Category Archives: Chicago

Blow Me Down

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Ellen Ross

Wow! I’m still all shook up, Dear Readers. This past Wednesday I had a brush with Mother Nature- and she plays hardball. It all started out so innocently- with a lunch date at R.J. Grunts with Fred Nachman, an old … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Weather | 8 Comments

Where’s The Beef?

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Ellen Ross

I’m proud to be a Midwesterner. We’re friendly, honest and here in Chicago, boy do we know- and love- our steak. And our steakhouses. So forget your cholesterol count, pull up a chair and damn the expense. Today we’re going … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, food, Restaurants | 22 Comments

The Chairman

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Ellen Ross

Author’s Note: This post is dedicated to Bernie Kerman. Ring-a-ding-ding, baby. As you undoubtedly know by now, this Saturday, December 12, marks the hundredth birthday of Francis Albert Sinatra. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, he died on May 14, 1998 … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Music, Palm Springs, pop culture, Restaurants | 14 Comments

Benevolent

Posted on November 8, 2015 by Ellen Ross

(Photograph by Kevin Gibson) Even if you live in Chicago, the chances are good that you have no idea where this photo was taken. I’ll give you a hint. I bet you’ve passed by its impressive exterior at least once. … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Elks Club, Shopping | 14 Comments

“Wild” by Ellen Strayed

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Ellen Ross

Ever since I moved back to the city of Chicago, I have been on a kick. It’s called walking. I walk everywhere. It started as a good way to see my brand new neighborhood and get some exercise at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Memoir, pop culture | 13 Comments

Tardy

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Ellen Ross

Letter From Elba Announcement: Dear Readers, I am taking a short hiatus. The blog will return on Sunday, October 4. Have a great couple of weeks. I’m going to. Okay, back to our regularly-scheduled blog post. See that guy on … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, pop culture, Theater, Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Gigi

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Ellen Ross

This is the grand staircase of the even grander restaurant Maxim’s. The Chicago Maxim’s that dwelt in the Bertrand Goldberg-designed Astor Towers. Opened in 1963 as an homage to the 1893 Paris original, it was run by Goldberg’s wife Nancy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Gender politics, pop culture, Restaurants | 6 Comments

Chicago Film Festival

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Ellen Ross

Dear Readers, it’s been awhile since you and I have had a movie date. So today I thought it would be fun to take a gander at our toddlin’ town’s very own star turns. The city of Chicago is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Movies | 8 Comments

“It’s Here”

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Ellen Ross

When I was a teenager on Chicago’s North Shore, dating usually meant going to tried and true venues. Like Friday and Saturday nights at the Teatro Del Lago movie theater in Wilmette. Or the Edens theater in Northbrook. Maybe once … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Dating, Music, New Trier High School, Nostalgia, pop culture, The 60's | 20 Comments

Diversity

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Ellen Ross

PC WARNING: This post was inspired by Louis C.K’s “mild racism” riff on last week’s SNL. It got me reminiscing. In case you aren’t from Chicago, this is Francis Parker School. From pre-K to high school, it is one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Education, Memoir | 18 Comments