Chicago tips

Blake Is The Best

shopping

Blake, the women's clothing store has just moved to a beautiful new understated space at 212 W. Chicago Avenue between Wells and Franklin.  This is clothing par excellence.  Most of the merchandise is imported from Europe.  Top designers you may be familiar with include Dries Van Noten, Chloe, Marni and Balenciaga but there are many others as well.

In addition to irresistable garments Blake carries the best looking shoes and bags both in town and out.  This recent move has expanded the display space considerably from the previous Lincoln Avenue location.

Marilyn Blaszka and Dominic Marcheschi, Blake's owners, have impeccable taste which spans both classic and avant garde styling and everything in between.  They have a keen eye for new fashion excitement so there are always special finds from which to choose. There is clothing for young rail thin women and young and older customers who are not.  It is helpful if you have a certain fashion flair or are open to developing one because then you can enjoy these exquisite clothes more.  The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful and can perform miracles with a new look.

None of this is particularly inexpensive but don't make the mistake of looking at a few price tags and judging that everything is high;  it's not.  Also, there are twice yearly sales that are terrifically popular.  My advice though is that if you find something you can't live without you shouldn't wait for a sale;  merchandise turns over quickly and may be gone.

Many people come in from out of town to shop here and there are even customers who phone in to order from afar because Blake is so special.  Although I go to New York a couple of times a year for a visit with my son and his fiancee I never shop there because the offerings at Blake are so far superior.

Blake, 212 W. Chicago Av., 312.202.0047.  Hours: Weekdays, 10:30-7;  Saturdays 10:30-6:30.  Closed Sundays for now.

Complete Sheds Light At Great Savings

services, shopping

The good old "C" phone directory yielded this great source for me a few years ago.  Complete Lighting and Supply sells all manner of regular and unusual light bulbs at usually half the price you'd pay for the same thing at Home Depot.  I've got track lighting of different kinds at home in addition to some odd light fixtures and this place has never failed me. Try them for fixtures too.   A fine source for small businesses as well.

If you think it's boring to buy light bulbs you've never met Sandra Lauter, at left.  She's the tall,  glamorous, warm and friendly president of this company.  When I asked how she'd gotten involved in the lighting business she explained that when she was looking for a job some years ago she discovered the lighting industry which was appealing because lighting is something needed by everyone.  After about thirteen years as a salesperson, she started Complete, her own firm which is "A Woman Owned Corporation."  All in all she's been doing this for 27 years.

Together with her two partners, Rick and Joel they've hit on a formula which involves buying at reasonable prices and passing the savings on to consumers.  Low overhead helps too, as does word of mouth.  In the unlikely event that Complete doesn't have what you're looking for, they will graciously send you on to the proper source for the item you need.

If you want to place an order you may phone ahead inquiries or xerox a sample of the bulb you require along with its number and fax it ahead.  Needless to say, this isn't a place to buy one bulb.  I usually buy a case of the ones I use most often and they're happy to sell just a few of the more esoteric kinds.

Complete is located in a (now) fast growing neighborhood.  Other well known companies can be found nearby including Salvage One, a resource for vintage fixtures for the home, George Jewell, the well known catering firm, and Wright Auctions, among others.

Complete Lighting and Supply, 1900 W. Hubbard, 312.455.0004.

First Slice; A Terrific Idea For You And The Homeless

food and drink, charitable donations

Mary Ellen Diaz has just opened a wonderful casual eatery, First Slice Cafe, located just inside the Lillstreet Art Center (formerly Lill Street Studio), the pottery and craft center at 4401 N. Ravenswood and her concept is truly impressive.  She offers wonderful food for you and me and the exact same menu is given to the  homeless of Chicago.  Last year before this expansion First Slice delivered over 1400 meals each month to the hungry.

Diaz, pictured at far right, was trained at the prestigious Cordon Bleu school in Paris, l'Ecole des Arts Culinaires in Lyon and at Madeleine Kamman's School for American Chefs at Beringer Vineyards in Napa Valley.  She achieved three star ratings at Printer's Row in 1996 and North Pond Cafe in 1998, following these with a three year stint creating new dishes for Richard Melman of Lettuce Entertain You.

Now she wants to make an impact in a badly needed arena, food for the homeless and choice "first slice" food at that, not, she emphasizes, leftovers which are the norm for most homeless kitchens.  Local suppliers provide nutritious organic ingredients.  This amazing self-funding charity is the result of her careful planning coupled with plenty of elbow grease and devotion.

Proceeds from the cafe which is a bright, cleanly designed and homey refuge go toward this goal.  Parking is easy (try Ravenswood just south of Montrose if it's busy north of same) and there's not much else in the way of food nearby.  Everyone is friendly and welcoming and throughout December there's the enticing annual Lillstreet show and sale of pottery, jewelry and other work  meant for holiday giving by 50 artists all over the U.S. It's adjoining the cafe in the same large space.

Food is served on pottery made by Lillstreet associates and if you're like I am, it's a treat to eat off the distinctively thin, elegant plates by Eric Jensen.  This is the kind of place where you feel so welcome that you can camp out for some hours without interruption.

In addition to the cafe, Diaz offers Family Subscription dinners, including three meals weekly for a family of three at $45 weekly for 12 weeks.  This breaks down to $180 monthly.  Individual Subscriptions are $25 weekly and Senior Subscriptions are $20 for smaller portions.  Catering can also be arranged.

Samples from the menu which changes frequently are

     French onion soup with duck, garlic croutons and cheese / $6

     Chicken cobb salad with blue cheese, bacon, clementine and spiced pecans with cranberry vinaigrette / $7

     Butternut squash and spinach lasagne with layers of local vegetables / $7

     Smoked ham and cheese sandwich with grilled onion and spicy mustard / $7.

      (All sandwiches are served panini  style on  the cafe's own sesame flatbread. )

     Desserts are a tempting variety of pies and cakes which are also available to take out.         

For every subscriber, First Slice provides food for twenty hungry and needy people, the same delicious food you enjoy in the cafe and/or by subscription. 

The key to all this is volunteer help says Diaz.  As I was savoring a delicious turkey chili on a recent frosty afternoon, volunteers drifted in and out compatibly and there were more behind the counter assisting.  If you're interested in becoming a volunteer, subscribing to dinners or would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the organization, phone 773.506.1719.

First Slice Cafe gets a AAA rating from chicagoTips.com.  Don't miss it!!!

News Flash! 3 Day Sale At European Imports Warehouse

food and drink, shopping

Gourmet imports are yours at large discounts if you race over to European Imports, Ltd. this Thursday December 15 at 9:00AM.  The sale continues on Friday and Saturday, the 16th and 17th from 9AM to 3:30PM each day.  My friend Susann is a marvelous sleuth and she's found enticingly packaged French candies, specialty cheeses, all kinds of preserves, Italian specialties including decaf espresso, unusual pastas and fine olive oil and vinegars...the choices are so broad that it's impossible to list them properly.  She suggested a holiday gift basket laden with treasures from this resource.

Just head over to their outlet store at 2475 N. Elston (north of Fullerton).  My brief experience was that there's a large line on Thursday AM and because I'm line-averse I tried Friday when there was no line, just a few friendly devotees.

I'm not sure how often these sales are held, but get on the mailing list and you'll find out.

The owners restock at the end of each day so I'm guessing the selection is better early Friday than later on Thursday.  If you see a managerial type standing around as I did last month, ask their opinion about special taste treats.  They're very savvy about stock, so after a brief chat I took home a wonderful creamy blue cheese that I'd never known about before.  Just ask for more hints to enlarge your culinary experiences.

Cash or check only, no credit cards.