Things get a little heated in River North

Imagine. You’re stuck in a room for 90 minutes. You feel the sweat consume you as you look for some sort of air. It’s scorching hot, sweaty, sticky, and smelly. You’re surrounded by roughly 30 people of all different ages, shapes, and sizes literally transforming into their bodies into works of art. If you think you’re in heaven, you’re not. If you think you’re in hell, think again. You’re at Bikram yoga.

Recently there have been more and more DePaul students attending the The School Bikram Yoga on Chicago’s north side. With its two locations, one in Wicker Park, and their recently revamped Lincoln Park Studio, Bikram yoga has been progressively gaining popularity among the young people of the Windy City.

“We do 26 postures that are very simple by nature; they’re not the pretzel-like postures you see on TV infomercials,” laughs three-year yoga instructor, Ian McClaren.

Prior to working with the Chicago School of Yoga, 25-year-old McClaren says he was like any other regular college student trying to maintain a healthy college lifestyle, which he admitted at times was difficult.

“After I started practicing Bikram I realized that being healthy is not only just a really good workout – it’s a lifestyle,” he said.

Yogis who practice regularly are said to have experienced extreme health benefits such as good blood circulation, relief from arthritis, and according to second year DePaul University student, Leah Stover, provide for a healthy body, but a healthy way to relieve the stress brought on by leading a very hectic lifestyle.

“I felt refreshed. My mind was clear and my body was relaxed,” said Stover, who has been a practicing yogi since taking a Bikram class for an alternative healing and medicine class at DePaul.

Now, one may question how a space completely consumed by heat and by very sweaty human beings can be considered, ‘refreshing.’ According to McClaren, the intense heat of Bikram is the aspect that creates a majority of the health benefits that follow suit with this specific type of yoga practice.

“Generally the room is kept at about 105degrees and at 40 percent humidity,” said McClaren whose justification of the gut wrenching heat was provided with a slough of health benefits.

On the contrary of popular belief the heat of McClaren stated that Bikram yoga is meant to keep the body from overheating, as well as provide a means for deeper stretches, detoxify the body, thin the blood, increase the cardiovascular and circulatory system, and reorganize fats in the muscular structure.

But the health benefits are not the best part about Bikram yoga according to Stover; the mental benefits of Bikram are what keep her coming back for more.

“Overall, you just have this feeling of relaxation, you’re not anxious- it’s just a total mind-body connection,” she said.

“You go to Bikram and you see how different everyone’s body is, and just that everyone is at a different level. It makes it cool that everyone is in their own.”

Both Stover and McClaren stated that Bikram yoga is completely individualized in that every student performs and his or her own leisure and level of difficulty.

“Anybody that has a body can do yoga,” he said.

A month of unlimited classes costs thirty dollars. The full month membership includes unlimited classes and use of the studio’s mats and towels and complimentary Freeze Pops after every completed class to top it all off.

Enter if you dare.

Pilsen gets delicious

A space clad with Victorian fainting chairs, crystal chandeliers, and leather-trimmed Chanel pant suits seems more like a girl’s fantasy than a gallery boutique down South Halsted. Located in Pilsen’s Art District, Deliciously Vintage seems to stick out like a sore thumb amongst an array of independently owned art galleries.

With just a single rack overflowing with clothing hand picked from estate sales, consignment stores, and grandma’s closet, Deliciously Vintage handpicks vintage pieces from staple designers such as Oscar de La Renta and Versace and from there uses an experienced team of fashion interns from the Art Institute of Chicago revamp the pieces into something contemporary and most importantly, absolutely gorgeous.

And then there’s Law Roach.

“We’re unique because of our aesthetic,” said Roach.

“We consider the catwalk, and of course, what we love. We don’t just put anything on our racks,” he said.

Deliciously Vintage got its start just last February making it the most recent addition to an assortment of art galleries and boutiques on Chicago’s South Side. Though to some, it may seem like just another second-hand store, to others, Deliciously Vintage is re-defining art by putting a contemporary twist on some of fashion’s most timeless articles of clothing.

“To see the way the fabric flows and fits differently on girls of all sizes is truly rewarding,” said Roach.

“When you think about it, fashion is the most interactive art form,” he said.

With an MBA in business and a minor in psychology, Roach has made the impossible possible by incorporating his strong grasp on the industry along with his love of couture. He believes that with the right education and the right connections, anyone can make it in the business. Roach got his start through doing custom designs on several sets of independent films, and says that it was there he gained his most of his notoriety.

“Growing up, people told me that there is no future in fashion- I was just bored, so I put my good skills to use, and it worked out great for everybody,” he said.

“Honestly, the only way you can succeed is through networking, hard work, and confidence- you just have to put yourself out there.”

And he certainly has. Roach became the talk of the town dressing hip-hop superstars like Kanye West and Ludacris. As he fumbles through some of his favorite pieces in the store, Roach revealed what he believes to set Deliciously Vintage apart from the small handful of consignment stores in the area.

“The whole DV experience is completely hands on- everything is one-on-one, and I think people appreciate that,” he said.

An all around understanding of customer service and a good attitude it what Roach says keeps customers coming back for a second (or third) helping. Though you may not be a rap or movie star, Deliciously Vintage’s customer service approach can certainly make you feel like one with their customary one-on-one consultations, and through the undivided attention that is given to each and every customer after walking through the door.

The price points within the store are more than reasonable in comparison to consignment stores that house similar designers. With retro paisley, de La Renta blouses for $42, intricately studded Versace blazers ranging from 50 to 75 dollars and a pair of patent leather Chanel oxfords for $55.

“We try to give people a bang for their buck here- almost everything is under $150- it’s kind of a double-edged sword for us financially, but we get that people are trying to be more careful with their money these days,” says Roach.

For more info, visit Deliciously Vintage’s website.

The Slam Papi hits Uptown

 

By Tessa Fegen, Kellen Winters, and Vince Floress

Audio Slide show with Green Mill Interviews here

As first time slam poet Robby Q steps center stage onto the dimly lit arena, it isn’t difficult to notice that he has his reservations.

“I’m nervous big time,” he mutters into the microphone.

But with some quick crowd reassurance, Robby Q proceeds as he looks onto a rather multi-faceted audience who anxiously awaits the delivery of his debut performance, “Ambitious Girl.” Among them sits Marc Smith, who may just be the biggest critic of them all.

Smith is the founder of the slam poetry movement, which ultimately helped him earn his the nickname, “The Slam Papi.” He runs the popular slam at the Green Mill, a jazz club in the North Side Uptown neighborhood, in a three-hour show every Sunday night.

The first hour is open, starting with the “virgin virgins” as Smith calls them. The virgins bravely approach the stage with hopes of delivering a successful first reading. The second features professional and other well-noted poets within the area, followed by the slam competition itself.
Contestants who participate in the slam competition are expected to recite their work with the upmost sincerity, and are then judged on a scale of one to ten by randomly selected members of the audience. On the line is a whopping ten dollars to the winner, and waves of cheers rather than a slough of boos and profanity.

Audience appreciation for an act is shown by either snapping their fingers, meaning they liked it, loud claps, meaning they loved it, or boos meaning they hated it.
The atmosphere is truly original as The Green Mill is an old prohibition bar still reaping the same, old décor where Al Capone once hung out with his posse in the 1930’s. The dark lighting, deep red booths displaying rips from year’s prior, cherry oak bars and graffiti’d bathroom intensify the sense of nostalgia one experiences upon entering the bar.

Slam history started in 1985 at a place called the Get Me High Lounge in Wicker Park. The place was a little small for the audience Smith wanted to entertain, so he set out for a new setting. In July of 1986, the first poetry cabaret show took place at the Green Mill. Slam got its name from Smith’s childhood memories of watching Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks hitting a grand slam. Slam dancing was also around and quite popular.

“We developed a philosophy of cheering and booing opponents so you get a grand slam or get slammed to the ground,” Smith said.

“We also wanted to incorporate the name of the town, so, Uptown Poetry Slam. That’s how it all began.”

Smith describes slam poetry as “performance poetry.” In a typical poetry reading, poets do not move their arms or raise their voices.

“We make the audience the big part of the poetry reading. Prior to that, the poet was the great scholar, or the mystic and the audience was supposed to accept whatever they said. We reversed that. The audience here is permitted, in fact, encouraged to say that’s bullshit.”

Smith maintains that the heckling isn’t “mean-spirited,” but is part of the slam culture and presentation.

“The rule is simple, if you heckle, your heckle has to be more intelligent than the poet on the stage,” Smith said “It’s in good fun, but it’s a control on poets that forces them to communicate efficiently. It’s their obligation to effectively communicate to their audience.”

According to Smith, it’s the wide demographic of performers, their own personal styles, and its ability to create a very personal impact that make slam poetry unique in comparison to any other art forms.

“The magic of my show is that it is never the same,” he said. “Every night there is going to be something different that happens. From 21- to 80-year old-performers, from heartfelt soliloquies to hysterical rhymes, it’s different.”

Performers like Marty McConnell, said it was the love of the game that kept her coming back for more.

“I sort of got roped into doing the slam, which dragged on for 10 years longer than I planned. I sort of stumbled into it backwards, but now I can’t get out of it.” McConnell said.
The most important thing about the poetry slam is that it provides an arena that changes lives. It has changed thousands of lives across the world. It has been the “aha, ok I know what I am doing now moment,” Smith said.

“To me, that is the most important thing about art. Art is not a museum piece; all the arts are there to effect positive change in human beings,” Smith said.

Quick Poll: Does Rahm Emanuel Have What it Takes to be Chicago’s Next Mayor?

Ex-White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel offically launched his new campaign website in hopes of beoming Chicago’s next mayor. Do you think he has what it takes? Listen to the audio clip, and place your votes and comments below.

Locations of Lincoln Park Muggings From Summer 2009

View Larger Map

In summer 2009, a series of robberies and muggings occurred on Chicago’s north side in Lincoln Park. This map shows where the attacks took place.

Gapers Block Founder Talks About How to Make It Big With Blogging

Andrew Huff speaks to a DePaul University class on Wednesday. (Photo by Mike Reilley)

Andrew Huff, editor and publishers of webzine, Gapers Block, told DePaul University journalism students on Wednesday that the Chicago-centric web publication is giving traditional news media a run for its money.

“We’re trying to get people to notice what’s going on around them; we’re trying to get them to slow down,” said Huff, the blog’s co-founder.

What started off as merely an idea over coffee between Huff and fellow blogger, Naz Hamid later became a reality in 2003 when the pair and their team of 20 volunteer writers launched the webzine’s premiere issue , which concerns everything  from politics to ponies, according to Huff.

“We’re not always light,” he said. “Sometimes we’re political, sometimes we’re much more personal, and sometimes much sillier than that.”

On the site’s home page, Gapers Block visitors are likely to find a slough of info and exclusive events occurring in the Windy City. To the left lies Merge, a comprehensive overview of topics ranging from the arts to sports that are updated throughout the day. Next lies the event calendar, Slowdown, which showcases events that are handpicked by the web-zines hundred person volunteer staff.

Other sections of the site include everything from food to politics, all of which include sections for Gapers Block readers leave comments and provide feedback.

“We’re after putting out aspects of the city that people aren’t familiar with,” he said. “[Gapers Block] gives people who wouldn’t be talked to by the media venue to talk about their thoughts and share what their perspectives are.”

After being nominated for Chicagobusiness.com’s “Crain’s 40 Under 40” feature in 2009, Huff shared his thoughts on how Gapers Block gives readers a fresh and innovative outlook on Chicago news now.

“Blogs aren’t expected to be objective at all times, so we’re a little more free to say what we think.” he said. “We trust our writers to be arbeiters; we expect them to write what they know.”

If you like Gapers Block be sure to visit Huff’s personal blog, me[three]dia.

Practice Post

Hello, my name is Kellen Winters. This post is practice for my online journalism course at DePaul University. Some of my favorite sites to visit are…

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