This blog entry was contributed by: Charlie Rees of the Flat Iron Artists' Association, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave.

It was that type of day, late this morning, Friday, April 13th, when I had to escape the studio, go for a walk, breathe in the spring air and enjoy the sun. No need to be superstitious.

Many people walking through the park, earplugs firmly in place, playing with their smart phones, missed these beautiful extemporaneous pieces of art. This is sad; because, with spring showers, winds, foot traffic, this art will vanish. Hopefully, these artists will come back to continue their delightful work. 

Art is all around us. All we have to do is stop, take a moment, look and enjoy.

Win a Bucktown Poster! 

Take our survey, do something great for our neighborhood and get a chance to win a beautiful screen printed poster by StudioChris! In this 10-minute survey, you can tell us what kind of businesses you want (or don't want) to see in Wicker Park Bucktown. Include your email address and you've got a chance to win. Fast & Easy! Take the survey now. Good Luck! 

Julie Horowitz Jackson happily calls Bucktown her home now for fifteen years. Virtu, 2034 North Damen Ave, celebrated 11 years in business earlier this year. Her husband owns Color Wheel Studio, another Bucktown business, and their son attends Pulaski International School of Chicago, one of Bucktown’s four neighborhood CPS schools. Go goat or go home!

Now that I've got two blog posts under my belt, I find myself being asked "Why do you do it?" The blog posts?

That's easy. Because I've lived and worked in this neighborhood for so long that I've found tons of stuff about Bucktown and Wicker Park to share with my customers.

For me, I think the question goes deeper than all of that. It speaks to the warmth and generosity of this community in which my husband and I have each chosen to open up shop and raise our son.


image courtesy of Color Wheel Art Studio

The best part of my week is Monday, my one day off. Back in the day, I used take my son on a long walk through our streets hitting as many parks as we could before he crashed. There's Ehrler Park on Cortland that's great for kids of the smaller scale. In it, you'll find a sand box, wee swings, and a tiny train to play in, hence the park became known to us as "train park". 

Just down the street from the train park sits Pulaski International School of Chicago.

It used to be called Pulaksi Fine Arts Academy, but over the past few years, it has blossomed through community involvement to house one of the city's IB (International Baccalaureate) programs. Here, the focus is on developing balanced, lifelong learners who will grow into compassionate global citizens. 

As an open invitation to all of the businesses of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, the Friends of Pulaski welcome you to join them at a business meet and greet on Tuesday, April 24th at 9:30 am.

The hour long tour will start out in the auditorium of the main building and move on throughout the school. As a business owner interested in investing deeply in my own community, I welcome you to join me, I will certainly be there. RSVPs are requested at info@friendsofpulaski.org.

On the other side of Bucktown is Walsh Park on Marshfield between Wabansia and Cortland.

Open, airy and room enough to run, we called this "school park" as it is across from Burr Elementary, where our son went to pre-school. Burr is a wonderful magnet cluster program featuring world language as their specialty. It's a great group of kids who have the opportunity to learn, of all things, Japanese, even at the Pre-K level. Incidentally, Burr is hosting their Gala this weekend. You can bid online for lots of goodies from some of our neighborhood greats like Club Lucky, Virtu, Color Wheel Studio, Building Blocks Toys, and the The T-Shirt Deli.

Half way in between is the Drummond play lot.

It quick, it's convenient, you can bounce a ball around all while getting to see the community garden created by the kids at Drummond Montessori. From what I understand, one of the LSC Community members offers a lot of TLC to the raised beds of the blacktop. Speaking of the LSC, it stands for Local School Council. Elections happen to be today, April 18th. You can walk into any of your neighborhood schools and vote as a community member. Remember, it takes a village to raise that child.

Our favorite park in the 'hood happens to be Wicker Park.

So many of us are familiar with the fountain, the playing field, the fact that it houses some serious awesomeness like the Wicker Park Farmer's Market, the Green Music Fest, Movies in the Park, etc. My son and I know and love it, though, for the bears. The bears? Yes, the bear fountain where kids of small stature can stand underneath their playful spray any time after Memorial Day. We are waiting for the fountains to be turned on at "Bear Park".

At Wicker Park you will be amazed by the sheer number of kids that come through after school from A.N. Pritzker School. Pritzker houses the local gifted program. Keep an eye out come May, as you will see Pritzer's 4th Annual Community Arts Project entitled "Playthings" hosted by many of our local neighborhood businesses.

So, why the long chat about our local schools? Because it is important to so many of us, business owners and families, alike, that we each invest in our community on both sides of the dialog.

So often, I am asked by a PTO to give something to their upcoming event. The next time a parent walks in your door with a letter asking for your help, I urge you to consider donating to one of the many schools within our community. There's always a benefit that needs bruschetta, a team in search of jerseys, even a classroom that ran out of simple construction paper. So many resources have been cut from our curricula that there are opportunities for each of us, all throughout the year. Help out one of those schools, and I guarantee the kids will love you for it. The giant pile of hand drawn thank you notes will totally melt your heart.

This blog entry was contributed by: Mark Dollard, Realtor. Visit his blog at dollardnsense.com. He can be reached at mark.dollard@gmail.com.

As the weather turns especially nice and springtime has settled in, weekend brunch becomes something akin to a necessity.

For the design, health and eco-conscious, you would be hard pressed to find a better option than prasino.  It’s a modern, chic spot that prides itself on sustainable dining options.  Everything is done here with style, even the tea service.  The menu is quite comprehensive and it’s one of the rare Chicago places that will include pancakes with your omelette (that’s a huge plus in my book).





For a little more casual option, Milk and Honey Cafe is right down the street and boasts a lively, yet cozy vibe for brunch. The menu isn’t huge, but every item is very well-thought-out and imaginative.  It’s definitely the kind of place where you don’t want to substitute ingredients because they have been put together with great care.  

If you are looking for traditional southern brunch, there’s no place better than (well, kind of obviously) The Southern to tame your brunch cravings.  The doughnuts are a great starter with a very nice coffee anglaise for dipping and all the dishes are very well made.  Plus, they have good drink specials and an extensive set of Bloody Marys to choose from (ask your server).






Brunch doesn’t get any bigger or livelier than at Feast in Bucktown.  Feast boasts a very diverse menu (anything from chilaquiles to crab benedict) and a huge crowd on the weekends. This is a favorite spot for families and an institution to many Wicker Park and Bucktown community insiders.

Summer Event Vendor Applications

We are NOW accepting vendor applications for the following exciting upcoming Chamber events and festivals. 

For artists, retail, restaurants and non-profits:
Wicker Park Fest 
July 28-29

Polish Triangle Marketplace
June 7-Sept. 27 

For Wicker Park Bucktown Businesses:
Summer Sidewalk Sales
July 21-22 and/or Aug. 25-26 

Space is limited, so please send in your application today!

Your Input Needed!

The Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce and WPB SSA #33, 1414 N. Ashland, need your input! We have hired Business Districts, Inc, to conduct a market study to identify our neighborhood's unique strengths and opportunities. Please take the survey now and pass it on to your customers, partners, neighbors, and fellow business owners. Your help completing and circulating the survey will be invaluable to the market study results and help our local economy thrive. Thank you!

Read more...

This blog post 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.

Everyone likes to find a hidden gem, a cool little place off the beaten path that serves up interesting food at great prices. 

Irazu could be that place.  

Irazu has a loyal following that has been trying to keep it secret for years, but with only middling success. Residents of Wicker Park and Bucktown mostly know about its signature Costa Rican cuisine, but visitors to the neighborhood will find that what’s being served in the former convenience store on a sparsely populated stretch of Milwaukee is well nigh a revelation. 

Authenticity and Creativity at Great Low Prices

The Cerdas-Salazar family has been dishing up authentic Costa Rican cuisine like Casado (rib eye steak with caramelized onions over white rice) and El Tico (chicken breast sautéed with onions, bell pepper and tomatoes) for more than two decades. But what really keeps the loyalists coming back are the vegetarian options. 

The oatmeal shake wins glowing praise from every vegetarian and vegan who has ever taken a sip, and the vegetarian burrito with black beans, yellow rice, hot pepper, avocados and sautéed onions is award winning. But for my money the hands-down winner in the creativity department is the potato taco, a rolled up corn tortilla, fried, filled with mashed potatoes topped with guacamole and served with yellow rice.

If you are a fan of empanadas you will be seduced by the spinach and cheese emapanada. This is the kind of thing upscale restaurants put on their menus as a measure of their ingenuity and then charge you handsomely for. Here you can pick it up for a mere $2.95. 

Keeping the Secret

Low prices are definitely part of the draw at Irazu. Many of the menu items are under $10, and nothing is higher than $15. Add to that the fact that Irazu is BYOB and two people can enjoy a fine meal out for under $25. Is this Chicago? 

Irazu’s cash only policy helps keep the prices low, and if you are looking for valet parking, you will have to look elsewhere. What’s more, be prepared for long waits during peak times. But these minor hurdles shouldn’t discourage you from enjoying Irazu’s many charms.

Irazu is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Outdoor dining is available during the summer months. The dining patio is under a climate controlled canopy in the winter months. The staff is attentive, the portions are generous and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. Irazu is a hidden gem. Come and enjoy. 

But keep it under your hat.

Irazu

1865 N. Milwaukee Ave.
(773) 252-5687
www.irazuchicago.com

This blog entry was contributed by: Mary C. Cafarelli, Supervisor Cardiac Rehab Services. You can contact her at: Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center - mcafarelli@reshealthcare.org.

What Is Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is not a disease in itself. Instead, it's a group of risk factors -- high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and abdominal fat.

Obviously, having any one of these risk factors isn't good. But when they're combined, they set the stage for grave problems. These risk factors double your risk of blood vessel and heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. They increase your risk of diabetes by five times.

Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome

According to the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, there are five risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome.

To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you would have at least three of these risk factors.

What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?

It's a collection of risk factors, not a single disease. So it probably has many different causes. Some risk factors are:

Insulin resistance - A hormone that helps your body use glucose -- a simple sugar made from the food you eat -- as energy. In people with insulin resistance, the insulin doesn't work as well so your body keeps making more and more of it to cope with the rising level of glucose, leading to diabetes.  Insulin resistance is closely connected to having excess weight in the belly.

Obesity - especially abdominal obesity.  Having extra fat in the belly -- as opposed to elsewhere in the body -- seems to increase your risk.

Unhealthy lifestyle - Eating a diet high in fats and not getting enough physical activity can play a role.

Hormonal imbalance - Hormones may play a role. For instance, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) -- a condition that affects fertility -- is related to hormonal imbalance and metabolic syndrome.

If you've just been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, don’t be anxious. It's time to get serious about improving your health. Making simple changes to your habits now can prevent serious illness in the future.

How do I prevent or reverse metabolic syndrome?

Lose weight - Moderate weight loss, in the range of 5 percent to 10 percent of body weight, can help restore your body's ability to recognize insulin and greatly reduce the chance that the syndrome will evolve into a more serious illness. 

Exercise - Increased activity alone can improve your insulin levels. Aerobic exercise such as a brisk 30-minute daily walk can result in a weight loss, improved blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of developing diabetes. Most health care providers recommend 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week. 

Dietary changes - Maintain a diet that keeps carbohydrates to no more than 50 percent of total calories. Eat foods defined as complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread, brown rice, and sugars that are unrefined. Increase your fiber consumption by eating legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Reduce your intake of red meats and poultry. Consume healthy fats such as those in canola oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil and nuts. 

Limit alcohol intake - Consume no more than one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men.

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.

The filing deadline of April 17 is almost upon us.  Here are few tips to avoid the last minute panic.

1. Review your prior year return. (2010)  Look and see what W-2s, 1099s and Mortgage Interest Form 1098s that you need.  See if you filing status or sources of income have changed.

2. If you use an outside CPA, attorney or tax preparer to prepare your return, ask for an organizer.  It lists all the forms (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) that you had last year.

3. If you are self-employed or have a rental property, using a computer program such as Quicken can easily track and categorize your income and expenses.

4. If you have stock, bond or other investments, be sure you have the most recent 1099 issued.  Most of the time an original 1099 is issued by a brokerage house, but then a second or even third “Corrected 1099” is issued. Watch the dates on the statements. Keep a separate folder for these 1099s.

5. If you own stock in an S-Corporation or LLC, are a partner in a partnership or a beneficiary in a trust, make sure you have all the Schedule K-1s before preparing your return.

6. Keep track of your deductions, such as charitable contributions with donation letters from charitable organizations and out-of-pocket, or unreimbursed medical expenses.  Don’t forget your real estate tax bills, if not paid out of escrow with your mortgage.

7. If you use your car for business, be sure to keep a daily log, or at least a calendar, that you can track your business mileage.  Keep all receipts for business expenses as backup.  For each type of expense, use a manila folder and a small envelope for those small cash register receipts.  Get an annual statement from your credit card company that tracks most of your expenses by category.

8. Make sure you get letters from child care providers for the expenses paid.

9. If you use a tax advisor and are unsure whether an expense can be deducted, bring it to their attention. The worst thing a tax advisor can say is “No.”  Tax advisors are human and not mind readers.

10. Finally, if you will not have all of your information to file your tax return by April 17, 2012, then you can file an extension, Form 4868 and give yourself six months until October 15 to file your tax return.  However, you must pay 100% of your tax due by April 17, so try to make a good faith estimate.  The IRS can disallow an extension if they determine you did not make an attempt to pay, when you knew a big balance due is owed.  For Illinois, you can file the Form 505-I or go online to the Illinois Department of Revenue website and make a payment there.

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

Windows make a big difference in the two lovely homes we compare below- technology AND aesthetic have changed over the years.  

Let’s take a look and see how they meet with your approval:

In this historic Wicker Park home- with tradition-inspired pavilion addition, windows on secondary facades are punched openings in a masonry wall. Windows provide light and ventilation, serving a utilitarian purpose, and are distributed evenly across a room. The pattern of windows reveals the room configuration within.

In this contemporary renovation of a Bucktown home, the windows are meant to create design patterns on the overall facade, and may not indicate interior function. The two large window clusters cross over the floor line; and the spandrel panels (metal) "erase" it. These clusters increase the perceived size of the building, and the exposed steel celebrates the muscularity of the structure- very contemporarily.

So, which one’s your fave, Bucktown or Wicker Park?

Last we met on this here local blog, I mentioned a bit about The 3/50 Project. It's a simple concept based on the idea of "saving the brick and mortars our nation is built on" one local store at a time.

Easy, right?

If you take a moment to check out The 3/50 Project's website, you'll find the following local businesses:

Shop small, shop ethically and save the community in which you live. Your neighbors will love you for it!