The following is a series of text messages I received from my friend Sammy during the month of…read moreApril 2020. I touched it up a little and turned it in for a social studies paper. I got an A! (Note: No Schlitz cocktails were harmed in the making of this Yelp review.) --- So naturally we found a stray beat-up pit bull yesterday and he loves us. Like I usually hate these rescue dog things but this maniac was actually running with traffic and dodging cars after wandering onto the I-90 Kennedy Expressway yesterday. Last night we had him stay overnight at the vet in Skokie, IL because it was the only place open and she basically said that he's got a litany of problems to deal with but that he's generally healthy and fixable. Shane named him Kennedy after the stretch of the I-90/Kennedy Expressway where we found him, but I just call him Kenny. He seems to like watching the expressway from a car window more than running along it in 70-mph traffic. -- We asked about the weird growths on his hind legs and figured that they were horrible tumors and that he was in a lot of pain and would probably have to be put down out of mercy. But apparently they're just benign cysts that don't hurt him and he's fine. Miracle dog. She said he's maybe four years old. He's 90 pounds of pure muscle. And he's got old bite scars on his face which the vet said probably came from years ago when he was maybe attacked by another dog, but she said that he probably wasn't used in any dogfighting situations. Possibly used as a breeder dog. Really messed up. The main problem is that he has a torn ACL which we need to get fixed and will cost us some. Looks like he got hit by a car recently and messed up his hind leg. We've got him taking some pain meds but this nutcase doesn't even care, he just wants to run around regardless of his limp. Just the sweetest guy ever. He hasn't barked once, has no problems with other dogs, and just loves to lick our faces while we drink beers and play loud guitars. I just love this guy. We were walking down the street with him yesterday, and between the two of us and this terrifying-looking pit bull, everyone was just crossing the street and getting the living hell out of our way. Weirdest thing that makes me know he was abused in some way is that we'll give him cheeseburgers and loads of dog food and he won't eat it in front of us. Like he gets really nervous when we give him food. Shane and I have to pull him toward the bowl and whenever he takes a bite, he looks back at us like we're about to punish him for eating. I got down on all fours today and pretended to be a dog eating dog food  out of his bowl to show him that being a dog and eating food was okay, and then he seemed to get the joke and just licked my face and started to chow down. Definitely our spiritual animal. But he eats when we leave him alone. Otherwise he just wants to hang. By the way, I was just acting. Didn't have it in me to actually take a bite but hey, Kenny took a bite. -- Schwarzenegger dog is so afraid of Shane's cat... He likes other dogs but just whimpers when this tiny cat stares him down. -- Well Kenny Dog had a pretty bad epileptic seizure last night... So that throws me another curveball. He didn't look like he was in pain but still concerning. -- So in a nice twist, it turns out that my cousin's wife didn't want to be a law professor at Northwestern anymore and preferred to run an animal shelter in wealthy Evanston, Illinois, where people apparently can't stop donating funds. So looks like Kenny-boy is going to get his surgery. And that's just a huge relief that this is going to happen. Probably headed for adoption. I want to keep this damn guy because I just love him but I'm freakin allergic. Never barks. Is that good? Probably good. But I feel like if I were a messed up pit bull I'd be barking quite a bit. -- Alright I miss Ken-Dog like hell but he's already been adopted by some rich family in Evanston, Illinois, probably learning about the virtues of Joe Biden, veganism, and intersectional feminism. He's got an awesome life. I guess his leg was actually way more messed up than we thought and he was in some pain which is why he was shuddering at night when we thought he was having seizures. Great to hear he already got some surgeries and that he's sleeping easily because I love that dog. I almost think I should take my chances just walking in traffic on the Kennedy Expressway and see how it works out.

Turned away stray 3 month old kittens because they were not Evanston residents. They (Maddie)…read morestopped all communication completely upon learning the cats were a few miles outside of Evanston on Chicago's northside. She offered no alternatives whatsoever, just the cold shoulder. Unhelpful, uncaring place.

Came to donate containers however they only take donations on Wed-Fri on the last 2 weeks of the…read moremonth. Staff was nice to explain. Also they will be moving to Edgewater(?) soon. They have posters. Lots of supplies for inspiration.

The Wasteshed in Evanston is a bustling nonprofit of used art supplies, knick-knacks, and craft…read morematerials. If you have the patience and passion for the hunt, this is the place for you! I optimistically brought a bag for fabrics, but I unfortunately couldn't find anything quite to my taste. However, they did a great job colorcoding all of the different fabrics. The store is fairly organized considering how many donations come through. I really appreciate how they even use different drawer systems and cabinets for different subcategories of items. I do think most of the supplies would be great for educators or children: lots of odds and ends that would be put to excellent use given the right creative minds. I walked away emptyhanded, but I imagine someone would love the vintage postcards, various stamps, or Nat Geo magazines I flipped through. There's some street parking nearby, and they have a small private lot. Be sure to check their hours and any updates due to weather on their Instagram!

The Cradle has an absolutely outstanding staff to help counsel individuals and families through a…read morevariety of adoption decisions. We used them over 15 years ago to help start our family. They have been providing excellent post-adoption services since then and continue to be leaders in the industry. They are also the only adoption agency to have a full time nursery.

I cannot say enough good things about our experience with The Cradle. Start to finish they have…read morebeen incredible. It's no wonder the agency has been around for almost 100 years. They're excellent at what they do. For how hard adoption can be, to have some of that stress lessened by competent professionals who really have the best interest of families in mind has been priceless. Our daughter received excellent care while she was in the Cradle Nursery for the first six weeks of her life before we brought her home. Cradle staff will always be part of our family story and we are so thankful that they were there, and continue to be there, for our baby and her first mother. Our adoption counselor Wendy was a huge comfort during some of the more stressful moments and very adept at guiding us through the process and making sure all our paperwork was in line. From the counselors to the nursery staff to the billing department absolutely every person we came into contact with at this agency was warm, committed to helping and competent. Thank you, Cradle staff for helping bring our family together.

I've shopped at all three North Shore Exchange locations and they're all fantastic. The selection…read moreis beautifully curated--clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, and home goods--and feels more like a stylish boutique than resale. The staff is what really sets this place apart. Huge shout-out to Elsa, Rosetta, Beth, and Barb--knowledgeable, honest, and genuinely helpful. They'll help you find great pieces and talk you out of things that aren't quite right. Consigning is easy and fair, and knowing all profits support local Chicago charities makes shopping here even better. A must-visit for contemporary and luxury consignment.

I confirm the other negative comments regarding some employees…read more I went to the Wilmette sidewalk event on Friday. Although I live in Wilmette, I've never been here. I will not return due to the arrogance and microaggressions of the employees. I know my high end designer brands. I own high end designer brands. I do not always go shopping dressed to the nines. Esp to a consignment store sidewalk sale. An employee rolled her eyes when I asked her about the pricing on one of the items. No need for the attitude. While my daughter was waiting to check out, another employee approached a woman standing behind her to take her to a register. That customer asked my daughter if she wanted to go with the employee. That was classy and kind. The employee actually stammered and point my daughter to a register and proceeded to walk the customer to personally ring her up. Needless to say, we will never come back. There are better resale stores on the North Shore: across the street is the YWCA resale, KMK Luxury in Winnetka, Junior League in Evanston, New to You in Glenview, Winnetka Thrift Shop are just a few. Everyone at all those stores are respectful and kind.

Almost unreal how great this place is…read more First off, just on vibes, this is an amazing bike shop. You're effectively rolling your bike into someone's living room and they just jack it up and make it all right again. Kelly also fiercely believes in being part of the local community and takes every opportunity to show it. So on those bases alone, it's an amazing community bike shop. What puts it over the top is the quality and mechanical skill. I had a tune up gone bad at another highly rated bike shop in town this year. Nothing too drastic but persistent nagging problems that their best mechanics couldn't resolve despite repeated visits over multiple months and several multi-week stays in their shop. Eventually I just lost faith and brought it into Mack's. They politely pointed out several of the immediate issues (which the other shop had somehow entirely missed), but were reasonably conservative about their ability to diagnose the deeper and more intermittent issues I was experiencing. They quoted me two weeks. Two *hours* later I got a call. They had rebuilt all of the major systems. Everything was fixed, and it was less than a tenth the price of the other shop. I can't think of any higher proof of the quality of the work they do and their true attention to detail. Don't even think about going anywhere else!

My bike is in great shape now thanks to Mack's!! I called around and everyone had a much longer…read moretimeline. The people that work there are so knowledgeable and treat you with respect. No down talking here!!

It can be quiet or rowdy. Refinished floors nice bar and a small concert place. Stop in! Everyone…read moreis friendly.

The Evanston American Legion truly a hidden gem! You may already know that the Legion's Members…read more& their friends dedicate themselves to helping veterans and their families through fundraising and volunteering. What many don't know is that post 42 is also a place to grab a drink, meet new friends, and watch the game or attend events such as their wonderful Bluegrass music concerts. You get to feel good about hanging out with a down to earth, welcoming crowd while helping a good cause. There is no cozier or more economical place to grab a draft beer, a glass of wine or a well drink. And you might be surprised to know that while it is exclusively for members and their guests, you need not have served in the military to support the post. You can also join, for instance, if you are the son or grandson of an eligible veteran. This gives you access to other legions around the country (And there are some wonderful ones like the legion in South Haven Michigan overlooking the harbor.) Or you can be a local supporter for $20 a year. For that, you get a discount on the already reasonable prices. It's the kind of place where you could buy a round of drinks for the whole bar for less than a few beers downtown. And don't be surprised if someone you don't even know buys a round for you. It's that kind of a place. There's an event room as well, great for celebrations and meetings. The legion holds fundraising events like the annual Pancake Breakfast (a fund raiser for our local Boy Scouts.) And there's the Spaghetti Dinner supporting the Lovell Legends ( a local group of disabled vet group that competes with disabled vets rom around the country in multiple sporting events) And it's a family friendly place. My daughters love to come along to watch the game and have a kiddie cocktail or Pizza. They offer Pizza, but since it's a private club, not a bar or restaurant, nobody fusses if you pick-up your favorite take out and grab a board-game to laze away the afternoon among friends. Don't be suprised if a friendly German Shepherd is occasionally seated next to his owner, also watching the game.

Total arty art school vibes…read more I was thinking about cobbling together a screen printing setup at home and realized I should probably find a refresher class somewhere. Just so happens that this Evanston Art Center had a screen printing class coming up! I signed up and walked into class expecting that all the arcane screen printing processes have been made obsolete at last. Back in the day we had to flood screens with chemikills and expose them to light like neanderthals. Welp, it turns out that is how it's still done (boohoo) but indeed some of the technology has advanced in ways I didn't expect. Anyway, great gallery, great classes, great teachers and staff!

3.5 I'd searched…read morefor museums in Evanston to avoid driving to Chicago for some culture and the Evanston Art Center came up. This place has a lot of potential, particularly upstairs - there are blank walls galore - but there's just not very much art there at the moment. Evanston is small, but had I known I could blow through this venue in 5 minutes, for a 10 minute drive, I probably would have skipped it. That said, the art that was there was great and I enjoyed seeing it.

Up Pup & Away is a super cute pet store that just opened up in DT Skokie!…read more This cute place offers toys, snacks, chews, and an amazing food selection. They also have accessories and clothing! If you're looking for specific items, don't hesitate to ask - they will find it or order it for you! We found a matching sock set - a pair for you, and a set for your precious fur baby - sooo adorable! The staff were super friendly, kind, and welcoming! Plenty of street parking in the area. +great selection of treats and toys +friendly service! +plenty of street parking

I absolutely love this store, the items, the quality, and most importantly the staff. I tell…read moreeveryone I know to go check them out. They are so friendly and helpful when you need assistance or ask questions about certain products. It is my only go to now for my pup's chew sticks and such. Can't say enough good things about them.

After reading the negative reviews on Yelp, admittedly from many years ago, I was reluctant to…read moreattend a service there. But I did go and was delighted that my experience was completely delightful! We were joyfully greeted immediately in the lobby and welcomed enthusiastically. The service was thoughtful and timely and the music was uplifting. After the service we were again engaged with welcoming kindness in chats with other members as well as with the minister and assistant minister. Ignore any negative reviews and go! You're sure to love it!

When my children were of preschool age I wanted to give them the support of a spiritual community…read more My wife and I investigated many different types of religious organizations and found the UCE had the most comprehensive program for life long education. While we initially joined for the benefit of the children, we discovered many opportunities for our personal growth. We've been members for nine years now, and it has been a life changing and life affirming experience. The community is very welcoming to all races, religions, sexual orientations and political ideologies. The Church offers opportunities to safely explore your thoughts and feelings. By providing this safe space, the impact of fear and dogma are reduced. I find that most consistent aspect of the community is that we build compassion by celebrating open discussion, deep connection, and creative empathy. In my experience there, members generally find that their spiritual beliefs align with what might be considered progressive ideology. However, we are all exploring and learning each time we meet.