moontemple85-blog

[moontemple85-blog]

Bumgarner and Bote, Hamels Debut, Yu Smiling, Roederer, and Other Bullets

The good and successful mornings with the kiddos would not be as lovely and gratifying without the challenging ones. Folks might not share the latter ones of Facebook, but they’re real, and they’re just as important.

David Bote could be good to go in a game today after returning to baseball activities yesterday. He says Madison Bumgarner reached out to him to check in after the beaning, which is a classy move (Cubs.com).

Importantly, Bote is not in the concussion protocol, so apparently there was never a concern about a concussion: “We went through all the correct things,” Bote said. “There’s no concussion. But, we went through many, many, many tests. I’m thankful for the Giants’ medical staff, as well as our medical staff. They did a thorough, thorough job. I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m good guys. Let’s go.’ But, they keep going, keep going, making sure. It’s a hot topic. Mental health is huge right now, so the Cubs and the Giants have done nothing but state-of-the-art process.” That’s exactly as it should be. Even after the season starts, I’d much rather see players subjected to WAY MORE evaluation than is “necessary” – at the expense of a few more games – rather than risk an early return, which can make things so much worse, especially if there is a second successive head trauma.

Cole Hamels makes his Spring Training debut today, and I’ll be curious to see where his velocity is. To be honest, it could be low or high, and I wouldn’t necessarily draw any conclusions from it because of the time of year and the way guys ramp up. But at 35, you’d expect to see some decline … and yet, after a mechanical adjustment around the time he was coming to the Cubs last year, Hamels saw a bump in his velocity, approaching the mid-90s.

Happy Yu should make You Happy:

Darvish, who is speaking much more in English this year, ascribes his happiness not just to his health, but also a better mental outlook: “I learned a lot of things from last year. Like before, I’d worry about the future, [I’d be] scared for the future. Now I’m living like ‘now.’ So that makes me more confident and more happy.” That’s good life advice right there.

Also, likely nice for Darvish to have Hamels in the house from the get-go this year, since they know each other well from their Rangers days. Just a little added comfort. Can’t hurt.

A Jon Lester smile-ish:

Even before reading this or looking at the pictures, I’m taking a stab that the mentioned Cubs youngster is outfield prospect Cole Roederer:

Sure enough: “Roederer earns Andrew Benintendi comparisons for his all-around game, yet lasted 77 picks in the 2018 Draft because he injured his non-throwing shoulder as a high school senior and had a strong commitment to UCLA. With his bat-to-ball skills, quick lefty swing and advanced approach, he could blossom into a .300 hitter with 25 homers on an annual basis.” You could just already tell that Roederer had become that “helium” guy for the Cubs, a big risky pick and pricey signing, but whose body changed a good bit at just the right time for the Cubs to “win a scouting competition”, so to speak. Were the draft done over, there’s no doubt he would be a first rounder. There’s still a long way to go for him to actually reach top 100 prospect status, of course, but everything has gone right so far, from the results to the development to the eyes-on scouting reports.

You’ll see more on Roederer as Bryan unveils his top Cubs prospects list.

Big discounts on the Fire tablets at Amazon right now.

What the divisions are known for, kinda:

OMG BRING BACK THE POST-WRIGLEY FOURTH MEAL:

Very nice news in the Bears world:

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/02/27/bumgarner-and-bote-hamels-debut-yu-smiling-roederer-and-other-bullets/

[moontemple85-blog]

The Bulls keep getting demolished in 3rd quarters

The latest trend of Bulls performances it them getting out to a lead in the first half, and they switch off at halftime and the opposing team has their way in the 3rd quarter. It happened against Detroit in their back to back losses along with the Lakers dropping 43 in that frame on Tuesday. The third quarter boogeyman is a real thing for Chicago and it reared its ugly head on Friday against the Clippers in a 128-121 loss.

The Bulls were playing quite well in the first half. Zach LaVine was balling out after being out the past couple of games and Chicago found itself being up 6 on one of the playoff teams in the Western Conference. But suddenly things took a turn for the worst in the 3rd quarter. Thanks to a huge 15-4 run sandwiched in the middle of the quarter over the span of Los Angeles outscored Chicago 45-21 in the third. There was a stretch where the Bulls scored a mere four points in five minutes, allowing LA back into the game. The Clippers took the lead and never looked back.

Like Blake Griffin for Detroit, it was Danilo Galinari who was the offensive catalyst. He went 10 of 14 from the field, scoring 12 of his 27 points in the third alone. He was getting any shot he wanted and found success exploiting some matchup issues the Bulls had against him.

(1:01 - 1:11) Gallinari starts out this possession with the ball near the Clippers bench and swings it to Ivica Zubac at the top of the three-point line. The ball is then moved to Patrick Beverley and the set begins to take place. When Beverely gets the ball, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is at the corner of the free throw line right in front of Gallinari. It looks like it’s going to be a play where Gallinari swings all the way down around the basket and to the corner for a three-point shot. However when Gallinari runs towards SGA, he quickly turns and runs around Zubac, using both players as a screener. Lauri Markkanen, who was guarding Gallinari, sagged off before the action began and was caught off guard when the picks arrived. Markkanen was able to push off SGA but was met right in the chest by Zubac, leaving him no chance to contest or even defend Gallinari. With Kris Dunn and Robin Lopez in the paint, there was no Bull around to even put a hand in Gallinari’s face as he splashed a three-pointer to give LA the lead.

(1:39 - 1:48) Here on this play, Gallinari is able to take advantage of Chicago’s transition defense to get an easy three-point play. Montrezl Harrell is the player who has the ball as the Clippers are moving into the front court. Chicago had all their guys back in transition so it wasn’t the case of anyone falling asleep and it leading to any easy layup. It was a case of matchups. Robin Lopez, the only big man on the floor for Chicago, was already occupied with Harrell and making sure that he didn’t have an open lane to the basket. This made for some tough assignments for the rest of the Bulls players, particularly LaVine. When Harrell stopped near the three-point line, Gallinari was already in the paint. By the time he reached the dotted circle, he boxed out LaVine and everyone knew where the ball was going. LaVine had no chance guarding Gallo as he was moved off the ball when they got to the restricted area. Harrell tossed the ball into the paint to Gallinari and the Bulls were in scramble mode. Lopez crashed down to help out LaVine as both contested the layup attempt. There was nothing they could do as Gallinari’s shot went in along with the foul.

The Bulls had a certainly competitive February, but now there’s another worrying trend. The third quarter starts and the energy which was there in the first half disappeared. Hopefully the Bulls can shake off these third quarter woes as they continue their west coast road trip.

Source: https://www.blogabull.com/2019/3/17/18268335/the-bulls-keep-getting-demolished-in-3rd-quarters

[moontemple85-blog]

7 Great Books Set in Chicago

Chicago has been the backdrop of both modern and classic literary works. And in many cases, the city acts as both the setting and a character itself. 

In these seven contemporary novels, Chicago is an integral element that drives the story. We've paired each tale with the neighborhood, landmark or cultural institution that will transport readers straight to the pages of their favorite book.

“Place has always been important to me, and one thing today's Chicago exudes, as it did in 1893, is a sense of place. I fell in love with the city, the people I encountered, and above all the lake and its moods, which shift so readily from season to season, day to day, even hour to hour.” ― Erik Larson, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America

Travel back in time to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, when Chicago made its cultural mark on the world stage. Erik Larson's acclaimed true-crime thriller, The Devil in the White City weaves together the stories of Daniel Burnham, the architect behind fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, the first known American serial killer.

While Holmes' “Murder Castle” and most of the fair’s buildings are long gone, you can still visit the fair’s scenic setting in Jackson Park in the Woodlawn neighborhood. Across the park’s lagoon lies one of the last remnants of the fair — the Museum of Science and Industry (5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.) was once home to the Palace of Fine Arts.

In this-best selling trilogy, Chicago is transformed into a dystopian society. The first book in the series follows 16-year-old Beatrice Prior as she learns to survive a world divided into factions and choose between her family and who she really is.

Chicago landmarks figure prominently into the action throughout the book. Readers can spot references to the Willis Tower, Cloud Gate (better known as “The Bean”), and Lake Michigan. One of the more harrowing scenes takes place on Navy Pier’s Centennial Wheel (600 E. Grand Ave.), which Beatrice scales during a game of capture the flag.

“Chicago would unfurl its map to him one promising street, one intoxicating space, at a time. It would weave him into its grid, pour beer in his mouth and music in his ears. It would keep him.” ― Rebecca Makkai, The Great Believers

It's 1985 and Yale Tishman is working at Northwestern University's new art gallery just outside Chicago. But his career, relationship and the city itself is turned upside down during the AIDS epidemic. The Great Believers is one of the first novels to portray Chicago during the AIDS epidemic in unflinching detail, from its initial outbreak to the present as its two intertwining stories carry readers through heartbreak and hope.

Readers will follow Yale through a faithful recreation of Chicago in the eighties, from Lincoln Park to downtown to Evanston. Boystown in particular comes to life as a safe haven for Yale and his friends. Today, it’s still one of the most inclusive LGBTQ+  neighborhoods in the nation. Visitors can walk the historic Legacy Walk, which spans a half mile of the North Halsted corridor, and learn about LGBTQ heroes and events.

"It was the world’s first thoroughly modern campus, the brochures said, built in just the last few years, conceptually groundbreaking, a campus unlike any other: created as a single vast system using the most fashionable principles of social design and engineering...” ―  Nathan Hill, The Nix

The Nix brings readers into the world of Sam Andresen-Anderson, a professor at a university in Chicago, who is struggling to complete work on his book. Then he spots his mother, who abandoned him ages ago, throwing rocks at a politician in a viral video, and he sets off on a completely different course. This epic tale traces the tumultuous 1968 Chicago riots, revealing the impact these events had on not only on Sam and his mother, but also on the entire country.

The book intricately describes the University of Illinois at Chicago campus circa late 1960s. Get a glimpse of the book's setting by taking a walk around the UIC campus and surrounding University Village neighborhood. To learn more about activism on Chicago's college campuses during that era, set off on a virtual tour with legendary activist Bill Ayers. Hyde Park, A Storied Neighborhood, Wrapped in Contradiction ($2.99; VoiceMap.me) will take you through the University of Chicago, where you'll encounter tales of world renowned architects, activists and artists.

In her debut novel, Audrey Niffenegger gives readers a whirlwind tour of Chicago through the eyes of a librarian with a time-traveling genetic condition and his artist wife. The romantic and heartbreaking story spans decades as the couple tries to build a life together against the pull of time.

The book is full of detailed references to Chicago, from landmarks to local stores. The Aragon Ballroom (1106 W. Lawrence Ave.), Lyric Opera of Chicago (20 N. Upper Wacker Dr.) and the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.) all make an appearance. Observant readers will also catch mentions of neighborhood favorites like Swedish restaurant Ann Sather (multiple locations) and The Berghoff (17 W. Adams St.) in the Loop.

Henrietta Von Harmon works as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall while also caring for her mother and younger siblings in 1930's Chicago. When the floor matron turns up dead, aloof Inspector Clive Howard appears on the scene and sends Henrietta undercover.

Much of the action in A Girl Like You takes place in the northwest neighborhood of Logan Square. Capture the vibe of the 1930's dance hall scene in Logan Square at Rosa's Lounge (3420 W. Armitage Ave). Or swing by Twin Anchors (1655 N. Sedgwick St.) in Old Town, a former soda shop and speakeasy that was a favorite of Frank Sinatra.

In Feuding Fan Dancers, Leslie Zemeckis brings the golden age of showgirls in Chicago to life. Burlesque dancers Faith Bacon and Sally Rand found stardom in the 1930’s through their daring performances, but their lives took dramatically different turns. One rose to fame while the other found heartache.

Chicago's burlesque scene still shines today. Vaudezilla (3614 W. Belmont Ave.) offers classes in the art of burlesque while also showcasing teachers and students in regular performances. At Untitled Supper Club’s (111 W. Kinzie St.) weekly Unbridled show, world-famous burlesque star Michelle L’amour presents one of the most stimulating burlesque performances in the city.

Source: https://www.choosechicago.com/blog/post/chicago-books/

[moontemple85-blog]

110 North Wacker Rises, Bringing Scads and Oodles Along the River

Written By Editor on July 16, 2019

• 110 North Wacker• Goettsch Partners• Howard Hughes• Riverside Investment and Development

Birds, monkeys, and lumberjacks know the best way to see the forest is from the trees.  That’s why people have been flocking to Chicago’s observation decks for at least 70 years to look down, out, and around at the city’s architecture.

Other people who get to see the city from up on high include white color business executives, construction workers, and web site owners like Joe Zekas from YoChicago!.  He took the photograph below from Wolf Point East.  It shows construction progress at 110 North Wacker along the South Branch of the Chicago River.

110 North Wacker under construction (June 2019, courtesy of Joe Zekas/YoChicago!)

110 North Wacker The Skyscraper replaced 110 North Wacker The Low-Rise Mid-Century Office Slab in the wee months of 2018.  Since then, the wedge-shaped Howard Hughes and Riverside Investment and Development project has been steadily climbing into the city’s skyline wedged between the river and the road, giving boat-borne tourists a good lesson on skyscraper construction.

Revised rendering of 110 North Wacker (via Riverside Investments and Development)

When complete, the 53-story building will have a little over 1.5 million square feet of office space. 

For the owners, the Goettsch Partners design provides scads of column-free goodness, with oodles of corner offices prime for premium pricing.

For the rest of us, there’s a 45-foot-wide extension of the Riverwalk that will run underneath the building western flank.

Rendering of 110 North Wacker

Location: 110 North Wacker Drive, The Loop

<![CDATA[#map_1 clear: both; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin-top:0px; margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px; margin-bottom:0px; left: 0px; border-radius:0px; box-shadow: none;#map_1 imgclear: both; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; margin-top:0px; margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px; margin-bottom:0px; border-radius:0px; box-shadow: none;]]>

Author: Editor

Editor founded the Chicago Architecture Blog in 2003, after a long career in journalism. He can be reached at chicagoarchitectureinfo@gmail.com.

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Source: https://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/2019/07/16/110-north-wacker-rises-bringing-scads-and-oodles-along-the-river/

[moontemple85-blog]

Keys to the Game: Bulls at Trail Blazers (01.09.19)

Tonight the Bulls embark on a five-game Western Conference road swing with the first stop at the Moda Center in Portland to take the Trail Blazers for the first time. Portland, who has won nine of their last 13, swept the season series last year, 2-0.

At the halfway point of the season the Blazers hit the hardwood this evening with a record of 24-17. It’s their best mark through 41 games since the 2014-15 when they started 30-11.

Over their last five games, the Blazers rank second in the league in defensive rating (100.0) and third in points allowed (103.2), going 4-1 with a net scoring mark of +11.1 points per game.

Big man Jusuf Nurkic has been on a great roll of late. The other night against New York the 7’0” pivot notched 20 points (7-of-9 shooting, 6-of-9 from the free throw line) in just 19 minutes, marking his fourth straight game of 20 or more. In his last seven, the 5th year center is producing 21.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks. So far he’s posted 20 double-doubles and is one of just six in the league to average at least 15 points, 10 rebounds and two assists to go along with one block per game.

However as good as Nurkic has been, when it comes to the Blazers the first thing opponents focus on is their stellar starting backcourt of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. Both are listed at 6’3” and within five pounds of one another at 190 and 195, respectively. However, each has proven time and again to be giants capable of affecting a game in a number of ways.

For the year, McCollum is scoring 20.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists, while Lillard leads the team at 26.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists. McCollum has been one of the NBA’s biggest threats from behind the 3-point arc throughout the years, sporting a career connection percentage of 39.8%. However this year he’s been spotty at best, hitting just 32.9% from downtown. However, that certainly doesn’t mean he can be left alone, for he hasn’t shied away from looking for shots, launching 5.9 threes per. It would be wise for Chicago’s guards and wings to keep close tabs on McCollum hanging around the perimeter. The last the Bulls visited the Moda Center, McCollum torched them for a career-high 50 points, and set a franchise-record of scoring 28 in the first quarter.

Lillard also presents a number of difficulties. He started 2019 in great fashion last week against Sacramento by notching 25 points to reach 1,016 points scored in 38 games becoming the second-fastest Blazer to attain the 1,000 point mark since Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler in 36 during the 1988-89 season. Where McCollum generally hurts opponents outside, Lillard does most of his best work attacking the hoop thanks to an explosive first step that often leaves defenders chasing the back of his jersey. So far he’s also hit at least eight free throws 17 times this season, which is tied for third-most in the league. When he gets to the line, he’s money in the bank at 89.5%, which is ninth-best in the league.

As the game goes along, Lillard also tends to become more lethal. Of the 122 three-pointers he’s made this season (6th in the NBA), 55 have come in the third quarter (1st in the NBA). He’s also second in the NBA in second-half scoring at 14.2 points per.

One more interesting tidbit to keep an eye on is the Blazers have gone 9-5 when both McCollum and Lillard score 20 or more points in the same game. Last year they went 23-10.

The Bulls (10-30) come into tonight with a new look to their rotation, thanks to the healthy return of Bobby Portis and the recent trade of wing Justin Holiday, opening an opportunity for rookie Chandler Hutchison, who started Chicago’s last game against Brooklyn on Sunday, posting eight points and four rebounds in 22 minutes.

Portis, in the meantime, came off the bench against the Nets and put up 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting in 19 minutes. The 6’10” fourth-year player had missed the seven previous games with a badly sprained ankle.

Chicago, which has lost five of its last six and four in a row, needs to produce a gritty and aggressive effort in every way tonight. Portland’s formula for success this season has been a heavy dose of hardnosed, lockdown defense that in turn spawns a relentless offensive attack. In many ways, the Bulls hope to master that same blueprint down the road.

For the Bulls to succeed this evening they have to get and keep all five players on the floor involved at both ends. They can’t afford to allow their offensive attack to morph into a series one-on-one contests, nor can they afford to lose focus defensively by failing to execute proper rotations and fundamentals.

Chicago will also have to be smart with the ball, limiting turnovers that could very easily ignite Portland’s offense, in particular Lillard, by allowing the Blazers to jack up the pace with an endless series of fastbreaks.

As mentioned earlier, an important key will be to limit Portland’s opportunities from the 3-point arc, and in many respects its dominance on the glass. The Blazers are shooting respectable 35.4% from behind the arc, which ranks 13th in the league. Their primary threats from distance are McCollum and Lillard. So far they’ve gone 18-6 whenever the team makes 10 or more 3s.

When it comes to rebounding, the Blazers are third-best in the NBA with a mark of 48.5. They’ve gone 22-10 whenever they collect an equal number or outrebound an opponent.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/keys-game-bulls-trail-blazers-010919

[moontemple85-blog]

Ariel Posen his Collings Guitar, Pedals and Over/Under Board | CME Tone Tour

Source: http://www.youtube.com/oembed?format=xml&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCV-GyDjf14E

[moontemple85-blog]

Chuck&#039;s Daily Check In - 03.20.19

GAME NIGHT FROM THE UNITED CENTER: Washington (30-41, 8-27 on the road) at Bulls (20-52, 14-30 at home) TV: NBC Sports Chicago: Neil Funk and Stacey King: 7PM tipoff. RADIO: 670 THE SCORE: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington and Steve Kashul. 6:45 pre.

LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 23ppg. Wizards: Beal: 26ppg. LEADING REBOUNDERS : Bulls: Markkanen: 8 per. Wizards: Portis: 8 per。 LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn: 5 per. Wizards: Beal: 5 per.

SEASON SERIES: 1-1. @ Washington: Bulls 101, Wizards 92. @ Chicago: Washington 134, Bulls 125.

CCI PREVIEW: The Bulls put together a solid game against the Suns as they remained consistent throughout, identifying Robin Lopez and Cristiano Felicio as low post threats against Phoenix. Lopez was a rock solid 11 of 14 from the field. Felicio was strong off the bench scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds in 19 minutes. The Bulls attacked the glass recording 76 points in the paint. Look for a similar game plan tonight. I expect the Bulls to intensify their defense against Bradley Beal and make someone other than Beal become a difference maker. Utah made life uncomfortable for Beal as the Jazz held the All-Star to 15 points, well under his season average of 26 per game. Beal is a spectacular talent. He has relished being on the big stage with the absence of John Wall and he’s produced. He is an elite player. Period. He averages the most minutes in the NBA at 37.6. He also travels the most distance in the Association at 2.82 miles per game.

The Wizards are on life support for a playoff spot as they have felt the effects of Wall and Dwight Howard who played in only nine games. The Wizards also made two in-season major trades sending Otto Porter Jr. to the Bulls for Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis and dealing Kelly Oubre Jr. to the Suns for Trevor Ariza.

Parker in 17 games for the Wizards is averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds in 27 minutes per game. Portis as a Wizard is averaging 14 points and 8 rebounds in 26 minutes. He has nine consecutive games of 15+ off the bench.

It’s been a terrific trade for both teams as Porter is averaging 17 points and 5 rebounds in 15 games, shooting 48% from the field and 48% from three point range.

From the NBA injury report for the Bulls: Zach LaVine is questionable with a thigh contusion. Otto Porter Jr. is doubtful with a rotator cuff strain.

Milwaukee 115, Los Angeles Lakers 101: No LeBron. No Giannis. Khris Middleton with a 30-10-5 game. Brook Lopez had a season-high 28 points. Against his former team. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope buried eight-three pointers and finished with 35. The Lakers have lost four straight and nine of ten.

Los Angeles Clippers 115, Indiana 109: The Clippers improved to 8-1 in March. Indiana’s Darren Collison missed his first game of the season after starting the previous 71.

Golden State 117, Minnesota 107: Steph Curry went off for 36 points, 22 coming in the third quarter. The Warriors went 3-1 on their four-game road trip.

Philadelphia 118, Charlotte 114: Four of the five 76ers starters each scored in double figures. JJ Redick with a 27-10 game. Philly has won five straight. The Hornets are a full three games behind Miami for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Houston 121, Atlanta 105: James Harden scored 31 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 10 assists. Harden has scored 30 points on every team this season. After failing to get to the foul line in his previous game against Minnesota, Harden nailed 11 of 12 free throws. The Rockets have won 12 of their last 13 and 10 of 13 on the road.

Brooklyn 123, Sacramento 121: D’Angelo Russell had a career night of 44 points - 27 in the fourth quarter. The Nets rallied from 28 down in the second half. Want a great stat? Before Tuesday’s win, the Nets were 0-178 over the past 20 seasons when trailing by at least 25 points at any point in a game according to ESPN Stats and Information data. Wow.

Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls. Always a pleasure!

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/chucks-daily-check-032019

[moontemple85-blog]

Chance the Rapper spent an afternoon masquerading as a Lyft driver

Chance the Rapper doesn't need to drive for Lyft to generate extra income—he can just drop a few new tracks or release a fresh color variant of his signature “3” hat if he needs the cash. But Chance is known for his philanthropical pursuits, including a recent $1 million donation to mental health services in Chicago, so it's no surprise that the local hip-hop star picked up some passengers to promote his latest fundraising initiative for his SocialWorks nonprofit.

In an Undercover Lyft video that was shared by the rideshare company earlier today, Chance took the wheel sporting a stocking cap and dark sunglasses as he picked up unsuspecting Chicagoans. In the video, which you can watch below, Chance spends a lot of time talking about himself with his passengers, none of whom seem to realize that they're riding with the city's most famous rapper until he ends the charade, takes off his glasses and puts on a baseball cap.

While it's a bit fishy that each participant in the “undercover” video sits in the passenger seat and gets dropped off in the same parking lot, we're willing to (mostly) suspend our disbelief in the name of Chance's cause. As Chance reminds several of his passengers, Lyft users can use the app's Round Up and Donate feature (accessible via the app's settings tab) to have each of their fares rounded up to the closest dollar amount, with the difference donated to a charity or nonprofit, including SocialWorks' New Chance Fund. 

Watch the Undercover Lyft video below and remember that every time you hop in a rideshare, you could be part of a good-natured prank staged by a well-meaning local celebrity.

Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.

Source: https://www.timeout.com/chicago/news/chance-the-rapper-spent-an-afternoon-masquerading-as-a-lyft-driver-101518

[moontemple85-blog]

SB Nation Offseason Simulation: The fake 2019 Cubs

With a full month to look back on it, many Cubs fans can appreciate that the 2018 season was, on the whole and in a vacuum, quite the success. The Cubs got a breakout season from Javier Baez, survived the dreadful debuts of free agent signees Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood, enjoyed continued improvement from Jason Heyward’s bat, found a potential key rotation cog for the future in a rejuvenated Cole Hamels, and still finished tied with the most wins in the National League after 162 games. Of course, over about 36 hours in early October, the 2018 Cubs crumbled and meekly bowed out of the postseason. It was tough to stomach.

Thankfully, baseball provides a great reason for optimism: 2019 is coming! Sure, there may be some anxious free agent negotiations and even some snowstorms along the way, but 2019 will arrive soon enough.

This week, I had the pleasure of participating in the SB Nation Offseason Simulation project run by the good folks at Royals Review. Each team was represented by a general manager and teams negotiated free agent contracts with one super-agent who acted like a real agent, sometimes trying to upsell interested teams and occasionally eschewing the most cash for an opt-out, no-trade clause, or winning ball club. What follows is a summary of my approach to the Simulation, what actually happened, and what the Fake 2019 Cubs look like.

Approaching previous offseasons has been rather easy for me. Before the 2014 season, a crummy club still outside of its window of contention needed to continue to accumulate talent and flippable veterans. Before the 2015 season, it was clear that the Cubs were ready to take a leap. Before the 2016 season, it was clear that they were going to take another one, particularly with regard to spending. Before the 2017 season, very little needed to be done to tinker with a stellar squad. And before the the 2018 season, the Cubs needed an infusion of pitching talent, a search that would dominate the offseason. My Simulation strategies largely tracked those of the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer regime, even if the names weren’t always the same.

But this year? Good gravy, this year is tricky. The Cubs continue to have needs — a healthy closer and a resolution of Addison Russell’s status with the team stand out — but it seems that, more than anything else, a return to form from the likes of Kris Bryant, Jose Quintana, and Willson Contreras dominates the list. And what is the budget? Are the Cubs going to try to stay just below the luxury tax threshold of $206 million as a matter of course? Or is the club ready and willing to zoom into regular taxpayer territory if it means signing a young, generational talent in Bryce Harper or Manny Machado? Are the recent reports about fiscal constraints a dire warning that the purse strings will be tightened, a preemptive measure to avoid allegations of tampering if Harper does join Bryant with the Cubs, general front office misdirection, or something else entirely? Your guess is as good as mine.

One final note before I get to the goals: the Rangers GM was kind enough to do the Hamels-Smyly option-trade transaction that occurred in real life, so I approached the Simulation with that in hand — it is not a transaction I would have completed were I in Epstein’s shoes. But I’m not.

So, with all of that said, here were my primary goals in approaching the Simulation:

Win the 2019 World Series. This isn’t always my top goal — I oftentimes prefer talent accumulation in whatever form — but it was absolutely the driving force.

Accumulate Talent and Find Value. This is what the best teams do.

Test the Waters for Unloading Unwanted Salary. This is a new goal that I haven’t encountered before. Some of this is obvious: I hoped to find a taker for some/all of Chatwood’s remaining $25.5 million over 2019-20, Brandon Kintzler’s $5 million, and possibly Brian Duensing’s $3.5 million. Some less so: Jason Heyward just entered a two-year stretch of reduced no-trade protection (he can block deals to 12 teams), so I wanted to feel out the market for his $106 million remaining over the next five years. Similarly, Ben Zobrist has just one year and $12 million on his deal, but his no-trade clause just dropped to an eight-team no-trade list. If money is so tight, Zobrist may need to be considered, though surely the Cubs would seek to do right by him.

Acquire Major League or Major League-Ready Arms. The Cubs need some new bullpen arms, especially after Joe Maddon threw Steve Cishek an exorbitant 81 times in 164 games and given Brandon Morrow’s injury history. Similarly, the Cubs veteran starting pitchers have enjoyed a remarkable run of health. It’s going to expire at some point, and with only a rehabbed Adbert Alzolay and perhaps Justin Steele around as viable candidates to make a handful of important starts in 2019 (depending on your affection for Duane Underwood or Alec Mills), the Cubs could use another ready-to-go starter or two.

Find a Fresh Start for Addison Russell and Replace His Glove. In real life, I suspect that the Cubs will keep Russell or flip him in the next month. If the team planned to release him, I suspect that they already would have done so. Since he’s still on the team, I figured I’d flip him in the Simulation, not expecting much of a market.

Find a Defense-First Veteran Catcher. They’re everywhere.

Sign Bryce Harper. The Simulation always inflates costs, so I figured that Harper would end up somewhere around $450 million over 12 years, an average annual value of $37.5 million. That’s a lot, but the Cubs are about to print even more money via their broadcast rights. They’re in the select group of teams that can afford such an extreme expenditure, should they choose to do so.

When the Simulation began, I was regularly asked about the same group of players: Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Albert Almora Jr., and Adbert Alzolay. I received some solid interest in Victor Caratini and rising righty prospect Michael Rucker. I got one question about Jose Quintana, one about Carl Edwards Jr., and none about the rest of my bullpen.

Interest was certainly heaviest in Schwarber and Happ with Alzolay the third-most requested player. Probably the most enticing offer for Schwarber came from Atlanta who offered up lefty Kolby Allard and righty Kyle Wright. Wright was one of my highest targets, but Happ wasn’t enough to get him. I’ve long been an Allard fan, but while his results have been sparkling, his mechanics and arsenal have all backed up since his prep days. Beyond this, I’m irrationally attached to Schwarber just like most Cubs fans are. It’d take $1.50 on the $1 to move him right now, especially after his bat looked even better a year removed from his knee injury and his outfield defense showed similar strides. He just turned 25. He’s a necessary bat in the middle of the lineup for a World Series contender. Still, Wright was tempting, especially knowing the the Cubs will have to spend to keep members of their position player core in the coming years, necessitating the need for a cheap starter or two.

Easily the most exciting developments in the first day were possibilities with both the Twins and the Giants to talk about Tyler Chatwood. I had raised Chatwood to the Royals as a possibility for their rebuilding club, but they weren’t interested. But the Twins and Giants both saw a pitcher in his 20s with lots of upside and a low cost. The Twins conversation was initiated because of Minnesota’s interest in bringing back Brandon Kintzler. In real life, this is probably the Cubs’s best option as Kintzler recently thrived as the Minnesota closer. At one point, the discussion centered around a deal where the Twins would take Chatwood and Kintzler and send back outfielder Max Kepler. Now, Kepler likely doesn’t stick with the Cubs, but he’s a solid, athletic outfielder. I can do something with him. Kepler ended up getting pulled out for other talks, but the alternative Twins package of prospects outfielder Akil Badoo and righty Jhoan Duran was a dream come true. Unfortunately, it didn’t come to pass and Minnesota wisely used its cash elsewhere.

The Giants offer was similarly ideal. At one point, the framework involved the Cubs sending Chatwood and three prospects (righty Duane Underwood, righty Erling Moreno, and outfielder Nelson Velasquez) to the Giants for righty Jeff Samardzija, lefty Will Smith, and $39 million. Yes, you read that right: the Cubs would’ve unloaded all of Chatwood’s deal, gotten a good closer in Smith, and acquired Samardzija for free (to be flipped) at the cost of a few non-elite prospects. Alas, that deal also failed to pass due to financial considerations for the Giants involving other players.

I was heartened to see a few others buy into Chatwood’s rebound ability.

Around the time that the Chatwood deals began to fall apart, I made a breakthrough. One of the tricks of the Simulation is to find a player that somebody else really loves and seek value there. This often seems unrealistic, but there are plenty of real-world examples. Think Dave Stewart selling the farm to bring in Shelby Miller. Or Bill Bavasi falling in love with Erik Bedard and shipping out Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, and George Sherrill for him.

In my case, that player was Michael Rucker.

Arizona loved Rucker, seeing him as a Major League starter within a year. It’s not crazy given his meteoric rise from 11th-round pick to real prospect and Rucker just completed Double-A with eight strikeouts per nine and a WHIP of just 1.12.

I asked about two of my favorite Diamondbacks, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the offer from Arizona was Rucker for both: lefty Andrew Chafin and righty Archie Bradley. I snapped it up.

Transaction No. 1: Cubs trade right-hander Michael Rucker to Diamondbacks for left-hander Andrew Chafin and right-hander Archie Bradley

Chafin was one of my top three lefty reliever targets whereas Bradley fit into a big bunch of folks who could plausibly close but are best suited for setup work. They both fit swimmingly in the Cubs bullpen, and at a combined cost of $3.8 million via arbitration, they opened some possibilities.

Transaction No. 2: Cubs trade right-hander Brandon Kintzler to Twins for right-hander Jhoan Duran

Duran’s best-case scenario is that he turns into Kintzler in three years. But that didn’t matter: I wanted to (i) move Kintzler’s salary, and (ii) remove Kintzler’s memory from Cubs fans who couldn’t fathom how badly he struggled in blue pinstripes. This got done quickly after I went back to Minnesota.

Simultaneous with these trade discussions, I was negotiating with free agents. I targeted Harper and Machado for initial offers as well as Ian Kinsler, Jose Iglesias, and a bevy of relievers: Craig Kimbrel, Jesse Chavez, Jeurys Familia, Adam Ottavino, Andrew Miller, and Greg Holland. I also offered Garrett Richards a Smyly-style deal and sent minor-league offers to Jeff Mathis, AJ Ramos, and Logan Forsythe.

These approach to free agency showcased the parallel fronts of the Cubs offseason: if Harper or Machado might plausibly come to Chicago, they might open the checkbook in a big way. If not, they’ll likely dip their toes into the free agent waters but not much more than that.

Within 20 minutes of offering Harper $240 million over eight years, I was told that he had a 12-year, $400 million deal on the table. Well then. I dropped out on both big names...

But later that night, with the Chatwood talks progressing nicely, something happened: I heard murmurs from both San Francisco and Arizona that they were interested in Heyward. The returns would have been very low and I likely would need to include some cash, but after striking out in my conversations with Boston, Philadelphia, and the New York squads, I now had a viable path to clearing the space needed to sign Harper without screaming into the more onerous taxpayer penalties.

So I fired back: $420 million over 13 years with opt-outs after years three, six, and eight. If the Cubs do in fact sign Harper, I suspect that this will be the basic structure, though I’m not sure he’ll reach $420 million.

I also got bid up on Jose Iglesias to $5 million with $1 million in incentives before he accepted the offer.

Transaction No. 3: Cubs sign shortstop Jose Iglesias to a one-year, $5 million contract with up to $1 million in incentives

The Iglesias deal was key as he is the perfect defensive substitute/part-time starter to complement the middle infield with Russell removed. Speaking of, I floated Russell to the league and got serious interest from Toronto, Detroit, and San Diego. All three clubs were interested but didn’t want to pony up any type of premium for the troubled former star. In the end, that was okay by me as the clubs genuinely bid each other up from solid offers to this one:

Transaction No. 4: Cubs trade shortstop Addison Russell to Padres for right-hander Cal Quantrill and outfielder Edward Olivares

Olivares was a throw-in, a speed-first low-minors lottery ticket. But Quantrill. Oh baby, I love Quantrill. He had a rough 2018, but he comes with a tremendous, top-10 pedigree and could help the Cubs immediately. He was a perfect acquisition, the type of high-ceiling distressed asset that the Cubs might plausibly seek for Russell.

Shortly thereafter, the Red Sox decided that they had seen enough of Sandy Leon’s complete inability to hit in the Majors and non-tendered him. I was happy to save the day.

Transaction(s) No. 5: Cubs sign catcher Sandy Leon and second baseman Logan Forsythe to minor-league deals

The roster had largely taken shape at this point and it looked like the final outcome would be simple: either Harper signs with the Cubs for about $35 million per year and I trade Heyward, along with his right and center field defense, or he goes elsewhere and I keep Heyward, hoping for continued improvement with the bat while his plus glovework remains an asset.

That would’ve been a fine outcome, but writing out lineups left me with a problem that has been a problem for the last two years: who in the world starts things off? I’m a big fan of Ben Zobrist in the leadoff spot, but I’ll readily admit that there was one player who really caught my eye. Negotiations went remarkably quickly for such a risky transaction for both sides:

Transaction No. 6: Cubs trade outfielder Ian Happ, right-hander Cory Abbott, right-hander Jose Albertos, right-hander Oscar De La Cruz, and right-hander Tyler Chatwood to Royals for second baseman Whit Merrifield and right-hander Janser Lara

Before we proceed, please follow these steps:

Take a big, deep breath.

Take another big, deep breath.

Go to Merrifield’s page on Fangraphs.

Pick up you jaw from the floor.

Look at Merrifield’s age.

Realign your head from your confusion.

One more big, deep breath.

Read below.

Merrifield is the single most interesting trade asset in the game right now. He was a star in 2018 and an above-average regular in 2017. He led the American League in stolen bases in 2018 (45!). He plays good defense at second base and in center field. He hits for roughly average power. He isn’t even eligible for arbitration yet with just over two years of service time, giving his team four years of control. And despite his inflated .352 BABIP in 2018, it wasn’t that inflated: he routinely posts BABIPs around .330.

On the other hand, Merrifield turns 30 in January and isn’t yet eligible for arbitration. That’s alarming. Merrifield reached Triple-A in 2014 and simply couldn’t get out despite good production until late 2016. Merrifield’s power, while adequate, is not a meaningful asset. And a real chunk of his value in 2018 came from that .352 BABIP.

Merrifield is projected for a .274/.329/.405 batting line in 2019 along with 31 stolen bases and a dozen homers with good defense at both of the aforementioned spots. Put it all together and his projection calls for 2.7 WAR. That’s a really good player who just produced nearly double that in 2018 after a strong 2.9 in 2017.

The Royals originally asked for Happ, one of Alzolay or Miguel Amaya, and one of recent first-round pick Alex Lange, Albertos, or De La Cruz. Through negotiations, I dropped the Alzolay/Amaya piece to Abbott (who is a good prospect but not ready to help in 2019 and not a catcher!), and threw in two of the three pitchers from the last group in exchange for Lara and Kansas City absorbing all of Chatwood’s salary. Cubs fans should generally detest the team sending out prospects to shed salary, but in this case, I found this deal wise.

It’s possible that Happ alone is worth more than Merrifield, which would make this deal a real stinker. Unfortunately, between the strikeouts and inability to stick on the dirt defensively, it’s possible that Happ will be just a 1.5 to 2 WAR player. The extra win or so of jumping from Happ to Merrifield was worth the other pieces to me. But just as importantly, the fit of a player like Merrifield on a Cubs roster that needs to stop playing Happ in center, likely needs to spell Zobrist at second with regularity, and desperately has to find some speed kicks the value up in a big way.

Things were pretty well locked into place at this point as we headed to the penultimate day waiting for Machado and Harper. I continued poking around in trade discussions. A deal that the real Cubs would take but that I couldn’t quite do involved shipping Caratini to Oakland for injured righty James Kaprielian and recent comp pick shortstop Kevin Merell. I held out for glove-first shortstop Richie Martin as the secondary piece, even if I needed to add something for the A’s, but they used Martin more efficiently in another deal. That team has shortstops coming out of its ears.

I did sign a former A’s reliever that you’ll likely recognize:

Transaction No. 7: Cubs sign right-hander Jesse Chavez to a one-year, $4 million deal

Arguably the single most likely thing I accomplished.

Early in the afternoon, Machado signed with the Phillies for $433 million over 11 years with an opt-out after the fourth year, including a full no-trade clause. Even with regular Simulation inflation (about twenty percent), that raised an eyebrow or two. On one hand, it makes sense: Philly absolutely has to come away with one of Harper or Machado this winter. Their entire rebuild depends on it. On the other hand: dang.

I stayed in the Harper chase through the afternoon before it shot up to $485 million over 12 years. I contemplated whether there was a way to get to something like $500 million over 13 or even 14 years with opt-outs making the deal even more palatable, but I kept coming back to the same thing: if Harper costs the Cubs Bryant, Rizzo, or Baez, I’ll kick myself over it. I know that they need to win now more than they need to extend players in 2022 and beyond, but at some point, the Harper money gets so big that it doesn’t make sense. To me, $39.6 million per year has crossed that threshold, which is what Harper actually got: $515 million over 13 years from the Yankees with an opt-out after 2021. If that contract comes down the pike from the Yankees, he’ll be in pinstripes and not the Cubbie Blue variety.

To close out the simulation, I participated in a four-team trade that accomplished the following: the Twins acquired Gio Dingcong from the A’s, A’s acquired Lizardy Dicent from the Pirates, the Pirates acquired Edmond Americaan from the Cubs, and the Cubs acquired Kody Funderburk from the Twins. It was fully an excuse to write down those four glorious names.

I did try to find Duensing a new home, but instead he’ll come to camp to fight for a job as the Cubs prepare to vigorously employ the 10-day disabled list.

The final payroll and roster didn’t turn out exactly as I expected, but then again, it never does. Here are the payroll figures of the assembled 25-man roster* (there are too many guaranteed deals for a true 25-man roster, but you get the idea):

Catcher: $1.11 million ($1.11 million for luxury tax)

C Willson Contreras: $0.555 million

C Victor Caratini: $0.555 million

Infield: $48.7 million ($45.557 million for luxury tax)

3B Kris Bryant: $12.4 million

2B Ben Zobrist: $12 million ($14 million for luxury tax)

1B Anthony Rizzo: $11 million ($5.857 million for luxury tax)

SS Javier Baez: $7.1 million

SS Jose Iglesias: $5 million

2B Tommy La Stella: $1.2 million

Outfield: $24.21 million ($27.21 million for luxury tax)

OF Jason Heyward: $20 million ($23 million for luxury tax)

OF Kyle Schwarber: $3.1 million

OF Albert Almora: $0.555 million

OF Whit Merrifield: $0.555 million

Starting Pithcer: $83.1 million ($84.933 million for luxury tax)

LHP Jon Lester: $25 million ($25.833 million for luxury tax)

RHP Yu Darvish: $20 million ($21 million for luxury tax)

LHP Cole Hamels: $20 million

LHP Jose Quintana: $10.5 million

RHP Kyle Hendricks: $7.6 million

Bullpen: $37.45 million ($38.95 million for luxury tax)

RHP Brandon Morrow: $9 million ($10.5 million for luxury tax)

RHP Steve Cishek: $6.5 million

RHP Pedro Strop: $6.25 million

RHP Jesse Chavez: $4 million

LHP Brian Duensing: $3.5 million

LHP Mike Montgomery: $3 million

RHP Archie Bradley: $2 million

LHP Andrew Chafin: $1.8 million

RHP Carl Edwards Jr.: $1.4 million

Despite some big contracts, the Cubs offense remains on the cheap side for a major market team at $74.02 million. The pitching, however, breaks the bank, coming in at $120.55 million. Add it all up and the payroll hits $194.57 million. For luxury tax purposes, the payroll hits $210.76 million once the approximately $13 million worth of player benefits is added in.

That is an awfully interesting tally. The 2019 luxury tax threshold is $206 million. I figure that the Cubs will either exceed the threshold in a meaningful way, perhaps even nearing the enhanced penalties at the $226 million total, or they’ll try to stay below the $206 million tax line. However, it’s possible that they start the year in this space, climbing higher as necessary in July or working to drop back below the line if, heaven forbid, things go poorly in 2019.

The expected offensive lineups purchased by that amount are good. Really good. Enjoy!

Versus right-handed pitching

CF Merrifield 3B Bryant 1B Rizzo SS Baez LF Schwarber RF Heyward 2B Zobrist C Contreras

Versus left-handed pitching

LF Merrifield 3B Bryant 1B Rizzo 2B Baez C Contreras CF Almora SS Iglesias RF Zobrist

Finally, with the Steamer projections released within the past week, here is a look at the Cubs roster with WAR projections for 2019 and approximate playing time adjustments:

Bryant: 5.7 Rizzo: 4.2 Baez: 3.2 Schwarber: 2.9 Merrifield: 2.7 Contreras: 2.7 Zobrist: 2.5 Heyward: 2.4 Iglesias: 1.2 Almora: 1.1 Caratini: 0.7 La Stella: 0

Hendricks: 2.6 Darvish: 2.6 Quintana: 2.6 Hamels: 2.4 Lester: 2.0 Bradley: 0.7 Morrow: 0.7 Strop: 0.5 Chafin: 0.4 Edwards: 0.3 Montgomery: 0.3 Chavez: 0.1 Cishek: 0.1 Duensing: -0.1

In the end, the position players are projected for 29.3 WAR with an additional 15.2 WAR from the pitchers. That combined 44.5 WAR would rank sixth in MLB, narrowly ahead of the current projection for... the Chicago Cubs. How do you like that?

With another Simulation in the books, what do you think about this proposed version of the 2019 Cubs?

Source: https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/11/7/18068720/sb-nation-offseason-simulation-fake-2019-cubs

[moontemple85-blog]

Winter Vibes

Now that it’s officially Winter (thanks to that fun drop last week from 60 to 30 degrees…you’re too funny, Chicago), it’s time to get in that cold weather (and holiday!) spirit. But where to begin? Well here’s what I’m feeling this season.

FASHION:

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What better way to solidify your friendship than with some Dior friendship bracelets? They come in sets of two so it’s really the perfect gift for you / your bestie this holiday season 🙂

Everything I love captured in one photo — my pups getting festive for the holidays + my G by Giuliana gold puffer. I never knew how much I could love a puffer before this one. Typically they’re boring and bulky, but this one will not make you look like the Michelin man…and I promise the compliments will keep on coming.

Pretty much everything I wear on a regular basis can be found at POGO — a new “Athleisure boutique” (if you will) that just opened in Lincoln Park. Not only is it Instagram worthy (anything with white marble, right?) but their merch is ?. Nike, Adidas Originals, Comme, Public School…they have it all.

I can always count on Net-a-Porter to help me discover new brands / designers. And my latest discovery? Sansoeurs — THE definition of ear goals (even made TWO appearances on my holiday wishlist this year…so hopefully it will make an appearance on my ears post 12/25 ?).

BEAUTY:

I’m all for natural beauty products and it really doesn’t get more pure than Scratch Goods — food grade ingredients all for your skin to (literally) eat up. Not only do I love their products (their body oil is really saving me this winter), their mask bar at their West Loop location is such a fun thing to do with girlfriends (PLUS it’s actually effective). I’ve been struggling with skin issues for about 5 years now. I’ve tried almost everything (organic, prescription, DIY, you name it, I’ve done it) and the only thing that has cleared my skin has been this mask bar! You get to choose from three of their mask bases (pictured above) and three liquids they’re always changing up (like Dark Matter coffee or a juice concoction).  You can mix them all or just a few…totally up to you. I don’t know if it’s the mask itself or that combined with the pre and post prep with all the Scratch Goods products, but my skin has never looked better since I’ve gone to the mask bar. Now I just bought the Charcoal Mask (which is what I have mainly used for my masking at Scratch Goods) so fingers crossed this is the answer to my skin problems!

Not sure why, as someone with naturally frizzy hair, it has taken me so long to try a smoothing shampoo / conditioner…but hey, better late than never right? I typically go for hydrating products but my hair would still be frizzy. A few months ago I started using R+Co’s Bel Air Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner and I haven’t had to deal with frizz since (even tested it out in some humidity while traveling!) I couldn’t believe it. I also use the High Dive Moisture + Shine Creme which makes my hair super soft. The combination of those three products and I’ve never been happier with the look and texture of my hair (finally ?).

WELLNESS:

I’ve been working out at Studio Three for almost a year now (cycling, interval training and yoga in one building — what more do you need?) and as much as I love all their classes, my new favorite is 3×3. What I love about this class is that it works every muscle group (without taking a toll on your body) AND you do it in 40 minutes. It’s 3 upper body, 3 lower body and 3 core exercises you do 3 times (hence 3×3) and you’re done before you know it. I’m all about efficiency so this is really my ideal workout!

If I could pick a #1 for this post it would be Aire Ancient Baths. I’m all for unique experiences and this was honestly one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. The company started in Spain with this idea of an ancient bathhouse. They’re now all over the world and just expanded to the US with locations in New York and Chicago! The standard “thermal bath” gets you access to all their baths (which are more like small pools) at various temperatures. My two favorites were the salt bath (which has as much salt as the Dead Sea, so you just float) as well as the indoor / outdoor where you literally can swim outside to this beautiful waterfall. I was skeptical of that one as I get cold very easily but as long as you stay in the water (which is nice and toasty) you’re golden (and I did this in 20 degree weather). They also offer massages and signature experiences like a Wine Bath (which I am dying to try) and Himalayan salt exfoliation to name a few. All I can say is that words don’t do it justice — you just need to check it out for yourself! It’s fun to do with a friend or a group, on a date, or you can even rent it out for a party / special event. Basically I want to live there so if you ever need someone to go with, I am always in!

FOOD:

I go out to eat way more than is healthy or financially responsible for any one person BUT that means I get to test everything out and share all those that are worth while…with you! Hands down the best restaurant I’ve eaten at in 2017 is Proxi. It really just has everything going for it — stunning interior, fantastic cocktails (their take on a Negroni, called Europeans in the Tropics, with a coffee ice cube is one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had) and ridiculously tasty food. My favorite dish has to be the Tempura Elotes (pictured above). It’s like a combination of Elotes and waffle fries. How could you not be sold? Other star dishes: Shaved Zucchini, Raw Tuna and the Grilled Chicken.

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MUSIC:

Wonder what I’ve been listening to all year? Here’s 5 hours and 44 minutes of my most played songs of 2017.

—

Looking forward to some 2018 vibes, but in the mean time…

Images via Instagram

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Source: https://chicityfashion.com/winter-vibes/

[moontemple85-blog]

Electric Estrada, Howdy Hultzen, Darling Davis, and Other Cubs Minor League Notes

One of my favorite parts of keeping tabs on the minor league side is when there’s a performance that announces a prospect has taken a step forward. It happened last night in the Eugene Emeralds third game, in the top of the sixth inning. Jeremiah Estrada entered the game to begin his piggyback appearance against the heart of the Hillsboro Hops order.

Estrada, 20, was the Cubs’ pricey 6th round pick in the 2017 draft, who missed all of 2018 with an elbow issue. We have been eagerly waiting on his return for a long time, and he did not disappoint.

Estrada began the first hitter with a fastball middle-out for a called strike. Then a fastball on the up-and-in corner of the strike zone for a swing and miss. Then a fastball in a similar spot, just a little higher, got a whiff for his first strikeout since September 2, 2017.

The next batter, a lefty, fared no better: 95 mph fastball drew a swing and miss, then a called strike at the outside corner, then a tailing mid 90s fastball for his second K. Batter three, same story. Fastball whiff, fastball called strike, fastball with lots of late life for another strikeout.

Three up, three down, nine pitches, nine fastballs, nine strikes. Pure dominance.

Estrada finished the game for the Emeralds, running into a pair of trouble in the seventh before similar dominance in the eighth and ninth. In total: 4 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), one walk and 7 strikeouts. Estrada mixed in his offspeed more in his second time through the order, flashing a curveball and change-up, both of which need some work but show hints of promise. The change was the better of the two in this outing, but I’m not sure that will be the case moving forward.

What matters right now is that, despite a lost season in 2018 due to arm soreness, Estrada is again healthy and throwing darts. There is a nice foundation here for the Cubs to build a pitching prospect around going forward. Always fun to witness.

A few other minor league notes as I catch up from a chilly Wisconsin lake house weekend:

Danny Hultzen, the former tip-top prospect who was out of baseball, and whose mysterious live BP’s in Arizona have drawn my frequent interest in these parts, made his 2019 debut yesterday. I was not only a bit surprised he jumped straight from Extended Spring Training all the way to Triple-A Iowa, I was surprised he entered the game in the eighth inning of a 1-0 affair. Hultzen’s command wasn’t great – nerves, perhaps? – but he did show velocity in the mid 90s (top 97) behind a more short-arm delivery than I remember. He got a lefty to pop out, struck out a righty on offspeed, and then was pulled after hitting a lefty on the hand (or knob of the bat, your mileage may vary). The outing lacked the dramatic dominance that Estrada showed in Oregon, but it did provide confirmation that this is an arm (and story) to keep an eye on.

It’s All-Star Game season in the full-season minors, as South Bend, Myrtle Beach and Tennessee are all on break. Those games will be on Tuesday, and I’ll breakdown which Cubs you’ll see tomorrow. The Cubs were nice enough to scratch Cory Abbott from his start yesterday to ensure he’s able to pitch in the Southern League game.

The All-Star Break also means the books are closed on the first half standings, which wasn’t particularly good for Cubs affiliates. The Tennessee Smokies were 33-36 in the first half, in fourth place in the North Division. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were awful at 21-46; I imagine they’re quite happy to turn the page. And while the South Bend Cubs hung in the race for a while, their 37-31 record was not enough for a playoff berth. Meanwhile, in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, which doesn’t award playoff berths by half, the Iowa Cubs cling to their division lead with a 38-32 record. Iowa won’t reach the All-Star break for another three weeks.

In updating Brett’s post on the draft picks, I’d point out the Cubs were able to sign fifth-round pick Josh Burgmann out of Washington for $93,200 below slot value, giving them more savings after going above-slot on D.J. Herz, Tyler Schaffler and (hopefully officially soon) Ethan Hearn. The Cubs need to get some combination of Chase Strumpf, Michael McAvene or Wyatt Hendrie for about 50K underslot to be back on track for their bonus pool to accommodate all top ten picks. I doubt the Cubs will have much, if any, money left for above-slot on the Rounds 11-40 guys.

The Arizona League will debut tonight, and Arizona Phil shared those rosters on Saturday. I want to let those games play out to see who’s actually healthy and participating before really breaking down the rosters, but I’m excited for the AZL Cubs 1 middle infield, which will be a job share amongst Luis Verdugo, Fabian Pertuz and Pedro Martinez. The AZL Cubs 2 will be very interesting on the mound, as 2018 bonus babies Richard Gallardo and Joel Machado both made that squad. More on these teams as they begin to take shape.

[Brett, intro’ing a Bryan tweet: This is really an otherworldly performance for a 2018 high school draft pick, who played multiple sports, who needed to add weight, and needed to significantly revamp his swing. Frankly, I expected multiple years of struggle.]:

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/06/17/electric-estrada-howdy-hultzen-darling-davis-and-other-cubs-minor-league-notes/

[moontemple85-blog]

Developers top off $46 million Gold Coast condo project

Developers have topped off a 10-storey condominium Gold Coast condo project at 1550 N. Clark.

The 32-unit structure, issued a $46 million permit in October, 2016, is expected to be completed later this year.

“As the building has begun to take shape, we’ve witnessed excitement about what we are bringing to the market – a sophisticated boutique building offering access to all the city has to offer,” Lee Golub, principal and executive vice-president of Golub & Company, which is developing the building with CIM Group and Avoda Group. “Reaching this construction milestone means those looking for a new-construction luxury condominium in the Gold Coast can purchase a beautiful home and be living in it by the end of the year.”

Rendering of the 32-unit, 10 storey structure

Power Construction Company is the project’s general contractor.  Key subtrades include: Electrical – Chatfield Electric, Inc.; masonry – R. Olson Const. Co.; Plumbing – Norman Mechanical; and ventilation – Premier Mechanical.

Architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) has designed the building.

Source: https://chicagoconstructionnews.com/developers-top-off-46-million-gold-coast-condo-project/

[moontemple85-blog]

The Bears are having a good season, but it hasn’t always felt that way

Starting with the off-season immediately after 2017 ended, the Bears 2018 season has had astronomically more highs and lows than any Bears season of recent years. That’s sort of true by default, since the other seasons didn’t contain many highs, For some fans, the painful years leading up to 2018 make us feel more appreciative of any success the Bears have. For the rest of us, that experience makes us skeptical when we see the highs and quick to jettison our hopes at the first sign of defeat. These highs and lows can lead to an exhausting emotional dance for the invested fan, and I think it’s worth taking a moment to size up the season so far as a whole.

Let’s see where those highs and lows average out.

Overall Record: 4 - 3. First in the NFC North

I can work with this. A year ago, breaking .500 felt like a wild fantasy. The Bears are on pace for a 9.14 win season, and have two of their hardest games out of the way. If the Bears finish with 9 wins, I’ll probably be let down that the playoffs were in reach but just a claw’s length too far, but it would be a huge improvement from last year and a promising sign for the Bears future. The core of this team isn’t going anywhere for at least a few more years and 9 wins is a great start to work from.

Unless of course, the Bears stay on top of the NFC North with 9 wins, which would just delightful. Not only would they slip into the post-season, but it would afford so much petty pleasure in the failures of our rivals.

Overall Point Differential: +50

Ok. That seems pretty good. Comparing it to other teams in the league, it stands up as being pretty good. It’s third in the NFC behind the Rams at +109 (whatever, we know they’re good) and barely behind the Saints at +51. And we haven’t played the Bills yet, who are aiming for the record books in the negative point differential category, having already accumulated -113.

Mitch Trubisky: 1814 passing yards 15 TD 6 INT (On pace for 4146 yrds, 34 TD, 14 INT) 64.6% completion percentage, 7.7 AY/A

It’s been a love/hate season for Bears fans with Trubisky, but when you look at the numbers as a whole, they’re as good as anyone could have hoped. He’s definitely given reason to worry our hearts with questionable decisions, off-target throws, and a scary amount of flusterability. But he’s also shown impressive resilience, some beautiful ball placement, and the ability to run a Bears offense that’s more effective than we’ve seen in years.

For Bears fans looking for a blanket of cynicism to guard them against the pain of unmet hope, the questions around Trubisky are an understandable place to find fuel. But the man is moving the offense and producing, and that can feel pretty good to see if you let it.

Mitch Trubisky: 296 rushing yards 2 rushing TD 8.0 yards per carry (On pace for 677 yrds 5 TD)

This has become too big a part of Biscuit’s game to ignore. People will call it cheating to combine a QBs passing and rushing yards for total production numbers, but the win loss column doesn’t care how the points got there. So I’ll tell you he’s on pace for over 4800 yards and 39 TDs combined. And we see every game that he’s leaving meat on the bone. Just how much meat could be eaten when Trubisky gets more comfortable in the NFL and the whole team gets more comfortable in Nagy’s offense?

Bears Defense: 17 Takeaways (On pace for 39)

Bears currently sit at #2 on the takeaway list, despite a couple of down weeks against Miami and New England. If they maintain this pace, their 39 would be higher than the 2017 leader (Ravens at 34) and a 77% increase over the Bears 2017 total of 22. In the four weeks that Khalil Mack was fully effective, the Bears were able to stuff the bank with takeaways. It seems hard to believe that level will return when Mack does, but maybe that’s just because it’s hard to believe the Bears are finally good.

Bears Scoring Defense: 15 Defensive TDs allowed, 2 ST TDs allowed 20.6 points per game allowed

This places the Bears 8th overall in scoring defense. If you look at only when the defense is on the field (i.e. omit all special teams scores) the Bears bump up to 5th). I know we all want the Bears to have the #1 defense. For the first four weeks, I believe they did.

But if the Bears finish the season top 8/top 5 in scoring defense, are you really mad? Actually, I can already hear people saying that we gave up 2 first round picks for a guy to make us elite and top 8 is not good enough. Fine. Be mad. Top 8 was good enough for MySpace. I'm sorry it's not good enough for you.

Bears rushing defense: 83.1 yards/game allowed 0 TDs allowed

That’s third in yards per game and 1st (duh) in preventing scores on the ground. Hicks Goldman and now Nichols are a wall of Bear to be reckoned with, and I’m pleasantly surprised to see these numbers after all the times I squealed at my television because a runner dared to break through. Let’s not forget this scoreless record wouldn’t stand if it weren’t for the heroic efforts of Hicks and Goldman when they forced a fumble at the goal line in overtime against the Dolphins, giving the Bears one last chance to win that accursed heat-cheating debacle.

When you add it all up, the Bears are having a good season. If I was to add it up next week, I suspect it would look even better. This is not a trick. This is a season to enjoy, however it ends.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2018/10/31/18017648/2018-nfl-chicago-bears-are-having-a-good-season-but-it-hasnt-always-felt-that-way-trubisky-mack

[moontemple85-blog]

University Press Week is here: Time to #TurnItUP!

Your inbox is full from the weekend. You can’t figure out which problem to tackle first.

Wouldn’t you rather pour a cup of coffee and go traveling? Fortunately for you, it’s University Press week, and we’ve got a blog tour kicking off today! Set your browser humming with these offerings:

•Duke University Press writes about how partnerships with museums have helped them build a strong art list.

•Athabasca University Press offers a playlist by author Mark A. McCutcheon of all the songs featured in his book The Medium Is the Monster: Canadian Adaptations of Frankenstein and the Discourse of Technology.

•Rutgers University Press dedicates a post to our their book Junctures in Women’s Leadership: The Arts, by Judith Brodsky and Ferris Olin.

•Yale University Press features a post by author Dominic Bradbury about how immigrants enrich a country’s art and architecture.

•University of Minnesota Press is running a post about their author Adrienne Kennedy, who will be inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame on November 12th.

That’s just the start of a week full of reasons to #TurnItUp!

Source: http://pressblog.uchicago.edu/2018/11/12/university-press-week-is-here-time-to-turnitup.html

[moontemple85-blog]

29-Story Highrise Proposed for 717 S. Clark Street

In case you missed it last week, looks like another big residential project is headed for the Printers Row neighborhood (via Curbed):

The redevelopment of the former Palmer Printing site in Chicago’s Printer’s Row neighborhood came into clearer focus this week at a public town hall meeting hosted by 4th Ward Alderman Sophia King. 

Monday night’s presentation revealed details as well as a single rendering of a 29-story residential tower developer CMK Companies plans for 717 S. Clark Street—a site currently occupied by a low-rise commercial building and adjacent parking lot. The glassy proposal from Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture calls for 349 dwelling units and 96 parking spaces.

CMK has made it's mark all over the Sloop and this specific building looks like most of their others.  Modern, glassy but nothing to stop you in your tracks. 

The one thing that caught our attention about the rendering above was the area on the south side of the building (right part of the picture).  It sort of looks like a multi-level retail strip.  Not sure if that's what it is, but that could be an interesting addition to the stretch.

This building is going in where the last printing shop in Pritners Row called home - Palmer Printing.  They announced last January that they were moving.  Unsurprisingly, the space was gobbled up for more residential.

Source: http://www.sloopin.com/2019/01/29-story-highrise-proposed-for-717-s.html

[moontemple85-blog]

The 3 Ingredients to Our Nook Refresh (+ a Giveaway!)

We’re so excited to share with you our nook refresh today! Out of all the rooms in our home, maybe this has seen the most amount of changes? When we first toured this home (6 years ago this month!), it was royal blue. After much debate, we painted it a sage-ish green. And not too long after that, we nixed the green in favor of a deep navy. We were happy, at least for a little while!

I’ve mentioned this before, but after Lucy, we kicked it up a notch around our home. The home that had been working so hard for us and our pets no longer felt like us. This makes sense; our lives had just encountered a momentous shift, and in turn, so did we. We love changing things up (okay, we thrive on it!), and we’ve had a lot of fun fine tuning our home in the last year-and-a-half. It feels more like us than ever before, and we’re madly in love with this place we call Home. There are other small tweaks we’ve made in the last few weeks alone (and I guarantee they won’t be the last), but today, I want to focus on our funny little nook!

It’s tiny; maybe less than 7′ square? There’s a slope to the ceiling because it’s under the stairs, and there’s a bump out to accommodate a coat closet on the other side of the wall. Scott and I couldn’t love a small space more (give us all the small spaces!), and it’s a challenge we gladly accept. Over the years it has functioned primarily as a reading-slash-music nook, but most recently, it transitioned into a sweet and accommodating play area for Lucy! Below, I’m sharing the 3 key ingredients that turned it up a notch and made it feel complete.

1| Surrendering to the Subtle Color Shift

Do you notice the subtle color shift? We embraced the navy walls for years (Ben Moore’s Narragansett Green), but the light in the room has always been very cool to begin with. At certain times of the day, the color felt very, very blue, and while that’s not a bad thing, we didn’t love it. For the last two years or so, we convinced ourselves that we were fine with it, but after painting the guest room BM Kendall Charcoal, well, we knew it would be very fitting in the nook, too.

sconce | chair | blanket | octopus | basket | art

Because the light is so cool to begin with, the warm grey does take on a slight blue tint in the late afternoon, but it passes quickly. The rest of the time, it reads as a true medium grey, and every now and then, it may even lean slightly green. (The color is a chameleon in the best way!)

There are a couple of added perks to painting the nook – and in turn, any small room – dark. For us, it ties into our whole home color palette, and it’s one less can of paint to store in our workshop. Ha! The other reason? I think there’s a misconception around dark paint and the tendency to make a room feel small(er). Because our nook receives a good amount of natural light, we knew it could handle a bold, moody paint color. Not only that, the dark paint helps the walls to recede, making the room feel much larger.

sconce | chair | ottoman | blanket | octopus | basket | art

2| Painting the Ceiling the Same as the Walls

No one says you can’t paint the ceiling the same color as the walls! Because of all the angles in this room, it made a lot of sense. Up until now, there was an L-shaped sliver of white ceiling paint, which looking back, was a visual distraction. Now? Aaah.

Now that the entire room is Kendall Charcoal, everything flows seamlessly. The gunmetal finish on our record storage and nail art (which recently moved in here from the workshop) only helps to keep the eye moving. The low contrast creates a space that envelops us; it feels warm and safe.

3| Layering In a Statement Art Piece

The biggest shift was this large statement art piece from The Holly Collective! At 3′ x 4′, it’s large scale, and it is stunning. Breathtaking. I worked with Victoria, the artist behind The Holly Collective on the appropriate size for the space, and after debating between a handful of works, we landed on Stripes I in ivory with an oak frame. Although a single, subtle color, the mix of high gloss and matte, smooth and textured lines, creates a piece that’s anything but ordinary. There’s a playfulness and a sophistication all at once, a look that’s crafted from gesso and plaster. It should come as no surprise that Victoria’s art is an extension of her interior design firm, Victoria Holly Interiors, because the girl knows color! Mauve (the mauve!), slate blue, chocolate and black – any one of her works would make a gorgeous addition to a home.

The art we hang on our walls varies from high to low, family portraiture to student work, thrifted finds to original paintings. We think a well curated art collection is even more special when you can add a piece that speaks to you, when you can have a conversation with the artist, and when you know it’s something that will be enjoyed by you for a lifetime. This is one of those pieces.

sconce | chair | ottoman | velvet pillow | blanket | octopus | basket | art

We’re excited to share that The Holly Collective wants you to own one of her works, too! Whether you’ve been looking for the last puzzle piece to your gallery wall, a happy moment in your family room or an unexpected pop in the powder room, we think you’ll find it with a work by Victoria. It’s our small way of saying thank you! Thank you for reading, cheering us on and being a part of this amazing home loving community. And so together with The Holly Collective, we’re giving away an 8″ x 10″ painting of ​​​​​​​Riptide in a beautiful oak frame! Painting includes artist signature.

Here’s how to win:​​​​​​​

Using the Rafflecopter widget below, enter as many ways as you’d like.

Anyone in the world is eligible for this giveaway!

This giveaway runs through Friday, May 31st, and the winner will be contacted directly.

Good luck and happy entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In This Post:

Source: https://www.yellowbrickhome.com/the-3-ingredients-to-our-nook-refresh-a-giveaway/

[moontemple85-blog]

Today’s Headlines for Monday, October 29

Emanuel Talks Bikes, Transit, Gas Tax, O’Hare Express on a Bike Ride (Tribune)

Jesus Lopez, 72, Died 2 Weeks After Driver Struck Him in Chicago Lawn (Sun-Times)

Man Who Lost Part of His Leg After Chasing Bus Is Suing the CTA (CBS)

CTA Will Test Transit Information Screens on Buses (Sun-Times)

Washington-Wabash Stop Wins an American Institute of Architects Award (Tribune)

Lincoln Square Residents Say They Want Better Bike/Ped Facilities (Block Club)

Detour for Bikes and Buses During Chicago Avenue Bridge Reconstruction (Tribune)

Ribbon Cut on New Metra Platform in Willow Springs (Tribune)

7-Year Waiting List for Parking Permits for Naperville Metra Station (Tribune)

“Elevated: Art and Architecture on the CTA” Book Released (Sun-Times)

5 Ways Chicago Shaped Bike Culture (Curbed)

Mountain bikers Urge Dundee Township Not to Ban Cycling in Local Woods (Tribune)

Get national headlines at Streetsblog USA

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Source: https://chi.streetsblog.org/2018/10/29/todays-headlines-for-monday-october-29/