Latest news with #Chicago-centric
Time Out
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This neon-lit shuffleboard bar from London is officially open in Chicago
The Brits are here. The London-based, high-tech shuffleboard bar Electric Shuffle just opened in River North at 488 N La Salle Drive, serving cocktails and food alongside exciting gaming opportunities. The 7,000-square-foot space delivers a vibrant, retro-inspired setting for gaming and gathering with friends. Evoking the vibe of a house party, you'll find vinyl records, vintage art and Chicago-centric décor all throughout the destination, accented by neon signs and a glowing main bar that serves as a centerpiece. The custom shuffleboard tables—boasting a camera vision technology created by a rocket scientist!—can accommodate groups of two to 20 folks each for 90-minute sessions, so grab as many friends as you want on your way in. The destination can also host up to 250 guests at once, linking tables together for a tournament, complete with live leaderboards throughout the venue. Seems like the city's top bowling alleys have some competition now. In addition to it all, Chicagoans can hang out on the on-site patio, which features a pergola and seating for 25, ideal for people watching and sipping cocktails. Speaking of drinks: expect classics and more modern creations to share space on the imbibing menu. There's the Spicy Lucy margarita made with house-infused jalapeño tequila, for example, and the salted caramel espresso martini, which adds a salty spin to a fan favorite. Weekday happy hour specials abound as well. On the food front, expect elevated bar fare, including truffle parmesan fries, hot honey pepperoni pizza and vegan chile-glazed tempura cauliflower. Feeling fancy? Order a slice of Milk Bar's Shuffle Celebration Cake—complete with a sparkler. 'We created Electric Shuffle as a place that feels like a timeless house party, where friends and colleagues can connect—whether it's over happy hour, weekend brunch, a team outing or game night,' said Gene Ball, president of Electric Shuffle U.S., in an official press release. 'We design our spaces, games, food and drinks to feel familiar, fun, and, most importantly, welcoming.'
Chicago Tribune
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Welcome to the Show' wants to feel like hanging out with friends in their Lincoln Square basement
Derek Bish is hard to miss. Tall and jovial (he gave his height as 'a trim 6-foot-8,' and that's not far from the truth), his affable smile and good-natured laugh make him easy to spot in any room. The simplest way to find him, however, is to head over to The Getaway in Lincoln Square. Every other Monday, Bish can be seen onstage as the host of 'Welcome to the Show,' a Chicago-centric live talk show that he created. 'Welcome to the Show' has been filling the backroom of The Getaway since its first episode in the summer of 2024. Bish says the show's genesis sprang from a simple adage: 'Make what you want to see yourself.' The idea for a show spotlighting the best of Chicago art, entertainment, sports and culture had been brewing in his brain for months but it wasn't until December 2023 that he decided to make it happen. After declaring his New Year's resolution to 'host and start this show finally,' Bish pitched the idea to longtime friends Dave Halpern, Ross Dimun and Scott Spidale. The men had just taken ownership of the recently closed Grafton Pub and were in the process of converting it into The Getaway. The trio agreed to give him the backroom. On June 17, 2024, the show premiered, featuring, among other guests, Cubs anthem singer John Vincent and Michelin-starred chef Christian Hunter. With no PR team or crew, Bish does all the booking himself, attributing his guest-related good fortune to his love of 'a kindly worded email.' 'I'll send random cold emails to people I think would enjoy it,' he says. So far, that approach has worked, as personalities as varied as Chicago comic Jamie Shriner, WGN host Ji Suk Yi and Empty Bottle co-owner Matt Ciarleglio have graced his stage over the last year. 'Stage,' however, may be a grand word for the room where the show takes place. Audience members pass through the dimly lit, mirror-filled main bar to slip through a black curtain. On the other side, a long, narrow room opens. Couches, ottomans and high-top tables fill the space, and, at the far end, two armchairs and a coffee table sit next to a working fireplace and sprawling hearth. It almost feels like walking into a talk show set up in someone's basement — which is exactly what Bish is going for. 'It's like a house party,' he says. 'The whole goal of the show is to feel like you know me already, and we're hanging out and I'm introducing you to some really fantastic artists that live in Chicago.' Luis Romero is one of those artists. Romero has been an illustrator professionally for over 20 years; he was invited to the show after attending the 2024 Christmas edition as an audience member. The night of his appearance, he sold pins, drawings and patches from a table near the entrance. A regular on the convention circuit, Romero was featured in this year's Artist Alley at C2E2. Of the two events, Romero loves the intimate feel 'Welcome to the Show' provides. 'You get to meet a person and highlight what they're doing,' he says, in a way the 'flood of people' at C2E2 doesn't always allow. That personal touch proliferates throughout the evening. Bish brings books from his own house for audience members to peruse. He decorates the interview space with his children's artwork. At a recent show, he and his wife Margaret Bish baked brownies for the crowd. Bish, who described himself as 'the only one in his family who's ever picked up a microphone,' opens the show with an endearingly rambling monologue that instantly sets the room — and his guests — at ease with his ability to lead the evening. And just like no one would charge their friends to hang out, 'Welcome to the Show' is a free event. That way, Bish says, 'People get to save their money and they can spend it on the artist.' Bish's commitment to supporting local artistry extends to Lincoln Square itself. Noting that shows are often seated to capacity, he admits 'quite a few' venues have approached him about relocating. 'I just don't want to do that yet,' he says. The show 'feels special in that neighborhood.' As his audience grows, Bish aims to keep 'Welcome to the Show' a peaceful respite from the troubled outside world by reminding them of the culture, art, and joy in Chicago. 'It can feel daunting out there,' he said. 'There's just so much garbage going on. But in reality, every day we wake up, we wake up in a great city surrounded by great talented people.' During the closing monologue of a recent episode, Bish echoed this sentiment. 'Now more than ever is a wonderful time to be open and vulnerable with each other,' he said. 'Don't be afraid of feeling good. It's OK to be happy. I promise.' After a night at this show, it's hard not to be.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
One-on-one with CPD's Supt. Snelling as he details new strategic plan
CHICAGO (WGN) — Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling introduced a new strategic plan Monday that includes his vision of CPD in 2025. The Chicago Police Department Strategy for Organizational Excellence is a 59-page how-to manual based on best practices gathered from law enforcement across the country. It is also very Chicago-centric. To the superintendent, who has been a police officer for 33 years, his vision of successful modern policing begins and ends with regular, ongoing training for everyone on the job, including himself. 'My objective since I got here is the top-down effect. It starts with me,' he said. 'We have to be responsible, and we have to take full responsibility for everything that happens in this department when it comes to accountability, when it comes to wellness.' Committee addresses mental health after spike in CPD officer suicides With off-the-charts daily stressors that have all too often led to death by suicide by his men and women in blue, Snelling says a big part of his plan centers on mental health wellness. 'They are out there working every single day under some of the most difficult conditions that you can imagine, seeing people in some of the worst states that could ever see a human being, then expect them to get up and go back out there (and) do it again. We have to take care of those people so they can continue to provide services for the people,' Snelling said. The new policing plan covers a wide range of topics, from office recruitment and retention to officer conduct to community engagement with stakeholders, effective use of technology, and more. 'What we have to do is build partnerships,' Snelling said. 'And I've seen since I've been in this position, when we collaborate, when we have a partnership or relationship with our communities and other agencies across the city, we can get some work done and get it done well.' When it comes to stopping crime before it even starts, he believes we have to focus on Chicago's kids at the earliest ages, from preschool on up, including sports and extracurriculars, to education and nutrition. Something he knows all too well. 'I know what it's like at times to feel hungry … to go without to go without,' Snelling said of his childhood. 'I was surrounded by people who were suffering through some of those same things.' Snelling's two older brothers are dead, one of whom, he says, was in a gang and dealt drugs. The lifestyle, Snelling believes, ultimately led to his premature death. So why did he make it to the top of the ranks? He credits the human resource officer at his old school, Englewood High. 'Officer Thomas (was a) big, big man. Probably about 6'5′, 6'6′, about 280 pounds. He had the respect of all the students in the school,' Snelling said. 'He made sure we went to class. He was a pretty strong guy. He was tough. He was hard on us, but we needed that grown up in a single-parent home. He served as a father figure for those of us who did not have that father figure in the home.' Resource officers were pulled from all Chicago Public Schools just last August at the behest of Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union. Snelling thinks that should be reconsidered. 'I'm not saying it's for (every) school, but I am saying that there are some locations where those kids could use that mentorship,' he said. Much of what CPD does these days concerns Chicago's youth but on the negative side of the ledger. Just two Fridays ago in Streeterville, a group of teens closed down intersections and jumped on cars. The incident led to the shooting of a 15-year-old. Snelling says much of the behavior of today's teens is driven by social media, and the overwhelming majority of homicides have been gun-related. 'We've already put together our intelligent center where we are working directly with ATF to run guns, analyze shell casings, things of that nature,' he said. 'Because of that, we solve some major gun crimes.' Two officers have died by gunfire so far on his watch, and when it comes to the controversial ShotSpotter technology, Snelling and the mayor had a difference in opinion. But not agreeing on every matter is to be expected, and Snelling says they talk on a regular basis. 'Here's a great part about it. The one thing that I can tell you with the mayor is that he does not interfere with the job that I'm doing,' he said. Johnson chooses Larry Snelling to be next CPD Superintendent He says his priority now is implementing this new plan and keeping the city and his officers as safe as possible. He says he and his command staff are weighing their options regarding implementing something like ShotSpotter in the days ahead. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
26-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Blackhawks trade board: Seth Jones wants out. Can he be moved by the deadline?
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NHL trade deadline. Now that Seth Jones' wish to be traded is out in the open, every game he plays and everything he says will be scrutinized that much more. And Jones didn't hold back after the Blackhawks' not-nearly-as-close-as-it-looks 2-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night. There's no more masking his frustration — not that he was really hiding it much to begin with, four years into his tenure with the tanking and rebuilding Blackhawks. Or as he put it, 'almost four years of bottom of the league.' Advertisement 'We're the exact same team right now as we were Game 1,' Jones said. 'It's pretty evident out there. We haven't made any strides to be a better, more simple hockey team, and it shows. We don't get a lot of wins because of that.' Jones wants out, and it dramatically changes the stakes of the upcoming March 7 trade deadline for the Blackhawks. What was supposed to be a quiet deadline, with maybe a few stopgap veterans on one-year deals getting flipped for mid- to late-round picks is now something much bigger. Suddenly, Chicago has two of the top five trade chips on Chris Johnston's big board, with Jones at No. 3 and Ryan Donato — in the midst of a career season — at No. 5. Given his contract (five more seasons with a $9.5 million cap hit), moving Jones will be complicated and difficult. There's no guarantee it happens in the next nine days, or even this summer. But Jones' fate is by far the biggest storyline right now for the Blackhawks, who are otherwise playing out the string in another lost season. Jones and Donato aren't the only players who could be moved, however. Let's take a look at our first Chicago-centric trade board. The Blackhawks will undoubtedly trade Seth Jones. Whether that's within the next two weeks or five years from now is the question. Jones has brought his desire to be traded out in the open, but that likely doesn't change much. The Blackhawks aren't feeling pressure to move Jones and aren't going to agree to just any offer, especially when it comes to how much they retain of his contract. How much flexibility Jones gives with his no-movement clause and where he's willing to go is a major part of the equation, too. The likelihood that Donato could be traded probably increased slightly as soon as he was taken off Connor Bedard's line this week. There was an argument to be made for the Blackhawks to keep Donato around, especially if he was benefitting Bedard. Donato has value on the Blackhawks, but Davidson will be weighing it against what a team is willing to give up for him. Donato is having a career season and brings the kind of motor and depth scoring contenders crave this time of year. But to weaken the current team for another third-round pick or worse probably doesn't make much sense for the Blackhawks. Advertisement Like Jones, Murphy's name has been popping up on NHL insider trade boards despite him having term beyond this season. Murphy is signed through next season. He has been better this season, especially defensively, than recent years, he can play on either side, and he could draw some interest. His recurring groin injury probably does give some teams pause. The Blackhawks may not be openly shopping Reichel, but they're probably more willing to listen on him than ever before. The Blackhawks could hold onto Reichel and see if he continues to develop over the next season. The question is just whether they want to keep holding a roster spot for him. How much patience do they have, and do they still believe he's capable of playing the way they want him to? Reichel is only 22, and his speed is undeniable. But after another healthy scratch, it seems as if he's getting closer and closer to needing a 'change of scenery' trade to jump-start his career. Smith might not be the most exciting trade candidate around, but he's a reliable depth scorer who's got loads of playoff experience and isn't shy about putting the puck on net. And he's making barely above the league minimum. The Blackhawks likely would get next to nothing for him, but opening a roster spot for a younger player at this stage of the season might be enough. Maroon is a three-time Stanley Cup champion. On one hand, that means he holds special value to contenders, particularly those who haven't won before. There's nothing like having 'rings in the room,' as the old saying goes. On the other hand, he doesn't need to go Cup-chasing at age 36, either. If he's open to a trade, the Blackhawks would be open to trading him. But if he'd rather stay put, the Blackhawks are probably perfectly content with that, too. Kurashev has played some of his best hockey of the season coming out of the 4 Nations break. But the team soured on him pretty significantly this season after a surprising 54-point campaign last year, and it's probably too late to change the Blackhawks' mind. Kurashev likely won't be tendered a qualifying offer and will walk as a free agent. It's unlikely he would be traded, but the Blackhawks would obviously move him if someone called. Advertisement Martinez said last week that he hasn't spoken to Davidson about whether he wants to be traded. Like Maroon, he's a three-time champion and well-respected veteran who could be had for a bargain price. Also like Maroon, the Blackhawks will trade him only if he wants to be traded. With a baby at home and another on the way, Martinez might be content to play out the season in Chicago rather than disrupt his family. (Top photo of Seth Jones:)
Chicago Tribune
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Goodman Theatre's big 100th season: David Byrne, an ‘Office' star and the return of Robert Falls
The Goodman Theatre has announced a celebrity-crusted Centennial Season with a remarkable six world premieres, a pre-Broadway tryout and an overall level of ambition that surpasses the previous 99 seasons. Attractions for the upcoming slate include an off-site immersive show, 'Theater of the Mind,' as created by David Byrne of Talking Heads fame and the writer Mala Gaonkar. The show, which premiered in Denver, features multiple casts performing day and night, with scattered starting times for groups of around 16 patrons at a time. It's billed as 'an intimate and immersive journey inside how we see and create our worlds.' As directed by Andrew Scoville, the show is slated for an open run (perhaps of a year or more) inside the renovated Reid Building (333 N. La Salle St.), potentially a boon for downtown tourism. Goodman executive director John Collins said in an interview that Chicago will have the piece exclusively 'for at least a year.' Dates have yet to be announced. Collins said he hopes the show will begin in the fall but the construction timeline may mean it will open in the spring. Byrne attended a press event Tuesday at the theater announcing the 2025-26 season, led by Collins and artistic director Susan Booth. The Albert Theatre mainstage will feature several familiar names and Chicago-centric works. In the fall, Jenna Fischer (of television's 'The Office') will star in the world premiere of a new play by Lee Kirk (Fischer's husband) titled 'Ashland Avenue' (Sept. 6 to Oct. 5) and named after the prosaic but essential Chicago street. Set in a creaking TV and video store of the old-school, the drama will also star Francis Guinan and be directed by Booth. Then former artistic director Robert Falls returns to the Goodman for the first time since his exit to direct a new contemporary adaptation of Philip Barry's 'Holiday' (Jan. 31 to March 1, 2026), a 1928 farce that was twice adapted to film, one starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. The new comedy, set in the present day, is the work of Richard Greenberg, a familiar though recently absent writer for Chicago audiences, and is likely to feature at least one well-known star, although casting has yet to be announced. Veteran Goodman artistic associate Chuck Smith continues his series of new productions of August Wilson plays with 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' (March 28 to April 26, 2026), this time with Harry J. Lennix, currently on Broadway with Steppenwolf Theatre Company's 'Purpose,' serving as both associate director and music director. 'Ma Rainey' is the only Wilson play set in Chicago. Next summer will continue the Goodman's recent tradition of presenting pre-Broadway musicals, with Kathleen Marshall directing the world premiere of the musical comedy 'Iceboy! or, The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write 'The Iceman Cometh'' (June 9 to July 19, 2026), with a book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss, score by former Chicagoan Mark Hollmann ('Urinetown') and lyrics by Hollmann and Reiss. Megan Mullally will star in a story of a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered frozen in the Arctic and adopted by a Broadway star. Broadway producer Barbara Whitman also attended Tuesday's event. Goodman will, as ever, stage its annual production of 'A Christmas Carol' (Nov. 15 to Dec. 31). Christopher Donahue returns as Scrooge and Malkia Stampley becomes the show's new director, likely for longer than just this coming holiday season. The Goodman's smaller Owen Theatre also has high-profile works of a scale not seen in years. The fall begins with 'Revolution(s)' (Oct. 4 to Nov. 9) another new musical, this one commissioned by the Goodman. It's penned by Northwestern professor Zayd Ayers Dohrn (the son of the radical activists Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers of the Weather Underground), and features music and lyrics by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. Steve H. Broadnax III directs (as he does the upcoming 'The Book of Grace' at Steppenwolf Theatre). The show is billed as 'a groundbreaking new punk/metal/hip hop musical … about a young artist finding his voice, why violence is as American as cherry pie, and how young radicals across generations are still motivated by love.' Morello performed a song from the show on Tuesday. 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao' (Feb. 21 to April 5, 2026) by Marco Antonio Rodriguez follows in the Owen. This is a world-premiere adaptation of the semi-autobiographical novel by the Dominican American writer and college professor Junot Díaz, a coming-of-age story set in New Jersey where Díaz was raised. In May, longtime Goodman-affiliated solo artist Dael Orlandersmith returns with a new work, 'Blood Memory' (May 2-31, 2026), directed by Neel Keller. It will focus on division and decision-making and the pressure point between unity and ideological retreat. Finally, the Goodman continues its association with the magician Dennis Watkins and the venue known as The Magic Parlour, and its New Stages Festival next season will offer shows in a new Theater for the Very Young initiative. Also, a year-long program titled '100 Free Acts of Theater ' will offer the arts for free across Chicago's 50 wards, produced in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, details to be announced. 'The beauty of the Chicago audience is what a rich stew of beings comprise it,' said Booth when asked about such an expansive and extensive season. 'The gift and the challenge of curating for that wildly diverse group of people is immense.'
