Paczki Day is upon us

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday or simply the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a day commonly known throughout the Southland as Paczki Day (and according to my Polish friends pronounced Poonch-ki).It is the day to pig out on fruit- or custard-filled doughnuts in preparation for the sacrifices that will be made during Lent, which starts on Wednesday.

Bakeries across the Southland are churning out thousands of the golden-brown pastries. Many bakeries now take preorders but all will have doughnuts available starting as early as 4:30 a.m. Just be prepared to wait.

Here’s what some readers had to say:

Joan Eckel says, “The best paczkis come from Orland Bakery. Be prepared for long lines when you go to pick them up. Wish they offered them during the year, but not so.”

Bob Caraynoff likes the “New Deluxe Bakery in Chicago Ridge, next to Jack & Pat’s.”

Doris Wickert was clear on her choice, “Definitely Weber’s Bakery!”

Here are some of the favorite places for paczki in the Southland:

• Orland Park Bakery, 14250 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park. 708-349-8516. www.orlandparkbakery.com Their Web site says paczki are available during Lent.
• Weber’s Bakery, 7055 W. Archer Ave., Chicago. 773-586-1234. www.webersbakery.com
• Nielsen’s Bakery, 2053 Ridge Road, Homewood. 708-957-8899. www.nielsensbakery.com
• Irene’s Bakery, 120 E. 154th St., Harvey. 708-331-0783.
• Tuzik’s Bakery, 4955 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn. 708-422-0099.
• Wolf’s Bakery, 3241 W. 95th St., Evergreen Park. 708-422-7429.
• Pticek & Sons Bakery, 5523 S. Narrangansett Ave., Chicago. 773-385-5500. www.pticeksbakery.tripod.com
• Fleckenstein’s Bakery, 19225 S. LaGrange Road, Mokena. 708-479-5256. www.fleckensteins.com
• Steffen’s Bakery, 714 State Line Road, Calumet City. 708-251-1518. www.steffens.com
• New Deluxe Bakery, 10731 S. Ridgeland Ave., Chicago Ridge. 708-229-2718.

Hollywood Video closing up shop

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Hollywood Video, whose parent company Movie Gallery filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Feb. 2, is holding going out of business sales at its stores at 17133 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park, 10268 S. Harlem Ave. in Bridgeview and 300 Ridge Road in Munster, Ind. A Movie Gallery store in Griffith, Ind., also is closing.

Hollywood Video stores in Oak Lawn, Oak Forest and Hammond, Ind., will remain open. Movie Gallery stores in New Lenox, and Hammond, Ind., also will remain open.

For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.hollywoodvideo.com

Pierre Thomas's and Dwyane Wade's Southland glory days

When former Southland athletes sparkle on the grandest sports stages, we like to remind the masses of those stars' roots. It was exhilarating to watch Pierre Thomas help propel New Orleans to its first-ever Super Bowl title on Feb. 7. The former T.F. South standout's 16-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown was a key play in the Saints' 31-17 victory over Indianapolis. The dynamic running back rushed for 30 yards and caught six passes for 55 yards in the game.

Exactly one week later, another former Southland prep star put on a dazzling display in a history-making game. Dwyane Wade, who starred at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, was named Most Valuable Player in an NBA All-Star Game that was witnessed by a crowd of 108,713 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. That's the largest crowd ever to watch a basketball game (the previous record being 78,129 at Detroit's Ford Field in 2003 for a college game between Kentucky and Michigan State). Wade scored 28 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed six rebounds in helping the Eastern Conference All-Stars edge the Western stars 141-139. Earning MVP honors in an All-Star Game is a high honor, but we're guessing it won't make Wade forget his past achievements. Those include an NBA Finals MVP award in 2006, when he lead the Miami Heat past the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA scoring championship (30.2 points per game) in 2008-2009, and an Olympic gold medal (2008).

So let's salute these two pro stars with a brief glimpse back at their high school years. The first video shows Thomas scoring his first touchdown for T.F. South, in a game against Rich Central in 2000. The second video shows Wade highlights from a 1999 state playoff game against Brother Rice.