B12 Solipsism

My photo was used to illustrate this post

Photo By Seth Anderson Steppenwolf was founded in 1974 by Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, and Jeff Perry in the basement of a church in Highland Park, Illinois. It relocated in 1980 to it’s current location and has become a Tony Award-winning theatre company. Modern plays with excellent local actors.

click here to keep reading :
Steppenwolf Theatre Company | In Chicago

automatically created via Delicious and IFTTT

My photo was used to illustrate this post

Photo By Seth Anderson “Blackbird is one of the finest restaurants in the country” – Chicago Tribune. Sophisticated, earthy food in a modern, sleek setting. Owner of a Michelin star.

click here to keep reading :
Blackbird In Chicago

automatically created via Delicious and IFTTT

Richard Parrillo’s place.

”It got away from me, but it’s a labor of love for my wife,” insurance tycoon Richard Parrillo says of his wife, Michaela, who is overseeing the painstaking design and construction of the mammoth home, reportedly costing $40 million, on Burling Street (their property takes up seven city lots)
The lavish French-style mansion will feature an outdoor iron pavilion acquired from an Atlanta estate sale, a chandelier by Argentine ironworker Jose Thenee, a Louis XIII fireplace in the wine-tasting room and a drive court with loose gravel imported from France.

“It’s finer gravel and crunches a certain way when you walk on it,” explains Chicago architectural consultant and interior designer Anthony Michael, who declines to talk prices on such lavish finishing touches.

We were able to figure out that the chandelier alone cost $35,000.

Ms. Parrillo, a Francophile, also requested imported French marble for the floors and triple-vaulted ceilings inspired by the stables of Versailles.

via Crains

Also:

Topping the list in the 2011 tax year was insurance magnate Richard Parrillo, who paid nearly $246,780 last year on a new 15,533-square-foot limestone mansion in Lincoln Park

via

 I thought last month’s total was light, but I only worked on 51 images in April, probably my least productive month in a long, long time. Although, two of these made Flickr Explore…

Flickr: Archive of your uploads to Flickr in April 2013.

I was fighting off a few illnesses¹, plus my birthday, plus general slackitude. C’est la vie.

Without additional blah-blah, here are my personal favorites processed in April, 2013.

Constitution of the United States

Hail To The Thief Redux

Byrrh
I have only had this once, at the bar at Arami while waiting for my table. I’m going to find a bottle of my own eventually.

Drink to the Men Who Protect You and I

While Your Traces Disappear
I’ve mentioned this photo before. I made myself a 16″ x 20″ print mounted on bamboo from The Darkroom. Turned out nice.

Peel Back the Sky

Your Arms Were Shaking
I wonder how many photos of the West Loop at sunset I’ve taken? A lot, I’m sure.

My first ever Vesper
James Bond doesn’t have the best taste in cocktails. Martinis should really be shaken, not stirred, so he got that right, but vodka and martini are two words that should never be joined in the same sentence.

Each Has His Burden
Lovely white birch in front of the lovely Bahá’í Temple in Wilmette.

We Have Never Been Very Pure
Manhattan Beach, LA. I’ve mentioned this photo before. I should make a print of it too.

Feel of rain in the face
Manhattan Beach, LA.

Birthday Pie
I wasn’t kidding, I did have a birthday this month. Cherry pie, of course.

Pinhole Self Portrait Circa 1994 I scanned this recently, unfortunately, the print is fairly damaged. Some friend of a friend who was a grad student at the ARTIC back in the mid-90s built the pinhole out of a coffee can, and brought a flash. I just posed.

Trust In Your Calling

Science Won’t Change You

Take A Walk Through The Land of Shadows

An Approximation of the Anticipation

A Harmony Not Rarefied

1. yes, plural [↩]

My photo was used to illustrate this post

May Day protest at the Haymarket Riot Memorial, 1 May 2012. Credit: Seth Anderson

click here to keep reading :
Pictures – Labor College at the Mid-Ohio Workers Association – Columbus Unitarian Universalist | Examiner.com

automatically created via Delicious and IFTTT

 A/k/a Black Card Magazine wants free Photos.

Chicago Dog

I’ve gotten lazy about blogging the periodic requests to use my photos in a commercial setting without compensation. I have no concern with websites or blogs using my photos, even quasi-commercial sites like Chicagoist, Curbed Chicago, or the like, as long as these usages don’t require payment to view. In my reasoning, I get benefit from such exposure, not to mention I read most of these sites anyway, or could. However, printed use is different: the targeted audience has to pay a fee to read the magazine or book, thus I should get a slice of the pie. Does this make sense?

There have been several such inquiries since I last mentioned the subject, such as yesterday, when I received this email, marked URGENT.

I work as a writer for Black Card magazine. We are doing a feature on America’s Best Street Foods and we want to feature The Wiener’s Circle in Chicago.

They don’t have any images of their hot dogs, but I found the one on your flickr page. Was wondering if you might be willing to let us publish it in exchange for a photo credit in the article and a free copy of the magazine?

We are on an urgent deadline.

[redacted]

My first reaction was irritation at the forced urgency. Why do I have to rush to respond? I’m not the one who waited until the last minute to secure photographic rights for a story assigned months ago. An admission: I’m that guy on the highway who slows down when drivers tailgate me. Especially if I’m driving by myself, I’ll block irritating drivers from passing me for twenty minutes (alternatively slowing down and speeding up, as traffic changes) or longer. Unless you have a flashing siren on your vehicle, I doubt sincerely your time is any more valuable than mine, and no, I won’t get out of your way if you are rude. Of course, if Illinois caves in, and allows concealed handguns to be carried, I may alter my behavior. Probably not though. I hate being told to hurry up. I have enough deadlines of my own without incorporating yours as well.

Secondly, Black Card Magazine is a trade publication solely for the upper echelon – for instance, American Express’s Centurion Card, which requires cardholders willing to pay an annual fee of $2,500 just to have the card, plus a $7,500 application fee. Not for the peons, in other words. American Express had an operating income of $33,800,000,000 last year, I think they could afford to pay photographers if they chose to.

Wieners Circle Rages at the Dying of the Light

So I replied that I would be happy to allow one-time usage of my photograph for the fee of $800. I’m not holding my breath for a response (it’s been 24 hours). 

the Wieners Family Crest

Mmm Crunchy Chicago Dogs

Daddy Hopes He Has Enough Rope in the Trunk

Earlier today…

CHICAGO — Police destroyed a million-dollar racket when they trapped a powerful gang of counterfeiters dealing in American Express Company’s travelers’ checks. Working on information received from a stoolpigeon in the underworld of Pittsburgh and aided by the double-crossing of several of the gang’s Eastern distributors, police arrested nine men, including the notorious George H. (“Bugs”) Moran, once claimant to the throne of Chicago’s gangdom. The counterfeiting gang was organized on the ruins of the mob which once ruled Chicago’s North Side under the iron leadership of Moran. The thugs who made up the old mob were killed or scattered in gang warfare with the henchmen of Scarface Al Capone, the South Side mobster who is now serving an eleven-year term in Alcatraz for income-tax evasion. A remnant of the old gang carried on until the repeal of prohibition broke its back. Police heard little of Moran until about six weeks ago. …

Via:
1938 Al Capone’s Arch Foe is Arrested
[automated]

While Your Traces Disappear

Cool! Another photo has made it into Flickr Explore, and with even more favorites than the last photo got.  I take and process photos every day, or attempt to, and I always do the best I can to transform the images into art. But prior to these two photos making Explore, I hadn’t been selected since April 2012. I realize the Explore algorithm is mostly computerized, and that there is an element of chance in making the cut – but still. Odd. And nice. 

Funny, as I only sort of randomly selected this photo of the CTA tracks near Graceland Cemetery as a means to test new perspective tools in the Lightroom 5 Beta, and then tweaked the image a bit using the Google Silver Efex Pro plugin. The subject is a bit of cliché to tell the truth – high contrast black and white image of shadow perspectives, yadda yadda. I’ve taken many similar photos that didn’t get so much appreciation from Flickreenos. Still, I am happy with how this one turned out…

Click here for an embiggened version. 

Or here to purchase a print for your own wall.

I processed and uploaded 113 photos in March, much less than February’s total. Probably my ear troubles ate into my productivity, but that’s just an excuse. 

Anyway via Flickr: Archive of your uploads to Flickr in March 2013 here are my 22 personal favorites created in March. Click image to embiggen.

Go Back To Where You Have Been Again

Take What You Have Gathered From Coincidence

Money Isn’t The Only Answer

Devil’s Paintbrush – Upper Yurtistan

Butterfly – Upper Yurtistan

Wine is Good For You

Minister of Design and The Future, Blue

Somebody Please Tell This Machine I’m Not A Machine

Ready For Take Off

Guardian of Marfa East

Assembling Tian

Fanoenix by Debbie Mullins

Heracles Shoots the Sun

Cold Was the Ground
I don’t love all of this photo, but I do like how the clouds were filtered.

Where The Air Is Fresh And Clean

George playing the piano

Let True Love Win
Garfield Park Conservatory

Fulton Vortex
West Loop weirdness

Not A Simple Binary Choice
Loyola Campus

Off The Grid
Lake Michigan beach in Wilmette, IL

Towers
Bahá’í Temple, Wilmette, IL

Eliyahu Was Thirsty
Hipstamatic closeup of Elijah’s cup, a few days after Passover

Read the rest of this entry »

Groves Tasteless Chill Tonic – Makes Children and Adults As Fat As Pigs.

Earlier today…

For the second time in history, federal regulators have accused an American state of securities fraud, finding that Illinois misled investors about the condition of its public pension system from 2005 to 2009. In announcing a settlement with the state on Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Illinois of claiming that it had been properly funding public workers’ retirement plans when it had not. In particular, it cited the period from 2005 to 2009, when Illinois also issued $2.2 billion in bonds.

Via:
S.E.C. Accuses Illinois of Securities Fraud
[automated]

Spring might be close, but Chicago is still in the snow zone…

Money Isn’t The Only Answer

In January, I only uploaded 83 photos to Flickr, however in February, I took a vacation in a new-to-me city (Los Angeles), so of course, I took and subsequently processed lots more photos. Seriously, lots more. I haven’t even finished going through all of my LA photos, but I’m close. Anyway, here are a few of my favorites, roughly in date order.

Archives / Posted in / 2013 / February (191 items)

(click here to continue reading Flickr: Archive of your uploads to Flickr in February 2013.)

Click a photo to embiggen…

You Could Get Used To It

Times Passes Slowly

Strolling on the Sand

–

more below the fold, mostly because I have entirely too many favorite photos this time. 38 by my rough count, or nearly 20%. And there were a couple others one the cusp…

Read the rest of this entry »

I took Eureka! on October 19, 2010 at 01:32PM

This Much is True

Make no small plans, right? Choose Chicago is floating the idea of privately financed tourist attractions.

A group of Chicago tourism officials and civic supporters who want to give the city’s image and economy a boost is examining a slate of ideas for new attractions and amenities that include light shows playing off downtown skyscrapers, airborne glass cable cars running along the riverfront and designated luxury cars on the transit line to O’Hare.

The brainstorming is taking place under the auspices of Choose Chicago, the not-for-profit that serves as the city’s convention and tourism bureau. Bruce Rauner, its chairman, is leading the push, along with significant input from hotel investor Laurence Geller, Broadway in Chicago President Lou Raizin and Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts.

The broad outlines of the vision, which aims to draw as much as $30 billion in private investment, are expected to be disclosed Thursday at the annual meeting of Choose Chicago. Other ideas include plane rides along the lakefront and perhaps an architecturally stunning casino complex if gambling is approved for the city.

“We said, ‘Let’s be aspirational and aggressive, not just incremental,’ ” Rauner said. The aim is to boost visitor numbers from nearly 44 million in 2011 to 70 million annually, which, if achieved, would blow past the 50 million Mayor Rahm Emanuel would like to see by 2020.

 

(click here to continue reading Group gets ‘aggressive’ with ideas for tourism.)

About that Road to Happiness…

So what are the plans under consideration? 

Among the ideas under consideration, according to Rauner and other sources:

• Dramatic light show-type illuminations of city buildings and structures, such as bridges.
• A luxury casino-anchored entertainment complex, along the lines of the Marina Bay Sands, a massive resort in Singapore designed by Moshe Safdie and built for more than $5 billion. Such a project would depend on getting state approval for a downtown casino.
• Tourism “carriages” on the CTA between downtown and O’Hare International Airport, which would be set up as sorts of club cars, where travelers could get drinks and help with their luggage, among other amenities.
• Glass-bubble airborne cable cars — with air conditioning in summer and heat in winter — that would take visitors along the river from Navy Pier to the point where Wacker Drive turns south.
• A float plane port on Northerly Island, where tourists could take plane rides up and down the lakefront.
• A jazz and blues hall of fame on the Near South Side
• A lakefront botanic garden
• A technology park for children
• An architecture festival, similar to Biennale cultural festivals in Europe.

Pretty much all fun ideas in the abstract. I’m not crazy about a casino, and the City hasn’t even legalized gambling yet, but I have no moral objection to people throwing away their money, so why not make it architecturally significant? 

One does have to question the motives here, however. No organization is going to donate money to the City of Chicago without some strings attached. What are they? They claim to have enough private money to create all these marvels, but I would be very surprised if there weren’t some kick-ins from Chicago, financial or otherwise. Especially because Bruce Rauner has an agenda…

Pączki

I had my first Pączki today¹ – one stuffed with a berry paste of some sort, and the other with a plum jam. Quite delicious. I was going to eat only one, but then couldn’t help myself from eating a second…

To make it a truly Fat Tuesday and properly usher in the long lenten season, one should follow the path of the Polish to the paczki.

…Pronounced “poonch-key,” the cakes are a longtime Polish tradition considered essential preludes to Ash Wednesday.

At Pticek & Son Bakery at 5523 S. Narragansett Ave., the preparationwas set to carry on through the night, with hundreds of paczkis ordered for pick-up before 5 a.m.

…To understand paczkis or even to enjoy them is to learn a little bit about Polish culture.

…”In the Polish tradition, it’s the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday [that people eat paczkis],” manager Urszula Niemczyk explained between attempts to have a visitor try “just one more.”

The tradition is becoming more and more intermingled with American celebrations of Fat Tuesday, she said.

But for Poles, the little donut is an important reminder of their heritage, said Samantha Kaminski, who works the counter at Oak-Mill.

“It’s a very big deal to us,” she said.

(click here to continue reading Polish pastry puts the fat in Tuesday – Chicago Tribune.)

Jelly filled Pączki

Wikipedia adds:

A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with confiture or other sweet filling. Pączki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol (traditionally, Spiritus) is added to the dough before cooking; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough.

Although they look like berliners (German name), bismarcks (south-central Canada/north-central US name), and jelly doughnuts (generic name; sometimes “jam donut”), pączki are made from especially rich dough containing eggs, fats, sugar and sometimes milk. They feature a variety of fruit and creme fillings and can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar. Powidła (stewed plum jam) and wild rose hip jam are traditional fillings, but many others are used as well, including strawberry, Bavarian cream, blueberry, custard, raspberry and apple.

Pączki have been known in Poland at least since the Middle Ages. Jędrzej Kitowicz has described that during the reign of August III, under the influence of French cooks who came to Poland, pączki dough was improved, so that pączki became lighter, spongier, and more resilient.

In Poland, pączki are eaten especially on the first day of Ostatki, Tłusty Czwartek, also known as the Fat Thursday (the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday). The traditional reason for making pączki was to use up all the lard, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house, because their consumption was forbidden by Catholic fasting practices during Lent.

In the large Polish community of Chicago, and in other large cities across the Midwest, Pączki Day is celebrated annually by immigrants and locals alike. In Buffalo, Toledo, Cleveland, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, South Bend, and Windsor, Pączki Day is more commonly celebrated on Fat Tuesday instead of Tłusty Czwartek. Chicago celebrates the festival on both Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday, due to its sizable Polish population. Chicagoans also often eat pączki on Casimir Pulaski Day.

1. two, in fact [↩]