Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Double dipping tipping is getting out of hand Service industry businesses like restaurants, limousines, hotels and cruise lines are getting into the habit of imposing a 20 percent “tip” for services rendered to customers. But they are still asking for an additional “tip” when the bill arrives. A “tip” is supposed to reflect a customers…
Holidays today are not like holidays of the past It was so much better in the “old days.” Movie theaters were more enjoyable and traveling on airlines and even cruises were simpler. We knew what we were getting upfront for the single cost we paid. Today, traveling is a gamble, and going to the movie…
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DeYoung rocks Star Plaza Former Styx frontman sounds good as ever By Steve Metsch It’s been 40 years since Styx released its “The Grand Illusion” album, but you couldn’t tell that by listening to Dennis DeYoung’s voice. DeYoung, the former frontman for the popular rock band from Chicago, played the entire album and a slew…
Exorbitant Hamilton tickets reflect founding father’s life “Hamilton: The Satirical.” More tickets were announced available this week to the politically partisan Broadway musical “Hamilton: An American Musical.” But only the super rich will be able to afford seats that allows them to see the whole stage and even the cheap, obstructed seats will still cost…
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Netflix increases fees as programming drops Netflix raised fees, again. But if they want to keep me as a loyal subscriber, they need to be loyal to me and produce some kickass programing. Dropping Kevin Spacey from “House of Cards” is a major blow, and the garbage they are offering the wake of another favorite,…
All you can eat Brazilian steak houses One of my favorite restaurants is the Brazilian steakhouse where waiters serve the Churrascaria food selections on skewers one slice at a time with a huge salad bar in the background. Texas de Brazil is at the top of the list but I have enjoyed them all including…
Chicago releases its 2018 Special Events Schedule Year of Creative Youth January–December 2018 Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events have designated 2018 as the “Year of Creative Youth.” The $2 million investment by the City of Chicago will include a Creative Youth Festival across the Millennium Park Campus, performance…
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New TV Sitcom “The Mayor” gives politics a funny edge Bernard David Jones brings his comedic acting chops – perfected during his time spent at CollegeHumor – to primetime TV in one of Fall TV’s new comedy series The Mayor (TUESDAYs (9:30|8:30c) on ABC). The new ABC comedy revolves around young rapper ‘Courtney Rose’ (Brandon Michael…
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Emanuel unveils Chicago’s first public arts plan MAYOR EMANUEL AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO UNVEILS THE FIRST PUBLIC ART PLAN Recommendations serve to advance public art throughout the city Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) today announced Chicago’s first Public Art Plan. The plan lays out recommendations that…
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Biding time while waiting for my favorite TV programs The latest trend as cable TV programs rise in popularity and quality is that their seasons are shortened to only a few episodes. For those of us used to 25 to 30 episode seasons, it’s disappointing that we’re seeing fewer episodes for originally programming on HBO,…
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Cable and subscription TV are cheating the consumer We pay a lot for subscriptions to Hulu, Netflix and cable TV providers like Xfinity and DirecTV, so why can’t we get what we were promised? Access to great basic programming and a commercial free experience? By Ray Hanania One of the appeals of subscription television is…
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The Primal Cut Steakhouse Restaurant review There are a lot of great restaurants in the Chicagoland suburbs, but one of my favorites for steaks is The Primal Cut Steakhouse in Tinley Park. The steaks are always cooked perfectly and they are tasty. This is a must-visit place for steak lovers in Chicagoland’s suburbs By Ray…
Why did Blade Runner 2049 do so bad at theaters? Movie Review: Blade Runner is a science fiction film based on the 1968 novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by SciFi author Philip K. Dick. The lead character is Rick Deckard whose job as a “Blade Runner” is to terminate (retire) old replicants (bio-robotic…
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Local pizzeria, a long time favorite Known for one of the best deep dish pizza’s on the Southwest side By Steve Neuhaus @newsshooter56 At the age of 19, Mike Guerra came to America in search of a better life and opportunities. In the mid 1970’s as a pizza cook at Giordano’s Restaurant on 63rd Street….
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Oak Lawn Restaurant Puts Unique Spin on Menu A local favorite since 2011 By Steve Neuhaus Businesses come and go these days mostly due to the economy and competition, but for one local owner business is booming. I was told that I should visit the Stacked Pancake House in Oak Lawn, so I headed out…
Czech & Bohemian culture showcased in Houby Day tradition For many years, the Czech community was Chicagoland’s most recognized cultural presence. As Chicagoland’s immigration makeup has expanded, the Czech community identity continues each year with the popular Houby Day Festival and Parade in Chicago’s West suburbs By Ray Hanania Much is made by the mainstream…
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Smashburger is the ultimate best tasting burger ever I grew up on hamburgers and I consider myself a hamburger connoisseur. Until recently, though I enjoyed burgers everywhere. But a few weeks ago, I happened across a place called Smashburgers and I am hooked. They are the best tasting hamburgers in the world By Ray Hanania…
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Leah Remini knocks it out of the park in Kevin Can Wait One of my all time favorite comedy series on Television was “King of Queens” starring Kevin James and Leah Remini. I watch the reruns over and over again because the comedy of the two talented actors is phenomenal. When James launched his latest…
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