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Report sheds new light on Chicago’s bid for Amazon HQ2

More than one month after Amazon announced its decision to split its HQ2 campus between Arlington, Virginia and New York City, new details regarding Chicago’s failed bid to land the lucrative corporate expansion surfaced in documents made public by Freedom of Information Act request published by Crain’s.

While plenty of Chicago residents and journalists were more than happy to finally put the HQ2 saga in the city’s collective rearview mirror, the report does provide some interesting insight into the bid process including Amazon’s interests and concerns as well as the financial incentives being offered to the e-commerce and cloud computing powerhouse.

Here are 8 of the biggest takeaways and eyebrow-raising details highlighted in the report:

Chicago was one of five finalist cities in the running to land HQ2. During its 13-month-long search, Amazon officials visited five of the ten development sites listed in Chicago’s formal bid. These include The 78, Lincoln Yards, the River District, Fulton Market District, and the Burnham Lakefront.

The Seattle-based tech giant was most interested in The 78, developer Related Midwest’s vacant 62-acre riverfront parcel between the South Loop and Chinatown. Amazon reps made a second visit to The 78, but not a third as indicated by some sources.

A rendering of The 78.

Related Midwest

City, state, and county officials pledged at least $2.253 billion in tax breaks and other financial incentives to Amazon. The figure includes payroll credits, sales tax exemptions on construction costs, property tax breaks, and investments such as transit improvements and workforce training.

A letter signed by Governor Bruce Rauner, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle indicated a vague promise to “consider other incentives that represent sound economic policy” once Amazon further narrowed its search. For comparison, New York offered the company nearly $3 billion for its half of the HQ2 prize.

In addition to saving Amazon loads of money, Chicago officials hoped to save the company time as well. The city’s Build Department was prepared to offer the company a “concierge service” to streamline not only construction permits for HQ2 itself but also for the homes of its workers and executives.

Amazon was concerned with Chicago’s struggle with violent crime, revealed emails uncovered by Crain’s. Deputy Mayor Bob Rivkin responded by describing a rise in murders as “a spike” and said police had made progress on the issue.

Feeling good about their chances and wanting be prepared for any eventuality, City Hall preemptively drafted a press release announcing Chicago as the winner of HQ2. “Today Chicago begins a close partnership with Amazon as it builds its new home and continues to reach new heights for generations to come,” said Mayor Emanuel in a document cited in the report.

The FOIA request does not, however, reveal how much money the public-private partnership known as World Business Chicago sank in drafting the Chicago bid. It was rumored that William Shatner was paid $50,000 for voiceover work as part of the city’s official bid video, but that figure remains unconfirmed.

These documents illustrate not only the complexity of the bidding process but also the lengths to which a city like Chicago would go to lure the company and its coveted 50,000 tech jobs. Whether you believe Chicago missed out or dodged a potential bullet, the fact that the city ranked so favorably in such an intense global competition is certainly encouraging.

Curbed Chicago Newsletter

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Source: https://chicago.curbed.com/2018/12/17/18145150/chicago-amazon-hq2-bid-incentives-details

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A south-facing one-bedroom at Bucktown’s new 1879 North Milwaukee

See rent and availability info at: https://1879milwaukee.com/

1879 North Milwaukee is a new boutique apartment community in a convenient Bucktown / Logan Square location. Ipsento Coffee and the 606 trail are a block south and Starbucks and a CTA Blue Line stop are a block north. Bars, restaurants and one-of-a-kind shops are a short walk away.

1879 offers studio to 2-bedroom, 2-bath + den apartments. The apartments have large windows, plank flooring, upscale kitchen and bath finishes, spacious layouts and in-unit washer / dryers.

1879 is pet-friendly. The building has a rooftop deck with skyline views and a grilling station, and bike storage.

Source: http://yochicago.com/a-south-facing-one-bedroom-at-bucktowns-new-1879-north-milwaukee/61212/

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Five Chicago-Area Restaurant Shutters to Know

November 20

IRVING PARK— More than three years after opening, casual American restaurant HQ Howard Quintero will close at 4114 N. Kedzie Avenue. A note sent to diners announced November 25 as the last day of business. Thanksgiving catering orders won’t be altered. “To everyone who has become part of the HQ family, we could not have done what we did for so long without you,” the note reads.

THE LOOP— After eight years, U.B. Dogs is closing at 185 N. Franklin Street. Tribune writer Nick Kindelsperger is enamored by the hot dog stand as a quality Loop lunch option. The owner plans to open a new restaurant next year in the same space after closing U.B. by the end of 2018.

OLD TOWN— Seven months after opening, Optima, a music-themed bar and restaurant, has closed. The previous tenant, Mexican pioneer Salpicon, lasted 22 years at 1252 N. Wells Street. The venue’s Facebook has also been deleted.

UPTOWN— Godfathers Famous Pizza has closed at 1265 W. Wilson Avenue. The pizzeria’s history stretched 52 years, according to Block Club Chicago, which caught up with the owners who blamed rising rents.

SKOKIE— After more than a year, Real Urban Barbecue has closed its Skokie location at 5238 W. Touhy Avenue. They’ve placed a sign at the restaurant announcing the news. Locations remain in Oak Brook, Highland Park, and Vernon Hills.

November 14

LINCOLN PARK— After 13 years, the Lincoln Park location of Hema’s Kitchen has closed. The original Devon location remains unaffected. The restaurant featured a reliable menu of North Indian favorites, but business had slowed over the years at 2411 N. Clark Street. Signage announcing the shutter is up and the property has been listed.

DEPAUL— The area near the Bucktown/Lincoln Park border is once again looking for a decent Chinese take-out spot now that Sichuan specialist One Four One Five Restaurant has closed at 1415 N. Fullerton Avenue. The revolving door continues at the space that housed Small Bar and Beer Bistro North.

HUMBOLDT PARK— After a June opening at 2627 W. Division Street, Antojos and Shakes is closing. The owners made the announcement via Facebook.

NORTH CENTER— Yelp, Google, and an LTHForum poster all report that Braciole Station is closed at 2205 W. Montrose Avenue. They had opened in February.

CALUMET PARK— After two years, suburban spot Diamond Sports Club has closed at 1413 W. 127th Street in Calumet Park. A Facebook post shared the news.

NORTHBROOK— Jar Bar opened in the suburbs last year with much fanfare from a former producer on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Now the salad-in-a-jar restaurant will close on November 30 at 1350 Shermer Road in Northbrook. A Facebook post details the challenges, and hints that the brand may live on after the shutter.

October 23

ANDERSONVILLE— The 5212 N. Clark Street location of gourmet cheese market Pastoral and its neighboring full restaurant Appellation closed for good after service on Sunday. The three other locations remain open.

BUCKTOWN/LOGAN SQUARE— The location of Hero Coffee Bar in the former Belly Shack space under the CTA Western Blue Line stop at 1912 N. Western Avenue is shuttered and has a “for rent” sign in the window. The local chain took over the space in January 2017 and its other locations remain open.

DUNNING— Northwest Side daytime neighborhood eatery Rick’s Diner has shuttered at 7544 W. Addison Street, ownership announced via a Facebook post. It was open for just four months.

LINCOLN PARK— Rapidito Colombian Gourmet Street Food will close to the general public on October 28 and ownership has put some equipment up for sale, according to announcements on its website and Facebook. It will remain open for catering orders, however. The casual restaurant opened in January 2014 at 1855 W. Diversey Parkway to offer an array of Colombian-style hot dogs, empanadas, “arepizzas,” skewers, and sides.

WICKER PARK— Tozi Korean BBQ has shuttered after seven years at 1265 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Block Club reports. Its not all bad news for Korean barbecue fans however as a sign on the door announces that another Korean spot, the chain Iron Age BBQ, will replace it.

October 16

EDGEWATER— The owners of popular North Side baked goods-focused cafe Baker Miller closed their new Edgewater location after just four months, as Edgeville Buzz reports it’s shuttered with a “for rent” sign in the window. Dave and Megan Miller acquired the former Kitchen Sink space at 1107 W. Berwyn Avenue in early June and turned it into a Baker Miller location soon after.

UPTOWN/RAVENSWOOD— Sister neighborhood daytime coffeeshops/cafes Maiden Voyage Cafe and Satellite Cafe are now closed “for the foreseeable future” and ownership is looking for a buyer for the businesses, according to their post on Facebook. “We are working hard to find new ownership to pick up where we left off and continue to provide the community with great coffee and food,” it reads. “Thank you for all your business and support over the years.”

SOUTH LOOP— Kome Japanese Eatery, a casual catch-all Japanese spot in a space that’s become a revolving door at 1303 S. Michigan Avenue, is closed, Sloopin reports from a sign on its door. Google and Yelp also list it as permanently closed. The space previously housed Panozzo’s Italian Deli and Ameritalia before Kome opened in November 2017.

WEST ROGERS PARK— The phone is off the hook and there’s signage for new management, but it’s unclear what the future of the Family House, Chicago’s only Burmese restaurant, will be at 2305 W. Devon Avenue. The restaurant opened last year and received a positive review from the Reader.

WICKER PARK— Beach House Social, the former Mahalo at 1501 N. Milwaukee Avenue from the owners of the Hampton Social mini-chain, shuttered on Sunday night, Block Club reports. A rep told the publication that it’ll reopen in a different location next spring. It opened in the former Bom Bolla space in May 2016 as the Hawaiian-themed Mahalo before reconcepting into the beach house theme in June.

WRIGLEYVILLE— The latest bar attached to Wrigley Field, DraftKings Fantasy Sports Zone, has been demolished following the Cubs’ one-and-done playoff exit, the Tribune reports. A new spot is slated to open in the former Captain Morgan Club space by next season’s opening day.

October 4

EDGEWATER— The thrill of seeing Loyola University make the men’s basketball Final Four may have been too much for Bar 63. The sports bar, a gathering place for Rambler fans, closed on September 28, according to the Loyola Phoenix. The bar’s name comes from 1953 when Loyola’s men’s team won the NCAA championship.

LINCOLN PARK— BigBop + Ramen, the quick-serve Korean restaurant that opened as CupBop + Ramen, has closed its doors at 2439 N. Clark Street. The restaurant has been dark for weeks and Yelpers mark the venue as closed.

WEST LOOP— The Mid, the West Loop nightclub and bar which opened in 2010, will close in February. The owners posted the announcement on Facebook blaming “recent expansion in the West Loop and Fulton Market District” for the pending shutter. The Mid’s last day is February 5. Time Out noted that the ownership group owns stakes in Concord Music Hall in Logan Square and Prysm Night Club in Lincoln Park.

WRIGLEYVILLE— Today is National Taco Day and a fake holiday is a good time for some fake emotions. The Taco Bell near Wrigley Field at 1111 W. Addison Street will finally close at the end of October after 24 years of dealing with Cubs fans. The Tribune reports demolition day is scheduled for November 1. There has been much drama surrounding this “beloved” restaurant.

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September 25

BUCKTOWN— Upscale Damen Avenue cocktail lounge and eatery Presidio is calling it quits on Saturday. Management wrote on Facebook that “the Presidio team has come to the difficult decision that its time to close our doors for good” and “it’s the right time to begin our next chapter.” Owner Patrick Cullen told Block Club that he has had the space on the market but hasn’t found a buyer, expressed displeasure with local food media, and urged Chicagoans to support neighborhood spots. It opened a little over three-and-a-half years ago in the former Bluebird space next to Hot Chocolate at 1749 N. Damen Avenue.

LAKEVIEW— After more than a decade in Lakeview, Argo Tea has closed its location at 3135 N. Broadway Street. The shutter happened about a week ago with furniture removed and a sign on the door reading: “Thank you for 12 years. Please visit our other Chicagoland cafés.”

LINCOLN PARK— Chicago’s once-larger mini-chain of orange-themed brunch restaurants has grown smaller. Orange Lincoln Park has shuttered for good at 2413 N. Clark Street, management announced on social media, after nine years in business at this location. The news leaves the Roscoe Village spot as the only one remaining.

PORTAGE PARK— The owners of Brgrbelly have pulled the plug on their creative Italian beef spinoff Beefbelly. It opened in late 2015 with eight gourmet beefs before briefly reconcepting two years later into a Mexican-themed spot named Tipsy Cow Cantina and going back to burgers three months ago. Block Club first reported the shutter announcement via a Facebook post. Brgrbelly remains open.

September 13

MORGAN PARK— Far South Side neighborhood Irish bar Kelly’s Tap will close after service on Saturday, September 15, at 10910 S. Western Avenue. Ownership wrote that their landlord bought them out following a “long disagreement.” The building will be demolished and the neighboring Home Run Inn Pizzeria could expand into the space, build a parking lot there, or construct a new building for new tenants, The Beverly Review reports. Kelly’s Tap opened just last year in a space that used to house Mrs. O’Leary’s Dubliner and is on a popular stretch in Beverly/Morgan Park that’s also home to brewpubs Open Outcry and Horse Thief Hollow.

RAVENSWOOD— Acclaimed, creative thin-crust pizza spot ORD Pizzeria is currently closed at Ashland and Montrose and owner Daniel Bridge is looking to sell the restaurant “to someone who wishes to continue what we have started.” He wrote on Facebook that he made the decision due to “circumstances in my personal life” that have left him “unable to continue my life as the owner and operator of the pizzeria.” It’s been open for five years.

UPTOWN— Popular burlesque club and bar Uptown Underground has been evicted. Owner Jenn Kincaid told the Tribune that her landlord served her papers and changed the locks; while the landlord told Block Club that Kincaid owes him more than $100,000 in unpaid rent and back pay. The venue opened in 2015 at 4707 N. Broadway Street.

OAK PARK— Popular suburban mini-chain Altiro Latin Fusion closed its original Oak Park location and opened a new spot in La Grange while scouting for a new spot in Oak Park. It has three other locations open, including one in Roscoe Village.

August 29

GOLD COAST— Longtime French favorite Bistrot Zinc served its last customers on Sunday, August 26. Ownership made the “very hard decision” not to renew their lease at 1131 N. State Street in May. It originally opened in 1996 in Lakeview before moving to the Gold Coast two years later.

LAKEVIEW— Critically-acclaimed mom-and-pop Korean restaurant Moccozy has closed after seven months in business at 3333 N. Broadway Street. Its phone number is disconnected, a tipster reports that a “for lease” sign now hangs in its window, Yelp and Google both list is as permanently closed, and its social media accounts are no more. A Yelper wrote on July 27 that he heard “they are closing soon caused by complaints from the neighbors about cooking smells.” The Reader critic Mike Sula wrote in May that it served “bibimbap and more in their highest form.”

NOBLE SQUARE— Coffeeshop and casual daytime eatery Awake Cafe will close on Thursday, August 30 after more than four years in business at 1357 W. Chicago Avenue, according to social media announcements. It replaced longtime vegetarian-focused spot Swim Cafe, which closed in January 2014 following owner Karen Gerod’s battle with cancer.

WRIGLEYVILLE— The drinking scene near Wrigley Field is losing another bar before the baseball season even ends. No-frills spot BEER on Clark will shutter after service on Friday, August 31 at 3415 N. Clark Street, according to social media announcements that state “our ongoing battle to stay open has come to an end.” It was known for cheap booze, bar food, table games, karaoke, and late nights. There’s no word yet what will replace it.

August 20

AVONDALE— Sugar Hills Bakery, a suburban-bred mini-chain, shuttered its shop in the Elston Plaza at 3235 W. Addison Street, Block Club reports. Opened in fall 2013, its the third bakery to close down in the neighborhood in recent months.

EDGEWATER— Decade-old neighborhood Mexican favorite That Little Mexican Cafe is no more at 1055 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, the restaurant revealed on Facebook and Edgeville Buzz reported. It still has a location open in Evanston.

LINCOLN PARK— Cedar House, a family-owned Mediterranean spot, lasted less than three months at 655 W. Armitage Avenue. It opened in early March and closed over Memorial Day weekend, and although a similar restaurant named Cedar Palace recently opened in space, Cedar House ownership wrote that “we would just like to make it clear that we have no affiliation with it and have not been involved at the location since Memorial Day weekend.”

THE LOOP— 36-year-old downtown Italian favorite Bella Bacinos will close at 75 E. Wacker Drive on October 15, the Tribune reported, as its landlord is taking over the space. Ownership, who also run a restaurant in Lincoln Park and a seasonal spot at Diversey Harbor, hope to sign a lease soon for a replacement nearby.

PARK RIDGE— Chain restaurant Houlihan’s closed another Chicagoland restaurant, this time in suburban Park Ridge. Management shuttered its city of Chicago location in December 2015 and its Oak Brook location in February 2015. Multiple other suburban locations remain open.

July 9

BUCKTOWN— Sweet Rice, the expansion of North Center Thai favorite Sticky Rice, closed for good after service on Sunday at 1746 N. Western Avenue. Ownership wrote on social media and their website that “a new development project will take place at the current property” and that they won’t relocate the restaurant. They are, however, planning to open a small spot inside the Western Blue Line stop named The Sala Pao Shop which will serve Thai steamed buns, coffee and tea, and more. Sweet Rice opened in February 2014 as Sticky Rice Chiang Mai before reconcepting two years later into the more casual spot with the addition of Japanese and Korean dishes.

DUNNING— Nostalgic neighborhood spot Fizz Eatery and Soda Fountain announced on Facebook before the July 4 holiday that it would close for good at 7958 W. Belmont Avenue. Ownership blamed the neighborhood for the shutter in the post, commenting that “unfortunately the neighborhood did not support it” before deleting both its Facebook and Twitter accounts. Another Facebook user posted a screenshot of the comments, and Yelp, Grubhub and now its website confirm the shutter. It was open for just under one year.

PILSEN— Coffee shop and eatery La Parada en Pilsen will close to the general public on July 15, ownership wrote on Facebook, although the space will be available for private events starting July 16. It was open for three years at 2059 W. 21st Street.

PORTAGE PARK— Ownership hasn’t confirmed its shutter and its website and social media outlets remain up, but Yelpers report that Taurus Restaurant is closed, Grubhub states the restaurant “is taking phone orders only,” and employees haven’t answered its phone in multiple attempts. This will be updated if and when ownership responds to inquiries.

SOUTH LOOP— Poke & Roll closed on June 25 at 555 S. Dearborn Street. Ownership will open a larger place soon at 5121 S. Harper Avenue in Hyde Park with the same poke, a full bar, and more named 1 Fish 2 Fish.

GLENVIEW— Japanese chain RA Sushi has closed its suburban Glenview restaurant. Its delivery-only location in the city and full-service spot in Lombard remain open.

June 11

BOYSTOWN— Eat A Pita, a fast-food spot that served pita sandwiches, salad, ribs, and more, has closed at 3155 N. Halsted Street. An Old Town location had closed years ago near Division and LaSalle. The owner, in a Yelp comment, said he was going to retire after 30 years.

GREEKTOWN— Another relic of the old West Loop has fallen. Roditys, which was around for 45 years at 222 S. Halsted Street, has closed. Apparently, according to a spokesperson, the restaurant isn’t a goner forever. It will reopen at an unspecified date following renovations.

LINCOLN PARK— The very first Sushi Burrito location, formerly Sumo Restaurant, has closed at Sheffield and Clybourn. The strip mall should soon see a new Dunkin’ Donuts on the 1700 block of North Clybourn.

WICKER PARK— Rumored for weeks, Pizano’s Pizza closed its Wicker Park location last week following the Do Division street festival. The restaurant’s website states they’ll have a new concept opening soon at 2056 W. Division Street.

WICKER PARK— Two eateries inside a Wicker Park strip mall have closed on the 2000 block of west Division Street. Block Club Chicago reported that Shata Mediterranean — which opened in December — and a Subway both shuttered earlier this week. Subway didn’t renew its lease, while Shata sold to a new owner.

EVANSTON— Friday was the final day for Cheesie’s Pub & Grub in Evanston at 622 Evanston Street. They still have locations in Lakeview and Wicker Park.

HIGHWOOD— After three years, Ballaro — the suburban Italian restaurant from a team including the son of former WBBM 780 AM restaurant critic Sherman Kaplan, is closing at 214 Green Bay Road in Highwood. A Facebook post announced Sunday as closing day. The ownership group of Mark Newman and Josh Kaplan have a neighboring restaurant, Greenwood, and Kaplan said that location is doing great.

This Sunday, June 17, will be the last night of service for Ballaro. It has been a labor of love and we are incredibly...

Posted by Ballaro on Monday, June 11, 2018

May 16

LAKEVIEW— Sushi Mura has closed at 3647 N. Southport Avenue after 14 years. The restaurant is victim to new development and plans to reopen at a new location in fall of 2019, according to a Facebook post. Southport Corridor News first noticed the shutter.

LINCOLN PARK— It’s not a new shutter, but La Diosa has closed at 2308 N. Clark Street. The Mexican restaurant featured the cooking of chef Laura Martinez, a Charlie Trotter’s vet who was blind since birth.

LOGAN SQUARE— Panaderia La Central, a Mexican bakery that’s been under the CTA Blue Line’s California stop for more than a decade has closed. Block Club Chicago noticed the windows were boarded up at 2218 N. California Avenue. There’s a second location in Humboldt Park at 3911 W. North Ave.

NOBLE SQUARE— Despite rave reviews, Flip, the burger spot from Picante owner Felipe Caro in a former La Pasadita space, has closed. Caro confirmed the shutter and said he still owns the property at 1141 N. Ashland Avenue. The space includes a courtyard and he’s looking for someone to come in with a new concept and to operate a restaurant inside: “The idea of running three restaurants is nuts,” Caro wrote. “Hats off to the hospitality groups that have multiple locations.”

RIVER NORTH— Blue Frog 22, the upscale sibling of the original Blue Frog that closed in 2015, has also closed. The Tribune first noticed the shutter at 22 E. Hubbard Street. The bar was the subject of Bar Rescue, the TV show that makes drama out of suffering bar owners desperate to try anything to improve business.

UPTOWN— May 26 is last call for Max’s Place at 4621 N. Clark Street. The dive bar has been around for 39 years. Uptown Update first noticed the news. The announcement seemed to indicate a possibility of a reopening.

SKOKIE— M Burger, the Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises burger chain, has closed its suburban location inside a Skokie strip mall at 3654 W. Touhy Avenue. They’ve been removed from M Burger’s Facebook page, Yelp users say it’s closed, and a tipster wrote in about the news.

May 8

AVONDALE— After nine years, Panaderia Azucar has closed at 3415 W. Belmont Avenue. Management announced the shutter via Facebook.

BRIDGEPORT— After decades of operations, family-owned Tacos Erendira has closed its doors at 3207 S. Halsted Street. Management didn’t provide the exact reason when they made the Facebook announcement, but it was complicated.

BUCKTOWN— Sublime Sushi has closed at 2009 N. Damen Avenue. The Japanese spot has a second location, under the Fuji Sushi name, in Lincoln Park.

BUCKTOWN— 24Karrots Juice Bar will no longer serve juices and bowls at 2004 W. Armitage Avenue.

GAGE PARK— After 18 years, El Rincon Norteño has closed at 3300 W. 55th Street, reports Patch. The owner retired.

NORTH CENTER— Danny’s Egghead Diner has closed in North Center, according to tipsters. Yelpers also say that breakfast spot at 2012 W. Irving Park Road is a goner.

PORTAGE PARK— Smoothie, ice creams, and more will no longer be served at Fruitmania. Yelp says they are closed at 5035 W. Montrose Avenue.

RIVER NORTH— Roy’s, which featured Hawaiian-inspired food from founder Roy Yamaguchi (before being purchased by Sunil Dharod, a well-connect chain restaurant operator heavily involved with Applebee’s), has closed its Chicago location. A Facebook post read that it closed at the end of April at 720 N. State Street.

STREETERVILLE— Emilio’s Tapas has closed after nearly 30 years in Streeterville at 215 E. Ohio Street. There’s a sign on the door that says it’s permanently shuttered and a staffer says its last night in business was Saturday. A Lincoln Park location closed years ago at the corner of Clark and Fullerton. The employee reminded diners that the flagship location in suburban Hillside remains open.

April 16

EDGEWATER— Hellas Gyros, which had been open for 47 years at 1133 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, closed without notice last week. Ownership wrote in a Facebook post that “our war with our slumlord was lost” and that they “are working on prospective locations” to relocate to.

GOLD COAST— Italian staple Merlo on Maple has been closed for weeks at 16 W. Maple Street. No one at the restaurant has answered the phone or responded to inquiries about whether it’s closed for good, but Open Table lists it as permanently closed.

LAKEVIEW— Jirafa, the Latin American bar and eatery that opened last June, has closed in the former Ravenswood Q space at 1800 W. Irving Park Road, Google, Yelp, and an LTH Forum user confirm. It was known for beer, empanadas, and international soccer during the short time it was open.

LOGAN SQUARE— Longtime Logan Square relic Congress Pizzeria has closed at 2033 N. Milwaukee Avenue as a new housing development is planned for its plot of land. Its building is now covered by scaffolding and appears to be awaiting demolition.

NAVY PIER— Goddess and the Baker, the local mini-chain from the Goddess and the Grocer folks, announced that its Navy Pier location is permanently closed. “The Goddess team has been attempting to work with the Navy Pier Management on acceptable terms and conditions but negotiations were unfortunately not welcomed and ultimately, terms have not been reached,” ownership wrote on Facebook. Its locations at 225 N. LaSalle Street and 33 S. Wabash Avenue remain open, and ownership writes that “we will be announcing some exciting news on a new store opening in Chicago soon” as well as a Milwaukee location.

BARRINGTON— Near Restaurant, a suburban upscale Italian spot helmed by a former Schwa sous chef named Gaetano Nardulli, will close on April 28. Ownership writes on social media that they will “move on to the next adventure” and are beginning “this new restaurant journey.” It was open for nearly seven years.

SKOKIE— TV star/entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis has closed another suburban location of his fast-casual The Simple Greek brand. The Skokie location shuttered in late March after less than a year in business at 5415 Touhy Avenue, ownership announced on Facebook. The Highland Park location closed in January 2017.

April 9

AVONDALE— La Farine Bakery & Cafe, a neighborhood spot that was open for about five years, closed earlier this month at 2909 N. Milwaukee Avenue, according to the Avondale Neighborhood Association. The owners are supposedly looking for a new location.

LAKEVIEW/THE LOOP— Muscle Maker Grill, a kind of Chipotle for weight-lifters with assembly-line style cafeteria service, has closed its Chicago locations at 113 W. Jackson Boulevard and at 920 W. Belmont Avenue. The Tribune first reported the news.

RIVER NORTH— Bistro Voltaire has closed at 226 W. Chicago Avenue after seven years of French cooking. Its OpenTable page confirmed the shutter and a tipster emailed to say a new restaurant is on its way. The owners were unable to be reached for confirmation on the latter. The restaurant’s website has also been taken down.

SOUTH LOOP— After a little less than six years at 14th and Michigan, Square One has officially closed. The bar/restaurant reinvented itself several times for the neighborhood. As Sloopin’ pointed out, they even had a self-serve wine bar at 1400 S. Michigan Avenue.

EVANSTON— Sunday, April 15 marks closing day for Prairie Moon at its current location at 1502 Sherman Avenue in Evanston. Management, according to a news release, will announce a new location in the coming weeks. They’ve been in the current location for 16 years and should reopen at the new space in late 2019.

March 20

AUBURN GRESHAM— Popular South Side family-owned eatery Three Chefs Restaurant has closed on Friday at 8125 S. Halsted Street. Ownership posted on Facebook that they “have a new location coming soon,” however. The restaurant was known for its breakfast, lunch, and soul food.

IRVING PARK— The Northwest Side has lost another longtime neighborhood bar, as Peek Inn has shuttered at 2825 W. Irving Park Road, according to Google, Yelp, eyewitnesses, and its phone line.

RIVER NORTH— Yu Choy, a Chinese-American restaurant near the corner of Ohio and Wells, is closed. The windows are papered up at 548 N. Wells Street and Yelp reports it as closed too. The restaurant had been around for 18 years.

Yu Choy

Ashok Selvam

LOGAN SQUARE— The Armitage Avenue dining strip in Logan Square has lost a casual Italian option. Ugo’s Kitchen & Bar, an affordable restaurant owned by a chef with experience at Alinea and Sixteen, closed after service on Sunday at 2833 W. Armitage Avenue, Logan Squarist reports and owner Stephen Hasson confirms. Hasson also says that he sold the restaurant but hasn’t revealed to whom. The shutter was for “personal and financial reasons,” Logan Squarist reported, and Hasson could open another restaurant in the future. Ugo’s lasted nearly two-and-a-half years after opening in October 2015.

GURNEE—The popular Cheesie’s Pub & Grub local mini-chain officially closed its north suburban Gurnee location at the end of February. The Lakeview, Wicker Park, Evanston, and food truck locations remain open.

February 20

AROUND TOWN— Claudia, an acclaimed ongoing pop-up from chef Trever Teich, is hosting its last two dinner dates on March 10 and March 11, with two seatings (6:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) on each date. The 8:30 p.m. seating on March 10 already sold out. They are collaboration dinners with former Moto chef Richie Farina. Teich is halting Claudia as he’s struggled to find a space for a permanent home for a restaurant. He faces challenges despite a resume that’s included stints at L2O, Acadia, Sixteen, and NoMI. Claudia is a prix-fixe dinner series that started in 2015.

CLAUDIA

“This Might Be The Most Exciting Pop-Up Dinner In Chicago” — Anthony Todd (Chicagoist) This is underground dining. This is Claudia To learn more and to book seats visit www.claudiarestaurant.com

Posted by Claudia on Wednesday, February 7, 2018

LINCOLN PARK— Sugar Fixe Pâtisserie has closed its location on the corner of Sheffield and Armitage, 958 W. Armitage Avenue. The windows are papered up. It has a suburban Oak Park location and it appears ownership plans on opening a West Town location, according to its website: “We are baking up something new. Coming to West Town soon!”

PILSEN— Fogata Village, a Mexican restaurant at 1820 S. Ashland Avenue, has closed in preparation of moving to the North Side. It heads to 4322 N. Western Avenue.

SOUTH LOOP— Polk Street Pub has closed its kitchen at 548 W. Polk Street. The bar will stay open until the end of the week.

WEST ROGERS PARK— Meerath Kabab House, a popular Pakistani restaurant at 2657 W. Devon Avenue, has closed. Michael Nagrant, the RedEye critic, was a fan.

February 14

BUCKTOWN— After more than seven years, Siboney’s Cuban Cuisine has closed on 2165 N. Western Avenue. The owners plan on moving to a new location but haven’t shared an address, according to a Facebook post.

LAKEVIEW— It’s been more than a month, but J.P. Burke’s Patio & Tap shuttered after a five-year run at 2913 N. Lincoln Avenue.

NORWOOD PARK — This week will be the last one for Ada’s Market & Deli, 6165 N. Northwest Highway. The Norwood Park Chamber says they’ll offer discounts to shoppers this week.

DOWNERS GROVE— Longtime Italian restaurant Carlucci is closing, reported the Tribune. It had a 15-year run in the suburbs and was the last restaurant ran by respected restaurateur Joe Carlucci. Sunday’s its last day.

HIGHLAND PARK— After a little under six years in the suburbs, Merlo’s has closed at 581 Roger Williams Avenue in Highland Park. It was a family-friendly Italian spot.

HIGHLAND PARK— As spotted on LTHForum, Green Panda, a Chinese restaurant at 600 Elm Place in Highland Park has closed after 2 1⁄2 years.

HIGHLAND PARK— The final trio of Highland Park restaurant shutters comes from Tomo Sushi. It had operated at 675 Central Avenue for four years.

NAPERVILLE— Kick’s Chicken Cafe is closed after 4 1⁄2 years at 2728 W. 75th Street in Naperville, according to the Naperville Sun.

NAPERVILLE— The Sun also reported that Wayback Burgers has closed at 2775 Showplace Drive. It lasted about a year and a half.

NAPERVILLE— Haagen Dazs and Popcorn Palace both closed at 30 W. Jefferson Avenue. The Sun reported they were around for eight years.

February 8

CHINATOWN— Cafe Hoang, a Vietnamese restaurant with three locations, is closing its South Side spot at 232 W. Cermak Road. The chain still has locations in Uptown and in suburban Oak Park. The Chinatown location opened in 2006 and Thursday is its final day.

LOGAN SQUARE— Half Italian Grocer has announced it will close in March at 2643 N. Milwaukee Avenue. The grocer sells baked goods, sandwiches, and more. It opened in 2012.

ROSCOE VILLAGE— The windows at Riverview Tavern, 1958 W. Roscoe Street, are papered over. The bar, which opened in 2005, appears closed. A phone message wasn’t immediately returned.

WICKER PARK— A popular spot for wedding cakes has closed in Wicker Park. Oak Mill Bakery closed about a month ago at 2204 W. North Avenue. They’ll still sell paczkis and more at its five other locations, including a Southwest side location at 5747 S. Harlem Avenue.

WESTMONT— Eater Young Gun Dave Park’s acclaimed Korean restaurant, Hanbun, has officially closed. Chef Park, and co-owner Jennifer Tran, announced their plans to close in November. Reservations for their special coursed-out dinners were booked months in advance. Hanbun made a small suburban strip mall a destination. They are looking for a new location.

January 30

LAKEVIEW— The Original Yak-Zie’s, a bar on the border of Lakeview and Lincoln Park, is closing on Wednesday after 52 years at 506 W. Diversey Parkway. The storied bar was also featured in the 1986 film About Last Night. There’s a second location in Wrigleyville. Ownership made the announcement via Facebook.

LINCOLN SQUARE— After nearly six years in business, daytime eatery, bakery and coffee spot Le Cafe is closing. Ownership teased a “next chapter” beginning March 1 on a Facebook post.

WEST LOOP— SuChi Sushi will close on January 1 at 651 W. Washington Boulevard. The Japanese restaurant, which opened in June 2016, announced the shutter via Facebook.

SCHAUMBURG— The Clubhouse, the third restaurant to occupy the space at 1031 American Lane, near Woodfield Shopping Center, has closed, according to The Daily Herald. Before Clubhouse, the space was Grillhouse by David Burke. A location in Oak Brook remains unaffected.

January 25

LINCOLN PARK— The windows at Lincoln Park Stadium Club have been papered up and the blinds shut. No one’s answering the phone, and its Facebook page has been scrubbed clean. Normally open on Wednesday afternoon, the space was silent. The sports bar, a popular place for college fans, appears closed after a five-year run at 2423 N. Clark Street.

WEST LOOP— After opening in September at 176 N. Wells Street, Cubano Latin Street Food has closed its doors, as noticed by an LTHForum member. It served Cuban sandwiches and salad bowls. A person who answered the phone at the number confirmed it was closed.

ELMHURST— After closing its last retail location in 2017 in Oak Park, Red Hen Bread is no more. Its last day was Wednesday, January 24, as “they’re no longer supplying bread,” according to a phone greeting from its headquarters in Elmhurst. Red Hen in 2014 closed its Bucktown cafe, a neighborhood stalwart for 17 years. It also had a Lincoln Park location.

SKOKIE— McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks has closed another Chicago-area location. Ownership has shuttered the restaurant at Old Orchard, 4999 Old Orchard Center in suburban Skokie. The brand, owned by Laundry’s, now has three locations in the area — Chicago, Oak Brook, and Rosemont. It closed a Gold Coast location over the summer. Loyalty club customers were notified last week via an email.

January 10

THE LOOP— Poag Mahone’s 13-year run ended right before Christmas. The Irish pub, once known for its burgers, is closed at 333 S. Wells Street.

MAG MILE— Baisl Thai, a restaurant inside the 900 North Michigan Avenue shops, has closed. They’re not answering their phones and online ordering has been shut down. They first opened in 2005. An Oak Brook location closed in 2015 in the suburbs.

PILSEN— After three years, Andorka’s Sandwich Shop has closed at 2110 S. Halsted Street. The owners made the announcement via Facebook.

Happy New Year to our Facebook friends - Andorka’s Sandwich Shop is closed as of January 1st. We are so thankful for a...

Posted by Andorka's on Friday, January 5, 2018

WEST ROGERS PARK— Mom’s Bake Shop, a Filipino restaurant that lasted more than 30 years, has closed. They served lunch, dinner, and baked goods at 2415 W. Peterson Avenue. The Tribune first reported the shutter.

January 4

BOYSTOWN— Thirteen years of business in Boystown has come to end for Horizon Cafe. The family-owned diner has shut down at 3805 N. Broadway Street. The diner was a neighborhood fixture.

LINCOLN PARK— Francophiles in Lincoln Park were dealt a blow as Aquitaine is closed after seven years at 2221 N. Lincoln Avenue. The restaurant gave residents a more refined experience, compared to the glut of cheaper restaurants in the area that catered to DePaul University students. It’s unknown how the closing of Children’s Memorial Hospital affected business. Many restaurants lost loyal customers after the hospital moved five years ago to Streeterville. Chef Holly Willoughby writes, via Facebook: “I am eternally grateful for this life experience. Stay tuned for my next adventure.”

It has been a beautiful experience to share closing my restaurant with so many great people. After seven wonderful...

Posted by Aquitaine on Monday, January 1, 2018

LINCOLN PARK— Wiki Wiki Poke Co. is closed at 2661 N. Clark Street. The independent poke shop lasted five months.

LOGAN SQUARE— After more than two years, The General is closing at 2528 N. California Avenue. The restaurant/bar made a name for itself with its pies, creative cocktails and tacos. Saturday is last call.

NAPERVILLE— January 1 was the final day for Heaven on Seven in suburban Naperville. The restaurant opened in 2006. Chef Jimmy Bannos only has one Heaven on Seven location, on Wabash, remaining.

January 3

EDGEBROOK— After five years, Ivy’s Burgers, Hot Dogs, and Fries is closed at 5419 W. Devon Avenue. Yelp users say it’s closed, and a LTHForum member posted that signs for a new restaurant, Ruk Sushi Thai, have gone up. It’s unclear if this is a new location for the Jefferson Park restaurant or a replacement. The restaurant was closed for New Year’s Day and management couldn’t be reached.

LAKEVIEW— Blackwood BBQ has closed on the corner of Belmont and Sheffield at 962 W. Belmont Avenue. Ownership put up a sign explaining their decision, as most of their business was coming from catering and delivery. Locations in River North, West Loop, and the Loop remain open.

THE LOOP— Cavanaugh’s closed just before Christmas, ending a 28-year run at the Monadack Building, 53 W. Jackson Boulevard. The tavern served pub food, cocktails, and beer.

NORTH CENTER— Mr. B’s BBQ has closed at 4160 N. Lincoln Avenue. The catering business will remain and operate out of the same address, according to a Facebook post.

OLD TOWN— Garlic and Chili closed earlier this month after plans to demolish the Marshall Hotel began at 1232 N. LaSale Drive where it resided for more than a decade on the hotel’s ground floor. However, the Thai restaurant announced it’s moving to a new space at 1512 N. LaSalle Drive inside the renovated Carling Hotel. The new Garlic and Chili should open on February 2.

RAVENSWOOD— Mythos Greek Taverna, a Greek restaurant that opened in 2008, closed in December. The BYO spot was a neighborhood gem. Signs for a new Greek restaurant, specializing in street food, have gone up in the window at 2300 W. Montrose Avenue.

STREETERVILLE— 52Eighty Rooftop Lounge, the space inside the Cambria Chicago Magnificent Mile hotel, is now closed to the general public. The hotel has converted the space exclusively for private events at 166 E. Superior Street.

For a list of 2017’s shutters, go here.

2111 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618

1746 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (312) 818-1810

2300 North Lincoln Park West, Chicago, IL 60614

4800 N. Central, Chicago, IL

3209 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 278-3200

1543 N Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL 60642 (312) 546-4141

847 North Front Street, , CA 93219 (520) 251-8908

1000 W Fulton, Chicago, IL 60607

1958 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60657 (773) 248-9523

1238 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (312) 889-2121

1912 N Western Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647 773 252 1414

2825 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618 (773) 267-5197

2033 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 235-4455

2308 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614

1127 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610 (773) 342-3200

2528 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 698-8754

478 Central Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035 (847) 748-8285

2439 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614

1141 N. Ashland Ave. , Chicago, IL

2165 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Source: https://chicago.eater.com/2018/1/2/16840814/chicago-restaurant-bar-closures-2018

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Three takeaways: Bulls clinch worst home record in franchise history

Three takeaways: Bulls clinch worst home record in franchise history originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com

On Tuesday night, the Bulls fell 96-86 to the Knicks at the United Center, clinching the worst home record in Bulls franchise history. Here are three takeaways from Chicago's home finale in the 2018-19 season.

Worst home record in franchise history

Postgame, Boylen spoke on the Bulls finishing with the worst home record in franchise history at 9-32

"I'm disappointed for the fans that we didn't play better at home.....We have to honor our homecourt better."

The Bulls have dealt with a litany of injuries and other inconsistencies that have made it tough for them to get into a rhythm, but even so, there inability to bring it on their home floor was a major concern on the year, seeing as the franchise seems to have legitimate playoff hopes for next season.

Chicago's 9-32 home record is also the worst in the league this season, with only the New York Knicks-- (9-31) at home heading into their season finale at Madison Square Garden--and Cleveland Cavaliers in the same stratosphere in terms of home futility.

Boylen continued "We talked about it yesterday.....We talked about winning home games. You want to win your home games and be .500 on the road, that's kind of the formula in the NBA for a successful season."

 If the Bulls really want to make a return to the postseason next year, everyone in the organization knows that winning at the UC is key.

"...If we won 25 home games...that's 16 more wins, we'd be at 38-42 which is what I think Miami is [at] right now trying to get in [to the playoffs].

So those are just words. We've got to put the effort, the toughness, the work, the grit into that next year and all I can tell you is we're gonna work at that and we're gonna try to get the right guys who can execute that kind of stuff."

RoLo's return?

Before the tip off of tonight's game against the Knicks, Robin Lopez gave a speech thanking the fans for sticking with the Bulls through what has been an incredibly turbulent season.

And in the speech, Lopez (again) mentioned how he would love to be back in Chicago next year.

His list of priorities aren't shocking considering that with a decade of NBA experience, there are no telling how many more seasons Lopez intends to play.

The center market is unlikely to be extremely competitive due to the nature of today's game, so it will be interesting to see what he commands in free agency. Lopez would be welcome back with open arms--at the right price--in Chicago, as a mentor for young Wendell Carter Jr. and as a solid backup center.

The fact that Lopez has averaged 14.6 points per game post-All Star break certainly helps his case.

Third-string center Cristiano Felicio's contract has two years left with just over $15 million on the books, so the Bulls front office may not look to bring Lopez back regardless. But even with playoff aspirations, the Bulls won't be looking to be major spenders in free agency, so retaining Lopez while adding some depth around the margins is still very, very possible.

Playing for the name across your chest, while valuing possessions

Jim Boylen seemed to be in a hopeful mood postgame, stating "I'm excited as hell about our future."

And Boylen has reason to be excited, with franchise cornerstones Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine taking huge steps forward in the 2018-19 season. But also, Boylen should be excited because he has a full offseason to get the team acclimated to his coaching style, which we have seen happen over the second half of the season. That was on display on Tuesday night.

Chicago played classic "Boylen-ball". They played at a slow tempo, attempting only 83 field goals on the night--the 30th ranked team in the league attempts over 84 shots per game--and only committing 7 turnovers, about 7 less than their season average.

Though the results were not entirely different, the team seemed to adjust to Boylen's coaching style reasonably well down the stretch, LaVine specifically, having great things to say about Boylen's attitude and his coaching ability.

Story continues

Boylen was awesome this season for his endless amount of great quotes, but it is easy to forget that there was a stretch with Boylen as head coach where the Bulls had one of the best offenses in the NBA.

Of course, with Boylen's reputation as a defensive coach, fans will (reasonably) look for an improved effort on that end of the floor in Year 2 of the Boylen experience, regardless of what pace the team plays at.

With a lottery pick and possible guard depth on the way, hopefully Bulls Nation can get "excited as hell" too.

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Bulls easily on your device.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/three-takeaways-bulls-clinch-worst-033649719.html?src=rss

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The rise of the viral drag queens

Derry Queen takes the stage in a laced leather corset and a black skirt. He begins performing a traditional lip sync to Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi." And then things turn sour. An edited sound bite of Anderson Cooper declares that "Derry is a top," a term in gay culture that, well, you can look it up, and Derry runs from the stage in shame. "I'm not a top!" he protests as Britney Spears's "Piece of Me" plays him off and performers posing as paparazzi snap photos of him. The piece plays well to a sold-out audience packed shoulder to shoulder. Two men circle Derry and lift him over their heads as fake blood runs from his mouth. He's met with a standing ovation.

The theatrics of Derry's variety show transcend traditional expectations of drag. His show includes acts ranging between stand-up and sketch, all of which take him at least a month to churn out. Many of the acts rely on gags and pranks pulled on the audience to engage interest. Sound bites are perfectly edited to sync with videos, dubbed over and remixed to present surreal, larger-than-life conceptual pieces that usually stun the crowd. This is a rising form of art that incorporates Internet lingo, social commentary, and pop culture references into one drag number.

In Chicago, where both the gay and comedy communities thrive, it's no wonder there's been an artistic shift in the city's drag comedy scene. Decked out in inflatable outfits (some representing Internet memes) and extreme stylized makeup, drag queens are going to incredible lengths to make each performance a fully realized stage number, embellished with a story line, backup dancers, and acrobatics. Acts have progressed from stand-up and lip-synching to routines that rely heavily on visuals and, most importantly, viral videos and sound clips. The use of Internet culture, which also includes well-known Vines and news- related segments, makes the acts relevant to a younger audience. This is an experience, not just a performance.

"People are drawn to things they recognize right away," says Derry Queen, whose "Derry Queen's Big Queer Variety Show" runs monthly at the Hideout. "Using a sound clip you recognize or mirroring motions from a video is what gets people's attention. That's what's getting popularized right now in the Chicago drag scene."

Chicago's pageant-drag roots have grown outward to intertwine with comedy and Internet culture. Costumes are still campy, but it's no longer a beauty contest as much as a "who can do it all" contest. Queens must stay relevant, look amazing, have an individual stage persona, and sing and dance. They take on difficult tasks, such as LO-TI-ON's re-creation of the Boston Dynamic robot dog (by moving back and forth with another performer inside a cardboard cylinder spray-painted silver). Leaning on well-known pop culture references eases some of the pressure of trying to connect with an audience. The performance may flop, but at least everyone will enjoy it.

"When you see a drag mix, which is a wide variety of performance in one number, is usually when you see online viral sensations," says Derry.

With an endless amount of resources, incorporating viral content can be a curse as much as it is a blessing. As with SNL, comedy queens must stay on top of the game to remain relevant.

"What's hard for comedians today is that there's so much new material coming out," says Auntie Heroine, a queen who runs the monthly all-ages drag show "Auntie's Treasures." "People still talk to me about their favorite number of mine when I did Melania Trump, which was right after the inauguration. Then RuPaul released Aquaria doing a Melania bit two years later because they had filmed it when it was superrelevant, [but] nobody cared to see it. In general, our culture, since everything is there and it's available, we have such a low attention span." As someone who hosts a monthly drag show and travels the country to perform, Auntie knows that remaining relevant is key to maintaining interest.

Drag, like most things in our culture now, is moving toward relying on summarizing ideas through video. Not only must a performer capture an audience's attention onstage, they must do it online as well. Recently, the multimedia production company Rowdy House teamed with Chicago drag celebrity Aunty Chan to create "The Real Dragwives of Chicago," a sketch featuring staged drama between five local comedy queens: Aunty Chan, Maureen SanDiego, Bambi Banks-Couleé, T Rex, and Saltine. In its first day online, the video attracted nearly 3,500 views.

"With the Internet now you see drag queens being a part of a viral sensation, at least in the queer community," says Derry. "It might not necessarily reach everyone, but the comedy that people are doing now is reaching more people because it's on the Internet."

The new audience for drag is 16 to 30-year- olds who have grown up with the Internet and RuPaul's Drag Race. And some people who first came out to see drag queens perform found a community they could be themselves in. Though the LGBTQ community has become more accepted by mainstream society in recent years, the Internet is still a home and a safe space where people can connect and talk to others who also feel ostracized during tumultuous times. For some young people, it remains the only outlet they can find.

"I run an all-ages show, but it's difficult getting people out there," says Auntie Heroine. "The teen queen community does a lot of video content. They have their own drag races, and they're almost exclusively online because there's nowhere to do it."

This becomes what people recognize and know. It's how the LGBTQ community invites people into conversation, by meeting pain with laughter. The energy is infectious and it's what transforms online followings to people coming out to see a live show. It's what packs Derry Queen's show at the Hideout, where people sit knee to knee in folding chairs watching a drag number in which Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob SquarePants seduces a dollar bill to "I Can Hear the Bells" from Hairspray. The familiar nostalgic attribute of this very queer performance leads people through the door between the world of mainstream media, where they feel like outsiders, to one of mashed-up pop culture, where they realize they belonged the whole time. It's a home people might not realize they needed until they see what's on the screen, moments of their childhood that make them feel safe.   v

Source: https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/drag-queens-comedy-internet/Content?oid=71089514

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A Gold Coast 2-bedroom, 2-bath model at beautifully-updated Astor House

http://www.1340Astor.com http://www.GroupFox.com

Astor House, 1340 N Astor St, is a full-amenity high-rise apartment tower in one of the most iconic locations in the Gold Coast. The building is nearing completion of a substantial make-over.

Astor House has a rooftop pool and sundeck with sweeping views, and a nicely-equipped rooftop fitness center with panoramic lake and city views. The building has on-site management, maintenance and leasing staff, 24/7 door staff, and an on-site parking garage.

The one- and 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartments at Astor House have spacious, livable layouts with upscale kitchens and baths, and above-average closet space.

Join us in this sponsored video for a narrated walk through one of the stylishly-updated apartments.

Group Fox owns and manages dozens of beautifully-renovated apartment buildings in prime, near-lakefront locations.

Source: http://yochicago.com/a-gold-coast-2-bedroom-2-bath-model-at-beautifully-updated-astor-house/60909/

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OMG Get a Hobby: Cardinals *Still* Moaning About Their Boring City

I was absolutely having fun with it. Kris Bryant joked that the city of the Cubs’ main rival is boring and no one would want to play there. Yadi Molina fired back – extremely aggressively, and persistently – and even said the feud would carry into the season. As long as no one gets plunked, it’s all harmless jawing and fun.

But if the Cubs aren’t actually responding, and if you aren’t adding anything actually new to the sparring, then PLEASE STOP:

I’m generally down with anything that pumps up a rivalry, and I know you’re answering the questions posed to you, but what even are you doing at this point? Are you really so desperate to get hyped to face YOUR RIVAL that you need to keep harping on the same dang thing over and over for a week?

Let it go. Or at least take up knitting or something to distract yourself and pass the time.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/01/24/omg-get-a-hobby-cardinals-still-moaning-about-their-boring-city/

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Bulls extend contract of Jim Boylen

The Chicago Bulls have extended the contract of Head Coach Jim Boylen. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

“Jim has a strong vision on where he wants to take this team, and he has done a great job establishing the culture that we want this organization to stand for as we continue to progress. He has tremendous passion for developing young talent, is a strong communicator and a good fit for this team. The organization is confident in the direction that he is taking our players, and we are committed to him,” said Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson.

Boylen was named head coach of the Bulls on Dec. 3, 2018, and will enter his second season as head coach after serving three seasons as the associate head coach. With more than 30 years of coaching experience, including 20 seasons in the NBA, Boylen has been a part of three NBA Championship teams. He entered the NBA in 1992-93 with the Houston Rockets, where he broke in as the team’s video coordinator/scout. Following four seasons in that role, he was promoted to assistant coach on Rudy Tomjanovich’s staff. He has also served as an assistant coach with Golden State (2003-04), Milwaukee (2004-05), Indiana (2011-13) and San Antonio (2013-14). Additionally, he has coached collegiately at Michigan State, where he served on the staffs for both Jud Heathcote and Tom Izzo. On the collegiate level, he was head coach at the University of Utah, where he led the Utes to the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/bulls-extend-contract-jim-boylen

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11 outdoor pools for summer in Chicago

The entrance to the Garfield Park Fieldhouse and pool.

| Photo by Shutterstock

While the lakefront and beaches are nice, there are other places to swim in warm weather. The Park District opens 49 outdoor pools in the summer, and runs 28 indoor pools all year long.

If you’d rather avoid the sand, and bustling beach scene, then try out your local pool. Make sure to check the schedule, there are some hours reserved for family swim or classes.

Indoor pools are housed in some of the city’s historic field houses and have lap lanes, changing rooms, and diving boards. However, we’d suggest finding an outdoor pool so you get to soak up every bit of a Chicago summer. Many of them are in some of Chicago’s best parks and some have lounge chairs, water playgrounds, giant slides.

And after the pool, there are plenty of things to do like exploring the Chicago Riverwalk, heading to a farmers market, or discovering a new secret park. For the best of the Chicago, check out our seasonal city guide.

Note: Points are arranged from north to south.

Read More

Source: https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-park-pools-outdoor-indoor-near-me

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Streeterville’s newest apartments at 465 North Park boast fabulous views

Residents at 465 North Park, a stunning new 47-story apartment tower in Streeterville, enjoy fabulous views in every direction.

Curved window walls expand the sweep of the dramatic views.

Kitchens and baths have high-end finishes. All of the apartments have in-unit washer / dryers.

Studio apartments start at $1,930 a month, convertibles at $2,280, 1-bedrooms at $2,490, 2-bedroom, 2-baths at $4,200, and 3-bedroom, 3-baths at $7,095. Two-story, 2-bedroom, 2-bath townhomes rent from $6,630. A 3-bedroom, 3-bath townhome is available for $9,480. Penthouse-level 3-bedroom, 3-baths start at $8,680.

Floor plans and near real-time rent and availability info are online.

465 North Park has a full floor of amenities, including a well-equipped fitness center, resident lounges, and a sprawling, landscaped outdoor deck with a pool and grilling areas. There’s an additional lounge and “sky deck” on the 38th floor.

465 North Park is pet-friendly and has on-site management, maintenance and leasing staff, and 24/7 door staff.

Source: http://yochicago.com/streetervilles-newest-apartments-at-465-north-park-boast-fabulous-views/60436/

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Cole Roederer Hits for the South Bend Cubs’ First Ever Cycle! Also: Is Breaking Out

Cole Roederer had one of those season re-defining games in the South Bend Cubs 1o-4 win in Fort Wayne yesterday, collecting five hits, including two doubles, a triple and a home run. Yes, a cycle for the 19-year-old former second-round pick, the first in the history of the South Bend Cubs (and first for South Bend overall in six years).

How about the drama? He came to the plate in the 9th inning, a triple short of the cycle, and that’s when it happened:

Frankly, that was one of the best offensive games ANY Cubs prospect has had in years. In one game, Roederer saw his average tick up 20 points, his OBP up 17, his slugging up 55 points!

Don’t look now, but Roederer’s wRC+ now sits at 106. For a teenager in that league, his progress now seems tremendous. Let’s talk about all five of his hits as an entryway into talking about his season on the whole.

First Inning — Double

Roederer attacks a first-pitch low-inside 90 mph fastball with a high fly ball double to the right-center field warning track.

The story of this hit, for me, was that Cole’s power is still developing. One day, this ball will be a home run for him. I still see a lot of projection in Roederer’s body composition, with more muscle coming that will unlock more power. Don’t be left thinking that because he has just three home runs in 49 games that his power profile is low. No, there’s still the hope of 20+ home run power, but the Cubs A-ball affiliates are simply not the places to traditionally see that blossom. Roederer has a 5.7 HR/FB% this year, a number that will go up by multiples as he ages.

Again: he’s a high school draft pick in a full season league in his first full professional year.

Third Inning — Single

On a 2-1 pitch, Roederer is thrown a low-inside fastball in a similar location to his first hit, he hits a line drive single down the right field line.

This was the best at-bat for Roederer on the night, working the count in his direction and waiting on his pitch. Roederer has a 8.7 BB% this year, and his walks have oddly come in bunches. He had a 10-game stretch in late April where he walked nine times, but now has gone eight games without a walk. When you watch him, you see a guy that sees the ball really well, picking up spin and waiting for his pitch. I think he’s going to walk more as he ages and perhaps narrows his focus on pitches he likes. He’s susceptible to the high fastball, but he hammers low stuff.

Another thing I saw on this hit: Roederer’s speed hasn’t played at this level quite like I thought it might. He has just six steals in eight attempts on the season, and a single like this would have been a double for the real plus speed guys out there. I think if we’re being realistic about Roederer’s speed from a scouting report perspective, he’d get more of an above-average grade than a plus one for me.

Fifth Inning — Double

The pitcher fails to bury a 1-1 breaking ball, hanging it in the middle of the plate. Roederer capitalizes, lining the ball into the RF corner.

This one fit right into Roederer’s season-long batted ball profile. Cole is a pretty extreme pull hitter at his young age, hitting the ball to right 51.1% of the time on the season. Teams do shift some against him now, but that will only increase as he moves up the ladder. You wonder if his .326 BABIP is a number he’ll be able to replicate as the shifting increases. However, his line drive percentage, aided by this double, is a really healthy 20.9%. Roederer’s average exit velocity has to be well above average for a Cubs prospect, and that’s going to help him keep his BABIP high. It will be a key number for him going forward.

Seventh Inning — Home Run

Against a hard-throwing reliever, Roederer sees a 94 mph two-seam that running to the middle of the plate, and deposits it 407 feet (at a 101 mph exit velocity) into the right-center field stands.

My first thought as I saw this ball carry deep into the Fort Wayne night: thank god it’s summer. In talking to people in Arizona this spring, there was an anticipation that the biggest challenge facing Roederer in an assignment to South Bend was going to be the weather. This is a Southern California kid through and through, and near-freezing temperatures were something he didn’t have experience with. I have been anticipating an uptick from Roederer when the temps increased, I just didn’t see it happening so significantly!

A note here: Roederer now has 21 extra-base hits on the season, and all of them are against right-handed pitching. A substantial development focus for years to come is going to be work against southpaws. That’s normal and was the case for even a guy like Anthony Rizzo once upon a time, too.

Ninth Inning — Triple

In an 0-2 count, the pitcher misses his location on a high 93 mph fastball, leaving it more belt-high, Roederer hits the base of the left field wall, ball scoots away from left fielder.

I loved that Roederer got to the cycle on an opposite field hit, which is actually his sixth extra-base hit to left field this season. The placement on his Baseball Savant spray chart (one of the black circles in the top left) wasn’t quite right, as his was a little more to left field, and it did hit the wall, so it was a little deeper than is shown. He is going to have power to all fields one day.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/06/26/cole-roederer-hits-for-the-south-bend-cubs-first-ever-cycle-also-is-breaking-out/

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#678 Astral Weeks 50th Anniversary & Guest Desert Island Jukebox

classic album dissection

Van Morrison's 1968 album Astral Weeks didn't produce huge hits, but as Jim and Greg explain, this record is unique from any other in Van Morrison's collection, and in fact, in rock history. Astral Weeks melds rock, blues, folk and jazz in such a way that makes it hard to define. For the recording sessions, Morrison was backed by a jazz trio made up of guitarist Jay Berliner, drummer Connie Kay and bassist Richard Davis. And while the music sets the mood, Jim and Greg both marvel at the emotions conveyed by the song writing on Astral Weeks. You hear Van Morrison struggle with the search for home and the impermanence of life. It's as much a poem as it is an album, making it a classic in the Sound Opinions' book. So, as the album turns 50, Jim and Greg conduct a Sound Opinions Classic Album Dissection.

Source: https://www.soundopinions.org/show/678

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Mortenson’s Greg Werner receives City of Hope’s highest honor

Greg Werner, senior vice president for national builder and developer Mortenson, has received the 2018 Spirit of Life Award for his service to City of Hope, a world-renowned research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other serious diseases.

Werner, an active member of the City of Hope Chicago Construction and Real Estate Council for more than a decade, was honored at the recent annual Chicago City of Hope gala. Werner also led the Chicago council’s 2018 City of Hope fundraising campaign, along with co-chairs Dan Johnson, Mortenson president and CEO, and Andy Stapleton, general manager of Mortenson’s Chicago office.

The annual award, the City of Hope’s highest honor, recognizes philanthropic leaders who make important contributions to their profession and to the communities in which they live and work.

The Spirit of Life dinner raised $452,000, including an all-time record for the Fund-A-Need auction. The group has raised more than $12 million for City of Hope since its founding in 1992.

“I have had the pleasure of working closely with Greg for over two decades. His unwavering commitment to serve our customers and our communities with passion and energy have been hallmarks of his success as a business leader,” said David Mortenson, chairman of Mortenson.

Werner joined Mortenson’s Milwaukee office as a project engineer in 1990. He spent five years in San Francisco as construction executive before moving to Chicago to open a new office for Mortenson in 2000. He was promoted to senior vice president in 2016 and now oversees the company’s Chicago and Milwaukee offices. Werner holds a Bachelor of Science in construction management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to serving on the Chicago Construction and Real Estate Council for City of Hope, he is a board director of the Harper College Educational Foundation and Barrington Children’s Charities.

“I am honored and humbled to receive the Spirit of Life award. I’ve spent time at City of Hope’s medical and research campus, and I’ve seen first-hand how vital and life-changing the work is,” Werner said. “I am proud to be able to support their mission through the Chicago construction council.”

Source: https://chicagoconstructionnews.com/mortensons-greg-werner-receives-city-of-hopes-highest-honour/

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Best Cyber Monday 2018 Designer Deals

Cyber Monday is officially here! Instead of overwhelming you with a comprehensive list of sales and discount codes, I wanted to share a few curated Cyber Monday 2018 designer deals. These include the best accessory, handbag and apparel picks from some of my all-time fave brandsincluding items from Delpozo, Chloé, Self-Portrait, Valentino, Emilia Wickstead, Prada, Cult Gaia and more. For a full list of sales for today, feel free to visit my Black Friday guide, which includes a comprehensive list of everything you need.

one  //  two  //  three  //  four  //  five

six  //  seven  //  eight  //  nine  //  ten

While perusing Cyber Monday sales, I found several of my previous looks on sale! Click on any of the images below to shop the original posts.

Here are my favorite places to shop for the best Cyber Monday 2018 designer deals:

Nordstrom

Neiman Marcus

Nordstrom Rack

NET-A-PORTER

Bergdorf Goodman

FarFetch

Hampden Clothing

MATCHESFASHION.COM

ModaOperandi

MyTheresa

Luxury Garage Sale

Saks Fifth Avenue

Bloomingdales

Barney’s New York

SSENSE

Saks Off Fifth

Neiman Marcus Las Call

The Modist

THE OUTNET

The Real Real

Kirna Zabete

one  //  two  //  three  //  four  //  five

six  //  seven  //  eight  //  nine  //  ten

Follow Style Charade on Bloglovin’!

Source: https://www.stylecharade.com/best-cyber-monday-2018-designer-deals/

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When is the best month to rent in Chicago?

Conventional wisdom suggests that it’s cheaper to rent in the winter compared to the summer. But does this hold true in Chicago, a city known for its dramatic shifts in seasonal weather? According to a recent report from Renthop examining monthly rental prices in the nation’s ten most populous cities, the answer is a strong yes.

Based on the data, rents in Chicago tend to peak around September and October. Prices dip to their lowest levels in March and April, which is later in the year compared to the other cities in the report—possibly attributed to Chicago’s “dreaded winter,” says Renthop.

Of the ten cities in the report, Chicago had the highest seasonality when it came to two-bedroom apartments, equating to a 7.1 percent swing. For Chicago’s one-bedroom units, the study found the seasonal differential to be 4.3 percent—second highest behind only New York’s 4.7 percent shift.

In Chicago, the seasonal swing for a two-bedroom apartment is considerably more pronounced than that of a one-bedroom unit, according to the report.

Renthop

Beyond renters wanting to avoid the hassle of dragging their belongings through a foot of wintery slush, what other factors influence price seasonality?

Generally speaking, students and graduates entering the job market tend to relocate in the summer. The same holds true for families wanting to avoid the disruption of moving during the academic school year. These renters often tend to stick to the same annual lease renewal schedule.

Based on 2018 median rental prices, the study concluded that the peak differentials for Chicago one- and two-bedroom apartments equate to $80 and $176 per month, respectively. So is it worth it to try to time your move and capitalize on the winter lull? It depends.

While demand for apartments dips during the colder months, often so does the supply. You might pay slightly less, but you may have fewer options from which to choose, Curbed’s Jeff Andrews explains. The lower rents offered during a down period can be a consideration, but probably not be the deciding factor behind your move.

“We always tell people you shouldn’t try to time the market,” says Aaron Terrazas, Zillow’s director of economic research. “You should move or buy a home because big life changes are happening—you need an extra bedroom because you’re having a kid, [or] you’re retiring and moving to a different climate. Those are the reasons to move, not because of a couple dollars difference in timing the market.”

Source: https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/3/22/18277352/best-month-to-rent-chicago

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Holiday gift book sale! 40% off–one week only!

You know that what folks on your holiday gift giving list want is books, right?

Fortunately, that’s what we’ve got: book after book after book, including art, biography, science, literature, poetry, and much more, all 40% off this week only–December 3 through 9–if you order directly from our site.

Get The Writer’s Map, which the Weekly Standard called the book of the year. Or Philip Ball’s Beyond Weird, which the Washington Post said was the easily best book for general readers on quantum physics they’d ever seen. Or the David Ferry’s brilliant new translation of The Aeneid; pair it with a different sort of epic, the Bodleian Library’s stunning catalog Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth. Or Alligator Records founder Bruce Iglauer’s rollicking memoir of his life in the music business. There’s something here for everyone on your list, and it’s all 40% off this week. Time to get shopping!

Source: http://pressblog.uchicago.edu/2018/12/03/holiday-gift-book-sale-40-off-one-week-only.html

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The new Suspiria manages to be about women's power without being feminist

From the beginning, the Suspiria remake is intent on giving us its own vision of Dario Argento's beloved 1977 horror classic. Both films revolve around a young woman named Susie—played by Jessica Harper in the original and Dakota Johnson in the remake—who has come to Berlin to study at a dance academy, but most of the similarities end there. Where Argento tended to avoid the politics of the time and focused on creating a lavish feast for the senses, Luca Guadagnino immerses us in a grittier Berlin of darker muted color tones. The city is grappling with the revolutionary spirit of its young people; hijackings and bombings are semi-regular occurrences. Both films show Susie coming to the realization that the school is run by a coven of witches with supernatural abilities. But it's the recent version that most fails to deliver the feminine, feminist vision it so clearly thinks it does. As The Love Witch director Anna Biller wrote in her essay about feminism in movies: "To be feminist, a movie has to have the express purpose of educating its audience about social inequality between men and women (and, I would argue, not take pleasure in the voyeuristic degradation or destruction of women)." Suspiria doesn't much bother with the first, and absolutely takes pleasure in the second.

Movies about witches often act as litmus tests of how comfortable we are with female power and how women choose to wield it. Argento's leaned into fear, choosing to position the older women without male companions as the ultimate threat to the young, innocent heroine who shows a shy interest in another young man at the school. Guadagnino's film could have been an indication of how far we've come in considering such matters over the last four decades. Instead, it takes what's obviously meant as a subversion and likewise leans into the very themes it seeks to transcend. Many filmmakers still haven't seemed to learn that it takes far more than a cast which consists primarily of women to make a story feminine, and that a woman becoming more sexual doesn't necessarily make her a threat.

Like most other stories about women told by men, the 2018 Suspiria is obsessed with purity, even if the innocence depicted is of a much different kind. In the original, Harper's Susie was a graceful, elegant nymph who had viewers asking why she was lugging around all that luggage in heels. But such elegance is now widely associated with seduction, rather than naivete. By contrast, Johnson's Susie arrives wearing sensible footwear, dressed in dowdy clothing that indicates her conservative religious upbringing as a Mennonite in Ohio. Right away, one of the teachers tells her she shouldn't be at the school. That's only before Susie auditions, and then we realize this movie will truly be as breathtaking as the first. Whereas Argento awed us with through set design, Guadagnino uses exquisite choreography. Johnson's body becomes less of an instrument than a revolution in itself, breaking free from repression to find freedom.

But Susie and the other women under the guidance of the school's instructors come to learn such freedom comes at a cost, especially when they get too close to the dark truth the teachers are hiding. Susie soon becomes aware of that darkness, and as she grows more confident, she also becomes more sexual. Her clothing becomes less midwestern and more European, more stylish and often showing more skin. There are no love interests, seeing as how that would sully the movie's aforementioned notions of purity, and its misguided idea of empowerment. What Susie does find is a kind of mother figure in Tilda Swinton's Madame Blanc, and her interactions with her are loaded with both queer and maternal signifiers.

Mothers are of special importance in this version of Suspiria, which is also a meta-tribute to Argento's Three Mothers trilogy, with its far darker take on female love. Here mothers are also twisted women who likewise use the power they wield over their children in horrific ways. Susie's mother physically, emotionally, and mentally abused her daughter and believed her very existence constituted a sin for reasons that are never specified. The instructors are likewise cruel to the young women under their charge when they step out of the places designated for them, or anyone else who they see as a potential threat. One student's angry outburst inspires brutal torture, her body twisted and bent in one deserted dance studio as a response to Susie's awe-inspiring dance (with some magical aid thanks to Madame Blanc) in another. It's one of the movie's most difficult scenes to watch, made even more unpleasant as we realize Susie's growing abilities come at another young woman's expense. Afterwards, Susie breathlessly says, "It felt like what it must feel like to fuck."

Then there's Patricia (Chloë Grace Moretz), another student whose initiation into the truth of the school has left her a raving mess. Women who run to male authorities ranting about conspiracies tend to be dismissed, but Dr. Josef Klemperer (also played by Swinton), the psychiatrist Patricia is assigned to, is willing to follow up. Of course he doesn't believe in her tales of witches and magic, but he is open to the idea that her stories are a coping mechanism for her suffering. It is he who encourages others, both students and police, to investigate whether there really are terrible things happening at the school, which is rather remarkable in itself. In Rosemary's Baby, another movie about a young woman coping with evil forces around her, the title character lays out her case simply, in a mostly calm and collected manner. Patricia does not. She tells her doctor, "I let her in. I thought I wanted it." And what do the women at the school want? According to Patricia, they'll "hollow her out and eat my cunt on a plate."

Klemperer is invested in trying to help the many women who come to him because he, like the rest of the older generation, suffers from a kind of survivor's guilt from the trauma they suffered during World War II. In his case, he is haunted by the wife he lost and wonders if he somehow contributed to her death. As for the academy's instructors, they created the dance Volk, with its performance serving as the movie's darkly beating heart. Its themes of power and rebirth coincide not only with the politics of the time, but the struggle for dominance in the school itself, which sees its rulers divided over which future they should embrace.

Klemperer plays a pivotal role in the film's bloody climax, which is basically an elderly Catholic man's fever dream of of female power gone awry, and the wide gulf between the movie's intentions and the messages it actually sends is especially stark. Susie comes to power as a maternal force in her own right, and it is disturbing, though not because of the graphic, violent manner in which she does it, although it certainly plays a part. Her mother's belief in her evil nature is essentially proven correct. Susie may smash the old matriarchy, but not the patriarchy. After she does, she continues to force the young women, who are unwilling pawns, to keep dancing, describing their performance as beautiful. Beautiful it may be, but the fact remains that they are still being manipulated. Afterwards, they retain no memory of it, indicating that their manipulation will most likely continue.

Klemperer is somehow needed as a witness to all this, and the women who forcibly drag him into it are also supposedly holding him accountable for dismissing the young women who come to him as delusional, which is especially rich considering they're also the ones doling out the punishment to many of them. But Klemperer also not only gets both compassion and closure, but an apology. Susie tells him how his wife died, and that in her last moments she thought only of him. His memory is then wiped, and he is allowed to go on with a clean slate. The fact that he is played by Tilda Swinton, an actress whose persona embraces androgyny, is supposed to be a subversion of the fact that the male gaze is so often still seen as a requirement even in stories about women. However, the gender fluidity of Swinton's fantastic performance is less about allowing masculine and feminine perspectives to coexist and empathize with each other than ensuring that the male filmmakers have a kind of surrogate. Klemperer is not held accountable, he is reassured that what was done to him was a cruel and unjust mistake. He then gets a fresh start, free from the traumas in his life. In short, he is one of the "good ones." Susie doesn't similarly heal the school's female victims, who have become twisted, deformed shells of themselves. They are fallen, tainted women, and the most they can hope for is to find peace through death, which Susie gently bestows like a goddess granting the kindest of favors.

In terms of how it treats female power, 2018's Suspiria has more in common with 1971's The Beguiled, whose director Don Siegel said was about "the basic desire of women to castrate men." In this vision, when women are united, it is always to achieve an evil outcome. Similarly, the "bad" women psychologically and sexually demean the men they encounter, whether it's Klemperer or the police looking for answers. When Sofia Coppola remade The Beguiled in 2017 (with a refreshingly different take), she stated, "This story had to be directed by a woman. The essence of it is feminine, it's seen from a female point of view."

The essence of Suspiria is feminine as well, and it likewise cries out for a female director. The material is rich with themes not only begging to be explored further, but through feminine eyes-especially in a film that revolves around the complicated dynamics between mothers and daughters. When Susie's mother (who is not even named in the IMDB credits) states outright that she believes Susie's very existence to be a sin, it's a truly tragic situation, with rich material to be mined. Suspiria could have ventured behind closed doors to explore the kind of trauma that stretches back generations, with vicious cycles of assault, forced childbirth, and the self-hatred so many women pass on to their children. But the movie would rather show a woman so cartoonishly repressed she would burn her child with an iron for pleasuring herself, and even Guadagnino's considerable artistic prowess can't compensate for such a lack of not only insight, but compassion. Men are not incapable of understanding a female-centric perspective. Take Practical Magic, another movie about witches with a mostly female cast which is directed by a man, and is as feminine as it is feminist. Other men have created great heroines such as Buffy Summers, Ellen Ripley, Veronica Mars, Imperator Furiosa, Dana Scully, Princess Leia, Daenerys Targaryen, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. But Guadagnino is so intent on fulfilling his vision he doesn't seem to have room for any perspective besides his own, leaving the women in his narrative underserved in spite of his incredibly skilled efforts.

Source: https://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2018/10/30/the-new-suspiria-manages-to-be-about-womens-power-without-being-feminist