Monday, May 21, 2012
We want to know: Who has the best ice cream in Skokie?
Yes, it’s a cliché to say we all scream for ice cream, but Patch readers clearly enjoy their frozen treats as the weather heats up, whether it’s ice cream, frozen yogurt or gelato. Here’s a roundup of readers’ favorite place to enjoy frozen goodness: A few things – If we missed one of your favorites, please let us know by posting a comment below. Voting begins today and ends at 9 a.m. For a full list of details, see the PDF to the right. See previous Readers’ Choice winners here
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Illinois lawmakers are again looking to expand gambling options in Illinois.
Illinois lawmakers are considering plans to add more casinos as the state continues to grapple with budget woes. The latest proposals would place casinos in Danville, Rockford and Waukegan. Another proposal would allow for slot machines to be operated at race tracks like Arlington Park, the Alton Daily News reported. The bills are sponsored by Terry Link (D-Waukegan) in the Senate and Lou Lang (D-Skokie) in the House. Gov. Pat Quinn has called the legislation to, once again, expand gambling in Illinois "a distraction." Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been pushing for a Chicago casino. A Chicago casino is something that officials in the city long have sought. As far back at 1993, Mayor Daley proposed an $800 …
Friday, May 18, 2012
We asked our readers: Who has the best Mexican food in Skokie. See who won here.
Downtown Skokie gets another win as Yolo restaurant was crowned this week's Reader's Choice winner. About 70 people voted and Yolo received 37 votes, or 53 percent. The next runner up was El Tipico Mexican Restaurant, which received 19 votes, or 27 percent. Located at 5111 Brown St., the small, attractive space is tucked away on a side street just off of Lincoln near downtown Skokie. The dining room is refined yet casual; the tables are topped with cloth but the napkins are paper. Reservations aren't necessary, but you may want to consider them. This BYOB restaurant features only one disappointment, but it comes at the beginning and is over quickly. The chips are store bought and it's disappointingly obvious. Luckily, the salsa, with …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Better Business Bureau is urging consumers and donors to be on the lookout for deals that seem too good to be true, and also for disreputable charities.
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Wednesday, May 16
Memorial Day is a time to honor those who serve our country and remember those who have died in service. But sadly, it has also become an opportunity for scammers to target active service members and elderly veterans. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is urging consumers and donors to be on the lookout for deals that seem too good to be true, and also for disreputable charities. “The unique lifestyle of our service members makes them prime targets for scammers,” says Dana Badgerow, President and CEO of the BBB. “It’s imperative that we educate our service members and ensure that the support we give to them equals the effort they make every day on behalf of us.” “Donors also need to watch out for questionable charities that raise funds on …
You will pamper yourself with this one.
From elegant and stately mansions to modern, environmentally-friendly abodes, The North Shore is chock-full of one-of-a-kind homes. Each week, Patch will feature one ‘Wow House’ that caught our attention. This week Patch has an offering listed Friday by Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate at 219 Ramsey Road. Listed at $1.899,000 and built six years ago, this dream home boasts 17 rooms including seven bedrooms and six bathrooms as well as a media room and an office. Here, take a peek inside, and see what this high-end price tag fetches in 60015. Is your home a ‘Wow’ House? Want to nominate a spectacular, unusual or just plain cool property on the North Shore? E-mail us: steve.sadin@patch.com
Monday, May 14, 2012
The Purple Hotel in Lincolnwood was purchased during an auction at the Westin Hotel in Chicago on Friday. The winning bidders are based out of Skokie and paid $8.3 million for the 8.5-acre property.
The 'purple' eyesore at 4500 Touhy Ave. has a new owner that has plans to revive the hotel back to its glory days. As of Friday, the Purple Hotel and surrounding property now belong to North Capital Group and Weiss Properties Inc., both of Skokie. The developers purchased the 8.5-acre property for $8.3 million during an auction at the Westin Hotel in Chicago last week. The developers have said in the past that they want to turn the property into a mixed-use development, which would include commercial shopping, a banquet hall and possible gut rehab for the interior of the hotel. Weiss Properties is working with architect Jackie Koo. The Lincolnwood Review reported that Koo’s most popular and recognizable design is the Wit Hotel in Chicago…
Friday, May 11, 2012
We asked our readers: Where is the best place to take mom for a Mother's Day brunch in Skokie? See the results here.
While almost 30 people voted, it didn't stop our readers from picking Skokie's hottest restaurant, Libertad, as the best place to take mom for a Mother's Day Brunch this weekend. Libertad received 11 votes, or 39 percent. The next runner up was Annie's Pancake House with seven, or 25 percent. Read more: The Story Behind Skokie's Hottest Restaurant, Libertad Co-owner of Libertad, Armando Gonzalez, said he first came to America from Mexico with four quarters in his pocket. Now, he's looking to expand with business partner Marcos Riveria and open another restaurant in downtown Skokie. Some of the items served at Libertad this Mother's Day: French toast with habanero-butternut compote with roasted pineapple ice cream ($8); crab Benedict ($…
Legendary ballplayer Andre Dawson greeted fans who came from far and wide to greet one of the Cubs' all-time stars, whom they have loved since his 1987 Most Valuable Player season.
“There’s nothing like Chicago fans,” baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson said with a heartfelt smile. “The luster of this evening – it will not diminish. It’s your evening. I’m not an author. I’m a retired baseball player.” At 6-foot-3-inches, Dawson, 57, stood ramrod tall and was still cut in a charcoal grey suit Wednesday, compared to the powerful upper body bulging out of his white-and-blue double-knit Cubs pinstriped uniform of a generation ago. He was buoyed walking in by the huge ovation from the overflow crowd in the special events section at The Book Stall in downtown Winnetka. Here was the umpteenth example of the fans’ love affair that hasn’t diminished 25 years after he won the National League’s Most Valuable Player award …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The new Super Walmart, XSport Fitness, are said to bring in about 600 plus jobs. Construction permits are also on the rise, something that hasn't been scene since the recession hit in 2007.
Walmart’s arrival in Skokie may be attracting much of the publicity, yet other factors are at work to prompt the first job boom in the village since the recession’s onset in 2007. In addition to the expected 350 jobs generated by Walmart on the far southeast side of Skokie, another 200-plus jobs could arrive in the same vicinity if XSport fitness is approved for a 24-hour health club operation at 3448 W. Touhy Ave., said Peter Peyer, Skokie’s community development director. More companies ranging from downtown restaurants to a trucking booking firm to retailers at Fashion Square have been adding jobs from the several-dozen to hundreds in the last few years, starting to reverse the effect of large layoffs. “I think there’s definitely an …
42.017302
-87.760746
Command Transportation
7500 Frontage Rd, Skokie, IL
/articles/wal-mart-has-plenty-of-help-as-skokie-enjoys-job-boomlet
244031
/locations/6967548
42.02634
-87.755399
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton St, Skokie, IL
/articles/wal-mart-has-plenty-of-help-as-skokie-enjoys-job-boomlet
244277
/locations/6967549
Monday, May 7, 2012
The new CTA Oakton Stop on Skokie Boulevard is said to bring in new business. That theory may already be coming into play as this local resident is looking to bring downtown Skokie it's first true coffee shop.
For nearly a decade downtown Skokie has wanted two things: A new CTA station at Oakton Street and Skokie Boulevard and a coffee shop. While the above is a slight exaggeration, it does paint a bigger picture of what’s being done to transform downtown Skokie into an attractive destination not only for shoppers and diners, but also for new coffee drinking commuters. With the train already in place, the village sought after two major coffee sellers– Starbucks and Caribou – but never reached an agreement on the location. Both businesses wanted to build their stores at the traffic circle where the ‘kiss-n-ride’ drop off / pick up currently sits. It would have been similar to the Starbucks at the Skokie Swift. Now, 40-year-old Craig Hahn is …
42.026295
-87.75013
4904 Oakton St, Skokie, IL
/articles/is-downtown-skokie-getting-a-coffee-shop
/locations/6991699
Amy Rubinberg
12:32 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
does anyone know when Oberweiss is starting construction? more ›