Lakeview

The ethos of Heritage Chicago, Lakeview's brand new bike/coffee shop, can be summed up in one word -- local. Owner Michael Salvatore, a fifth-generation Chicagoan, strongly believes in the power of locally sourced, family owned business. His innovative shop, which officially opens Saturday at 2959 N. Lincoln Ave., is truly mom-n-pop. Salvatore lives in the space above the cafe with his wife Melissa and his newborn son Bennett.  A baby monitor sits behind the counter just in case the little guy needs some attention while dad is busy brewing.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream is opening its first Chicago shop this August in Lakeview's Southport Corridor. Located at 3404 N. Southport Ave., the shop will have seating for about 25 and standing room inside, along with outdoor seating in front and on the side of the long, narrow space. They're hoping to have doors in front and back to avoid customer traffic jams, said founder Jeni Britton Bauer. The décor will be simple, possibly involving painted wood tile walls. “Each spot that we do is different," Bauer said.

Forget that the house was once owned by a "local celebrity. " A Lakeview home currently for sale features underground tunnels from the Prohibition era. The four-bedroom, brick house in the 3500 block of South Marshfield Avenue was built in 1889, according to its listing. It's for sale for $550,000. The home owner said the tunnels were once used to shuttle liquor between buildings, but they are now "cemented up. " She declined further comment for this story. The listing also boasts that a "local celebrity" once lived there.

A North Side woman suspected her home had forcibly entered last month, according to state prosecutors, in part because she found a condom wrapper and some stains in a bedroom of her Lakeview home. Lee Holmes, 25, of the 3500 block of North Normandy Avenue was arrested Tuesday for the burglary, which allegedly took place on April 25, in the 2800 block of North Sheffield Avenue. Holmes appeared at the Cook Country Criminal Courthouse Wednesday and was held on $75,000 bond. Prosecutors said the condom wrapper and the stains on the bed would be tested as evidence.

Brian Galati--who also runs Uncle Fatty's Rum Resort in Lincoln Park - plans to open Headquarters (950 W. Wolfram St., 773-665-5660), a new arcade-themed bar Thursday night. The Lakeview “beercade” will feature a minimum of 37 games. A majority will be upright consoles, while a few tabletop games you can play while seated will also be available. Retro faves such as Centipede, Donkey Kong, Tetris and NBA Jam are all to be expected. All games will cost 25 cents, but if you cashed in all your coins to do laundry or feed the parking meter, don't worry: There are plans for a change...

Lakeview is missing two giraffes and a nanny goat. The iconic polished chrome sculptures on Elaine Place have been removed by their owner Milton Zale, who recently sold some rental properties on the street to Chicago Apartment Finders. The new owner didn't purchase the sculptures--designed by Chicago artist John Kearney--and their future remains uncertain. "The latest from the board of the Northalsted Business Alliance is that they are currently making inquiries as to where the statues are, and they are attempting to determine their 'for sale' status," said...

Watching a zombie movie with friends usually inspires outrageous hypothetical critiques from the consummate smarter-than-thou types, those who believe the story would have ended differently had they been in charge. But those people don't often have a plan in mind, let alone one readied for an imminent disaster. Nick Conrad, 31, is not one of those people. An admitted zombie-media enthusiast, he also teaches classes about sustainable practices like hydroponics and home solar panels, which inspired his idea.

North Broadway in Lakeview will soon have another new addition. Greg Shuff of Last Bay Beer is planning a craft brewery concept that will go into a former retail space just a block north of Frog n Snail, Dale Levitski's recently opened French bistro. Scheduled to open early this winter, Dryhop (3155 N. Broadway) will feature craft beers brewed in-house and a menu of shared plates to pair with them (not the other way around). Two flagship beers -   their Wheat IPA and Chicago Common - will be supplemented by a rotating selection of seasonal...

Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream is opening its first Chicago shop this August in Lakeview's Southport Corridor. Located at 3404 N. Southport Ave., the shop will have seating for about 25 and standing room inside, along with outdoor seating in front and on the side of the long, narrow space. They're hoping to have doors in front and back to avoid customer traffic jams, said founder Jeni Britton Bauer. The décor will be simple, possibly involving painted wood tile walls. “Each spot that we do is different," Bauer said.

For Cubs fans, home opening day means flowing beer, baseball gear, and a healthy amount of hope.   But historically it's also helped usher in a seasonal uptick in “quality of life” offenses around Lakeview's bars. In anticipation of the opener and accompanying festivities, (some Wrigleyville bars plan to open in the early morning), the Chicago Police Department is posting extra bike-patrolling officers to the 19th District, which encompasses Wrigleyville, and will add a...

Let's clap it up for ourselves, fellow Chicagoans. We made it through snow and what seemed like a straight month of rain to arrive, blinking and dazed, at the start of summer festivals. Mayfest annually marks the season's kick-off, and it offers a great refresher on all the major components of a true Chicago-style summer bash: beer tents, fest food and of course, the musical stylings of Too White Crew. Because there's only one major party going on this weekend, consider the 17th annual Mayfest your easy reintroduction to all the warm-weather madness.

A 31-year-old woman was just trying to hail a cab on North Michigan Avenue on Tuesday morning when a man allegedly slapped her in the face and took her iPhone. "You want to fight me?" the man asked the woman, according to the police report, before pushing her into rush-hour traffic. The report said he also threw her iPhone on the ground, cracking the screen, before running off. Mark Latter, 25, of Lakeview was charged with robbery and aggravated battery in the incident. He did not appear at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse on...

For Cubs fans, home opening day means flowing beer, baseball gear, and a healthy amount of hope.   But historically it's also helped usher in a seasonal uptick in “quality of life” offenses around Lakeview's bars. In anticipation of the opener and accompanying festivities, (some Wrigleyville bars plan to open in the early morning), the Chicago Police Department is posting extra bike-patrolling officers to the 19th District, which encompasses Wrigleyville, and will add a...

Target has landed a bull's-eye in Lakeview. Company spokesperson Erika Winkels confirmed Friday that Target has purchased the property at 3201 N. Ashland Ave. and plans to build a store in the space. The spokesperson declined to release further details, including purchase price or a planned opening date. “Chicago is a great market for Target and we continue to pursue new opportunities to serve guests there,” Winkels said in an emailed statement. The former LaSalle Bank property sits near the intersection of Lincoln, Ashland...

Pizza review: Jet's Pizza 2811 N. Ashland Ave. 773-857-2080 Rating:  !!! 1/2 (out of 4) In 1978, two brothers used their grandmother's recipe for Sicilian-style pizza, and Jet's Pizza was born in Sterling Heights, Mich. Decades later, it's amassed a cult following and expanded to 200-plus locations, including the first in Chicago last month. My friend Tom, a former Michigan resident, counts Jet's rectangular deep-dish pizza as one of the things he misses most after moving out of state.

Cheap date: Andy's Thai Kitchen 946 W. Wellington Ave. 773-549-7821 Before head chef Andy Aroonrasameruang left it to open Andy's Thai Kitchen , Tac Quick Thai in Lakeview was one of my favorite, no-frills neighborhood gems. I liked taking first or second dates to the sparsely decorated restaurant tucked under the Sheridan Red Line station mostly because the food was flavorful and delicious, but also because any man who could win my heart would first have to stand up to the heat of the beloved som tum poo ma salad.

A 31-year-old woman was just trying to hail a cab on North Michigan Avenue on Tuesday morning when a man allegedly slapped her in the face and took her iPhone. "You want to fight me?" the man asked the woman, according to the police report, before pushing her into rush-hour traffic. The report said he also threw her iPhone on the ground, cracking the screen, before running off. Mark Latter, 25, of Lakeview was charged with robbery and aggravated battery in the incident. He did not appear at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse on Friday because he was...

They both made Chicago proud on Bravo reality TV show “Top Chef.” They both became known on said show for saying exactly what was on their minds. And now Dale Levitski and Chuy Valencia are both bringing their colorful personalities and inventive food to a stretch of North Broadway in Lakeview that's ready for a breath of fresh air. Last week, Sprout executive chef Levitski opened French-American bistro Frog N Snail (3124 N. Broadway) with partner Mike Causevic. Valencia, who until recently was the chef at...

Lakeview is missing two giraffes and a nanny goat. The iconic polished chrome sculptures on Elaine Place have been removed by their owner Milton Zale, who recently sold some rental properties on the street to Chicago Apartment Finders. The new owner didn't purchase the sculptures--designed by Chicago artist John Kearney--and their future remains uncertain. "The latest from the board of the Northalsted Business Alliance is that they are currently making inquiries as to where the statues are, and they are attempting to determine their 'for sale' status," said Jennifer Gordon, spokesperson...

Between Dale Levitski's Frog N Snail and Chuy Valencia's former restaurant Chilam Balam, Broadway in East Lakeview already is something of a "Top Chef" hot spot. With the opening of Bar Pastoral lead by "Top Chef: Seattle" cheftestant Chrissy Camba, it's gaining even more attention from fans of the Bravo show, now in its 10th season. Here are five things you should know about the first restaurant from the owners of gourmet shop Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, due to open Nov. 12 at 2947 N. Broadway.