Weisun "go for it" C.'s Profile
DateChicago, IL 60661
(312) 575-9600
Primitive
Categories:
Antiques,
Furniture Stores,
Home Decor
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 527-3510
Yelp's Classic Throwback Elite Event At Sullivan's…
Category:
Local Flavor
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 523-0200
The 12 Days Of Yelpiness at Zhou B Art Center
Category:
Local Flavor
Neighborhood: Bridgeport
http://www.youtube.com...
In case you missed it from my first review...
1 Previous Review:
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12/12/2011
Combining a huge party with a self-guided tour of artist studios and galleries was a stroke of genius by Johnny T. We lucky Elites needed that extra hour just to do justice to the food and beverage tastings on two full floors of this huge complex. There were several vendors that had long lines due to either the popularity of what they offered or their location (or maybe a combination of both). One very popular one was Wow Bao, which had 4 flavors of their delicious steamed bao (sort of a stuffed flour bun). Being almost the first table you'd see after entering and checking your coat, you just had to follow your nose to sample a flavorful steamed bao. Inside the Zhou Café was the table of StarFruit, offering a customized frozen yogurt.
By far, most of the food vendors were on the second floor. RA Sushi offered its endless plates of maki samples and tastes of various seaweed-wrapped rolls. If you visited their table, you probably also saw the longest pair of legs at the event. For this frigid evening, one corner of comfort was the aromatic table of Rishi herbal teas. Not far away were spicy wings, mini deli sandwiches and bite-sized latkes (Slices - NYC Bagel Deli). Eventually, you'd also find the sips of sparkling wine, full-sized cream puffs with choice of filling flavors (Beard Papa), and even the chimney cakes from Roumania. In a dark rear corner, the forlorn booth of Forever Yogurt was unable to serve us. Somehow, they were given a location which had no power outlet. But chatting them up, they gifted us with free value cards to get future samples at one of their stores. In a far corner was the photo booth of Capture This, offering Yelpers a fun set of retro snaps (Find the ones you shot at http://tinyurl.co...).
So what was there NOT to like? Well, let's get this gripe out of the way. The usual Yelp "swag table" was not set up until 8 PM, after all Yelpers would have entered the event. I have no problem with this plan. But at 6 PM, when Elites were admitted, we were offered one swag item that was awkward to carry about, especially if you decided to sample any food or beverage, or picked up any vendor literature. We certainly could have used that Yelp bag, which was also held back until 8 PM. I usually manage to shoot a few pictures at Yelp events. It was not possible this time minus that bag (any bag would have sufficed).
Just before the "regular" Yelpers were admitted, we left the two party floors that had all the food, drink, and DJ'd music, and headed to the 3rd and 4th floors and the basement. Here were where the artists and gallery spaces could be found (free of food and drink, so we had to leave all that behind). This is what this building is all about when Yelp is not here. Of course, some of the party found its way into the gallery area anyway (see the video at http://tinyurl.co...).
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 772-8435
Cemitas Puebla
Category:
Mexican
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 795-0600
Portillo's Hot Dogs
Categories:
American (Traditional),
Hot Dogs
This outpost of the Portillo's chain has a pasta line besides the usual one for hot dogs, burgers, Italian beef and other sandwiches. Inside, it's one large barn of a room. But even with the two-story-high ceiling, there's no escaping the noise. While their hot dogs are fine, I come for the juicy Italian beef or maybe the combo, which adds in an Italian sausage with the beef to really stretch your jaw muscles and your stomach.
If you are visiting someone at Advocate General Hospital (across the street), then this is definitely the choice as alternative to any food you could scrounge up there. The Portillo's is on the west end of a shopping mall which also has a Jewel/Osco and a dollar store. So no problem in getting a better deal on canned or bottled beverages than what they sell in Portillo's from the fountain service or from vending machines in the hospital.
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 764-5906
Cobbler's Rogers Park Shoe Repair
Category:
Shoe Repair
Neighborhood: Rogers Park
This shop is my go-to place for leather apparel repair and renovation, which they excel in. Their fees aren't cheap, but they are reasonable (figure at least $25 to start). Also be prepared for these store rules on payment: 1) You must pay for your order in advance, and 2) Since they don't take credit cards, it's a cash-only transaction (I've never tried to present a check). The work on one garment usually takes a week to complete.
The shop is a maze from front entrance to the service counter (maybe it's to slow down potential thieves?). I've only dealt with the senior Mr. John Peter Geroulis. But I never know who actually does the work on my garment. You will be very pleased to get your leather garment back almost better than when it was new.
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 871-1400
UPS Store
Categories:
Shipping Centers,
Printing Services
Neighborhood: North Center
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
(847) 362-3042
Yelp's Black + White Holiday Ball
Category:
Local Flavor
In the main party room, we were awed by the fabulous floral centerpieces (different for each table), tantalized by tastings from our magnificent caterer and vendors of pastries and beverages. Plus, you could test your sense of Scotch whiskeys in a group iPod quiz. All while entertained by tunes spun by our D.J. It was nice to see everyone dressed to the nines (per the invitation). At our table, you couldn't have been overdressed when there was a person wearing a tiara at the head chair.
A marvelous and memorable holiday party that we have Jelena and her elves to thank for.
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 842-7888
Lao Hunan
Category:
Chinese
Neighborhood: Chinatown
But the seemingly temporary double menu situation is still in effect. Mainly you order off the comically misspelled (see photo), laminated card, double-sided menu. But there is an obvious stack of booklet type menus from "Asian Star" that have Hunan and Szechuan dishes too. When asked about that other menu, we were told it was for "spicier dishes." But a quick perusal of it shows similar dishes to that on the card, but at different prices.
The obvious attraction of this small café is the brightly painted and lit room. On one wall is Chairman Mao's depiction and his famous phrase about serving the people (see photos), changed in translation to suit the restaurant's motivation, to "serve people." Almost reminds me of that Twilight Zone classic, "To Serve Man." While you are here, very often, a few people looking like lost tourists, will peek in sheepishly and either decide to try it or move on down the street. For you see, Lao Hunan is on the second block in from the gateway to Chinatown at Cermak and Wentworth. You almost can't miss it.
Everyone gets a complimentary appetizer of pickled and peppery turnip (daikon). We ordered a light lunch (see photo) of Chairman Mao's Favorite Pork Belly (chunks of roasted meat, with the belly fat and skin, with slices of sweet red and green bell pepper, in a mild spicy sauce), Szechuan Green Beans (stir-fried with sliced water chestnuts in a non-spicy soy sauce), and as a side dish, Jade Tofu (a uniformly sliced small cake of the white curd in a peppery oil marinade with cilantro garnish). Tea and a bowl of white rice are standard for each diner.
I may well reconsider my rating on a next visit here. So many other menu choices to try which other Yelpers found delicious. At the front counter and through the outside pick-up window, you can also get (an anomaly for the rest of their menu) a selection of smoothies and bubble teas. Not sure if any of Chairman Mao's "Little Red Books" are for sale.
Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 575-9600
Primitive Warehouse
Category:
Art Galleries
Neighborhood: Bridgeport
What you will see are quite a few monumental pieces of sculptural quality decorative items with an almost religious aura about them. There are also plenty (enough variety to choose from) of practical pieces of furniture and functional items for your home or garden. If you are lucky to have a sizable yard, there are very heavy stone pieces that will impart a peaceful air of Buddhist serenity. These are pieces that won't need to be anchored down ("stools" of petrified wood, bird baths and fountains of solid stone.)
The majority of items are oversized pieces from various provinces in China or regions of India. These were much too large to be displayed at their main store in the Near West Side. There are countless massive urns and hammered metal pots that could contain a good-sized plant, a small tree, or perhaps, because of their size and design, for hiding the thieves from the story of Ali Baba. Everything is in two huge rooms of this old warehouse (their flyer claims "30,000 square feet" of area). Plan to take about two hours to see, touch, and learn about everything. Luckily it's not all in a jumble, but much like at Salvage 1, items of the same category are grouped together. So it will be easy enough to find just the right storage bureau, sedan chair, large urn, or campaign stool from all there is to choose from.
There are also some items that may be too specialized to appeal to anyone other than dedicated collectors: a half dozen wooden Chinese bedroom chambers (sort of like raised futon platforms with canopies), many stone mortars (carved into standing bowls) for grinding grains, 40 or so non-matching pestles (ground and polished into watermelon shapes) to do that grain grinding with, a wide range of sizes of buttons and pins glorifying Chairman Mao Zedong, and kitschy movie posters (circa 1970s) for films from the West, painted in Ghana on stitched together back sides of recycled cloth flour sacks.
The rest of this warehouse building is home to about a dozen artists. So if you are planning a day of arts exploration, you could do much of it here. Also down the street (on 35th Street) is the Zhou Brothers Art Center, where more contemporary Asian art can be found (listed on Yelp as "Zhou B Art Center.")
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"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
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Review votes:
157 Useful, 40 Funny, and 91 Cool
Chicago, IL
Yelping SinceSeptember 2008
Things I Lovedim sum, khachapuri, rijst tafel, taramosalata, virtuoso musicians
Find Me Incognito
My HometownMuncie, IN
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm digesting
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI notice and recall details you might miss
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadProvenance, by Laney Salisbury & Aly Sujo
My Favorite MovieThe Straight Story, starring the late Richard Farnsworth, David Lynch, director
My Last Meal On EarthViennese crépes filled with sweetened ricotta cheese
My first connection with the gallery was through their Fall sale in an old warehouse building on 35th Street at Racine (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). The objects there were quite impressive; very much like being in the back room of some museum. And a few objects were museum worthy. If you get a chance to visit there (it's by appointment when there's no sale on) don't miss it.
Our visit to this "home base" of Primitive imparts a much more commercial feeling than that from their warehouse some 4 months earlier. Here there is a formal grand lobby from where you walk up a few steps to the main display floor, where the staff awaits you. That will have to wait for next time. Today, we are here just to view the exhibit mounted on the fourth floor, about 100 magazine-quality photos of modern Wuhan, China (a city on the Yangtze River, west of Hangzhou). For that purpose, it is a loft space for an art exhibit as fine as any in the River North area. And with the roughly finished floors, robust support timbers, elegant new walls, and thoughtful rest/conferring areas, you might think that's where you are. The gallery is to be lauded for leaving us to view the photo exhibit undisturbed the whole time we were there.
I'm intrigued enough to visit again to see what's on those other three floors. I will keep in mind the caveats of the other reviews here. One indicator I can pass along involves that impressive front lobby. High overhead is a massive sculpture composed of multiple (over 100) blown glass organic shapes, all connected together (see my photo). This form of glass sculpture, a "chandelier," is well known as being created by the famous glass artist, Dale Chilhuly. So, of course I inquired of the Primitive staffer if it was indeed a Chilhuly. She told me, "No," that instead it was done by a Chinese sculptor, with full knowledge of what he was copying. Compare theirs with a bonafide Chilhuly chandelier at the Milwaukee Art Museum: http://tinyurl.com/6ta...