archer), whose menu extends far beyond fried dough, and Lindy's Chili and Gertie's Ice Cream (3685 S. Archer), for all combinations of delicious homemade chili and ice cream treats.

These are just a fraction of the suggestions offered readers of Jason Rothstein's Carless in Chicago (CTA Chapter), available from your local library, Amazon.com (now available for Kindle), and bookstores near you.

Next up: Brown Line.

Carless in Chicago? The Power of Pink

2010-12-30T15:04:00.004-06:00

Today's CTA train adventures center on the new-ish Pink Line. Jason Rothstein's CTA chapter in Carless in Chicago focuses on the concentration of ethnic treats available to Pink Line riders.

54/Cermak (5400 W/2200 S)

Restaurace Klas (5754 W. Cermak) in the Town of Cicero offers hearty Czech cuisine, while Xni-pec (shnee-peck) (5135 W. 25th) serves Yucatanean cuisine named for the region's deadly habanero salsa.

Pulaski (4000 W/2100 S)

Just over a half-mile south of the station is Little Village's (La Villita's) main shopping district on 26th Street.

Kedzie (3200 W/2100 S)

Visit the tiny Museum of Mexican Culture and History (3050 W. Cermak), tucked in along this busy commercial corridor. For a different type of culture, head south on Kedize to Club Volkan (2501 S. Kedzie) for a less expensive clubbing experience than those in swankier neighborhoods (but just as loud and sweaty).

California (2800 W/2100 S)

Have a taste for boar? Rattlesnake? Baby Eels? La Casa de Samuel (2834 W. Cermak) deserves mention for its exotic offerings; the less adventurous will appreciate their more conventional Mexican dishes and homemade tortillas.

Western (2400 W/2100 S)

Here's your stop for the Heart of Italy neighborhood (read: strip of restaurants), including the well-regarded Bacchanalia (2413 S. Oakley) and Ignotz Ristorante (2421 S. Oakley).

Damen (2000 W/2100 S)

Right by the station, keep an eye out for a legendary tamale street vendor (who also sells Mexican hot chocolate during the cold months). For light fare and free wifi, walk one block north to Tianguis Bookstore & Tea Shop (2003 S. Damen). Damen also gets you three blocks from the National Museum of Mexican Art (1852 W. 19th), formerly the Mexican Fine Arts Museum.

18th (1700 W/1800 S)

Even without a destination in mind, vibrant 18th Street makes for great walking and exploration, especially to the east. But if you need a place to go, consider Cafe Jumping Bean (1432 W. 18th) or Panaderia Nuevo Leon (1634 W. 18th).

Next Stop: Orange Line Wonders

Carless in Chicago? Going Green

2010-12-28T15:23:00.004-06:00

On Day 3 of showcasing fun spots very near CTA transit lines, courtesy of Jason Rothstein's Carless in Chicago, we take on the green line...

Harlem/Lake (7200 W/100 S)

Here's your stop for Oak Park's historic sweet shop: Petersen's Ice Cream (1104 Chicago Ave) has been dishing out the frozen treat since before Hemingway and Frank Lloyd Wright called Oak Park home. Petersen's is also featured in David Witter's Oldest Chicago as the area's oldest ice cream parlor.

Laramie (5200 W/400 N)

The one appeal of this stop above all others is the acclaimed (by both President Obama and Haynes & Garlington's The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats) soul food restaurant, MacArthur's (5412 W. Madison). Even their website is mouth-watering.

Conservatory-Central Park Drive (3600 W/100 N)

The world's largest greenhouse--and a great salve for winter depression, the Garfield Park Conservatory is just steps from the Conservatory-Central Park station. Look for special events like the annual Chocolate Festival around Valentine's Day.

Ashland (1600 W/200 N)

You may already know that the Lyon & Healy factory (168 N. Ogden) are harpmakers to the world, but did you know about their concert series? This is also a good stop for the western edge of the Randolph Street restaurant row.

43rd (4300 S/300 E)

Looking around the station, no one would think Bronzeville has completely gentrified, but this is a neighborhood in transition. The upscale Negro League Cafe (301 W. 43rd) holds court as one of the earliest of the new Bronzeville spots, while farther east, Bronzeville Coffee House (528 E. 43rd) provides fuel for Green Line commuters.

Tomorrow: Pink Line!

Carless in Chicago? Blue Line Exploring

2010-12-28T13:31:00.003-06:00

Moving on from yesterday's Red Line adventures, we share some blue line favorites today from the CTA chapter of Carless in Chicago (Jason Rothstein):

Rosemont (5800 N/10500 W)

Even savvy transit users don't realize that you can walk to the Allstate Arena (6920 Mannheim Road) from the station...on sidewalks! All the way! Is it time to buy some Wolves tickets?

Jefferson Park (4900 N/5400 W)

Many people are too busy transferring at Jefferson Park to realize its proximity to such things as Geek paradise American Science and Surplus (5316 N. Milwaukee).

Addison (3600 N/3600 W)

This time, it's the diagonal street of Elston Avenue that may throw you off, making you unaware that the Abbey Pub (3420 W. Grace) and its eclectic music and Irish sporting events (on TV) and breakfasts are an easy train ride away.

Division (1200 N/1600 W)

Even Chicagophiles may not realize they don't need to head to Park Ridge or other burbs for local chain Oberweis Dairy. There's one at 1293 N. Milwaukee, about a block from the 6-corner intersection.

Racine (1200 W/430 S)

Racine's the best stop for Italian Taylor Street mainstays like The Rosebud (1500 W. Taylor) or concerts and WNBA basketball at the UIC Pavilion (525 S. Racine).

Harlem (7200 W/700 S)

For a fun half-day trip, visit the Village of Forest Park and its bustling downtown along Madison Street, home to Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore. There's also the Ferrara Pan Candy Company (very Old Chicago) factory store at 7301 W. Harrison.

Carless in Chicago? Red Line Treasures

2010-12-27T12:19:00.003-06:00

Today we begin seven days of suggestions for Chicago must-know-it-alls culled from the pages of the CTA train chapter of Jason Rothstein's Carless in Chicago. For your holiday break and winter exploring, we offer you these Windy City treasures, all within a two-block walk from CTA subway or "L" stops.

Red Line...

Howard Station (7600 N/1700 W)

Visit the Romanian Kosher Sausage Company (7200 N. Clark) for top-notch salami and formidable cuts of brisket.

Argyle Station (5000 N/1200 W)

For the finest example of pho (the ubiquitous Vietnamese beef noodle soup) , have lunch at Pho 777 (1065 W. Argyle) today. Argyle Street, of course, is filled with all the runners-up, too.

Belmont Station (3200 N/1000 W)

If you need last-minute holiday gathering treats, you can't go wrong at Bittersweet Bakery (1114 W. Belmont), especially because it's a terrific lunch destination as well.

Fullerton Station (2400 N/1000 W)

In the category of "We didn't know either"...the DePaul University Art Museum (2350 N. Kenmore) is one of a handful of public-friendly buildings on the very walkable DePaul University campus.

69th Station (6900 S/1 W)

Also recommended by The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats authors Haynes & Garlington, Uncle John's BBQ (339 E. 69th) is a 3-block walk from the station.

Day 12: Relating to Family Past & Present at the Holidays

2010-12-17T15:01:00.004-06:00

In a revision of a 2007 blog post, author and local historian/genealogist Grace DuMelle (Finding Your Chicago Ancestors) offers this advice on Day 12 of our 12 Days of Xmas blog-a-thon for remembering and relating to family past and present at the holidays. She also notes that winter months and in-depth, library-based genealogy research go hand in hand.

• Take a tour of the places your ancestors lived, worked, played, and worshipped. Be sure to convert pre-1909 addresses for Chicago so you’re in the correct spot!

• Ask older relatives if they have any good stories about your ancestors. What stands out after all these years? Are there things you want to know more about? Write down the clues.

• Go through old photos. It can be a revelation to see an ancestor as a young man or woman. How have you inherited height, build, eye color, or nose?

• Get the context. What was it like to be a Pullman porter, fire fighter, school teacher or dressmaker? How was it to live through the Chicago Fire, World War II, or the civil rights era? It’s fun to learn more with a trip to the Chicago History Museum (1601 N. Clark St., Chicago), Newberry Library (60 W. Walton St., Chicago), or Fire Museum of Chicago.

• Cook a special meal with food that’s been part of your family. Most ancestors came to Chicago from a different part of the U.S. or a different country. Toast the traditions they brought from home and passed down to you.

DuMelle was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune's real estate section in the article "Historian finds every home has a story."

Day 11: Beat Cop's Guide Holiday Snacktacular

2010-12-16T10:47:00.005-06:00

The Beat Cop, Sgt. David J. Haynes, and his partner-in-crime, blogger Christopher Garlington, are first and foremost your public servants. And in the spirit of service they offer you this solution for your holiday potluck needs: Bacon Candy! From their forthcoming, The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats.

"When Dave told me we had to include a recipe in this book, I was stumped. The theme is cheap eats and the idea is that these are the go-to places for Dave and other beat cops who don’t have the time to sit down and eat and don’t want to blow a wad of cash only to be interrupted in the middle of lunch to go fight crime. So what do you cook for these guys? It has to be portable, delicious, and cheap. Preparation time is important but not critical. Gumbo is out because you don’t pack soup. Deviled eggs are out because how the hell do you carry them? There is only one solution, a food so delicious, so ridiculously divine, snacktacular, and above all totally weird. I’m talking about candied bacon.

I know, it sounds like something you’d get in Chinatown (actually, you’re more likely to get candied squid in Chinatown, and no, I’m not making that up) but trust me. This is one of my favorite party tricks and comes to me from one of my antique Amish cookbooks. This is old-school finger food so fire up a defibrillator and put your apron on.

Mr. Garlington’s Famous Bacon Candy

First, get a whole lot of bacon. Cheap, skinny bacon you can read through. This recipe does not require the hand-crafted, independently farmed, organic free-range massaged and cuddled pork you might buy at Whole Foods. Get the generic stuff.

Put the bacon on a rack over a pan in the oven and bake it till it’s just almost crispy. 350 degrees for about ten minutes. Take it out to cool and leave the oven on. Drain the fat off the pan.

While it’s baking, mix up the following:

· 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

· ½ cup brown sugar lightly packed

· 2 tablespoons red wine

· a dash—A FREAKING DASH; NOT A SPOONFUL, JUST A DASH! A DASH! A PINCH! A SMIDGEN! of cayenne pepper.

Now coat the bacon with the sauce and put it in the pan on a wire rack. Use all the sauce! Bake the bacon until the sauce begins to bubble and then remove it, laying it on wax paper until it cools. IT SHOULD BE DRY TO THE TOUCH—NOT STICKY. If it’s sticky, bake it a few more minutes. It took me a while to get this last part right but you have to have confidence here and leave the bacon in the oven slightly longer than your instinct tells you to. When you see it bubbling, you’re going to want to yank it out. DON’T. Count to ten. Wait. Have courage. Then yank it.

Once the bacon is cool, cut the strips into pieces and put them all into a Tupperware. Beware, these things are even more addicting than deviled eggs."

Day 10: Wearing the Green, North Side, South Side

2010-12-15T10:40:00.003-06:00

Sharon Shea Bossard (Finding Your Chicago Irish) reminds us that the North Side and South Side Irish (and those that love and associate with them or their traditions) have special places to celebrate further in the month of December.

The Irish American Heritage Center on the Northwest Side has already held their annual Christmas bazaar for crafts and baked goods, but it's not too late to enjoy Christmas at the Center at this cultural bastion's atmospheric Fifth Province Pub! Sing, dance, and Guinness the night away with carols, the Chancey Brothers, Joe McShane, and Another Pint. Friday, December 17, 8 p.m.

On the South Side, Chicago Gaelic Park, has everything from the Mingle & Jingle Christmas Party (December 16, 6:30-10:30 p.m.), Tony Kenny's Christmas Time in Ireland Show (December 19, 7 p.m.), and on the last day of the year, a family New Year's Eve party at 4 p.m. and the New Year's Eve Gala at 8 p.m.

Day 9: BYOBs for Affordable, Cultural Holiday Get-Togethers

2010-12-14T08:08:00.003-06:00

Jean Iversen, author of the third edition of BYOB Chicago brings us Day 9 of LCP's 12 Days of Xmas Chicago holiday suggestions.

BYOBs: Part of a Cultural Experience

BYOBs are an affordable, fun option for holiday get-togethers with friends and family (just think of how much you’ll save on that bottle of bubbly). Many of them are located in Chicago’s ethnic neighborhoods. This holiday, enjoy not only the great BYOBs in these unique neighborhoods, but also the surrounding shops, sights, and culture.

Chinatown: Szechuan and Chinatown Square

A few steps from the Cermak/Chinatown stop on the Red Line is Double Li (228 W. Cermak, 312-842-7818), an excellent Szechuan BYOB (read: spicy). While noshing on an appetizer of steamed dumplings, plot your course through Chinatown Square, where you can shop for teas, sweets, herbs, and other curiosities.

Pilsen: Enchiladas and Art Walk

Established by the Gutierrez family in 1962, Nuevo Leon (1515 W. 18th St., 312-421-1517) is the anchor of 18th Street, a mecca of authentic Mexican food and art galleries. Stop by the 180-seat Northern Mexican BYOB for a rib eye with poblano peppers (bring your own batch of margaritas), then hit the Pilsen Art Walk on the second Friday of the month.

Andersonville: Swedes and Shopping

What would a trip to this Scandinavian neighborhood be without a stop at BYOB Ann Sather (5207 N. Clark, 773-271-6677)? After one of their signature, hockey puck–sized cinnamon rolls and a plate of Swedish pancakes and lingonberries, you’ll need to walk it off. The boutique shops along Clark Street offer ample opportunities to find books, clothing, house wares, gourmet goodies, and more.

Uptown: Asian Eats and Groceries

Most people who come to feast in this neighborhood, also dubbed Little Saigon, flock to Tank Noodle, another BYOB a few doors down. But I think hole-in-the-wall Pho 888 (1137 W. Argyle, 773-907-8838) serves up the best Vietnamese grub. After a hearty meal of spring rolls, pho (a beef broth-based cauldron of soup) and grilled pork sandwiches (served on freshly baked baguettes from nearby Ba Le), pick up some authentic Asian spices and groceries on Argyle—or go north on Broadway a few blocks to the Golden Pacific Market for an even larger selection.

West Rogers Park: Samosas and Saris

Indo-Pak (Indian-Pakistani) restaurants dominate this stretch of Devon; most are BYOB since most are Muslim-owned. Feast on lamb boti kebob and freshly made samosas at the famous Hema’s Kitchen (2439 W. Devon, 773-338-1627). Afterward, head out on fast-paced Devon, where you can get your eyebrows threaded, shop for Indian sweets, gaze at the beautiful fabric stores or just let the throng lead you somewhere new.

Day 8: On the Job, on Christmas

2010-12-13T10:59:00.002-06:00

Day 8 of our holiday blog-a-thon is a tribute to those who have to work on the holidays, especially all manner of public servants. This excerpt from Daniel P. Smith's, On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department, looks at Beth Russell, balancing her roles as a police officer and a mom.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Christmas Day in Rogers Park, the far North Side neighborhood brimming with diversity and character, placed Beth Russell in a 24th District beat car, awaiting the opportunity to head home for some Christmas dinner herself. “Everything’s quiet before Christmas dinner. It’s only after that the shouting starts,” reminds Russell.

Responding to a call of a man sitting alone on a park bench, Russell arrived at the neighborhood park to see the older man battered by the cold—blue cheeks and slumbering words. “All he kept saying was, ‘I used to live around here,’” says Russell. “But we couldn’t find anyone who knew the man.”

Pulling out his wallet for identification, the man displayed an address in Glen Ellyn, a distant western suburb with upper-class roots. Police surveyed the area looking for a car with a Glen Ellyn sticker and soon landed upon a purple Ford Fiesta in immaculate condition. As it turns out the man, who suffered from dementia, had escaped to Rogers Park in a dreary haze.

Chicago Police called the Glen Ellyn Police Department and said they would be bringing the man back to his home address. And off Beth Russell and a colleague went, both missing their Christmas dinners, Russell tucked in behind the wheel of the purple Ford that followed her colleague and the elderly man in the Chicago squad. When they arrived at the man’s Glen Ellyn home, a suburban officer waited outside, and the police escorted the man upstairs. They found his personal phone book and called his caregiver, who abandoned her own holiday gathering to be with the man.

“There was nobody there for that man, but the police were there for him. We saved him from being a victim. And I didn’t so much mind missing Christmas dinner for that,” she says with a smile.

“You know what that guy kept asking me when we got him home? He kept saying, ‘Am I in trouble? Am I in trouble?’

“I could only look at him and say, ‘No, sir, you’re not in trouble. You’re home.’”

Separate Worlds

There are two distinct worlds many of Chicago’s officers inhabit: the world of cartoon-themed nightlights, pastel-painted walls, fresh milk in the refrigerator, and green lawns; and the world of urine-stenched stairwells, dented doors, and people staggering through their own human existence—some permanently and some only temporarily.

And, believe it or not, discerning which world is the “real” one can sometimes be a difficult task. Beth Russell’s one of the lucky ones; she’ll tell you as much—she noticed the challenge early and made the necessary distinctions.

At midnight, Russell may have found herself searching a home for drugs, with rodents scurrying past her feet and the stench of hard liquor filling the room. Hours later, however, she would arrive at her Northwest Side home and flick on a light switch to see her daughters snuggled in beds of freshly washed sheets. Their heads smelling of fruity shampoo, the girls wore matching pajama tops and bottoms. All Beth Russell could do was shake her head and wonder.

“Which world is the real one?” she’d ask. “Which one is real?”

Today, a cool October morning in 2005 that encourages full breaths of the city’s crisp air, Beth Russell sports a pink cardigan, polka-dotted socks, and a beaming smile. Her North Side condo is bright and inviting.

She offers the typical greetings and rushes toward the unit’s rear, saying, “This is what sold me.” She steps onto her fifth floor balcony and embraces a green landscape and open skies, an exception from the concrete that graces much of Chicago’s urban space. She inhales the calm autumn air and accepts the splash of light today’s sky delivers. She is both at peace and in her element—in her real world, at least the one she’s decided to make her real one. For her, it’s now a world with active grandchildren, white walls stenciled with ivy trim, and handmade sitting chairs carved from a Wisconsin tree.

The real world, Beth Russell was told among her first months on the job, is the one she lives in. That simple. And the real world she lives in calls her mom or grandma, not officer.

Throughout her 23 years at the Chicago Police Department, Russell has been committed to seeing that the distinct worlds she inhabits remain separate places. She’s a cop and she’s a mother, and although the two may touch, she has resisted the collision—the interminable depletion of humanity that has made too many iron-hearted at times and jaded at others.

That’s why Russell always washed her hands when she arrived home from work. A routine act with an unquestionable symbolism, Russell’s action survives as one of the simple things we do in life to convince ourselves that such a habitual deed can erase the day’s dirty work—like gurgling mouthwash to forget the presence of alcohol. Still, the hand washing served a necessary step for Russell, a chance to remove the worries of one world to concentrate on the demands of another.

“I didn’t want what had touched the street to touch my children,” she admits.

Beth Russell encountered the dual role faced by so many Chicago officers—that of parent and that of cop. An existence in two distinct worlds, urging the individual at the center to decide where one will stop and the other will begin.

“One thing I’ve found is that the same hands that will arrest someone are the same ones that cook and change diapers,” says Russell.

“When you’re a police family,” she continues, “you know that officer can get hurt, but you can’t let it consume your family life. By the same token, your family life cannot be part of your police life. It’s your job. Your family can’t play into it when you’re working.”

At home, Russell faced the reality and struggle of a household with two Chicago cops, her then-husband a cop working inside the detective’s division. Her new career required an uneasy adjustment for her two school-aged girls.

“It’s okay when dad was a cop, but not mom,” says Russell. “Their father had been a cop since they could remember, but it was more difficult to accept me as a cop because I was the center of their world. That transition from civilian mom to officer mom was a difficult one. I thought the girls were old enough to handle it, but I don’t know if they ever liked it. “I always felt that structure and schedule was hard on them. There was a time I was stuck on 4–midnight’s early on, and I remember calling and the girls would be crying for me to come home.”

To ease the adjustment, Russell would not discuss police work at home—“Well, only the silly stuff,” she concedes. “It helped them see some of the job.”—and demanded her husband do the same.

“Home was always for the little, curly haired girls. They got to talk, not us,” she says. Still, she cannot help but think her job influenced her own children’s lives.

“It’s a job that affects childhood. They were under the microscope more. I became strict and that was entirely because I saw what was out there. I was more aware,” Russell says. “Now, that the girls have grown up, they say I was hard on them, but they see it was for a reason. They have no desire to be the police whatsoever though. They do their own work from the heart.”

At 54 years old, Russell’s face is vibrant and young, with a smile that shines with grace and warmth. She’s reflective in her thoughts and has achieved the balance of motherhood and police work—placing each in its proper perspective, assigning each its necessary time and space.

Though her Chicago Police career began more out of inquiry than desire, Russell has nonetheless arrived at a job she loves, one that has made her a better person in so many ways.

“When I got into the academy, I told myself I’d give it a month and that if I didn’t like it, I’d quit. But this job’s been good to me,” she says. “In the old days if I had seen a fight, I would’ve run away. Now, I run into it because it’s instinct. I’m not afraid to take the initiative now; I have confidence in myself, especially in situations in which I would’ve been mush before.”

After taking the test in July of 1981, Russell entered the academy the following summer and was assigned in December to the city’s 20th District, which governs Chicago’s Near North Side. After six years of loving the work, she accepted a move further north to Rogers Park in early 1989, where she stayed for the next decade.

“It was the happiest time of my career being in a beat car,” she says of her first 16 years on the job. “You got that immediate interaction with people.”

In January of 1998, she took the sergeant’s exam and by July earned the promotion, soon after returning to the 20th District. Today, she serves as a sergeant in Area Three’s Detective Division, an area covering much of the city’s North Side.

“I love it,” she says of the work she was at first reluctant to embrace. “This job allows us to get into some people’s lives and, hopefully, make a difference.

“I always wanted to be a nurse, and in this job I get to put some Band-Aids on, heal some wounds, and give a shot of praise. It’s a good and worthy thing. You’re helping poor souls, sometimes even from themselves.”

Russell arrived at that realization early in her career—the idea that good could be done while she monitored the streets. Upon leaving the scene of a finished bar fight, Russell’s partner asked her why she had a frown on her face.

“I told him I should be home with my kids, not involved in this chaos. But he looked at me and said, ‘Think of all the people who’ve never dealt with the police. You can bring a different angle to it. There’s a lot of good you can do out here.’”

And so Russell carried that attitude with her. She began to discover that the same traits she developed as a mother—patience, understanding, and compassion among them—could also make her a good cop. (She even admits to activating her “mom” voice on occasion, the commanding tone that halts nearly all situations.)

When frigid winters descended upon the city, Russell remembers that many of the school crossing guards would call in sick, requiring Russell and other beat cops to fill the role. Working the intersection of Sheridan and Gunnison Avenues, Russell encountered a father taking his two girls to school, each of the youngsters clothed only in short-sleeved t-shirts. The father, who only recently arrived in Chicago with his family from Southeast Asia, told Russell through an interpreter he was going to register the girls at school. Russell sprinted into action.

“It just broke my heart to see them shivering like that,” she says. “I went home and gathered winter clothes my kids had outgrown along with some from neighbors and went to that crossing the next day with two shopping bags full of clothes.”

Other officers on Russell’s watch saw her actions and soon began bringing their children’s outgrown clothing to the school office.

“It gave me such great satisfaction,” says Russell. “I don’t know if that’s law enforcement work, but our job isn’t all law enforcement. You just try to make a positive experience somewhere.”

Still, Beth Russell could not, in her capacity as an officer, ignore the fact that she was also a mother—the instincts and realities of that world often emerging an asset in many dilemmas. Most notably, that motherly instinct, that sixth sense of pain and want, often aiding her police efforts.

On a Sunday morning in the 20th District, Russell arrived at a domestic dispute, often among the most uncomfortable cases cops encounter. A mother, traveling from her South Side home, trekked up to the city’s North Side with her two young boys to get money from the boys’ father. A dispute ensued and police were summoned. Russell arrived on the scene in a supervisory role to get conflicting stories from both adult parties. She noticed the boys, however, standing on the side, each trembling and tearful. She knew immediately that they had witnessed something.

“I keyed in on those kids,” she says. “I saw the terror in them. I knew right away they saw something that shook them terribly.”

In jittery speech, the boys told Russell that their father tried pushing their mother out the window. The boys, meanwhile, grabbed their mother’s pants to keep her from falling, an act that resulted in her pants falling below her knees and leaving the boys scared and embarrassed. Russell looked up at the ten-story building to see one window perched open without a screen. The father was taken into custody and a squad car drove the boys and their mother back to their South Side home.

“We could show those kids that there was justice, that we could listen to their story and try to make the situation right,” Russell says.

She refuses to talk of child abuse cases she has encountered throughout her nearly two-dozen years on the job. The most detail she offers of any instance regards one she encountered while a sergeant in the 20th District. She tells nothing of the kids’ condition, only saying that another officer told her at the visit’s conclusion, “Sarge, I thought I was gonna have to hold you back.”

As a mother, she can only imagine the horror the children experience, the tainted view of humanity they come to possess. All she can do, she says, is attempt to make the situation right at that moment, to provide some sense of order, calm, and comfort. Not at all that different from motherhood, the times she encountered with her own girls, journeys to find the proper footing in stressful circumstances.

At a Mother’s Day mass for police officers, Russell once spoke to attendees and said she’d had the honor of being a Chicago Police officer for over two decades, but the privilege of being called mother for much longer. She reminded everyone that while the pride of being a Chicago Police officer recedes with retirement, the pride of being a mother, a parent, could never be erased. She spoke of mothers and fathers only wanting what is right and good for their children, particularly in light of the negativity an officer sees.

“Being a mom was the tougher job,” she says today. Russell directs her eyes ahead, releases a breath, and confides, “I don’t think being a police officer made me a better mother. That’s the truth. It took me away from my kids.

“If I had a job in the private sector, I don’t think it would’ve affected my children so much. Our work affects our children. We’re a little harder on them. We ask more questions and it’s because we’re aware of the reality. But being a police officer did help me prepare the girls for the realities of the world. I think I taught the girls to be more aware, how to carry themselves, and they learned how not to be victims. Maybe that’s a scary thing, but it’s a very real thing. I certainly learned to cover more bases.”

Russell later tells of the pre-work ritual she shared with her girls. Again, one of those habitual things we do to convince ourselves that distinct worlds can inherit separate spaces. “Every day when I left for work,” she says, “the girls always knocked on my back to make sure I had my vest on. It was always that—a kiss and a knock on the back and I was out the door.”

Out the door and away from her real world. Hours later, she would return home.

Her shoes at the door.

Her hands over the sink.

Answering to mom.

Day 7: A Gentle Reminder that Your Mother Was Right

2010-12-12T18:17:00.002-06:00

In light of this week’s weather forecast, a brief seasonal reminder excerpted from Jason Rothstein’s Carless in Chicago: Survive and Thrive in the Windy City Without Owning a Car.

When I first went carless, nearly everyone said the same thing: “just wait until winter.” And had I not prepared myself well, their predictions that I would buckle under the pressure of Lake Michigan’s gentle and temperate breezes might have turned out right.

If you don’t know about layering and having an adequate winter coat, you probably don’t belong in Chicago anyway. Give this book to a friend and look for work in Atlanta. Or Louisville. Louisville is lovely.

But even I sometimes marvel at some of my fellow Chicagoans failing to appreciate the importance of these three items: good winter boots, good winter gloves, and adequate ear protection. (I know . . . you probably feel duped that you bought a book only to have some stranger tell you that your mother was right.) I will not insult your intelligence by claiming that you will enjoy walking in -10° wind chill weather with the right clothing, but I will stand by the fact that it is tolerable.

These accessories need not be expensive, and sadly, they may not be all that good looking. But feeling your toes as others shiver and wonder why you look so cheerful makes up for that.

Day 6: Holiday Teas

2010-12-11T09:48:00.004-06:00

Moving on from yesterday's holiday tease...holiday teas. Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of All the Tea in Chicago, now in a revised second edition, is our guest blogger for the 6th Day of Xmas season suggestions:

The cold and snow have arrived and it’s still not technically winter. No fear. To keep warm, try one of these festive locales for British afternoon tea. Enjoy scones, finger sandwiches, pastries, and a choice of a dozen black, green, and herbal teas. The holiday season is a popular time for afternoon tea, so be sure to call in advance to make reservations. Here are my top picks:

The Peninsula (108 East Superior, Chicago, 312-337-2888)

The Four Seasons (120 East Delaware, Chicago, 312-280-8800)

The Drake (140 East Walton, Chicago, 312-787-2200)

If you’re looking for something a bit more casual, these Julius Meinl cafes offer a wide range of teas along with delicious pastries:

3601 North Southport (Chicago, 773-868-1857)

4363 North Lincoln (Chicago, 773-868-1876)

1414 West Irving Park (Chicago, 773-883-1864)

Day 5: Tease the Season with Michelle L'amour

2010-12-10T10:08:00.003-06:00

Naughty and nice. Neo-burlesque performer Michelle L'amour, author of LCP's 2011 Michelle L'Amour's Sexy Chicago, cheers audiences tonight at Martyr's with Tease the Season brrr-lesque. At 8 p.m., it's Studio L'amour's winter student showcase, at 9:30 p.m. L'amour's Chicago Starlets perform with the Bama Lamas. $15 for one show; $20 for both. Stay on for the Studio L'amour holiday party at 11 p.m.

Day 4: Historic Bars of Chicago Holiday Pub Crawl

2010-12-09T08:20:00.005-06:00

Sean Parnell, creator of the Chicago Bar Project and author of LCP's Historic Bars of Chicago, suggests all or some of this route for a Christmas Pub Crawl to enjoy the best decorations and vibes of the season:

Signature Lounge - One of the "Historic 100"

875 N. Michigan Ave., 96th floor

Overlook the sparkling city from the top of the John Hancock building.

Tavern at the Park

130 E. Randolph St.

A cozy hop across the street from the Millennium Park ice rink.

Cork & Kerry - One of the "Historic 100"

10614 S. Western Ave.

Sober up to and from the long trip to Beverly, but go for the 7,000 lights and dozens of animatronic displays.

Lockwood

17 E. Monroe St.

Motel Bar

600 W. Chicago Ave.

In the historic Montgomery Ward's catalog building.

Butch McGuire's - One of the "Historic 100"

20 W. Division St.

The extravagant holiday decor at the historic "mother of all singles bars" includes multiple trees and a double-decker model train that circles the tavern.

River Shannon - One of the "Historic 100"

425 W. Armitage

Augie's

1721 W. Wrightwood

Marie's Riptide Lounge - One of the "Historic 100"

1750 W. Armitage

Miller's Pub - One of the "Historic 100"

134 S. Wabash

Open until 4 a.m., cap off your evening with their signature Tom and Jerry, an eggnog-based holiday tradition.

For more, see Parnell's Chicago Christmas article at About.com.

Day 3: Chicago & the Holidays in the Movies

2010-12-08T15:06:00.003-06:00

For our 3rd Day of Christmas holiday blogging marathon, we give a nod to some of the Chicago holiday scenes on the Silver Screen, courtesy of Michael Corcoran's upcoming update of Hollywood on Lake Michigan: Chicago and the Movies.

Have you seen these?

Hustler Vince Vaughn attempts to score some holiday cash by impersonating a Salvation Army Santa in the holiday comedy Fred Claus (2007). His scheme crashes when a “real” Santa confronts him. When Vaughn tries to flee, he is chased down Michigan Avenue by a mob of enraged Santas and pummeled senseless by the crazed Kringles.

While it’s now Macy’s and no longer our treasured Marshall Field’s, the holiday traditions associated with the department store will continue to live on in many films. Judge Reinhold (inhabited with the personality of his pre-teen son, Fred Savage) worked here in Vice Versa (1988). Curly Sue (1991) and Straight Talk also shot scenes here. Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) staged a misfired fantasy sequence with the Field’s Christmas windows, having Diane Keaton imagining herself a star figure skater while gazing at the holiday display.

The picturesque ice rink of Millennium Park that faces Michigan Avenue has been the most filmed portion of the park. The Weather Man (2005) utilized the rink for a lengthy scene where Nicholas Cage’s character has an attempted bonding session with his daughter that goes horribly awry at a company celebration. In Nothing Like the Holidays (2008), Vanessa Ferlito and an old flame share a tender moment while by the rink.

Historic Humboldt Park forms the heart of the Humboldt Park neighborhood, which has been the port of call for immigrants from the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico since the early 1950s. The area has risen and fallen over the decades, but retains its Puerto Rican flavor and vibrancy. In addition to writer/director (and Columbia College grad) Marisol Torres’s big, bold, and often bawdy shoestring indie feature Boricua (2004) (a.k.a. Chicago Boricua), the neighborhood’s bodegas, restaurants, and clubs were featured in the recent film Nothing Like the Holidays, which was produced by Chicago stalwarts George Tillman, Jr. and Bob Teitel.

Day 2: Historic Holiday Fun

2010-12-07T09:47:00.004-06:00

LCP's Second Day of Christmas holiday blog-a-thon is brought to you by Renee Kreczmer, CPS third-grade teacher extraordinaire and author of our forthcoming Just Add Water: Making the City of Chicago. Just Add Water teaches Chicago history to kids and offers suggestions for family history fun around town. Here she provides her top suggestions for history-laden holiday activities.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1. While Holiday shopping along Michigan Avenue, make a stop at the Old Water Tower & Pumping Station, and the site of Fort Dearborn and DuSable's Trading Post near Tribune Tower and the DuSable Bridge.

2. Candlelight House Walk at the Historic Pullman Village

11141 South Cottage Grove Avenue
Chicago, IL 60628-4651

Sunday, December 12, 2010, 3:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Enjoy the season viewing Pullman decked out for the holidays! Tickets include tour, hors d'oreuvres, and desserts. Silent auction will be held. Reservations required. Advance tickets $35 (thru 12/6) Tickets $40 (after 12/6). Call 773/785-8901 for information.

3. Christmas Candlelight Tours at Glessner and Clarke House Museums

1800 S. Prairie Avenue,

Chicago, IL 60616

Saturday, December 11, and Sunday, December 12

Tours at 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30pm each evening

These special 90-minute docent-led tours will highlight Christmas customs and decorations of the 19th century. The museums take on a special glow at the holiday season, and these tours are the perfect way to usher in the holidays by learning about the origin of many of our most beloved customs. The Clarke House will feature decorations of the 1830s and 1840s, when the celebration of Christmas as we know it today was just starting to take root. The Glessner House will feature decorations of the late 19th century, including a live Christmas tree shipped from the Glessner's former summer estate in New Hampshire, filled withglass and paper ornaments. After the tour, participants are invited to stroll over to the Wheeler Mansion for hot cider and cookies, served in the beautifully restored rooms of this 1870 landmark home, now a boutique hotel. $18 for adults, $14 for children 8-12; members: $15 for adults, $11 for children 8-12. Pre-paid reservations required. R.S.V.P. to 312/326-1480

Museums Decorated for Christmas
Wednesday, November 24 through Sunday, January 2

Experience the museums decked out in 19th century Christmas decor!

The Prairie Avenue area is also the site of the Fort Dearborn Massacre and home to the mansions of Kimball (pianos), George Pullman, and Marshall Field.

4. Holidays at the Chicago History Museum

1601 N. Clark St.

Chicago, IL 60614

Saturday, December 11; Noon-4:30 p.m.

Come inside for a warm afternoon of holiday cheer. The Museum’s seasonal celebration includes live ice-carving demonstrations, joyful caroling and musical performances, and the debut of the winning recipe from the North & Clark Café Holiday Cookie Challenge. Families are invited to visit with Santa and write letters to the North Pole. Cost is free with Museum admission.

5. Nouvelle Annee at Old Fort Wayne

1201 Spy Run Ave.

Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Saturday, January 29, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Experience a winter with the French of Fort Miamies. French military, civilians, and local native Americans will be recreating the daily life at a Fort on the frontier . Mail call, drilling , scouting the area, cooking, and sewing will be some of the events taking place during the event. Old Fort Wayne has the same design as Fort Dearborn, both forts designed and built by Captain Whistler.

6. Starved Rock State Park
Sundays (March through December), Noon-1:30 p.m. & 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Board a trolley outside of the Great Hall area of the Lodge. Enjoy a historic trolley ride with stops at the Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center where you will see a short video of the area. You will also travel to the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center where you will see Starved Rock from across the river and watch as the river traffic passes through the locks. You will also travel through the village of Utica and hear about the Illinois and Michigan Canal. While aboard, the driver will narrate the history and legends of the area. For tickets and information please call 815/220-7386. $12 Adults, $10 Seniors, $8 Children 10 and under.

Kickstarter Continues

2010-12-06T18:29:00.002-06:00

Thank you to all the backers of our first foray into crowdfunding--our Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats Kickstarter campaign. We met our goal for the book's first printing, and will be honoring the prices and rewards offered there until the end of December. If you're interested in the special advance purchase prices offered on Kickstarter and rewards like donut gift certificates, the chance to win lunch with the authors at a place in their book, and more, call (312/226-8400), email (lcp@lakeclaremont.com), or fax (312/226-8420) us before the end of the month.

Day 1: Oldest Chicago Holiday Shopping Guide

2010-12-06T11:04:00.005-06:00

We lead off our "12 Days of Christmas" holiday-themed posts with author David Anthony Witter's wonderful suggestions for not just shopping local this season, but shopping at some of Chicago's oldest and most beloved establishments.

Oldest Chicago Shopping Guide

While most Americans are spending this Christmas season scurrying from mall to mall trying to buy the latest flat screen TV, palmtop computer, video game, or other newly processed silicon-based innovation, we thought some shoppers might want to go back to a simpler time. You can travel to the era of George Bailey or even Ebenezer Scrooge, without a time machine, right here in Chicago by simply following this Oldest Chicago Christmas Shopping Guide:

C.D. Peacock Jewelers (1837): 524 N. Michigan, Chicago; Northbrook Court, Northbrook; Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg; and Oakbrook Court, Oakbrook. This business was started at a time when Native Americans still hunted and traded not far from Chicago’s city limits. Today, the bronze doors, Tiffany chandeliers, and other symbols of past grandeur have given way to smaller shops throughout the area, but the C.D. Peacock name still lives on throughout Chicagoland.

Iwan Reis and Co. (1857): 19 S. Wabash. What could be more Dickensonian than smoking a fine pipe around a raging fire at Christmas time? Buying the pipe and tobacco from a store that has been open since the days of A Christmas Carol! Now on its sixth generation, the oldest family business in Chicago has over 200 pipes ranging in price from $25 to $25,000. It also sells cigars, lighters, and other smoking paraphernalia that are as beautiful as any jewelry, all in the heart of downtown.

Merz Apothecary (1875): 4716 N. Lincoln. If you truly want to bring back the beautiful fragrances, sights, and delights of an old European Christmas, then Merz Apothecary is the place to go. Nestled in the quaint, Old World area of Lincoln Square, the store exudes Swiss/German charm. Bring back a small bag of fragrant tea, ointment, or perfume made from speedwell, stinging nettle, or Swedish bitters.

Central Camera (1899): 30 S. Wabash. You can have your cake--the newest digital cameras, video recorders, and other photo devices--and eat it too at a business that doubles as a both a modern camera store and a living museum to the art of film. Founded at the time not long after the days of photographers disappearing behind a giant box, the knowledgeable staff here not only knows digital, but also caries parts, film, and actually repairs cameras from what is fast becoming the lost art of film photography.

The Jazz Record Mart (1959): 27 E. Illinois Street. What could be more outdated in this era of modern technology than the CD? The record and the cassette tape. The Jazz Record Mart has them all, with over 10,000 cassettes, records, and CDs. Browse through the collection and see glorious album covers featuring renditions of Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Muddy Waters. Read actual liner notes. Talk to a knowledgeable staff of mostly musicians and artists. Rub elbows with other jazz fans and musicians from not only Chicago but all over the world. Or, download in a dim room alone.

And, for special holiday treats:

The House of Glunz (1888): 1206 N. Wells Street. Started with the help of friends Oscar Mayer and Charles Wacker (yes, they were real people), the House of Glunz has a wide-ranging selection of beer, wine, and champagne for your Christmas table or New Year’s Eve party. It is also located in Old Town, one of Chicago’s oldest and most fascinating neighborhoods.

Roeser’s Bakery (1911): 3216 W. North Avenue. The oldest place to buy your Christmas cakes, pies, and cookies. Serving Chicago since 1911, Roeser’s is a true old Chicago Bakery. Based in the German-Scandinavian tradition of Humboldt Park, this bakery now caters to all ethnic groups and tastes with fresh baked goods and specializing in custom-made party cakes.

Margies Candies (1921): 1960 N. Western. Need hand-dipped, home-made truffles, terrapins, toffees, and other candies for filling Christmas stockings? No? Then come in on a cozy winter night and have a sundae, banana split, soda, or malt in a shop that looks like a set from a Shirley Temple movie. Maybe you can even sit at the same both of table where famous customers ranging from Al Capone to The Beatles have enjoyed Margie’s classic Chicago treats.

Chicago’s Oldest No-Kill Animal Shelter Teams up with "Oldest Chicago" Author...

2010-07-14T18:28:00.005-05:00

...to give Ophelia a Permanent Home.

Submitted by David Witter, author of the forthcoming Oldest Chicago (September 2010)

One month ago, Ophelia, a four-year-old yellow lab, was living in a car on the street, her owners having been evicted from their apartment due to the bad economy. In what must have been a heartbreaking choice, they took her to the Lake Shore Animal Shelter. My wife and I went to the shelter to look at another dog, Toby, when Ophelia ran into my arms; and we decided that this tomboy “woods dog” might just be the one for us. When Ophelia first arrived at our house, she was nervous, continually pacing, gobbling her food, and looking out the window. Then, in the middle of her second night, she woke up, licked my wife and me on the face, and curled up at the foot of our bed like a big cashew, finally knowing she had a home.

The Lake Shore Animal Shelter was founded in 1966 upon the premise that, although the Anti-Cruelty Society and Chicago’s Animal Care and Control did save many animals, no pet should ever be put to sleep. Thanks to the donations and volunteer efforts of countless individuals, Chicago’s oldest no-kill shelter continues to provide spaying and neutering, adoption services, and medical care to hundreds of dogs and cats, with special attention given to families with health or economic difficulties.

Oddly enough, it wasn’t until a couple of days later, while I was checking the website to see if Toby had been adopted, that I saw the blurb and realized the irony—or fate—that the author of Oldest Chicago had teamed up with Chicago’s oldest no-kill shelter to give Ophelia a permanent home.

San Francisco Book Festival

2010-05-06T15:13:00.002-05:00

We are pleased to announce that Janice Metzger's What Would Jane Say?: City-Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicagos has won an honorable mention in the history category of the San Francisco Book Festival awards.

First New Releases of 2010

2010-05-03T08:14:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to authors Jason Rothstein (Carless in Chicago) and Sean Parnell (Historic Bars of Chicago) on the arrival of their new books last week!

Both are well-conceived, well-researched, well-written, and fun guidebooks ready for jumpstarting your summer exploring schedule. They also embody several elements of our Lake Claremont Press mission: to help readers better navigate and enjoy the city around them; to support the local economy and local businesses; to address current issues facing our city; to preserve our history; to cultivate Chicago identity and culture; and to share insider perspectives.

Order their books by phone, fax, mail, email, and through our website. Our discounts for individuals start when you purchase two or more copies. All of our titles are also available through Amazon.com and other online retailers, as well as in dozens of bookstores, gift shops, museum stores, and specialty shops across the Chicagoland area. Please inquire about retail and wholesale discounts.

And...ask for these titles at your local library!

Lights, Camera, History, at Chicago’s Oldest Slaughterhouse

2010-04-20T15:15:00.003-05:00

If they could only talk, the old, rusted chains, cavernous ceilings, worn slaughtering tables, and lamb carcasses hanging from meat hooks of Chiappetti Lamb and Veal would have more than their share of stories to tell. Now there is one more.

On April 13 and 14, scenes from the upcoming Fox TV show, Pleading Guilty, were filmed at Chicago’s Oldest Slaughterhouse, Chiappetti Lamb and Veal, 3900 S. Emerald Ave. The show, based on a Scott Turow novel, stars John Larroquette and Harry Potter’s Jason Isaacs as Chicago lawyers dancing along a fine line of corruption. But despite these high-powered actors, Chiappetti might have stolen these scenes, once again proving the value of preserving history.

“Our artists are great,” commented a gaffer on the set, “but with all the original walls and hardware, there is no way they could re-create this place.”

--Submitted by David Witter, author of the coming LCP title, OIdest Chicago (May/June 2010)

An Easy Peek into Chicago's Speakeasy History

2010-04-15T11:18:00.004-05:00

Join Preservation Chicago for Drinking in Your History, with new Lake Claremont Press author Sean Parnell, on May 12, 2010, at the Green Door Tavern at 678 N. Orleans, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available only in advance at www.preservationchicago.org.

What a deal! Ticket price includes 2 drink tickets, light appetizers, a copy of Parnell's new book, Historic Bars of Chicago, AND a one-year membership to Preservation Chicago.

The building housing the Green Door Tavern, one of the most historic in Chicago, was built in 1872. It was one of the first constructed after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and one of the last wood-frame buildings allowed to be built within such proximity to the Loop. It opened as the Green Door Tavern in 1921 and survived Prohibition as a speakeasy. The bar is making its speakeasy room available for this lecture, book signing, and social event.

Sean Parnell is a native of the Chicago area and founder of the Chicago Bar Project. Of the wooden structure that leans a bit because of its almost 140 years, Parnell says, "it has enough Americana crammed into every nook and cranny to make the Smithsonian jealous."

Preservation Chicago advocates for the preservation of Chicago's historic architecture through:

Advocating and formulating policy that strengthens the process of preservation
Recommending strategies that foster intelligent planning
Partnering with communities to raise awareness of and advocate for the preservation of historically significant buildings and neighborhood spaces
Compiling and disseminating information about historically significant, at-risk buildings and urban spaces

Tickets: Available onlyat www.preservationchicago.org, through midnight of May 11, 2010.

For more information: Call 773/334-8800, or email info@preservationchicago.org.

Janice Metzger Memorial

2010-03-01T10:04:00.002-06:00

A celebration of the life of What Would Jane Say? author Janice L. Metzger is being held Saturday, March 6, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (memorial service from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.), at Northwest Settlement House, 1012 N. Noble St. in Chicago. Contributions may be made in her name to Association House of Chicago or the Center for Neighborhood Technology, two organizations with which Jan had a long time affiliation. Read the Chicago Tribune's obituary and sign the guest book here.

Farewell, Jan Metzger, Age 60

2010-02-27T12:57:00.005-06:00

Janice Metzger came to Lake Claremont Press about a year and a half ago with late-stage lung cancer, open about her likely terminal diagnosis, and one ambitious and compelling proposal for the book she intended to write while undergoing treatment: What Would Jane Say? She impressed us with her prolific hard work, commitment, fire, historic imagination, and quality of research and writing. In the end, we were mostly wowed at her accomplishment, more so because she delivered something so complete and beautiful that matched what she out to do, and in such a short period of time, than because of the circumstances under which she did it.

She died earlier this week on February 22, 2010. She is survived by her partner, John Paige; her sons Timothy, Christopher, and Andrew Metzger; a stunning book brimming with her passion and meticulous research; years of public school, neighborhood, and transportation activism; and a better city and world for her having passed through it. It was a privilege to have known her.

A few loving tributes to Jan by those who knew her longer than we did:

http://wickerparkbucktown.org/2010/02/in-memoriam-janice-metzger-wpb-commissioner/

http://oururbantimes.com/obituaries/urban-activist-janice-metzger-dies-lung-cancer-february-22-2010-age-60

http://8monthsafuera.blogspot.com/2010/02/goodbye-to-fierce-role-model-and-dear.html

Set the Wayback Machine to 1945 with Cubbiedude

2010-02-06T13:40:00.005-06:00

Cubbiedude at View from the Bleachers recently wrote a touching review of Charles Billington's Wrigley Field's Last World Series: The Wartime Chicago Cubs and the Pennant of 1945, that sprung from a conversation with his father in an oncologist's office. Read the full review here. In the meantime, here are some of Cubbiedude's favorite quotes from the book:

--"Americans' interest in baseball in the late 1930s was such that roughly 330 cities boasted professional minor league teams."

--"Lou Boudreau, Phil Cavarretta, Marty Marion, Hal Newhouser, Ernie Lombardi, and Mort Cooper are just a few of the many excellent ballplayers with 4-F classifications."

--"In 1941 Chicago became the first team to install an organ in their stadium for the enjoyment of the fans..."

--"Helping the team's bottom line were the tremendous concession sales, $121,145, dwarfing the amounts received by other teams."

--"While the fans probably heard the national anthem before the opening game on April 17, the song was not sung at every game but was saved for special events. At the time, this was also the practice of the armed forces; the national anthem was performed only on special occasions, such as national holidays. 'There is a difference between patriotism and commercialization,' Wrigley would explain."

--"He also set an unrecorded record that will almost certainly never be broken, striking out only nine times in 636 at bats, an unheard-of ratio for anyone with his power production."

--"DiMaggio set a new major league record by hitting four grand slam home runs in one season."

Free LCP Books for Chicago's Birthday

2010-02-03T18:42:00.001-06:00

To the first 80 guests at Forgotten Chicago's Party

Forgotten Chicago is throwing a 173rd Birthday Bash for Chicago (with Silent Auction) at Cunneen's Pub in Rogers Park, and we're giving free books to the first 80 guests.

Cunneen's Pub

1424 W. Devon

Thursday, March 4, 8 p.m.- 1 a.m.

Note that pitchers are $2 off on Thursday nights.

RSVP on Facebook.

Forgotten Chicago aims to "discover and dcoument little known elements of Chicago's infrastructure, architecture, neighborhoods, and general cityscape, whether existing or historical." Check out the photo-heavy features on their website, like this one devoted to vintage neon signs, or take one of their walking tours, like this past trip through the vacated sections of Ogden Avenue.

Cunneen's appears in Sean Parnell's Historic Bars of Chicago coming early this spring from Lake Claremont Press.

Links to Explore

2010-01-25T13:56:00.003-06:00

Explore the subjects of our books in further depth. We've added extensive "links to explore" to the following books' pages on our website (www.lakeclaremont.com). More to come.

Carless in Chicago

Car-free blogs & organizations, transit agencies

For Members Only: A History and Guide to Chicago's Oldest Privage Clubs

Private clubs, their news & history

I Am a Teamster: A Short, Fiery Story of Regina V. Polk, Her Hats, Her Pets, Sweet Love, and the Modern-Day Labor Movement

Women in labor, contemporary Chicago labor

Oldest Chicago
Old/early Chicago, preservation, list of other Chicago"oldests" (e.g., Oldest Law Firm, Oldest Real Estate Company)

Rule 53: Capturing Hippies, Spies, Politicians, and Murderers in an American Courtroom
Courtroom life, famous trials, Chicago crime

Sports Traveler Chicago

Sports Tourism, local teams, local venues

What Would Jane Say? City Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicagos

Planning & urbanism, Jane Addams, Daniel Burnham

Wrigley Field's Last World Series: The Wartime Chicago Cubs and the Pennant of 1945

Cubs, Cubs fandom, Cubs history, Winning, Losing & the Curse

Varied, independent, focused, solid, creative, vibrant, hardworking, nice

2010-01-22T14:46:00.003-06:00

That's how I characterized Chicago's publishing world in an interview with the Chicago Publishing Network that ran yesterday. Ivan R. Dee was also profiled. See the rest.

What Do Senior Save and I-Go Car Sharing Have in Common?

2010-01-20T14:35:00.003-06:00

Both groups offer special prices on Lake Claremont Press books to their members:

$enior $ave

Senior citizens participating in this program through the city's Department of Aging receive an additional 10% off their Lake Claremont Press orders. For more information on this program, call (312) 744-4016 or e-mail seniorsave@cityofchicago.org.

I-Go Car Sharing

As part of I-Go's Chi-Town Rewards program, members are welcome to this offer from Lake Claremont Press: Buy 2 books, get one free; buy 4 books, get 2 free; buy 5 books, get 3 free.

Please contact us if your organization would like to set up a special discount benefit for your membership.

"Jane" Tops Women & Children First's List

2010-01-15T07:41:00.005-06:00

Jason Behrends reports in Chicago Subtext that our What Would Jane Say? City-Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicago, by Janice Metzger, leads last week's list of top sellers at local indie bookseller Women & Children First.

When people first see or hear the title they've asked: Jane Byrne (first woman mayor of Chicago)? Jane Jacobs (visionary urbanist, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, 1961)? Jane Austen (okay, Austen mania does not extend that far)?

Jane, is Jane Addams, and the context is the early twentieth century, the era of Daniel Burnham and the Plan of Chicago.

Our Urban Times

2010-01-05T16:51:00.004-06:00

Our Urban Times, the brainchild of editor/publisher Elaine Coorens, is an impressive and ambitious online newspaper stepping in to fill the neighborhood newspaper needs of Bucktown, East Village, Noble Square, Ukrainian Village, West Town, and Wicker Park now that The Chicago Journal cut its paper for those communities. "Without communications, there is no community," she says. Check out the extent of the communications she has in mind: Her publication covers city services, environmental issues, libraries, faith, education, garden, fashion, real estate, and at least a couple dozen other areas. Have your eyeballs and local advertising take a look...

Kudos for LCP Alum Arnie Bernstein

2009-12-12T13:04:00.002-06:00

The State Library of Michigan named Arnie Bernstein's 2009 release, Bath Massacre: America's First School Bombing, one of twenty Notable Books of the Year. Bernstein has previously written Hollywood on Lake Michigan: 100 Years of Chicago and the Movies, "The Movies Are": Carl Sandburg's Film Reviews & Essays, 1920–1928, and The Hoofs & Guns of the Storm: Chicago's Civil War Connections for Lake Claremont Press. Hollywood on Lake Michigan won an 1st Place– Midwest American Regional History Publishing Award.

One More Toast

2009-12-07T14:54:00.004-06:00

Need a last-minute escape this Wednesday evening?

It's your last chance to join one of Lake Claremont Press's holiday receptions (Wednesday, December 9) and unwind with an eclectic mix of Chicagoans.

This week we have Jean Iversen signing copies of her brand new 3rd edition of BYOB Chicago (it includes BYO tequila joints, too). To go along with that, we'll have a tasting of Spanish wines and holiday treats, plus appetizers courtesy of Kan Zaman and Gaudi Grill (both BYOB restaurants).

We'll have the usual festive mingling, tunes from our 8-track player, a used book sale, LCP books priced just right for affordable holiday gift-giving, extra raffle prizes, and these additional special Chicago guests:

Daniel P. Smith, author of On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department will sign copies of his book and discuss his new specialty, citizen police academies.

Renee Kreczmer has been sharing her love of Chicago history with her 3rd grade CPS students for years and she's about to share it with your school-age children in her upcoming LCP book. Pick her brain on fun and educational history outings for your family.

Former banker Denise Maple, owner of VaVaVroom, a West Loop business devoted to the female motorcycling enthusiast, is on hand to discuss her products and biking.

Meet and greet Chicago's newest publisher Mary Osborne of Lake Street Press who will be talking about her debut release, the young adult novel Nonna's Book of Mysteries.

And, last but not least, we're welcoming visting members of the Greater Rockwell Organization and the Chicago Tour-Guide Professionals Association.

We look forward to seeing you and toasting the season.

Naked Girl Signing Book

2009-12-04T13:08:00.003-06:00

In a Lake Claremont Press first, neo-burlesque star Michelle L'amour will sign a book contract with the company in the buff. Ms. L'amour with co-author Franky Vivid are writing a 2010 release, Michelle L'amour's Sexy Chicago in the part history, part guidebook tradition of other Lake Claremont Press titles such as Hollywood on Lake Michigan, Graveyards of Chicago, Literary Chicago, and The Hoofs & Guns of the Storm: Chicago's Civil War Connections. The signing will take place at tonight's 7 p.m. holiday-themed performance of the "Naked Girls Reading" series. The publisher will be clothed. Tickets are still available.

Ghost Box, "Biggest Loser" Bernie, Sexy Chicago, & History for Kids

2009-11-30T16:27:00.001-06:00

It's quite a line up for our next reception, this Wednesday, Dec. 2, at our 2nd floor office at 1026 W. Van Buren, 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Free and open to all, but please RSVP as space is limited.

Join us for wine and other holiday refreshments, raffles, festive mingling, tunes from our 8-track player, a used book sale, LCP books priced just right for affordable holiday gift-giving, and these special Chicago guests:

Ursula Bielski (Chicago Haunts, More Chicago Haunts, etc.) will sign copies of her new book Chicago Haunts 3 (Thunder Bay Press) and demonstrate a "ghost box," a.k.a. "telephone to the dead," including some amazing sound clips...

You may know Bernie Salazar as the at-home winner of 2008's Biggest Loser on NBC, but

before he lost an amazing 130 lbs. on television he was a Chicago educator and Chicago Bulls Matador (see Sports Traveler Chicago if you need an explanation). Bernie will be talking about his new endeavors to promote reading and exercise to children, including his new children's book Monstercize.

Poet and Lavender Cabaret producer Franky Vivid, co-author of LCP's 2010 book, Michelle L'amour's Sexy Chicago, will read some of his Chicago love poems.

And, Renee Kreczmer, CPS 3rd grade teacher extraordinaire and author of our forthcoming book on Chicago history for schoolkids, will talk about her book and the many fun ways to introduce and explore Chicago history with your children.

Where else can you have all this on Wednesday night? Join us!

It's Time for Mistletoe & Trolley

2009-11-17T11:43:00.003-06:00

This sounds fun...all things Chicago-holiday-wonderful, plus a peppermint brownie. Come on!

From Chicago Trolley & Double Decker Co.:

"Chicago Holiday Lights Tour

Tour Length: 2 Hours
Group Size: 25 Person Min / 32 Person Max Per Trolley
Price: $23.00 per person

*Price includes York Peppermint Brownie and hot cocoa from Hershey's. Based on 25 or more passengers (32 max / trolley). Price reflects downtown Chicago/Lincoln Park area pickup or drop off. Travel charges may apply for other areas.

Description:

Kick off the holiday season with an entertaining 2 hour lightly narrated tour aboard a famous Chicago Trolley. Sing carols as your holiday trolley sleigh ride whisks you amongst the festive lights and enchanting sights of wintertime in Chicago:

The Magnificent Mile
State Street & Macy's Holiday Windows
Daley Plaza's 40-foot Tree
Buckingham Fountain
Navy Pier's Winter Wonderfest

We'll also make the following stops to capture a feel for the season:

Christkindlmarket - A traditional German American Holiday Market with distinctive crafts, artistic glass creations, delicious sweets, holiday food and drinks. [LCP NOTE: Stop by the Lake Claremont Press booth for some affordable Chicago-centric gift giving!]

The Hershey's Store - Sip delicious hot cocoa and nibble on York Peppermint brownies fresh from this famous chocolatier.

What a wonderful way to start your holiday season! Your family, friends or business associates will want to make this a part of their yearly holiday tradition!

Call our Charter Sales Dept. at 773-648-5000 to book today or request a quote online!"

If you're reading this, you can join us

2009-11-15T19:46:00.002-06:00

More info on some of our special guests at our free upcoming holiday parties:

Wednesday, November 18, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Sgt. David Haynes & Christopher Garlington, authors of the forthcoming The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago Eats, will pass out donuts and eatery advice, and air a special live edition of their radio show.

Wednesday, December 2, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Ursula Bielski signs copy of her new book, Chicago Haunts 3, and demonstrates a “ghost box,” a.k.a. “telephone to the dead,” along with some interesting audio clips…

CPS 3rd grade teacher extraordinaire and author of a 2010 LCP title for children Renee Kreczmer discusses the many ways to introduce Chicago history to kids.

Wednesday, December 9, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Jean Iversen will sign copies of the new edition of BYOB Chicago. Wine tasting and food samples from restaurants in the book to accompany.

Denise Maple from the West Loop’s VaVaVroom, a West Loop business devoted to the female motorcycling enthusiast is on hand to discuss her products and biking.

And, at all Events:

· Wine & other refreshments.

· Festive mingling.

· Lake Claremont books priced for affordable holiday giving.

· Lake Claremont Press garage sale (de-cluttering our office & warehouse).

· Used book sale (business books & more).

· Vintage & collectible Chicago book sale (we've accrued quite a few over the years!).

· Free raffles.

Please join us.

Space is limited, RSVPs requested.

Chicago Food & Dining Trends

2009-11-14T13:23:00.002-06:00

Sharon Meyers and Robert Scarola, a local hospitality industry marketing and PR team, begin a monthly segment covering Chicago food and dining trends tonight, November 14, on WIND-AM 560’s Restaurant Radio Show (Saturdays from 5 p.m.–6 p.m.) with hosts Dane Neal and Tom Reboletti. Robert Scarola co-authored Alpana Pours with Channel 11 Check, Please! host, Alpana Singh.

Visit Our Christmas Wagon

2009-11-05T13:00:00.004-06:00

For 29 days straight between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, Lake Claremont Press will join German & Austrian vendors in Daley Plaza for the 13th Annual Christkindlmarket. We won't be selling pretzels or cuckoo clocks, but we will have our Chicago books priced for affordable holiday gift-giving. All books will be reduced AND they will be: Buy 2, get a 3rd free; Buy 3 books, get 2 free; Buy 4 books, get 3 free; and Buy 5 books, get 4 free. The market's schedule of events includes Santa, parades, tree lighting, the Rockettes, live music, and more. We will also have the new 3rd edition of Jean Iversen's BYOB Chicago, Susan Blumberg-Kason's All the Tea in Chicago, and some Chicago-centric CDs from Bloodshot Records. Come say hello!

Wine, Cheese, Cookies, Books, Collectibles, Camaraderie

2009-11-04T19:05:00.002-06:00

Holiday Receptions

Calling all Chicago lovers, book lovers, history lovers, bargain lovers, librarians, booksellers, Lake Claremont Press fans, and curious others!

Stop by the "new" Lake Claremont Press office (1026 W. Van Buren, Second Floor) for one of our four holiday receptions.

Free refreshments.
Festive mingling.
Lake Claremont books priced for affordable holiday giving.
Lake Claremont Press garage sale (de-cluttering our office & warehouse).
Used book sale (business books & more).
Vintage & collectible Chicago book sale (we've accrued quite a few!).
Free raffles.
Special Chicago guests! (More to follow.)

Wednesday, November 11, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 18, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, December 2, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 9, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Space is limited. Please RSVP.

One block from UIC-Halsted blue line station.
One block from Morgan Street exit.
Free parking available in gravel lot at Van Buren & Morgan.

Hall of Fame Nominees

2009-10-21T15:02:00.004-05:00

So, here are my six nominees for the inaugural class of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame: Jane Addams, Gwendolyn Brooks, Ben Hecht, Franklin Rosemont, Carl Sandburg, Studs Terkel. Other frequently nominated folks include Nelson Algren, Saul Bellow, Theodore Dreiser, James T. Farrell, Lorraine Hansberry, Harriet Monore, Mike Royko, Shel Silverstein, and Richard Wright.

Food & Thought

2009-10-20T13:16:00.003-05:00

Downtown at midday? Walk your lunch over to the Chicago Architecture Foundation (224 S. Michigan) tomorrow, 10/21, to hear What Would Jane Say? author Janice Metzger discuss "City-Builders with Skirts Excluded From Plan of Chicago." Program begins at 12:15, but seating fills up so arrive early.

What Russ Knows...

2009-10-19T11:13:00.002-05:00

That you can get 8 Lake Claremont Press in almost-new condition for something like $53.75, tax included, when you shop directly at the Lake Claremont Press office (1026 W. Van Buren, 2nd Floor), and that makes for some easy, inexpensive holiday shopping.

Russ is a longtime customer of LCP's, who discovered our great discounts when we were in a storefront on Rockwell next to the train tracks. It was easy (and obvious) that you could pop in and buy a bunch of books at way reduced prices. Well, it's still possible, if not obvious, and you're welcome to come over for your bargain shopping too. (Just call first to confirm we're not out, 312/226-8400.)

Here's how you save:

No shipping!
Buy our bookstore returns at 30-75% off (depending on condition).
Enjoy extra discounts for multiple copies:

--2 books - additional 10% off

--3–4 books - additional 20% off

--5–9 books - additional 25% off

--10+ books - additional 40%off

Save on gas and time when you purchase multiple gifts at one place.

"Oldest Amusement Park," Kiddieland, Closes in Style

2009-10-12T14:58:00.004-05:00

From David Witter, author of this fall's Oldest Chicago:

"At Kiddieland, the flashing red and blue lights, clanging bells, smell of cotton candy and popcorn, and sound of rides rolling up and down while children yelled stopped for good on Sunday, October 4. As part of its closing ceremony, the park had a contest called "The Last Ride," and took bids to see who would get "the final turn, swing, spin, drop, and plunge" before each ride was ceremonially retired.

Open for 81 years, the Melrose Park venue outlasted larger parks like Riverview, Adventureland, and Santa's Village as the only full-time amusement park in the immediate vicinity (Six Flags is at least 60 minutes away) of Chicago.

When Arthur E. Fritz opened the park in 1929, it featured pony rides and a little choo choo train. Although it added "bigger" rides like The Roto-Whip and The Pipeline, it was always a small park, geared towards little people. But the best thing about the park was that many Chicagoans could walk, bike, or take public transportation to it. Even in its last years, Kiddieland offered an alternative for many low-income, often single-parent families who could not make the long drive, or pay the higher entry fee of parks like Six Flags. But like many of Chicagoland's great old businesses, it could not stand up to Father Time and the onslaught of the giant big-box stores and chains, which will surely covet the many acres of prime land that the park now occupies."

Chicago Ghost Conference

2009-09-30T10:07:00.002-05:00

It's not too late to spend your weekend, October 2 & 3, with ghosthunters, paranormal researchers, skeptics, believers, storytellers, historians, and fans of creepy fun at the Chicago Ghost Conference at the Portage Theater, hosted by local author and ghostlore historian Ursula Bielski (she'll have copies of her new book, Chicago Haunts 3: Voices from an October City there). Ursula throws a good party and a serious conference, and you won't be disappointed...

Farewell, Crystal Lee Sutton

2009-09-21T19:01:00.007-05:00

Crystal Lee Sutton, the inspiration for Sally's Field Oscar-winning performance in Norma Rae (1979) died earlier this month of brain cancer at 68. Her many years working in the substandard environments of Carolina cotton mills for low wages led her ultimately to fight for improved conditions and unionizing Southern textile plants. The scene in Norma Rae in which Sally Field stands on a table in the plant with a cardboard sign reading UNION, bringing fellow workers and their machines to silence, actually happened just before Sutton was removed by police when her employer fired her for union activities. Sutton kindly provided an endorsement of our book on labor leader Regina Polk, who she previously had not heard of, in 2008:

"After working in the cotton mills from 1956 until 1973 when I was fired from J.P. Stevens in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, for working to organize a union, I can appreciate the hard work and challenges that Regina Polk faced as one of the first woman Teamster leaders. It is sad that I had not heard about Regina Polk before reading I Am a Teamster. Polk was a woman with so much love, courage, and knowledge of labor laws. She was a woman as dedicated, as intelligent, and as tough as her idol Jimmy Hoffa. This is a wonderful educational book for anyone who wants to know about organizing the unorganized. It also does a wonderful job of honoring a woman who ‘felt that it was more important to actually help one person than to talk about saving the world.’”

We were moved by Crystal Lee Sutton's story in the 1970s, and we were moved by her kindness and support last year. May her accomplishments be remembered and continue to inspire.

Chicago Soujourn

2009-09-16T21:05:00.002-05:00

I love this blog and its photos. 2 recent posts to check out: 1950s & 1960s garage-door designs still lingering in the Chicago burbs and the industrial wonders of Northwest Indiana.

120 Years of Hull House

2009-09-16T20:47:00.004-05:00

Settlement House. Settlement House. Settlement House.

This Friday, September 18, when we'll be celebrating Janice Metzger's What Would Jane Say? City-Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicagos at Northwestern University Settlement House, it will also be the 120th anniversary of the founding of Hull-House by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr. A key point of Metzger's new book is that the ethic of the settlement house leaders of the era (Jane Addams and dozens of other women building Chicago social institutions and otherwise creating solutions to social issues of their day) would have been a good complement to the Plan of Chicago set forth by Daniel Burnham and the Commercial Club. If both visions were merged we would've had a better plan and a much different city today.

Join us Friday after work to toast Jan and Jane! Details in earlier post or by calling 312/226-8400.

City of Big Organs

2009-09-14T18:16:00.002-05:00

From the United Center chapter of Anbritt Stengele and Lydia Rypcinski's new book, Sports Traveler Chicago:

“The Legend of the Barton Organ

One of the trademarks of the old Chicago Stadium was the legendary sound of the Barton Organ. This mammoth organ was a one of a kind instrument that entertained crowds from 1929 until the Chicago Stadium was demolished in 1995. It was built in 1929 by the Barton Organ Company of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and designed by Dan Barton. The organ was so big that it could entertain a crowd of 20,000 people—and this was before microphone technology was invented! It had 3,663 pipes, six manuals, and 828 stop keys on the console. It was powered by a 100 HP Spencer blower and had a sound so immense that it would rattle the eardrums of the fans. It was instrumental, so to speak, in giving the Chicago Stadium its nickname “The Madhouse on Madison.”

Longtime Chicago Stadium organist Al Melgard once played the organ so loudly and at such a high pitch, the sound took out an entire tier of windows and most of the light bulb filaments in the building. It was in the 1930s during a boxing match as Melgard tried to stop a riot that broke out in the stands with his organ playing. He indeed was able to distract the crowd enough to break up the riot and get the crowd back under control—probably because of all the glass breaking! In recognition of his achievement, the stadium owners awarded him a lifetime position as staff organist.

The Barton Organ sat in the stands of the old Chicago Stadium in the upper level of the side court and was visible to fans who could watch the organists perform. The organ was even played during the 1932 Democratic National Convention and Mr. Melgard was said to be responsible for Happy Days are Here Again becoming the theme song of the Democratic Party.

When the new United Center was being designed, it was first thought that the Barton Organ would be moved into the new arena. However, Bill Wirtz, then owner of the Blackhawks wasn’t interested in keeping the Barton and instead vowed to build a ‘bigger, even better organ’ for the new UC. At one point, it looked as if the Barton would go down with the demolition of the Chicago Stadium. That’s when Bob Ropolo, a local organist and owner of a club called The 19th Hole, formed a group to purchase and remove the organ and ultimately find a new home for it.

The Barton Organ would go on to be displayed inside Mr. Ropolo’s club until the club closed and the organ was disassembled and put into storage. In 1996, the organ was destroyed in a warehouse fire.

Bill Wirtz never did build a bigger and better organ for the United Center. Instead, he installed a small 3-manual organ that is hooked up to the PA system with microphones. Today, the new organ is stored in a small room above the UC, unseen by fans. The organist watches the games via a television monitor inside the room.”

My Name Is Jason, and I'm an Autoholic

2009-09-10T17:20:00.004-05:00

From the introduction to Jason Rothstein's Carless in Chicago, coming later this fall.

“This is not an anti-car book.

True, cars congest Chicago and other cities. Cars produce pollution. Cars encourage our dependence on foreign oil. Our reliance on cars contributes to rising rates of obesity and related health conditions. And each year in Cook County alone, about 45,000 people suffer an injury in a car accident.

It’s also true that you can live without owning a car in Chicago pretty easily. We have walkable streets, miles of biking paths, incredible public transit density, and two competing carsharing organizations.

But you know what? I love cars.

No, really, I love cars, and I love driving. I remember the thrill of taking the money I made from a summer job in college and buying a used Toyota Corolla FX-16, a real pocket rocket. (And I remember the thrill of taking it above 110 mph on a highway inKentucky several months later.)

I grew up in Chicago, but attending college in semi-rural Ohio, I felt I needed a car. And then after college, when I lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, it seemed inconceivable not to have a car. (If you’ve ever transferred buses three times to get someplace four miles away in the Twin Cities, you know what I mean.)

When I returned to Chicago in late 1998, it didn’t occur to me to give up my car. Even when my car was stolen a couple of years later, I bought another without a second thought, despite the fact that doing so used cash and credit I had planned to use as a down payment on a condo, and despite the extra money it sucked out of my wallet in payments, insurance, and rising gas prices.

As my bank account got thinner, and perhaps from driving three blocks to the grocery store, I got fatter, I began wondering if car ownership was really all it was cracked up to be. From the book you hold in your hand, you already know the end of this story. But it took me more than a year to give up my car, simply because I was afraid—afraid of losing the freedom we believe owning a car gives us.

Over time, I came to understand a few things. In many cases, owning a car isn’t actually a luxury; it’s a burden. Owning a car may make one freer to hit the road spontaneously at 2 a.m. to drive to who-knows-where, but it makes most people less free to have the adventures they really want to have.

I talk to a lot of people in the city who, faced with rising gas prices, a desire to save for larger goals, or simply the hassles of keeping a car in the city, think about giving up their wheels. But they think they can’t, often for the same reason that I thought I couldn’t—fear. I hope this book will help those people (and others like them) to make an informed decision—either way—by exploring some basic questions:

Would giving up car ownership change your life for the better or for the worse? What combination of methods—walking, biking, public transit riding, and yes, driving—can keep you moving as well or better than you did with your own car?

I hope this book will also help a few others:

§ People who find themselves carless for reasons outside of their control (and persons who, due to other reasons, need to reduce their driving or stop driving altogether)

§People at a crossroads trying to decide if getting a car is right for them (e.g., those just out of college and earning a paycheck for the first time), or those contemplating a second car due to other life changes (e.g., young families with a new baby on the way)

§ Visitors and short-term residents, who I hope will take the opportunity to learn about the wider city away from their hotels, dorm rooms, or corporate apartments

For some people, the best decision may be to get or keep a car. But I think this book may help you discover that not only can you survive without owning a car (or without that second car), but your life may improve without a car.”

Visit Jason’s blog Carless in Chicago for ongoing news, tips, resources, and commentary.

Blues Legends at Rest?

2009-09-09T09:16:00.003-05:00

Karen Hanson, author of Today's Chicago Blues, searched the sheriff's department's website to confirm the status of blues musicians' gravesites at Burr Oak after the recent horrific discoveries there. She reports the findings on her blog. For more on Burr Oak, Chicago's first African-American cemetery and final resting place of Emmett Till, Dinah Washington, Willie Dixon, and dozens more notable names, see Matt Hucke's (Graveyards of Chicago) site and photography.

September 7, 1994

2009-09-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

The official birthdate of Lake Claremont Press. 15 years down...

The Beat Cop vs. the Streets & San Man

2009-09-04T17:50:00.004-05:00

This fall Sgt. David J. Haynes, CPD, and Christopher Garlington take on the Streets & San Man in their challenge to his (Dennis Foley's) 2003 masterpiece: The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago Eats. Both books bring you the tongue-in-cheek, food-in-mouth expertise of our public servants who hit the city’s streets and its mom-and-pop eateries every day. They don’t agree on much except that calories don’t count, taste trumps ambience, and you shouldn’t pay more than ten bucks for lunch. Well, they do share a liking for just a few establishments: Hagen’s Fish Market (5635 W. Montrose, bring back your fishing-trip catch to be smoked), Frank and Mary’s (2902 N. Elston, bar serves a full hot dinner at lunchtime), and, oh, yeah, Crabby Kim’s (3655 N. Western), the bar with bikini-clad bartenders. The beat cop has been to more donut shops, the san man to more hot dog stands. Both have eaten plenty of tacos, ribs, pizza, burgers, fried shrimp, and meatloaf platters while others suffer through mid-day salads.

And, now, a quick taste from the beat cop to whet your appetite:

“Uncle John’s

(337 E. 69th St., 773/892-1233, Cuisine: Barbecue)

How do you determine who makes the best ribs in Chicago? How can you possibly taste every rib at every joint in the city? Every restaurant sells ribs and everybody claims theirs is the best. The only thing you can do is break it down by neighborhood and let them fight it out at street level.

Or you can eat at Uncle John’s.

Here’s how good their ribs are: I can’t eat ribs anywhere else now. I will, I have, but I don’t really enjoy it. I drink Uncle John’s sauce straight. It’s just that good. It’s the kind of ribs that make you lose your manners, stick the whole rib in your mouth, and pull the bone out clean. In front of your grandma.

I will declare here and now that Uncle John’s makes the best ribs in Chicago—perhaps in the entire world. They sell their rub by the box but don’t think it’s going to help you recreate this ruby red masterpiece at home. You can’t. It’s some kind of magic, some kind of unholy power over pork and beef, some kind of smoker-pit-voodoo that only occurs at this take-out joint. Last time I was there I was in line behind God. That’s how good this place is.

Make sure you get the hot links. Yeah, a slab of ribs and a plate of hot links. What, are you on a diet or something? Uncle John’s hot links are divine packages of perfectly crumbled seasoned pork, cooked so they have that crisp tooth in the first bite then the inside explodes like a crowd-clearing flash grenade. I ordered two plates to go—one for my fridge and one to eat in the car on the way home. You will convert to porkism after just one serving.

But the best thing about Uncle John’s, after the world-conquering food, is the smoke. You might think Uncle John’s is run by a guy named John but it ain’t. It’s run by a pit boss named Mack. Mack tends the slabs over a smoker that pumps an intoxicating aromatic plume a mile in every direction. It gets into your uniform, it gets into your squad car, and for a while, you smell like ribs. I caught myself smelling my standard-issue white shirt (for good reasons) on the highway back from Uncle John’s and wondering how I could keep the perfume of mulberry and hickory wood in my car forever. I guess the only thing I can do is go back, fight for a parking space (you’ve been warned), and roll the windows down.

Remember this is a beat cop’s guide for cheap food, not for white tablecloths, so when you go there and find out there’s nowhere to sit down, just take a glance at those prices and your worries will vanish. Uncle John’s sells ribs so cheap, he must raise the cows in the basement.

You might consider calling ahead as they are incredibly popular--don’t be an idiot and show up at 5 and wonder why they’re out of ribs. Also, bring a wad of cash. They charge like it’s 1958 because they actually think it’s 1958 and they don’t take plastic.”

Chicago Origins of White-Collar Union Organizing and the EFCA

2009-09-02T10:00:00.002-05:00

In honor of Labor Day.

On the 111th Congress's agenda, after the war and the economy, is the issue of labor. Thought by some an artifact of the 19th century—after all, America's never embraced unions, and our economy moves daily towards the white-collar and information sectors, never breeding grounds for union sentiment—labor is in fact hugely relevant today.

The latest flashpoint is the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). This bill seeks to reform the procedure by which workplaces may unionize. Currently, there is a two-stage process. First, a card check is performed, essentially a workplace-wide petition wherein organizers take a simple yes or no vote to see if the majority wishes to pursue unionization. If the majority signs their cards and says yes, let's unionize, only then does the real vote take place, a secret ballot administered by the employer. If this vote succeeds, then the employers are obligated to negotiate with the newly-formed union. The EFCA, if passed, would remove the secret ballot step, which would make union-forming far more simple.

The EFCA has roused partisan sentiment, as the Democrats are firmly in favor of it, while the Republicans strongly oppose. The labor-friendly Democrats believe workers must be protected from the coercions of their employers, all too common in the current secret ballot system. Meanwhile, the Republicans are pointing to the Constitution and insisting that the secret ballot is a sanctified right of the American citizen, while suggesting that the proposed card check system would mean the organizers would be doing the coercing, rather than employers.

While the Employee Free Choice Act is batted around in the halls of DC, it got its start on the streets of Chicago. Not only because it was co-sponsored by then-Senator Obama in 2007, but because of Chicago's rich labor history, from Pullman to Haymarket.

Within such a complex history, one woman, the pioneering Regina V. Polk, is a footnote, but undeservedly so. The Employee Free Choice Act brings new relevance to Regina's story, as before her untimely death, Polk pushed for white collar workers to organize and was on path to become the first woman head of the Teamsters.

Unions are more enticing than ever for white-collar workers, especially in lean times like these. Furthermore, health benefits are never far from the minds of Americans, and a union can bargain on their behalf to ensure their benefits. Polk's singular story deserves retelling in light of the EFCA, as more and more American workers become leery of management, and unions are in the news.

Our recent book about Polk, I Am a Teamster: A Short, Fiery Story of Regina V. Polk, Her Hats, Her Pets, Sweet Love, and the Modern-Day Labor Movement by Terry Spencer was recently named a finalist in the 2009 Indie Excellence Book Awards. To read more about inspiring story of the tough and glamorous, Regina V. Polk, visit Amazon.com.

—Written by Erik Germani

The Neighborhood, City, Fans that Jordan Built

2009-09-02T07:34:00.005-05:00

From Anbritt Stengele and Lydia Rypcinski's book Sports Traveler Chicago, arriving today from the printer. Congratulations!

"Michael Jordan will forever be the most beloved Chicago basketball player in the history of the city. He not only lit up the basketball court for the Chicago Bulls for a total of 13 seasons, but he also helped spark the revitalization of the neighborhoods that surrounded the old Chicago Stadium and now, the United Center. They call the United Center 'the house that Jordan built' although this part of the West Side of Chicago could also be called 'the neighborhood that Jordan built.'

Before Jordan, the neighborhood was run-down and filled with crime and poverty. Games were sparsely attended, and most weren’t even broadcast in prime-time.

Jordan joined the team in 1984 and from that moment on, something happened in Chicago. Fans began coming to the old Chicago Stadium in droves to see him play. Jordan started to set records and rack up awards. Restaurants sprung up along Madison Avenue to entertain the thousands of fans who sold out every game. The housing projects started coming down, and the luxury condos started going up. And a ticket to see Jordan and the Bulls became the hottest in town.

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce commissioned a study in 1993, after Jordan retired for the first time to try to attach a dollar figure to what he meant to Chicago. The study found that Jordan boosted the bottom line of Chicago businesses by approximately $10.5 million, each time he played at the United Center from 1991–1993 when the Bulls won three NBA championships. Multiply that figure by at least 40 regular season games at home a year, plus playoff games, and we’re talking nearly a half-billion dollars pumped into the city per NBA season! Economist John Skorburg, who conducted the study, attributed much of that to the extra tourism dollars brought to the city by fans traveling in to see him play (plane tickets, food and lodging, parking fees, souvenirs, etc.).

Jordan created an excitement and a worldwide fan following that comes just once in a generation, maybe a lifetime. Fans are still talking about what it was like to see Jordan play. Those who never got that opportunity, still wish they could.

The Michael Jordan Statue outside the United Center is the best opportunity to see Jordan’s likeness these days. Fans can still flock to NikeTown (669 N. Michigan Ave., 312/642-6363) to see the entire collection of Air Jordans on display in glass cases.

Officially, retired from basketball since 2003, Jordan now keeps a low profile in Chicago. His restaurant, Michael Jordan’s, closed in 1999. He is sometimes seen out to dinner downtown with friends, at the high-stakes tables in one of the local casinos, or playing golf on one of Chicago’s top courses. He has been quoted saying that he likes to ride his motorcycle around town on summer nights with a helmet on, so no one knows it’s him. He currently owns a professional closed course motorcycle racing team and sometimes practices on a local indoor course with his team’s riders.

Being a fan of the Chicago Bulls has never been the same since Jordan left. We still love the Bulls and going to the UC on game day, but those of us who watched him play will forever be comparing the team today to the way it used to be…when the greatest basketball player of all time was here. Number 23, we miss you!"

Meet David Witter, Author of Oldest Chicago

2009-09-02T07:21:00.003-05:00

What qualifies journalist and Renaissance man David Witter to write our upcoming book Oldest Chicago (fall)? How about...

· David Witter was born in Miller, Indiana, across the lagoon from the former Summer home of Nelson Algren and Simone de Beauvior.

· As a teen, Witter grew up in the old Lincoln Park, and was briefly associated with the street gang, The Insane Unknowns.

· Witter worked as a lifeguard at the Raddison Hotel, now the Intercontinental Hotel. During this span he was responsible for protecting famous swimmers including playwright Tennessee Williams, who lived in the hotel while working with the Goodman Theater, and author Sara Paretsky, who swam there every day.

· Witter has worked as an extra, stand-in, and stunt-person in over 15 films and TV shows including Hoffa, Natural Born Killers, While You Were Sleeping, and Class.

· Witter has one degree of separation from Kevin Bacon, as Bacon’s feature film, Stir of Echoes, was partially filmed in his house.

· Witter is an amateur blues musician and songwriter who performs in small clubs and bars across the North Side.

· Witter is a graduate of the Chicago Public Schools (elementary and high school). He has been an English and Special Education Instructor in the CPS system for over 16 years.

Oldest Chicago is about the places that have survived the passage of time.

Oldest business: Peacock Jewelers (1838); oldest apothecary: Merz Apothecary (1875); oldest tavern: Schaller's Pump (1889); oldest theater: the Biograph Theater (1914), and oldest drive-in restaurant: Superdawg (1948). In Oldest Chicago, journalist David Witter highlights dozens of the oldest local treasures in Chicago and its suburban and exurban areas. Remarkable for having survived demolition and extinction for decades, these beloved landmarks have also helped define our city's landscape, offering continuity and civic identity across generations.

Rather than celebrate the past, many of Chicago's business and political leaders have risen to power by tearing it down. Chicago has lost, and continues to lose, many great civic and cultural landmarks. In recent years, Marshall Field's and Carson Pirie Scott have vanished from the city's landscape. Other structures like the Uptown and Ramova Theaters are also in danger of being permanently lost. Oldest Chicago is a reminder of the value of these familiar places and a call to preserve them for a future sense of place.

Everyone tries the newest...have you tried the oldest?

Visit the oldest house. Worship at the oldest church. Get on your soap box at the oldest park. Party at the oldest nightclub. Try some herbal remedies at the oldest drugstore. Taste the foods that generations of Chicagoans have savored at the oldest hot dog stand, pizza parlor, soda pop maker, ice cream parlor, diner, chili parlor, Italian restaurant, liquor distributor, soul food restaurant, and bakery.

Don't just read about Chicago's history--experience it!

Invite Yourself!

2009-09-01T15:40:00.002-05:00

Lake Claremont Press warmly welcomes you to a distinctive evening of Chicago history, looking ahead, and festive mingling with friends, colleagues, and other interesting Chicagoans.

Please join us at the historic and lovely Northwestern University Settlement Association building (upstairs from Harriet Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble) to celebrate the release of Janice Metzger's new book What Would Jane Say? City-Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicagos and its contributions to the discussions of ongoing planning for the Chicago region.

Enjoy:

~ Food and drink.

~ Appreciation of the landmark building.

~ A few theatrical scenes from the book.

~ Some words from Janice.

~ Book signing.

~ Lake Claremont Press books and representatives.

~ Your delightful company and conversation.

Friday, September 18, 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.

1012 N. Noble, 2nd Floor

Would you like to join us? Please email lcp@lakeclaremont.com to add yourself to the guest list. We have limited spaces available.

Sating Chicago Movie Lovers

2009-08-28T06:45:00.005-05:00

About Chicagocinema.net, another Chicago-centric treat from consummate tour guide Michael Corcoran:

"This is a companion site to Hollywood on Lake Michigan, 2nd Edition, but it is most importantly a site for lovers of Chicago and Chicago film.

My name is Michael Corcoran and I’m a lecturer, historian, and certified Chicago Tour Guide. One of my most popular tours has always been my Chicago Cinema Tour, which features locations of Chicago-shot films interspersed with stories and commentary. Much of this tour was cribbed from Arnie Bernstein’s local classic, Hollywood on Lake Michigan. After years of bothering Arnie and the publisher, Lake Claremont Press, about an updated version, the answer I one day received was, “Well why don’t you do it?”

The rest, as they say, ‘is ~~a story I tell altogether too often~~ history.’

Aside from Arnie’s excellent history of the early days of Chicago film (which he expanded and re-edited) and my own revisions and embellishments of the contemporary section,Hollywood On Lake Michigan, 2nd Edition contains dozens of behind the scenes pictures and historic photos, plus the stunning architectural photography of Kate Corcoran."

Hollywood on Lake Michigan was one of those early books (1998) we cut our publishing teeth on, but eleven years later people are still talking about it and asking for it. (One of our editors still says it’s his favorite.) Bookstores, gift shops, college orientation programs, individuals, schools, and libraries have all asked in the last few years...Don’t you just have a few copies around we can buy? It’s been six years since we’ve had a single copy to call our own! Well, we're almost to the point where we can do them one better than locating a secret stash of a book from last century. In just a couple of months, they'll have Corcoran's beautiful revision, which, like Bernstein's, brims with the connoisseur's passion and level of detail.

Jane's not happy, and Burnham's not happy either

2009-08-27T18:03:00.007-05:00

From the folks at Forever Free and Clear:

“Acclaimed author and Jane Addams impersonator Janice Metzger will be joining Sunday’s Burnham Ride at Daley Plaza. Given that Burnham and Addams didn’t always see eye-to-eye on urban planning issues, Ms. Addams is expected to add some fireworks to an already exciting itinerary!

Ms. Metzger will be reading a passage from her newly-released book What Would Jane Say?, which looks at lost opportunities to include the work of city-building women in Burnham’s Plan of Chicago. The book view the plan from the point of view of Jane Addams and the many civic activists of the settlement houses. Books will be available for purchase ($20, cash or check) and can be signed.

100 Years Later: Burnham’s Back and He’s Not Happy

What: Burnham Centennial Lakefront Vision Ride, a free 2-hour bike ride exploring Burnham’s lakefront legacy and the hopeful future of Chicago’s shoreline.

When: Sunday, August 30, 2009, 2pm. Meet at Daley Plaza, Washington & Dearborn

At the 100^th Anniversary of The Plan of Chicago, Burnham’s vision for a tranquil shoreline remains violated by a vulgar 8-lane superhighway. Though Burnham may have been the most prominent advocate forChicago’s lakefront, he wasn’t the first. The 1836 the Canal Commission decreed the lakefront to be ‘Public Ground — Common to Remain Forever Open, Clear, and Free of Any Buildings, or Other Obstruction Whatever.’

Decades before Burnham’s plan, Cap and Ma Streeter used a shotgun to defend the lakefront from encroaching development. Montgomery Ward numerous countless legal battles to preserve the lakefront as openspace. Chicagoans can thank Burnham and many other forebears for bequeathing the city a largely uncluttered lakefront.

But unfortunately, today an 8-lane superhighway separatesChicago from a truly free and clear shoreline. A movement is growing to restore Burnham’s vision by eliminating the pollution, dangers and unsightliness of Lake Shore Drive.

On August 30, cyclists will joinChicago’s premiere Daniel Burnham and Montgomery Ward impersonators for the Lakefront Vision Ride, a leisurely tour to learn about Burnham’s lakefront legacy directly from the famous planner and to plot a future course for a free Chicagoshoreline. New this year will be a cameo appearance by Jane Addams.

‘The Vision Ride is a fun way to educate Chicagoans about our vibrant lakefront history,’ said Jim Redd, who plays Daniel Burnham on the ride. ‘Today, we have a beautiful, open lakefront because because Burnham and other courageous people throughout Chicago’’s history have fought for what’s right. Now, the future’s up to us.’

The ride is sponsored by the Campaign for a Free and Clear Lakefront, a grass roots coalition working to removeLake Shore Drive from Grant Park and eventually from the entire length of the Chicagoshoreline.”

Lake Shore Drive, forever free and clear? You decide…we just pass on the word.

A City of Contrasts, a Tale of Two Chicagos

2009-08-27T09:27:00.005-05:00

One of the themes of our latest book, Janice Metzger’s What Would Jane Say? City-Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicagos is two Chicagos: the two Chicagos of the Burnham/Plan of Chicago era, as well as the Chicago that is and the Chicago that might have been. In this excerpt, Metzger begins defining this dualistic nature as characterstic of the city.

“The City: A Character in Its Own Right

Chicago in the 1890s was a city of opulent mansions and horrific slums. City boosters touted the sophistication of Marshall Field’s genteel department store, with its motto “Give the lady what she wants,” while ignoring wide-open prostitution just outside the central business district. The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (nicknamed the “White City”) promoted a view of Chicago as clean, orderly, and modern—a vision true only inside the fairgrounds. The real Chicago was not much improved by 1904, when journalist Lincoln Steffens described Chicago as: “first in violence, deepest in dirt; loud, lawless, unlovely, ill-smelling, irreverent, new; an over-grown gawk of a village, the ‘tough’ among cities, a spectacle for the nation.”

Political differences spiraled into violence several times near the turn of the century, most notably in the Haymarket (1886) and Pullman (1894) incidents. The open brutality (toward man and beast) of the stockyards became widely known when Upton Sinclair published The Jungle in 1906. But Chicago was also the source of some of the most humane movements in the nation, such as the settlement house movement and movements to abolish child labor and reform juvenile justice.

Chicago’s dual nature one hundred years ago and more has implications for the present. What is the nature of the nineteenth-century foundation we are building on today? Is it a foundation established by humanitarian reforms of the Progressive Era? Or is it a foundation built on technical innovations in our physical space? Would it have been possible to build on both the human and the physical assets of the region? A century later, the city of contrast is still with us. Education historian Dorothy Shipps summarizes the attitude of many toward modern-day Chicago: “The city is a clean, architecturally stimulating monument to human ingenuity and determination, and its citizens display an uncommon sense of civic pride. Yet, it is simultaneously the site of radically segregated ghettos lined with sterile rows of poorly constructed block-houses and high-rises, and neighborhoods with grossly inadequate schooling and other services.”[1]

Maybe the only statement one can make about Chicago that will hold up as “truth” is that it was and is a city of contrasts.”

[1] Shipps, School Reform, 3–4.

100 Historic Bars on the Wall...

2009-08-23T20:48:00.008-05:00

A sneak peak from Sean Parnell's Historic Bars of Chicago coming later this fall:

The Mutiny

2428 N. Western Ave. (2400N, 2400W)
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 486-7774

Website	www.themutinychicago.com
Neighborhood	Logan Square
Open ’til & Cover	2am (3am Sat); never a cover
Drinks	Frosted 32-oz. mugs of Old Style, PBR
Food	None, Sonny’s Pizza across the street
Music	Punk, Saturday afternoon karaoke
Bar Type	Dive Bar, Music Venue

This single-story, one-room building dates back 100 years, as evidenced by the famous mens’ room urinal. Not much is known about the place until a former journeyman boxer named Tommy Kluth ran it from the early ‘50s to May 1973. Back then, the draw at “Tommy Kluth's Gallery Bar-Headquarters, Veteran Boxers Association of Illinois, Ring No. 2” was a small boxing ring in the front of the bar, where Kluth would box patrons, though more for show than actual matches. Locals say the place was a two-lane bowling alley prior to that and a string of dive bars following Tommy’s. The current owner, Ed, opened “The Mutiny Corporation” in September 1990 as part of his own rebellious act. Whatever his unspoken reason, Ed’s Mutiny is our gain: free shows (no cabaret license) of the most raucous indie punk music around are held almost every day, some of which are also featured on the jukebox. After early experiments and a watershed concert on Halloween 1998, put on by the Gaza Strippers, The Nerves andGrand Theft Auto, Mutiny has become the place for bands to cut their teeth, often being their first show or tour. Many bands will cause more than a few of your cilia to perish, but some might make it big some day. In the meantime, you can always enjoy your 32-ounce Pabst Blue Ribbon while gazing at the full suit of armor and drop ceiling panels painted by regulars and local artists, a la Guthries Tavern.

Benefits of Being an Author, On Expectations and Making Goals Explicit

2009-08-22T08:48:00.005-05:00

To go along with the new look of the Lake Claremont Press blog, we will be including additional types of content here, everything from opinion pieces to book excerpts and author musings. In that spirit, I will start by sharing some of my observations on one of the most interesting and complex aspects of being a small-press publisher, one who has lots of direct contact with her authors at all stages of the publishing process…author expectations!

That authors and publishers do not share identical interests would be obvious to any businessperson, but since that was not my background it took awhile for this reality to become clear to me. We both want an author’s book to be wildly successful, right? That at least was my vague, muddled view. Until the day several years ago when two separate authors with whom I had and have warm, friendly relationships sent me a New York Times piece about authors vs. publishers with a quip to the effect: we’re glad you’re not like those publishers. It hit me instantly when I read the article: I am like those publishers, and you are like those authors. I am a publisher, and you are authors. Thereafter I worked on understanding and unraveling these identity differences for win-win outcomes.

As you might suppose, one complicated element of author expectations is not that authors have them but that every author has different ones. Then there’s meeting company goals that may or may not have anything to do with the sea of expectations around us. These come with the picturesque territory of publishing. What optimizes the author-publisher relationship in this environment is what most concerns me about expectations, and being unequivocal about our different interests is a good start. My top priority is the surviving and thriving of the company, not any individual book necessarily. An author’s goals are…

My sense is that many hopes are pinned on one’s book and that without a bit of reflection, every author’s goals for their book are the grand and amorphous: for it to be wildly successful, to be a life-changing experience, and to make everything better. Sure, and world peace too. Lofty expectations are not in themselves a problem but non-specific, non-explicit lofty expectations can be. How will they know when they’ve met them (and can take proper satisfaction at that)?

Here is my evolving list of the benefits I’ve seen different authors enjoy over the past 15 years of publishing almost 50 books, whether or not these results of writing a book were specifically desired or made explicit. My not so inventive idea is that the earlier in the publishing process an author defines for themselves what they want out of their book, the better able they are to marshal the resources necessary to achieve them (including the publisher where appropriate), the better choices they can make about time and energy expenditures, the greater their results, and the greater their satisfaction. As a bonus, they will also enjoy plenty of unexpected rewards and delights along the way.

In no particular order…

Community/Social Benefits

To gain entry to the “club” of writers.
To participate in the community interested in one’s topic.
To join the conversations related to one’s book.
To make a difference in people’s lives
To win converts to a cause.
To popularize one’s ideas.
To sway public opinion.
To correct misconceptions.
To expose injustices.
To entertain and delight others.
To capture stories before they’re lost.
To preserve history before it’s lost.
To bring attention to local businesses.
To meet interesting, new people.
To amplify one's social network.

Personal Benefits

To express oneself.
To create something original.
To experience elevated self-esteem.
To enjoy personal satisfaction for having written a book.
To achieve something significant.
To accomplish one of the top American goals that others only talk about.
To springboard to bigger and better things.
To open doors (public speaking, media interviews, business opportunities).
To practice a hobby more fully.
To learn new skills (blogging, public speaking, media savvy, networking)
To enhance skills (writing, editing, speaking)
To overcome personal obstacles (procrastination, shyness)
To make a name for oneself.
To share unique experiences and perspectives.
To become better-known, well-known, or famous.
To bask in the prestige.
To live a fuller life.
To leave a legacy.

Career/Business Benefits

To establish one’s authority on a subject.
To show expertise in a field.
To define one’s position (role) and position (perspective) in some area.
To contribute to a body of knowledge.
To build one’s reputation.
To exhibit leadership.
To leverage the power of the printed word.
To complement one’s primary business.
To advance in your field
To enlarge one's professional network.
To have something to give away (a calling card, gift, premium)
To develop a side business.

Financial Benefits

To earn passive income (royalties).
To increase income through turning one’s book into a cottage industry (re-selling, speaking fees, etc.)
To find a better-paying job (with new skills and enhanced resume)
To justify a pay raise (increased value to company)
To extend the reach of one’s business (passively locate new customers).

Please post other advantages that should be on this list.

Build Your Own Chicago

2009-08-21T15:45:00.001-05:00

http://www.buildyourownchicago.com/

E-Newsletter Revived

2009-08-21T10:24:00.003-05:00

For more in-depth coverage of our authors, books, events, and sales, plus great Chicago information, sign up for our e-newsletter. It goes out once every 3-4 weeks, and we don't sell, exchange, or otherwise give away your email address.

Built on an Ancient Shoreline

2009-08-20T09:40:00.003-05:00

"Built on an ancient shoreline of Lake Michigan, Chicago's oldest house anchors the historic community of Norwood Park and houses the offices and musuem of the Norwood Park Historical Society." This Sunday's a great time to visit the distinctive--in geographic, geological, architectural, and historical senses--135-year-old enclave of Norwood Park. Amble or bike through the streets, then stop at the historical society for their Book & Collectible Fair (noon-5pm, $2 entrance). New, used, and collectible books for sale (Lake Claremont Press will have a booth); author appearances (our Grace DuMelle will be speaking on family history research); refreshments by Northwest Cafe, and children's activities.

P.S. Our new book What Would Jane Say? will be there, on sale with all of our other titles. Not yet in stores.

2009 Book List

2009-08-19T21:18:00.005-05:00

Just released:

What Would Jane Say? City-Building Women and a Tale of Two Chicagos, by Janice Metzger

Coming in early September:

Sports Traveler Chicago, by Anbritt Stengele

Coming later this fall:

Carless in Chicago, by Jason Rothstein

Oldest Chicago, by David Anthony Witter

Historic Bars of Chicago, by Sean Parnell of the Chicago Bar Project

Hollywood on Lake Michigan: Chicago and the Movies, 2nd Edition, by Michael Corcoran

The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats, by Sgt. David J. Haynes and Mr. Christopher Garlington

Chicago the Beautiful

2009-08-11T17:54:00.004-05:00

Must-see MGM travelogues from 1948 on You Tube:

Thanks Ted for finding these!