Summer safety quiz
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The Chicago Loopster team wants you to stay safe this summer. Take our quiz to find out how safety smart you are.
It’s summer 2011 and Chicago food trucks are revving up
As Chicago inches closer to a bill that would making cooking on trucks legal, the line of food trucks hitting the road keeps getting longer. And now, you might be able to find them in a parking lot near you.
Twice a week, the mobile meal community gathers near welcoming businesses with hungry employees. On Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., a handful of food trucks park on the northwest corner of Halsted Street and North Avenue. On Thursdays, the trucks convene from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the parking lot of Ethyl’s Beer & Wine Dive, 324 S. Racine Ave.
Ethyl’s Beer & Wine Dive’s hosted the food trucks for the second time Thursday. Vendors included 5411 Empanadas, Fido to Go!, Taquero Fusion, The Slide Ride and Gaztro-Wagon.
Food Truck Thursdays on PhotoPeach
Follow the Twitter, Follow the Truck
The surge of food trucks in Chicago couldn’t have happened without the advent of social media. Follow a food truck on Twitter to find out where to score your lunch on wheels.
Food truck aggregator:
http://twitter.com/#!/chicagofoodtrux
5411 Empanadas
http://twitter.com/#!/5411empanadas
Menu
Bergstein’s NY Deli
http://twitter.com/#!/BergsteinsNY
Menu
Brown Bag Lunch Truck
http://twitter.com/#!/brownbagtruck
Menu
Bun Pow Buns
http://twitter.com/#!/bunpowbuns
Fido to Go!
http://twitter.com/#!/fidotogo
Menu
Flirty Cupcakes On Wheels
http://twitter.com/#!/flirtycupcakes
Menu
Gaztro-Wagon
http://twitter.com/#!/wherezthewagon
Menu
Happy Bodega
http://www.happybodega.com/menu.html
Haute Sausage
http://twitter.com/#!/hautesausage
Menu
Hummingbird Kitchen
http://twitter.com/#!/hummingbirdtogo
Menu
Meaty Balls Mobile
http://twitter.com/#!/fossfoodtrucks
Menu
More Mobile
http://twitter.com/#!/themoremobile
Simple Sandwich
http://twitter.com/#!/simplechicago
Menu
The Slide Ride
https://twitter.com/#!/theslideride
The Southern Mac & Cheese Truck
http://twitter.com/#!/thesouthernmac
Menu
Ste. Martaen (vegan)
http://twitter.com/#!/stemartaen
Menu
Sweet Miss Givings
http://twitter.com/#!/SMGbakery
Menu
Tamalespaceship
https://twitter.com/#!/tamalespaceship
Taquero Fusion
http://twitter.com/#!/taquerofusion
Menu
Tipping Da Cow
http://twitter.com/#!/TippingDaCow
Wagyu Wagon
http://twitter.com/#!/thewagyuwagon
Menu
Chicago’s favorite Fourth of July memories
Photo by Panu Tangchalermkul.
From the World Fair to last year’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon filming, Chicago has had many a sparkling Independence Day. Check out our timeline on Dipity to learn about Chicago’s quirkiest holiday moments:
What’s your favorite Fourth of July memory?
The show’s not over! City cancelled most fireworks, but suburbs offer alternatives
This year, Navy Pier is the only site for July 4 fireworks in the city. Chicago is certainly known for its dazzling fireworks shows, but if you’re looking for a venue that is less crowded or more kid-friendly, don’t count out the suburbs!
JULY 2
Enjoy a day of horse racing, music and fireworks at the Arlington Park racetrack in Arlington Heights. According to the Arlington Park website, the fireworks display will last over 30 minutes. The first 20,000 attendees will receive 3-D fireworks glasses and the first 1,000 kids get a free firecracker popsicle.
JULY 3
Take your family to Gillson Park in Wilmette on Sunday July 3rd for games, rides, entertainment and a TasteFest beginning at 4 p.m. The Grand Fireworks show starts at 9:30 p.m.
Lisle’s Eyes to the Skies festival will end with fireworks displays July 1-3 in Lisle Community Park. According to the festival website, because Monday is a work/school night, the Eyes to the Skies Committee decided that the finale will be done on July 3 instead of the 4 so kids and parents could relax and enjoy the show.
JULY 4
Because of the Chicago’s budget cuts, Navy Pier is now the exclusive site for fireworks in the city. You can catch fireworks shows on Saturday July 2 at 10:15 p.m. and Monday July 4 at 9 p.m. There will be no fireworks on July 3.
Navy Pier is also offering fireworks displays all summer on Wednesdays and Saturdays through September. For a full listing of dates and times, click here.
Photo by bayasaa
Fireworks will be launched from Clark Street Beach at 9:15 p.m. and can be viewed from any part of the lakefront east of downtown Evanston. Grab some chairs and tune into 90.5 FM to hear accompanying music along with the fireworks display.
Catch the 3-D Fireworks Fest in Skokie at Niles West High School at 5701 Oakton Street. The 3-D fireworks glasses will be distributed to the first 10,000 visitors.
Morton Grove’s fireworks show will begin at 9:30 p.m. in Harrer Park, at 6250 Dempster St, Morton Grove, IL 60053 at Fernald Avenue.
Itasca is known for hosting one of the largest fireworks displays outside of the Chicago. Hamilton Lakes Office Campus at I290 & Thorndale Ave. The show will begin between 9:45 and 10 p.m. Fireworks are set to last about 25 minutes.
The city of Naperville’s Independence Day fireworks extravaganza begins at 9:30 p.m. in Knoch Park as part of its annual Ribfest celebration. Entry into the park could end early due to capacity, so get there early!
Libertyville’s July 4 celebration will be held at Butler Lake Park. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. Fireworks start at dusk around 9:30 p.m.
Take your family and friends to Tinley Park’s free Fourth of July celebration featuring live music, children’s games and activities, food tent, beer tent, bingo, and fireworks.
For a detailed list of July 4 events in the suburbs listed by county, visit http://chicagofree.info/2011/06/27/chicago-area-fireworks-options-2011/.
Red, white and blue recipes
Getting the grill ready for Fourth of July weekend? The Loopster searched for the best red, white and blue recipes to give your BBQ a patriotic punch. Select the food to get some real, tasty American recipes.
