Happy Halloween!

Halloween is not just for kids, but I think kids get the most fun out of it - at least judging by all the big smiles I saw at last week's Chicagoween parade. This annual event gives kids a chance to show off their costumes to hundreds of people - and most importantly, have their trick-or-treat bags filled with candy once they reach the end of the route. Let the sugar buzz begin!




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Double Ten

Chicago's Chinatown came to life this past weekend, as the city's Taiwanese population celebrated Double Ten. A lively parade and energetic performances highlighted Taiwan's National Celebration Day.



The day reminded me of a few years ago when I was actually in Taiwan on Double Ten. We attended the National Day Rally in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei, listening to political speeches we couldn't understand. We spent the afternoon, taking part in the festivities on the grounds of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall - hours of traditional music, dancing, and drama. The celebration continued late into the evening, as we gathered with thousands of other people to watch one of the most amazing fireworks displays I have ever seen.



I doubt I'll ever be back in Taiwan on Double Ten again - but I'm glad we can get a taste of such exciting international festivities in Chicago!

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Wait till next year

The end of summer also means the end of the baseball season in Chicago. Chicago is not New York, where the playoffs are an annual event. This is Chicago, where the White Sox winning the World Series last year was a truly once in a lifetime event - and the Cubs are approaching 100 years without a World Series title.


We went to one of the last games of the Cubs' season last weekend. It was one of those games so typical of the Cubs - they get your hopes up and lose it in the end. But, as loyal fans, we stuck it out till the end, enduring 14 heartbreaking innnings (yes, extra innings!) and two rain delays over six hours. The team did make it exciting, though. They came back from an 8-0 deficit to force extra innings - but in the end, it was an "L" for the books.

What else can we do but wait till next year?


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Pumpkin harvest

This morning, I went to one of the last Saturday farmers markets of the year (most around here run through the end of October). The berries and sweet corn of the summer have given way to the autumn harvest - especially pumpkins! Halloween and Thanksgiving are right around the corner.



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