Late one night last year, as I walked home from the State and Lake train station, I encountered a mystery that I have only recently solved. As I made my way across Michigan Avenue, I smelled the alluring scent of chocolate brownies. I remember thinking, “Some nearby bakery is getting an oddl…
Cadillac, Michigan, is the perfect Midwest winter getaway with friends! The town is only four hours from Chicago and full of outdoor activities, boutique shopping, wonderful food and amazing people.
Thoughts, observations, and reactions from Super Bowl 57
Is it just me or is Thursday the new Friday? Maybe it is because so many folks work from home now on Fridays, or suddenly the three-day weekend has become a thing, but whatever the case, Thursday nights in our fine neighborhoods of Chicago are rocking big time.
A week before September’s Riot Fest, I stopped into The Vic Theatre to see live music because that’s what aging Gen Xers do. The featured band was Echo & the Bunnymen, a late-1980s act whose songs you know, even if the name doesn’t ring a bell. Anyhow, I’d forgotten how friendly and fami…
Last week the Chicago Tribune’s blog platform, Chicago Now, surreptitiously shut down. Whether it was a business decision or the Trib simply forgot to pay the GoDaddy bill (believe me, I’ve done this), it was disappointing to see the web community go. Chicago Now was the first place, being d…
Get ready folks for the Winter Olympics, live (or maybe taped) from Beijing, China. We will soon be reintroduced to the beauty, if not the unique oddness, of the sports of curling, bobsledding, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, speed skating and the biathlon, as well as the more traditiona…
Like many single Americans, I re-downloaded a dating app in the new year. And boy, this might be my last year as a single lady.
I once had a man tell me it was his Christmas wish for me to stop calling him. No, it was not my ex-boyfriend, it was my prospective client. Which is worse? My love life or my career?
After unexpectedly crying at the end of the rom-com "Always Be My Maybe" in July of 2019, I realized I might be a smidge lonely and definitely a smidge dramatic. Who knew a rom-com with Keanu Reeves would have so much influence on me?
It occurred to me recently that many of my friends or work associates don’t know me by my actual first name. They simply call me “Coach.”
By Jon Cohn It is a bizarre and unsettling time. Our lives in the New Eastside and Streeterville neighborhoods have been turned, if not upside down, at least swished around like fruit in a smoothie blender on high speed. Through it all, though, we have learned some different terms and ideas …
By Jon Cohn, April 1, 2020 I am a coach, so competition is always running through my mind even during these difficult times. I started to think of the items that are the most necessary while I am hunkered down at home. I started playing a game. I thought of all the essentials. I started wi…
by Jon Cohn It’s all about the brackets in March. Bracketology, to be precise. No, it’s not about shopping hints from the fix-it folks at your local hardware store. And these brackets will definitely not be sold on the Home Shop- ping Network. The brackets that come to the forefront thi…
by Jon Cohn If you are a hard-core golfer stuck in the throes of long Chicago winters, there is no need to worry. It’s not necessary to plan trips to warm exotic locations to play your favorite game. You can put the plane ticket away, cancel hotel reservations and killer greens fees and tell…
Roe v. Wade remains one of the nation’s most controversial Supreme Court decisions. “Roe,” a play by Lisa Loomer showing at Goodman Theatre until Feb. 23, looks into the lives of those who were a part of the famous decision. Plaintiff Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe), and her legal representative …
The challenge is on, and it won’t be easy. The problem? This month features Restaurant Week. One of Chicago’s most celebrated winter events is about to kick off and it will provide the greatest of challenges to those still fighting to keep those resolutions of eating a little less and …
By Jon Cohn I recently checked out the Maggie Daley Park kids playground. Oh, to be young again! The playground of my day was a couple of chain swings, maybe a teeter-totter (remember those things?) and a really COOL jungle gym. Fast forward some 50 years and welcome to today’s state-of-th…
(Published Aug. 31, 2019) By Jon Cohn In an unofficial tabulation of informal voting done by this column—with apologies to runner-ups May, November and December—the month of September has won Best in Show as the overall most enjoyable month of the year. If you are reading this column in the …
(Published June 30, 2019) By Jon Cohn Stress is something nearly everyone has to deal with. Thankfully, in this modern age, there are plenty of potential remedies available. Varieties of yoga, mental meditation and restorative mindfulness practices (not sure what mindfulness is, but if it wo…
(Published May 30, 2019) By Jon Cohn Summertime is upon us, and with it comes one of the great pleasures of the long days and warm weather: outdoor grilling. That scrumptious smell of steak, burgers, chicken or fish cooking on the grill. Rubbing them all with your favorite sauces, maybe some…
Jon Cohn Let’s talk for a minute about man’s best friend. No, not the cell phone, but instead our beloved fine, furry, fluffy friends. We all know, of course, dogs are part of the neighborhood scene here in Chicago. Most love the idea. The unique connection of man and dog goes without sayin…
By Jon Cohn I’m not sure how the great tradition of the “pub crawl” started. I’m not even sure that Chicago is the home for these particular events, but based on the number of them coming up we might as well be. For those not familiar with this unique concept, let’s loosely call it a form of…
By Leontina Richardson | President of Stepping into Etiquette Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. If you’re in a new relationship, this day might be a big deal because you want to do everything right. How do you do that? Ask rather than assume. If you are exclusive with someone, you might e…
By Tom Conroy | Staff Writer When I first got to Milwaukee, I received strange looks whenever I wore my favorite football jersey because of the name “FAVRE” stitched on the back. Little did I know that students on campus, most of whom were Packers fans, were still bitter about Brett Favre go…
By Jon Cohn Published August 2, 2018 What’s in a name?: Meet the boats of DuSable and Monroe harbors For most of us who aren’t lucky enough to own a boat, having them around us at the DuSable and Monroe harbors is a true pleasure. Call it boat envy, but there is something about being ar…
By Jon Cohn | Community Contributor This June, the Chicago Tribune staff will be making the trek up Randolph Street to their new digs at the Prudential Plaza. New Eastside residents, keep your eyes out for some familiar faces wandering around—you might see the person whose column you read in…
By Jon Cohn | Community Contributor Published March 4, 2018 In case you haven’t heard, there have been a few twists and turns in the saga of our omnipresent Wanda Vista building, 363 E. Wacker Dr., which has now been knocked to fourth place in the “tallest building” category. To add insult t…
New Eastside entering tween years By John Cohn | Community Contributor In an interesting and uplifting gathering, the staff of New Eastside News got together for an annual staff-wide meeting. It was a refreshing mix of both young and old. Actually, truth be told, mostly young—I think I was a…
The wait is over. Speculation of what will be built on the remaining empty plots of New Eastside land can now end. Four new buildings are ready to join the O, IJKL parcel party, all of varying shapes and sizes. In maps presented at a recent alderman’s meet- ing, the future sites of these b…
If you’re lucky enough to have a south view from the Lakeshore East neighborhood, you may have noticed the massive tent that went up southeast of Soldier Field last month. “The White Big Top,” as it is called, houses Cavalia’s new show Odysseo, premiering this month only, in the South Lot of…
In honor of March Madness, we put together brackets for a single-elimination tournament of favorite nearby activities.
I attended opening night of the Joffrey Ballet’s 7th Annual Winning Works program on Sunday, March 13, at the Harold Washington Library’s Cindy Pritzker Auditorium. Winning Works is a program designed to promote diversity in the dance community. The show featured four performances, each crea…
Normally in this column I go pretty light and try to find some of the humor in our daily New Eastside activities. “He who laughs lasts” has always been one of my guiding principals. But not this month. In our city’s coldest hours, I take a slightly different tone. It started innocently enoug…
I have lived in Lakeshore East for a decade, all of it in the same apartment building, until last month. For most of you, November 2, 2016, will long be remembered in Chicago lore as the day the Cubs finally won the World Series. I shall also remember that date as the day I chose to move fro…
This month, “Coach’s Corner” travels into dangerous territory that will no doubt reduce my popularity with the 12-and-under crowd. Yet, due to its importance, I persist. The risky topic of December’s column is making Christmas, and the entire holiday season, like the Olympics by celebrating …
As the days get shorter and the air gets colder, you may be tempted to tuck into one of the gorgeous hotels along the sprawling Magnificent Mile for afternoon tea. Great idea, but do you know proper high tea etiquette? Let’s look at some often-overlooked fundamentals. Always tea first, and t…
I heard a football coach recently talk about a lesson he imparts to kids, and it hit the nail on the head for living in today’s unpredictable world. His advice? Have fun. Live your life as you wish, but always “keep your head on a swivel.” To appreciate the beauty of that wisdom, let’s discu…
In a riveting and passionate rendering of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the dancers of The Joffrey Ballet displayed raw emotion and palpable tension, beautifully and artistically weaving romance and tragedy into this twentieth-century version. Taking place in roughly three periods in Ita…
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays personally. Busy office hours, social engagements, and the gravity of life give way to a holiday in which everyone can be a kid again for a day. Fanciful costumes and seriously sweet treats abound — and you can be an angel or a devil depending on what…
Against all odds, “Coaches Corner“ is back! The early line was one-and-done, so we’ve exceeded expectations. A special thanks goes out to our New Eastside editors and their apparent, but appreciated, lapse in judgment. Now, on to our topic this month — and I hope you are not sitting down w…
Fall is associated with students returning to school. But one autumn, despite having long ago finished my academic career, I decided to attend classes of a different type — comedy classes. Chicago is a worldwide mecca for improvisational comedy. The list of comedic luminaries who have traine…
As urban dwellers, many New Eastsiders use ride sharing apps Uber and Lyft to get around. Technology has equipped us with the ability to connect with our own personal drivers at the touch of a button. Here we highlight the do’s and don’ts of ridesharing. 1. Be polite. You’re not a foreign di…
Business dinners can be pretty nerve-wracking. In addition to stressing about how to sound clever in the conversation, you worry about basic things such as what to wear or what drink to order. You’re on your own when it comes to what to wear. However, I’m pretty firm on not going with penny …
It’s painful to admit, but living in Lakeshore East for eight years has made me a bit jaded about fireworks. “Oh, are there fireworks? It must be a Wednesday.” The ubiquitous nature of the spectacle has dulled its impact. But last summer I found a way to make them fun again. I still remember…
Returning to O’Hare from a recent trip to St. Louis, I expected to be stopped by the authorities any second. You see, I had contraband in my carryon. Small, lightweight, and folded inside one another, the items in question are no longer available at Target, CVS, or the Lakeshore East Mariano…
Trash talking is usually associated with sports players trading insults. The term takes on a new meaning when it comes to high-rise living. Some of the most common complaints I hear among my neighbors have to do with actual garbage. Whether it’s the garbage chute, the garbage room, or rules …
Happiness is the way By Ainsworth Thompson | Community Contributor For many years I battled with myself about what makes me really happy and exactly what happiness is. To me it seemed that happiness is the main objective of our existence on earth. When I experience happiness it’s like I am …
By Jon Cohn | Community Contributor When you try to cross Lake Shore Drive (LSD) on foot at Monroe St., Jackson Blvd. or Congress Pkwy., the long wait at the light for your turn makes you feel a combination of anxious excitement and breathless anticipation. Finally when it is your turn, the …
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