Square Kegs Event

If you haven't heard about our Square Kegs event, you almost just missed out!

Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce is introducing the new idea of bringing local food and beer together at Prix Fixe, a new up and coming restaurant that features pre-fixed three course meals located at 4835 N. Western Avenue.

Who wouldn't want to indulge in a nice night out enjoying amazing food and some great tasting beer? On Monday, May 16th, and Monday, May, 23rd, Prix Fixe will host Square Kegs for two nights of home-brewed beers. The featured beers consist of Belgian Wit, Bourbon Porter, and a Dry Hopped Pale Ale.

You may ask how this event came to be? Well, with the wine stroll being such a hit, the idea of beer seemed compelling as well. Rich Forsythe the owner of Ruffhaus Pets and the spearhead of the Square Kegs Club commented that this idea was all about timing, "Craft beer is hot and our neighborhood is home to two breweries and many beer centric watering holes. Plus home brewing is in another growth phase."

Why offer this event? Rich added that this event really compliments the Chamber's involvement in the localvore movement; shop local, eat and drink local, farmer's market. With the community garden and home brewing element, it doesn't get more local than your yard. Square Kegs is a Do It Yourself for anyone.

Mark it down!! Square Kegs is Monday, May 16th and Monday, May 23rd, registration for this event starts at 6:30pm with dinner starting at 7:00pm. The ticket price is $50.00 (gratuity not included).

Tickets are still on sale now, visit BROWN PAPER TICKETS to register, hurry before it fills!!

If you loved the wine stroll, there's no doubt you won't want to miss this event as well.

Wellness in the Square

The Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce is excited to introduce you to its newest series, "Wellness in the Square"! Come out each Thursday in May as our participating businesses are dedicating one night a week to your health! Take a break from your busy week and relax with endless activities and opportunities to improve your health and make you feel better.

From acupuncture demonstrations and complimentary massages from Ravenswood Chiropractic, a Turbo Kick Fitness Class at the Lincoln Square Athletic Club, herbal and homeopathic remedies from Merz Apothecary, Wellness in the Square is offering it all!

Be sure to come to the first night of Wellness in the Square beginning this Thursday, May 5th from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Some of the participating businesses that night include:

• Timeless Toys Ltd. sponsoring fitness activities for kids.
  


• Kelly Chiropractic offering health and wellness tips as well as massage therapy and more.
  


• Taoist Tai Chi Society incorporating stretching into a sequence of movements that improve the health of body, mind, and spirit.
  

For more information on the other participating businesses and their activities going on that night and the rest of May visit the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce website.

It's All About The Kids!

We here at the Chamber are getting pretty sick and tired of what seems to be a never ending Winter. It is almost May for goodness sake! So in the hopes of coaxing out the reluctant sunshine, the Lincoln Square Chamber will be celebrating Spring with our 5th annual Kids in the Square 2011! This upcoming Saturday, April 30th, from 10am to 4pm, the Square will be transformed into a giant playground. Twenty-one local businesses have come together to host activites and events for the neighborhood children and their parents to enjoy.

Parents, make sure both you and your munchkin are laced up in some good walking shoes because you have a busy day ahead. Children are welcome to stop by Chicago Vien Institute to decorate face masks. These will come in handy throughout the rest of the day since face masks always make things more fun. Enjoy, An Urban General Store will be providing an Art Wall for children to express themselves on all day. They also invite you to bring your own banana peels and veggie scraps (perhaps from breakfast) so kids can learn how to compost by making their own Rot Pot and worm Snack Bar. Emerald City Theatre Company will be sponsoring drama inspired crafts. Perfect for any little drama queen or king! After all those activites, kids are welcome to stop by Art in the Square for a treat as well as Cafe Selmarie for a free sugar cookie. Make sure the kids work off their sugar high and round out the day with a free lesson from Tai Chi Center of Chicago.

Many more events and activities will be occuring throughout the day. For a full itinerary and list of all participating businesses, please visit http://www.lincolnsquare.org/. Please feel free to stop by any of the listed stores to pick up a Kids in the Square flyer so you can plan your fun filled day in advance!

We hope to see you there!

Posted by Carly Wallace

Shopping for a good cause: Planet Access Company Store

As you may know and for those of you who don’t, Lincoln Square has some of the best and most unique shops around. Sweet Collective for the sweet tooth is amazing, and for those of you who love unique collectibles, Hanger 18 is a must. But for those of you who love clothing as much as I do will not be disappointed by what Planet Access Company Store has to offer. Not only is there something for everyone, but also all proceeds go towards a good cause, now that sounds like a good bargain!

Planet Access Company Store is a recent addition to the Lincoln Square Community, as it opened in August of 2010. I had the pleasure of meeting with Drew Lambert, the store manager and was able to learn a little more about him as well as Planet Access and its mission. Having been in this store before I was unaware and gleefully shocked of the added bonus in purchasing this particular clothing (besides the fact that it will only improve your fashion sense).

You may be as stumped as I was, but while meeting with Drew I asked him to explain the mission and story of why Plant Access Company Store is so unique compared to other high- end, quality retail stores.

He went on to say that the Company Store was an additional social venture that SEARCH, INC. created. SEARCH, INC. is a non-profit in Chicago for over 40 years that works with adults with developmental disabilities and has other social ventures, Planet Access Company being one, throughout the city. Planet Access Company, a warehouse in Waukegan, IL, offers logistics services to entrepreneurs as well as employment training and job opportunities to people with developmental disabilities. They have established relationships with many well-known brand names in the fashion world, such as: Horny Toad, PACT Apparel, Nau Sustainable Clothing and Kayland.

You may then ask what this has to do with the store itself. Well, Planet Access’ next social venture was to open up a retail shop with these brands (Horny Toad, PACT Apparel, Nau Sustainable Clothing and Kayland) that they have been in close contact with for many years. They chose these particular brands because they represent eco friendly sustainable clothing. In doing this, the customer benefits knowing that all the brands are socially responsible in some way; so not only will the customer feel good about their purchase, but also that all the proceeds go to aid the non-profit work that SEARCH, INC. does.

I personally couldn’t think of a better way to spend my money! After learning about the store, I was interested to learn more about Drew and how he became involved in this great organization. Currently a graduate student at DePaul University to receive his master’s degree in entrepreneurship, he was interested in being in a position where he could run his own business and work with a non-profit. Pointed in the right direction, he was soon in contact with SEARCH INC., and placed on board to help open and manage the first and only Planet Access Company Store.

When asked what his favorite brand of clothing Planet Access Company Store sells, he responded with Nau Sustainable Clothing. He described the brand as sleek, 100% sustainable clothing while still maintaining a high fashion function. The most unique feature about this brand is they design their clothing for cities like Chicago, especially the winter wear. They use a full design team that produces high-quality clothing that gives back to the environment. According to Drew, it goes above and beyond what other brands don’t- sounds like a winning brand to me!

I then asked why Lincoln Square was the best location for this store. Drew said that Lincoln Square is such a community-oriented neighborhood; it is very self-sufficient and the people appreciate local businesses and support local causes. This being true, he also commented on how everyone is so welcoming and the business perspective is very up and coming. He really looks forward to help Lincoln Square continually grow as a community and as a neighborhood in Chicago.

On his free time Drew enjoys biking on the lakefront trail as well as mountain biking. He is also really into music, composing, and musical composition. To get to know him and this amazing store better, stop in! Springtime is approaching and what better way to start off a new season with great looking, long- lasting clothes while giving back to help a great cause!

Posted by Maria Handberg

New LSCC Board Member -- Tracy Kellner

Not many people have a favorite grape. Tracy Kellner’s is the Riesling. Although this may not come as a surprise, seeing as she owns Provenance Food and Wine and it is pretty much her job to have an opinion on grapes as well as wine. When asked what sets the Riesling apart from any other grape, Keller declares that she loves the diversity of the fruit; that the wine it makes can be anything from the most complex dry to an extreme super sweet.

Similarly to her favorite grape, Kellner adds diversity as one of the newest members of the Chamber’s board of directors. As a previous board member of another Chamber of Commerce, Kellner brings experience to the table as well as a belief that it is every business owner’s responsibility to get involved with their community.

So why Lincoln Square Chamber we wonder?

Kellner tells us that she was amazed and impressed with all of the things the Chamber has accomplished for the Lincoln Square community. As a veteran board member, she was eager to be part of the positive things happening here in Lincoln Square.

On the lighter side of things, we asked Kellner what she enjoys to do on her days off. Her response: “Nothing.” After a little prodding, Kellner goes on to divulge that she loves to cook and lay low on her days off. She finds cooking very cathartic and affirms that she always picks the menu before the wine.

So be sure to pop into Provenance Food and Wine for a little European flair and some excellent wine selection. I know I will be back soon to pick up a bottle of my favorite white truffle oil!

Provenance Food and Wine
2528 North California Ave
And
2312 West Leland Ave

Submitted by Carly

A Sweet Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day Lincoln Square!

In accordance with the holiday’s theme of all things love, pink and sweet, I immediately knew the perfect business to highlight this week. Sweet Collective is made up of two separate businesses that come together to share work space. I had the opportunity to chat with half of the dynamic duo -- Lauren Pett, founder and owner of Rich Chocolates & Candies.

As luck would have it, I arrived just as she started boxing up a tray of her Valentine’s Day Truffles. An original recipe of Lauren’s, the Valentine’s Day truffle consists of real organic strawberries smothered in dark chocolate. As if that weren’t scrumptious enough, the truffles are rolled in red velvet crumbs courtesy of Angel Food Bakery.

Pett shares with me that she opened up Rich in 2007 after attending pastry school and working for a year and a half. Previously an art student with an unfulfilling series of office jobs, the idea to start a chocolate and candy making business came from Pett's desire to make people happy and a wish to make chocolate all day. After she, “got laid off before it was cool,” Lauren just decided to go for it.

During pastry school all Lauren really wanted to focus on was chocolate making. When I ask her if she works primarily from recipes or inspiration, Pett explains that chocolate making, like baking, is a science and that once the basic formulas are mastered, innovations and deviations can be made. So while Lauren works from recipes, she adds her own personal flair to every kind of chocolate and candy produced.

Speaking of personal flair, Lauren shares with me a couple favorite mouthwatering treats that she makes. She advises me to try the Honey Almond Toffee and the Honey and Sea Salt Pecan Truffles. Both of these sound to die for.

I wisely move away from the subject of sweets before I start to noticeably drool and ask Lauren what she does with her time off. She continues to package the huge tray of Valentine’s Day truffles and informs me that she is an avid Glee fan and loves to watch the Food Network. Since she loves food, Pett expresses interest in exploring the area for new restaurants and pastry shops. During the Christmas season however, Lauren is usually so busy at Sweet Collective, that her time off is spent cleaning and doing laundry.

I wrap up the interview with an inquiry about Pett’s favorite parts about Lincoln Square and the Chamber. Lauren smiles as she tells me that she loves how friendly and cute the Square is. She admires that the people who live and shop in Lincoln Square know what they want and appreciate quality. “This is a great community to have a business in,” Lauren tells me, “the Chamber is so supportive and businesses are so supportive of each other.”

It goes without saying that everyone loves chocolate now and then (or all the time). Lauren Pett caters to everyone’s basic chocolate needs with creative and epicurean confections. Her products can be found at Tracy Kellner’s, Provenance Food and Wine. I have also listed the website and contact information below with my highest recommendations as a self proclaimed chocolate connoisseur.

Website: www.richchocolates.com
Phone: 312.316.8683
Email: lauren@richchocolates.com

Sweet Collective
5333 N. Lincoln Ave

Submitted by Carly

New LSCC Board Memeber- Mary Kay Phillips

These days we all dread going into the bank to review our credit statements or to attend that monthly meeting with a financial advisor. In this economy what good news could possibly be shared? Well at MB Financial there’s no need to be worried if all the employees share similar qualities with Mary Kay Phillips, one of the five newest board members in the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce.

A resident of Chicago her entire life, Mary Kay has worked in the banking business for 16 years. Carly and I had the pleasure of sitting down with her and getting to know her a little better in her own element.

The first question we asked her was what interested her most about serving on the LSCC board of directors.She replied that Mindi and Melissa had helped her in the past, professionally and personally; she respects and values the work both Melissa and Mindi do for the Lincoln Square Community and would love to be a part of it.

Being a true “Chicagoan” Carly and I asked Mary Kay what her favorite part of the City was. Like many, she responded with the lakefront as well as the diversity of the restaurants. She also enjoys going to all the different museums and all the other attractions Chicago has to offer. Carly and I being new to Chicago ourselves, had to ask which restaurants she recommends; Pegasus in Greek Town, Lawry’s for an amazing steak and Gibbon’s is a must for a good time.

The last question we asked her was how she became involved in the banking business. She went on to say that she started immediately out of high school. Her Mom told her that she needed to get a job so that’s where it all started. Successful and living life, Mary Kay worked her way up the “ladder” to earn her position now, raving about how lucky she was to have such great mentors and bosses throughout her working career.

The Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce is happy to welcome Mary Kay as a new member of the board of directors as well as the Treasurer, and like the others, we cannot wait to see what she will contribute to the new team.

Mary Kay Phillips
MB Financial
4800 North Western Avenue

Submitted by Maria Handberg