The following blog entry was contributed by: Sam Marts and Dina Petrakis
- he's Bucktown, she's Wicker Park - who compare their two ‘hoods.

Traditional Wicker Park is primarily renovations- Contemporary Bucktown is dominated by new construction. Both styles (and ‘hoods) make for fabulous homes, but use different vocabularies and standards.  Which is YOUR fave- Bucktown or Wicker Park?

This Wicker Park Beauty (below, left) was in tragic disrepair before its complete restoration. All details of the exterior- not just the prominent elements- were renewed with the attention of Chicago's Landmarks Commission, to the Standards of the Secretary of the Interior. The landscaping of the historic side yard is new and conjectural but completely in keeping with the grandeur of the home.

This Bucktown adaptive re-use single family (above, right) was a windowless factory backing up to the railroad now on track to become the lauded Bloomingdale Trail. Interior volume reallocated, windows punched telegraphing changed use of space, and new facade materials all lend to this distinctive home. Both corners were hollowed out to become exterior space- the south is enclosed but open to the sky- the north is the entry portal. Note the contemporary landscaping.

So, Bucktown or Wicker Park- which is YOUR style?

As we begin 2012, we still find ourselves currently in a Buyer’s Market when it comes to the real estate industry. As with so many things in life, a Buyer’s Market can be looked upon in two main ways--- glass half empty, or half full. 

A Buyer’s Market can be seen as a great time to buy a house, especially for new and first-time homebuyers. Prices are lower, and mortgage rates are falling as well. There are countless homes on the market, and sellers are ready for a turn-over.  
On the other hand, in a Buyer’s Market it is often uncertain whether prices may go down even lower in a few months, so many people choose to “wait it out.”

It is my opinion that a positive outlook on the market is the best for everyone. With that in mind, if you do plan on buying a home in today’s Buyer’s Market, follow these tips to help guide you along the way.
 

When It’s Right, It’s Right

If you have found your “dream house,” buy it. When you are serious about buying a house (or condo, or what have you), this is the ultimate goal. With that mentality, if you believe you have found the perfect property for you and your needs, do not hesitate to make an offer. You have to make the decision whether you want to be a passive home “browser” or an active homebuyer. 
You will find that you are more likely to succeed by being an active homebuyer, rather than possibly waiting in vain for prices to drop or change to the liking of your pocketbook. 

Negotiate

You must remember there is always room for negotiation, and there is ample room now more than ever! Don’t simply negotiate with the seller. Nowadays many buyers agents are also willing to negotiate a portion of their commission to the buyer upon closing. The important thing is to know your own limits and sway others to help you maintain those limits. 

Get Online

Everything is on the internet. Your home is no exception to this. If you are selling your property, market your home online through websites such as Zillow or Craigslist. You can even promote your property on social networking sites. If you are looking to buy a home, or any property, these online sites can be amazing resources for your home buying search. 

Gimmicks Don’t Sell Property

You are buying a home, not trying to win a goldfish at a carnival. In some cases, when markets are less prosperous, agents and selling parties may resort to certain gimmicks in attempt to “sweeten the deal.” Gimmicks can also take the shape of “magic loans.” Avoid ay-option ARMs and interest-only loans. 
 
Like anything else, it is important to stick to your guns and trust your instincts.

This blog entry was contributed by: Julie Horowitz Jackson, happily calling Bucktown her home now for fifteen years. Her store, Virtu, celebrated 11 years in business last month. Her husband owns Color Wheel Studio, another Bucktown business, and their son attends Pulaski International Academy, one of Bucktown’s four neighborhood CPS schools. Go goat or go home!

Bucktown & Wicker Park have long been communities of social responsibility.

From local garden clubs to farmer’s markets, green shops and school programs, you don’t have to look very far to see sustainable practices in place in your own neighborhood.

Three local boutiques embrace this concept to the core.

Most recently on the street, children’s boutique The Red Balloon Co. has moved their Bucktown location to bigger digs just down the block to 1940 N Damen Avenue.  When conceptualizing the store, owner Jennifer Pope devised a series of displays using upcycled items. Take, for example, the walls themselves. Rather than go with a traditional material like slatwall construction, Ms. Pope sourced reclaimed flooring to build her wall displays racks.

This blog entry was contributed by: Clover Morell, Administrative Assistant with the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at info@wickerparkbucktown.com.

For those of you who have had the recent privilege of seeing this new public art piece by Ryan Duggan at the California Blue Line stop, you can thank Johalla Projects.

Founder Anna Cerniglia says, “When art is in the public eye it meets a whole other audience. This audience might never walk into a gallery or have access to be exposed to it. I believe it can affect someone’s day in a more positive way than there being nothing there at all.”

And indeed it does.

Have you seen the mural by artist Andrea Jablonski on the façade of the restaurant Tocco? Do you remember the two beautiful silver deer installed in the empty lot at 1827 N. Milwaukee? What about the Wicker Park Walgreen’s mural by Ron Ewert and Dustin Ruegger? All Johalla.

In fact, Johalla Projects has been making a significant impact on the visual landscape of Wicker Park since 2009 while offering opportunities to emerging and mid-career artists. 

As a collaborative project space, Johalla Projects describes themselves as “a haven for artists, curators, and patrons who desire to expand their aesthetic horizons.”

Find out more information and check out their newest projects here.

Keep an eye out for an exciting new WPB SSA #33 sponsored project by Johalla Projects coming to the neighborhood soon!    

It is February and it is cold!  Of course, anyone who lives in Wicker Park and Bucktown knows this. There are plenty of ways to stay warm on the outside, but I prefer to get warm from the inside out, namely from some comfort food and hot beverages.  With that in mind, here are some ways to consume your way to a warmer winter’s day.

For the Do-It-Yourselfer, how about taking a stroll over to Olivia’s Market, 2014 W. Wabansia Ave., and getting some fixin’s together for some hot spiced wine punch (known as Glühwein or Gløgg)?  It’s one of the most popular ways to stay warm in Nordic lands.  

Olivia’s has a great selection of inexpensive wines from independent producers and a very well-thought-out liquor selection to go along with all your grocery needs.

Here are links to some recipes:

1. For the beginner, check out this one.

2. A good recipe that’s more involved, and stronger.

Comfort Food

Dessert

This blog entry was contributed by: Malcolm Logan, a freelance writer and Wicker Park Bucktown resident. Visit his website at www.fillmyemptyblogspace.com. He can be reached at malcolm.logan@rcn.com.

Gourmet dining and low prices seem like a contradiction in terms. But not at Bangers & Lace where a simple beer and a hot dog are elevated to a whole new level, and the experience of noshing down on them are brought in from the backyard BBQ to the urban dining room.

That’s because Bangers & Lace approaches sausage like fine wine, offering variations like rabbit sausage, veal brats, venison and duck sausage, as well as andouille and Italian style vegetarian sausage. More than ten in all. 

What’s more, the sausages are dressed up in interesting and delectable ways. Take the Slaw Dog. It combines a Vienna beef hotdog with pepper jack cheese, roasted garlic aioli, and winter slaw. Or the Kielbasa Skewers which combine smoked Cleveland kielbasa with Benton’s country bacon and malt vinegar dip. Your taste buds are in for a treat.

Groundbreaking Gastronomy

Even the sides and non-sausage alternatives have a unique and creative flare. If French fries and aioli strike you as edgy, how about fries accompanied with a mild and fruity taleggio cheese dip, or a Bavarian pretzel with a house-made chocolate stout mustard. 

As of this writing everything on the menu is under $10 except for one item that stands out as the house’s signature dish, the quixotic Foie Gras Corn Dog, a Ritz Carlton meets trailer park formulation comprised of French garlic sausage, brioche cornbread, orange marmalade, foie gras mousse and maple butter. 

This kind of gastronomic audacity won’t play in Romeoville, but is perfectly at home in Wicker Park, and one of the many reasons to visit this exciting and vibrant neighborhood.
   

A Beer Connoisseur’s Delight

The name Bangers & Lace refers to the British term for sausage (bangers), and the delicate meshwork of foam left on the inside of a glass after a beer has been drank away (lace). Indeed, sausages are only half the story here. 

B&L offers a beer connoisseur’s selection of 32 rotating drafts that changes every other day – a few added in, a few taken out – with such eclectic choices as Ska Modus Hoperandi, Avery the Beast, and Founder’s Backwoods Bastard. And that’s just the start. In addition, there are 75 beers in bottles, making for more than 100 beers in all. Spirits, cocktails and wine round out the list of libations.

A Fun and Unique Ambiance

The ambiance is backwoods lodge meets swank urban enclave. Plank walls and taxidermy mingle with exposed brick, lace curtains and pressed tin ceilings. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out on 19th century graystones. In the summer, outdoor tables crop up along Division Street.

The clientele is young urban professionals and post-collegiate hipsters, although tucked button downs seem to trump knit-caps with some regularity. The concept is nevertheless intriguing for anyone with a fun and adventurous spirit for dining.

Bangers & Lace elevates a beer and a hot dog to a whole new level. If you are up for something unique and creative at a reasonable price, give them a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Bangers & Lace

1670 W Division St.
(between Paulina & Marshfield)
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 252-6499
www.bangersandlacechicago.com

This blog entry was contributed by Tom Stachula, Chicago Police Officer of the 14th District.

There is a local problem developing now that needs attention. Recently, robberies have picked up in the Wicker Park area. These robberies are not occurring in businesses, but to single individuals (mostly female) on the streets in our area. These attacks are occurring overnight and in the early hours of the morning. We need people to get the word out that these robberies are occurring...

(Individuals) walking the streets at night or in the early morning by themselves is not safe. I do understand that some people have no choice. This information should be used by everyone, and every time you walk the streets alone. Try to use public transportation, EL train, bus or even a taxi. 

Be aware of your surroundings, who is on the street, is the street well lit. Please do not walk down alleys at night, try to stay on the busy streets. Do not walk around with ear piece's for I-pods, telephones or headsets on. You can not hear offenders approaching you with these items preoccupying your attention. This is tough to do since many people are accustomed to their way of doing things. The better prepared you are, the less likely you will become a victim. If you have to walk the street at these times have some form of personal protection with you. Purchase a canister of mace, and carry it in your hand until you get to your destination. Carry an item that makes a lot of noise, a whistle, hand held air-horn something that will scare off your attacker. If the street is that quiet, walk down the middle of the street. This will give you more time to react if an offender approaches you. Always be thinking of escape routes if approached. Carry your cell phone in your hand with a pre dialed 911, so all you have to do is hit send. this will save you time in dialing and always know where you are. ex: the 1600 block of Damen. this crucial since you will be under pressure when attacked, you will not have to think about it you can just scream it into the phone and help will be on the way. Better safe than sorry.

None of these methods are a guarantee that nothing can happen to you, they are just some tips to lessen your chances of being a victim. Hopefully these are some helpful tips to try and ensure your safety. Working together we can make Wicker Park safer for all of us.

This blog entry was contributed by: Dr. Melissa Daza, owner of Bucktown Wicker Park Dental. She can be reached at bucktowndental@yahoo.com.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many people will be thinking of that special someone to spend the day with.

Maybe a romantic dinner for two is your thing or maybe just spending time together doing your
favorite past time. Regardless of your plans, being in close proximity with someone, the one thing you
don’t want to worry about is having bad breath. Bad breath can be caused by many different factors
not just from food like garlic and onions. Alcohol and smoking can also contribute to bad breath. In
addition, certain medication that has been prescribed by your doctor, an infection in the mouth, or a
sign of an underlining medical condition that needs to be address can manifest itself through a malodor
in the mouth. This topic – sometimes embarrassing – could be signs that a needed check up with your
dentist or physician is in order.

The Causes of Bad Breath

Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be caused by a multitude of factors. Definitely, some types of
food you eat can leave an odor in your mouth. What you eat affects the air you exhale. Food you eat
releases plant oil and by products that are absorbed into the bloodstream. It is transferred to the lungs
where it is expelled. The odor will continue to be there until the body rids itself of the food. Dieters of
a high protein, low-carb diet may develop unpleasant breath by producing a condition called ketosis.
This type of diet produces ketones which build up in the body. Some are released through breath which
unfortunately doesn’t smell particularly great. But if the food is collected between the teeth and left
in the mouth from not brushing and flossing daily then the food can rot. A sulfur compound builds
up from the food remains causing chronic bad breath. This in turn can develop into gum disease, or
periodontitis.

Other things beside certain food can also contribute to bad breath. Dry mouth, known as xerostomia,
can cause saliva to decrease and contribute to bad breath. Saliva cleans the mouth and removes some
food particles that may cause odor. Dry mouth can be caused by various medications, salivary gland
problems, snoring, or even by continuously breathing through your mouth.

Systemic illness can manifest itself from bad breath. Non-dental disorders causing bad breath could be
an infection in the respiratory tract, (nose, throat, esophagus, lungs), chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip,
chronic bronchitis, stress, diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, or ailments from the liver or kidney.

Treatment

If are experiencing bad breath, the first course of action is to take care of your oral health. Brushing
your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes removes food debris and plaque. In particular, brushing
your tongue can greatly remedy this problem. Use floss to clean between the teeth at least once a day.
Sugarless gums that contain xylitol may kill some bacteria and reduce plaque buildup. See your dentist
for regular checkups and professional cleanings. Certain mouth rinses maybe necessary and can be
recommended by your dentist. Natural remedies can be chewing certain herbs such as parsley, mint, basil or thyme. These herbs curb offending smells from food. Eating cranberries make plaque less likely
to form on teeth. 

If you are experiencing dry mouth, drink plenty of water or liquids, and possibly use toothpaste and mouth rinse that are specifically made for dry mouth. Ask your dentist for suggestions if you are uncertain. If it is your medication that is causing your dry mouth, ask your physician if an alternative medication can be used. During spring and summer, allergy medication, can be a major culprit. Try using a humidifier in the winter to eliminate the dry air.

If after the dentist determines that your bad breath is not dental related, then a trip to your favorite physician maybe in order.

Remember, 90% of mouth odors come from the mouth itself. Maintaining good oral health will reduce
bad breath. Scheduling regular dental visits for a professional cleaning and an exam should be your first
step. If you have persistent bad breath, try keeping a log of the foods you eat and the medications you
take. Also, make sure to let your dentist know if you’ve had surgery or any illness. Lastly, if your dentist
determines that your mouth is healthy, then a referral to your physician may be necessary.

The following blog entry was contributed by: Sam Marts and Dina Petrakis - he's Bucktown, she's Wicker Park - who compare their two ‘hoods.

Bloomingdale or North Avenue- where do YOU think the boundary between Wicker Park and Bucktown lies?

This issue has been a controversy for decades, so the property in this photo is more than just a unique use of former railroad land AND a planned residential development with a lovely streetscape all its own: it's in the no-man's land, the DMZ between two 'hoods!  Wicker Park AND Bucktown both claim it’s theirs- on the east side of Hoyne Avenue, south of Bloomingdale.

*Clearly contemporary in style, this handsome complex makes its own neighborhood.  It’s not gated- but doesn’t invite you in.  The streetscape rising gently due to the man-made topography of the railroad (soon to be the Bloomingdale Trail); absence of sidewalks between buildings; orientation of the two buildings towards each other- and away from the city street; all serve to keep pedestrians outside, even with no actual gate.*

In future postings we’ll compare specific Bucktown and Wicker Park buildings, to answer the perennial question - which is best?

That’s right, it’s sibling rivalry- it’s Isaac and Ishmael- it’s fighting with the neighbors!  To kick our debate off, do you think the building above is in Bucktown…or Wicker Park?  (Them’s fightin’ words… no matter what you think!)

The following blog entry was contributed by: Albert Spenadel, CPA, MST, owner of Spenadel Tax and Accounting Services. He can be reached at alspenadelcpa@comcast.net.

Given the diversity of Wicker Park and Bucktown, the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) has an important announcement regarding filing of your 2011 tax return for those covered by Illinois Civil Union Law.  If you and your same-sex partner are in a civil union, you must file either “Married Jointly”  or “Married Separately” even though this is not allowed by Federal tax law.  You will also not be able to E-file your Illinois Form IL-1040 tax return.  Instead, those taxpayers in a civil union will have to mail their tax return to the IDOR.  This will delay any refund, which still can be direct deposited, because E-filing speeds up receiving your Illinois refund.