May 08, 2005
The Tasting Room
My boyfriend and I go out to each once a week or so, and we like to try out new restaurants, so here is the first of my mini reviews.
If you live, or are visiting Chicago, and happen to be a wine lover; I strongly recommend The Tasting Room. The have an extensive selection of more than 100 wines, many of them from boutique producers. You can order some by flight, glass, or all by bottle. Plus they have a great appetizer menu as well. I recommend the Spanish flight (cheese, olives, meat, peppers, cranberries, breads - yum), and the Banana's Foster for dessert. I managed three glasses, a Bordeaux, a Two Red, and a Pinot Noir. All excellent (note to self: it would help in the future if I wrote the names of the wines down).
Plus upstairs, if you can get a table by the window, you will have a fantastic view of downtown Chicago, Also, the bar didn't start getting crowded until 10 p.m. which was nice.
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February 23, 2005
Gay Chicago Bloggers Bash
Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to make this which upsets me to no end. I'm hoping there will be a second one.
Hosted by: Kris of Angst-ident Prone and Aaron of 601am.
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November 25, 2004
Breaking! Arrest Made In Latest Chicago Gay Murder
This is good news for the family of Charles Gibson, but Kevin Clewer and Brad Winters' families are still waiting for answers.
Chicago police have made an arrest in the October 31 killing of a gay teacher but say there is nothing linking the suspect to the unsolved murders of at least two other gay men.Ollie Rockman, 49, has been charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Charles Gibson, a special education teacher.
Gibson, 54, was found in his North Side condominium after a friend became concerned when he was unable to reach him. Gibson was found lying naked in a back hallway. The apartment was covered in blood and there were signs of a struggle. A seven-inch knife was recovered at the scene. An autopsy showed Gibson died of multiple stab wounds.
Rockman was identified through DNA tests on blood found in Gibson's apartment. During Gibson's struggle for his life Rockman was cut according to Chicago police Cmdr. Michael Chasen. The two men met in a Boystown neighborhood bar on October 30 Chasen said. They then went to Gibson's home. An argument ensured and Gibson was murdered.
Rockman has a criminal record. In 1978 he was sentenced to 28 years in prison for first-degree murder. He was paroled in 1991. Chasen said that he had no information on the victim in that killing. Rockman was also convicted twice for "indecent liberties with a child" in 1972 and 1976.
Chasen said that police have ruled out Rockman in two other unsolved murders of gay men in Chicago.
In April the body of 31 year old Kevin Clewer was found in his North Side home. Clewer had been stabbed more than 30 times. (story) Brad Winters, 38, was killed August 17, 2003. He also had been beaten and stabbed repeatedly. [365Gay.com]
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November 10, 2004
Has The Chicago Serial Killer Struck Again?
This is getting pretty creepy. Is there a serial killer out there?
Police probing the murder of a gay Chicago man say there are a number of similarities between the killing and those of at least two other gay men. But, they are not ready to say the killings were done by the same person.The body of Charles Gibson, 54, was found in his North Side condominium on October 31 after a friend became concerned when he was unable to reach him. Gibson was found lying naked in a back hallway. The apartment was covered in blood and there were signs of a struggle. A seven-inch knife recovered at the scene.
Gibson, a special education teacher, had frequented Little Jim's, the same North Side gay bar where two other murder victims were last seen alive. In April the body of 31-year-old Kevin Clewer was found in his North Side home. Clewer had been stabbed more than 30 times. Brad Winters, 38, was killed August 17, 2003. He also had been beaten and stabbed repeatedly. [via Rainbow Network]
What kills me, is that if these were three white women killed, the media would be all over this.
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July 02, 2004
Another Lakeview Murder
A third murder has taken place in the Lakeview neighborhood, in Chicago. However, it looks as if this murder is not related to the other two. Lakeview has always been considered a pretty safe area. What's even more scary, is that I used to live two block away from the most recent murder.
The owner of a sports memorabilia store, whose badly decomposed body was found Tuesday in his north side apartment, was slain, an autopsy performed Wednesday determined. Forest Cowley was found dead on the bedroom floor in his apartment at 638 W. Cornelia Ave. when the janitor and building manager entered the apartment after neighbors complained of a "foul odor," said police News Affairs spokeswoman Robin Mohr. Cowley died from cranial and cerebral injuries due to blunt trauma, according to a spokeswoman for the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.Another representative of the medical examiner's office said that Cowley was killed by several blows to the head, "probably with a blunt object," that were strong enough to crack open his skull. There were no other wounds indicating a struggle, the representative said. Cowley was last seen "about two weeks ago," and the advanced stage of his decomposition suggested he was killed 10 to 14 days ago, the representative said. [via NBC5]
The Two Other Murders
Kevin Clewer, 31, was found March 24 in his apartment at 3444 N. Elaine Place, dead from multiple stab wounds, according to police News Affairs Officer Carlos Herrera.On Aug. 31, 2003, Brad Winters, 38, was found dead in his apartment at 526 W. Belden Ave., News Affairs Officer Wayne Frisbie said at the time. A Cook County medical examiner's office spokesman said Winters was stabbed and strangled. [via NBC5]
The Suspect Sketch
The person of interest (pictured above) is wanted for questioning in the March 24th, 2004 murder of Kevin Clewer (pictured below). The person is described as male, white Hispanic, 5’7” tall, with a slim/athletic build, and he speaks with a Hispanic or European Spanish accent. The person of interest may be known as “Fernando.”It is alleged this person was last seen with Kevin in the North Halsted Street area. Anyone with information should call Chicago Police, Area Three Homicide, (312) 744-8261. Refer to case number HK-259944.
Details Of the Killings:
Kevin Clewer
A medical examiner said Thursday night that he counted 30 to 40 stab wounds in a 31-year-old man found stabbed to death Wednesday in his Lakeview apartment. By Friday morning, nobody was reported arrested. Investigators earlier said the murder of Kevin Clever may have been a "crime of passion."
The murder happened in Clever's third-floor apartment at 3444 N. Elaine St., near the intersection of Belmont and Halsted. Kevin Clever's father discovered the body when he visited the apartment after his son didn't show up for work. Police said no weapon was recovered at the scene. Clever had lived in the apartment for the past two years with a roommate. [via NBC5]
Brad Winters
A 38-year-old man found dead in his Lincoln Park apartment was stabbed, police said. Brad Winters was found dead in his apartment in the 500 block of West Belden Avenue shortly after noon Tuesday when police went to his home to check on his well-being. Police said Winters was stabbed sometime between Friday and Tuesday, and co-workers called police when he did not show up for work at Northwestern University. [via NBC5]
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June 29, 2004
Chicago Gay Pride Parade
Other than the parade being extremely anti-Bush, there wasn't a whole lot to write home about. After years of viewing the parade, it felt like it was the same thing once again. I did manage to have a fun time, once the beer and vodka kicked in.
Here are more in depth views on the parade:
que(e)ries gives us a comprehensive rundown of the festivities.
Chiagoist brings us a blurb with a few photos.
Liquid Generation with the aftermath of the parade.
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June 04, 2004
David Sedaris In Chicago
All you fellow Chicago loving David Sedaris fans, make sure you're at Unabridged Books tonight, because Mr. Sedaris will be there at 7 p.m. Or if that's not good for you then Saturday at Barbara's Bookstore in Oak Park at 7 p.m.
If you have never experienced Mr. Sedaris in person, you must go. The man reading his own works is hilarious. I'm a huge fan. You also must pick up his new book Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim." Simply brilliant!
