CHESHIRE CAT

Something that I like to do when walking in Chicago, is to visit new neighborhoods and go down new side streets that I have never seen before. Yesterday's discovery, was not found on some obscure side street, but right on Milwaukee Avenue on the south side of a seven story building. When I spotted this giant cheshire cat, I wondered how I had failed to miss it before. It turns out, this mural is new and was only completed earlier this month.

from dnainfo.com
By Alisa Hauser | September 6, 2017 4:32pm | Updated on September 11, 2017 9:47am.

NOBLE SQUARE — A giant and mischievous Cheshire cat watching over the street — courtesy of New York City-based street artist Jerkface, known for his imaginative interpretations of pop culture iconography — has brought a burst of color and nostalgia to Milwaukee Avenue in Noble Square. Work on the mural at Lewis Towers, a vintage apartment building at 1166 N. Milwaukee Ave., kicked off Aug. 31, continued through the Labor Day weekend and wrapped up Friday. Jasmine Petersen, a Chicago muralist and artist, assisted Jerkface with the mural along the side of the seven-story vintage apartment building, facing southbound traffic on Milwaukee Avenue. David Ruttenberg, a partner with Marc Realty, which owns Lewis Towers and commissioned the mural, said, "Jerkface's work is bright and energetic. The nostalgia factor is always fun, and this composition is memorable to so many age groups. The large scale makes this larger than life and really brightens up this corner of the city." Ruttenberg said his son Solomon and daughter Sasha have loved seeing the mural being painted over the last few days, watching the ongoing work while camped out in the parking lot next to the building. "Murals have the power to uplift a city. They bring vibrancy and movement to bleak and mundane spaces. If one can cross color on their way to work, the bus, or just simply on their way through the city — it does something to them. Color affects one's psyche. It alters one's mood and changes their day. Urban art can be used as a powerful tool to enhance life. Art isn't just meant to be for museums, galleries and high classes. Art is for everyone, and should be enjoyed by everyone," Ruttenberg said. Petersen said the Cheshire cat, inspired by the cat in "Alice in Wonderland," was selected before she and Jerkface knew that there was a veterinary office, Wicker Park Veterinary, on the ground floor of Lewis Towers. "It worked out really well a vet was here," Petersen said.

Jerkface is one of the most readily identifiable artists in the street art community..

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Your Food Diary For:

Friday, September 15, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker Oats instant grits - Instant Grits	400	88	6	8	1,240	0
	400	88	6	8	1,240	0
L U N C H
Libby's - Sweet Peas	245	42	2	14	1,050	21
Read - 3 Bean Salad	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
	545	107	2	19	2,550	61
D I N N E R
Mariano's - Spicy Salmon Maki	400	44	18	17	317	0
	400	44	18	17	317	0
S N A C K S
Yogurt Almonds	300	30	19	5	27	26
	300	30	19	5	27	26
Totals	1,645	269	45	49	4,134	87
Your Daily Goal	3,679	460	122	184	2,300	138
Remaining	2,034	191	77	135	-1,834	51
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,749 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 222.5 lbs in 5 weeks     

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SATURDAY WEIGH-IN
This week my weight dropped 2.5 lbs. As long as I keep reminding myself that this is not a race, I think that I am definitely on course. 

weight 253.3 lbs

My weight during its most recent peak on August 26 just three weeks ago was 263.3 lbs. 

I can do two things now. I can always remind myself that on December 24, 2014 I weighed 309 lbs. And since that 'balloonistic' day, I have shed 55.7 lbs.

We all know that at this time, that is a rather ambiguous statistic as I had lost so much more weight than that. What I will do is take some pride in my more contemporaneous accomplishment of dropping 10 pounds in the last three weeks. 



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SUPERDAWG®

Earlier during this academic school year, our daughter with 23 other classmates, made a trip to France and each stayed in the home of a family in Paris.  Each of the 24 students from Lincoln Park Elementary School stayed in various homes sprinkled around a Paris neighborhood.  This week it is time for the American families to return the favor. We have hosted a delightful young woman since last Friday (although I only met her on Monday when I returned home from Salt Lake City)  During the school day when my daughter Sara is studying at school, the visitors from Paris have been checking out some of the more expected sights in Chicago.  Our job is to give the visitors a taste of Chicago that they might not get from that experience.  We decided that an iconic hot dog stand that has been a beacon to hot dog lovers since 1948 might be a worthwhile place to visit. Since I do not feel comfortable posting photos of someone else's child without their parents' permission, I don't have a photo of my daughter with her 'correspondant' (as they are referred to by her French teacher)  I hope that our guest enjoyed this particular trip off the beaten path.  At the very least, I know I did - and I must admit I cannot remember the last time I visited this iconic Chicago landmark.

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Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bar - Oats'n Honey	190	29	7	3	180	11
Egg, whole, cooked, poached, 3 large	215	1	14	19	446	1
Bacon Style Turkey, 4 slices	140	2	12	8	600	0
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple (170g)	190	50	1	1	4	38
	735	82	34	31	1,229	49
L U N C H
SUBWAY FOOTLONG FRESH FIT - 9-GRAIN WHEAT BREAD ROAST BEEF (no cheese) MUSTARD, 1 FOOTLONG	640	90	10	48	1,400	14
Apples - Apples, 2 medium apple	160	44	0	0	0	32
Kellogs - Nutrigrain Bar - Strawberry, 1 Bar	130	25	4	2	117	12
	930	159	14	50	1,517	58
D I N N E R
Superdawg - Hot Dog W/Fries, 1 Serving	690	71	43	19	1,640	0
	690	71	43	19	1,640	0
Totals	2,355	312	90	99	4,386	107
Your Daily Goal	2,705	338	90	136	2,300	101
Remaining	350	25	0	36	-2,086	-6
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 775 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
MATRIX TREADMILL	99	899
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-124
Daily Total / Goal	100 / 30	775 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	266 / 210	2,895 / 4,130

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THIS WAS LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM superdawg.com

In May of 1948, Superdawg® was established at the corner of Milwaukee, Devon and Nagle in Chicago. Superdawg® continues to be family owned and operated in the same location today. 

Maurie Berman, a recently returned G.I. from World War II, married his high school sweetheart Florence (Flaurie), in August of 1947. Maurie was attending Northwestern University, studying to be a CPA, while recent Northwestern grad Flaurie was teaching in the Chicago Public Schools. With their "school-year" schedules, the newlyweds wanted to open a business that they could operate during the summer months. Many other returning G.I.'s were opening roadside hot dog carts and Maurie and Flaurie decided to open their own roadside hot dog stand, one that would be as unique and distinctive as they were.

Maurie designed an architecturally distinct, 20' x 12' building topped with two 12 foot hot dog icons to beckon hungry passersby with their winking and blinking eyes. Maurie and Flaurie then created a proprietary, secret recipe to set themselves apart from the other hot dog stands popping up around the city. With a distinctive look and delicious recipe, they were almost ready to open. All they needed was a name. Inspired by the superheroes featured in the newly-created, popular comics of the '40's, Maurie and Flaurie named their signature product and restaurant. It was not a wiener — not a frankfurter — not a red hot — but their own exclusive SUPERDAWG™. 

In 1948, Milwaukee and Devon was the end of the streetcar line. With the forest preserve and Whealan Pool across the street, the area was a great destination for swimming families and cruisin' teens. Kids could ride the streetcar for a nickel, and stop at Superdawg® where a Superdawg™ sandwich and drink cost only 32 cents. Many times, on their way home, they would stop and ask what they could buy for a dime. If they were a few cents short, Maurie and Flaurie would give them what they wanted and told them to bring the money back the next time they stopped, which they never failed to do.
In 1950 Maurie passed the CPA exam, but he and Flaurie decided to keep operating Superdawg® and to open year-round in order to retain the outstanding personnel that had become so invaluable to fulfilling the Superdawg® ideals. When Superdawg® first opened, the electronic speaker system had not been invented. Carhops went out to the cars to take orders and customers signaled that they were ready for their trays to be picked up by turning on their headlights. In the early 1950's the "carhop in a wire" electronic speaker system was installed, and Maurie designed the glowing blue "control tower" where the carhop sits to answer the switchboard and take orders. As Superdawg® grew into a successful business, Maurie and Flaurie found time to raise their family of three children (although not on Whoopercheesies® alone).

Throughout the years, small changes have been made to the menu, like the addition of the Whoopskidawg® in 1989 and the Superchic™ in 1991. However, the Superdawg™ recipe, the original trademark figures (continuing to flirtatiously wink at each other), and the drive-in concept have not changed. Customers can still order from their car and have a carhop deliver their order on a tray. Maurie and Flaurie's attention to quality products and service, preparing each customer's meal to order, affirming the belief that the customer is always right, and insisting that the customer should always be treated as family continues today. 

In 1999, Superdawg® underwent a makeover while retaining the original building and spirit. The classic '40's drive-in was updated with the addition of neon-studded canopies across the parking lot, a crisp new speaker system and a cozy, indoor dining room. The original rooftop figures were refurbished so that they can continue to serve as a Chicago landmark for years to come. 

In May of 2009 ground was broken for a second location 11 miles north on Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling, IL. Every effort was taken to recreate the look and feel of the Milwaukee and Devon location. The blue tower, the canopies on the parking lot along with the ordering speakers, the neon and diamonds along the building and canopies, the tile inside and most importantly, the trademark Maurie and Flaurie figures on the roof all were painstakingly incorporated into the plans. Much of the equipment was custom built as well. Over the next six months, anticipation grew for a new Superdawg to open. In January, 2010, Maurie, Flaurie and the rest of the family were proud to say, "HIYA!!...From the bottom of our pure beef hearts, Thanks for stopping" in Wheeling.
Since 1948, Maurie, Flaurie, their children and grandchildren have scrupulously adhered to one goal: "always to serve you in a manner that will make you want to return – and bring your friends, and new generations, with you".

From the bottom of our pure beef hearts... THANKS FOR STOPPING®.

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