Chicago Gourmet Event Turned Out to be a Blast for All

Chicago Gourmet Event Turned Out to be a Blast for All

Usually, I don’t get out of bed on the weekends but this past Saturday, I decided it was time for me to get up, get out and eat some great food and drink wine until I can’t drink another drop of wine. The weather was nice and hot, giving me enough courage to get up, get out and have some fun- for once.  After showering and getting dressed for the event, I left the premises; anticipating for what’s next ahead. As I arrived onto the scene, I have noticed that there were a lot of reporters waiting in line to receive their media pass just so they can turn in their assignment to their boss in addition to informing the world about the Chicago Gourmet event and what it had to offer.  The vendors were not prepared to pass out the media passes, so I wound up reading a book just to kill time.

After all, I do get bored easily. “It’ll be fifteen minutes when we pass out the media passes, sorry for the inconvenience,” one of the vendors said, smiling. I nodded, re-reading Jackie Collins’ Dangerous Kiss. Fifteen minutes passed and I was line, receiving my bag of goodies such as a champagne glass for wine tasting, a free Chicago Gourmet USB (which I thought was pretty cool because that meant I didn’t have to purchase another USB at a local store), and a few brochures and other goodies that made my heart smile tremendously.

DJ Jay Illa

First, I checked out the Chipotle pavilion where the servers were passing out free bowls of hot, spicy chili that made my mouth water. I tasted the bowl of chili and immediately, I was in heaven! With a small mixture of ranch and Frito chips, I couldn’t stop eating the bowl of chili. Afterwards, I moved from the Chipotle pavilion onto the wine and beer tasting pavilion. I had tasted a cup of Blackberry Lemonade drink and I was hooked! I was so addicted to the drink that I had asked the server to give me two more drinks. Then, there was the seafood pavilion, which I absolutely enjoyed. Their fresh shrimp were simply tasteful. Cold. Fresh. Delicious. Just how I liked it. Afterwards, I visited the Candy Personality, where they informed on what kind of personality I have based on what kind of candy I eat.

I picked the New York Peppermint Patty. “You are sweet, resourceful, have a great sense of style and people respect you,” one of the servers said, giving me a few flyers to look at on my way to devour more delicious candy. 

I smiled and thanked her for telling me my candy personality. Then, off to the BBQ, Barilla Pasta, Bon Appétit I went, observing various pavilions that I wanted to check out but was too full from the food I had stuffed inside my abdomen and a tad bit too tipsy from the drink I had earlier to check out. In the midst of it all, I had a chance to partake in some really great contests such as a free car and cruise tournaments. I was excited to partake in those contests because I felt that a nice car and an exotic cruise was (and still is) long overdue. Hey, when you have two adorable kids that keeps you up most of the night, you’d want to take a long vacation as well. Two hours have passed, and I was tired, stuffed and drunk.  Giggling from ear to ear, I began dancing to really some cool tunes by Ed Sheeran and others, showing off my crazy dance moves to the attendees at the event.

I had checked out as many pavilions possible and it was time for me to return to a place that is nice and quiet and has heat/air conditioner: home.  While taking a bus back home, I was elated to have had a chance to become a part of something extravagant, something worthwhile. Would I do it again, if given the chance? Most definitely- and then some.

By: Dana Rettig - Out & About/Culture Blogger

Stuff to do - Weekend part 2 - Water Street Studios ŏn-sŏm' bəl 2014

Stuff to do - Weekend part 2 - Water Street Studios ŏn-sŏm' bəl 2014

If you're thinking the suburbs are seriously lacking in the culture dept. then you are sadly mistaken! Although Chicago is known for the arts scene, many of the suburban areas right outside of the city have established amazing communities for local artists. One area in particular that has seen tremendous growth in its culture and arts sector is Batavia, IL. A beautiful town in the western burbs, just 40 minutes or so outside of Chicago. The Water Street Studios has created an environment for growth and development for artists in the area. The Batavia Artists Association at Water Street Studios was founded to advance art education and appreciation by developing the promotion of fine arts in Batavia and neighboring communities.

If you are looking for some art, culture and fashion in the burbs this weekend, then make sure to check out ŏn-sŏm' bəl: A Bold Event To Support The Arts - this Saturday September 27, 2014.

Featured Artists: Steve Banks, Kari Kraus, Valerie William, Lisa Limas, Eli Borrowman, Jenna Walsh & Victoria Belz, Danielle Dobies, Angela Zeedyk, Dawn Tutt, Jen Evans, Patricia Davoust, Katherine Kratzer & Claudia Canon, Lisa Dienst-Thomas

Fine Art Show Curated By: Rita Grendze, Sculptor

Fashion Show Curated By: Curator, Andrea Reynders, Professor Emeritus and former Sage Endowed Chair in Fashion Design, SAIC

Purchase your tickets to the event here.

Hofbrauhaus Chicago Oktoberfest

Hofbrauhaus Chicago Oktoberfest

Originated in Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest is a 16-day-long festival leading up to the first days of October. While the Americanized version of Oktoberfest usually focuses on the drinking aspect of this celebration, German microbrewery, Hofbrauhaus Chicago takes the festival back to its traditional roots.



Located in Rosemont, IL, Hofbrauhaus Chicago is one of four locations in the United States. Through October 31st, Hofbrauhaus guests are invited to enjoy authentic food, Bavarian entertainment, and special events. On September 12th, the opening night of Oktoberfest was commemorated with the first taping of the Oktoberfestbier keg, with special guests, Eric and Kathy of WTMX. Of course I enjoyed a stein for myself while listening to live music and scouting the traditional German fashions. I had never seen so many leiterhosen in one room before!

On Friday and Saturday evenings of the festival, the Masskrugstemmen, contest is scheduled to take place.  Translated to “the lifting of a liter mug of beer”, the goal of the competition is to hold a liter stein full of beer parallel to the floor, with one hand.  The contestant who holds their stein the longest without spilling a drop is the winner!

Each evening from 4:00pm to 10:00pm, food and drink specials will be featured.  Each night also features special events, listed on the Hofbrauhaus website.  So, sit back, enjoy a soft pretzel the size of your head and raise your stein to October!

New Industry Rising Stars: Chicago Playground "The Varsity Collection"

New Industry Rising Stars: Chicago Playground "The Varsity Collection"

Many fashion designers come from Chicago, but not many incorporate Chicago into their brand. With Rodnell Harris, it is different story. His designs are all about Chicago and even the name, Chicago Playground; the Varsity Collection, incorporates the heart of Chicago into it. So, who this designer that loves Chicago so much that the city is the main source of creativity behind his designs?

Rodnell Harris was born on the West side of Chicago and was a graduate from Farragut High school in 2004. A true Chicagoan from the start he decided to launch the Chicago Playground clothing line in 2008. Many of his inspirations came from when he played basketball in college (in Jacksonville Florida, but hey the line isn’t called Florida Playground). This is where his interest in the designer of the Letterman and varsity jackets grew. Considering himself a visual artist, Rodnell hopes to instill a sense of pride and unity in local communities here in Chicago through fashion.

During Atlanta’s fashion week in 2008, with only a few samples from a previous brand Rodnell created, he realized that becoming a designer was what he wanted to do. After the event, he knew that he could be an asset to the fashion industry by introducing a brand with a positive message and mission behind its designs. Thus, Chicago Playground was created. Rodnell wanted a name that came with significance and a sense of tradition. Chicago is considered a playground in of itself, with all of its attractions and talent in the city. Also, playgrounds bring children together and he wanted a brand to represent unity among the city’s youth and beyond.

Chicago Playground clothing is a brand for all ages and genders. Childrens clothing can be obtained though custom orders. The brand is also looking to collaborate with student athletes and local high schools for an ambassador program in the near future in which students get involved with the brand and Chicago Playground educates them on the fashion industry and the mission behind Chicago Playground; so keep an eye out students!!

Currently, Chicago Playground only offers custom made orders to give clients the opportunity to customize their garments to meet their individual needs. They also present capsule collections of collegiate garments including hooded sweat shirts, signature t-shirts, and baseball calls (all offered in limited quantities). The brand is still in the early stages of creating an e-commerce site and is scheduled to be available in September 2014. Fall seasonal garments are available for order and purchase! Also email rharris@cpg1963.com for a digital catalog! 

At the moment Chicago Playground is focusing on its upcoming student ambassador program and e-commerce launch for the fall. The brand is currently working with local show producers to be featured in upcoming fall runway shows this Fall 2014 season in addition to internal brand representations. So keep an eye out on http://www.cpg1963.com that has many great things happening for a brand that holds Chicago so dear to its heart.

Written by Stella Quimby - Fashion & Lifestyle Editor

Where's Jimmy?!

Where's Jimmy?!

Written by: Thom Olson as featured in Halfstack's Fall Issue. Read the entire issue today HERE.

It’s Sunday afternoon and you are at Oak Street Beach. A beautiful blonde comes up and asks you “Where’s Jimmy?” and proceeds to hand you a light blue package. The color is somewhat similar to Tiffany’s iconic little gift boxes. Alas… Tiffany’s is not giving away free samples... though one can still hope.  It is, however, a small sample of a fruit bar. It’s marked vegan. Some might find that word marked on the package a little scary. You either try it or throw it in your travel tote for later. 

Later you happen to be on a mud run. Could it be that running in this madness is the result of a three-martini evening where you placed a bet and lost? Thus… you are running through an obstacle course doused in soggy wet dirt. Or, is this something you volunteered for because you find it “pleasant”? Anyhow, low and behold, you see that same blonde, who hands you another taste of something wrapped in the same blue wrapper.  Exhausted and hungry, you decide to give it a try.  You eat it. OMG, you actually like it.  You ask for another and get a taste of a second flavor. You wolf it down and are on your way. Did you just have your first vegan experience?

After a shower and cozying up with a very large bar of soap, you hop on down to the Whole Foods Grocery store to get something for dinner. Who do you run in to? Yup, you guessed it. Blondie hands you a sample but this time you ask for a couple of the real deal and buy them. You have just bought a Jimmy Bar.

Jimmy Bars are a fruit-based snack bar. Each bar has all natural ingredients. In a rare twist of food packaging, all the ingredients are featured prominently on the front of the package and not in micro type buried on the back. There isn’t anything listed that leaves a question mark in your mind like Maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup or some hydrogenated goo.  You can actually pronounce all the ingredients and see there is a shelf life on the package. It’s not like a Twinkie.  Yes, it is vegan, but that is less scary now. There isn’t a dairy component added to the product nor are there any lactose bi-products added. It is gluten free — not a lot of foods can say that, particularly in the snack bar category.  The funny thing is, though, it actually tastes good without any sugar added. The base of the bar is dates. There are 4 varieties: Chocolate Chip, Banana Muffin, Peanut Butter and Apple. With all that said why are you still intrigued? It was blonde right? Or was it the food? So, you start to do some investigating, as you need an answer to the question.

Who is the blonde?
You might have run into one of the two that man the helm of this healthy snack food ship. The very athletically handsome: Jimmy Simon, Co-Founder of Jimmy Bars OR his lovely niece Ciarra. Ciarra is the extremely cute, collegiate daughter of the other Co-Founder Annette Del Prete. The pieces start to fall in to place as you recognize it. Annette is one of the owners of Fillippo’s Restaurant in Lincoln Park. You probably have been going there for many years either before or after a movie. It’s a staple destination over on Clybourn St. It is kiddy corner from Webster Place Theater.

You recognize the blonde, as you have seen her many times at Fillippo’s, waiting on you. Both businesses are a family thing. This new nutrition bar sprang into existence out of the same kitchen as your homemade pasta dinner. It stands to reason and it is no wonder why it would taste good. The restaurant has been around for over 20 years making your favorite Chicken Valdostana. The restaurant was in the neighborhood before it was a neighborhood. They make their own pasta in house and after a plate of it I asked Annette, “What’s the story?”

A word about Annette… and full disclose here. We go way back. I was a waiter in the first restaurant she managed when she got out of college. Her name was Annette Simon. That’s how we first met. A few years later, I ran into her at Fillippo’s where she was engaged to Fillippo Del Prete. They have since got married and had two kids. Annette is very smart. She knows food and is fierce in business. She is also a serial entrepreneur. She has had four businesses including: the restaurant, a Mexican fast food shop, a wholesale bakery and now Jimmy Bars. Jimmy Simon is her brother and very much like her. He is also a serial entrepreneur. He has had six businesses including a very successful IT development company, an art gallery, a commercial realty business and two paper companies.  He chuckles at doing the same business twice but he said it was fun.

He has lived on both coasts and a couple spots in between before coming back to Chicago to do take on this new venture. They both readily admit to their dad having a lot to do with their self-made state of mind. He was a commodities trader but also an entrepreneur.  He instilled in them the mindset to blaze their own paths. He said there is no pension plan option; one has to build it on-their-own in order to ensure their future. Jimmy (who is very active and very healthy) asked Annette to join him in a new business venture. This time, though,  it would be a retail food item that would leverage her expertise. Her epicurean results are what is currently being sold in over 30 states and Canada. Jimmy Bars are also beginning to ship to the UK and Australia.  It has been a very meteoric rise. They started selling bars just a year and a half ago.


You can read the full article in the Fall Issue of Halfstack Magazine - To read click HERE

Parts and Labor: An Off-Kilter (In a Good Way) Sports Bar

Parts and Labor: An Off-Kilter (In a Good Way) Sports Bar

Parts and Labor (2700 N. Milwaukee Ave.) in Logan Square is testing out showing football games throughout September, where you can catch the Bears and any number of other teams with a different ambiance than most sports bars. Halfstacker Rob Samuelson checked out last Sunday's game against the 49ers. Here's his report. Feel free to check out this Sunday's game against the New York Jets at 7:30.

With the windows wide open, Parts and Labor is a bit brisk for an early September day. The floor reminds me of a stroll through Home Depot, all pragmatic gray and rugged. The booths are painted with black and blue Tetris shapes, giant air ducts hang visibly from the ceiling, and behind the bar is what looks like a shrine to Chutes and Ladders – or maybe a morbid ode to those whose lives have been cut short in elevated painting accidents.

My friends have quizzical looks on their faces as we sit on chipped, practical-looking stools in the middle of the establishment. They don't verbalize it, but, “Are you sure we're here to watch the Bears game?” is written in their eyes. Then the menus come.

“Ah, yes, okay, that makes sense,” is now what their expressions say.

Burgers and fried everything abound. And it's cheap. Like, $5 cheap. So inexpensive, in fact, that my friend Tom gets a second burger after he finishes his first, and that was after I watched him eat nachos earlier in the afternoon. The training for that half marathon he ran a couple weeks ago has raised his appetite and metabolism to disturbing heights.

I go a little more gastronomically conservative and order myself a black bean burger and fried pickles. The pickles' crust is golden brown, but they're more goopy and soggy than I expected. This is in no way a bad thing. They taste like pickles should, but more. The juice hasn't been fried out of the equation, thankfully. I'm not a food connoisseur, so I apologize for not being able to explain it right. They were delicious and Parts and Labor puts a convenient bowl of Ranch dressing in the middle to serve as even more taste enhancement.

We got here early because we were hungry and the Bears didn't take the field against the San Francisco 49ers (but really, as we learned during the broadcast, the 49ers now play an hour or so outside of the Rice-a-Roni city, so they should rescind their title) until 7:30. The Green Bay Packers are instead on the giant projected screen. This gives me some observation time.

And the things I observe are out of the ordinary for a bar showing sporting events. They have massive outdoor spaces, far away from the bar's televisions. Stax and Chess Records soul plays on the stereo. Instead of framing signed pictures of former local athletic heroes, Parts and Labor has glossy, coffee-table-book-sytle photographs of machinery. Some look like water pumps, others like parts of the electrical grid. It's a nod to the industrial revolution and blue collar work, the kind done by people who watch these games at bars.

But, this being Logan Square, it's not just blue collar types hanging out. There's one young woman with purple hair and a vest with a cute kitten screen printed on it. I can't tell from afar what kind of beer she's drinking, but it's definitely not a beer with enough capital to sponsor the NFL. I give thanks to the alcohol gods that this is the case and order a Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' to enjoy with my burger and pickles.

Eventually, with the game about to get going, I return to my buddies and put my notebook away. The channel changes to NBC and their Sunday Night Football program, the league's big game of the week showcase. We can see Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth going through their pregame banter. But we can't hear them. Instead, they play the Violent Femmes' “Add It Up,” which has noticeable bad words instead of the easily brushed off addiction metaphors in the football-crowd-approved “Blister in the Sun.” I'm not complaining, because Collinsworth has infuriatingly built a broadcasting career out of doing nothing but calling professional athletes “athletic.” But since we came here to watch the game, I ask if we can turn the TV volume up.

This causes a look of pure “uh-oh” on the waitress's face. She heads to the bar to confer with other employees and the general consensus is a shrug. Looks like we're stuck with our good beers, good food, good company, good music, and not being subjected to inane Michaels-Collinsworth chatter. This is no tragedy. It leads to a little confusion as to who did things on the field – as someone who's pretty much only a baseball and hockey fan, I can name probably four Bears players – but I'll gladly take the tradeoff. Sure, I'm left asking if players who retired nearly a decade ago still play for the team, but oh well.

The game is a drag for most of its runtime. The 49ers build a sizable lead and our attentions wane. Explaining why The Velvet Underground's “Rock and Roll” is great becomes more important than debating whether Bears quarterback Jay Cutler can earn his newly minted contract.

But then the fourth quarter rolls around and things get fun on the screen. Cutler starts picking apart the 49ers, touchdowns are scored, then the Bears take the lead precious seconds ticking down. My friends and I are shocked. How 'bout that? The clock expires and the Bears have officially come back from 17-0 and 20-7 deficits to win 28-20.

Not half bad all around.

Halfstack Fall Issue Sneak Peek: Great Street Restaurant

Halfstack Fall Issue Sneak Peek: Great Street Restaurant

Written by: Thom Olson for Halfstackmag.com

If you haven’t visited Great Street at the Renaissance Hotel for a while, you might be in for a treat. Yes, the Renaissance Hotel at One West Wacker Drive has been kicking around for a while, but the restaurant on the second floor has received a much-needed facelift. Yet, that is just the beginning of the story. It really starts with an ownership change this past January. 

The Great Street Restaurant occupies the end of the hotel that over looks the river and North Michigan Avenue Bridge.  As the hotel faces the river, it seems to have been designed to look vaguely like the front end of a river boat with a gracefully curved front. The entrance opens out with Great Street overlooking the activities on the 2nd floor. The hotel tackled the dining room redesign with much needed finesse. The restaurant has always had a wonderful view at night. The city glow has always made this space quite lovely and sparkling — however, the sheer size of the dining room made it impossible to feel comfortable. It was massive and even when it was full and busy, one always felt a little alone like the only customer in a circus tent.

What was once a truly cavernous room has now been divided up to make a more intimate space. A room that was once considered a ridiculous waste of space with a horrible layout has been transformed into something functional yet beautiful. The remodeled restaurant has a more intimate feel with better traffic control. It still feels spacious but not cavernous.  The interior is a tad more contemporary and modern without feeling cold. The columns have been covered in mirror to enhance the view and reflect the city lights at night and the view. The warm wood still remains. The neutral color palette enhances the wood and make the room feel spa like and calm.

This place is such a nice improvement over the last reiteration. And it will only get better. The hotel has plans for a redo of the rooms. The downstairs bar (Novo) will change around the holidays and become a new concept. Eight new concepts have been presented for the new bar, so stay tuned. The really big news is a new roof top bar slated to open around May of next year. Their roof top area above the restaurant currently has a terrace only accessible by the conference rooms, but it will change. The goal is to expand and make it more accessible to the new roof top bar overlooking the Chicago River. It will be launched in May and I have marked my calendar to make sure and visit the new space. It is indeed a perfect location and the view is killer.

A sensible approach — private dining rooms.
This idea of private dining rooms truly made sense from many points of view. The Renaissance Hotel is a first class business hotel. It’s neighbors with 35 West Wacker’s Leo Burnett and links to it by a pedestrian mall area. The hotel is easily accessible by way of the city Pedway System. The private dining rooms are a wonderful spot for business meeting and presentations when there needs to be a more celebratory tone or a meeting that needs to be out of the office and not in a boardroom. They are exquisitely perfect for SMALL wedding receptions or banquets of 12 to 25. YES, believe it or not, the kind of space that can accommodate a small reception for intimate friends and family is extremely hard to find anywhere in the city. Most reception rooms start at about 50 people, thus making seating for smaller events really difficult. Some rooms in the city have a very kitschy feel and focus less on the guests and more about making the business identity of the restaurant part of the event. They can make a wedding reception feel strange or similar to a theme wedding. The private dining rooms at Great Street offer a lovely view and are very comfortable.  I would have no hesitation of booking a wedding in this space. These rooms have been very well received as they have been booking up quickly so plan ahead for your holiday festivities.

The Food Concept
The menu and concept of the restaurant has received a facelift as well and offers interesting flavor combinations. Hotel food can be a bit mundane and perhaps a bit of a snooze when dining out with little variety from hotel to hotel. This menu has variety and more. Chef James Samson is responsible for new concept. It is a new take on the farm-to-table food trend. He explained it quite simply as a walk through the neighborhoods of Chicago. The restaurant sits on State St. If someone were to walk through the various neighborhoods in Chicago, what food ideas and creations would percolate up? Which is exactly what he did. Chef Samson is a transplant from Phoenix and has worked in a number of places across the country but had only been here a year. He wanted to see what Chicago food was like so he toured the neighborhoods and came up with some mouth-watering dishes for just about every palate including the finicky traveler. The menu is cohesive as well as flavorful. It is very health conscious. All but two of the dishes are nut free. All but one dish can be prepared gluten free. Fresh is the key word as well as made from scratch as much as possible in the kitchen.

With the modified farm-to-table concept, Samson took liberties with what is considered local but emphasized the idea of small farm. Much of the food is pulled together from small farms with many locally produced including the beers offered. This version of the concept utilizes very small mom/pop farms that offer unique blends of veggies, fruits and meats. He also utilizes a firm called FarmLogix. This Evanston-based company is the brainchild of Linda Mailier. It connects restaurants with small independent farmers and offers tools for sustainability all the while helping farmers market their produce without adding additional cost to them. The food gets picked up by Testa Produce and distributed. He also utilizes Urban Till — a Chicago grown source for microgreens and specialty herbs. Samson’s food vision doesn’t stop with how he gets his ingredients, but become a source for his experimentation. He likes to play with his food.  He is currently playing with Anson Mills Grits — an artisan mill that uses organic heirloom grains and course grinds to produce a unique texture. The Grits are made from Antebellum varieties that were bred for flavor, not shelf life or transport. They are a giant step away from Monsanto and GMO foods and a throwback to real food. Samson is a big fan of Big Fork Sausage — a Chicago product that is minimally processed with no preservative, MSG, nitrates, hormones or any artificial dreck.


- For the full article, check back Wednesday Sept. 17, 2014 to read the complete story in Halfstack’s Fall 2014 Issue. You can download the latest copy of the magazine HERE.

Halfstack Fall Music Issue: Featuring Fue & Starved Hustle

Halfstack Fall Music Issue: Featuring Fue & Starved Hustle

Fall has arrived readers and with it comes some of my most fondest memories. This is by far my most favorite season. Chicago is a beautiful city in the fall and it’s robust with color, people and sounds. I am so excited to share this time of the year and this issue with all of you. The fall marks, not only my favorite season, but one of my favorite annual issues: Halfstack’s Annual Music Issue. This issue we dedicate to all the starving artists, midnight hustlers and creatives trying to make an impact with their craft, music and soul.

This issue is filled to the brim with wonderful features and interviews of local artists, musicians and bands. Our team of writers and photographers were incredibly fortunate to attend some of the hottest musical festivals, intimate shows and high energy venues. Throughout this issue you will get an insiders view of concerts such as Lolla, AVFest/Hideout Block Party, North Coast Festival and so many more. You will also get a front seat at Macy’s Glamorama shot by our talented staff photographer: Perry Fish.

We also had the opportunity to interview some great up and coming stars such as: Elizabeth Lyons from the country music scene, Western Automatic from the alternative scene and Hello Industry from the indie scene. This issue’s main fashion editorial was shot by the team at Pickapose Photography and features the band: Fue and is outfitted by: Starved. A homemade hustle. This was by far one of our most creative shoots aside from our Alice themed shoot 2 springs ago. It’s amazing to me that we are going into year 3 of Halfstack and with each year, we push ourselves to the creative limit. The shoot was inspired by the days of vlaudville and sideshows and the band did a great job channeling their characters. We also had so much fun incorporating themed props from the incredibly vast Zapprops.com. You will also find some great fall themed beauty and grooming product round ups from Beauty Editor: Danielle Hazenkamp, to help you transition to the cooler weather that is bound to find us here in Chicago.

This issue introduces some new writers to all of you.  Feature Editors -Thom Olson and Rob Samuelson have been writing on Halfstackmag.com, but are making their debut in the issue this fall. You can check out Rob’s genuine and in-depth feature on the Roger’s Park neighborhood. Thom introduces us to some local entrepreneurs: Sara Rose of Sara Rose on Oak and the team behind Jimmy Bars. He also offers some humorous insight on the newly updated Great Street Restaurant.

Dana Rettig gives us her insight on new music app from Jinn and Fashion Editor:  Teresa Espinoza highlights local suburban boutique: Galleria Girl. You can also check out her interview with the owner on Halfstack’s Youtube Channel HERE. Also, be sure to check out Culture & Entertainment Editor: Cora Vasseur’s highlights on Chicago’s own: Grammy Camp and artist Hebru Brantley. You can check out my feature of Chicago’s own famous prop house: Zap Props.

I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. As always, thank you for your support! Don’t forget to keep up with us between issues at: www.halfstackmag.com! Happy Fall Halfstack readers! Download this latest copy HERE.