Dough

Carbohydrates are taking a hit. And so, as a veteran contrarian and long-time aficionado of artisanal loaves and crispy crusts, I’m  planning to celebrate  the dough-focused expertise of as many local bakers as possible.

At a time when thin (as in pizza) is in, Labriola Cafe is making waves with the introduction of a “white” deep dish pizza. It’s topped with béchamel sauce-as opposed to tomato sauce-and even if you normally favor a thin—crust pizza topped with a flawlessly seasoned tomato sauce, Labriola Cafe’s newest addition is definitely a “don’t miss.”

In my not-so-humble opinion, a pizza is only as good as the dough used to make the crust, and Rich Labriola, the owner of Stan’s Donuts, Labriola Bakery & Cafe Oak Brook, Labriola Chicago, and  two La Barra restaurants (Riverside, Oak Brook),  knows dough. In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say he’s been knee deep in dough since he was a kid, first in his father’s carryout pizzeria and then in his own bakery, restaurants and donut shops.

Labriola’s pizza dough, which is similar to a bread dough, typically ferments for 48 hours, ample time to develop  the dough’s flavor and elasticity. What’s especially interesting about the crust used for the new deep dish pizza is the relative airiness of the bottom crust. 

the new white pizza

“Deep dish pizzas are usually made with a veritable mountain of dough,” Rich observes. “ An airier dough gives diners an opportunity to focus more attention-and appetite- on the toppings.”

Labriola’s newest pizza is topped with béchamel sauce
(cream, butter, flour- lest you’re thinking ‘light’), apple-smoked bacon, shredded chicken, caramelized onions and a mix of Romano and mozzarella cheeses that trails after the slice when it’s lifted out of the pan.

Stan’s Donuts
don’t leave without one

Good as it is, deep dish is only one of the varieties served at Rich Labriola’s restaurants. The “Signature Artisan Pizza” has a “crispier” crust complete with “large air bubbles,” while the “Chicago Thin Crust” has a “perfect” ratio of crust, sauce and cheese.” The restaurant also does deep-dish, red sauce-topped pizzas finished-like all of the other pizzas- with a choice of veggies, cheeses  and proteins.

Should you have any room left after sampling Labriola’s pizza, stop in at the adjacent Stan’s Donuts. As always,  I’m especially partial to any variety topped with chocolate.

Labriola Chicago, 535 N Michigan Avenue  312.955.3100, LaBarra-Riverside, 2 E. Burlington Street, LaBarra-Oak Brook, 3011 Butterfield Road, Oak Brook

More Dough

Delightful Pastries and Sicilia Bakery, the first Polish and the second Italian, are virtually neighbors. Both supplement their baked goods with savory specialties, but their repertoires rarely-if ever- overlap. 

Delightful Pastries

paczki just out of the fryer

Paczki is a Polish, must-have pastry traditionally eaten on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which was two days ago. Not a problem. Delightful Pastries makes paczki year ’round, so fans can indulge their craving even in May or October.

paczki filled with whipped cream and strawberries

Paczki is made with a rich, yeast-raised dough that’s deep-fried rather than baked. The warm pastry is dipped in a light glaze and then filled-much like a donut or Bismarck – with custard, curd or fruit jam. 

glazed paczki

At Delightful Pastries, owner/ head baker Dobra Bielinski likes to tweak tradition, so fillings like salted caramel and coconut are frequently available, as are  filling made  with a splash of Bacardi rum, Jameson whiskey, or Neilsen-Massey vanilla.

In addition to paczki, Delightful Pastries does blueberry cake, German chocolate cake, and a Polish-style cheesecake (all sold by the slice), along with cookies, pastries and wonderful breads made-at least in part- with rye flour. Most of the breads are made without dairy, eggs, or sugar, and some are also gluten-free and vegan.

blueberry cake

The bakery’s refrigerator and freezer cases are packed with pierogi and various fillings  soups, conserves, jams, and a lot of specialty breads. While all of these items obviously freeze well, paczki are best eaten the day they’re made, so shop accordingly. And FYI-if you’re buying paczki, buy an extra one or two to eat while you drive home. Trust me;  you’ll be glad you did.

Delightful Pastries, 5927 W Lawrence Avenue.  773.5457215

Sicilia Bakery

the pastry case at Sicilia Bakery

Sicilia Bakery opened in 1968, three years after owner Joe Pecoraro  emigrated to the United States. Already a veteran baker, he opted to feature baked goods from all over Italy, favorites like cannoli (filled with cream and pistachios or cream and chocolate chips), biscotti, almond cookies, and lemon knots.

the deli at Sicilia Bakery

On the savory side, there’s arancini filled with beef and peas, spinach and ricotta, or  ham and cheese, in addition to a deli stocked with sliced meats, salumi, and cheese. Sicila’s pizza, which is available by the slice, is made with a sturdy crust that travels well and can easily be reheated.

arancini and pizza

Sicilia  Bakery, 5939 W Lawrence Avenue  773.545.4464

***

Bits

Harbor

Harbor restaurant’s new Happy Hour menu, available Sundays through Thursdays from 4-6pm, includes wine ($5), beer ($5) and Tom Collins and Daquiri cocktails ($6), along with a menu of munchies ranging from empanadas and ceviche to falafel and sliders.

Harbor, 1312 S. Wabash Ave.

***

III Forks

On Wednesday, March 4, III Forks Prime Steakhouse in Lakeshore East, is hosting a “Sommelier for a Day” wine tasting featuring a sampling of six Spanish wines paired with select hors d’oeuvres. The event, which runs from 5-7 pm, is $25.

III Forks Prime Steakhouse, 180 N. Field Blvd. 312.938.4303

***

Le Sud

Le Sud, a French-Mediterranean restaurant in Roscoe Village, is hosting the first in a series of monthly movie nights on Wednesday, March 25 from 7-9 pm. Screenings ($20), held in the restaurant’s second floor private dining space, will include a glass of wine and popcorn. The films, typically French, will be presented with subtitles.

On Wednesday nights, the restaurant also features a three-course prix-fixe menu ($36), which moviegoers can sample before, during, and after the movie.

Le Sud, 2301 W. Roscoe Street. 773.857.1985

***

Torali, Italian Steak

Torali, Italian Steak at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago is celebrating this year’s extra day -Saturday, February 29- with an entree and a glass of wine for $29.

Torali, Italian Steak at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago

***

Pilsen Restaurant Week is March 1 -7.

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) returns the earliest ever to Chicago in frigid February for 2020! Team Gregula is honored to be approved as the macabre media once again in order for us to cover our 11th consecutive C2E2 in a row. This premiere pop culture convention has grown to be the largest fandom event to take place annually since 2010 in Chicago. Featuring a Show Floor packed vith top exhibitors, autograph sessions, panels, screening rooms, exclusives and a massive Artist Alley. C2E2 is also home to the C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay. Excelsior!

Listed below are just some of the guests making appearances at C2E2 2020.

Entertainment Guests

• Mark Ruffalo from Avengers Infinity Saga *Saturday & Sunday*
• William Shatner from Star Trek *Sunday*
• George Takei from Star Trek *All Days*
• Walter Koenig from Star Trek *All Days*
• Stephen Amell from Arrow *Friday & Saturday*
• David Yost from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers *All Days*
• Jason David Frank from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers *All Days*
• Walter Jones from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers *All Days*
• CM Punk (WWE) *Friday & Saturday*
• Kevin Nash (WWE) *All Days*
• Road Warrior Animal (WWE) *All Days*
• Svengoolie from Me-TV Network’s Svengoolie *Friday & Saturday*
• Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory) *Saturday*
• Ivy Doomkitty (SyFy’s Heroes of Cosplay) *All Days*

Literary Guests

• Alexandra Monir (The Life Below) *Saturday & Sunday*
• Joe Hill (Locke & Key) *All Days*
• Laura Sebastian (Ash Princess) *Friday*
• Rainbow Rowell (Pumpkinheads) *Saturday & Sunday*
• Christina Henry (The Chronicles of Alice) *Saturday & Sunday*

Comic Guests

• Ash Maczko
• Ashley A. Woods
• Austin Janowsky
• Bill Reinhold
• Bob Camp
• Casey Parsons
• Cat Staggs
• David Petersen
• Doc Shaner

C2E2 2020 is running February 28-March 1 in the South Building at McCormick Place Convention Center. Various badge options available.

For more recent info and badge purchases, click HERE.

Connect vith Count Gregula’s Crypt

1) Like us on Facebook.

2) Subscribe to us, type your email address in the box and click the “Create Subscription” button. Our list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.

The next president elect of the American Psychoanalytic Association….. will not be me. I was defeated by Dr. Kerry Sulkowicz of New York City, a fine man who will do a fine job. To comfort myself in the aftermath of my loss I’ve been reading a book by another election non-winner, Mr. Andrew Yang. It’s called “The War Against Normal People,” and I recommend it to everybody.

Yang is a thinker. His book is full of ideas backed up with data that tell the story of what is happening in America today and what is likely to happen tomorrow if we don’t change course. The basic idea is that technology plus capitalism is creating an untenable situation that will become catastrophic if we don’t get our values straight. I look forward to Mr. Yang’s future contributions.

As for myself, I’ve decided that to keep peace with myself I’ve got to do all I can to make sure America has a future. That means what I can to remove the current occupant from the White House.

I hate to say it, I hate to think it and I hate to believe it, but…We truly are at risk of losing our democracy. I wish this was an exaggeration, or a distorted view emanating from a pessimistic, negativistic and depressive state.  I wish it was a joke. But Donald Trump is demonstrating that not only  can it happen here- it is happening here, right in front of our eyes. When I’m able to give this reality its due, it scares the hell out of  me.

As a wrote in my last blog entry, my own presidential run was a feat of emotional alchemy, an attempt to turn my pervasive feelings of rage, helplessness and guilt into positive social action.). So plan B, which is less grandiose and more realistic, is to do some grass roots work.

By work, I mean the work getting eligible voters to cast ballots.  One notable statistic from the election I just lost is that only 18% of those eligible to vote cast a ballot.   If we can’t do better than that in our national election, we are sunk.  But on the brighter side, it is seems like there may be a lot of votes that can be harvested that could turn things around if we put our efforts in that direction.

I hereby pledge to work in swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin, for whoever is the Democratic nominee. I also declare my intent to work so that Congresswoman Lauren Underwood is returned to the House of Representatives. I am making this public declaration to combat my natural tendency to pull the covers over my head or binge watch TV shows about Nazi takeovers.

If we can turn things around in this election, I hope whoever is elected will have a place for Mr.Yang, because IMHO he really gets it. As for now, may the force be with us.

OK. This blog post sounds an awful lot like the one I did a little over 2 1/2 weeks ago where I talked about how long people are staying in their homes. But the data I shared in that post was less than ideal. It was biased by only looking at people who moved and it didn’t really answer the question people really want the answer to. That is…what percentage of people move each year?

So when I stumbled on this census bureau data recently I decided to do a quick update and share it. I thought it was pretty interesting and it looks at the entire population, whether people are moving or not.

As you can see in the graph below they show the mobility trends over a 30+ year period and they break it down between renters and homeowners. As expected renters move a lot more frequently – i.e. a greater percentage move each year – than homeowners. There are some simple explanations as to why this would be true:

• People rent because they know they might need to move for various reasons
• When you rent it’s easier to move (no place to sell) so why not?
• Renters tend to be younger, with less accumulated crap, so it’s easier to move for that reason also
• Younger renters have fewer ties (e.g. no children, which are a different form of accumulated crap) to a particular area so it’s easier to move

But the other big takeaway from the graph is how dramatically the mobility rate (percent of people who move each year) has declined over this time period – for both renters and homeowners. Although the mobility rate of homeowners is half of what it used to be it has stabilized in the last 10 or 11 years.

US mobility has dramatically dropped over the last 30+ years for both renters and homeowners.

Think about it. A 5% mobility rate for homeowners translates to an average homeowner tenure of 20 years! And, when you consider that a lot of people move way more frequently than that, it means that some people are staying put for a lot longer than 20 years. Well, I can’t say I blame them when real estate commissions are so high and moving ain’t cheap. As I mentioned last time, people moving less frequently is not great for the real estate industry or the labor market but it’s probably better for people’s finances – at least in the short run.

#RealEstate #HomeOwnership #Moving

Gary Lucido is the President of Lucid Realty, the Chicago area’s full service real estate brokerage that offers home buyer rebates and discount commissions. If you want to keep up to date on the Chicago real estate market or get an insider’s view of the seamy underbelly of the real estate industry you can Subscribe to Getting Real by Email using the form below. Please be sure to verify your email address when you receive the verification notice.

Risk an unpopular viewpoint and the blog-o-sphere erupts with molten malice; dreaded Twitter monsters lurk behind their venomous hash tags. The twisted values of the social media world deliver a clear message: “Why would you willingly expose yourself to being emotionally attacked and wounded? Dude, do not ever admit to being vulnerable!”

It is sad advice. It cripples rather than protects. It isolates you. It shrinks your ability to feel, and to love and be loved.

Being vulnerable is not a weakness, it is a strength. It is courage, manifest and unrestrained. It is the ability to feel; to experience happiness and pain, love and despair; and the capacity to convey those feelings and emotions.

I have been in many a sharing circle, both as witness and focus of the tableau, when men and women have allowed their suffering to surface. Their tears, our tears, washed us clean, revealed our humanness, validated our existence, empowered us to love deeper and grow stronger. It is in those moments when we are most human, putting our differences aside and standing together as one, arm in arm with those you never thought you could.

If you are carrying a heavy weight, staggering under the burden, it’s a relief when someone comes along to help you. The more who offer their help, the lighter the load. Are you “weaker” as a result? Isn’t it easier to carry the weight now that you don’t have to do so all by yourself?

Maybe the answer is not so simple; it probably depends on how the help is offered. If the assistance comes with a haughty “you’re too weak to carry this alone,” it will probably elicit more resentment than appreciation. But if the person pitches in and says, “wow, I know how heavy that is, I wasn’t strong enough to carry it by myself either,” you’d probably be grateful for the extra pair of hands.

It’s the difference between “teaching/lecturing” and “sharing/experiencing.”

When I lead workshops for men and women, I’m careful not to “teach” per se. To make a point I try to tell a personal story that illustrates it. I share what I experienced in a way that others can identify with, and personally ‘live’ the outcome. I am willing to show my vulnerability!

When people try to help you by telling you what to do it’s harder to make a connection. And without a connection, trust can’t be established.

If the ‘teachers’ are willing to share real parts of themselves with you – willing to be vulnerable – sharing more than their intelligence but their honesty and openness, the essence of who they are – this makes them relatable; human; trustworthy.

If the teachers are willing to expose pieces of their lives, you will feel safe to do the same. It is their vulnerability that creates connection. It puts us in the same place and is a reminder that all of us have failings, and none of us are inherently flawed. It takes courage on both sides: feeling safe to share deep feelings; trusting the sincerity of the narrative; promising confidentiality.

To be vulnerable is to be courageous; it opens us up to life rather than being fearful of it. Embracing vulnerability allows us to feel more connected with other people, makes us more emotionally available and able to be more authentic and honest with ourselves and others. Our vulnerability empowers us to love deeper and grow stronger.

I just called the President of the United States a bitch!

The good news is I wasn’t arrested by the Secret Service and am still a free man. The bad news is I was yelling loud at my tv. It was almost as loud as the Democrats running for President at the last debate.

I admit that this isn’t the first time this has happened, although it may be the first time I used the b-word. But it doesn’t occur as often as you think. The reason for this is when I find out he’s giving a speech or doing a gaggle before he gets on a helicopter, I switch the channel. If I didn’t, I’d be MFing my television set on a daily basis….probably multiple times. I decided it’s better for my blood pressure and my general health to ignore him as much as possible.

But then they are times like Wednesday night.

Don has returned from India and he’s going to address the Coronavirus scare. I have plans to get on an airplane next week. An enclosed capsule full of two hundred people passing germs back and forth to each other doesn’t make me feel too safe. I know Don has the best experts in the country working on this potential problem. I know he’s been briefed on the best options to keep this from becoming a pandemic in the United States. So who better to go to to find out if I can make it to Las Vegas without getting a disease that could kill me? I’m willing to spend fifteen minutes of my valuable time to find out.

The first thing I heard was that Mike Pence is going to be the point man on this. He’s the Coronavirus czar. A guy who doubts most scientific findings is going to be in charge. I’m pretty sure that was the first time I called Trump a bitch. Hey, I didn’t say it was only one time.

I eventually turned off the television and moved on with my life…sorta. Being the smartass that I am, I went to Facebook and Twitter to ask if I’m the only one who screams at televised Trump. In my heart, I know others do it, too…I just want them to admit it so I can feel better about myself. Here are some of the answers:

“All night every night.”
“I watched maybe two minutes, but felt blood pressure rise and started yelling at the screen so with my 7-year old around, thought it was best to just turn it off.”
“I yell at my phone when I read anything about him.”
“I call him names I didn’t even think I knew! My mother, who never swore, would be really upset with me.”

Aha!! I knew it! I knew I wasn’t the only one. I suppose this solidarity should make me feel better, but it’s not going to help much when I get on that plane and people start coughing. Maybe I should pay extra for an aisle seat so only one person will be crammed in next to me.

I guess it can be worse. I’m scheduled to go on a cruise in June. I’m fairly sure Don and Mike will have this thing contained by then…fairly sure. If not, I’m looking forward to being quarantined with thousands of people in Alaska.

Related Post: Is there double jeopardy for impeachment?

Type your email address in the box and click the “create subscription” button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.

As a caregiver for my mother, I frequently interact with our health care system. Having received a liver transplant ten years ago via Medicaid and Medicare, my mother has also experienced other health consequences including kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and chronic heart disease. Last Friday, my mother went in for an angiogram on her liver (to determine flow) while I struggled with a skin infection on my arm. Although my mother and I belong to different health provider networks, navigating the health care system for caregivers and the people they care for provides the basis of a love/hate relationship.

Photo by Gordon Dymowski

My mother had scheduled the procedure for 12:45 pm on a Friday, with our arrival time at 11:15 am. (Thankfully, I had called my doctor for an appointment about my skin infection the previous week, but was sent to Immediate Care due to a lack of appointments) A notification text the day before had indicated the time moved up to 2:45 pm, but my mother had clarified the time since we were depending on medical transportation. So we were both surprised when that Friday, at 5:30 am, we received a call from the transportation provider asking if we could be ready for a 7:00 am pickup. From that point,

• We arrive at the hospital with nothing in their records about Mom’s appointment. After being bounced through various departments, we learn where we’re supposed to head, and we’re allowed in.
• After arriving at the appropriate department. , we wait for Mom to be prepped. To kill the boredom, I sign up for text notifications about Mom’s procedure. While waiting, I call my primary care physician for follow-up; luckily, I’m able to schedule an appointment in between job search efforts and watching YouTube.
• Once Mom is formally prepared, I grab lunch and sit in the family lounge. My time is spent writing, doing some job searching, and catching up on social media.
• After making my way into the family lounge, I wait for another two hours when I am notified by an attendant that Mom is heading into her procedure. During this time…
• I receive a call from Mom’s transportation provider; after I apologize for the delay, the driver informs me that his manager does not want his drivers out after 5 pm, necessitating a last-ditch effort (Spoiler: hospital staff ensured that we had transportation home), and
• I discover that it was #NationalCaregiversDay on Twitter, and a tweet declared that “Caregivers are the health care system” and that caregivers “rock” at negotiating health care services.

Photo by Gordon Dymowski

And that’s part of the problem: too many people advocating for caregivers do not understand the totality of negotiating the health care system. (Watch the above video from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver for details). Rather than focus on advocating for systemic changes, these advocates tend to focus on more superficial issues. Many caregivers dealing with the complexities of the health care system on top of their caregiving duties have a greater risk for compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout. There’s a lack of acknowledgment about the burden and toll of caregiving on the individual, substituting self-help platitudes for more adaptive caring strategies and fostering connection and community.

But the greatest challenge in negotiating health care is engaging in self-care as a caregiver. Many caregivers are more likely to sacrifice their own health when caring for an elderly relative, and some caregivers experience health issues as a result. (Mental health issues for caregivers, especially male caregivers, are also critical). Caregivers are rarely reminded that self-care is not an indulgence, but a discipline. Negotiating a complicated system only adds to a caregiver’s stress; working to “game the system” makes it harder for caregivers and their relatives.

Photo by Gordon Dymowski

Final note: I was fortunate to learn that my skin infection was easily treatable with antibiotics.  However, getting to that point involved negotiating a tricky, often contradictory system that lacks empathy for patients and their loved ones. With the recent focus on public health issues around the coronavirus, it would be tempting to take a less even-handed tone about health care. However, caregivers – like many other people – have a complicated relationship with health care because of bureaucracy, costs, and lack of access to services.

And it shouldn’t be – health care is not an indulgence, it’s a right.

Please join the conversation via our Facebook page or leave your comments below.

Thanks for reading!

It’s actually a low-key week, with Maplewood’s Pulaski Day celebration and beer release starting the week off around the Chicago area. We’ll also have some Women’s History Month events. Of course there’s a lot of events next week for St. Patrick’s Day. I’m trying to separate out events with nothing to offer but “green beer” or “Car Bombs.”

I’m also seeing more brewery and beer bar events hosted by local political organizations. Right now, my inclination is to post them on the list, but my standards for inclusion are entirely arbitrary and could change.

We need to note another closing in the Chicago beer scene: Scallywag Brewing, on Case Ave. in West suburban Westmont, announced they had closed on February 24. This was a nice storefront brewery with local art space, and locally roasted coffee in the morning. They opened in 2018.

Monday, March 2

Tuesday, March 3

Wednesday, March 4

Thursday, March 5