Glenwood Sunday Market

Sundays (year round) 9AM – 2PM

Outside June 2^nd through the end of October

Southbound Glenwood Ave between Morse and Lunt

This market is actually year round, but kicked off its outdoor season on Sunday, June 2^nd. Though the weather was rather chilly and little drizzly, there was a pretty good turnout of people (and dogs) browsing the booths of fresh vegetables, cheeses, baked goods, and other natural and locally made goodies. There was even a pop up performance by local theatre group Dramatis Personae called Food and the Soul: An Intimate Relationship.

For more information about the Glenwood Sunday Market (including a full list of vendors for each week, volunteer opportunities, and a calendar of events), check out their website and Facebook page. 

Loyola Farmers Market

Mondays June 10^th – October 14^th 3PM – 7PM

Southwest Corner of Albion & Sheridan

Though it was a rather foggy and slightly chilly kick off, there were still lots of people milling around the gravel lot at Albion and Sheridan on Monday for the first day of the Loyola Farmers Market. It’s a very chill atmosphere with live (student) music and plenty of friendly people and free samples. A good variety of vendors were there, with opportunities to buy goodies such as fresh bread, artisan cheeses, hanging plants, vegan sweets, and fresh produce from Loyola University’s Retreat and Ecology Campus farm (located in Woodstock, IL).

For more information about the Loyola Farmers Market (including volunteer opportunities and upcoming events), check out their website (HYPERLINK: http://blogs.luc.edu/farmersmarket/), Facebook page (HYPERLINK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LUC-Farmers-Market/156586247737424?fref=ts), and follow them on Twitter at @LUCFarmersMrkt.

Devon Community Market

July 7, August 4, September 1, and October 6 10AM – 2PM

2720 West Devon (Parking lot of Republic Bank)

Argyle Evening Market

Thursdays June 27^th – September 5^th 5PM – 9PM

Argyle & Broadway

For more information about these and other farmers markets in Chicago, check out the City of Chicago’s farmers markets website or the Chicago Farmers Markets Facebook page.

Photo: Courtesy of Dak

Photo: Courtesy of Dak 

One of the things that most impressed me about Dak’s wings was their size. Ju says that customers tell him this all the time. “Our wings are all natural and antibiotic-free. Our chickens don’t use any steroids, we just use older, more developed chickens so the wings are bigger,” he explains. So enough about the chicken, what about the sauce?“ We like to keep it simple,” Ju says. At Dak you can choose between Dak Sauce (the classic soy garlic staple sauce of Korean wings) or Spicy BBQ (made with Korean red pepper paste). Although the restaurant is named for the Korean word for chicken, their menu is not limited to just chicken. The restaurant’s rice bowls (or bibimbap, if you’re familiar with Korean food) are becoming just as popular as its wings. The bowls include a combination of 7 vegetables, a fried egg, and an optional protein (beef, pork, or, of course, chicken). Ju explains that they keep a small menu to focus on the quality, and everything is made fresh daily.

Photo: Courtesy of Dak

So who is making all this amazing food? “On paper my wife and I are the owners,” explains Ju. “But it really is a family business through and through. We use my mom and dad’s recipes and my brother and brother-in-law work in the kitchen.” Ju’s family has been in the restaurant industry for over 30 years now. They used to operate some Japanese sushi restaurants before deciding to “stick to what they know best” as he says and open a restaurant with good Korean food. But Ju explains that Dak, which is still technically in its soft opening, is a step above your average mom-and-pop joint. “We’re family owned and operated, but with a strong emphasis on the quality of food and service. We have a small feel, but are aiming for bigger things,” he says. Ju says that they hope to have the grand opening (with the formal ribbon cutting) this summer. Future plans also include delivery.

Dak Wings is located at 1104 W Granville. They are open Tuesday – Sunday 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, check out their website, find them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter at @dak. 

Words by Emily Taft

In keeping with its “new American” vibe it has the cuisine to back it up. Gourmet and “new” versions of standard American culinary fare make up the majority of the menu. Ranging from items such as Crusted Cod, Burgers to the eccentric Grilled Pork Belly, Garlicy Orcchiette, Shrimp Escargot and “The Art of Mac & Cheese” morseL is pushing the boundaries of American cuisine. The item on their menu that has been making waves amongst clientele and critics are their Mussels. Steamed in white wine and served with chips (read: fries) their preparation of this notoriously volatile shellfish has been mastered. Each meal at morseL is interspersed with a tiny morsel as chosen by the chef to prepare you for your food. For dinner you might be treated to a morsel of beer battered broccoli, and for brunch you might receive a sample of a raspberry strudel. These morsels change depending on the day and the chef, so multiple visits is highly encouraged. Their early bird special is definitely worth trying as a beginning venture into morseL’s, it features any one appetizer, one entrée and a glass of wine, all of this (with some exception) for nineteen dollars. They have consistent daily specials as well, Mondays they have fried chicken, Tuesday is an all day early bird special, Wednesday is half off wine bottles, Thursday is all you can eat mussels, Friday is “grandma’s” traditional fish and chips and Sunday features a Sunday roast.

The atmosphere of morseL provides a venue for which one can unwind after work; go out for a date, or to satisfy your inner foodie. This hidden gem won’t be hidden for much longer, as each passing week has brought more people flocking to the restaurant in search of a culinary experience. morseL is quickly becoming one of the standout culinary establishments in Rogers Park and the best part is, you don’t have to travel too far to find one of the city’s best. morseL is located at 1406 W. Morse Ave.

Words and Pictures by Max O’Kane

Loyola Park (Sheridan & Greenleaf)

At 21.5 acres along the lakeshore, Loyola Park is definitely the best place for Rogers Park natives to enjoy the warm weather. Enjoy the walking path along the beach (from Touhy to Pratt) or spending time sitting on artist Lynn Takata’s 100-foot abstract sculpture “Windform”. Facilities include a baseball diamond, outdoor basketball court, tennis courts, and a large fieldhouse which houses woodshops, fitness classes, a boxing gym, indoor basketball courts, etc. Interested in signing up for a summer class? Check out the Chicago Park District’s page for a listing of classes, including yoga, woodcraft, low impact aerobics, weaving, boxing, and more. (Class fees from $0 – $63 and classes are available for a variety of age groups. There are also several options for kids’ summer camps through the park.)

Pottawattomie Park (Rogers & Wolcott)

This almost-9-acre park is named for the Pottawattomie Indians, who lived around the Great Lakes area since the 1600s. The park offers a variety of athletic activities such as baseball, tennis, basketball, soccer, track, and more. There are also two playgrounds and a fun water spray feature for kids to enjoy once it gets nice and hot out. Dog owners can enjoy some quality time with their canine friends in the park’s dog park/run. The park’s fitness center has summer classes and camps available as well. Check out the Parks District’s site for more information about classes.

All park hours are 6AM – 11PM. For more information about Chicago parks and programming, check out the Chicago Parks District’s website.

Loyola Beach/Leone Beach (Sheridan & Greenleaf/Sheridan & Touhy)

Leone Beach (the portion further north) has a few more amenities than other street-end beaches on the North Side including a kayak launch, a playground (Sheridan & Touhy), restrooms, and a lifeguard first aid station.  The beach was named for Park District employee Sam Leone who served as a lifeguard at Chicago beaches for many years before eventually becoming supervisor of lifeguards for the entire North Side. He lived above the Rogers Park beach house (still carrying out his duties of supervising and safeguarding) until he died in 1965.

Pick up a sweet treat (gooey cinnamon rolls), a cold drink (awesome iced tea), or a whole picnic lunch to-go at The Growling Rabbit (HYPERLINK: Link to blog post I wrote about them, wasn’t sure how to link it with the new site!) on your way there. Or, if you find yourself hungry once already at the beach, check out Heartland Café’s concession stand, located close to Greenleaf and open 11AM – 8PM during beach season.

Headed there now? Check out this link to get the most up-to-date information about weather, swimming restrictions, and water quality.

Other street-end beaches in the area can be found off of Pratt, North Shore, Jarvis, and Howard. All beaches are open from 11AM to 7PM. For more information about Chicago beaches, check out the Chicago Parks District’s beach website.

Words by Emily Taft, Photos by Adilla Menayang

Anderson said that they settled on Rogers Park because they like the fact that it was “off the beaten track.”  The space they chose to open Lickity Split Frozen Custard and Sweets used to be an antique store where Anderson and his partner would shop. When they moved into the location, they did some major renovations to make the shop comfortable all year round (rather than closing in the winter like many frozen treat shops). This also meant that the shop would sell more than just frozen custard. If you stop by in December and aren’t in the mood for something cold, there is a wide variety of gourmet chocolates, retro candies, and baked goods to choose from.

One of the unique things about Lickity Split is how connected it is to the neighborhood. In the shop you can purchase coffee from Metropolis and sweets from Chicago bakers such as Flirty Cupcakes, Sweet Attila’s, Celestial Kitchens, and Josie’s Cookies. In addition to supporting local businesses, the shop also hosts live local music sets on Friday nights throughout the school year. (They would continue this during the summer, but the shop is just too crowded with custard customers to have room for the bands.) You can enjoy a rotating display of work by local artists on the walls inside the shop. Right now they are featuring pieces by second graders at Northside Catholic Academy. This summer they hope to have a neighborhood talent show around the 4^th of July to bring in more local talents. “It’s just a really welcoming area. We are so appreciative to have landed in this neighborhood,” Anderson says.

So as we are starting to settle in to summer, definitely add Lickity Split to your list of summer hang out spots. The custard is made in-house, and each week they will be featuring a different flavor to supplement the traditional chocolate and vanilla. You can find the weekly flavors on their Facebook page or on their website. And if you are looking for a good fundraising opportunity for your organization, school group, church group, club, etc. Lickity Split hosts charity nights in which a portion of the proceeds from one day or evening can go to benefit your group.

Lickity Split is located at 6056 N. Broadway (at the corner of Glenlake & Broadway). They are open daily from noon to 10pm. Check them out on Facebook , on their website, and follow them on Twitter @LickitySplitChi.

The Wide Open

Artists Reception: Saturday, May 18 – 1 pm to 4 pm

Gallery Hours: Thursdays 4 pm to 7 pm, and by appointment

An exercise in space management, modest means, and timeliness. The Wide Open is an experiment in autocurating. Organized through an open call, all completed submissions to the show were accepted in the order they were received until the available space was exhausted.

Featured artists will include Haylee Anne, Ceyda Aykan, Gabriella Boros, Dan Boyd, Peter Bullock, Vanessa Capshaw, Betsy van Die, Taylor Ervin, Jane Ferris, Chris Gans, Gretchen Hasse, Julia Haven, Jon Henry, Jennifer Hines, Kelsey Knutson, George Larson, Lauren Macklin, John McLaughlin, Emily Moorhead, Sebastian Napoli, Dan Olvera, Judy Petacque, Diane Ponder, Peyton Rack, Chris Ramsey, Pat Rice, Earl Ritchie, Camila Santin, Emma Saperstein, Kadie Schmidt-Hackenberg, Luke Shemroske, Amanda Wirig, and Jungyul Yu.

How much room does the artist require to present the statement they need to make? How difficult is it to put yourself out in the world, claim what you need, and then hold your ground. . . . How difficult should it be?

The Wide Open is part of series of upcoming programming which aims to develop new, locally-focused opportunities to display, create, and experience art in the Rogers Park neighborhood. The show is coordinated by Roman Susan gallery director Kristin Abhalter and communications director Nathan Smith.

For more information about the Roman Susan Gallery, refer to our last post on the space.

The gallery is located at:

1224 W. Loyola Avenue, Chicago 60626

romansusan.org | (773) 270-1224

1. Polaroid Magnets + Photo Wall
Between Facebook and iPhones, most people aren’t printing many pictures these days, but I think these two easy projects are fun, creative ways to display some of your favourite snapshots in your apartment. I got the ideas from one of my favourite blogs called A Beautiful Mess.

Photo from A Beautiful Mess.

For the “Polaroid” magnets, you can either take the easy route and print your photos yourself (or at CVS, Walgreens, etc.) and then use magnetic tape to turn them into little magnets. But if you’re feeling fancy (and you have an Instagram account), you can check out StickyGram. The site allows you to turn your Instagram photos into 50mm x 50mm magnets that you can order and have shipped to your door.

Photo from A Beautiful Mess.

The photo wall also has two options. You can print the photos yourself, or you can use PostalPix. This is an app (for iPhone or Android) that allows you to order prints of any pictures on your phone. The nice thing about PostalPix is you can order square prints of your pictures, which look cool on a photo wall. And it’s pretty cheap: 29¢ – 89¢ depending on the size. For creating the wall itself, use painter’s tape to create the grid so your pictures are straight and evenly spaced out. It’s also good for the backs of the pictures because it won’t rip the paint off your walls.

2. BOOK shelves

Photo from Real Simple.

I saw this project in Real Simple magazine and thought it was would be a really quirky way to decorate. Maybe check out Armadillo’s Pillow  for some suitable vintage books. Then make a run to the hardware store to pick up two sets of brackets (one set for below the books and a single bracket for above). Then measure the thickness of each book “shelf” to figure out the spacing of the brackets and drill away.

3. Cloth Napkins

Cloth napkins are generally pretty boring. But they’re good because they’re reusable and all that. So why not make them a little more fun? I found these ideas on A Beautiful Mess  and are also super easy. For both projects you need solid colored napkins.

Image from A Beautiful Mess.

Option one: Messy polka dots. In addition to the plain napkins, you will need fabric paint (Martha Stewart craft paint actually works the best and you can get it at any craft store) and Q-tips. The end result is really cool once the napkin is covered, but it does take a pretty long time so it would be a good activity to do while catching up on your Netflix shows.

Image from A Beautiful Mess.

Option two: Wax resistant designs. For these napkins, you will need wax resist sticks (or just crayons!) and fabric dye, both of which you can get at any craft store. Just use the wax sticks to draw whatever design you would like onto the napkins, then dye them whatever color you’d like. Then your design will stay behind. This is also a cool technique to use to design scarves, pillow cases, tea towels, etc.

4. Gold ceramics

Image from Sterling Style.

I found this super easy project on the blog Sterling Style . This is not only a cool idea for your own dishware, but would also make a really easy gift idea. Just take a gold (or silver) Sharpie and draw the design or pattern you’d like on the dishware. Then put it in the oven to bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes to make it stay. The dots are cute but you could also try writing words or making monogrammed mugs.

Words by Emily Taft

Hidden behind the tracks of the Loyola CTA station, and just around the corner from the Morgan, resides the Newleaf Natural Grocery Store. Celebrating its tenth anniversary of operation, the independently owned Newleaf groceries serves as an all organic, all local, all natural grocery store to the Rogers Park area. Newleaf partners with local farms in Illinois to offer chemical free meat and produce as everything they sell in-store is void of antibiotics, hormones or pesticides. Newleaf’s impressive stock is only matched by their loyalty to the community, as strong advocates of sustainability their cooperation with local and organic businesses serve to spearhead sustainable “green” movements in Rogers Park.

Located on the corner of Loyola and Lakewood Ave the grocery store is setup in a very small storefront. Newleaf likes to keep things simple and to the point, you walk in and are immediately greeted by an assortment of vibrant colors. The multitudes of colors are the various selections of organic produce in season. A long series of shelves housing organic vitamins, oils, supplements and baked goods bi-sects the length of the store. Refrigerators in the back of the store house their meat and dairy section which features all organic milk as well as “Amish eggs” as produced by the local farms of the region. The back of the store houses grains, beans, and rice’s in addition to a large selection of tea and coffee, all of which are fair trade. Newleaf groceries also sports an in-house bakery and café which offers organic salads, sandwiches and baked goods. In keeping with their sustainability efforts, Newleaf partners up with local farms to deliver organic goods right to your door! Newleaf offers a weekly delivery program where you can order and have a sizeable box of organic fruits, vegetables or a mix of both delivered straight to you.

While you might find yourself paying an extra buck for some dietary staples, your money is quite literally benefiting the community. The funding for Newleaf continues the cooperation with local businesses and farms in order to provide you, the consumer with organic and natural products. Newleaf fosters an air of well being and community, don’t be afraid to stop in and have a chat with the staff. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable and can offer healthy alternatives for almost anything in your diet. Their well being is your well being. Don’t be fooled by the “organic” label that most major grocery chains will throw at you, this is as organic and natural as it gets.

Words and pictures by Max O’Kane

As a child, Laura Soncrant always had exotic pets. Hedgehogs and ferrets wandered around the house and she would carry out squirrel rescue missions when playing outside. Now an adult, she continues to hold a sweet spot for animals, especially rabbits. Sweet Attila the Honey Bunny came first, and would later become the namesake for Soncrant’s bakery. Sweet Atilla has since been joined by Deputy Kallie (the Growling Rabbit herself), Mister Harrington III, and Butters. All of the bunnies are “rootin’ tootin’ rescue rabbits” as Soncrants says, but they have come from all over the states (from Reno to Ohio) to join the Soncrant family, which totals 4 bunnies, 1 dog, 1 (human, two-year-old) kid, and a two-year-old business.

Soncrant moved to Chicago from Toledo, OH in 1999 to get her Masters degree in Arts Management from Columbia College. She worked for a while as a landscape architect and as a gallery manager in Chicago. But when her dad passed away, she started thinking about the bigger picture. “It was one of those times in my life when I was asking everyone around me, ‘What should I really be doing?’” she says. “And people kept saying, ‘You bake. You’re good at baking.’ So I started making cookies.”  The bakery was also a way to publicly remember her father: Sweet Attila’s was incorporated on what would have been his 60^th birthday.

The Growling Rabbit just before closing on a Thursday evening.

After renting space for awhile in a commercial kitchen and selling the baked goods at farmers markets, Soncrant eventually realized that because of Sweet Attila’s growing production and demand, it would be more economical to find their own space. When she found the location at Lunt & Sheridan, she decided that the space would be too big for just the bakery, so she decided to open a café as well. She, not surprisingly, named it the Growling Rabbit. Around the same time that she was moving into the new location, Soncrant also found out that she was pregnant with their first son, Kai. “I like to say that between Kai, the bakery, and the café I gave birth to triplets that year,” she jokes. Both Kai and the Growling Rabbit turn two this year.

Yummy red velvet cupcakes from Sweet Atilla’s.

Sweet Attila’s continues to make plenty of its delicious baked goods, selling both in-store at the Growling Rabbit as well as wholesale to other Chicago sweet spots like Lickity Split in Edgewater, Urban Orchard in Andersonville, and Other Brother in Evanston. The Growling Rabbit also has a partnership with Montalblano Farms, so any neighbors interested in getting into CSA (or community-supported agriculture) are able to use the café as their pickup spot for their weekly deliveries of farm fresh veggies and/or fruit. (Check out the farm’s CSA site for more information.) The café uses many of the farm’s produce for their full-menu of delicious food.

Soncrant calls the Growling Rabbit’s food “healthy comfort” and says that there’s really something for everybody: vegan, gluten free, meat lovers, and everything in between. “It’s the cooking your mom and your grandma used to do,” she says. “If it reminds you of your childhood, we’ve done our job.” Growling Rabbit makes its sausage in-house (try it in their chorizo omelet!), and the homemade cinnamon rolls on the weekend are a fan favorite. Brunch is served daily until 2pm, but Soncrant says they will be extending hours to 3pm on the weekends for the summer. (So now you have no excuse not to stop by and check it out! J)

Martha, one of the Growling Rabbit’s baristas, serving up some cupcakes with a grin.

The Growling Rabbit is located at 6981 North Sheridan Road. Their hours are Tuesday – Friday 8am – 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am – 6pm. (Closed Mondays.) Check them out on Facebook

Words and Pictures by Emily Taft

Located at 6749 N Sheridan Rd on the corner of Columbia and Sheridan and next to the previously mentioned Armadillos Pillow, Flatts & Sharpe Music Co caters to Rogers Park’s musically creative side. Billed as a “small town music store that somehow ended up in the big city,” Flatts & Sharpe makes the distinction that they are more than just a music store but a musical community. For the already established musician, you can find any musical accessory imaginable for a price that will almost always beat major retailers. The staff’s musical expertise is not just limited to instruction, as you can bring in your instrument for a tune-up, repair or an upgrade. Flatts & Sharpe also has one of the largest musical libraries offering a plethora of various instructional books that range from your favorite artist or advanced musical techniques.

In addition to selling musical instruments they focus mainly on the musical education that they offer. Flatts & Sharpe offers lessons for virtually any instrument you can think of and what’s more is that for every instrument they have a knowledgeable and friendly person on staff to assist you. But don’t be deterred! They offer music lessons for people of all ages; each lesson is a private one on one experience that caters to your individual needs. The staff can instruct you in a classical background, something more contemporary or anything else that might suit your fancy. The aspect of community and social interaction is highly valued. Twice a year the staff at Flatts & Sharpe gather all the students together to interact and collaborate with each other. The development of musical relationships and network is something that cannot be “found” and needs to be developed, and Flatts & Sharpe provide you with the proper avenues. So whether you’re a casual music enthusiast or you want to tap into your inner Mozart, stop in to Flatts & Sharpe where you’re not a student, you’re family.

Words and pictures by Max O’Kane