UNIQLO - from Tokyo to Chicago

UNIQLO opened its first store in 1984 in Japan and currently has more than 1,600 stores worldwide. 42 of those are situated in the US> Before the opening of this amazing Chicago flagship store, I had only visited the San Francisco store where I was amazed by the variety, quality and prices. You can imagine how excited I was to be one of the happy few to get a sneak preview last week, before the official opening. 

1000 people waiting 

TV crews
©Leentje De Leeuw 

Long waiting lines
© Leentje De Leeuw 

While almost 1000 people were waiting outside, I could the store with tv crews of NBC, Fox and ABC. 

There sure was a lot of media attention and I must say that the PR people were just as nice to this Belgian blogger as they were to the 'big guys'. No complaints there. However: I was a little disappointed by the fact that we didn't get a chance to shop Friday morning. I did get an invitation for the party/shopping event on Thursday night, but I had other professional commitments, so I will have to back some   other time to do my actual shopping. On my list: the inevitable HeatTech, a down jacket, the Star Wars fleece blanket, and probably some cashmere stuff ... 

60 000 square feet & 400 employees 

Mayor Emanuel cutting the ribbon
©Leentje De Leeuw 

But Friday was all about the ribbon cutting ceremony with lots of VIP attendees, including Alderman Brendan Reilly, Billy Dec, Chicago Luvabulls, and of course Mayor Rahm Emanuel who seemed very happy with Uniqlo's 60000 square feet and 400 employees. And who would blame him? 

Besides contributing to the local economy, UNIQLO strongly believes in being active to the communities in which it operates. Prior to the opening, UNIQLO announced a partnership with the Chicago Bulls to foster the non-profit organization After School Matters in addition to the Museum of Science and Industry.

The UNIQLO Chicago Flagship is located at 830 N. Michigan Avenue. 

Of course, everything is available online as well. Subscribe to the newsletter and enjoy lots of promotions, both online and in stores. 

Chicago's first Pop-up Food Museum opens this weekend

Foodseum, the Windy City's first food museum, will open its doors to visitors this Saturday, September 19 at Block 37.  The three-month pop-up museum will pay tribute to its hometown with its first exhibit: “The Hot Dog and Encased Meat of the World.” The temporary museum will run until December 20.

“Food is such an important part of each of our lives,” said Kyle Joseph, executive director of Foodseum. “Foodseum will provide visitors a fun and interactive window into what's behind it all. Our exhibits will give visitors a taste of the positive impact an interactive food museum can have and how they can be a part of it. We’re looking forward to building a community that supports a permanent Foodseum in Chicago.”

At Foodseum, food lovers can expect to learn about food through interactive exhibits that stimulates the senses. Guests will be taken on an adventure through smell, touch and taste. A permanent location is expected to open in 2017. 

For more information about Foodseum, please visit 

Foodseum, the city’s first food museum, will open its doors to visitors on Saturday, September 19 at Block 37, 108 N. State St. 

Operating hours for the museum are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Please visit the Foodseum's website for more information 

Chica-GO 'Building Bridges'

Today Belgian touroperator Connections launched the amazing Chicago Building Bridges promotion.

For just €699 per person you have your flights from and to Brussels + three nights at the Chicago Freehand Hostel + an exclusive Leentje's Chica-Go guided walking tour. You can book until September 15th, travel is from December 15th until March 31st (except during Christmas break). 

So, what exactly are you waiting for ... ? 

See you soon, in the Windy City! 

Old Glory and its Flag Code

When traveling to the suburbs a couple of weeks ago, I was finally able to convince my dearest boyfriend to stop at Cracker Barrel. When we spent our vacation in the Deep South last year we saw a lot of those 'Old Country Stores' but we never felt the need to check them out. Until recently. In Naperville of all places. It was a Sunday afternoon and in our defense : we were VERY hungry! 





And thirsty for that matter ... but no cool beer or chilled Sauvignon Blanc available at this family oriented restaurant, so we all go for refreshing glass of unsweetened home made iced tea. Right choice! While we are waiting for our order, we decide to have a look at the store. Besides expensive 'country style' clothes and useless accessories and toys, we spot something interesting: a copy of the 'Flag Code'. I moved to the US quite recently, so I am not that familiar with it yet. I do know however that Americans love to show their patriotism by displaying the American Flag, especially on holidays like Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veteran's Day. Little did I know that there is a federal law, known as the 'Flag Code'. 



Flag Code

The United States Code is the official, subject matter order, compilation of the Federal laws of a general and permanent nature that are currently in force. The Code is divided into 50 titles by subject matter. 

Previous to Flag Day, June 14, 1923 there were no federal or state regulations governing display of the United States Flag. It was on this date that the National Flag Code was adopted by the National Flag Conference which was attended by representatives of the Army and Navy which had evolved their own procedures, and some 66 other national groups. This purpose of providing guidance based on the Army and Navy procedures relating to display and associated questions about the U. S. Flag was adopted by all organizations in attendance.

Here are some of the important Old Glory guidelines:

- It's OK to display the flag 'round the clock, but you should illuminate it during nighttime hours 

- Hoist it briskly and lower it slowly and ceremoniously 

- Be sure to bring your flag in out of rain or snow unless it's made of all-weather material 

- If you would like to display your flag on your car or truckm affix it to the chassis or clamp it to the right front fender 

- The blue and white stars field, known as 'the union', should always be up: at the top of the flag if it's on a staff or pole, uppermost and to the observer's left if the flag is being displayed horizontally or vertically against a wall 

- The flag should be kept from touching the ground, floor, water or anything beneath it 

- When a flag becomes worn and is in such a condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way. One way to do that is to give the flag to a local VFW for proper disposal.


And this is only a small extract from the Flag Code. Want to know more? There is an entire website dedicated to the flag, its history and many more interesting facts, some even in Dutch, French and other languages. 

See you all on the Fourth of July ...? 




Source: www.usflag.org 

Royal newsflash!

PRESS RELEASE

Students at first Dutch language school of Chicago are ready to meet Dutch King & Queen

Chicago, May 29th – The 75 Dutch and Belgian students - including our little man - of the TUL(i)P SCHOOL,  Chicagoland’s first Dutch language School, are in full preparation to give Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima a warm welcome during their first visit to the Windy City next Tuesday. At the Chicago Cultural Center a special spot has been reserved for the students, teachers and parents.

Principal Alexandra Van Oeteren: "This a very exciting moment for our students! They will be part of the historic event and will see and experience the connection with their roots."

About the Tul(i)p School

What started almost twenty years ago in the basement of a suburban Dutch family with just a handful of students, has grown into a school that provides Dutch lessons for elementary, middle and high school students at two Chicagoland locations.

Naperville students meet every Thursday afternoon whereas the classes in Chicago are taught on Saturday mornings. The Tul(i)p School, a non-for-profit organization, is the first of its kind in the area and is supported by Stichting NOB (Nederlands Onderwijs in het Buitenland – Dutch Education Worldwide). This Dutch foundation, commissioned by the Ministry of Education, supports Dutch schools worldwide by advising teachers and boards and by organizing annual workshops.

More information about the school: www.tulipschool.org or tulpschool@gmail.com

Chica-Go GREEN

Last Wednesday was a very exciting day for Leentje's Chica-Go and colleague/friend Ine Van der Stock: our very first Green Roof Tour. Belgian/American Eco diva (but also Environmental Economist mind you ...) Pamela Peeters, who's been hosting Sustainability Week in New York and Belgium for the second year in a row, was looking for other US satellites. Guess what?
Chicago is the first one, and we were the chosen ones to be organising this special day.

It took quite some prep work and administrative follow-up, and we were depending on the somewhat fickle weather of the past week, but we can easily say the Green Roof Tour was a huge success! Not only did we have enthusiastic guests, we had the most amazing speakers, so special thanks go out to Mr. Michael Berkshire, Green Projects Administrator at the City of Chicago, and Mr Edward Uhlir, Executive Director of the Millennium Park Foundation.
They both gave us an exclusive behind the scenes look at two of greenest spaces of this amazing city. Gentlemen: we had a wonderful, fun and instructive morning!

Before our Italian lunch at Filini (located in the Aqua Building), we visited the rooftop garden at this fascinating building designed by Jeanne Gang. The first 18 floors of Aqua belong to the Radisson Blu Aqua hotel, the higher floors are residential. Keith Koreng, chief engineer of the hotel talked to us about yet another interesting green part of Chicago.

Since this tour was such a success and we had to disappoint a lot of people who were on the waiting list, or of course working on a Wednesday morning, we promise you we will definitely do this again. Leentje's Chica-Go is in full preparation of a Green Tour that will take place at least a couple of times per month, so stay tuned for more!






















Photos: courtesy of Michael Slowack 

Oprah Winfrey Auction in Chicago

(c) Ine Van der Stock 

Tomorrow will be the last day to register for the Property from the Oprah Winfrey Collections Auction at Leslie Hindman. After many years of taping the Oprah Winfrey Show at the Chicago based Harpo Studios, Oprah is permanently moving to LA and selling her apartment(s) and belongings.

(c) Ine Van der Stock 

We had the opportunity to have a close look at the collection this morning and I already know which item I will bidding on: the green Chanel bag, estimated at $400-600, so bidding will start at $200 (half of the lower estimate). I'm hoping I will be the only bidder but what are the odds of that ... ?

Luckily I had the opportunity to try the bag this morning (with thanks to Ine for capturing this special moment!)


I encourage every Oprah fan to have a look at the online catalogue of this auction, since online & phone bids are - of course - possible and this collection has items estimated as low as $50 ... But some of the paintings are estimated around $50000 or higher ....

(c) Ine Van der Stock

Doors open at 9 am on Saturday morning, auction starts at 10 am sharp.



Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
1338 West Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60607


Bid Department
P: 312.334.4207
F: 312.280.1211
bid@lesliehindman.com

The Chicago Colors

If you have visited Chicago on more than one occasion you may have noticed the landmark buildings changing color depending on the time of year. The St Patrick's Day green, the Halloween orange and the Breast Cancer Awareness pink.

Since April 22nd is not only my birthday but much more importantly it is Earth Day, the color has been changed to BLUE.

If you want to know more about this, please check the Willis Tower website 

Chicago Special

Belgian touroperator Connections launched its Chicago campaign yesterday and guess what? I will be the one guiding Belgians (and others!) around this wonderful city in of course my own, special way.
Meaning: no rides in the Navy Pier ferris wheel but instead I might take you for a couple of rides in some of Chicago's elevators. You might be surprised by what you will see. For lunch I suggest you skip the Chicago deep dish pizza (we have really good thin crust pizza here, which we all like better by the way) but a hot dog on the other hand: go for it. But please: no ketchup! Put some mustard, onion & relish instead. .. Or try to track down one of the tamales guys ( I may just know the way to find out about their whereabouts ... )
And instead of visiting Union Station (which I will show you anyway ), why not go for a train ride (this one never comes free - Ventra needs to make some money out of it...)
If you wish to find out about this and a whole lot more: this is your lucky day/week, because Connections just launched their  'Chicago Special' (for bookings until March 23rd, travel until November) with rates starting from 749 euro per person, including flights Brussels - Chicago - Brussels and three nights in a double room. I promise you: this is a BARGAIN!

Hope to see you all soon!

My Chicago Bucket List - Spring 2015 - Part I

Okay folks, I have decided that as from today winter is over. Officially.
Temperatures are climbing, we have set our clocks to Daylight Saving Time, the skies are blue and my hibernation is finally over. Enough reasons to throw a barbecue, go for a walk without the never elegant snow boots or the depressing thermal underwear that makes you feel at least 10 pounds heavier than you actually are, or just be euphoric about the sun and .  Trust me: spring definitely IS here!

And that calls for a Chicago Spring 2015 bucket list!

*  Attend at least one Chicago Fire soccer game 

This was on my fall bucket list as well and guess what: I did it and it was a great experience, even though it was quite a boring game (0-0) against Montréal Impact, and Americans still consider it a girls sport: we are Europeans and we love it. You can find the Chicago Fire schedule online, so if you're in Chicago and want to join us: the more the merrier!






* Try as many food trucks as possible 

(c) Chicago Food Truck Fest

While working on my next big project (more news on that later this week), I discovered a great website which I decided to share with you all: The Chicago Food Truck Finder. On this website you find most food trucks and the location they can be found. I love the idea!
And there is of course Chicago Food Truck Fest: not to be missed! The date remains to be announced, but news is posted on a regular basis on the event's Facebook page.
I think it is about time that the city does something about all these - sometimes stupid - food truck rules. This is one of those things they should promote instead of making it hard for all those creative entrepreneurs ...  Are you reading this Mr E

* Discover as many Chicago neighborhoods as possible 

This wonderful city has 77 neighborhoods and the plan is to discover every single one of those. It would be a little optimistic to say I want to discover all of those neighborhoods this spring (or this year) but a girl can only try, right?

*(finally!) Buy a bike and use it as often as Chicago weather will permit me 

(c) Choose Chicago 

When I was still living in Antwerp - which seems such a long time ago already - I depended on my bike to take me all around town. I really want to start biking here as well, since one of our mayor's goals is to make Chicago America's most bike friendly city. And we are well on our way according to Bicycle Magazine. In 2010 Chicago was in 10th place in their biannual ranking of the US 50 most bike friendly cities, in 2012 we moved up tot number 5 and last year we took 2nd place, after New York which is still number one. I wonder if we can take the lead next year. For those interested: you can find a ton of information on Chicago's bikeways on the city's department of transportion's website.  Chicago Bike Week is June 12 - 19th. But I won't wait that long to get my new set of wheels, since we have a great bike shop only three blocks from our place. Kozy here I come!


* Wine & dine outside whenever I can 

This spring I want to find out all about patios, terraces, outdoor dining, beer gardens, .... in this beautiful city. For over ten years I have been working from home.  Working from home has its perks, I am available for breakfast, lunch, drinks (almost) anytime :-)

* to be continued * 

The best of both worlds

The last couple of months I have been posting and blogging about how much I like my new life, my new surroundings and most of all being with my two boys every day. I am happier than I have ever been before, but of course there are (minor) downsides to this 'adventure'. I have not yet been communicating too much about those - except lately about the brutal Chicago winter maybe - because I did not want to seem ungrateful let alone bother you with the smallest of worries I sometimes have.

But yes, I admit: there were, still are and probably always will arise doubts, when I think about the impact of moving away from my family and friends for example, and more importantly moving my precious little boy away from a big part of his family. But then I look at him, I look at the three of us, and I am so happy that I didn't let fear of the - partly - unknown stop me. It wasn't easy to do this, although some people might think I didn't consider the feelings of those 'left behind'. They couldn't be further from the truth actually. I have always had my son's best interest in mind. And it really starts to look like I have made the right decision.

Take school: a major part of León's social life.  I remember our first weeks in Chicago. We had to drop off León at school every morning and those ten minutes of trying to say goodbye to him broke my heart. Every day. But now he barely takes the time to give us a hug or kiss when he sees his friends and teachers in the morning.  Before we moved here, he barely spoke ten words of English, now he is close to being perfectly bilingual. And on top of that his Spanish teacher told me he is doing great in her class as well.

As far as the moving away from family and friends part is concerned : we have the weekly Skype sessions which allow us to stay in touch with them, and of course we will keep on visiting Belgium. * But still I can imagine it being difficult for those who are still there, and from time to time for León as well. I am convinced however that the current situation is much better for him, he is growing up in a very stable environment.
What I have always seen as the biggest advantage of moving here, for him, is the 'best of both worlds' part. Thanks to attending Dutch class at Tul(i)p School every Saturday and of course speaking Dutch at home, he will never lose touch with his mother tongue. As a family we are also involved in several Belgian-American clubs, so he has plenty of opportunity to socialise with Dutch, Belgian and American kids. Thanks to all of this, he will grow up a very open minded young man that we will always be very very proud of!

As far as my own worries are concerned: I have been feeling a little 'lost' between my Belgian and my American life, especially professionally. I am working for Belgian media in the US and am on a visa which does not allow me to do anything else professionally here in Chicago. This has gotten me worried several times, but now I realise I should really enjoy all the perks of staying in touch with my home country while being where I want to be, with the people I want to be with most. Of course I miss my family and friends, and of course I sometimes panic about certain things, but who doesn't? I used to panic a lot in Belgium too, by the way, I guess it simply is my nature, I can be a bit of a control freak. But now I realise I have not only found the love of my life, but I have also moved to one of the most interesting cities in the world. This is a fantastic way of taking my media career to a new level, as well as exploring new professional opportunities. I just need to give it some time and everything will be fine. No: everything will be great. I can feel that more than ever.

I can only come to one conclusion: coming here is the best decision I have ever made. And from now on I promise to embrace the best of both worlds. This is something only a small minority of us are able to do in this short but oh so precious lifetime.




* And of course everybody is welcome to visit us here in Chicago - this really is a great city. You may prefer to visit during spring or summer though. Did I tell you winters tend to be brutal here? :-)





Special thanks to fellow Belgian blogger in Chicago Ine for giving me what may have been the final push towards realising that I have absolutely no major worries in my life. Very much appreciated girl! 

Damien Hirst - welcome to Chicago!

After not visiting London for over fifteen years I went back in 2012 with one sole purpose : the first ever Damien Hirst retrospective on British soil.  And boy/girl was I impressed. It was one of the most mind blowing things I have ever experienced. 

You don't necessarily have to agree with the way Hirst creates his art, the billions people pay for it, his art or personality in general - and here comes a big but - BUT you have to admit he is great at making you think about art, or just giving people something to talk about and last but not least .. making you feel uncomfortable. Because that is exactly what he did to me at Tate Modern in 2012.

But hey:  I won't go on and on about that because last night was a very important night for all Hirst fans in Chicago and after all that's what I am supposed to write about here.

After Hirst spray canned a shark on the walls of Soho House Berlin, he now made  a painting for the recently (Aug 2014) opened Soho House Chicago.  For those who are not very familiar with the Damien Hirst: butterflies play quite an important role in his work. Whether you like that fact or not. And for this work he 'simply' put butterflies on a canvas and spelled out the word 'Chicago'. Sounds simple, looks great. MCA Chicago curator Julie Rodrigues took the stage last night to talk about Hirst, his art in general and this piece in particular. I really liked the way she took on the audience and the sometimes - pardon my French - stupid questions they had. Way to go girl.


NAIL/ART - NailArt 

After this interesting presentation and less interesting 'interactive' part of the evening, we moved on to meetAstrowifey, a nail artist, who focusses on ... ART!  My colleague and I both got one nail done and were very, very pleased with the result. We choose a Damien Hirst theme and she just ... eh ... nailed it! 

About Soho House

Soho House was founded twenty years ago in London as a private members' club for film, media and creative industry people. Now they have Houses across Europe and North America. We love the Soho House Chicago. So yes, you may consider this our membership application. Thank you! 

CHIberia for dummies

Many warned us, even more just smiled when we told them it was going to be our very first winter in Chicago. After having survived some seriously cold days of minus 20 (celsius) we are back at more Belgium like conditions now: cloudy, foggy and temperatures around zero degrees (again: celsius - I haven't been here long enough to use Fahrenheit, don't even know if I EVER will). This means I am not all that desperate for (C)hibernation anymore and I am willing to try to share some of my experiences, tips, and concerns for those who might need them. Chiberia for dummies, part I.



* The outfit * 

I know your mother has taught you well: when it's cold, dress in layers. When it's very cold, use more layers. When in Chiberia: stop counting the layers, just use as many as humanly (and practically) possible. Don't forget to put two pairs of socks and warm snow/all weather boots.
You start with thermal base layer and then continue on building. Good news in the thermal underwear department by the way : Japanese Uniqlo will open a shop in Chicago late 2015.
We strongly recommend a visit to their store. Or webshop. This is high quality low price stuff !


Up next: the shoe department. I bought a pair of Merrell boots at Nordstrom Rack for less than $100. Happy with them, especially since most Chicagoans seem to be wairing Sorel. Except me. And my boyfriend. And my son. :-)



* The make-up* 


Or: the lack thereof. If you use water based make-up you are in for a special treat as you can imagine. My advice: use Bio Oil or plain and simple Vaseline and apply any other stuff only when absolutely necessary...






*The diet* 

Extreme cold always makes me crave for carbs, carbs, and more carbs ... But I lost over 25 pounds in about one year, thanks to my low carb diet. So I try to find alternatives. I really try! I swear I do!




*The work out* 

We  have a gym in our building. Which is great!  I have this gym used exactly one time.
To be honest : I almost used it ... There was this guy working out there and apparently he was in pretty good shape. I said 'hi', and went back upstairs. To have a sandwich. With mayo. Lots of it.


*The distractions*
My boyfriend and I both have the slight tendency towards buying too many books, records and dvd's. We know this is wrong but we simply cannot help it. I used to see more down than upsides but hey: when you cannot leave the house for several days because of that Polar vortex thing: it is a f***ing blessing to have so many entertainment options at hand. Hallelujah!

*The communication* 

Being an iFamily we are kind of addicted to our iPhones, iPads and iMacs. As you may already know battery life of the mobile Apple devices really sucks. And as temperatures drop, battery life drops too. So keep your phone warm, and your charger with you at all times.


*The calendar*

Do not, I repeat: DO NOT look at your calendar too often. April may seem a long time away. And well: it actually is almost three months from now. Which is a VERY long time. Really.


*The humor* 

Humor is a good remedy, often it even is the best one. Keep smiling!
And most importantly: keep warm!

Belgian LPQ opens fourth Chicago location

A lot has happened since 1990 when chef Alain Coumont opened his first Le Pain Quotidien in Brussels. LPQ is now operating over 200 restaurants in 17 countries around the globe. The first US location opened in 1997 in - of course - New York City.  Now there are numerous locations throughout NYC, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Connecticut, California and since spring of this year finally in Chicago. After openings in the West Loop, Lincoln Park and Gold Coast neighbourhoods, the fourth location on 20 North Michigan Ave opened its doors last Wednesday. 

Since the beginning, a communal table made of reclaimed wood has formed the centerpiece of every Le Pain Quotidien. Designed to bring friends, family and even strangers together, the communal table represents Le Pain Quotidien’s commitment to fostering community connections. Chicago will continue to embrace the shared tradition in each of the locations.

Each store features retail shelves filled with the brands’ favorite pantry items, which are also featured in many of their signature recipes. The organic jams and chocolate spreads (Blondie, Brunette, Noir, Noisella and Speculoos) as well as the organic cold pressed Mahjoub olive oil, balsamic vinegar, grey sea salt and black Malabar pepper mills are shared on the communal tables in every Chicago location. 

Our favorite at this time of year? A tartine +  Belgian hot chocolate to warm up after a walk in Millennium Park! 

Bon Appétit! 

Le Pain Quotidien is open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Additional info can be found on the LPQ website.