Uptown Update

I never thought they were rude, but the space plan...

2010-09-09T11:57:42.976-05:00

I never thought they were rude, but the space planning is awkward. When you are seated it feels like you are on display when the standing area isn't crowded. Also, they played their music really loud. I even commented to the bartender about it, and he said it was the DJ who was in control. I always feel like an old fuddy duddy when I suggest they turn down the music at bars, but if it's not a dance club, then wouldn't you want people to be able to hear themselves?

It's too bad because Crew is cool, and they need an irish-type bar on that stretch but it really should serve food and have more table seating. This sucks because it will be bad to have that space go empty, unless another bar moves in.

I agree with IrishPirate that they probably need c...

2010-09-09T11:39:14.758-05:00

I agree with IrishPirate that they probably need customers.

It is hard to put my finger on it but I just really don't like the place. I prefer to go to Fat Cat or Crew if I am going to go to a bar on that block.

Glad for this center.If everyone would just contac...

2010-09-09T11:24:24.148-05:00

Glad for this center.If everyone would just contact Chris Ramsey there with your complanits about this center,he would comply.Please remember everyone,there is good poor people out there.In America ,we should never look down on each other because we are homeless.That I will never understand in this country.We need to take care our own.If our own act like fools ,then they should not have our support.

Always wanted to check it out. I did. In defense...

2010-09-09T11:02:08.163-05:00

Always wanted to check it out. I did. In defense of others, I did think the service that night was somewhat rude. Aloof bartender. We all have bad nights.

Invited by friends to join them there months later. Just not my thing.

The area keeps me away. Walked down Broadway from the North one night on my way to Crew, nothing else to do. A group of thugs I was keeping my distance from ahead of me ducked into a doorway. Not taking any chances, headed back home. Not everyone has money for cabs in this economy.

The slew of beggers outside those establishments doesn't help your businesses either. It's more than irritating.

Wild Pug has always been a friendly environment. A...

2010-09-09T10:58:49.018-05:00

Wild Pug has always been a friendly environment. As a gay community, we need to rally around this business and keep it afloat..

Always have a good time at the Pug. You could alm...

2010-09-09T10:56:19.004-05:00

Always have a good time at the Pug. You could almost call me a "regular." But I admit, it is rarely packed. I think they have a tough time attracting the late night crowds that a bar (without food) needs to survive.

Why, I don't know...the service has always been great to me and the bar itself was designed great.

Whats with all this "I dont feel welcome here" "ho...

2010-09-09T10:27:53.224-05:00

Whats with all this "I dont feel welcome here" "hostile" stuff? Did they make fun of your shoes, call you fat or just ignore you, not take your order or get it wrong. Ive always had good service there, even when they were busy on weekends, so this comes as a surprise

This is a wonderful use of $7 million in TIF fund...

2010-09-09T09:04:41.403-05:00

This is a wonderful use of
$7 million in TIF funds in Schulter's ward!

Definitely a very exciting project that will hopef...

2010-09-09T08:37:59.208-05:00

Definitely a very exciting project that will hopefully spur more development in the area. Maybe a restaurant or bar?

The WCE's back deck looks right at that POS buildi...

2010-09-09T07:44:11.060-05:00

The WCE's back deck looks right at that POS building, so needless to say, this is the most exciting thing to happen to me since I moved to Uptown.

I too have been in there and it is a nice looking ...

2010-09-09T06:54:20.433-05:00

I too have been in there and it is a nice looking place but the atmosphere presented towards me made me feel out of place. It was not the kind of go back and spend my money a couple times a week place to me.

From the owner of the cupcake gallery...yup, they ...

2010-09-09T06:31:36.768-05:00

From the owner of the cupcake gallery...yup, they should DEFINITELY do a groupon!

Toucan, my point is that it's better to have an es...

2010-09-08T23:31:17.211-05:00

Toucan, my point is that it's better to have an established leader run for this office who has already formed some solid working relationships with many different people in the ward.

If Ms. Stewart can prove that, she'll get my attention, but I've never heard of her and I never heard her challenge our current alderman's leadership that has crippled and divided this community for decades. Given her silence, I wonder if she would be willing to speak up in City Council?

Of all the current candidates, only 2 out of 7 have had a history of speaking up before they announced their candidacy. The rest were silent, and their silence was deafening.

i think they should advertise their dog day sat af...

2010-09-08T22:57:20.931-05:00

i think they should advertise their dog day sat afternoons!! that's the best. and you can order crew food, which is - of course - amazing.

OR... they should do a GROUPON!!!

Never liked this place, when I went in there to ch...

2010-09-08T22:14:40.122-05:00

Never liked this place, when I went in there to check it out people seemed very hostile towards me.

Why isnt there enough people? Is there too many b...

2010-09-08T22:12:33.692-05:00

Why isnt there enough people?

Is there too many bars right there by the corner? You have Crew, Fat Cat, Uptown Lounge AND Wild Pug.
Oh and Green Mill.

Or is there just not enough people living there to support that many bars? Or maybe there will be but not just yet.

Anyhow, sad to hear and hope they do okay.

I havent been inside.
Is there something they are lacking?
What kind of bar is it anyways?
Maybe they can pawn themselves off as the headquarters of some bigten school or something so those guys can meet to watch sports there.

would agree, but it's through the volunteering tha...

2010-09-08T21:10:04.999-05:00

would agree, but it's through the volunteering that one gets to know the community residents, the area businesses, the locally elected leaders, and the issues facing the community.

I imagine that growing up in the community has given Ms. Stewart at least a somewhat similar knowledge.

It sounds like what they need is customers.

2010-09-08T18:00:03.474-05:00

It sounds like what they need is customers.

Apparently our esteemed Aldercritter was actually ...

2010-09-08T17:32:05.703-05:00

Apparently our esteemed Aldercritter was actually spotted in her office today. At the front desk area reading a computer. Must be keeping up with the Daley News.

This report came to me from a neighbor who was walking to Target.

It's almost like spotting a Yeti in Hawaii. You know it could happen, yet you don't believe it.

Hope they precede the dinner with a Moment of Sile...

2010-09-08T16:24:57.342-05:00

Hope they precede the dinner with a Moment of Silence and Remembrance.

Sure beats burning Korans.

I would agree, but it's through the volunteering t...

2010-09-08T15:40:31.192-05:00

I would agree, but it's through the volunteering that one gets to know the community residents, the area businesses, the locally elected leaders, and the issues facing the community. Any candidate with that background has a heads up on the others. It's why all of these candidates are scrambling to list all their community work, and some are having a more difficult time with that than others.

@Just Wondering--I'm the last person to ding the i...

2010-09-08T13:11:54.545-05:00

@Just Wondering--I'm the last person to ding the importance of volunteerism but I'm not so sure it should be the defining filter for evaluating the skills and capacity of any candidate.

Consider Scott Waguespack. I think he might have coached a kid's sports team before becoming Alderman but not much else. Same with Barack Obama. His community organizing background rightfully earned him credibility at the grassroots but people forget (or don't know) that was he was paid for that work. It was his full-time job.

"I would not have bet money on this." - Helen Shil...

2010-09-08T12:29:04.818-05:00

"I would not have bet money on this." - Helen Shiller.

"Ante up!" - Brendan Shiller.

I'm glad she loves Uptown, but I wonder why she di...

2010-09-08T12:10:32.039-05:00

I'm glad she loves Uptown, but I wonder why she didn't manifest this love by doing a lot of volunteer work in the community before she announced her run?

She loves something, but I'm not clear it's the neighborhood. It should have been backed up with some action before she announced her run. Same holds true with a few other candidates and getting paid to do your city job doesn't count.

It is a real shame but I think due to all the supe...

2010-09-08T12:03:49.896-05:00

It is a real shame but I think due to all the super high winds yesterday is what could have caused it. In our Condo the strongs winds did damage to some of the ground floor windows too as well as throwing around newspaper boxes and trash cans into the streets.