Sunrise Fresh Market on Milwaukee Avenue

What’s in a name?

Monday’s Gapers Block: Drive Thru article, “Goya or Bust,” mistakenly referred to Sunrise Fresh Market at 2722 N. Milwaukee Avenue by its old name of Tianguis. Tianguis is still the name on the awning, but it’s been Sunrise Fresh Market — as the banner sign above the awning says — for over a year now.

The article also refers to the store formerly known as Tianguis as a bodega. I suppose that depends on your definition of a bodega. I think of a bodega as the well-stocked corner store in the city. Besides not being literally on a corner, Sunrise is far more than a corner store. Despite folks clamoring for a grocery store in the neighborhood, we have one right on Milwaukee Avenue in

One World One Dream indeed

A Polish-American serving up Italian gelato represents Mexico in China

It’s only been open for three months, but the owner of Heavenly Gelato & Ice Cream Café (2662 N. Sawyer Avenue) is already taking some time off from the start-up of his new business…

…to participate in the Olympics!

That’s right. There’s another Milwaukee Avenue connection to these Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. On Thursday, August 21, Larry Langowski Mendoza will be the sole man to
represent Mexico in freestyle wrestling. (For the background on how this came to be, see CBS 2’s video “Olympic Wrestler Has Fan Base in Two Countries;” search for “wrestler.”)

Olympic rings

Olympic orgullo

The Olympic orgullo (pride) of the Torres family, Maria, Jose and Jose, Jr., is beaming off the rings and things at Omar Jewelry (2624 N. Milwaukee Avenue). That’s because son/brother Jorge is right now preparing to represent the United States in these Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. On Sunday, August 17, Jorge Torres will run the men’s 10,000 meter race, the longest race on the Olympic track in the Bird’s Nest.

Jorge Torres was born in Chicago, raised in the suburbs, and now calls Colorado home. Omar Jewelry is the second of two Torres family-owned jewelry stores in Chicago and has been a Logan Square fixture for years.