a trendy bygone

30 Rock is arguably one of the best television shows, ever. And Jack Donaghy is arguably one of the best television characters, ever.

Something about his lovable arrogance and his flashy old-fashioned style make him one of a kind. 

The vault door inside The Bedford

That’s why when I went to The Bedford in Wicker Park the first thing I thought was, “Jack Donaghy would eat here.” 

Not only is the swanky restaurant in a mid-century modern style basement, but the restaurant itself is inside of an old bank vault.

Yes, the giant gold plated vault door still stands, but now serves as a walkway into a private room. And the still intact depository boxes on the wall act as inimitable artwork.

It’s like a fabulous low-lit cigar lounge.

Without the cigars or smoke, of course.

And if the décor isn’t enough to “woo” you, the posh food will. 

Grandma Ann's Deviled Eggs

The house made crab dip – the cold, fresh, crab combined with the homemade crackers was flawless. 

And, the decadent deviled eggs had a wonderful smoky taste making me crave my favorite Easter dish all 365 days of the year. 


Overall Rating: 3.7 / 5 

money, money

Yesterday, at The Executives' Club of Chicago's Annual Economic Outlook, a panel of top economic forecasters (3 of the 4 are Chicagoans) shared their tips on how to stay ahead of the curve in 2014. For the past 30 years their financial predictions have never been wrong.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

- Invest in marijuana distribution. Jon Najarian noted that he bought the Medbox stock on Wednesday (1/8/14) for $35 and Thursday (1/9/14) it was up to $90. He expects there to be great opportunities in this space. However, you should patiently wait and observe the trend before diving all in.

- Job growth in 2014. All three panelists agreed that there will be more job opportunities this year. Diane Swonk expects between 2.5 million and 3 million more jobs will be created this year due to companies beginning to rebuild supply chains.

- Bitcoin is risky. When asked about the new digital "currency" Douglas Holtz-Eakin said that it is very dangerous thing and doesn't know why the treasury has not come out against it. He advises to stay clear for the time being.

Thanks to the talented finance gurus who shared their wisdom:

Photo Credit: Emily Cikanek for Joe Gallo Photography

Jon Najarian, Co-Founder, optionMONSTER
Diane Swonk, Chief Economist, Mesirow Financial
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Economist and Former Congressional Budget Office Director 
Terry Savage, Financial Author and Nationally Syndicated Columnist.