Chicago tips

Secret Post Offices And Longer Hours services

If you're tired of waiting in those interminable lines at your local post office, here are some remedies.  My favorite is the one inside Parkway Drugs at 2342  N. Clark between Belden and Fullerton because you may also ship things UPS and there's no additional fee as there is at the "UPS Stores".  I even went here in the midst of the Christmas rush and the place was sheer heaven for solitude.  There is also a post office on the 2nd floor (Room 206) of the Mallers Building in the Loop at 5 S. Wabash.  Here the hours are a bit strange.  They open at noon, have lunch from 1:45-2:30 and close at 4:45.  Got that?  Nope, I don't know why they don't have lunch before they arrive for work.  Another post office is in the Hancock Building, although I can't vouch for the lines and there's yet another in the Merchandise Mart.

Also, the Fort Dearborn Station at 540 N. Dearborn (between Grand and Ohio) has terrific hours for those in the know.  It is open Monday through Friday from 7:30AM-6:30 PM (most P.O.'s are 8AM-5PM), on Saturday from 7:30AM-3PM and on Sunday from 9AM-5PM.  Never a line on Sundays, says my kind informant.  312.644.7603.

Additionally a number of other post offices have extended their hours.  For example the Lincoln Park office at 2405 N. Sheffield is now open from 8AM-7PM Monday through Friday and 10AM-3PM on Saturday.  Check with your local post office to find others in your neighborhood with longer hours.

GREIN: An Art Deco Funeral Home culture

An untouched gem of a building from 1931, this funeral home is a piece of Chicago art moderne history recognized by architectural groups  including the Chicago Art Deco Society which featured it in its Spring 1991 magazine.  In the 1930's the building was considered extremely avant garde;  funeral directors from around the country came to see it. Architect G. Gaul is credited with the design.  The same firm is listed as the architects of St. Benedict Church at 2201 W. Irving Park.

Advertising from the period indicated that the structure was considered to be a memorial to Barney Grein who founded the funeral company in 1889.  Air conditioning and fireproofing were included, rare additions for the time.

Subtlety is the keynote here with minimal geometric forms decorating the stone facade.  Even the neon signage, most visible at night is low key.  Alongside the entry  hall there is a reception area on the right with marvelous period wood carvings adjoining the upper walls. (see photo).  The office area to the left appears to be panelled in wood.  Astonishingly the walls are really fabricated of metal simulating wood and were made by the same firm used for the Empire State Building in New York.   Light fixtures and windows are all from the 1930s and are well-maintained as are the lighting, fixtures and tile in the restrooms..  There is real dedication on the part of the owners to keep the building intact, as originally designed.

The manager of the funeral home, Kevin O'Donnell is happy to welcome visitors but you might call ahead to be sure there's not a service in process.

Many thanks to Monte Carollo, the consulting sleuth on this report.  The late Lynn Abbie of the Chicago Art Deco Society was responsible for a good deal of the information included here.

Grein Funeral Home is at 2114 W. Irving Park Rd. 773.588.6336.

The Chicago Photography Center current calendar; culture

The Chicago Photography Center (www.chicago.photo.org) is a great non-profit facility founded in 2002 by a group of photographers amd students.  It is located in a handsome vintage building  at 3301 N. Lincoln Av. The program director, Richard Stromberg has a large and dedicated following, the result of his skills as a teacher and probably his dry wit.  Stromberg taught photography at the Jane Addams Center in Lakeview for over 30 years.

The center welcomes both newcomers and more sophisticated photographers.  Sharing of information is enormously helpful in this field and the informal atmosphere here encourages just that.

There are darkroom facilities, a lighting studio, a gallery and classroom space.  The classes are mostly in the evening and are reasonable.  Free introductory sessions help get you started, for example with a new camera.  Also there's a slew of events, exhibits, volunteer opportunities and more.  You'll see when you log on.

If you're thinking of purchasing a new camera I would definitely urge you to call Richard Stromberg first at 312.671.7717.  He's very knowledgeable and up to date with special features you may or may not want in a camera and is enormously dedicated to the field.  He has good money saving suggestions too.

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Special Alert!  There's a free "how to use your camera" workshop on Sunday, September 11 from 12noon until 1:30PM and a free camera clinic the same day from 1-2:30PM.  At the latter you can have your camera cleaned and checked to be sure it's in good working order.

The next round of classes begin the week of September 12 on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 7PM.

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The Chicago Photography Center is at 3301 N. Lincoln.  773.549.1631.

Fried Twinkies Are Here! food and drink

What a concept!  My friend Nancy Lewis was visiting from Santa Fe recently and while we were exploring in Wicker Park she spotted this sign.  We were both scared to try them.  You can do so yourself, however at the corner hot dog shop called Swank Frank in the Flatiron Building.  It's on the southeast corner of  the North, Milwaukee and Damen Avenue intersection. (Guess I was a bit slow with this one.  Enter "fried twinkies" on Google and look at the Fox News item to find out about the birth of this product.) A good gag gift, if nothing else.

chicagoTips Takes A Vacation nepotism

Recently chicagoTips, needing a break from the weather, took a vacation with the Sierra Club which sponsored a trip for grandchildren and grandparents only.  Their first lodge, built by volunteers in the 1930s is well located for summer hikes and other child-friendly activities and is in the Donner Pass area of California.

Here you may view 1) sand architecture at Donner Lake by designers Owen Freed, right in the photo on the left and Lucas Manning, and 2) Henry Freed on his first solo kayak voyage at the same location.

Banh Mi Ba Le For Takeout food and drink

It's surprising how frequently I find myself near 5018 N. Broadway and Banh Mi Ba Le at lunchtime.  The allure of this take out place's terrific Vietnamese spring rolls is substantial because it's not quite on my usual errand route but in the heart of  "little Viet Nam" at Broadway and Argyle.

Three thin rice pancakes (guoi cuon) are wrapped around a combination of pork, rice noodles and lettuce and are topped with shrimp.  They're prepacked for the lunch crowd and come with a container of favorful dipping sauce for an astonishing $3.75  The French presence in Viet Nam (before ours) led to an interesting amalgam of cuisines.  The baguette became the basis for a wide assortment of sandwiches.  When we were in Hanoi we could never get past the marvelous pate which we bought at stalls on the street.  No, we never got sick. 

Here there is an assortment of sandwiches; meatball, steamed pork roll and pate, BBQ pork, vegetarian and lemongrass sausage.  All are $2.75 but the steamed pork is $2.50.  There's a buy 5, get one free standing offer and traditional-looking puddings and jellos in a refrigerator case along with Penny Worth Green Tea and Thai iced Tea and Coffee at $2.95.

I was told there will be a printed take out menu soon and it may have happened. 773.561.4424.

Facets Multimedia Is The Only Placeculture

You know you really should ditch Blockbuster and video rental places of that ilk.  Facets Multimedia is, by its own admission "the largest distributor of foreign, independent, fine art, classic and hard to find video" in the U.S.  There are over  60,000 titles on video and DVD and Facet films are always worthwhile.  (They're not the trendy new flim flam Hollywood usuals.)

Facets is a non-profit that never fails to turn you on.  It publishes a host of very reasonable guides including one for movie lovers.  Inside are lists galore; favorites from noted movie lovers, directors to watch, film festival winners, 100 best documentaries, best American comedies, silents, 50 top film noir, Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival etc., etc. so if you need guidance, it's right there for you.

There are new releases constantly, two movie theatres open every evening, a film school, films to purchase and a helpful staff that loves the medium.

Memberships for Chicagoans are $40 annually.  This way you're entitled to rent movies for $3.50 each ($5.00 for non-members) or attend films for $5.00 each for you and one companion. Institutional rentals are also available.

There's a rent by mail option, providing relief for distant or isolated film buffs.

The new Facets value pass entitles you to unlimited rentals.  This is $24 monthly or $250 annually and there's no long term contract, no late fees plus free in and out shipping for DVDs.

For info on almost everything call 800.532.2387 or explore the thorough website, www.facets.org.  (You may access master lists alphabetically online.)

Facets Multimedia is at 1517 W. Fullerton, one block east of Ashland. The rental office is open from 10 to 10 Mondays through Saturdays and from 12 to 10 on Sundays and holidays. It's easiest to park before 4:30PM but later, just poke around the side streets.  Do it soon;  it will change your movie going life! 

A Jewel Of A Jewel food and drink

The Jewel Food Store chain has a pilot store at 2485 W. Howard in Evanston that is experimenting with stocking a huge variety of ethnic food.  The concept is dubbed "Shop the World" and stock includes foods from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Greece, a number of Scandinavian, Asian and Middle Eastern countries and on and on.  The variety is mind boggling so just run on over and see for yourself.

Because this store is so large and the surrounding community is particularly multi-ethnic this location in a large shopping center seemed the ideal venue, according to a company spokesperson.  In addition to hard to find items like Devon cream and lemon curd, black lentils, tons of different salsas and beans there's a very large kosher section including meats, fish,  and something called Yetta's Chedda. Jewel is remodeling many of its stores so in the process there may be additions to the ethnic selections currently stocked in other stores.

Plus, if you ever have visitors from Australia, they will definitely need vegemite and you're in luck because the Shop the World Jewel is open 24/7.