Red Door Delicious & Storage Auction Acquisitions…

Around Bucktown: 

Recently we attended a Bucktown/Wicker Park Chamber of Commerce event at Red Door – right down the street from us, and we had some DELICIOUS food and drinks, including some seriously impressive crab cakes, lobster deviled eggs and delicious cocktails.

 

While we were mingling, we ran into Ipsento, a local coffee shop and independent roaster.  Right around the corner from the B&B, it’s super convenient to stop at on the way to the Blue Line El station, and they offer tastings every Friday at 11am, as well as occasional seminars and instructional classes. Octopus Gourmet gives a pretty good synopsis of the feel, as well as some photos of the space.  The menu includes several signature drinks, a good selection of teas, and they probably have a sandwich named after your favorite author.

With so much going on in the Neighborhood it feels like we are always out and about trying to stay involved.  Recently we donated a night’s stay to benefit the upcoming Bucktown Arts Fest, and will be attending the Goat Party at Jackson Junge Gallery to see how the rest of the auction goes, as well as check out some other donations and neighborhood members.

If you’re in town with kids, in addition to Holstein Park just around the corner, you may want to check out the Magic Boat Puppet Show being put on this summer in Wicker Park.

Around Chicago:


Festivals are still going strong! The upcoming Wicker Park Fest was dubbed the “best street festival of the summer” by the Chicago Tribune, and is this coming Saturday and Sunday (the 28th and 29th) on Milwaukee Ave from North to Paulina.  Admission is $5 and you’ll definitely get your money’s worth – free entry into a raffle, and 3 stages of music, as well as a plethora of vendors and food! Check out the musical lineup here.

Have kids?  Check out the Taste of Lincoln Ave Festival – also this weekend, with plenty of entertainment geared towards both adults (5 stages of live music) and kids (a complete children’s carnival)

If you’re a farmer’s market fan, but are looking to branch out a bit, try the Polish Triangle Marketplace, near the Division Blue Line El – with goods from Spark of the Heart, SenTEAmental Moods, Stamper Cheese Company, and many more.  Thursdays from 3-7pm.

Around Ray’s:

We survived the second pretty intense heat wave of the summer with grace – the Eagle’s Nest’s new auxiliary air conditioner is humming away ever-so-silently and we have finally mastered how to make the kitchen staff feel at least moderately comfortable while standing in front of a flaming hot grill for 4 hours a day – thanks to our new standing fan “Oscar the Oscillator”.

Rocky’s Ringside Ramble: I haven’t seen my rival, Calvin, in a few days, he’s probably pretty hot while i’m enjoying my spot in front the the kitchen A/C. Sucker

Maggie’s Rant: As usual, everyone bugs me, so just leave me the hell alone.

(The World Revolves…) Around Ray:


As if if birding was not a big enough waste of time, Ray has developed a penchant for lurking around storage auctions, trying to strike it big.  He bought his first unit yesterday, and now we are knee deep in questionably hygienic stuffed animals, and proud owners of at least 3 obsolete cell phones.  Apart from those gems, everything else is pretty much crap…