Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Across the street from Dunkin’ Donuts and directly behind Popeyes Chicken, students faithfully gather at the Frog Temple to learn piloga from Randi Whitman. Whitman’s slim, toned body indicates that she hasn’t indulged in too many treats from either fast food joint.
Do the stars line up for a summer romance? Or have you been stuck with a dud rather than a stud? Will your love stick around? Or will you need to change your name/phone number? We certainly don’t have the insight (or advertising budget) of TV’s Miss Cleo, but with only a little summer left, we’ll try our best to assess your sextrology. (Note: No astrologists were harmed in the making of this chart.)
Standing about 5-feet tall and measuring 5-feet wide, the triangular giant baffled a team of curious researchers (OK, a photographer and me). We had seen these creatures before on grassy knolls, peaked mountains and even backyards. But we had never before seen them in such an incongruous location–the lakefront.
When Lilia Chacon and her good buddy Katie Carrillo ran into that rarity known as a photobooth, they knew what had to be done. ”We put our $3 into the machine, went in and mugged it up,” says Chacon, a reporter for Fox News Chicago. ”This was about 10 years ago when we were both single. It’s a carefree, fun reminder of who we were at that stage of our lives. We split the photo strip in half so we each have two shots.”
You haven’t had a date since Dubya’s dad was in the White House. The last time you went dancing, stonewashed jeans were in style. And your idea of a great evening is whining to anyone who’ll listen about the dearth of available men in Chicago. Wake up! It’s time to get back in the game. No matter how much women complain to the contrary, this city is full of eligible men.
The nose knows when it’s summer. For some, it’s the tangy smell of barbeque that clues them in. For others, it’s that telltale scent of chlorine in the swimming pool. Fact is, people smell better in the summer than in the winter. We’re not talking body odor here, but rather the olfactory senses.
You have met the man of your dreams. Besides being a walking, talking hottie, he’s smart, funny and well-educated. You look at him and can totally imagine making babies with him. Bad news, though. He only thinks of you as a p-a-l; you’ve got a great personality, but he’s not going to be asking you out anytime soon.
Admit it. You’ve fantasized about winning the lottery and what you would do with all that loot. You’d buy homes for your kids, hire a full-time chauffeur for your grandmother, donate to the United Negro College Fund, sail around the world on the QE2, and lose 25 pounds at the Canyon Ranch Spa. You’d be ecstatic 24/7. You’d be dead wrong.
Lara Davidson has never had to change a broken headlight. Nor put together an easy-to-assemble desk. Nor hook up her home entertainment center. She has always found someone to do it for her. What Davidson, 27, learned early on was that with a little negotiating, she could be more successful in her day-to-day maneuvering than her more meek pals, who were too intimidated to ask for special attention.
Bulletin to all former bridesmaids: Here’s your chance to give your dress to someone who can appreciate it. Among clothing items collected by the Hyde Park-based Caring Closet are seldom-worn party dresses that can be given to Chicago-area girls who cannot afford a new prom dress.