Chicago Tribune, the Kingdom Tower, Morning Coffee

August 3, 2011 / nicholasdaletaylor / Leave a comment

Over Morning Coffee with The Chicago Tribune

Ryan Haggerty's article from the Chicago Tribune, click image to view

Over my morning coffee at Emerald City Coffee I read a good article in the Chicago Tribune written by Ryan Haggerty featuring a future Kingdom Tower.

This supreme structure will be in Saudi Arabia.

What? Someone still reads the paper? Yes, let me tell the two-sentence story. Recently, I wrote an online article for Andiamo Creative regarding the Windy City Ribfest logo, interviewed people at various places inside of the festival my first of which was the Chicago Tribune tent where I paid $13 for a subscription. It has become a morning ritual to turn actual pages (rather than click away) while I sip caffeinated goodness.

Back to relevant writing, taking out the Chicago Tribune business section cause a popping headline to point my way. “Chicagoans’ design towers over the rest,” which continues on page 3 with “Chicago architects are facing sky-high expectations” shows once again the ever-changing history of our stretch towards the stratus. I will not be quoting the article at length (as I want you to read it, click here to do read the online version, … or pick up a copy at news stands today, duh), but simply wanted to something good in these few remaining morning moments as I need to go get ready for Obama’s birthday reception in Uptown… although, I don’t know why I’m getting ready; I wasn’t invited. However, I do tend to crash with style.

Crashing is the last thing on the minds of the ever soaring achievements for Chicago architects. Noting Haggerty’s article, whom you can follow here @RyanTHaggerty, we see plans for the biggest building to date as part of a multi-billion dollar development named Kingdom City. As thy kingdom comes here we stand as Americans to top the world in the ego driven, mine is bigger, standing ovation for the biggest land erection of our futures.

All phallic wordplay aside, I would like to see an article reporting status at Ground Zero and the proposed “Freedom Tower.”

Friends With Benefits

August 1, 2011August 15, 2011 / nicholasdaletaylor / 2 Comments

On my way to a matinée at the Davis Theater I hit a line of people who undoubtedly were in line to see Cowboys and Aliens, so, I opted (on a whim) to watch a film by Will Gluck, Friends With Benefits.

Friends With Benefits, click image, purchase tickets

Starring Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis and Patricia Clarkson this movie could not have been a better source of afternoon delight. In short, my attraction to the romantic comedy has been renewed. In fact, my next planned movie outing is no doubt, Crazy, Stupid, Love. However, back to the flick at hand (and speaking of hand), Dylan and Jamie (Timberlake and Mila) after a cute work-related introduction vow to give one another a helping hand of sexual flavor, hold the emotions. To add some sex vibe variety we get co-worker Tommy (Woody Harrelson) who in a subtle yet highly applaudable performance breaks away from the overplayed gay stereotype. His performance gives a fresh meaning to the phrase “a man’s man.” Adding Jamie’s mother, Lorna (Clarkson) leaves us with even more of a good time and an endearing moment between mother and daughter revisiting the idea of prince charming. This moment is only trumped by the sweet father-son-scene where Dylan removes his pants to sit with his debilitated dad Mr. Harper played by Richard Jenkins.

Other critics may claim re-hash or play the “been done” card to slam this comedy. Nonetheless, by now we all are familiar with the formula. If you see some good performances laying on top of a shameless sexuality message and take away a smile then I call that a good time. Everyone needs a good time now and again. And what we see here is that two friends let it get physical then go back to being friends only to see the truth of how these heightened ecstasy states only fuel established love. I commend this fun movie for all its frivolity layered with tasteful feelings and touch worthy pictures.

Putting a sexual spin on a rating scale let’s rate this film by penis size, the smallest of which I’ve seen was 3 inches (poor guy) and the biggest of which I’ve seen was 11 inches (no witty parenthetical statement here). So, on a 3 to 11 scale I give this a 7.5 (guys, that’s more than above average, be proud)!

The long and short of it, you can have your blow ’em up, shoot ’em up scenarios if you want– there is no shortage– but as for myself, I guess I’m just seeking a little more romance in my life, even if that means Friends With Benefits.