Pocket Puppies

So for the past 6 months or so I have had what some would call a large obsession with very small puppies. The ones that are like 1 pound. Especially yorkies. So, a couple of weeks ago I found what is now my new favorite store right in Lincoln Park. It is actually called Pocket Puppies Boutique and sells the fiesty little animals, along with all of the clothing you could possibly want to pamper your pooch like a real child. My favorite dog I saw there was a 10 week old yorkie that was 12 ounces!! It had already been sold, so much to my despair, I could not hold it. It was, however, sold for $2500, so I can see why its owner wouldn't want strangers tampering with its delicate little body. There were plenty of others available to hold, however. And hold I did.

The location of Pocket Puppies is at 2479 N Clark. For those unfamiliar with this Lincoln Park area, you should know that if you need to shop, this is a great place to go. I also noticed that there is a new coat outlet that just opened up on Clark, just south of Diversey. This place had coats galore and I will definitely be making another trip there now that I'm starting to remember how cold it gets in the winter here.

It's not just puppies and coats you can find on North Clark - you have plenty of boutiques, restaurants, shoe stores, purse stores, you name it.

And don't forget the best hangover brunch joint in town - Golden Nugget. The name of it alone is enough reason for you to eat there at least once in your life.

Of course my absolute favorite shopping area in Lincoln Park is on Armitage. Between Halsted and Clyborn on Armitage, you can find the best shopping in the area. Want the most delicious specialty chocolates you've ever tasted? Two different places will nurture your cravings. These are often popular for weddings and special events. Want to make your own purse? There's the Lisa Lill Studio, where you'll commonly find bachelorette parties. Want to smell fresh and clean? Lush will clean you up. Shoes? Plenty. Purses? Do you even have to ask?

So, if you've got a day to shop around here, give it a try. But prepare your significant other for the idea that you may come home looking like this:

26.2

The air conditioning in my car is broken; a week and a half ago I figured I wouldn't have to worry about getting it fixed until next June. Was I wrong or what? This weekend was SWELTERING... enough for race officials to actually cancel one of the world's most famous marathons midway into the race. No, there were no world records broken in yesterday's marathon heat. Even just watching the Chicago Marathon from the sidelines, I could feel the trickle of sweat down my forehead. Eighty-eight degrees by 10am will do that to you.

What's going on? Maybe this whole global warming thing is hitting us faster than I thought. When I was a kid, I would spend hours of October outside shivering, bundled in my OshKosh B'Gosh jacket and carefully building what I believed was the world's largest pile of leaves, constructed only to break my fall from the picnic table as I jumped from it. This October I'd be better off floating on a raft in a swimming pool with a strawberry daiquiri in hand.

No matter the reason, it's happening. This October is no longer October - it's July. And this "July" there was one very hot marathon. About 10,000 runners didn't even show for the race and another 10,000 were unable to finish. One after another, I saw people struggle to cross the finish line only to collapse at the feet of those in front of them. Talk about determination.

The race always begins and ends right near Buckingham Fountain and usually attracts an enormous number of spectators and volunteers. Starting at Grant Park and going straight up north through Lincoln Park, the crowds can get up to 20 people deep to watch this morning display of will power. Get there early if you plan to cheer on your friends! An easy spot to watch the race is right at the corner of North Avenue and Sedgewick - however this area can get VERY crowded due to its proximity to the purple line. If you want to cheer somewhere that the runners would really appreciate and that you will have a better view, I'd head south. Also, don't expect to be able to watch the finish up close and personal. The finish line is bordered by bleacher seats reserved for those who have special tickets. And if you're going to be watching for someone specific, tell them to wear BRIGHT COLORS. Black and white don't stand out very well in a sea of 30,000 runners. And in weather like yesterday's, don't forget to bring your own ice cold waterbottle.

This year was the 30th anniversary of the Chicago Marathon and most likely the last year for its LaSalle Bank sponsorship. The well-known Chicago area bank has recently been purchased by Bank of America.

Baseball Season?

Most say its baseball season. But I live on the north side of Chicago, so to me, it's Cubs season. Granted, baseball (and please don't stop reading my blog to punish me for saying this) has never been at the top of my "favorite types of entertainment" list. There are lots of things that I'd rather watch, like the Hawkeyes beating Michigan to win the BCS, or Project Runway for instance. But this time of year, baseball is more difficult to avoid than trying to find a group of sober college kids in Lincoln Park on Friday night.

So as you likely already know, the Cubs won the National League Central Division Championships last week. For most cities, you'd think this would result in several overcrowded sports bars, a long wait for a drink, and a couple of randoms using the world as their restroom. But for Chicago, it results in PURE MADNESS. The photo to the right is of the police brigade required to contain the complete chaos in Wrigleyville.

Now if you moved to Wrigleyville recently and like your peace and quiet, I highly suggest you make it your winter home. Any city that turns its police officers into full-blown equestrians for the sake of a game has a serious case of baseball fever. But don't get me wrong. I love that about this city. I love that the only time Cubs fans voyage south of Van Buren Street is to go to a Bears game. And I love that Sox fans think that 35th is the only useful stop on the Red Line. There are really only two words to sum up the attitude of sports fans in Chicago. Die Hard.