Union Sushi on Erie

Transcended by Tea

I’d try this place, sounds interesting. Probably won’t like changes to the menu, but we’ll try anyway…

Working on business partnerships for Visa, Mike Schatzman journeyed all over the world. “I’ve been a traveling buffoon for the last seven years of my life,” he says. After eating at Japanese restaurants in London, South Africa, and, of course, Japan, Schatzman looked at the Chicago Japanese landscape and saw nothing like his forthcoming Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar (230 W. Erie St.). The 70-seater is scheduled to open in May with the chef/partner Worachai Thapthimkuna (known as Chao), formerly of Sushi Wabi. The barbecue in the name is kushiyaki, skewered fish, meat, and vegetables cooked on a robata grill. The sushi will include smaller rolls than the Godzillas we’ve come to expect, so that diners can try more items. The menu reflects influences from everywhere—which shows its own kind of authenticity. “People tend to think that in Japan, they are traditionalists, and that’s not the case,” Schatzman says. “There is more innovation than we imagine going on in Japan.”

(click to continue reading Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar Coming to River North – Dish – January 2011 – Chicago.)

Everyone Singing a Soft Tune

Everyone Singing a Soft Tune

I’m a sucker for photographing lights. Never know what turns up. When I was younger, and hung out in night clubs more often, I often brought my 35 mm Nikon, which didn’t have a flash, and took long exposure blurred photos, aiming at whatever light was available. This isn’t par with those sorts of shots, but it is a distant relative.

Lightbox version.

Black and White Upreach

Black and White upreach

View in Lightbox

Shot with a Hipstamatic1. The north branch of the Chicago River has more and more places that are pedestrian friendly.

No idea what the title even means, to be honest. Naming photographs is sometimes difficult, especially when one takes several thousand a year.

Footnotes:
  1. Lens: John S / Flash: Off / Film: BlacKeys SuperGrain []

Now I Am Busy

Now I am busy

Taken with Hipstamtic for iPhone, than modified in SwankoLab.1 Lightbox version

The infamous Kinzie Street bridge, where the tour bus of the Dave Matthews Bus dumped out 100 gallons of sewage, just as a boatful of sightseers passed below. Ewww. Also where a former Daley aide allegedly committed suicide.

I should have straightened the photo, but I didn’t, and now kind of like the crookedness.

Footnotes:
  1.  using Noir Fixer, Grizzle Fix, and Vinny’s BL04 []

Urban Jungle

Urban Jungle

iPhone photo taken from Riverbend, then manipulated on the iPhone with SwankoLab12

Click here for lightbox version

Footnotes:
  1. using Jerry’s Developer, Vinny’s CO34, and Zero []
  2. actually ran it through SwankoLab twice, but don’t recall which chemicals I used first []

Without shadows is without magnificence

Developed in SwankoLab for iPhone using Vinny’s BL94, Vinny’s BL04, Noir Fixer, and Noir Fixer.

Wonder how long the SwankoLab “blue” bug will remain? Has been quite some time now.

Click here for Lightbox version

You can see the erroneous blue tint in the upper right of the photo; amusingly, Riverbend Condominium does have strips of blue lights on their buildings, just not quite like this.

Dwyane Wade buys Chicago townhouse

Summer Hoops - Lomo
[Summer Hoops, Rogers Park somewhere]

Sam Smith reports:

Has Dwyane Wade purchased his Chicago dream house as a prelude to signing a free agent contract with the Bulls next summer?
Or is Wade just a clever real estate speculator at a good time?

Prying eyes want to know. And at least basketball franchises in Chicago and Miami.

ChicagoMag.com’s real estate blog reported Monday that Wade has purchased a four story riverfront townhouse in Kinzie Park, which is just west of the Loop across the river from the East Bank Club. The price is said to be about $1.4 million, which hardly seems like what you’d pay for an occasional getaway place back in your hometown if you are planning to establish roots in Miami by signing a major extension.

[Click to continue reading Chicago Bulls Blog: Dwyane Wade buys $1.4 million Chicago townhouse]

Hey, DWade for Ben Gordon1 is definite upgrade; even though Dwyane Wade is injury-prone, he is certainly one of the top guards in the NBA.

Sam Smith still doesn’t believe in outgoing links, but Google is2 our friend:

The Kinzie Park townhouse is part of a development of former industrial parcels across the river from the East Bank Club that also includes high-rise condos. The townhouses have private yards fronting the river along a shared promenade. Wade bought a 3,900-square-foot unit with a two-car garage and a rooftop deck.

The property was on the market for almost a year, says the seller’s agent, Harold Blum, and it sat vacant for a while. “But then we furnished it and we got two offers,” says Blum, who would not reveal whether Wade’s offer was the higher of the two. Wade closed on the sale in late June, but information on the deal only surfaced recently at the Cook County Recorder of Deeds.

[Click to continue reading NBA and Olympic Star Buys in River North – Deal Estate – August 2009 – Chicago]

Coincidentally, Flickr-eeno phule and I were just walking past here a couple weeks ago, albeit on the other side of the river. It doesn’t look like I took any photos of this area, but then I didn’t see anything photo-worthy either. I’d like having DWade as a near-neighbor, not that I’m much of a celebrity stalker (well, except for the time Michelle Obama was eating across the street). The Chicago Bulls can dream, right?

Footnotes:
  1. who signed with the Detroit Pistons over the off-season []
  2. usually []

Everytrail Photostroll in River North

River North

Widget powered by EveryTrail: GPS Trip Sharing with Google Maps

I don’t know what has changed, but EveryTrail is a total battery sucker: an hour walk nearly completely drained my iPhone 3GS battery. Hmm, have to look into that, or else find a similar GPS application that does what EveryTrail does.

Anyway, if the Flash widget doesn’t load, here are some of the photos I took on this stroll with Flickr-eeno, phule

Union Missionary Baptist Church
Union Missionary Baptist Church
940 N Orleans Stmaps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=safari…

Hail to the Thief -July 30, 2009
Hail to the Thief -July 30, 2009
update of this photo:

No Coke, Pepsi
No Coke, Pepsi
Mr. Beef, 666 N. OrleansView On Black

Misdirected Remarks – Agfa Scala
Misdirected Remarks - Agfa Scala
West Loop, near Canal StreetBenefits by Viewing On Black

Recession 101 – Agfa Scala 200
Recession 101 - Agfa Scala 200
Kingsbury. Sort of a strange advertising message, no?

View On Black

Both panels read:

Recession 101:

This is the worst downturn since 1929.

According to economists who successfully predicted 14 of the last five recessions.”

wonder who the sponsor is?

Chicago 2016 Olympic
Chicago 2016 Olympic
River North, sans graffiti, at least at the moment.

Chicago 2016 Olympic City
Chicago 2016 Olympic City
River North, sans graffiti, at least at the moment.

GNIKRAP ON
GNIKRAP ON
or something.

City Farm
City Farm
Division and Laramie, or nearby.

www.resourcecenterchicago.org/70thfarm.html

Unknown building in the background with what look to be wind turbines for generating electricity

Flag Waving
Flag Waving
River North areaView On Black

Riverbend Blues in the sunlight – 3 Millions dollars?
Riverbend Blues in the sunlight - 3 Millions dollars?
Polapan version

View On Black

333 N Canal St #3702, Chicago IL 60606 3 br | 3 ½ ba | 4,163 sqft | Apt/Condo/Twnhm $3,100,000 www.trulia.com/property/1083824292-333-N-Canal-St-3702-Ch…

Riverbend in the sunlight
Riverbend in the sunlight
no way I’d pay $3,100,000 to live here

www.trulia.com/property/1083824292-333-N-Canal-St-3702-Ch…

Price/sq ft $745. Yeah, I don’t think so.

Sensational 360 vws from the Penthouse at Riverbend! See every significant bldg in Chgo, up the river & Lake Mich. Never before on the market! This home is beyond compare. 12′ ceil’gs w/flr-to-ceil’g wndws. All bdrms En-Suite. 2 enormous terraces perfect for entertaining. Kit w/Buter’s Pantry. Gallery for artwork.

a quickr pickr post

Bike Safety in Chicago

Cops on Bikes
[Cops on Bikes]

Maybe when the police finish re-training cars to avoid hitting pedestrians in crosswalks, they can devote some resources to the ongoing automobile vs. bicycle wars. I’m never riding without a helmet again, that’s for sure.

A ghost bike marks the last place Clinton Miceli, 22, rode his bike.

“When you got to know him, he was just hilarious and full of life. He had everything going for him in this world. For him to go, it’s just a shock for all of us,” said Rob Mach, Clinton Miceli’s roommate.

Miceli was a graphic designer. He was riding his bike home from work Monday evening. A man in an SUV opened his car door in front of Miceli. Miceli was thrown into the path of oncoming traffic. He died from head injuries.

“He just got into it this last summer, getting around the city. He thought it was a great mode of transportation. He was very careful about it,” said Mach.

On Tuesday morning at the intersection of Broadway and Patterson, another cyclist was hit. Chicago police say the CTA bus driver attempted to pass the bike. The cyclist survived that crash.

“People are out there driving with cell phones. People are out there driving, not paying attention, not being prepared to stop, not being prepared to watch,” said Rob Sadowsky, executive director, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.

[snip]

“It’s usually people not paying attention or thinking they can out-speed you around the corner or something and turn right in front of you,” said Jennifer Gutowski.

In the incident Tuesday morning, the CTA bus driver was cited and suspended by the CTA.

The driver who opened the door in front of Miceli Monday night was also ticketed. A wake and funeral for Miceli are planned for later this week.

[From abc7chicago.com: 2 serious accidents highlight bike safety 6/11/08]

When I spent a few days in Seattle, I was amazed at the pedestrian’s power. Cars would stop hundreds of yards from any walker, even ones like me who were jaywalking. Bike riders were given wide berths by cars, and never tail-gated. I talked to some locals while riding public transit, and they all said drivers were well trained to stop for pedestrians, but that pedestrians never jaywalked because the police gave out a lot of tickets for this transgression. Toronto is the same: cars are very polite to pedestrians and bikes alike. Chicago? Not so much. Car is king, and you’d best not forget it.

Photo of the young man here