My Chicago Christmas Plan

While I'm terrible about decorating, slow about getting presents for anyone other than myself, and in possession of a rabid dislike of that holiday classic to end all holiday classics, It's A Wonderful Life, I still really enjoy Christmas and Christmas related activities. (How's that for a sentence? I wanted to put in a lot of clauses. Get it? Clauses? I'll see myself out.) While I've lived in Chicago for the better part of 10 years, there's a lot of stuff that my city has to offer that I've never experienced. This year, in the run up to Christmas and New Year's, I'm going to try to work some of them in, and enjoy a new tradition.

Ice Skating in Millennium Park

I actually did this last year for all of about half and hour. I don't have the best balance anyway, so sticking me on sharp metal blades on hard, unforgiving ice was only just short of disastrous. Nevertheless, Brian and I are going to try to make it a tradition, first grabbing a drink at the beautiful Palmer House bar and then heading over to the park for a skate. This year, I'm wearing a petticoat, and possibly some butt pads.

Christkindlmarkt

This is right down the street from where I work, so I have no excuse not to go! Ok, yes, it's total kitsch, but that's kind of what Christmas is about, isn't it? They've got lots of crafts and trinkets, as well as food and hot mulled wine, which I've never had and would love to try.

Zoolights

Lincoln Park Zoo is a Chicago institution. It's in Lincoln Park, which is itself pretty scenic, it's close to downtown, and it's free. Every year, they make a beautiful light display, and I've heard from a nearsighted friend that if you have poor vision (which I do), it's a lot of fun to just wander around and enjoy all the shimmering, flickering halos of light.

A Christmas Carol at The Goodman Theater

This one might be a little outside of my rather miniscule budget, but my neighbor is Bob Cratchit. No, really! A Christmas Carol has been running at The Goodman Theater in Chicago for the past 37 years, and he's been doing the Cratchit role for the past seven or eight of them. The Goodman is a pretty prestigious theater, and this seems like the sort of Christmas tradition that gets very firmly engrained if you take your kids.

Double Feature at The Music Box

The Music Box is an independent theater, and one of my favorites. They do Rocky Horror every month (although, like most people, I usually only go around Halloween. Sorry, kids), and show tons of second run and independent films. This year, they've got two Christmas-themed double features - White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life, and Home Alone and Die Hard.
I can't really explain why I hate It's a Wonderful Life so much. It just irritates me. George Bailey's constant freakouts, Clarance's bland platitudes, the little girl with her annoying, piping voice - it all just coalesces into me sitting on a couch rolling my eyes so hard they almost pop out of my head.
I love White Christmas, though, despite the fact that it hinges on the most incompetent eavesdropping  the world has ever seen.

Chocolate Chestnut Pie at Bang Bang Pie Shop

I have heard from numerous friends and loved ones that Bang Bang Pie shop is the place to go in Chicago for pie, biscuits, and candied bacon, and yet I still have to set foot in the place. A serious oversight on my part, and one that I really want to rectify for their seasonal chocolate chestnut pie. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. 

What are some Christmas traditions in your area? Is there anything that you're particularly looking forward to?

Links to love

1. I was Shailene: I used to say I wasn't a feminist
I found this article from The Cut really interesting, since I had read the article in Jezebel that it refers to and largely accepted what it said. The Cut is, I think, being a little more generous with Shailene than I would be - the assumption that feminists want to bring men down is one of the more unfortunate stereotypes about feminists around, and I really dislike that she parroted it - but they have a point. She's a young woman in the spotlight, and no matter what she says, she'll be critiqued. A lot of women who proudly call themselves feminists today wouldn't have done so yesterday, including myself. Shailene's a little kooky, which is great (who many other young actresses are telling people to sunbathe their vaginas?), and she is, from what I've heard, a talented young actress who picks interesting and challenging roles that present women in a positive light. It'd be awesome if she was also an avowed feminist, but I guess I can't have everything.


2. The new Star Wars cast has only one woman who's not Princess Leia
I'm not going to try to burnish my geek cred by claiming to be a huge Star Wars fan, because I'm not. I've seen the first three movies a couple of times through, and they're pretty good, but I'm not one of the people who's been utterly blown away by them. That said, they are a huge franchise, one of the most popular and beloved pieces of science fiction in the world among both men and women. It seems like such a massive oversight to populate their universe almost entirely with males. It's an issue that comes up over and over again with genre entertainment - it's considered a boys club, even though there are demonstrably as many female fans as male ones. The assumption that geek culture is a male thing and should cater to male tastes is something that permeates it at almost every level, and has been called out repeatedly. It would be really nice if someone actually got the message, but until then, I guess we'll just have to keep yelling. Say it with me - "Where's my fucking Wonder Woman movie?"


3. Hot Doug's is closing its doors
Sad news for the city of Chicago - Hot Doug's is closing. My Facebook feed is swimming with "whyyyyyyyy?!?!?!" and "noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!" I don't live to far from there, and I think I'm going to have to get a couple of good visits in before the doors close for good. Rattlesnake hot dogs, anyone?

4. Chronically Vintage opens an Etsy shop
I know I've mentioned Chronically Vintage here once already, but I can't help but be excited about her new and utterly divine new shop on Etsy. I love how well curated her jewelry selection is, and also how reasonable her prices are. I've already got my eye on a couple of pieces; I think I'll have to indulge when payday rolls around.

So, anyone want to buy me this guy? $60 - 15% with GRANDOPENING coupon 

Paris, 1900

I just moved this weekend, so there's still a lot of unpacking and setting up to do in my new house. Top of the list - internet. We've been so busy shampooing the carpets (carpets + pets = butt smells, like, everywhere), painting walls, and getting stuff into its proper place that I haven't had much of a chance to miss it, but it does mean that I can't do much in the way of photos. As soon as we've got that set up, I'll have some pictures of my lovely new abode.
In lieu of anything fun or exciting or educational, here are some pretty pictures. These colorized photos of the 1900 World's Fair have been making the rounds for a little while, and they are absolutely stunning.







And, for good measure, here's one from the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. The Field Museum has a retrospective on it that I'm dying to see once things settle down a little bit at home.