Spring 2008 Feb. Issue Uptown Exchange

One free issue per personThe premier news source for Truman College and the surrounding community

The moon ushers in the year of the rat

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The premier news source for Truman College and the surrounding community One free issue per person

February , 2008

Arts&Events

Calendar

Features

News

The Shoe’s on the Other Footpage3

Geek Out! Geek News Columnpage4

Helping Parents Juggle College And Kidspage 2

A Night In Uptownpage 5

Are We Green Yet?page 4

Taqueria Faceoffpage 7

Uptown Heralds Lunar New Year

S u p e r T u e s d a y 2 0 0 8 : T r u m a n C o l l e g e V o t e sStudents sound off about presidential picks and issues most important to themNews Editor

Staff Writer

By Lauren Vandermar

By Nandika Doobay

A traditional lion dance will be performed duringUptown’s lunar New Year Parade.

Photo Courtesy of Chris Zwirn

Photo by James Villalpando

Photo by James Villalpando

Uptown’s Argyle Street is gearing up to host its 26th Annual Lunar New Year Parade and Celebration, which kicks off Saturday February 9 at 12:30. The parade, sponsored by a number of Uptown organizations, be-gins at the intersection of Broadway and Argyle. Attendees and participants have

With ballots from February 5’s Super Tuesday primaries tallied, includ-ing those cast at Truman, students at the College and in Uptown have voiced opinions through their votes. Nationally, John McCain has emerged as the clear Republican leader, while Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton both achieved victories, rendering them in a dead heat. Truman was an early registration and polling place, as well as an official precinct polling

place for last Tuesday’s prima-ry. An informal survey among Truman students about which candidate they planned to vote for revealed ranging levels of optimism about politics, from empowered to passive about individual re-sponsibility. Almost every student inter-viewed was left-leaning in his or her presi-dential pick. With this year’s election shap-ing up to be one of the most unique races in memory, emphasis on the youth vote is felt at Truman and around the country.

Senator Barack Obama had home-

state advantage over Hillary Clinton, win-ning 64% of the Democratic vote in Illinois. Senator John McCain beat Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul with 47% of the vote. McCain led in 9 states Tuesday, including California and New York, mak-ing him a clear-cut winner among the Republicans. On the national level, Obama won 13 states, and Clinton won eight. While Obama’s voter support is on the rise, Clinton won the three key states of Tuesday’s battle: Massachusetts, New York

the opportunity to learn more about the rich history and beauty of Chinese culture.

The parade route is accessible from the Argyle Red Line station, or via the #36 Broadway Bus. Early arrival is rec-ommended for a prime view of the fes-tivities. The parade route follows Argyle street west, towards Sheridan, in the neigh-borhood known as ‘New China-Town’.

Traditional Lion and Dragon danc-es will be performed by groups from the Zhang Tai-Ji Wellness Center. These per-formances, which feature brightly colored costumes and the raucous beat of drums and the crash of cymbals, are meant to chase away ‘evil spirits.’ Also marching in the parade are various businesses and or-

2 NEWS

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Helping Parents Juggle College and Kids

Super Tuesday 2008: Truman College Votes

Staff Writer

Openings at Child Development Lab School

Parents struggling to attend Truman and raise children can take advantage of the Child Development Lab School (CDLS). The pro-gram has openings for the full day pre-kin-dergarten program. The CDLS is open to the children of students, faculty staff and mem-bers of Truman’s community. The Lab School also acts as a classroom for students that are enrolled in the Child Development program.

“The Lab School [exists] to confluence the students, the community and work-ing parents and as well to educate parents also, that’s the component to make the fam-ily successful,” says Mildred Garcia, Interim Director of the CDLS. It is licensed by the State of Illinois and program fees are as-sessed on the basis of income as well house-hold size of the family. “The higher the family size, the lower the income, the lower you pay,” explains Mobina Patel, a mem-ber of the staff. Adds Garcia, “We wel-come families from all income levels and from all cultural backgrounds,” Parents at-tending Truman are required to be in class more than four hours from Monday through Friday in order qualify for Lab services.

Besides caring for and educating chil-dren, the CDLS functions as a laboratory for students taking Child Development classes at Truman. Students from other Chicago colleges needing to complete their practi-cum in child behavior also work in the Lab.

The Lab is divided into three class-rooms with 20 children in each; two are for pre-kindergarten while the other is for Head Start Performance Standards, which is the highest field of early childhood care. Patel said the Head Start program has high standards. “They have a lot of monitor-ing protocols…they look into the overall aspect of improvement of the child [such as] curriculum, nutrition [and] safety,”

Leonor Arellano, a student of English 100 at Truman College, leaves her child at the CDLS for six hours every Monday through Friday while she is in class. “I like how pa-tient the teachers are with the children… they teach them many things,” Arellano says.

The Child Development Lab School operates from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For additional information,

call (773) 907-4740 or email [email protected]

“The Lab School [exists] to confluence the students,

the community and working parents,” Mildred Garcia, Interim Director

By Erica Nuchancow

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and California. A tally by Real Clear Politics reports Clinton to have a razor-edged lead to date, with 900 delegates versus Obama’s 824.

Truman college is located in the 46th ward, as is most of Uptown. Truman’s lobby is the polling place for the 35th precinct. Along with most of Chicago, the ward is home to predominantly Democratic voters. 13,682 residents voted in the Democratic primary, with 66% choosing Obama. Of the 1,444 Republicans that voted, 53% picked McCain.

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, 2,249 people cast early votes at Truman College. Early voters are not re-quired to live within the voting precinct that encompasses Truman, making the service ideal for students who live elsewhere in the city and may not have had time to vote on Tuesday. At press time, it was unknown how many early voters lived outside the precinct.

Registration and voting was held at Truman from January 9 – 22. It was also pos-sible to register to vote on Super Tuesday; that service was also held in the lobby from January 15- 31. Registration then closed until after Tuesday’s primary, resuming on Wednesday Feb 6. At the close of registration before the primary, the Board of Elections reported 1,307,519 registered voters in all of Chicago.

The Uptown Exchange took to the hall-ways January 21 to find out who students were planning on voting for and why. Of the 39 randomly selected voters, most said they were planning on choosing either Obama or Clinton. Obama had the edge, with 20 supporters, Clinton had 10, and 5 were un-decided Democratic supporters. Of the re-maining voters, one had picked Guiliani be-fore he dropped out of the race, one was a McCain supporter, and one was undecided.

A survey by the Harvard University Institute of Politics published in December

2007 also yielded similar results. 44% of students surveyed planned on voting for Barack Obama. Democratic leanings among college students are also support-ed historically. The Youth Vote Coalition reports that “young voters [ages 18 – 24] were the only age group to support John Kerry” outside of voters age 75 and older.

Among the issues that Truman students found most important, 31% of students cit-ed the economy as a primary concern, some-thing they would have in mind when voting for a candidate. Health Care came in second at 25. The war in Iraq is a concern of 14 surveyed, foreign policy came in at 12% and 11% of voters surveyed stated education is an important issue. To compare, according to Harvard’s poll, the Iraq war was the most im-portant issue, capturing 37 of young voters in the survey. Health care was the second most important concern according to Harvard.

Sadly, the majority of students polled do not feel their vote makes a real difference. 47% of students do not feel their voice will be heard on a national level. 30% of stu-dents said they do feel empowered to make a difference. The remaining 8% said they feel they have some power, but not enough.

Candidates are certainly making an ef-fort to draw out the youth vote and make young people feel empowered. Most of the candidates have embraced the Internet, craft-ing MySpace and Facebook pages that seek out participation through a strictly youth-focused medium. The spotlight is on 18 – 24 year olds especially, as they have been the fastest growing voter group since 2004 (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement).

Harvard’s study maps out what young people are looking for in a candidate. “[Young people] are distrustful of politi-cians who overstate their capacity to gen-erate change. [They] like candidates who can say ‘I don’t know.’” They want their

Ilinois Democratic Primary Butack Obama

Photo Courtesy of Obama Campaign

candidates to be “authentic.” Young peo-ple do not like being spoken “at,” rather, they want to be recognized for the “value of personal achievement.” When engaged

in a dialogue, Harvard says, young vot-ers will open up and participate. They sim-ply need to be asked the right questions.

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NEWS

The Shoe’s on the Other Foot

Uptown Heralds Lunar New Year

Editor-in-Cheif

Photo by James Villalpando

By James Villalpando

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ganizations partnering to put on the event. Sponsorship includes The Chamber for Uptown, SSA #34, Uptown United, Hip Sing Association and Otech Solutions.

The sensory experience will also in-clude various Chinese foods, such as Jau gok and Jiozi. These tasty dumplings are usually served during the new year. The smells, sights

and sounds of firecrackers will fill the air as revelers banish negativity and greet a new season of joy, luck, prosperity, and happiness.

The Parade and Celebration wel-comes year 4705, the Year of the Rat on the Chinese lunar calendar. What does the Year of the Rat mean? The Chinese astro-logical cycle begins with the year of the Rat, making this Lunar New Year a par-ticularly auspicious one. Those born dur-

Do you have some old soles hanging around your closet? Go the extra mile and donate them to people in need in North Africa. Psi Beta, the national honor soci-ety in psychology for community colleges, is currently holding “Soles-4-Souls,” a shoe drive to benefit North Africans as well as fellow Americans living on less than a dol-lar a day. The club is looking for new and good condition shoes, especially of the athletic type, that will serve their recipi-ents well. The most visible drop spots are outside Student Club Center, Room 1127 and inside the Student Lounge. Donations will be accepted throughout February. Krystal Tanami, the treasurer for the group, brought the charity to the attention of the group who’ve rallied behind the cause.

The club meets every other Friday at noon in room 3951. Students with a 3.0 GPA interested in Psychology, and having completed one or more Psychology course with a 3.0 and above average are invited to join this budding club. February meet-ings will be held Friday the 15th and 29th.

ing the Year of the Rat are believed to be hardworking, ambitious and natural leaders.

This strip of Argyle street is studded with businesses that mirror the rich diver-sity of Uptown’s Asian community. Gift stores, bakeries, salons, jewelers, and res-taurants specializing in a variety of cuisines, both Chinese and Vietnamese are featured among the myriad establishments. Emerging as a destination in its own right, “New

Chinatown” saves patrons the trip down to Chicago’s main Chinatown on the Southside.

Argyle Street businesses that display the black, red and white Lunar New Year event logo will offer special discounts for parade goers on the day of the parade. The coupons required to redeem these discounts, as well as Parade and Celebration information, can be found at http://www.uptownevents.org/.

Truman shows its generostiy with an overflowing box of donations

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8Features

Letter from the Editor

Geek Out! Geek News column

Are We Green Yet?

[email protected]

Editor-in-Cheif

Arts & Entertaiment Editor Editorial Assistant

Editorial Department

Editor-in-Chief

James VillalpandoNews Editor

Lauren Vandermar

Arts & Entertaiment Editor

Lucas Siegel

Editorial Assistants

Jamie M. Kraut Keisha Scherrer

Staff Writers

Erica Buchancow

Tomás Martínez GuerraRubina Jabbar

Nandika Doobay

Business Department

Tekoa Tinch

Design & Production Department

Design & Production Manager

Aneta Takeva

Faculty Advisers

Benjamin OrtizAssistant Professor, Journalism Adviser

Alexis Steinkamp

Design Adviser

Welcome to the 2008 Spring semes-ter at Truman College and congratulations on another step forward in your lives. The new term here has brought with it many new faces and plenty of fresh ideas. We’ll be unveiling a new, more familiar look and we are all rededicated to reporting on sto-ries that move you. We will be bringing you a modern paper with a digital counterpart with the ultimate goal of bringing about positive change for everyone who attends the institution we’ve come to call home.

In every issue, we hope you will find

something new, something you care about and something that will help you to make your time here at Truman a little better. The paper is an open forum. We are here to set the stage for debates, sing the prais-es of stellar students, as well as motivate the campus toward positive action. We hope that, by bringing your attention to various issues, you’ll in turn do your part by becoming part of the discussion with your peers, with your teachers and with us.

Our mission is to bring you news on issues you care about, but we can only do that if you tell us exactly what that might be! If you’ve got an idea for something you’d like to see in the paper, or have an opinion

that you don’t feel you can find in the paper, please write to us. Well thought out letters to the editor and freelance articles are not only welcome, but encouraged in our pages.

This is a new year and a new staff dedicated to bringing you modern jour-nalism that’s meaningful, relevant and timely. We are all looking forward to be-ing a part of your semester at Truman, and we hope you’ll take the time to be part of ours. Thank you for picking up this issue of the Uptown Exchange. We hope you like what you see and are looking forward to growing with us as the year goes on.

“We are trying to go green. If everyone participates, we will be halfway there.” – Frank Harrell, Project Leader of Operational Services

Photo by James Villalpando

By James Villalpando

By Keisha ScherrerBy Lucas Siegel

Continental Airlines and LiveTV, L.L.C. will team up to offer 36 channels of live televi-sion and onboard Wi-Fi internet on domestic U.S. flights. The service, currently priced at $6 dollars for economy-class and free for first-class customers, is set to take flight January 2009. Television will be provided by DirecTV.

Technology:

TV: Lost

Comics: Y: The Last Man

Science:

Video Games:

Researchers at Harvard and MIT have designed Cancer “Smart Bombs.” These nano shells deliver chemotherapy only to cancerous cells, thanks to chemical homing devices. This system is significantly more ef-fective and less toxic than current delivery methods of chemotherapy. It may also be used to target other diseases in specific areas of the body, such as heart and lung diseases.

came to a close with issue #60. Writer Brian K. Vaughan and Artist Pia Guerra’s story about the lone man to survive a plague that wipes out every mammal with a Y chro-mosome tackled Feminism, Religion, and Cloning, amongst other controversial is-sues. The series has been published in many languages and countries including Spain and Indonesia in its five plus years in print.

The UK Department of Health has endorsed an in-school active games plan as part of physical education class-es. Using the industry leading Nintendo Wii, the school systems hope to encour-age children to participate in real sports by letting them first play virtual versions.

kicked off an 8 episode season 4 run on January 31st. If the Writer’s Guild of America strike pushes on, those eight episodes will be all fans will get this season, with the possi-bility of a 24 episode season 5. The original plan, before the strike halted work on the se-ries, was for seasons 4, 5, and 6 to include 16 episodes each. Regardless, the eight episode run is expected to include death, resurrection, more flashbacks AND more flash forwards.

“We have a recycling program?” asked Fithum Tesfamichel. This may strike some students as news, but Truman does have a recycling program. The program is su-pervised by Michael A. Ross, Coordinator of Operational Services. According to Mr. Ross, recycling at Truman has been around for at least 8 years. Truman re-cycles paper, plastic, and glass. Blue bins in all classrooms are for paper only. The “no food in the classroom” rule is sup-posed to facilitate this. Recycling bins for

glass and plastic can be found through-out the hallways. These bins are separated into 30 yard dumpsters in the basement. Waste Management, the disposal com-pany used by Truman, takes the sepa-rated materials to the recycling center.

The recycling program does have some problems. The custodial staff discovered many signs, once posted on or above re-cycling bins, missing. Another problem re-

Truman’s involvement in recycling continues to grow

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5 JARTS & EVENTS

Staff Writers

A N i g h t i n U p t o w nVariety rules when choosing your night out.

Live jazz and a classic style let you live in Chicago’s history.

Locals and suburbanites alike flock to Kinetic Playground’s diverse music scene.

By Erika Buchancow and Tomas Martinez Guerra

When the weekend arrives and the sun goes down, it’s not a bad idea to wan-der around Broadway Street, the heart of Uptown. The Green Mill’s sparkling lights, the Riviera Theater and the Aragon Ballroom are some bright spots in this de-veloping neighborhood. The smell of al-cohol, tacos and curry and the sound of a piano melody blend ethereally in the air.

A point of entry for immigrants across generations, this neighborhood has a wild range of clubs and bars. If you’re into hard rock, jazz, blues, country music or even the gay scene, you don’t have to go very far to find a place to party. Uptown has it all.

Saturday night at the Kinetic Playground,

“If you’re into hard rock, jazz, blues, country

music or even the gay scene, you

don’t have to go very far to find a place to party.”

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at 1113 W. Lawrence Ave., and psychedelic images reflecting on metallic walls follow the beat of industrial and rock music. Young hip-pies, suburbanites and locals, many in their early 20s but some of them well into their 60s, sit and drink while they wait for the night’s featured band, Chicago Afrobeat Project.

The orange couches and the murals of Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin, plus the high quality sound, cre-ate a cozy and colorful atmosphere that can satisfy different musical tastes. On any given night, The Kinetic Playground may feature blues, jazz, soul, rock, or blue grass.

“I like it because of how trippy it is,” said Beth Cristel, who’s been living in Uptown for two years. Cristel said she comes here mainly because of the eclectic selection of bands that play every weekend, such as Jack Straw, Strange Arrangement, Jennifer Hartswick and Synthesis of the Jaguar. You can view a full listing at www.thekineticplayground.com.

And if you want to experience the neighborhood’s diversity to the fullest, you may have a great time at Big Chicks. Located at 5024 N. Sheridan Rd., this club has been around for more than 30 years. This nightspot is mainly known as a gay bar, but people of all genders and sexual preferences go there. Its dance floor over-flows on Fridays and Saturdays, when live

DJs playing pop and rock are featured.

“I like Big Chicks because it’s laid back,” said Rosemary Barria, who lives in Edgewater. Barria comes here on Thursdays for “girls’ night out” and the music they play. The club also has a free buffet on Sundays and its walls are decorated with lots of artwork, like a painting of Marilyn Monroe and the por-trait series of a headless drag queen in red.

As an option to finish up your night you could enjoy some live jazz at The Green Mill, a true Chicago legend. Its lav-ish wooden frames, booths and stage take you back to the 1920s, when Al Capone used to hang out here. At one point, his henchman, Jack “Machinegun” McGurn, even owned 25 percent of the venue.

On Saturdays after 2:00 a.m. there is no cover and you can join the after-hours jazz party with Sabertooth, the house band. On Sundays they hold Uptown’s poetry slam, which has been around since 1985.

Sabertooth released their newest al-bum, “Doctor Midnight,” on Jan. 4, 2008, here at the Green Mill. You can read more at myspace.com/sabertoothquartet.

“I like the people that come here,” said Pat Mallinger , the band’s alto and tenor sax player and leader. “This place has charac-

ter.” Mallinger has been playing at the Green Mill for 15 years and he’s had concert ap-pearances with Stevie Wonder, Joe Williams and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

For a mix of country music and Southern hospitality, then Carol’s Pub may be your spot. Located at 4659 N. Clark, this dimly lit bar was born in 1973 to serve the Southern and Appalachian migrants who came to this community in the 1950s and 1960s.

On week nights, the house band takes the stage and the locals hold dart tourna-ments. On Thursdays at 9 p.m. they have karaoke night, free of charge. The crowd is very mixed and the liquor is afford-able. You can sip your drink as you fol-low the beat of “Sweet Home Alabama.”

If you come to Carol’s late at night you may run into drunkards fighting, but don’t get scared. It happens here sometimes, just to keep the spirit of a good Southern country bar out here in the Midwest.

Now the night is winding down and bartenders have given the last call. Crowds gather at Lawrence and Broadway, strug-gling to snatch the next cab to get them back home. The sparks of the Green Mill, The Riviera and The Kinetic Playground are gone, only to resume the next night. Every night, Uptown stands ready to entertain.

Photo by James Villalpando

Photo by James Villalpando

Are We Green Yet? (continued from pg.4)sulted from skeptical student questions that grew into a rumor. According to Audrey Lilfe a current student, “People told me that they (custodial staff) were tossing it in the regular trash.” This rumor caused Nancy Sullivan of Student Support Services along with other concerned staff members to request a viewing of the recycling ser-vice managed by Mr. Ross. According to Mrs. Sullivan, materials being recycled were separated in large bins in the basement.

Most students and staff affirmed that they would like to know more about recy-cling. The Environmental and Ecology Club established in Fall 2006 had attempted to increase student awareness of recycling. A decrease in membership caused the club to disband after 2 months. Recently, students have become interested in restarting the club. If any students are interested in be-coming members, they can contact Valerie Busch-Zurlent, adult education manager and sponsor of the ecology club at Truman.

Previously, food and partially con-sumed beverages were being mixed with recyclables. If items placed in recycling bin have food in or on them, the materials may have to be trashed instead of being recy-cled. Mr. Ross and Mr. Harrell both agree, recycling at Truman has improved in the past six months, though they are unaware of what spurred the change. Less waste is being mixed with recyclables in the bins so more of the materials are being recycled.

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Photo by Lucas Siegel

ARTS & EVENTS

Staff Writer

New Music Program Lets Truman Sing

By Nandika Doobay

Students take on a different kind of Note

Students young and old share their voices in Truman’s Chorus (Music 131)

“Music classes of-fer an alternative to students’ otherwise hectic and study-

focused schedules” Richard Keitel, Music Program

Teacher

Even students who are not planning on becoming music majors can benefit from one of the music classes currently offered at Truman. It could be a hobby that they has always wanted to explore or it could serve as an elective to fulfill a Fine Arts require-ment for a transfer degree. Enrolling in a music class may also have beneficial effects on a student’s academic success. Research done on music’s effect on the brain have shown that learning music can increase one’s concentration, discipline, and feel-ing of accomplishment. A study done by UCLA’s Dr. James Catterall, in which 25,000 students were tracked, found that involve-ment in music-making improves test scores.

If a student happens to pass by the mu-sic classrooms located near Novar Hall on the third floor, they might hear something that is quite rare to the hallways of Truman – the sound of live music. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, the echoes of a chorus spill out of room 3416, evoking curiosity in passers-by. Sometimes, they poke their heads into the open door to catch a glimpse of the large crowd of cheerful singers surrounding a man at the piano. This man is Richard Keitel.

Richard Keitel, who holds a Masters in Music from Northwestern University, has been in charge of Truman’s growing music curriculum since January of 2007. With approximately 120 students enrolled in the Chorus, Introduction to Music, and Fundamentals of Music Theory classes, Mr. Keitel hopes to expand the program further. He entertains the idea of one day adding a chamber or jazz ensemble, which would round out Truman’s burgeoning Music Department.

When asked whether prior knowl-edge of music theory was needed for the current courses, he explained that all lov-ers of music, regardless of their musi-cal backgrounds or lack thereof, are wel-come. Mr. Keitel invites anyone with an interest in music to consider enrolling in one of his courses in the future, as music classes offer an alternative to students’ oth-erwise hectic and study-focused schedules.

Last December, Mr. Keitel’s Chorus group sang holiday themed songs in Truman’s front lobby, warming the hearts of students as they shuffled in from the cold Chicago weather. He plans to bring this sweet sound back to the lobby this February, with the Chorus performing songs from “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in celebration of Black History Month.

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Photo by James Villalpando

Photo by James Villalpando

ARTS & EVENTS

Which spot rules the corner of Lawrence and Broadway?

Fiesta Mexicana and Carmela’s deliver the goods when it comes to quick, casual Mexican, perfect for satisfying late-night cravings and hungry, time-crunched stu-dents. The two spots, different in almost every aspect, from décor to price to menu options, are neighborhood fixtures and just a five minute walk from Truman’s campus.

The first stop is Fiesta Mexicana, bright and over-the-top festive, just a few doors

T a q u e r i a F a c e o f f

News Editor

By Lauren Vandermar

“The speedy ser-vice, delicious

food and cheap prices make it per-fect for students”

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down from the Green Mill jazz club. Fiesta Mexicana can be a little sleepy during the day, but it wakes up around happy hour and due to its late hours, has been a standby for post-party grease for years. Daily lunch specials include a standard helping of tacos, flautas and burritos. Be warned about the burritos, though. If you don’t like yours drenched in sauce and melted cheese, ask for them on the side. Portions are generous, and accord-ing to our dining companion, the meat is a “notch above” what one would normally ex-pect. Prices are also a notch above, with most items on the lunch menu hovering around $6.

On the main menu, appetizers are stan-dard fare but satisfying. The queso fundido’s

gooey, melted cheese-chorizo blend is a guilty pleasure, while the always fresh guaca-mole presents a slightly lighter option. In the evening, check out an extensive list of en-trees that move beyond the tortilla. A cheese-stuffed chile rellenjo comes with half a skirt steak, and the guisado de puerco, a slow-cooked pork stew is mild and filling. Seafood highlights include house-specialty camaron-es rancheros, or shrimp covered in home-made sauce. Shrimp and fish kabobs “Fiesta Matador” are filled with flavor and big enough to share. Entrée prices range from $7 – $15.

Watch out for spotty service, though. During a recent lunch visit it took our serv-er three tries to get my burrito order right, even after I switched to speaking Spanish in an attempt to ease the language barrier.

Patrons don’t head to Carmela’s, just around the corner from Fiesta Mexicana, for the atmosphere or an extensive menu. A board mounted above the cash register lists the few offerings, including tacos, burri-tos and sides like guacamole. The tiny room borders on cramped, even when almost empty. Carmela’s is counter-service only with an open grill. Walls are painted a bright turquoise and the tables and chairs have seen better days, giving the place a lived-in feel.

None of that matters once the house specialty, tacos al pastor arrives. Marinated pork is carved off a roasting spit and grilled to order. The tacos are topped with onions, cilantro and lime, with tortillas perfectly warmed, light and chewy. Carmela’s bur-ritos are smaller than the jumbo ones we expect from late-night palaces across the city, but ingredients were fresh and tasty, if basic. All items sampled were simple yet done well. The best part: prices range from $1.50 per taco, to around $4 for a burrito. Carmela’s closes at 10 p.m, so folks will have to get their fix before they head to the bars.

Which restaurant ends up winning the title of best taco? We’re voting for Carmela’s. The speedy service and cheap prices make it perfect for students, and the tacos are delicious. However, for a menu selection that moves beyond the ba-sics and stays open late enough to accom-modate the party animals, head to Fiesta Mexicana. You won’t be disappointed.

Fiesta Mexicana, 4806 N. Broadway. 9 a.m. -2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday; 9 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Carmela’s, 1206. W Lawrence Ave. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. seven days a week.

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CALENDAR

The ITS! with The Penthouse Sweets and Days OFF930pm

The Beat Kitchen

2008 Midwest Open Invitational Snowskate Competition12pm

Wilson Skate Park

Writers Workshop Make Readings Work!10am-1pmLearn to read your work in public with author Marianna Swallow.

Uptown Writer’s Space

Art Exhibit Dr. Hycel B. TaylorAll day, all month

Main Lobby, Truman College

Deep Blue Organ TrioTuesdays through the 26th9pm

The Green Mill

Cheap Beer ImprovStudents practice their craft8pm

The Annoyance Theatre

Valentine’s Day5pm-1030pmHave a special 4 course meal with your special someone

Viet Bistro & Lounge

Matthew SantosCollaborator of Lupe Fiasco does the solo gig8pm

The Metro

BlindsideA new drama featuring a female soldierOther Dates Available

Raven Theatre

The ‘Lil’ Talent ShowA mock high-school talent show. Sundays through the 24th830pm

The Annoyance Theatre

Nightly Acoustic Performances

Kitty Moon

HomolatteGLBT Open Mic1st and 3rd Tuesday730pm

Tweet

Career Fair 1pm-7pm

Room 2241, Truman College

The Best Damn Open Mic in ChicagoEvery Thurs 830pmComedy Open Mic

Pressure Billiards & Cafe

Steve PoltzRecord release show7pm

Schuba’s Tavern

Black History Showcase1pm-230pm

Clarendon Community Center Park

Angels and Airwaves6pm

The Riviera

Middle College Hip-Hop Art Exhibit1230pm-3pm

First Floor, West Corridor

Middle College Hip-Hop Forum12pm-3pm

Main Lobby

Career Fair 10am-7pmFront Lobby,

Truman College

BSU Black History Show1pm

Novar Hall Truman Collage

The Hives, The Donnas730pm

The Riviera

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? Premier Night8pmOther Dates Available

Actors Workshop Theatre

This is How it GoesFinal Showing7pm

Profiles Theatre

Four Days LateSketch Comedy7pm

The Spot

Bad Touch Unsavory ImprovR-rated improvTuesdays930pm

The Annoyance Theatre

Magic Chicago 730pm

City Lit Theatre Company

KaraokeEvery Thurs 9pm

Carol’s Pub

Sounds So Good, Makes You Wanna HollerA musical featuring a ‘60s group8pmOther Dates Available

Black Ensemble Theater

Heat WaveA local playwright’s drama.8pmOther Dates Available

Pegasus Players

Brunch!Sundays10am-3pm

Fireside Restaurant

$5 burgers

Broadway Cellars

Yellowcard, The Spill Canvas, PlayRadioPlay! and Chicago’s own Treaty of Parisrock Chicago on Yellowcard’s farewell tour. 630pm

The Metro