Arts & Entertainment News
Namaste Charter School fifth-grader Beni Cwiakala is a contestant on the MasterChef Junior TV show currently airing nationwide. The contest, now in season six, is in the process of showing Cwiakala's and others' progress as they face various cooking challenges adjudicated by celebrity chef judges.
"I am very determined and competitive," Cwiakala said. These traits, openness to new ideas and a sense of fun are things that helped her on the TV show, she said.
Read more: Namaste Student Beni Cwiakala Competing on MasterChef Junior
The iconic shark on the rooftop will return along with a fully refurbished and expanded restaurant at La Palapa, the bustling Mexican seafood eatery on Damen Avenue just north of Archer Avenue. The restaurant, which celebrates its 10th anniversary on February 14, is in the midst of a construction overhaul that will eventually grow the building to two stories while retaining its popular Nayarit-style recipes and beachy, casual vibe.
"It was always a struggle with the old facilities," said owner Alejandro "Alex" Guerra. "Now, our customers are going to be comfortable."
1 commentsRead more: La Palapa Undergoing Major Expansion to Building and Restaurant
The abandoned Wrigley gum factory squats at the southeast corner of 35th Street and Ashland Avenue like a mouldering ruin. The site, a testament to corporate betrayal and official corruption, has been shuttered since 2006 and remains the biggest source of blight in the McKinley Park neighborhood.
But inside the factory's decaying shell lie treasures of street art painted across every type of surface by artists who have pierced the facility's porous borders. A local urban exploration (or "urbex") photographer recently captured the compelling artwork and silent vistas hidden inside the deserted edifice.
Read more: Street Art Glitters in the Crumbling Halls of the Candy King
Led by the McKinley Park Civic Association (MPCA), the McKinley Park neighborhood is getting ready for its annual Memorial Day parade, set to step off at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 29, 2017, from the McKinley Park branch of the Chicago Public Library, 1915 W. 35th St., Chicago.
A variety of neighborhood institutions are already lined up to participate, and more are welcome, said MPCA Vice President Sue Pletsch. Already on board are the Thomas Kelly High School Marching Band, the William McKinley American Legion Post 231 and a number of other community groups. Any others interested should call MPCA Secretary Chris Bania at (312) 330-5482 by May 20 to sign up.
Read more: Neighborhood Lines Up for Annual Memorial Day Parade
MPAC Vice President Samantha HertelThe McKinley Park Farmers Market, a successful community program restarted in 2016 by the McKinley Park Advisory Council (MPAC), is returning in 2017 with an extra month's worth of fresh produce, goods and entertainment. Run entirely by community volunteers, the market will expand to cover 17 Sundays running June 4 through September 24.
Lead market organizer and MPAC Vice President Samantha Hertel said farmers and other vendors have again expressed interest in participating, and that the market is looking to expand to also offer prepared foods such as baked goods. "The market will still be primarily fruits and vegetables, though," she said.
Read more: Farmers Market Expands Schedule for 2017, Seeks More Vendors
