Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters have one. So does Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen. And soon, thanks to Oregon's Breedlove Guitar company, Jeff Tweedy will join the ranks of local shredders with a signature guitar model.

For the last few months, Tweedy's main acoustic guitar has been a Breedlove Revival 000 12-fret Calendar guitar. (That's him playing it at the Dec. 7 Barack Obama fundraiser at the Riviera.) He apparently fell in love with the guitar at local guitar shop Make'n Music, and it seems to have replaced his Santa Cruz 000 on stage in recent months. (Not that we're so obsessive as to pay attention to such things.) The Revival 000-12 Jeff Tweedy Limited Edition will be a bit different from Tweedy's current ax -- most notably a bee-themed inlay on the guitar's headstock -- but otherwise the same basic guitar.

The folks at Make'n Music tell us that they'll order "one or two" of the guitars, and that they expect to see them in the shop sometime after the NAMM Show in January. The guitars will be expensive (full list is $5,999, though the guitar will likely to sell in the $4,800 range), but we don't think that'll deter local Wilco fans from trying to scoop one up. After all, if fans have deep enough pockets to help the band sell out a five-night run at the Riveria, one or two of them will have the cash for the coolest Wilco collectable ever.

You're going to have to wait until July 18 to see the new Batman movie, but you can see some killer shots of Chicago right now. Check out the new trailer for "The Dark Knight," in which the city stars with Christian Bale, returning as the Caped Crusader from "Batman Begins," and a very creepy-looking Heath Ledger as The Joker.

But we have to say that this does really look more like Chicago than the Gotham of "Batman Begins." Perhaps the digital effects haven't been added yet -- or perhaps in this version, Gotham is invaded by Chase and Starbucks.

Logan Square neighborhood joint El Cid 2, known for cheap eats and festive patio, recently got a makeover. The tiny spot now boasts a cozy upstairs dining room with a fireplace (wow!), lounge seating (ooh!), a handsome bar, pub tables and a section for larger parties. While the menu remains the same, it's now flanked by a wine list and collection of appetizers and dishes for "late-night grazing."

The only thing that didn't suprise my friend and I (both former Logan Square residents and El Cid addicts) during a recent weekend visit? Overhearing similar expressions of shock and awe as unsuspecting regulars realized that their favorite little spot was all grown up. My friend and I dined on enchiladas, tacos, beans, rice and guac while sipping bottles of Bohemia and Negra Modelo. The bill rang in at $44. Some things never change.

Grant Achatz, the renowned chef from Alinea who made headlines earlier this year after he was diagnosed with oral cancer, sends good news today. Here is his message in full:


It is with a tremendous sense of gratitude and relief that I have successfully completed my course of therapy at the University of Chicago. It was incredibly important to me to remain as engaged as possible at Alinea while receiving treatment, and during that time I only missed 14 services. I continue to stand committed to innovating fine dining long into the future.

At this time I want to thank everyone at Alinea -- the staff, investors, and patrons of the restaurant have offered their unwavering commitment and support in ways large and small.  The community of restaurants, chefs, and industry professionals who reached out to us was exceptionally gratifying.

Most of all, I must make special mention of doctors Vokes, Blair, and Haraf at the University of Chicago Medical Center, as well as the countless number of medical professionals and support staff there who cared for me.  Where other doctors at prominent institutions saw little hope of a normal life, let alone a cure, these doctors saw an opportunity to think differently, preserve my tongue and taste, and maintain a long term high quality of life. Through the use of a new and rigorous Chemotherapy and Radiation protocol, they were able achieve a full remission while ensuring that the use of invasive surgery on my tongue was not needed.

Onward.