Thanksgiving Dinner Costs 6% More Than Last Year

So says the American Farm Bureau, who monitors the average cost of dinner for a family of 10. This year, the average cost will be $44.61, a $2.35 spike compared to the 2007 holdiay's average of $42.26 to get Thanksgiving dinner on the table.Yesterday, I talked to some consumers who are economically challenged. One didn't have a microwave. One shops at Aldi and said trading up to a brand would be a sacrifice for her. And today's news report states more Americans are on food stamps than ever before.

A good reminder to give Thanks tomorrow.

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/progressivegrocer/content_display/features/beverage/e3iebd6a39896504e5031415c7a61a0e277

The Shift To Thrift

The Tribune interviewed various folk about consumer sentiment in this turbulent economy. Faith Popcorn, trend "oracle" (gag) was interviewed:"Consumers are feeling "nouveau poor," she says, which means it is cool not to spend money and to brag about how little you're shelling out, a practice Popcorn has dubbed "one downsmanship."

The latest Target TV spot for Christmas cleverly embraces this new attitude with a song lyric that says it's not cool to splurge. Someone should do a take-off of the song, "I'm getting nothin' for Christmas," to "I'm getting frugal for Christmas." For fun, try saying the title of this posting several times...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sun-thrifty-americansnov16,0,7652072.story

New Wind Blowing in Chicago

Today's NYTimes article speaks to the reinvigorated spotlight on the city, and noted that the term, "Second City," was first coined by the New Yorker in 1952. I've been mulling around the idea that this is a time of renaissance for the city (as I write, Mayor Daley is meeting in Turkey for the Olympic bid.) Austin's renaisssance occured during the Bush admin, so it seems likely that Chicago's cultural capital will grow. Wonder if we'll see movie-folk take up second residences here. From the article:

Scott Turrow:

"It seems like there are eight million people walking around here congratulating each other. Chicagoans are unbelievably proud of Barack and feel of course that he’s ours, because he is.”

Rick Bayless:

“We’re not Little Rock and we’re not Texas...It’s easy to put on your cowboy boots and eat all that barbecue. You can’t do that from Chicago. We’ve got a lot of muscle and it’s far too complex of a place for that.”

Jeff Tweedy:

“I think people really do enjoy the idea that we’re living in the center of the world all of the sudden,” Mr. Tweedy said. “There have been all these prevailing stereotypes, and people don’t know how big and urban Chicago actually is. People think of it as being in a cornfield.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/fashion/20chicago.html?pagewanted=1&em

The New Sexiest Man Alive

Back in 2004 at the Imperial Theater, Hugh revealed to us that he had never been to Chicago! Times sure change mate. About 2 years ago, he was working with Chi-town music producer Richard Marx . Just a few weeks ago, he flew in for Oprah promoting the new movie, Australia. He brought TimmyTams for the audience (now Pepperidge Farm will distribute). Over Halloween, he returned to Richard Marx. When will that album come out? One thinks he may be one of the spokespeople for Baz Luhrman's new ad campaign for Australia tourism. Now he's People's Sexiest, it all looks like well orchestrated PR--but so well-deserved.

Housewifery Secrets from the Past

Jimmy Bannos, of Heaven on 7 fame (and my favorite chef), made a cajun turkey on the Today Show today. The lady hosts horrified about the amount of butter for massaging into skin and cavity (6lbs!). But Jimmy did reveal the secret for getting that great brown look that we only see on the covers of magazines. Kitchen Bouquet. Old brand secrets of our grandmothers like Bar Keepers Friend, Naptha, 20 Muleteam Borax, Kirk's Castile soap. Now add KB to the pantheon of old housewifery brands right for today.

A new word for our culture

The cover of today's Sun Times introduced new language into our culture: Windy City White House. It has a memorable ring, with the alliterative "whi" sounds offering potential for stickiness in our culture.

Perhaps this will become a word-of-the-year for 2008. For the past several years, the American Dialect Society votes upon a word-of-the-year. The words from the recent years are like little time capsules of where culture was going for those given years. Could Windy City White House be a cultural sign post?

2007 Subprime
2006 Plutoed
2005 Truthiness
2004 Red state, blue state, purple state
2003 Metrosexual
2002 Weapons of mass destruction

A brief return to optimism?

These congratulations signs are posted around City Hall, courtesy of da Mayor. Makes me happy to see them.

Yesterday, I was reflecting how happy I feel about where the country can be going--probably the first solidly optimistic feelings I've had since 9-11. The TV spinmeisters were also alluding to the same thing. Optimism is a defining value of America--something that hasn't been a part of the national psyche for some time.

New President, New Future... just7 floors away

As I walked into the Aon Building this AM, I was followed by about a dozen "men in black." They looked like secret service, but I thought, "what would Obama be doing in this building--his headquarters are right across the street?" The Tribune's cover pix is of Obama in the building. He had a morning meeting at an investment company managed by John Rodgers, who was once married to Desiree Rodgers, who was a high profile advisor to Obama's campaign. Hmmm---says something that one of the first calls as President-elect is to his pals. It will be interesting to see what appointment Desiree gets....

The meeting was held just 7 stories below my office. If any of my associates who avidly worked and canvassed for the campaign saw him in the elevator bank, there would have been faints. Talk about rarified air!

Urban Gardening

Fast Company profiles the trends of a renowned trendist I had never heard of....Lidewij Eldelkoort of Trend Union. One major prediction for the future is Urban Agriculture, where urban landscapes will produce food--perhaps even better food--than rural areas. This is already at work in small scale among some cities of the world. After a trip to Germany, Mayor Daley was inspired during to build bee hives on City Hall in 2003. The Paris Opera also has hives on the roof and a fresh fish pond in the basement.

Today in Chi-town, we can buy "Rooftop Honey" at the Randolph Street Farmer's Market. Just think, honey from flaura in the loop and lake areas. Experts consider the honey to be some of the best in the world, light and delicate in flavor.

Birdseye view on history

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My office is within steps of all-things Obama. I'm overlooking Millenium Park, where the victory celebration will take place. Helicopters are buzzing, at level with my office window. Did some reconnaisance at the Fairmont Hotel where Biden is staying. Saw a lot of guys in white shirts and suits-- secret service detail. There is defintely a buzz in the city, as we expect to send a son of Illinois to the White House. It's been over a hundred years since Illinois had a Pres in the White House--unless you count Reagan, who was born here but was elected from California.

Return of an art form

Wandered into the Virgin records' Union Square store yesterday, and was surprised to see new album releases merchandised both in CD and vinyl, side-by-side.

The return of vinyl has been in the news as Millenials are discovering and baby boomers are rediscovering the superior experience. I felt a sense of reverence holding the heavy, shrink-wrapped cardboard packages and looking at the fabulous art direction of some of the classics like "Band on the Run." These new vinyl pressings are different from the records from years ago because they are made from virgin vinyl free of impurities. Vinyl Revival writes:

"....many records are pressed on heavier platters of vinyl. These heavier records are noticeably heavier, thicker and stiffer than lightweight records. As you can imagine, the grooves retain their shape better, even with repeated plays. Some even claim that the stiffer vinyl produces a more realistic sound with less distortion than a standard record...the experts pretty much agree: These records truly do sound better than the standard, lightweight records of yesteryear."

http://www.vinylrevinyl.com/2008/08/27/the-best-vinyl-180g-and-200g-virgin-vinyl/