Windy City Weekend: Ryan, Val talk dating deal breakers; celebrity trainer Joey Thurman on new book
CHICAGO (WLS) -- This week on Windy City Weekend, It's Friday the 13th! Val and Ryan catch up with some Host Chat topics.
Mega Millions up to 1.35 Billion
The Mega Millions is up to 1.35 billion. It may be Friday the 13th, but someone could get really lucky today!
Top Ten Specific Things You'd Dump Someone Over:
Have you ever been on a date with someone and hated the way they chewed? Or do they try to make themselves look smarter than they are? A poll found out the top ten highly specific things people would dump someone over.
Chicago Auto Show First-Look Gala
Val and Ryan got an early scoop on what's coming to this year's Chicago Auto Show! And you have an opportunity to get a first look too! The Chicago Auto Show is hosting its 31st First Look for Charity Black Tie Gala on February 10th from 7 - 11 p.m at McCormick Place.
Attendees will be among the first to get a glimpse at the latest vehicles, sample gourmet food and beverages and enjoy entertainment on the show floor all while supporting outstanding local charities. They will even have the chance to be entered to win a brand new vehicle - The Honda CR-V Hybrid or Subaru Crosstrek.
Tickets are $275, and can be purchased at FirstLookforCharity.org.
The 2023 Chicago Auto Show opens to the public at the McCormick Place from February 11 - 20. You can visit ChicagoAutoShow.com for more information or find them on Facebook at Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow.com.
JOEY THURMAN:
Celebrity health and fitness trainer and author, Joey Thurman joins Val and Ryan to talk about his newest book, The Minimum Method.
When it comes to looking and feeling your best, less really can be more. Discover how to maximize your sleeping, eating, exercising-even thinking and breathing-with minimum effort.
The truth is most people don't actually need grueling, extreme workouts or aggressively limited diets to lose weight and feel proud to flaunt their bodies in bathing suits. What they need is a plan that is focused on efficiency-the best results for the least amount of time and effort-and one that is actually designed to be maintained for more than 30 days.
Ultimately, The Minimum Method teaches how to adopt a healthier mindset and lifestyle: feeling your best when you don't get enough sleep, working fitness into your busiest days, getting back on track when you slip up, and celebrating your progress.
With The Minimum Method, you'll have the key to better health, using small, easy changes that add up to huge, life-altering results.
You can order The Minimum Method from select bookstores or online on Amazon.
ROSELAND PORTRAIT PROJECT:
At Carlson Tower Gallery, located at North Park University, a 20-foot wide, 8-foot tall exhibit displaying hundreds of staggered portraits on wooden blocks dazzled art lovers in attendance.
Dubbed the "Roseland Portrait Project," the installation constitutes hundreds of man-hours by painter John Bakker and a team of volunteers who helped construct the boxes.
"Typically each person takes me about four to five hours," said Bakker, a Chicago-based portraitist who has taught at Trinity Christian College for the last 41 years. "The whole project I'm guessing would take about maybe 15 months full-time."
Roseland Christian Ministries commissioned Bakker to paint the project to commemorate the life of Percy Julian High School star athlete Andre Taylor, who was shot to death in 2016. The 310-panel exhibit features 404 portraits of residents of Roseland, a Far South Side neighborhood of Chicago with a history of disinvestment and crime.
"Part of the problem is because Roseland doesn't represent itself to itself, somebody else fills that gap," said Bakker, speaking about news coverage. "I wanted people when they saw this to look at this and say, 'Yeah that's the Roseland I know.'"
Corey Hardiman lives in Roseland and started an organization called Hope Dealers to help students channel their negative experiences into positive change. His portrait is included in the project alongside friends and neighbors.
"When I look at this wall of individuals who've made a tremendous impact in more than one way in our community, I'm proud to be from Roseland," said Hardiman. "My mother and grandmother instilled in me that despite your zip code, you have the capacity to go where you want to go."
The exhibit purposely includes Roseland residents from all backgrounds and vocations, from aldermen and business owners to children and homeless residents. Bakker said his motivation for the project is rooted in his belief that all people matter
"Five hundred years ago the only people who would've had their portraits painted would have been kings, and they used those portraits as a way to demonstrate their value," said Bakker. "A hand-painted portrait still has that sense."
Bakker got to know each of his subjects through their submitted photos and an emailed questionnaire. He said Roseland now feels like a second home to him.
"You just get to know people in a way you wouldn't otherwise," said Bakker. "What I'm interested in is representing the networks that make up the community."
The project will remain at the Carlson Tower Gallery until Jan. 17, and will eventually reside at Roseland Christian Ministries at 109th Street and Michigan Avenue. Bakker said he hopes it moves to schools and churches in the neighborhood as well as gallery venues that serve the South Side.
For more information on the Roseland Portrait Project, visit johnbakker.info.
ROEPER'S REVIEWS:
"House Party" - SAVE
A reboot of the 1990 hit, "House Party" is hitting the big screen. It stars Jacob Lattimore and Tosin Cole with cameos from celebs like Lebron James, Lena Waithe and Snoop Dogg.
"The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" - SPEND
"The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" is a Netflix documentary about the hippie, homeless hitchhiker who saved a man's life and became a viral sensation - only to wind up charged and convicted of murder months later.
"On Sacred Ground" - SPEND
"On Sacred Ground" is about a journalist who goes undercover to report on the protests surrounding the building of the Dakota access pipeline on sacred standing rock Sioux tribe ground.
"Velma" - SAVE
HBO Max has created an animated adult-oriented show, "Velma" based on the beloved "Scooby-Doo" character with voices from Mindy Kaling, Jane Lynch and Wanda Sykes
MLK DAY ACTIVITIES:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 16th. Multiple charities and organizations are hosting events that you can attend/volunteer at.
My Block, My Hood, My City - Service Event:
The youth and community outreach organization, My Block, My Hood, My City is hosting an MLK day of service. They'll be collecting PPE items, food, winter clothes and then delivering them to over 500 seniors in the Chicago area. You can find out more information at https://www.formyblock.org/events.
University of Chicago - Service Event:
The University of Chicago is hosting multiple events throughout the day including a day of service in the Bronzeville community. Volunteers will receive breakfast before they bus out to sites and schools around the city to serve. You can find out more information at https://mlk.uchicago.edu/page/service-and-civic-engagement-opportunities.
Forest Preserves of Cook County - Service Event:
The Forest Preserves of Cook County is hosting park clean up efforts at multiple parks around the city including; Miller Meadows-North, Schubert's Woods, Dan Ryan Woods Pavilion and Sand Ridge Nature Center. You can find out more information at
