RockRaines

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 03:20 PM) There obviously are some bars and restaurants that probably wouldn't be there if the Bulls and Hawks played in Addison. Probably a bigger impact if they cut back on the parking lots, and put some things in there besides pavement. The bars and restaurants near Wrigley couldn't stay in business if the Cubs didn't play there. I was reading about Goose Island shutting down near there. Their lease expired and their landlord wanted them to go on an month to month lease, but they were worried he would pull the plug before or during baseball season. Off season, they can't make money. So they just shut down. The UC is far enough away that it wasnt a draw really, but it's now had some effect that the neighborhood and the stadium are mutually beneficial (other than no parking rules whatsoever unlike every other stadium in the city) and having the teams good is another bonus. Randolph street kind of grew independently but has become a bit of a draw for a night out as well as a game. The population in the area has grown so much it can sustain all of the bars etc at this point. The West loop boom was a perfect storm of so many different factors.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 03:21 PM) That's not too bad, honestly. I pay more for OTR most of the time. I like customizing it for how I will wear the shirt as well as the material. I have some thinner shirts for summertime and I get some cut a bit short in case I want to wear untucked. Another sleeper item that is pretty valuable-metal collar stays. Throw away those plastic flimsy pieces of s***.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 02:57 PM) Yeah the Pilot's on the list too, although it's not rated very highly from Edmunds, US News, Car and Driver, etc. My sister and SIL both have pilots and love them, even different years. Seems like every single family around here has one and they all have the same color. They must be doing something right. After that I see the Volvo XC90/60's, Jeep GC, Range Rover sport and tahoe/yukons the most.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 01:21 PM) I don't know how much it really had to do with it, but the United Center at least had some impact on huge turnaround in the West Loop and Near West Side. You really didn't want to be walking down West Madison at any time of day as late as the late 80s or early 90s. Now there are women with strollers shopping. What the UC could use is a more convenient train stop. It had next to nothing to do with it but its now reaping some of the benefits. Next to the UC there will be a "sports complex" with stores, restaurants etc. Couple that with the new practice facilities and its as close as chicago can get.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 02:39 PM) That is very cool...what do they charge you generally for shirts? s*** I dont know, I'll have to check the itemized bill. Probably just a bit south of $200.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 02:45 PM) Full disclosure, our software is really damned expensive. We do have price sensitive firms who can't afford it, but it the best stuff on the street. This idea has come out of losing those firms as sales. They pitched it as Lite, but I really hated that name. I do like Essentials as well as express. Corporate version has been used for this as well.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 02:31 PM) We are working on a pricing structure for one of our software systems that we are going to strip all of the extras off of it, and sell it at about half price as a basic program. I am looking for a name other than "Lite/Light" to call it... Any ideas? Express

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 02:32 PM) I know the drive train is for the Accord, so maybe they threw in the Accord 4 cylinder engine too. We looked at the new one because it was a redesign and it was quieter etc, but at the end of the day the most important part (drivetrain) just doesnt add up.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 12:37 PM) Agreed. I HATE its winter starting. Even with a brand new battery last year, it never feels like it is going to start when we get under say 10 degrees. It slides a lot in snow, even with the all wheel drive. Part of their point was how good gas mileage was, and even that isn't great. My 6 cylinder 2004 Impala still blows it away in gas mileage even though the CRV is only a 4 banger. I know the tires are most likely part of the issue but the AWD sucks, and that starter, I dont feel comfortable letting my wife out in the cold in her car with that thing. I make her drive my JGC. I'm look pretty heavily at the Cherokee, Escape, Volvo, and maybe the hyundai.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 01:59 PM) What year is it? We have a 2012 Honda Pilot (the bigger one than the CRV), and it's been pretty fantastic. Well other than guzzling gas, but I knew that going in. I suppose the engine is different on the Pilot too, maybe that makes the difference. 2013 I think, maybe 2012. The engine is just sub par to me, like they threw in a civic engine.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 02:05 PM) I am pretty young but I have been trying to improve in this department. I have two full suits that are both off the rack but tailored to my fit. I have a navy pin-striped Michael Kors suit and a black Calvin Klein. I guess I am happy with them until I start bringing in more money but I need help in the shoe game. Is there any mid tier shoe brands that I should direct my attention to? Spending ~600 on Ferragamos isn't really in the picture at this point. I'm surprisingly in the #2 camp of hitting up DSW and grabbing something in the 65-85 dollar range to wear for a year or so. If you have access to a shoe shine place they can look great for 3 years or so before you wear them out depending on how often you wear them. Personally I like spending my footwear dough on athletic shoes.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 12:29 PM) I can't wait to get rid of my wife's CRV either. My wife wanted one so bad and we got it loaded up and the price was way too high for what we got and I hate driving it. The thing barely starts, sucks in the snow and is slow as hell. Why do people want this car so badly>?

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 12:17 PM) Very cool, Rock. I was hoping you would contribute to this thread. So let me ask you this...your shirts and suits...are these made-to-measure or truly bespoke? I've never gotten anything mtm or bespoke - have always gone Off the rack and then had it tailored. The idea of choosing my own fabrics and having something made particularly for me is intriguing, however. They are totally custom made from the sizing (they come to your house) of every bit of your body including how thick your watch is, down to the fabric cut, placing of pockets, color of the seams etc. At this point the factors (in LA) has all of my measurements and I can completely design what I want and they will even send me a rough make and I can give them tweaks. All of my suits have little touches depending on what my target market is for that suit. Summer ones are lighter material with more colorful touches while work suits tend to be muted with very small custom tweaks. It can get very detailed, for example some of my new suit coats have a custom sized iphone 6 pocket kind of hidden in the inside since I dont like to put a giant phone in my pocket.

Shoes- A whole other ball of wax. There are really two schools of thought in dress shoes: 1. Buy some really nice pairs and find a shoe shop or cobbler that can repair and resole these for years. Very common ones I see are Ferragamos, Crockett and Jones, Gucci etc. Most of the well dressed men I know swear by Ferragamos. Keep in mind these are going to run you about 600 bucks MIN. Most informed shoe salesman will narrow this all down from you and it gets quite confusing. How many seams do you like, do you like a toe cap etc. You will walk out spending a grand on shoes that hopefully will last you 15 years at least. You WILL have to care for these, you WILL have to wear protectors in the winter and you WILL resole this shoes with an expensive repair shop. These are timeless, classic and look like money. 2. Go to DSW, buy whats in fashion, wear one season, discard, buy again. You can get Kenneth Coles, etc for 60-100 bucks, they look great, they wear easily, but you can keep them looking nice if you get a shoe shine frequently and do not drag your feet too much when you walk. This can fit almost anyone, they look nice enough with an expensive suit and only the gayest or snobbiest man out there will know you arent wearing 1,000 italian leather loafers. You should really have 3 pairs of "nice shoes". 1. Classic black leather-work, weddings etc. Get em shined and they will treat you right 2. Brown suit-quality or khaki quality dress shoes. DONT buy square toes fellas, this isnt 2001. Get a nice brown leather shoe (not docs) slightly different from your black shoes and you can pop em on with your blue suit, gray suit or kahkis 3. Casual-dress shoes. Something you can wear with nice jeans and sport coat or sweater as well as sockless with nice shorts for a dressy-casual event. something akin to this varvatos shoe: https://www.google.com/shopping/product/554...gMYqqyATWmICQDg

I get all my suits and shirts custom made because I wear suits often and I like the look and style of getting something made for me. I am not the type of guy that likes to get one suit off the rack at Men's Warehouse. My first run was a navy, a dark gray and a black sportcoat with light gray pants. Those are probably the three staples of any suit inventory you should have. After that you can start to play around with when you wear the suits, what season, occasions etc, then start to add things like accent shirts etc. If you are ok with buying shirts off the rack this can save you some dough. I could really go into detail of which suits for what occasion etc, as well as patterns per season if anyone really wants to. I think one of the more important pieces of a wardrobe is also your "dress casual" selections like very nice jeans and some sweater/shirt options as well as grown up shoes. If you are interested in custom wear there are probably tons around you that you can check out. I started with Astor&Black (pretty large well known brand) but they kind of went under so I switched to Elevee http://www.eleveefashion.com/ I dabble in trunk club for some of the dressy-casual stuff like jeans, sweaters etc.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 10:39 AM) Yeah that's true too - don't think of the negotiation as having to do with the payments. Get the best price, then talk financing. If the financing terms seem bad, then maybe go to your next best offer and see if they can do better on rate. But the payment amount is not the cost, exactly. They aren't an investment - they are a cost center. As soon as you come to that realization (don't mean you Rock, meaning anyone), it all becomes more clear. 100% agree. Dont stretch payments/cost of a car because you "think" you can handle it. The things is depreciating as you sit there, get what you can afford for the best price and enjoy. Its actually good timing as I am about to trade in my wife's leased CRV early for another vehicle so I can report on the interactions as this happens. Ending a lease early is a daunting task in itself but I f***ing hate driving that car and I want to get rid of it.

Dont get attached to a car and make that lead into into a bad deal because you want it now. Cars are a horrible investment and you should treat it that way.

QUOTE (Whitewashed in '05 @ Feb 17, 2015 -> 12:01 AM) Anyone been to a sushi restaurant where they served one plate, ~15 minute wait, next plate, ~15 minute wait, and so forth? I'm still a sushi newbie so not sure if this is just how some restaurants do it. This was on Saturday btw. Really no wait time to get seated though, we practically walked right in. Yeah, some places will deliver you whatever is ready at that time in no particular order.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 15, 2015 -> 01:35 PM) Valentine's Day brings out the absolute worst people in the world. I am a server and the trash I dealt with last night was unbelievable. I heard so many racist comments from my coworkers last night. Avoid restaurants on Valentines Day everyone. Spot on. Saturday was the first vday in 7 years for us and it was at our country club which made it 200 percent more pleasurable. The last time we went out for this day we waited at Carmine's until 10:30 for our table and they stuck a random table in the hallway.

QUOTE (Brian @ Feb 16, 2015 -> 06:27 AM) Khalid Kareem decommits from MSU. Visiting Michigan this week. Dantonio's downfall beginning...unless OSU wants to be jerks and steal him. No room at the inn.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 13, 2015 -> 11:20 PM) He looked like the only guy who wanted to play for the first 2 periods. A win's a win, hope they wake up and play better Sunday morning vs the Penguins. To me I like to watch if the guy is around the puck and aware of the flow. He seemed to have it quite a bit tonight and was involved.

Ok I beat that mission and for both characters there is nothing to do, including calling all my contacts. WTF

Bill Walton was calling the Zona game and they started talking about Jordan. Walton says if you picked a team he wouldn't stand out. He then named a bunch of centers and forwards saying they stood out more (Malone etc). Whoever was with him just said "ummm you are just picking guys by height." Hilarious exchange.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 13, 2015 -> 09:16 PM) At this point? I don't care. It's better than food stamps. You aren't from there so you are almost immune. Especially since you like other big ten teams. It's a weird cult town.

Anyone ever play the conflict series on Xbox? Four player co-op call of duty type game. Why doesn't anyone make something like that again? Nothing is better than running a long campaign like that with three buddies.