About a year ago, I caught up with local folk group The Giving Tree Band as they recorded their first ever green album, "Great Possessions." By green, I don't mean recycled packaging. The band went all out and traveled to the Aldo Leopold Center in Baraboo, Wisconsin - a facility that celebrates the finest in eco-friendly living. Here's a quick rundown of what the band went through to ensure their earthy cred:

- Used energy generated by Leopold Center to power any instruments and electronics needed for mixing.
- CD's produced using renewable wind power.
- Packaging created using 100% biodegradable materials.
- Guitars made from naturally fallen or reclaimed woods, with a non-toxic finish.
- The band camped each night and biked 10 miles to and from the Leopold Center each day.

The band will put on a free CD release show in Lincoln Park on Tuesday, September 15th at 6 p.m. in Lincoln Park at Clark & Armitage, in conjunction with the first annual Carbon Day. I profiled the band on "metromix" as they were finishing the album last October.....
Continue reading Music Tuesday: The Giving Tree Band releases Green Album »

 

I hope Joseph Pilates was a dog lover. Chicago fitness tycoon Andrea Metcalf is renowned for her unique workout classes. When she had her first child, she figured out a way to incorporate a baby into her routine. And now she has a new baby, an English Bulldog named Wrigley.

Andrea's gotten together with Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society. Together they'll be hosting a weekly class, "Pawsilates," which not only aims to get you off the couch, but that lazy dog of yours as well. Participants will stretch their bodies and flex their muscles, with their best friends right by their sides.

Andrea let us sit in on a run through of the course last night. It's 30 minutes long and will feature plenty of contorting and flex-banding. As for the animals, they'll get to walk around in circles, and if they're small enough, they might be picked up and used as resistance. You have to see the video, it'll air on the WGN News tonight at 5:30 and 9:00.

You might hear a few chuckles in the background, that was me trying my best not to bust up. The participants had just as much fun. As for the dogs? Wait until you see the nice massage the class ends with. That's the life right there.

If you want to try Pawsilates for yourself....

WHAT: Pawsilates Workout Class
WHERE: Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society, 159 W. Grand (Grand & Lasalle)
WHEN: Five weekly Wednesday classes. 6 p.m. class for dogs under 25 lbs., 6:30 p.m. class for dogs over 25 lbs.
COST: $10 for one class, or $45 for all five classes.
WHY: To get you and your dog in shape. And all (100%) of the proceeds go to the Anti-Cruelty Society, who put 5,000 animals into adoption each year.

Today was another one of those surreal days. I grew up watching Chicago Blackhawks hockey, many a memory on the second balcony of the old Chicago Stadium. To think that someday I would be standing on a football field with two members of the team as they try to complete military combat drills? Just one of those weird moments.

The fine members of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines invited us out to watch the wingers Andrew Ladd and Ben Eager beat themselves sweaty. They actually invited me to participate, but when I read it would entail scooping up a real-life marine, throwing him over my shoulder and running for about 30 yards? And hoisting a 30 pound ammo can over my head more than 100 times? There are certain things in life worth pinching a nerve over, I'll just tip my cap to the Marines and let the professional athletes show off their guns.

The guys participated in a Combat Fitness Test. The program was made a semi-annual requirement for all Marines in 2008. It consists of three different rounds:

1. Running - Marines run a half mile sprint in less than 2 minutes and 45 seconds. A five minute break ensues, then...

2. Ammo Can Lift - A square can filled with ammunition is hoisted from underneath the chin up over the head, as many times as possible within 2 minutes. Ladd completely 120 reps, very impressive even by Marine standards.

3. The Maneuver Under Fire Course - Marines run a course of cones, carry more ammo cans, throw a grenade, and hoist a wounded Marine onto their back and run him/her to safety. The Marine will run 300 yards during this exercise, all in about 2 minutes.

Marines will complete this training twice a year, on top of any other exercises they might be assigned. And you thought you had a tough job.

Chicago Blackhawks hockey kicks off on October 2. You can view a full schedule of games here.

The 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines are once again participating in the Toys for Tots program. If you'd like to requrest any toys, or make a donation, head to their website here.

It was 1948. Maurie Berman had returned from World War II. He was going to college, and he and his new bride Florence (Flaurie) were looking for a way to help pay for his schooling. They decided to open a small hot dog stand on Chicago's northwest side. 61 years later, Superdawg (6363 N. Milwaukee, Corner of Milwaukee & Devon) still stands, offering up its vintage drive-in flair and jumbo dawgs in a box.

A few things different about the Super-dawg. It's a tad thicker than your standard wiener. Oh, that's another thing, don't call them wieners. They don't like it. The dawg comes with all of the standard Chicago style fixings - neon/alien relish, onions, pickle spear, mustard. They do include a tomato in the box, but it's a pickled green tomato. Lip puckering good.

I know what you're thinking - I'm different, I like ketchup on my hot dog. Here's my advice. Don't ask them for ketchup on your hotdog. They won't do it. However, they'll gladly provide a side of ketchup for your fries, and as their operations manager Don Drucker told me, what a man does with ketchup in his private dining area is his own business. Personal privacy is key at Superdawg.

But back to the matter at hand. Superdawg will be opening a second drive-in location, much bigger than the first. It'll feature their car-hoppers delivering grub right to your car window. All of the Superdawg menu will be there. It'll be just like hitting the original spot, but right in the backyard of Northwest Suburbians. Here's the location:

Superdawg Drive-In 2
333 S. Milwaukee
Wheeling, IL

They're aiming for a mid-November launch. We'll be sure to keep you posted, in the meantime, check out the Chicago Tribune's writeup on Maurie, Flaurie, and their new location.

 

Rick Bayless can cook. Chicago didn't need a reality show to tell us that. Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" let America in on our not-so-secret master of all things Mexican.

His resume speaks for itself. In the late 1970's, Rick hosted the PBS television series "Cooking Mexican." He would spend time after that researching the culinary arts in Mexico. To this day Mr. Bayless still frequently travels down south, sampling authentic eats from roadside vendors and the finest chefs in Mexico. He's won the James Beard Award (like a culinary Oscar). He was one of the first chefs to open a fine-dining Mexican restaurant (Topolobampo). Last August, Rick was named Top Chef Master in Bravo's star-studded cooking show.

His latest restaurant Xoco, a quick-serve Mexican street-eats spot located next door to Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, opened just this week. The spot took two years to conceive and construct, which means Rick was in no way planning on the outpouring of popularity that has come since his "Top Chef" win. The lines for Xoco have been out the door, probably due to the fact that customers can get a taste of Bayless for just $8-$13.

I brought a WGN camera into Xoco today and grabbed a few minutes of Rick's time. He told me he's pulling 16 hour shifts this week, working the line with his new staff to make sure everything goes to plan. If you want to check out Xoco for yourself, here's some information:

Xoco
449 N. Clark Street
Tuesday-Saturday, 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
http://xocochicago.com
312.334.3688
The lines might look long, but most customers are waiting 20 minutes at the most
 

Our feature on Xoco from tonight WGN News is above. I'll be posting my entire talk with Rick on the blog tomorrow. For now, check out Kevin Pang and Monica Eng's trip to Xoco on The Stew.

Hillenmeyer Takes Over At Middle Linebacker

  

By JERRY RILES

The Bears and Lovie Smith should be able to survive without the services of middle linebacker Brian Urlacher after it was announced on Monday that the 10 year veteran will miss the remainder of the season because of a broken wrist.

 

While Urlacher has been a serviceable player on the defensive side of the ball, he hasn't been overwhelming in that position. He is a great physical specimen and a pretty decent athlete, but to think the Bears defense will falter because he's not in the starting lineup is kind of stretching it. I like Brian, but I think he's a tad bit overrated. The question was asked, could the Bears continue to make a run toward the Super Bowl, after it was revealed that Urlacher's season was over, or were they done? There are four individuals who can answer that question, or more importantly, must answer that question. They are GM Jerry Angelo, Head Coach Smith, Defensive Line Coach Rod Marinelli, and Quarterback Jay Cutler. There lies the answer to the million dollar question. It's not the receivers, the corners, or special teams.

It's a gear head's paradise this weekend, as the 3rd annual Chicago Nationals Hot Rod Show invades the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet. The event will feature over 2,000 Hot Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trucks. There will be a swap meet, street challenges, and drag races at the Route 66 Raceway on Friday night. Tickets cost $17 for adults, and $6 for kids 12 and under. You can purchase them here.

On tonight's WGN News, I went to check out The Roadster Shop, a custom car design and manufacturing facility in north suburban Mundelein. Neal Gerber, along with his sons Phil and Jeremy, took a small auto-collision repair shop in Elgin and turned it into a thriving Chicagoland business. Two years ago they opened their 30,000 square foot facility that now employs 25 people. They take orders from all over the country - from rebuilds and restores, to complete constructions and detailing. The Roadster Shop does it all under one roof.

Their recent claim to fame comes with a design spearheaded by Phil Gerber, a complete retooling of a classic 1962 Corvette which won Goodguys "Street Machine of the Year" designation. Phil and the team tore the car down and modified EVERYTHING. It now features an aluminum front and grill, an exposed glass windshield, bright red leather interior, and some really cool electronic doors that open with the push of a button.

You can view the entire process of restoring the car on the Roadster's website here. It was made for a client in Wisconsin, and while the staff vows secrecy when it comes to how much customers pay for their vehicles, staff says an auto with as much modification and rarity as the '62 Corvette could sell for about $500,000. And no, they won't put it on your credit card. Or at least on my credit card.

If you'd like to check out the Roadster Shop in person, here's some information:

The Roadster Shop
 28775 N IL Route 83
Mundelein, IL
847.949.7637
www.roadstershop.com

By JERRY RILES

Stud pitcher Carlos Zambrano and just plain stud Milton Bradley.

No question these two players are the most fiery on this disappointing Cubs team this season.
Bradley was brought in to improve the outfield play and to solidify the left-handed spot in the team's batting order. Something the Cubs were missing from a year ago after they were swept by the L.A. Dodgers in three straight playoff contests.

The argument was the Cubs went down in the first round of the playoffs because they lacked hitting from the left-side of the plate.

GM Jim Hendry went out and acquired the volatile outfielder who was known for his outburst and violent temper. Hendry felt he could manage Bradley's demeanor and that he was one of the missing pieces the Cubs needed to go deep into the playoffs if not all the way to the World series and winning it.

Heck, he had already dealt with the fiery personality of big Carlos Zambrano who the organization signed to a hefty $90-plus-million-dollar deal. This was supposed to be an easy task.

Unfortunately, for Hendry and skipper Lou Piniella, the plan back fired and neither GM nor coach could handle the explosive nature of the two.

Big Z just a week ago scolded reporters about asking him if he wanted to stay in Chicago with the Cubs or be traded somewhere else. He sharply responded, "What kind of question is that? I'm done."
Zambrano abruptly left the post game press conference.

Hendry told Bradley to go home with 15 games remaining in the regular season after the struggling right-fielder responded to reporters' questions with "What else ya got, what else ya got, what else ya got?"

Hendry said Bradley was a detriment to the team and so he suspended him for the rest of the season. My question is, didn't the Cub brass figure this out before hand? Weren't they aware of his antics in the past? Did they think he was another Zambrano, and maybe did they think "Z" was another Milton?

I said the move was a great move, ONLY, if the Cubs and Lou could handle the two. The organization from top to bottom dropped the ball.

Both players appear to be ready for a new address. It is clear Zambrano is ready to take the money and run. It's unfortunate that neither player wants to play ball for the organization in an effort to bring home a World Series title. But you can't overlook Hendry and Piniella. They certainly cannot go blameless in this debacle.

The whole team has crumbled before our eyes. And it's a sad situation.

I say good riddance to the both of them because it's obvious they're more interested in the money that the game, but shame on the other two for not handling them in a proper fashion. Lou at times seemed uninterested. Then to call Bradley out in front of his teammates, chase him down into the locker-room on the road and call him a "piece of sh%!" and to take the uniform off and go home was just wrong.

How would Joe Torre, Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox, Joe Girardi, or even Ozzie Guillen have handled the situation?

All the Cubs can do now is just agree with their fans and say, "wait till next year." It's only 101 years and counting.

(Jerry Riles is a weekly 5on5 contributor featured every Tuesday in the RedEye)

 

My toughest assignment yet? Following up on metromix.com's Best Wings feature (read it here). Seriously. Who wants to travel all over the city and eat wings all day? Oh, right. I do.

After narrowing the list down to 16 finalists, metromix asked Chicagoans to vote for their favorite - in Chicago, suburbs not allowed. The result was a crowning achievement for the Fifty/50 in Wicker Park, who was named the big winner. The tri-level sports bar has commanded plenty of attention since opening on Division Street a few years ago. Their wings are plenty meaty and smothered in your choice of sauce, all made right there in house. They'll cost you $9 for 8, but they boast only the best quality ingredients.

Another spot on the list that didn't even place or show - Abeng Stuart's Wings Around The World. I love this place on 75th Street. Abeng moved it there after the rent at his 35th street location became way too costly. The result is a smaller spot, but the same signature sauces remain. He makes them all from scratch, different varieties representing countries all over the globe. There's the award-winning honey lemon pepper (U.S.A.), Parmesan garlic (Italy), mango jerk (Jamaica), and so many more.

And to conclude, I have no idea how metromix.com left these wings off their list. I have to assume they've never eaten the Little Hotties at Take Me Out, Let's Eat Chinese on 18th Street in Pilsen. Other publications have referred to these wings as "chicken crack," and while I would never make a joking point about such a devastating drug, I have to concede the point. These wings are indeed chicken crack.

Karen Lim's family owns Great Sea Chinese Restaurant in Albany Park. The same chicken wings have been captivating locals for decades. Karen decided to franchise them out and stuck with the Take Me Out concept after a fire next door caused her to close and remodel. I find the wings at Take Me Out even better than the original - they're crispier, but still come slathered in that unbelievable asian sauce. Dare I say the Little Hotties are my favorite quick snack in Chicago?

If you're looking for the hottest wings in town, I've got you covered there as well. About a year ago, Jake Melnick's Corner Tap in River North unveiled their H-O-T Wings. These wings are SO hot, they claimed, customers would have to sign a waiver before eating them. Yeah, right. Nice gimmick. I went to try them myself. Here's what happened:

 


I know you all have an opinion, where can I find your favorite wings in Chicago? Leave a comment and let me know. Here are more details on the spots featured on tonight's segment:

The Fifty/50
2047 W. Division St.
773.489.5050
www.thefifty50.com
Monday-Thursday 11am-2am; Friday 10 am-2am; Saturday 10am-3am; Sunday 10am-2am
$9 for 8 wings

Wings Around The World
510 E. 75th St.
773.483.9120
www.flavorstoinfinity.com
Monday-Tuesday 2pm-12mid; Weds 12noon-2am; Thursday-Friday 12noon-4:30am; Saturday 12noon-5am; Sunday 12noon-7pm
$6.99 for 10

Take Me Out, Let's Eat Chinese
1502 W. 18th St.
312.929.2509
www.takemeoutchinese.com
$6.39 for regular order, $11.99 for family size
11am-9:30pm daily

 
Vending machines have come along way in the past 2,000 years. According to the National Automated Machines Association, the first "vending machine" was put into use in 215 B.C., a device to dispense holy water used in the temples of Egypt. Uh, huh. Some other fun vending machine facts:

- The vending industry is a $30 billion a year industry, employing 700,000 people who work at an estimated 13,500 companies.

- 100 million Americans will use on of 7 million vending machines each day.

- 16.3% of all vending machines are located in schools and colleges. Most vending machines are located in manufacturing settings (30.2%)

NAMA will be set up in Navy Pier over the next two days, with dozens of vendors set up to show off their latest creations. Among the machines we caught - a cotton candy machine that whips up the sugary snack in seconds. The sticky will set you back $2.

Another is a futuristic, iPhone like machine called the Digi-Touch. This one was on display by Kraft Foods, who demonstrated how the flat-screen, Samsung created front allowed customers to touch their choice. If you insert a $20 bill, you'll get paper money in return. The machine also accepts credit cards. And in between orders, the flat screen turns into a large animated advertisement for the various products inside.

Kraft's Mike Miller told us about the various challenges the creative team had when designing the machine - which houses plenty of chocolate products.

"The heat from the screen was beginning to make the chocolate soft and melt a little bit," Mike told us. " What we've done, is we actually have two fans. One at the bottom to push the air out over the screen. One at the top to suck that air out of the top, so we don't have any issues anymore with soft or slightly melted chocolate."

Other machines include the Akoona Ice Machine, a behemoth of a product that pumps out bags of fresh ice for just 75 cents. It's a big improvement from gas station ice, which, according to Akoona Reps, often comes trucked in from large factories that use chemicals during the production process. Akoona's ice is chemical free and never touches a human hand. Pull your cooler up, and with three gushes, it's full to the brim.

The NAMA convention runs through Friday, but it's only open to vendors. Check out my video above to feel what it was like to be there. Plus, you'll get to keep some change in your pocket.

Our first day in Copenhagen. We are a bit jet lagged and sleepy after a seven hour red eye but we hit the ground running on pure adrenaline.

This city is beautiful with old narrow streets and traffic that will make the toughest Chicago driver cringe. Antwan and I are working hard to bring you the best pictures and sound from not only the 2016 delegation but from the locals as well.

-Mike D'Angelo, WGN Photographer

By JERRY RILES

 

Heads or tails? It can go either way. My feelings about the 2016 Olympics here in Chicago that is. I love the Olympics, sports, winning and definitely the City of Chicago. But I also love life and love my fellow brethren, although some of my close friends and family members may differ at times. All in all, the life that God has given us is very precious and we should all cherish each and every day that we breathe the air and walk on this glorious planet we call home. Unfortunately, there are too many young African American teens and young adults on the city's South and West Sides that no longer have that chance to enjoy life anymore.

 

 

 They are no longer with us because someone felt that their lives weren't important enough. Derrion Albert became the fourth Chicago public School student to have his life snuffed out by violence this 2009 school year. Corey McClaurin, senior at Simeon High School on the city's South Side, lost his life just five days before Albert fell victim to a senseless and brutal attack. Mayor Richard Daley and the Chicago 2016 Olympic supporters are in Copenhagen this week in hopes of convincing the IOC to vote in favor of awarding the City of Chicago the bid.

I think the city winning the bin would be an incredible honor. My question is at what expense? Better yet, at whose expense? The lives of young African American teens living on the South and West Sides? I hope not. Chicago and the United States are being represented very well, and by very high profile and prominent African American supporters. The list includes, Pres. Barack Obama and his lovely wife Michelle, Oprah Winfrey, an endorsement from Michael Jordan, Gold Medalists Jackie Joyner-Kersee, sprinter Michael Johnson, triple-jumper Michael Conley Sr. just to name a few.

Too bad this prestigious group of leaders can't or are not interested in finding time to help come up with a solution to the brutal violence that is taking place in the city. They're more interested in traveling overseas to help the Mayor secure the 2016 Olympic games. Again, I love the Olympics. My love began many years ago when I was cheering on Frank Shorter to win the marathon. I rooted for Mark Spitz before there was a Michael Phelps. I ran along with Edwin Moses as he pushed toward Olympic glory in the finals of the hurdles. Yes, I screamed at the television as Florence Griffith -Joyner, Jackie, Evelyn Ashford, Carl Lewis, Kristi Yamaguchi, Bart Conner, Bruce Jenner, and the many other Americans, who represented this country in the past Olympics, brought home the Gold medals.

 I urge the Mayor to rally a group of these individuals to come back to Chicago and help rid the City of these ridiculous acts of violence that are destroying its image. If Chicago receives the bid, jobs, programs, and better education must be implemented immediately to help those living in the community. The killings of young males must cease. The numbers are astounding. Before 2006, on average, 10-15 students were fatally shot each year. That climbed to 24 fatal shootings in the 2006-07 school year, 23 deaths and 211 shootings in the 2007-08 school year and 34 deaths and 290 shootings last school year.

Just this month, the city announced a $30 million project that targets 1,200 high school pupils identified as most at risk to become victims of gun violence, giving them full-time mentors and part-time jobs to keep them off the streets. Some money also will pay for more security guards and to provide safe passage for students forced to travel through areas with active street gangs.

Kudos to leaders like Fr. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina on the City's South Side. May his hard work and dedication to the lives of these young individuals not go unnoticed. So let the Games begin. But let's not forget that life is more than just a game. (Jerry Riles is a weekly 5on5 contributor featured every Tuesday in the RedEye)

Day 1: BUSY day today but this is so exciting. Denmark has a great "old world" charm to it, but we haven't had a chance to "see it" just yet...lol

The plane ride over was very smooth and I think I finally dozed off around 1am Chicago time. But it was packed and a lively flight.

Early day tomorrow for us b/c Michelle Obama arrives and there are a couple of events we'll be chasing down. If you miss my blog be sure to catch the live reports on the air and the stuff on the web. Also...ANYBODY with the name of a Danish beer I can bring back to my recuperating best friend Tom Negovan...PLS let me know. ( But he can't drink it until after he's of his pain meds)

Til tomorrow....

Antwan Lewis, WGN News Reporter

Wednesday: The heavy hitters are starting to arrive to support Chicago: First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Friday, President Obama arrives.

There is definitely an energy in the air tonight. The hoopla for Chicago is great, but one thing I am really enjoying is the array of languages being spoken here. The world is literally convening in Copenhagen for the 2016 vote.

Everywhere we go in this city we stumble upon a group of people speaking something different everyday. You have Danish, the official language of Denmark. There's Spanish, Japanese, German, French and the most appealing to my ear, Portuguese.

It's a good thing though, for me and Antwan, that everyone seems to speak a little English because if we tried our hand at any of the above languages we'd still be trying to get out of the airport.

Mike D'Angelo, WGN Photographer