Cafe Bionda Opens Under New Restaurant Group and Looks Fantastic

Same spot, but new restaurant group.  Judging by the pictures in this post - looks like we're going to have to check it out (via InsideHook):

Cafe Bionda
South Loop

You’re here because: You were crushed when they announced their closure during the pandemic.

You’re dining on: Cafe Bionda is back with a new restaurant group, refreshed space and an Italian chef. Classics like sausage and peppers, brick chicken and cavatelli al forno grace the menu, while newcomers include caprese burrata and housemade short rib ravioli topped with a red wine demi-glace. The warm, candlelit dining room is the perfect place to enjoy an autumnal, carb-heavy meal with a glass or two of wine from the Italian-focused wine list.

1924 S. State St.

Experience High Holidays with Chabad of South Loop

If anyone is looking to celebrate the high holidays in the Sloop (via Chabad of South Loop): 

A Weekend of Partying Until 2am and a Homicide Down the Street

We live by Roosevelt and State, and this weekend was a brutal one for our young family.  

While we're all for celebrations, the rowdy scenes for Mexican Independence Day went well past 2am on Saturday morning with loud music, squealing tires and fireworks booming overhead.  While this is a nuisance and maybe makes it hard for us to sleep for one night - we can put up with it.  Sure, it's probably illegal on many fronts but it's the cost for living in a vibrant (?), diverse city.

That said, as we woke up and rode bikes to Grant Park on Saturday morning to a park district lesson for our young son, it's unfortunate to see trash littered all over ever street and sidewalk.  It's also strange  explaining why there was a burnt out car on Roosevelt sitting at a major intersection like it wasn't unusual.  Nothing to see hear - just a lovely Saturday morning in the Sloop!

Our life went on - but it was a strange morning bike ride.

Then we woke up Sunday morning to see the headlines that a man was murdered in front of South Loop Elementary just outside the playground.  This one hits really close to home for us and seems to encapsulate why many people simple don't want to live in Chicago (via CBW Chicago):

Chicago police said a man was fatally shot while standing with a large group of people outside South Loop Elementary School overnight. The people he was with all ran away after the shooting, and police still don’t know who he is. 

It happened around 12:46 a.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of South Plymouth. Chicago police said the man, who appeared to be in his mid-20s or early 30s, suffered gunshot wounds to his face and chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.

We love riding our bikes to the lake, having dinner on the sidewalks of our neighborhood, having our son walk to school and doing so many other things the Sloop (and city) has to offer.  If you know me, i'm one of the biggest boosters of "city living" - after all i've been writing this blog since 2008!

But on this Monday, I write to say this is tough.  I don't have the answers on how to make things better, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to call Chicago home.