It looks like it will be a rainy spring weekend in our part of the Midwest, and we here at the studio love this time of the year!  Sweaters begin to get packed away, tank tops start to come out, and bicycle commuting comes back into vogue.

Your friends at Paul Elledge Photography have compiled a list of ideas to keep you busy, educated and entertained throughout your weekend, so get ready for a good time!

Make the most of your weekend by going to see the Yousuf Karsh exhibit at the Art Institute.  THE EXHIBIT CLOSES SUNDAY, SO DON'T MESS UP AND MISS THIS!!! Not only are the Karsh prints impeccable, they are also a fascinating historical record of the 20th century.  And if you are getting started in the photography industry, you will find out that it can take a while to get a good thing going - Karsh assisted for 12 years before he went out on his own!

If you happen to be reading this in Arizona (or are going there in the next month), you really should drop by the Etherton Gallery and check out the current show featuring one of our favorite mixed-media artists, Chicagoan Elizabeth Ernst.  Like all other works of tangible art, you really need to see Elizabeth's images in person in order to truly appreciate them.  Don't miss out on this opportunity!

For those of you who are going to be more inclined to stay indoors this weekend, we suggest that you check out the Moto GP Polini Grand Prix of Japan.  It would appear that Valentino Rossi has come back from his loss to Casey Stoner at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar two weeks ago to lead the Friday practice standings.  Despite the Elledge allegiance to Team Ducati, we still enjoy watching Rossi race, no matter where he ends up in the final qualifying.

Finally, if you are just looking for some good food and a great drink in a unique new environment, look no further than Simone's in Pilsen.  Our friend Michael Noone (Danny's, the Francesca restaurants) partnered with Russ and Desiree Grant (Northside, Street Side) to open this new bar and grill, and take it from us when we say that it has to be seen to be believed!  The interior decorations alone are worth dropping in for, and as soon as you see a menu, you'll decide to stay for a while...

Those are our suggestions for this weekend.  We hope you get a chance to check out at least one or two of them.

We have successfully weathered another Midwest winter, and with the arrival of spring, we are introducing a new addition at Paul Elledge Photography - the Elledge Blog!

Paul recently decided that a blog would be a great way to stay in touch with friends and let them know what he is up to.  Today, we see the realization of that vision, and we hope that you are as excited about it as we are!

With a new President, the first KISS album in over a decade, the coldest Chicago winter in about a decade, and the addition of Nicky Hayden to the Ducati Moto GP team, 2009 is already proving to be a very interesting year!  We hope that this blog will allow you to get a glimpse of what Paul and his crew are up to throughout 2009 (and the years to follow); whether on location, in the studio, riding motorcycles or wandering the globe.

And speaking of travel, we have a lot of fond memories of 2008: We worked with some great clients (DDB, Draft FCB, Element 79 and BBDO NYC to name a few), traveled (NY, WA, CA, LA, KY, FL, TX, etc.), hung out with some amazing talent (Jennifer Hudson, Tiger Woods and a few others that you might recognize), shot some great campaigns and still managed to work on various personal projects (highlights were a trip to Italy, and getting to spend a few days with the L.A. Derby Dolls). 

Already in 2009 we have had the opportunity to work with some great creatives on a number of different projects, and we will be sharing the results of those endeavors with you on this blog throughout the year.

Paul has started a personal project for 2009 in which he is posting a new iPhone picture on his Facebook profile every day.  Here is a current favorite: