Chicago Lifestyle Podcast & Video Blog
What if robots take over the world? What would be their relationship to humans? Would it be a carefree utopia with happy automatons cheerfully laboring away while people enjoy a life of leisure or will the robots develop ideas and aspirations of their own, eventually …
Trap Door Theatre presentation of “Galileo,” stays close to the heart of Bertolt Brecht’s script but is a revised challenging and thought-provoking interpretation. Fragments of the original dialogue featuring translation by Charles Laughton are there but the production has been reshaped and reimagined by director …
Formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV, provides Chicago with a direct line to the Vatican, and we’re exploring how his roots in the Windy City shaped his journey to the papacy.
It’s been on my mind for a while to do a series of episodes that concentrate on notable people born in Chicago or who have strong ties to the city, so with the election of the new Pope, I took it as a sign that today is a good day to begin.
Click on the link above to listen to this short podcast biography.
Long term friendships can be complicated and messy. Honesty can be dangerous and revealing. A fourteen-year friendship between three friends explodes over the purchase of an expensive modernist painting. Art, presented by Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is at the Wit Theater, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago …
Berlin is a case study of how things can go wrong when a country has suffered losses and trauma. As its citizens and leaders slowly turn away from collaborative solutions and towards stark divisions in power and a dark fascist vision, slow motion disaster unfolds. …
A group of bridesmaids find reasons to bond in “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” produced by Saint Sebastian Players. The bonding ritual begins with the common agreement that the dress chosen by the bride is perfectly ridiculous.
The bond is further forged by the realization that they don’t even really like the bride that much. As each woman reveals something of herself they traverse a range of emotions; infuriated, anxious, remorseful, exasperated, frantic, exhausted, flirtatious, but overall hilarious.
Cast List: Frances (Kayla Erpenbeck) – Meredith (Hannah Green) – Trisha (Alexandra T. Cross) – Georgeanne (Claire Rutkowski) – Mindy (Laura Peterson) – Tripp (Trey Sorensen)
Highly Recommended. Details: “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” produced by Saint Sebastian Players at St. Bonaventure Church, 1625 W. Diversey, Chicago, IL runs through May 18, 2025. Running time is 2 hours including a 10-minute intermission. For tickets and information visit saintsebastianplayers.org
Also check out fellow Chicago podcast “The Hangover Series” where you can peek into the life of a 23-year-old girl who is simply just figuring it all out.
This well-conceived stage version of “A Tale of Two Cities,” Charles Dickens’ expose of the French Revolution by Brendan Pelsue and directed by Mikael Burke is cleverly performed and seems a little too close to home in today’s political climate.
In this episode, we take a look at Rise Above: The Carl Jackson Story—a powerful new documentary by Chicago filmmaker Maryilene Blondell. Whether you’re a golf enthusiast or not, stick around to learn what happens when a boy from a segregated Southern neighborhood in Georgia …
In this podcast episode I present my film review as well as share some personal recollections of the Maxwell Street and Halsted shopping district where the music known as Chicago Blues sprang to life. If you want a glimpse at a piece of the not too distant Chicago past, I highly recommend the documentary film “And This Is Free: The Life and Times of Chicago’s Legendary Maxwell Street.”
This is a film review of “The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to Ida B. Wells following the Chicago artist’s creation of a monument to the civil right champion and woman’s suffrage leader. The film premiered at the 60th Annual Chicago International Film Festival …
Across from Millennium Park on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Randolph Streets on land donated by Civil War Veterans in 1893 stands what used to be Chicago’s Main Public Library. Re-imagined in 1977 as the Chicago Cultural Center it is host to more than 1,000 …
Be sure to enjoy the podcast and the accompanying photos at the bottom of the page.
You don’t need to be an architectural expert to simply look around and enjoy the various styles and building materials that combine to make up Chicago’s diverse urban landscape.
There is probably no better place to begin your observation than the Old Town / Gold Coast area with its abundance of 19th Century wood and brick buildings harkening back to the the city’s roots side-by-side with glass and steel modern, post modern, late modern, and millennium modern examples both large and small.
In these two neighborhoods in the heart of the city you will easily find single family homes and multi-family structures ranging from two to over two hundred units, as well as a myriad of commercial structures some of which were built for their specific purpose and others that have been redeveloped to meet the changing needs of a growing metropolis.
This activity was inspired by Open House Chicago which takes place every year in October and according to their website featured more than 150 sites in 20+ neighborhoods across Chicago and nearby suburbs. My choices were selected from a list of suggestions that were part of this year’s Open House Chicago Program.
As a result my tour is in no way a comprehensive look at the area but instead is an opportunity to take a peek at some of the often overlooked gems that are lurking under our nose on a daily basis.
During the weekend event visitors are treated to some special access and information provided by onsite experts however there is no reason not to follow my tour at any time during the year. In addition I have included a few bonus items not on the suggested list of venues that I spotted along the way.
So lace up some sturdy shoes, put on your earbuds and join me on my podcast walking tour or review the pictures below then sit back in a comfy chair to enjoy my three and a half mile stroll around the Old Town / Gold Coast area observing some of its lesser known features.
[Photos and tour by Reno Lovison]
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