Buy Indie Day!
I happened to be walking along Lincoln Avenue today when I heard the siren song of The Book Cellar. Their chalkboard sign was in the foyer because of the rain, but I noticed it said today is Buy Indie Day, a celebration of independent booksellers.

Well, shoot. I wasn't going to buy anything, but how could I walk out empty-handed on Buy Indie Day? Besides, I already feel like a schmuck for annually missing Record Store Day.

I always find interesting things on the front tables at The Book Cellar, and today was no exception. With two paperbacks in hand, I rushed toward the register before my brain could rationalize just a peek at the shelves, which would have wiped out the slim margin I built last month in Book Challenge 2009. As a bonus, I got to say hi to owner Suzy T for the first time in many months.

Current tally: 35 books finished, 31 books acquired

Labels: Book Challenge 2009, Lincoln Square

- posted by David Johnsen @ 11:52 PM 0 comments

 
No More "Happy Endings"
From today's Alderman Schulter Reports e-mail:

Alderman Schulter is pleased to announce that, after requesting an investigation on a local business operating without a proper business license, Cook County Sherriff Tom Dart arrested four individuals in connection to a prostitution ring operated out of Bamboo Massage at 4351 N. Western Avenue. This establishment has now been officially shut down.

If you think about it for a moment, this really shouldn't have been too difficult to figure out. What is bamboo? According to Wikipedia, it's "the fastest growing woody plant in the world." Essentially, this local business of ill repute was named "Woody Massage."

Labels: crime, Lincoln Square

- posted by David Johnsen @ 5:07 PM 0 comments

 
Pigeon Feeder Dies
The "Pigeon Man of Lincoln Square" is dead, struck by a van at Devon & McCormick. As a Lincoln Square resident, I saw him feeding pigeons around Lawrence & Western many times. Frankly, I will not miss the man, despite whatever "character" he gave the neighborhood. Whenever I had to run the gauntlet of fat birds and shit, I wanted to yell at him to stop feeding the little bastards. But then I felt a little sorry for him, figuring he was a lonely old man if he had only pigeons for friends (and even then, he had to bribe them with food). I guess I'm in the minority, according to the Tribune's always-brilliant commenters, but I hate f***ing pigeons. As far as I'm concerned, they are the carp of the sky, an abundant nuisance.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not happy that the Pigeon Man is dead, especially since the inattentive bastard in the van could have just as easily killed me or any other pedestrian (or cyclist). And I believe the people who write of his kindness and compassion, misplaced though it was. But they want to erect a statue in his honor? They are getting teary-eyed because they'll miss dodging pigeons and their shit on the sidewalk? I just don't get it.

Labels: Lincoln Square

- posted by David Johnsen @ 12:45 PM 3 comments